Synopsis
Derrick Tyler (Ealy) is a former college basketball star who has gone on to build a successful talent agency in Los Angeles with his best friend Rafe Grimes (Colter), representing African-American athletes. His marriage to Tracie (Lewis), a real-estate agent, is failing and he suspects she is having an affair. He is also being hounded by his cousin, ex-con Tyrin (Turner), for money. In addition, Rafe is pressuring him to sell the company to a larger corporation, which Derrick, valuing his independence, refuses to do.
During a business trip to Las Vegas, Rafe encourages Derrick to vent his frustrations by having a fling of his own. Removing his wedding ring and introducing himself as Darren from Seattle, he catches the attention of a woman at a bar. She admits she’s also looking for casual sex, and after flirting on the dance floor they end up in her hotel room. While trying to sneak out the next morning, he discovers that she has locked his phone in the room safe and is coerced into having sex with her again.
Returning to LA, a guilty Derrick reconciles with Tracie. That night, Derrick hears what sounds like a break-in; investigating, he is attacked by a masked burglar and barely manages to fight him off. The police arrive and the detective assigned to the case, Valerie Quinlan (Swank), is revealed to be the woman from Las Vegas. She asks Tracie questions that have no relevance to the break-in and implies to Derrick that she could be compelled to reveal his affair or, for a price, keep silent. In her spare time, Valerie stalks her ex-husband, local politician Carter Heywood (Pino), who filed a restraining order against her after she left her service weapon unattended while drunk and their daughter Haley accidentally shot herself, leaving her confined to a wheelchair. Valerie has also been stripped of her custody rights and is desperate to get her daughter back, hoping a corruption scandal Carter is embroiled in will work in her favor.
Valerie meets with Derrick and they observe Tracie cheating on him with Rafe; she also suggests that Tracie hired the burglar to kill Derrick. The shock and anguish is enough to briefly drive him back into Valerie’s arms, before he confronts Tracie and Rafe directly and throws his wedding ring down as Tracie coldly mocks him. The next day, Derrick is arrested and Valerie tells him Tracie and Rafe were murdered soon after he left them. The suspicion this throws on Derrick ruins his reputation and the district attorney intends to file charges. Realizing Valerie committed the murders herself, Derrick confides in Tyrin; he, along with a friend, breaks into Valerie’s apartment intending to force a confession, but she fights back and kills both of them. She offers to frame Tyrin for Tracie and Rafe’s murders if Derrick kills Carter, who has made it clear to Valerie that he can manipulate the courts in his favor and she will never see her daughter again. Derrick approaches Carter while he is jogging and attempts to warn him, but a struggle ensues and Carter is accidentally shot dead.
Derrick goes to Valerie’s apartment and she admits she will kill anyone who prevents her getting her daughter back. He realizes this includes him and they shoot each other. As a wounded Derrick leaves, Valerie blindsides and stabs him repeatedly before he shoots her again, this time fatally. As she dies, he reveals that he recorded her confession. He goes to meet the arriving police.
Transcript
DERRICK: I was always the smart one.
The one who played to win.
I was damn good at it. I was the best.
But then I took my eye off the ball, and just like that, the rules of the game changed.
I was no longer playing to win.
This was a new game.
I’m playing for my life now.
(SLOW HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING)
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
(GLASSES CLINK)
RAFE: I’m… I’m very flattered.
(LAUGHING)
Like…
DERRICK: I like that.
…this sweater for me, man, and I said, “Hey, I tried.”
It’s a nice sweater.
(LAUGHS)
RAFE: And she talked me into it. She talked me…
Well, at least she knows what looks good on you.
Thank you. Thank you.
I told ya.
RAFE: Yeah, she’s something else.
(DERRICK TYPING INTO PHONE)
Come on, man.
Look, D, we are trying to have a good time.
Will you please… All right?
Sorry. Sorry.
You’re right. Absolutely right.
RAFE: We’re having fun, man. Relax.
DERRICK: We’re done. We’re done.
You see what I’m dealing with?
(CLEARS THROAT)
TRACIE: For you and…
MICAELA: Thank you.
And this is for you.
RAFE: Oh, the good stuff.
(LAUGHS)
TRACIE: Anyway, hon, he has told us nothing about you.
What do you do? How’d you two meet?
Interesting story. We met in an art gallery.
(LAUGHS) Wait, do you know what an art gallery is?
DERRICK: You went to an art gallery?
RAFE: Well…
To buy art?
Rafe, you liar.
No, no.
Hey, I want to make a toast.
To everything we’ve built.
To everything we’ve built.
Yeah, no.
To us, and everything that we’ve built.
How about I propose a toast to, uh, everyone and everything that we all have built.
MICAELA: (APPROVINGLY) Mmm.
Touche.
(GLASSES CLINK)
To billions of dollars, right?
RAFE: (LAUGHS) Or millions of dollars, I like that, too.
MICAELA: I knew you’d…
My baby’s got to…
RAFE: Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa…
Oh, my God, Rafe!
RAFE: My bad, my bad.
Here we go. I’ve got it.
RAFE: You know what?
Wait, this expensive…
MICAELA: Oh, no.
(HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING)
NEWS ANCHOR: (ON TV) This just in, LA city politician Carter Heywood is accused of siphoning funds from the South-Central Urban Renewal project.
(REPORTERS SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY ON TV)
I… I look forward to… I look…
I look forward to the truth coming out.
I look forward to my day in court.
Thank you very much.
(TV CONTINUES PLAYING)
(WATER SPLASHES)
Thanks.
