THE FOLLOWING STORY IS FICTIONAL AND DOES
NOT DEPICT ANY ACTUAL PERSON OR EVENT.
Hey, Pops.
I got the money.
I just left it up in my room.MARCH ,
I'll fetch it.
FIVE MINUTES AGO.
Let me grab a tallboy
for the journey.
No deal.
You know I'm good for it.
That's not the point.
You can barely stay
upright as it is.
What you care?
Long as you get paid.
Oh, Landry, come on.
What kind of man would I be
if I let one of my loyal
customers go out
in the dead of winter
with a half a load on?
I take full responsibility.
It's not happening.
I tell you what.
I'll spot you a cup
of coffee for the road.
You can give me the
two bits in the AM.
You're welcome.
Landry, I done told you,
I'm not serving you tonight.
Don't even think about it.
Oh, come on.
How about some Talk radio?
Sports, politics.
Anything but this.
Now, you're talking
about the Temptations.
And it's freaking depressing.
Somebody always crying
about losing their girl
or their house.
I don't need to hear it.
I'm living it.
You got no culture.
If I admit it,
will you turn it off?
No.
What now?
Out of milk.
We'll get some in the morning.
We just worked a double.
Well, you should have
considered that
before you finished off
the last half-gallon.
Anyone here?
Hello?
Will?!
WILL?
Where the hell are you?!
Oh, God.
This is Detective Vera.
Officer down.
Officer down!
Grocery store,
Fifth and Main.
I need rescue!
Rush.
Sweetheart.
Wake up, angel.
Come on, baby.
Wake up. Come on.
We're going to Grandma's, okay?
I got to work tonight.
- Close enough to your place?
- Sure.
Sorry I can't walk you.
Well, maybe we can
do this again.
BP is / .
Respiratory distress.
Prep for intubation.
Anything I need to know
about this patient?
Allergies,
medical conditions,
prescriptions?
I don't... I could find out.
No time.
Is he going to be okay?
Nick?
I drank all the damn milk.
I spoke to the paramedics.
Two victims.
Store owner, Henry Walters.
Goes by Pops.
Yeah, other one's a cop.
What's their condition?
Multiple g*nsh*t wounds.
Taken to Saint Paul's.
One expired on the table.
Which one?
- Um.
- The cop or the owner?
Come on.
Walters.
It was definitely Walters.
What about Jeffries?
The cop.
???
Call comes in.
I'm first on the scene.
- What did you see?
- Not much.
Detective sh*t on the floor.
- His partner, big guy.
- Vera?
Yeah. Points me
out the back.
I made chase, but the sh**t
is in the wind.
Robbery?
This area? Robbery, drug deal,
g*ng retribution.
Your guy walks in.
Wrong place, wrong time.
- Yeah.
- Witnesses?
Deaf, dumb, and blind.
I need details!
You saw something,
heard something,
know something,
step up now.
Oh, this is funny to you?
Cop got sh*t, jag-off.
Toss him in the wagon.
You worried
about being a snitch?
That crap ends here.
Or we'll waterboard your ass
if we got to.
We're going to find out
what happened.
Hey.
Hey, hey, you.
Come here.
What's your name?
Landry. I ain't seen nothing.
You know the store,
right, Landry?
Pops was real good to me.
He had a special place
in HIS heart for screw-ups.
You been drinking
tonight, Landry?
I don't see why tonight
would be different
than any other.
I likes my beer.
How's about a case?
I heard a g*n go off.
One sh*t.
Then two more.
How long between the sh*ts?
Was it "bang,"
then "bang-bang"?
I was crossing the street
when I heard the first sh*t.
When the others came,
I was like a whole
'nother block away.
You'll get your cash
back at the station.
Come on.
Him, too.
Detective Jeffries' family?
Haven't been able
to reach his sister, so...
How is he?
He was sh*t twice
in the back.
One b*llet lodged
in the ribcage.
- How bad?
- Missed his vital organs.
We removed it
without incident.
- The other b*llet?
- Punctured a lung, which collapsed.
As soon as he's stabilized,
we'll get him out of trauma and MOVE HIM INTO SURGERY.
What's it looking like?
A long night.
Put me on the street, boss.
Let me find the scumbag
who sh*t Will.
You're in no condition, Nick.
