Air date: December 13, 2020
[line rings]
[operator] 911. What’s your emergency?
[Adam] [weakly] Help.
[operator] Hello? Are you there?
I can barely hear you.
Can you hear me? Hello?
We’re having trouble working out where you are.
If you’re in the city, hit one of the keys on your phone.
Any key.
[wheezing]
Any key will work.
Hello?
[wheezing]
[recorder clicks]
[recorder clicks]
[line ringing]
[operator] 911. What’s your emergency?
[wheezing]
Hello?
[music playing faintly]
[Charlie] You look tired.
I haven’t slept all night.
What is it, Michael?
It’s, um…
Robin’s car.
I need it to disappear, Charlie.
No questions asked.
But it-it just… can’t just be sold.
Uh, it…
I mean gone.
It’s got to be painful for you.
Seeing it there every day.
In the street.
Outside your home.
If you were never to see it again, it would be harder for a day or so.
The absence.
And then…
Yeah.
Drop the key behind the front left wheel.
Give me a few hours.
I don’t have a brother.
And then again…
I do.
Rudy! [chuckles]
Charlie Figaro. Good morning.
Hey, you still acting lieutenant or the real thing now?
That’s great.
Yeah, of course I knew!
Why would I ask about it and already know the answer?
That’s the first law of politics.
[laughs]
Thing about making lieutenant: half the work, twice the pay.
Hey, whoa, whoa, wait until I make you my new chief of police.
Yeah!
Hey, um…
I need a favor.
[line ringing]
[quietly] Hey.
Rudy Cunningham.
You alone, Little Mo?
Yeah.
Good, listen up.
[indistinct shouting in distance]
Kofi!
What’s up with you?
I got a job for you, Kofi.
What is this, Dad?
This is yesterday.
I love you.
I always will.
May I have two espressos, please?
Sure.
Oh! Can I ask you something?
Shotgun homes– you know, front door to back door, straight through, right?
I mean, does that… is that always true?
Sure, I think so.
Why?
[Michael] No, it just doesn’t make sense.
What?
I’m sorry, no, it’s a, it’s a case.
A case, like a trial?
[Michael] Yeah.
Okay, NOPD busts a shotgun home in the lower ninth.
Now, the police officer is standing at the front door, says that he saw a woman in the bathroom hiding drugs.
But the geography doesn’t feel right, does it?
Mm, are you on a jury?
Oh, no.
A lawyer?
Uh, no.
Are you a judge?
Yes.
Hmm?
Well, you could…
What?
No, nothing.
[chuckles] Well, wait a minute.
No, you were gonna say something, go ahead.
Say it.
Well… go and look maybe.
Look at-at what?
At the house.
Is that allowed?
Yes.
Yes.
You know, that is a good idea.
That is a very good idea.
Bottoms up.
[atmospheric music]
[dialogue inaudible]
[coins rattle in cup]
[Michael] Booze or dope?
Dad…
Neither.
You sure?
Yeah.
That’s too bad.
‘Cause I only give money to people if it’s for booze or dope.
[Jimmy] I want who did this, Cusack.
[Michael] Yesterday’s flowers.
Lay them down and… say something to her.
Dad…
Alibis fall apart, Adam.
I see it all the time.
They almost never hold up.
If you want to give yourself a fighting chance, it has to be very close to true.
Okay, but… being here, doing this–
Months from now, if you’re ever asked where you were or what you were doing on October 9th, you’ll have the muscle memory of what you did.
You won’t have to construct the lie because you lived it.
But yesterday was yesterday.
If the vet at the gate is ever on the stand, do you think he remembers the date…
or the embarrassing wise-ass and his embarrassed son?
And Norma, the waitress, she knows what day it was.
It was the day Judge Desiato went down to the Lower Ninth to check whether police officers can see around corners or not.
Today is yesterday.
[Adam] What about the car?
[Michael] It’s being taken care of.
What-what do you mean “taken care of”?
I don’t know.
And it’s better that I don’t know.
Just like it’s better that you don’t know.
And that’s the truth.
Now, lay the flowers down and say a few words for Mom.
I can’t.
Was I sad?
Did I play her favorite songs and cry my heart out?
If you won’t listen to me, how can I keep you safe?
I can’t f*cking do it, Dad. Any of this.
Yes… you can.
You have to… and you will.
Or we die.
Now you.
I miss you, Mom.
I really miss you.
[sighs]
[dramatic music]
[engine starts]
Morning.
[Betty] Morning, Judge.
Detective Costello to see you.
Oh.
Thanks.
Judge.
Detective. Hey.