Thought you left.
Not yet.
TRACIE: What time is it?
3:00.
Shit.
I have a house to show in Hancock Park, and I’m running late.
Yeah. Speaking of late, uh…
A couple of nights ago, you got home, you got in after midnight.
Yeah. The buyers took forever to close the deal, and then they wanted to go out and celebrate.
What’d you want me to say? “No”?
You know how many nights I stayed home while you were out on the town with your clients, building your career?
Yeah. Yeah, I do. You remind me all the time, but that career has provided the lifestyle that we love.
TRACIE: How many times do we have to go through this, Derrick?
I wanted my own career, not yours.
Now I finally have one, and you want me to give it up.
I never asked you to stop working.
I just want to know where you were.
Can we fight later?
I just want to spend time with my wife.
I don’t need to go to Vegas. I’ll cancel the trip.
I’ll stay right here.
Just go to Vegas with your buddies.
I don’t care.
(HIP-HOP SONG PLAYING)
(ENGINE REVVING)
(TIRES SQUEALING)
(AIRPLANE ENGINE WHIRRING)
(UPBEAT HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING)
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
You about to get turnt.
We in Vegas, baby. What’s up with you, man?
Look at all this ass around here, dawg.
DERRICK: Yeah.
Oh, we got half the NBA
who wants to be represented by us, all right?
Shit, now you said it and you live it.
So, look, man, when you stress, I stress, all right?
So, talk to me.
It’s… It’s Tracie.
What about her?
I just… I’ve been having this feeling, right? That…
I don’t know.
I think she might be seeing somebody else.
It’s crazy, right?
Why?
You seein’ signs?
Mm-mmm… No. It’s not that. It’s…
It’s like when we first got married, we were the perfect couple.
And now we’re like two strangers in the same house.
Look, man… it’s not your fault.
You’re a great husband.
And what you’re experiencing right now is called seven years of marriage.
Okay.
But luckily, there is a cure.
What?
Gimme your left hand.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
RAFE: Come on, give me the ring.
Come on. Fuck! Shit, dawg.
Give it… Give me the ring, please?
No. Uh-uh.
This ring represents marriage.
And right now, you ain’t in one.
We at a bachelor party with an emphasis on “bachelor.”
For the next 24 hours, you are a single man.
I didn’t come here for this.
Just…
(LAUGHS) Shit, man.
Give it back…
Look, man.
Enjoy yourself, all right?
Let’s have a toast, come on.
All right, everybody, let’s have a toast.
To Reggie.
(MEN CHEER)
(SULTRY MUSIC PLAYING)
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
(CROWD CHEERING)
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
(INDISTINCT)
(MUSIC CHANGES)
BARTENDER: Hey, what can I get for you?
Water, please.
BARTENDER: Right.
Well, hello.
You know, I was thinking,
we should just skip the drinks.
Get your hand off me and get out of here.
It’s Vegas.
Yeah.
It brings out the predators.
And… and the clowns, yeah.
(CHUCKLES)
It’s hot in here, ain’t it?
Is that the best you can do?
(LAUGHS)
I’m so sorry.
I’m, uh, out of practice.
What are you, uh, here, doing?
Ah… Bachelor party.
You’re not the bachelor, I hope?
No.
(INDISTINCT EXCITED SHOUTING)
No, actually I’m…
VAL: What?
…married.
(SHOUTING CONTINUES)
Sorry, I can’t hear you.
(DJ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER PA)
(LOUD CHEERING)
What about you? Are you with a group?
No, I’m, uh, an unaccompanied adult.
Are you on vacation?
Not exactly. Um…
It’s more a therapeutic getaway.
I have a… a high-stress job in another city.
So, when I need to relieve the tension, I come to Vegas,
and I let myself go a little insane, you know?
I highly recommend it.
Do I look stressed?
Actually, you do.
I am.
(SIGHS)
I’m Val, by the way.
This would be about the time that you tell me your name.
I’m Darren.
Darren.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
(GLASS CLINKS)
(DRINK SPILLING)
Oh…
Sorry.
Shit. I’m sorry. All right, let me, uh…
Here. I’m sorry.
Here you go. Uh…
You spilled it, so…
Sure.
Thanks.
Wanna dance?
Yeah.
(MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING)
(MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING)
(VAL BREATHING HEAVILY)
(DERRICK SIGHS)
(BELT JINGLING)
VAL: Mmm, my great escape.
DERRICK: Uh, sorry. Sorry to wake you up.
VAL: Mm-hmm.
DERRICK: You can go right back to sleep, you know?
I got to catch a flight.
Where?
Seattle.
Where’s my…
What’s wrong?
Um… I can’t find my phone.
Oh.
It’s in the room safe.
What?
I put it in there in case you tried to sneak away.
(CHUCKLES) Okay. Well, just give me…
Give me the combination.
Hmm.
I forgot it.
Seriously?
You’re kidding, right?
Nope.
Look, I… I… You know, got to get to McCarran, so I don’t have the time to play games. So…
(CHUCKLES) Well, then you shouldn’t have come to Vegas.
Yeah. Just give me the code, please.
Well, then you’d leave.
Yeah, that’s the general idea.
Well, what if I’m not done with you?
Wait, what do you mean, “Not done with me”?
I’m gonna need more.
(CHUCKLES) Come on, Darren from Seattle.
Stay and play.
Hmm, please? Give me a little more.
I got to fuck it out of you?
Well, if it’s not too much trouble.
(VAL CHUCKLING)
(KEYPAD BEEPING)
DERRICK: Shit.