I'm telling you...
all the training,
nothing can prepare you
for when it all goes down.
TWO HOURS AGO,
This is Detective Vera.
Officer down.
Officer down!
Grocery store, Fifth and Main.
I need rescue!
Hold on, buddy.
Hold on.
Got to apply pressure
to that wound.
Police! Who's there?!
I'm a cop!
I'm a cop!
Someone went out the back.
Just one?
I don't know.
You hold on, buddy, okay?
You hold on. I'm here. I'm here.
I'm going to apply pressure
to this wound, okay?
HOLD ON.
Cop must have been a block away
when the call came in.
Did you get a look
at the sh**t?
What about before
you went in the store?
You notice anyone?
You hear anything?
The first g*nsh*t, maybe?
Nothing.
So, he was in the store
when you pulled up.
Pops was already sh*t.
What was he doing in there?
He wasn't robbing the place.
Cash in the till.
Pops' watch and wallet were on him
when he reached the hospital.
Maybe the sh**t was looking
for something else.
Three shell casings.
Nine-millimeter.
Will comes in.
Goes for the milk.
sh**t jumps up.
Opens fire.
Bloody footprints say
the doer runs out the back.
'Cause Vera's
coming in the front.
He kicks open the back door,
takes off down the alley.
Got video surveillance up front.
It's back here, too.
Tapes haven't been touched
in years.
Here's hoping they still play.
I've met this girl.
ONE WEEK AGO
Valentine's out
there somewhere.
Who knows what he'll do?
What happened, Carmen?
They had some kind
of argument.
I've never seen Pops so angry.
You know the old man.
He don't back down
for nothing.
Neither does Valentine.
You should have seen
the look in his eyes.
Okay.
- Don't worry about it, sweetheart.
- I'll take care of it.
Okay?
We just found Pops' next of kin.
GRANDPA AND CARMEN GRADUATION
Carmen comes to Will
'cause she's worried
about this Valentine.
Will was here for a whole lot
more than milk.
Wait, what kind of g*n?
No, no, look.
Tell your snitch we're looking
for a nine-millimeter.
Yep.
Any news?
They moved him
up to surgery.
Need blood?
- Something like that?
- No. They're good, Scotty.
You okay?
Sorry.
Tip line's overwhelmed. Some
schmuck gives my number instead.
- What do you got?
- Putting the screws to known stick-up men,
LOCAL DEARLERS AND BANGERS,
but it's looking like Will was
in the store for a reason.
- He knew Pops?
- Might have been some kind of falling out
between Pops and a guy
goes by the name Valentine.
What kind of falling out?
I'm hoping Pops' granddaughter
Carmen can fill in the blanks.
Neighbor said she's a student
over at Temple.
Miller's bringing her in.
You checking the system
for Valentine?
Wait a minute, that name.
No, Detective Jeffries
is not here.
What time's the kid
getting arraigned?
Yeah. "Valentine"? Got it.
I'll make sure he gets it.
Cop on the other line said
Valentine was up on a g*n charge.
But he was holding off on filing
till Jeffries called him back.
Would this connect
to a case?
Not that I know of.
Maybe he's got a phone number
for Valentine in his things.
He win a bet or something?
Will never carries
more than a couple bucks.
No Valentine in here.
We get a description at least?
I mean, that cop,
that first responder,
he get a look at the doer
when he went after him?
McGinley? No.
Pete McGinley?
Yeah. You know
him, boss?
He went to PPD
to sort out witnesses.
Colleague of mine works
the felony unit.
Said he was preparing a
complaint for a James Valentine
on handgun possession
a couple months ago.
What happened?
He's on his way to court,
gets a call from the arresting officer, ???
HE MADE A MISTAKE.
Your buddy get
the officer's name?
Yeah. Kendrick.
Works the Fifth Distct..
I need you to find an Officer
Kendrick at the Fifth District.
I don't care where he is.
Get him down here.
Does this James Valentine
got a record?
Nothing recent.
All juvenile.
Records are sealed.
Yeah. Not anymore.
How'd you get these unsealed
at : in the morning?
Uh, you, uh...
you really want to know?
as*ault,
robbery, shoplifting.
Valentine was last time he was
in front of a judge.
He got a choice.
Hard prison time
or m*llitary service.
He chose Uncle Sam.