[chuckles]
I was downstairs in section B, so…
Great. Well, good to see you.
Please, have a seat.
[sighs]
[chuckles]
So, the… the message that you left at the station yesterday.
Right. Right.
Uh, I was calling to report the theft of Robin’s car.
Oh, God.
Yeah.
And I-I wanted it to be you because I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.
How do you mean?
Well… this isn’t about a car thief.
This, to me, is a lot bigger.
See, I-I haven’t been able to bring myself to… get rid of, well, anything.
I mean, her clothes, the article she was working on.
It’s all still there. Her car.
Ah, her car.
Every morning I go out, and there’s her car… just sitting there.
Like a bruise.
It’s funny.
The car thief actually did me a favor.
Can I be straight with you, Judge?
Please.
That’s a load of crap.
The anniversary of her death.
I mean, he doesn’t know that. How can he know that?
But that’s the thing about crime.
It doesn’t give a damn who it hurts or how or why.
You want me to let it go?
Wrong cop, wrong woman.
No, I-I–
Robin’s murder.
This robber walks into a store with a gun.
He doesn’t want to kill anybody, but when he knows he has to, does he ask if Robin Desiato has a young son or not?
If she’s a good person or not?
He doesn’t care about her life when he takes it.
So you know what, I don’t care what our car thief didn’t have for breakfast or how f*cked up his childhood was.
I am going to find that piece of shit.
Moola, moola, moola over mami chula
‘Cause all these thots will kill ya
She give me good medulla
Pussy smell just like petunias
She got that hallelujah, ride me like the Tchoupitoulas
And she gon’ ride it, ride it, ride, ride that dick
Ride it, ride it, ride, ride that, ride that
Ride it, ride it, ride, ride that dick, ho
Ride it, ride it, ride, ride that, ride that
Ride it, ride it, ride, ride that dick, ho
Ride it, ride it, ride, ride that, ride that
Ride it, ride it, ride, ride that dick, ho…
[siren wailing]
[engine turns off]
[music stops]
[officer speaking indistinctly]
[officer] Eight Mary Lincoln Sam 769.
Ran a red light.
[dispatcher] 191 acknowledged.
Eight Mary Lincoln Sam 769.
Blue Volvo. Driver ran a red light. Stand by.
Running the plates now.
Be advised, this is a… [continues indistinctly]
No, no, no! Do not move!
Do-do not move! Show me your hands.
Let me see your hands. I will shoot you.
Please don’t-don’t shoot me.
Exactly where I can see them.
Don’t shoot me.
Move towards the door.
Okay, I’m coming, I’m coming, I’m coming, I’m coming.
I’m coming. Okay?
Show me your hands!
Okay, okay, okay.
Reach outside of the vehicle.
Open the car from the outside.
Right here. Right here.
[grunting]
Against the wall. Up against the wall!
Stretch out.
Both legs. Stretch out.
Do you have anything in your pockets that is going to poke me?
No.
Do you have anything in your pockets that’s gonna poke me?
No, I don’t. No.
[dispatcher] 191, be advised…
Donald.
The scrapyard, huh?
I didn’t do nothing, man.
Uh-huh.
[indistinct radio chatter]
[officer] Copy that.
[hypnotic music]
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
Jesus, what the f*ck?!
Where were you, man?
What?
Yesterday.
Um, my dad made me do a ton of anniversary stuff.
Oh, uh… yeah, your mom.
She was a great lady, your mom.
[Adam] What’d you like best about her?
[Wesley] Probably her tits.
[laughs]
[Adam] You’re sick.
Next.
[bailiff] Custody. Curtis Glover.
Bench warrant.
All right.
Mr. Glover, you were supposed to be here yesterday.
Where were you?
At my grandfather’s funeral.
I’m sorry.
How’d it go?
He’s in the ground.
The least you can hope for from a funeral.
What cemetery was it?
St. Louis Number One.
So not actually in the ground.
Huh?
Above-ground internments only up there.
Figure of speech.
Mm-hmm.
And what was your grandfather’s name?
I don’t remember.
Wait, you don’t remember your own grandfather’s name?
Just knowed him as Pops.
Okay, so is Pops your father’s father or your mother’s father?
Father’s.
Just a wild guess, then.
His name is the same as yours?
Yeah. That’s it.
[clears throat]
Nobody called Glover buried yesterday in the city of New Orleans.
[Curtis] It was Baton Rouge.
It was Baton Rouge.
Do you want us to check that?
[Corrigan] Floppy and greasy, every time.
[indistinct chatter]
You gonna eat that sandwich?