(HORNS HONKING)
(ELEVATOR DINGS)
Hey.
May I help you?
You must be new.
Yeah. I just started this week.
I’m Tyrin, I’m Derrick’s cousin.
Oh, well, Mr. Tyler’s in a meeting with a client…
Never mind, I see him.
What’s up, boy? How you doin’?
DERRICK: It fits the, um… It’s, um…
So that’s my cousin.
Um, at the end of the day, I think all of our clients will testify that we, you know…
We have the best style of brand management.
Damn, that’ll be an awesome plan, Derrick.
All right. All right.
Smart man.
You guys are rising stars.
I guess, let’s rise, let’s rise together, man.
All right?
Thank you, man. Thank you.
DERRICK: You’re welcome.
Thank you.
My receptionist told me there was an intruder in my office.
Oh. No-look pass.
Oh.
Did you see Lance?
I just closed a big energy drink deal with him.
What? Did he LeBron you?
What?
Did he whisper in your ear?
Man, get the fuck out.
(LAUGHS)
Come on.
Nah, D-man, I don’t know if I ever told you, man, but…
Proud of you.
Thank you.
Thank you. I got to talk to you.
What’s up?
Mom called yesterday.
She said she hasn’t seen you in two weeks.
I came to get this money from you, then I’m going to check on Moms. I got you.
I know why you’re here, all right?
Let’s do it.
Let’s go.
You didn’t think I would catch that, huh?
DERRICK: I knew you had it.
(CHUCKLES)
All right.
All right.
So, this money comes with strings.
Strings?
(SIGHS)
Call Mom. She worries.
I got you.
Promise?
I’m gonna go see her.
All right, look, good to see you.
Love you, boy.
You too, man.
All right. Come by the house some time, all right?
Come on, man. You know your wife ain’t messing with me.
She ain’t really messing with me much these days either.
Trouble in paradise?
I’ll fix it.
Fix it, okay?
We don’t need her taking half our Lance Stephenson deal.
We need that.
Gotcha.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Yo, yo, yo. What up? What up?
I see some cash. (CHUCKLES)
Let me guess.
Another amazing business opportunity, huh?
You know what?
I love the skinny church slacks. Incredible.
(LAUGHS) Up high. Come on, dawg.
Come on, I give you a boost, huh?
Come on.
I’m messing with you, man, come on.
Give us a minute so we can have some grown-folk conversation, yeah? (CHUCKLES)
TYRIN: Incredible, man.
RAFE: I’m just fucking with you, man.
TYRIN: Watch yourself.
Short-ass motherfucker.
I can’t believe they still make short motherfuckers like that.
Damn.
Yo, why you still giving Tyrin money, man?
That’s family.
(SCOFFS) Okay. Family.
Well, why don’t you mail him a check?
‘Cause every time he brings his raggedy ass around here, it’s bad for business.
Hey, easy, easy, Rafe, all right?
Tyrin, he’s… He’s off limits, okay?
He’s off limits. Okay. You do you.
Uh, let’s talk WME.
(HESITATES) What’s there to talk about?
Dude, Tim Perkins is breathing down my neck day and night, dawg.
Dude, he’s fucking serious.
He is legit about buying this agency.
Derrick, we just signed Lance Stephenson, man.
One more piece of the puzzle. We got a stable of athletes.
If WME acquires us, that is worth millions, dawg.
We’d be a part of a global empire.
We started this agency because we didn’t wanna work for anyone else.
We built this.
It’s ours.
We work for us.
Not a monolith.
We should at least consider the deal.
Just hear them out.
I know exactly what you’re saying, but we both got to agree to sell, and I don’t agree.
All right. I trust you, man.
Let me just leave you with this, though.
We started out small, man.
A small black company.
Look at us.
They want us.
You did that, all right?
Take it seriously.
That offer, that will not be on the table forever.
Just… Just sayin’, all right?
Lance Stephenson… you did that.
(ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYING ON SPEAKER)
Derrick?
Hey. Hey.
Hey, you’re home early.
Okay.
Um, hope you brought your appetite.
You’re cooking?
Come here, I want you to taste this.
DERRICK: Mmm-hmm.
What do you think? Tell me the truth.
It’s good.
It’s good?
It’s good.
Great, great, great.
The rest should be ready pretty soon.
You haven’t done this since we started dating.
Yeah, I know. That’s, um… That’s the idea.
This is a date?
Why not?
I kind of miss those days.
We could get it back.
Am I being punked?
Anyone seen my husband?
DERRICK: I deserve that.
Oh, Tracie, something I want to tell you.
Look, I’ve given myself a wakeup call.
We’ve been going in different directions, and I want to get on the same path.
So maybe… we should settle down… raise a family.
A girl for you.
(CHUCKLES)
Maybe a boy for me.
Okay, Babyface. (LAUGHS)
What? What… You remember that one?
Well… (LAUGHING)
Those are definitely not your lines.
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYS ON SPEAKER)
(BOTH EXCLAIM)
Let me turn this up. Hold up. Okay.
There we go. Oh, shit.
Oh!
Come on.
Come on.
Okay.
(MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING)
(DOOR OPENS IN DISTANCE)
TRACIE: Wait, wait. What was that?
DERRICK: What?
TRACIE: That noise, what was that?
What noise?
(THUDS IN DISTANCE)
What is that?
I think it’s upstairs.
(WIND WHISTLING)
(BOTH GRUNT)
(GUN FIRES)
(GRUNTS)
(MAN GROANS)
(BOTH GRUNTING)
(GLASS BREAKING)
(GRUNTING)
Derrick!