Since then he's stayed
out of trouble.
Until now.
???
I stay until we charge someone
for sh**ting a cop.
Your dad.
Appreciate it.
EXCUSE ME.
Scotty...
I'm sorry about Jeffries.
Is he going to be okay?
It's too soon to tell.
If you want to talk or...
Did ya get anything off
the security video FROM POP'S STORE?
Tape from the front door
is useless.
The one from the back
is deteriorated.
Thinking binder
breakdown.
Some TLC, I might be able
to rescue it.
TLC's your specialty, ain't it?
It's not so
funny now, huh?
Scotty, what's up?
Naw, just,
you know, Will.
He's still in surgery...
Yeah.
You heading over there?
Maybe later.
I just spoke to the cop who arrested
Valentine for g*n possession.
Couple months back,
Valentine gets pulled
over for running a light.
. in the glove box.
We got an address for him?
We broke down the door.
No one home.
But left a small army to
bring him in if he shows up.
How's Jeffries fige inin?
Well, he asked Kendrick
for a personal favor;
letting Valentine
off the hook.
Will's not the type
to bend the rules.
Won't even take
a free cup of coffee.
Makes you wonder what
Valentine means to him.
Follow me.
Valens tells me
you been a help.
Doing what I can.
Where do you live,
McGinley?
Gray's Ferry.
That's a long way
from Pops' store.
Happy accident you being so close
when the sh**ting went down?
My night off. I can't sleep.
I like to drive.
Make a habit of driving
an unmarked city vehicle
with a police radio into the ghetto
on your night off?
I know two things about you,
McGinley.
One: when you were in uniform
you were Deputy Commissioner
???
And two: when you made
detective,
he had you transferred
to Internal Affairs.
But what I don't know
is what the hell you were doing
following one
of my detectives around.
A couple of months ago,
JeJeries fixed a g*n charge on a convicted felon.
If he did, he had his reasons.
Yeah, and I know
what they were.
YESTERDAY.
You got no idea what you saw.
Come on, Lieutenant.
He gets Valentine out of a jam.
A few weeks later,
he's collecting his bonus.
Probably got him sh*t.
Get out of here.
Go back to Doherty.
I'm a cop first.
I want to help.
You're not welcome here.
Pops'd bring in
the troubled kids.
Ones who put up
the biggest front.
Give 'em a job.
Try to school 'em.
You know where
Valentine is now, Carmen?
There was an argument about week ago,
over money, I think.
Pops hit him.
Valentine ran off.
I told Pops, "Get out
of the neighborhood. "
He said these kids'd be lost
without him.
Valentine's not
at his apartment.
You know where else he could be?
He works nights.
A restaurant, I think.
Which one?
What kind of food? Burgers?
Tacos?
What am I going to do now?
Pops looked out for me.
He was my only family.
All these cops here,
they're ready to move.
Find the guy
who sh*t your grandfather.
But we need your help.
Can I see him?
I'll take you to the hospital,
soon as we're done.
Chicken.
It's a chicken place
on Susqie.
SUSQIE, YEAH, LET'S GO.
Kid's been here all night.
I would never hurt Pops!
Word on the street is
you're the dangerous type.
Got the record to prove it.
That was the past, man.
I've changed.
A g*n you were pulled over with
a few weeks ago
SAYS DIFFERENT.
g*n wasn't even for me!
That g*n was for Pops.
A kid comes to me.
He said he wants $ a week.
Protection, he tells me.
I tell him to just go.
But he came back, didn't he?
Acting tough,
knocking stuff over.
Ain't no act.
The Dominicans play for keeps.
They already took over
the drug trade.
How you going to stand tall?
Kids is kids.
You were just like that
not too long ago.
Look at you now.
Put a quarter down there.
Pops, I was going to pay
for it, man.
I'm just saying the neighborhood's changed
since my day.
Your day?
Your day was three years ago.
This is another punk who thinks he's the baddest ass
in the neighborhood.
You the boss.
It's good
you remembered that.
SNITCH
What the hell?
It's a prank.
Nah, this ain't
no prank, Pops.
Man, we got to get you
some real protection.
What, a g*n?
I been running this store
for years.
I stood my ground.
And I didn't need no g*n
to do it.
Name's Francisco Ariza.
He's the first guy that
ever got under Pops' skin.