When do I get processed?
Who brought you in?
Well, they didn’t introduce themselves.
Took their badge numbers, though.
Why would you do that?
Come on.
What’d you do?
Bullshit driving thing.
Alleged.
Now… wouldn’t that make a lot of paperwork for you… when I make a big-ass complaint about some racist shit?
All to me running a red light?
[Frannie] Three great female photographers.
Nan Goldin, Diane Arbus, Vivian Maier.
Which of the three hides herself most from her subject?
Speaking about great tits, huh?
Something to share, boys? Come on.
Don’t be shy.
Vivian Maier had a box Kodak, so she held it here, like this, uh, which kind of alters the relationship with the subject.
I mean, the photographer isn’t holding a camera up to her face, so she’s actually looking at the subject.
Not through a lens, not through anything.
And if the subject sees her, then he can look back.
Yeah, she was a true street photographer.
I love Vivian Maier.
I mean, I… I-I really love her.
[Kofi] You like baseball?
Sure. Why?
Take a look at my possessions.
Mariano Rivera.
Mm-hmm.
How’d you get this?
Do you care?
[phone rings]
Desiato.
[Nancy] We found the car.
Hello? Judge?
Yes, I’m here, I’m here.
Um, sorry.
Well, that’s-that’s great news.
Where was it?
Headed down Washington.
It-it was being driven?
Mm. Yes.
You want to come pick it up?
Now? Uh…
Yes. Yes. Now would be great.
Are you in court?
No, no, no.
I-I have the time. I-I’ll be right there.
[dark, suspenseful music]
[metal whirring, grinding]
[Michael] Hi.
[Nancy] It smells like dog.
Uh, yeah. Ten years of Django.
Mm.
But seems like only last week we brought him home for the first time.
In this?
Yeah. Yeah. [chuckles]
I was just talking about it yesterday.
H-He… he peed all over Adam’s lap on the way home.
And you know what he said?
He said it was “the best day of my life.”
[laughs] Said it then or yesterday?
Both.
In the car ten years ago and… again yesterday at the cemetery.
The kid’s GPS.
On his phone, it was set to the scrapyard.
Made me wonder if… this could be connected to Robin.
Her murder.
Get rid of her car.
But a year later. Why wait a year?
Like a message.
O-On the anniversary, I mean.
It’s a hell of a coincidence otherwise.
Judge–
I’m sorry.
No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…
I– -No, it’s-it’s…
I-I’m okay.
I’m good.
[exhales]
We’re gonna need a statement.
Sure.
“I’m the registered owner of the car, the last time I saw it was–”
Mm. Yes, I know, Nancy.
[both chuckle]
Sorry. Stupid.
No, it’s-it’s okay.
First time you called me “Nancy.”
Really? I…
We could do the statement now, if you want, ’cause you’re here.
Uh, well…
Uh…
Y-You know what?
Another time is fine.
Okay. Fine.
So… do you have a, a name for him?
The kid who stole the car?
Oh, um, well, not with me.
You want me to get it to you when I have it?
Well, okay.
Okay.
How old is he?
Young. 17.
I have a confession to make.
I… I don’t know how to say this…
Then just say it.
You can tell me.
I used to drive out of the city for trail runs and-and… So as I… not to have to carry the car keys with me while I was running, I… I got into the habit of leaving them on top of the tire.
And… it’s what I do all the time now with this car.
Yeah.
We were wondering how he got the keys.
Mm.
I thought, you know, he might have even been in your home.
Oh, no. I-I don’t, uh…
Yeah, sorry. [chuckles]
Well, it might be a problem with the insurance claim.
Oh, well.
What tire did you put the key on?
Uh, left-front.
Was this always like this?
[exhales] Oh.
Well, that’s hard to say, with a car this old.
Who drove it last?
Probably Adam.
So, he knew about the, the key thing?
He did that, too?
Y-Yes. It-it just became what we did with this car.
It’s stupid, I know.
Hmm. Unlucky, too, that he spotted it.
[soft, suspenseful music]
The kid.
Oh, right. I guess.
Well, I’m gonna need a statement from Adam, too.
“The last time I drove the car wa…” Anyway, you know.
[chuckles] Um…
You know what, why don’t I go check in and see where Andy’s at? -Okay.
[softly] F*ck.
[chirping]
[footsteps approaching]
There were traces of blood on the inhaler.
Well, whose blood?
Aye.
Hmm.
Rocco’s blood.
Anything else?
We’re having the inhaler tested for DNA.
How long?
We’ll go to Cusack with any results so he can look at the police database for a match.
How long?