Call 911!
(SIRENS CHIRPING)
(INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER)
OFFICER: What about these security cams?
I see them all over the house, inside out.
The system went offline about a month ago, and I just haven’t had a chance to get it fixed.
Hmm. And the alarm?
I thought we put it on before we went to sleep, but we’re always forgetting it.
Detective Quinlan’s here.
Oh.
Uh, Detective Quinlan just arrived.
The detective will be taking care of you from here on out.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING IN DISTANCE)
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)
Mr. and Mrs. Tyler, I’m Detective Valerie Quinlan.
I’m sure this was a very terrifying ordeal for you guys tonight.
Your first name, is it Derrick or Darren?
It’s Derrick.
Derrick.
I understand that you came face to face with the intruder?
Um… I didn’t see his face.
You know, he was choking me, he fired a gun a couple of times.
Have we met before?
Excuse me?
I’m certain I know you from somewhere.
I don’t think so.
VAL: Are you sure?
I’m certain I know you from somewhere.
My husband was a college basketball star.
He represents a lot of sports figures, so he gets interviewed on TV a lot.
Oh. On TV.
That’s probably where I’ve seen you.
And where were you, Mrs. Tyler, when this happened?
I was downstairs in our bedroom.
Will you take me there, please?
Sure.
No, you stay here.
I want to talk to your wife.
TRACIE: Right this way.
VAL: A very beautiful home you have.
TRACIE: Thank you.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Right this way.
Thank you.
(INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER)
Which side of the bed do you sleep on?
I’m not sure how that question pertains to the investigation?
It’s all part of it.
I sleep on the right, and my husband sleeps on the left.
Mrs. Tyler, can you think of anyone who might want to harm you or your husband?
Why? Wasn’t this just a robbery?
Well, maybe your husband got there in time, but in a robbery, usually something gets stolen.
(EXHALES DEEPLY)
VAL: (ECHOING) Mr. Tyler? Mr. Tyler.
Mr. Tyler, are you all right?
You seem nervous.
I’m sorry, I’m just a little bit shaky.
That’s understandable.
You’ve had a big shock tonight.
Yes, I have.
And from what it looks like, you fought back pretty hard.
A man was in my house with a gun.
I would have killed him if I had to.
(PAPERS RUSTLING)
Don’t hesitate to give me a call… if you have any information pertaining to the investigation.
Thank you for your time.
I’ll be in touch.
(FOOTSTEPS RECEDING)
(GRUNTS SOFTLY)
(SIGHS DEEPLY)
CARTER: Last time you played Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, it sounded pretty good.
Put a little beatbox under it.
All right, here’s your favorite part. Here we go.
(GRUNTS)
(CHUCKLES) Mr. Hopps ready to go for a ride?
HALEY: Mmm-hmm.
Go. All right.
And I want your fingers nice and loose.
Nice and…
Flexible.
Hmm.
I want you to rock out on that Twinkle, Twinkle…
Carter.
All right?
I’ll handle it.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
You can’t be here. You know that.
What are you doing?
I’m not asking for custody.
I just want to be a part of her life.
You lost the right to be a part of her life.
(SCOFFS)
It was an accident.
It was drunken negligence.
I’ve been sober since the accident.
She doesn’t even know who you are anymore.
Give me visitation rights, please?
I’ve completely cleaned up my life and it’s been three years now. I’m…
In clear violation of the restraining order.
It’s a hundred yards, asshole.
That’s as close as you’re ever going to get to her.
Now, let me make something absolutely clear to you.
You are never going to be her mother again.
If you come anywhere near my family, you’ll have a lot more to worry about than a restraining order.
(GUN COCKS)
(VAL GRUNTS SOFTLY)
(SCREAMING) Haley!
(GUNSHOT ECHOES)
(INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER)
COP: Wait here.
(SIGHS)
Mr. Tyler, how can I help you?
DERRICK: Uh… (CLEARS THROAT)
Am I, uh, being recorded or watched?
No.
Okay. I think we should… We should talk.
You have some new information concerning the case?
No.
Then?
Well, I want to know what’s going on here.
What do you mean? You’re the victim of a crime.
I’m investigating the crime.
Right. Um…
What I want to know is, what’s happening with us?
You’re afraid I’m going to expose you to your wife?
Are you?
Think it through.
I expose you, you expose me.
Last thing I need is for my colleagues to know what I do in my private life.
Okay.
Um…
I just wanted to make sure that, you know, things are straight.
Um, I also wanted to apologize and make it clear that what happened…
Was the first time you ever cheated on your wife.
I get it. You want me to know you’re a decent guy.
(DERRICK SIGHS)
Look, I have a marriage to protect.
And Tracie and I are good now.
But not before?
Before?
In Vegas, when you weren’t wearing your wedding ring and your name was Darren Johnson?
(SCOFFS) Have to say, you are one very convincing liar.
I thought…
What?
I thought we were playing a game.
A game?
A game.
Like, it’s Vegas.
There’s… You know, what happens in Vegas…
A game.
I… I am… I’m sorry.
You’re sorry?
You’re sorry you got caught in your own lies.
You know, our actions have very serious repercussions, especially when they damage other people.
I never…
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
Oh, shit.
Oh…
You deserved that.
So, let me tell you what you want to hear.
Our time in Vegas has no bearing on this case or on my ability to be professional.
I’m a decorated officer.
I’ve the best arrest and conviction record in the department.
And I will figure out who broke into your house.