Your brilliant idea
to get a g*n.
That why you
and Pops argued?
Somebody had to stand up
to Francisco.
And I needed money to do it.
- To buy another g*n.
- Damn straight.
I was going to persuade
that Dominican son of a bitch to stay
away FROM THE OLD MAN
Your man Jeffries stops me
before I get it.
at the roll of cash Jeffries
took from you yesterday?
I stole it from Pops.
Your man must have been bringing
it back to him when he got sh*t.
Are we square?
No, we ain't square.
You tell us where
to find Francisco.
Then do us all a favor:
stop being so helpful.
How long's it take to get
a ballistics report?!
No, I'm done talking to you!
I want Carla on the phone now!
Hung up.
Everyone's doing
what they can, Nick.
- They pick up Valentine yet?
- Alibi'd out.
The g*n he had
was for protecting Pops
from a local banger,
Francisco Ariza.
- Let's go get him.
- It's being handled.
When was the last time
you slept?
They been working on Will
for hours.
I need to do something
for him, boss.
Come on.
What the hell am I
supposed to do here?
Will?
No news.
I saw you praying,
I figured...
He's holding on.
I got a record
for FrANciscO Ariza.
Runs with Mara Este.
Carjacking, g*n possession, extortion.
g*ng's hard-core.
Francisco's been shaking down local businesses
for protection money.
But Pops wouldn't pay.
So Francisco makes him
an example for the rest
of the neighborhood?
Do we know where he is?
Last known address
was his mother's.
She d*ed four years ago.
When Francisco's not locked up,
he's with a girlfriend
in West Kensington.
We got anything we can
bring hiin with?
Open bench warrant:
possession with intent.
Rush and Valens are on it.
- If they're lucky, he tries to run.
- Shh!
Hey, buddy, listen,
shush me again,
and I'll take your tongue
and I'll shove it...!
Nick,
let it go.
What is it with people?
It's a chapel.
He's going to be okay.
Nothing.
Coffee's still on.
Someone was here
not too long ago.
Landlord said the
girlfriend's out of town.
Maybe Francisco went for smokes?
I don't think he's coming back.
I'll call Bell
for a search warrant.
I'll wake the judge.
Heard on the radio about a homicide detective
getting sh*t.
He a friend of yours?
Name's Will Jeffries.
I've known him a while now.
He going to pull through?
That's what they're saying.
Anyway, I guess I just wanted
to see your face.
Okay.
I want you to have this.
???
If you're anything like me,
you don't go in for spiritual
mumbo-jumbo.
Still...
it's given me comfort
during some hard times.
Uh, thanks.
Be careful out there, okay?
Yeah, sure.
Who's that?
My father.
Cooper.
Yeah.
Heard about Will, wanted
to make sure I'm all right.
Yeah.
Tells me,
"Be careful. "
No idea the same thing
happened to me.
Funny, right?
Where you going?
Hospital.
FBI tracked Francisco's
cell phone GPS for you.
What is it, : a. m.?
Never known Feds to be
so quick on the uptake.
Eh, special agent in
charge owes me money.
Can't play Hold 'em
to save his life.
Signal traces to the
Marshall housing projects.
That's two blocks
from Pops' store.
Hey, listen,
do me a favor.
Don't take it easy on him.
That's a promise.
Francisco doesn't
live here.
Kind of hard to believe, seeing as
we found your nephew's cell phone
ON THE KITCHEN TABLE.
He left it
last time he came by.
That was a few days ago.
I been sick all week.
I got the
bronchitis.
He hasn't
been back.
But he made a call yesterday?
How's that happen?
No idea.
Okay, this number
belongs to his girlfriend.
- What about the others?
- How should I know?
Look, I want you
out of my apartment.
I got my rights!
I'll give you a right.
And a couple lefts, too,
if you don't start
talking straight.
Hey, that was my mother's!
We don't give a rat's ass
about the FURNITURE.
We want Francisco.
How about you,
Gabriel?
I don't know where he is.
I'd say the same thing
to protect my older brother.
But the best way to help is
telling me how to find him.
A lot of cops out there pissed
off 'cause of what he did.
They're not going
to consider his well-being.
But... I'll guarantee
his safety.
One younger brother
to another.
I'm not telling you nothing!
Old man got what he deserved.