36 hours.
This bird.
What’s that?
Cleans itself every ten minutes.
Like it f*cking matters.
Like anything f*cking matters anymore.
[slow, suspenseful music]
[Nancy] Just need your autograph on this and you’re good to go.
[Michael] Okay.
Thank you.
[engine starts]
Whoa. What the hell is that?
[phone ringing]
Cusack.
[thudding]
[indistinct arguing]
[intense, suspenseful music]
[camera shutter clicking]
[officer] You remember me?
I deal with thousands of cases.
I– -The underwear guy.
Right.
You don’t remember?
Remind me.
The defense was, “I’m not stealing underwear from clotheslines ’cause I’m a pervert. I’m cleaning up the city by removing ugly undergarments from public view.”
Yeah. Yeah, I remember now.
You found him not guilty.
His name was Arnold Thewlis.
Went on to rape three women and a 14-year-old girl.
Stuffed underwear in their mouths to shut ’em up while he did what he did.
You didn’t know that?
I thought you would have known that.
You try a case on the evidence.
You can’t judge a man on what you fear he might become.
F*cking traffic.
[slow, somber music]
[mouse clicking]
[typing]
[siren wailing in distance]
[siren approaching]
[suspenseful music]
Sorry. I-I’m so sorry.
Listen, uh, uh, our car was, uh, stolen.
They got it back, but, uh, apparently, it was, uh, involved in a hit-and-run.
Uh, so they-they have to keep it for evidential reasons.
Right?
[officer] Yeah.
Yeah. And this officer gave me a ride home.
This officer needs to pee.
Right. Uh… it’s the third door on the right.
[door opens and closes]
Dad.
Just…
[urinating in distance]
[toilet flushing]
[door opens]
[exhales]
So you drive that old beater?
Oh, uh, no, it… it was my mom’s.
Uh, so, thank you again.
Appreciate it.
[door shuts]
Where we going?
[officer] Somebody speak?
[officer 2] I don’t think so.
[ominous music]
Shit.
[grunting]
[grunting]
Got it?
Got it.
Why did you say that you don’t drive the car?
I-I thought it would be better.
Well, maybe he and Nancy Costello won’t–
[Django barks loudly]
Django!
Knock it off.
[Adam] You said the car had been taken care of.
I thought it had.
Well, was it abandoned?
No.
Wait, some-someone was driving it? Who?
I don’t know, and we haven’t got time for this.
Dad, do-do they think–
We haven’t got time for this!
His blood on your hands.
Your fingerprints in his blood on the car door handle, on the steering wheel, on the rear view mirror.
Please make it stop.
What do you think I’m doing here?!
With every f*cking ounce of my being, I–
[wheezing]
Adam, Adam. Adam, Adam, Adam.
[loud slam]
It’s all right, it’s okay.
Where’s your inhaler? Huh?
Where’s…
Hold on. Hold on.
[wheezing continues]
Here we go.
Okay, sit up, sit up. There we go, there we go.
Okay.
[inhaler puffs]
[breathes deeply]
I have to know.
Okay.
After the accident, when you were driving home, did anyone see you?
Uh, the windshield.
What?
Uh, a homeless guy. He-he washed the windshield.
Okay.
Okay. Um…
What-what kind of homeless?
[stammers] F*cked up?
Yeah.
Okay, good. Is that it?
I-I stopped for gas…
You stopped for gas?
I-I-I had to, Dad.
Christ, Adam!
Did you speak to anyone there? Did anyone see you?
Just the guy in the car behind me.
Wait-wait, what… what-what guy was this?
Did you… You spoke to him?
N-No. He-he was just pissed at me because I-I was slow and I dropped the pump handle.
And he honked at me.
Adam, did he get a good look at you?
Shit.
I’m sorry.
No, it’s… it’s okay. It’s okay, it’s…
One more question.
I-I-I can’t–
No, I need to ask this. I need to ask.
At the scene, after the accident, when you couldn’t breathe… did you find your inhaler?
Yeah.
And you used it?
Where is it now?
[ominous music]
Go.
Go. F*ck.
[bird screeches]
[panting heavily]
[grunts]
[smashing cage]
[grunting]
[breathing heavily]
[crickets chirping]
[vehicle approaching]
[engine turns off]
[car door opens, shuts]
[footsteps approaching]
[door rattles open]
[groans]
[metal clanging]
[squeaks]
We both know you did this.
You can tell me what I want to know now, or you can tell me later.
The other way.
Where’s the phone?
What phone?
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
It’s always the same.
I’ve seen it so many times.
That relief, when you confess.