And in the meantime, I have to advise you to be careful.
Why?
It might have been an attempted hit.
A hit?
(SCOFFS) I, um…
Like someone’s trying to murder…
Okay. Um, I run a respectable sports agency.
I deal with athletes.
I don’t deal with nefarious characters.
Why would…
I don’t know.
It’s for you to answer.
Maybe someone you screwed over in a business deal?
A woman you screwed and discarded?
Why don’t you take some time to think it over and get back to me?
Otherwise, I think we’re done here.
Darren…
from Seattle.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
CARTER: (ON VIDEO) Innocent of these allegations.
I look forward to my day in court.
Listen, there are two versions to every story, there’s their side, and there’s the truth.
(REPORTERS CLAMORING)
(TYPING)
Tracie?
Trace?
Yeah.
Hey.
Oh, hi, honey.
You remember Detective Quinlan, right?
Am I interrupting something?
Any news regarding the case?
No, I just…
I wanted to see your place in the light of day.
Maybe find something we might’ve missed the first time.
You know, what you see in the night isn’t always what you see in the day.
TRACIE: Um…
I’m sorry, I need to go.
I have a house to show down at the beach.
All right, well, I think that I’m done here.
Uh, unless there’s anything you remember that you want to share with us?
No. No, I think I… When I saw you here, I thought you had already caught the guy.
No, but we’ll catch him.
You sure about that?
I don’t go after something unless I know I can get it.
Thank you for your time. I’ll see myself out.
Straight down.
DERRICK: Well, what time, uh…
What time you think you’ll be back?
(SIGHS) You know these clients.
Who knows, but I’ll be late, don’t wait up.
Drive safe.
(ENGINE STARTS)
RAFE: (SIGHS) I hate to ask this, but I gotta.
You talked to Tyrin?
Are you trying to be funny?
He knows your house. He knows the layout.
You know, he could have been talking with his low-life friends, telling them about his rich cousin. It’s just…
Hey, hey, you… Way, way off base.
Just…
Just leave Tyrin out of this.
(RAFE SIGHS)
And this lady cop, she didn’t say anything about Vegas?
No, I think she just gets a kick out of watching me sweat.
I fucked up.
I fucked up.
(SIGHS)
Oh, I fucked up.
(ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS)
SCHROEDER: Detective Quinlan, this is Schroeder calling you back.
At your request, we took another look at the Tyler house, and we were able to ascertain that there was no forced entry.
We managed to recover a half-print, but I can tell you this much, Detective, whoever came into this house had direct access to the Tyler estate.
(PHONE DISCONNECTS)
(SIREN BLARES IN DISTANCE)
Yo. I just closed the Taylor deal, man.
Congrats.
I’m headed to the gym.
You want to roll?
Uh, no, thanks.
You sure?
Work-life balance, D.
(TYPING)
CARTER: (ON VIDEO) I look forward to my day in court.
This is a political hit job.
I’ve been receiving death threats.
I don’t appreciate this.
I would like to express my…
(KEYBOARD CLACKS)
Derrick.
What do you want?
There’s been a break in the case. Get in.
(SIGHS)
Get in the car.
VAL: Just a little further.
You’ve been here before?
No.
Is there a reason why I should have?
Okay, use this.
It’s the fourth house to the left, check out the big room at the top on the right, just off the balcony.
What am I looking for here?
Keep watching.
It’s, uh, my business partner.
I know.
(WAVES CRASHING)
(GASPS SOFTLY)
(WHISPERS) What the fuck? What…
The house is a rental property your wife handles.
How long?
Don’t know.
You followed my wife.
(SIGHS)
That’s why I was at your house the other day.
I knew something was wrong.
So I decided to see what she does with her day.
Fuck. Fuck!
Don’t go back there.
All right, look, you had your fun.
Leave me alone.
There’s more.
Leave me the fuck alone!
You need to call me when you’re ready.
(CAR ENGINE REVVING)
(BRAKES SQUEAL)
Jesus. Didn’t you get the memo?
I mean, what the fuck are you doing here?
Don’t worry, Carter, I know Haley’s not here.
You’re watching my house, Val?
You know, I’m done. I’m done with you.
Look, I’ve asked my attorney to petition the court.
I’m asking for custody until your inquest is over, and he thinks I have a good shot.
If you really want to do what’s best for Haley, you’ll sign off on this, okay?
And that way, we can avoid dragging her through this hearing.
You really think you’ll get custody?
I mean, you really think I’d let that happen?
You got to the judge, didn’t you?
I could get to anybody in the city.
Your attorney knows it.
And the only one who doesn’t is you.
So, wake up, Val.
You’re never getting Haley back.
No.
No. No.
You’re going to prison. I’ll get her back.
I’m not going anywhere.
Look, this inquest is bullshit.
They can’t take me down.
I’ll take the rest of City Hall down with me.
I know where all the bodies are buried.
Look, if it’s any consolation, you were never going to win.
Game was rigged.
Now get the fuck out of my way before I run you over.
(CAR DOOR CLOSES)
(ENGINE STARTS)
VAL: Hi.
You said there was more.
(SIGHS) Where do we meet?
I’ll get you a glass for that.
I didn’t take pleasure in showing you that scene.
I just thought you should see it for yourself.
I called you because you said there was more.
Rafe Grimes was the one who tried to kill you.
You got to be outta your mind.
They…
They tried to make it look like a home invasion gone bad.
They?
Tracie.
They’re in it together.
That… You know, that…
That sounds crazy.
How much is your agency worth?