FIVE DAYS AGO.
You get the number
or what?
All right, what you want, man?
You want some chips,
some popcorn or what?
Can I get both?
Yeah. Take them.
You going to pay
for that?
Consider it an advance
on the money you owe me.
a week.
You listen, Boricua...
I ain't no Boricua, man.
I'm Dominican.
What you are is a disrespectful
little pissant.
Didn't your father
teach you respect?
Yo, don't talk about
my father, man.
Well, let me guess.
Your daddy ran off and he got
lost in a cr*ck pipe, k*lled?
Ain't no version of that
I haven't heard.
It's no excuse.
You think you're a big man
because you hustle honest folks ???
You're a fool.
Spend your time
playing tough,
dodging b*ll*ts.
For what?!
A fat roll?!
It doesn't matter.
You're still going to be dead or
in jail by the time you're .
Now, me...
I pay minimum wage.
And I make you earn it.
But it's honest.
And it'll give you something
your thugging never did:
a future.
You got the stones
to work for that?
Are you man enough TO SEND
example for this young one here?
Nah.
You ain't nothing.
You put that stuff down,
and you get the hell
out of my store.
Old man shouldn't
have said that.
HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW MY BROTHER.
Yeah, and Francisco
shouldn't have sh*t him.
- Screw you!
- Tell me where he is,
or I put you and auntie here in cuffs,
toss youse in a cell.
I don't know.
Right. Come on.
Come on.
Hear our man's going
to make a full recovery.
Came here as soon as I could.
You found time to put
on the dress blues.
I want to convey to Detective Jeffries
the thanks of a grateful city.
News cameras are
downstairs, Pat.
You're too cynical, John.
This from the guy who investigates
one of my detectives
because Grover Boone's got
a personal beef with me.
IAB has a legitimate reason to
investigate Detective Jeffries.
Well, not anymore.
Tell Boone
Jeffries wasn't on the take.
He was retrieving stolen
property, and I got proof.
For the record,
it isn't Councilman Boone
who has the beef.
I don't like the way
you do things.
Frankly,
I don't like you, John.
Never have.
That's fine, Pat.
But you ever mess with someone
under my command again...
What'll you do, John?
I will b*at
the ever-loving crap out of you.
Feel like you got
hit by a bus, huh?
It's more like a freight train.
Pops?
He was a friend of yours, huh?
He was more than that.
You're not going
to buy nothing today?
Just looking.
Did that beer just
fall in your pocket?
Boy, you been
robbing me blind for months.
I'm sick of it.
I see you hanging out
on the streets,
giving your mother a hard time,
bullying those other kids.
Call the cops on me.
Son, you owe
me $ . .
I ain't got no money.
Then you're going
to work it off.
I know your father left,
and it's tough times.
But I tell you what,
I don't care.
You're a man now.
You got a man's choice.
Take this broom
and start earning
or get ready for the whupping
of your young life.
I took that broom,
worked there every day.
He was the one got me into football,
straightened me out.
You think he would've
given you that whupping?
Without a doubt.
Pops is...
was...
pretty mean
when he wanted to be.
I don't know what the neighborhood's
going to do without him.
You up to talking
about the case?
Yeah.
Recognize him?
Ah, Francisco Ariza.
He the one who sh*t you?
I didn't see
who sh*t me.
But this guy's been giving Pops trouble
for a long time,
shaking him down.
You knew about that?
Yeah.
This whole thing
with Pops and Valentine,
we could've helped you
with that.
Some roads
you got to travel alone.
Been turning over every rock
looking for this kid.
Aunt's house, local hangouts,
his girlfriend's place...
Girlfriend?
Which one?
??? ARIZA,
??? VALENTINE.
Now we square.
This way.
Valentine dropped his g*n.
Was just sitting here
when the cops came in.
What size were the shoes
we pulled out of the trash can?
Was average.
Nine, ten maybe.
Those look average size to you?
Valentine sh*t the wrong guy.
Doer's still out there.
Well, Will Jeffries spent a lot of time
keeping you out of trouble.
Fixed it when you got
caught with a g*n
and stopped you
from buying another.
So where'd you get
this one from?
Luther's Chicken.
Manager keeps it in his office
in case we get robbed.
You turned your life around,
Valentine.
You made something of yourself.
And you just threw it away.