If you die, what…
Tracie gets half that? Rafe gets the rest?
No.
No, there’s… Is there…
You’re making this up, there’s no proof.
Why didn’t she call 911?
When she heard the gunshots?
Why did she go upstairs herself?
She wanted to…
She wanted to help me.
They’re bad people, Derrick.
She’s fucking your best friend.
This is my job.
I know how this goes.
They’re guilty, Derrick.
It’s okay.
(DERRICK GRUNTS)
All right, I’ll clean this up.
(THUDS)
You know, if they tried to kill you once, they’ll try again.
You have to protect yourself.
How?
Well… you could always kill them first.
With how I’m feeling right now, don’t tempt me.
They tried to kill you.
How does that make you feel?
Angry.
Very fucking angry.
And what do you wanna do about it?
What do you wanna do about it right now?
(BOTH BREATHING HEAVILY)
(DERRICK PANTING)
(ELEVATOR DOOR SLIDES)
(ELEVATOR WHIRRING)
CARTER: You really think you’ll get custody?
You really think I’d let that happen?
You are never going to be her mother.
VAL: You got to the judge, didn’t you?
CARTER: I can get to anybody in the city.
DERRICK: I thought we were playing a game.
VAL: A game?
(GLASS SHATTERS)
(THUNDER RUMBLES)
(DOORBELL RINGS)
DERRICK: Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
(DOORBELL CONTINUES RINGING)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(POUNDING ON DOOR)
(SIGHS)
You Derrick Tyler?
(INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER)
Yeah. What’s wrong?
You need to come with us, Mr. Tyler.
Why?
I’m not at liberty to say, sir.
Just grab a few things. Come on with us.
(DOOR OPENS)
(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)
The fuck am I doing here?
My partners will be here any minute.
If you want me to help you, you gotta be honest with me.
Did you do it?
Did I do what?
What are you talking about? Why… Why am I here?
Did you do it?
I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.
(MUMBLES)
(GASPS SOFTLY)
Baby…
They’re dead like you wanted.
I… I didn’t…
No. I didn’t… I didn’t do this.
I didn’t. I didn’t do this.
You left my place three hours before the murders took place.
That’s plenty of time to drive to the beach…
I didn’t… God, I didn’t.
…and kill them.
I didn’t kill my wife. I didn’t…
You know, there’s the… matter of your… buried past.
Arrest as a minor for auto theft.
Breaking and entering.
There’s even a charge here of… armed robbery with a deadly weapon.
Liquor store.
(HESITATING) That charge was dropped.
Well, because your cousin… Wait, let’s see, um… Tyrin, he came forward and cut a deal, took full responsibility.
And that, I think, allowed you the ability to get a basketball scholarship and get your ass out of the projects.
Don’t lie to me, Derrick.
I am not a murderer.
Just a businessman. Just a ball player.
Practically a celebrity.
And celebrities don’t commit murders, right?
It was at the scene.
Hopefully, I can keep you from getting indicted.
I didn’t do it.
But I need you to tell me everything.
You went back there, didn’t you?
I didn’t.
And don’t you fucking lie.
I didn’t do it.
Did you go back there or didn’t you?
That’s what I thought.
I had to know.
I, uh…
I had to see it for myself. And…
(BREATHING SHAKILY)
RAFE: D…
I’m so sorry.
Just…
Don’t act so surprised.
And then you did it.
You went back to your car, got a gun.
You went back to that bedroom… and you killed them.
I didn’t…
You got to believe me. I didn’t kill them.
I think we’re done here.
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
(REPORTERS CLAMORING IN DISTANCE)
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING)
LAWYER: Well, I’ll just say this.
I think this is just another unfortunate example of an African American male being hung and burned in the Lynch Court of public opinion.
My client, Mr. Tyler, has not even been given a trial yet, and yet he’s being treated as a criminal.
REPORTER: (ON TV) That notwithstanding though, these are two of the people closest to him.
Is there any reasoning, any alibi you could give us as to why he isn’t the one we should be questioning?
I’m not really at liberty to go into any of those specifics right now, but as I said, the evidence will speak for itself, and we’re confident that, uh, the record will be set straight.
Thank you very much.
Mr. Tyler, we… We didn’t think we’d see you this week.
Are Carrie and Patrick here?
Uh, no, no, they haven’t been coming in since the news.
Go home.
REPORTER 1: (ON TV) As we told you before the break…
REPORTER 2: …continue as the city council responded to bribery…
REPORTER 3: …buries his wife, Tracie Tyler, and the public fallout from this shocking double homicide continues.
Mr. Tyler’s once-thriving management company is losing clients by the hour, while the public openly vilifies this grieving husband who is yet to stand trial or face criminal charges.
More on this to come.
Take Mom inside.
How was the funeral?
What do you want?
Can’t I stop by to offer my condolences for your loss?
(SIGHS) My family’s here.
It’s not a good time.
All right.
You should know you’ve gone from person of interest
to prime suspect.
No.
No.
Yeah. They’re gonna indict you any day now.
I didn’t do it!
DA doesn’t care.
So, find the killer!
Well, that’s complicated.
I mean, who’s the real killer in a situation like this?
The one who pulls the trigger or the one that wants it done?
Oh, shit.
You killed them.
No one’s gonna believe you.
You killed them.
Why?
You need to get some rest, Derrick.
I’ll be in touch.
No, you…
Hey, hey!
(DERRICK GRUNTS)
I could kill you right now in self-defense.
Then all your problems would be over.
Now, go back inside and play the sad, bereaving husband of the wife who loved him so much, she wanted him dead.
(ENGINE STARTS)
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
How is she?
Mom is strong.
But she’s not made of steel.
You know, she stopped going to the church and the market.
Everywhere she go, “Your son’s a murderer.”
All right. Thanks.
Hey, Mom.
Hi.
You are a good man.
We all know you didn’t do this.
I know you did not do this.
I never thought in a million years that I’ll be having this conversation with you.
(SIGHS) I’m here… and I’ll always be here till the day I die.
This wasn’t a part of the plan.
You know, I worked hard. I didn’t… I didn’t take any shortcuts.
Now…
I don’t know what I’m gonna do.
(DERRICK’S MOM SCOFFS)
What do you mean, you don’t know?
You’re gonna hold your head up.
You’re gonna put your shoulders back, and you’re gonna figure out some kinda way to get it done.
What is the most precious thing you own, Derrick?
Your name!
And they can’t take it from you unless you give it away. So, you gotta fight.
You gotta get up every day and fight for it.
Do you know I love you so?
You just gotta fight.
Yeah, Mom.
Hmm.
I love you.
And I love you.
A man’s name is a precious thing.
Go clear your name, son.
DERRICK: I gotta be smarter than her.
So, she’s crazy and obsessed.
Yeah.
I don’t know what she wants.
I don’t know… what her real motive is.
Leave it to me.
I don’t wanna do that.
D, the cops speak a different language.
You don’t speak that no more.
I do. Look at you. Got that Steph Curry eyes (LAUGHS) with that Jesus of Nazareth hair.
Come on, man. (LAUGHING)
(CHUCKLES)
Yeah, we came a long way, didn’t we?
TYRIN: Yeah.
I don’t wanna go back.
I got to play this smarter.
You with me?
It’s an absolute no on this, please.
Can’t tell me no.
Do you think I want you to go back to prison?
I’ve got enough on my conscience.
Just promise me you’re gonna leave this woman alone.
Can’t promise you that.
(TYRIN BREATHES DEEPLY)
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
What’s up, boy?
What’s up?
Your cousin Derrick, know they got him boxed in.
They gonna come get him real soon.
All over the news every day, bro.
Got to handle my business, you know?
That’s all. You got that?
Shit, if you need me to ride along, let me know.
You know I’m with it.
Look, man… (SIGHS)
We’re dealin’ with a dirty cop.
Shit could go bad, you know.
We gotta do what we gotta do.
I’m with you.
Let’s ride.
(MUFFLED SCREAMS)
(GASPING)
(BREATHING SHAKILY)
BUMPY: Sit your ass down.
(VAL GRUNTS)
Welcome home, bitch.
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
Derrick send you?
Derrick don’t know I’m here.
You’re the cousin. Tyrin.
What do you want?
TYRIN: You framed my cousin.
What I’m tryin’ to figure out is, why?
That’s my cousin Bumpy.
You know, he hates cops just as much as I do, especially ones that frame innocent black men.
You got the balls to kill a cop?
Bitch, I will blow your motherfucking brains out.
Please. (CRIES)
Please?
Please what?
VAL: Don’t kill me.
What you playin’ when you were framing my fucking cousin?
BUMPY: Man, fuck this bitch.
Please. I got a daughter.
Why did you frame my cousin?
You gonna have a fuckin’ hole in your head if you don’t start talkin’
(GUN COCKS)
I’m gonna be sick.
Stop stalling and give me some fuckin’ answers, bitch!
BUMPY: Just kill this bitch, man.
(COUGHING)
(COUGHING VIOLENTLY)
VAL: (SOBBING) Bathroom.
(COUGHING)
TYRIN: I need this bitch to talk.
Man, take this bitch to the bathroom, man.
Get your ass up.
Don’t try nothing stupid either.
(COUGHING)
No locked doors. Stop playing with me.
Hurry the fuck up.
(VAL VOMITING)
You good?
BUMPY: Yeah, I’m all right.
Man, hurry up and bring her ass back!
(BUMPY GROANING)
Bumpy!
TYRIN: Bumpy!
BUMPY: Oh, shit.
(GROANS)
Fuck!
(COCKS GUN)
Bitch!
(THUDS)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
(CELL PHONE RINGING)
Tyrin.
VAL: Time is running out.
Meet me at the beach house.
9:00.
Val?
(PHONE DISCONNECTS, BEEPS)
(SEAGULLS CALLING)
DERRICK: Where’s Tyrin?
Is he dead?
It was self-defense.
You killed him.
Mmm-hmm.
They came at me, and I put ’em down.
Fuck you.
(VAL GROANS)
Get down. Get down!
Give me the gun, Derrick, before you do something stupid.
Listen to me.
You fucking killed him.
Listen to me.
Tyrin’s death could be your ticket…
Down. Down.
Look, killing a cop, it’s only gonna make your problems worse.
Think it through.
We can pin the murders on Tyrin.
The fuck you talkin’ about?
Your cousin.
He’s an ex-con. Right?
With a history of violence.
He’s the perfect candidate,
and he can’t defend himself.
You want me to frame my cousin?
He’s a career criminal, finds out his beloved cousin’s wife is cheating on him, so he follows her to a rendezvous with her boyfriend and caps ’em both.
Then he figures out I’m getting close, so he comes to my place to kill me.
I can sell that, Derrick.
Think about it.
What makes you think I’m gonna go along with this?
‘Cause it’s your way out.
You should take it.
It gets you off the hook.
You’re a fucking psychopath.
Maybe.
But you need me.
So, give me the gun.