I warned Francisco.
Stay away from Pops!
He laughed at me!
And y'all ain't lift
a finger to help.
Somebody had to make him pay.
You screwed up, though.
'Cause you k*lled the wrong guy.
Get out of here, wrong guy.
Francisco k*lled Pops!
- Cold!
- Why are you so sure?
'Cause he told me!
Get in there!
Whoa, wait, hold on, man.
Put the g*n down, yo!
- You just couldn't leave Pops alone!
- Que haces?!
Why'd you got to go
and k*ll him?!
I been here all night,
all right?
Look, ask her
if you don't believe me.
He's been here all night,
okay, papa! He's been here!
Why should I believe you, man?
Why should I believe you?!
Get in there.
Come on. Get in there.
Get in there! Get in there!
Look, man, I'm sorry, okay?
- It was a mistake!
- A mistAKE?
Huh? What's that
supposed to mean?
Just look, you got it all wrong.
All right, man, look,
we got to be men about this.
- We got to work this out.
- Calm down, papa!
Where were you at midnight?
Answer me!
That's what I thought.
No! No, no, no!
He got what he deserved.
Got the footprints
at the m*rder scene.
Shoes and a shirt
the k*ller wore.
None of them
match Francisco.
You understand what I'm saying?
He was as innocent
as you.
And now he's as dead as Pops.
No, no, no.
You're going to have a lot of time
to think on that in prison.
Why he ain't just tell me then? Hmm?
Hey, hey, hey.
I want to apologize
for the way I acted before.
My buddy was in a bad way
for a while.
It's no excuse.
But he pulled through.
I was way out of line.
You got every right to take
a swing at me if you want.
I hope everything's okay
with your loved ones, too.
Don't want to talk about it,
that's cool.
Nick?
When was the last time
you slept?
I'm really getting the hang
of this, uh, prayer thing.
Just don't set off
the smoke alarm.
Did you see Will?
Yeah.
Hey, why don't you go home, huh?
Catch some Zs.
I'll stay here.
It's Will's place.
Not mine.
Wouldn't feel right.
Him being here,
me being there.
Well, anytime something
like this happens...
It's part of the job;
we all know that.
But you just never think...
I mean...
I don't know.
Yeah.
Me, too.
Video was in bad shape.
Polyurethane from the tape
absorbed water.
I had to go in
and dry it by hand.
Literally baked the tape
with a hairdryer..
and a bunch of other stuff
you guys don't care about.
Here's what I got.
This is from a few hours
before the sh**ting.
Good job, Frankie.
- YEAH.
- Yeah, thanks.
Francisco and Pops made peace?
He all but took
responsibility
for Pops' m*rder
with his dying breath.
Protecting someone?
Who?
I know who.
Hey.
Where's the kid
who was in here?
Gabriel?
I told you to watch him.
Cut him loose.
His brother d*ed;
no need to keep him.
Right?
Open up! Police!
Let's see
your hands, Gabriel.
g*n!
Scotty?
I'm okay.
You're making a mistake,
Gabriel.
You k*lled my brother!
Put the damn g*n down!
We didn't touch Francisco.
That's a lie!
You going to sh**t my partner?
Is that the big plan here?
This isn't a game!
And those weren't
warning sh*ts.
I won't miss again.
Listen to her, Gabriel.
This isn't what your
brother d*ed for.
You don't know
about my brother!
I know Francisco
was smart.
He made peace with Pops.
Wanted this feud
to end.
NO. He hated that old man.
Maybe.
But he knew
Pops was right.
He took that job.
No!
You figure he'd be proud
of you for k*lling Pops?
sh**ting my friend?
I mean, think about it.
HOURS AGO
What happened?
What happened?!
Gabriel, what happened?
What'd you do?
What have you done?!
- No, no!
- Why did you do it?
Why did you do it?
Francisco was looking
out for you.
It's what a man does.
He took a b*llet so
you could have a life.
Don't let it end here.
Be a man.
I don't need an excuse
to take you out.
I want to.
Give me a reason not to.
All clear.
Come on.
Gonna need an ambulance.
You got to believe me.
I didn't mean it.
HOURS AGO
I told you, Landry.
I'm not serving you tonight.
Anyone here?
Hello?
Will?! Will?!
POP'S CORNER STORE