No. No.
Give me the gun.
Just get over there.
The gun…
Don’t… (GUNSHOTS)
See?
I knew you could kill.
I just had to be sure.
(GUN COCKS)
No blanks in this one.
Drop it.
(GUN THUDS)
I’ve already got your wedding ring.
The murder weapon with your prints makes it a slam dunk.
You used me in Vegas, now I’m gonna use you.
What do you want from me?
I did your murders.
Now you’re gonna do mine.
You want me to kill someone?
Carter Heywood.
You know who he is?
Yeah.
Why?
He took something from me, and I’m gonna get it back.
So, you ruined my life so that I…
Hey!
…could fix yours?
I don’t need you to understand.
Just fucking listen to me!
Carter, he leaves his house at exactly 6:00 a.m. every morning to go running.
His path takes him to the Weisser Tunnel in Brookside at exactly 6:15.
You’re gonna be waiting at the north end of the tunnel.
You’re gonna kill him, and you’re gonna toss the gun in the storm drain.
If Carter isn’t dead by 6:15 a.m. tomorrow morning, the weapon that killed Tracie Tyler and Rafe Grimes will be discovered.
And Derrick Tyler, has-been athlete and big-time sports agent, will be convicted of a double homicide and spend the rest of his life in prison, telling all the other cons what it’s like to hang out with Shaq.
Do this, the gun goes away, and I hang all the other murders on Tyrin.
And just like that, Derrick gets his life back.
Stay at home tonight.
The gun to kill Carter will be delivered.
Got it?
(SIREN BLARING IN DISTANCE)
Now get the fuck out!
(SIRENS CONTINUE BLARING)
(WAVES CRASHING)
Carter?
Hey, Carter. Carter. Listen.
Do I know you, man?
No, but I got to talk to you. Just listen.
Get your fucking hands off me, man.
Get back! Easy, easy.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. All right. Take it easy, man.
Detective Valerie Quinlan, right?
(STAMMERS) She’s your ex-wife?
(LOUDLY) Is she your ex-wife?
Yeah.
She killed my wife.
And she’s framing me for it.
She wants you dead, man.
What?
She wants you dead, but I’ve got a plan.
She sent you down here to kill me?
I got to make it look…
Pull a gun on me? Fucker! (GRUNTING)
DERRICK: She’s trying to frame me!
I need your help! No.
(GUNSHOT)
Oh, no.
No.
I just wanted to talk. I just wanted to…
Oh, shit.
(GROANS)
(CARTER COUGHING)
(INDISTINCT APPROACHING CHATTER)
(WOMEN SCREAMING)
(INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER)
How’d it feel?
I went to warn him… that his ex-wife was crazy… and that she wanted him dead.
(LAUGHING) God. Nothing’s easy with you.
He jumped me, and the gun went off.
He’s dead.
But you did your job.
I fucking hate you.
There it is. Just like I promised.
Go ahead. What are you waiting for?
Take it and go.
No.
No?
You’re gonna kill me, aren’t you?
Why would I do that?
Because if I’m dead, you get the accolades, you solve the murders, you get your daughter back.
No loose ends. Just like you like it.
Then why are you here?
(CHUCKLES)
It’s because I’m the only one who can help you now.
Yeah.
You’re pathetic.
I don’t need you dead.
We’re both clean.
You brutally murdered four people.
And I’d keep on killing if it meant getting my daughter back.
I got what I wanted, and you got what you wanted.
Now take the gun and fuck off before I change my mind.
(POURING DRINK)
Your daughter deserved much better than you.
(GUNSHOT)
(GRUNTS)
(GROANS)
(GROANS)
(WINCES)
(GROANING)
(SCREAMS)
(VAL GRUNTING)
(GASPS)
(ELEVATOR WHIRRING)
(CHUCKLING WEAKLY)
What’s so funny?
Got you, bitch.
VAL: I’ve already solved the murders by killing Tyrin.
And now I got my daughter back.
I’m about to exonerate a man who was wrongly accused.
We’re both clean.
DERRICK: You brutally murdered four people.
There is no clean.
VAL: And I’d keep on killing if it meant getting my daughter back.
(EXHALES WEAKLY)
(ELEVATOR CREAKING)
(SIREN BLARING)
(HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING)
(SIREN CONTINUES BLARING)
DERRICK’S MOM: You’re gonna do what you did when you were a little boy.
You’re gonna hold your head up.
You’re gonna put your shoulders back, and you’re gonna do whatever it takes to get it done.
(SIRENS BLARING)
(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)
OFFICER: Put your hands in the air!
DERRICK’S MOM: Go clear your name, son.
TERRENCE J.: What up, y’all? It’s Terrence J. and Angie, LA’s official home for hip-hop.
ANGIE: That’s right. Now, y’all remember Derrick Tyler?
The former sports star turned business mogul who was a prime suspect in that double homicide?
TERRENCE J.: Yeah. If The Shade Room said he’s guilty, that man is guilty.
ANGIE: Today, he walking out a free man.
TERRENCE J.: (EXCLAIMS) You mean to tell me an innocent black man got let off?
ANGIE: That’s right, because your boy came with receipts.
A taped confession from Detective Quinlan officially vindicating Derrick Tyler.
TERRENCE J.: All right, I’ve learned two things.
One, we gotta stop making people guilty before they actually are.
ANGIE: Amen.
TERRENCE J.: And two, if you’re gonna cheat on your wife, make sure it’s not a cop.
ANGIE: Just don’t cheat, boys.
(UPBEAT HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING)