It’s like finding God.
Okay.
The other way.
[ominous music]
[Kofi groaning]
[shouting]
[Kofi gasping]
[gas hissing]
[Kofi gasping]
Hey!
[panting]
[coughing]
Oh…
[panting]
[straining]
[choking]
[breathing rapidly]
[inhaler puffs]
[Kofi coughing, gasping]
[gasping violently]
Want to talk to me now?
[weak gasps]
[telephone ringing]
[ringing]
Hello?
[Nancy] Adam. Nancy Costello.
Sorry to call so late.
Is your dad there?
Uh, he’s out running.
Okay. Um, could you give him a message for me?
It’s a name. Do you want to write it down?
[insects chirping]
[loud bang]
NOPD!
Run!
Don’t f*cking move!
[police shouting]
Put your f*cking hands up, ma’am!
Don’t shoot, don’t shoot.
I got kids.
Put your f*cking hands up!
Don’t you f*cking move.
Keep those hands up.
[crying]
Clear for entry, Lieutenant.
Don’t you f*cking move, ma’am.
[slow, somber music]
Where’s the phone?
What-what phone?
The phone your f*cking son stole from the boy he ran over.
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
[door opens and closes]
[Michael exhales]
Kofi Jones.
What?
Who?
He knocked Rocco Baxter off his motorcycle and left him bleeding to death on the roadside.
And now he’s been arrested and he’s gonna pay for what he did.
[intense, suspenseful music]
[door opens]
[Lee] Penny for them?
Lee.
Judge.
Good to see you.
Yeah, you, too.
Yeah.
It’s… Yeah. [chuckles]
Are you back here, in the swamp?
$80 million dollar fraud trial.
I’m not even getting my feet wet.
Eighty million is the fraud or your bill?
[both chuckle]
Uh, would you like to sit down?
Sure.
You called me the other day.
Yes. Um…
So…?
[chuckles]
I was, uh, thinking maybe, I don’t know, we could go out for a glass of wine?
[lock buzzes]
[lock buzzes]
[latch clicks]
Little Mo.
Hello?
[Little Mo] What’s good, soldier?
Just wanted to let you know that we’re looking out for your mama and your family.
You ain’t got to worry about all that.
Take the hit, little man.
Desire got your back.
What’d I do? I didn’t do nothing.
You want me to plead out for something that I didn’t do?
What if I don’t?
Then your mama and your family…
I don’t know.
Maybe then I can’t guarantee they’d be safe.
You heard me?
Stay strong, soldier.
[phone beeps]
[dark, somber music]
[sighs]
[device whirring]
[bailiff] Kofi Jones. Custody.
Come on.
[A.D.A.] We object to bail, Your Honor.
The accused resisted arrest and has continued to be obstructive in police custody.
The strength of the evidence– he was arrested driving the stolen car that we know hit and killed Rocco Baxter– is, frankly, overwhelming.
All of this means he’s a serious flight risk.
It’s worth remembering, this is a man that left another human being dying on the roadside.
If he can do that, he can sure as hell jump bail.
You affiliated, boy?
[speaking indistinctly]
Take them off.
Lower back. That’s a gang tat.
Desire crew, if I’m not mistaken.
[whispering] You’re gonna be okay.
[mouthing]
To the charge of vehicular homicide, how does the accused plead?
[Kofi] Guilty.
[judge] What?
Guilty.
[judge] Let’s recess.
Back in 30 minutes.
[mother speaking indistinctly]
[mother] No, no…
Judge! Judge!
Judge, please. Judge, J-Judge, please.
Judge, y-you a good man.
Listen, I’m sorry.
Judge, Judge, please.
No, no, listen. No.
Please help my son.
No, i-it’s not my case.
I– -I know, but y-you could talk to somebody.
There’s nothing I can do.
Then you can help.
Look, I cannot help you!
I’m sorry.
[crying] Please.
I’m very, I’m very sorry.
[Frankie] It wasn’t a hit-and-run.
It was a hit.
There’s no other explanation.
Desire are coming for us.
[Jimmy] Carlo beating up one of their soldiers.
They’d kill Rocco for that?
These people are animals–
How many times did I tell him?
Hmm? Stay away from all that open-air street shit.
F*cking needles and shit? F*cking… needles, f*cking guns, f*cking ten-year-olds selling shit.
I’m gonna clean this city up.
I’m gonna make it f*cking shine.
[line ringing]
Yeah, he’s a good soldier.
Yeah, he’s not talking.
All right.
[dialing]
[sniffs]
[phone beeps]
[line ringing]
[phone ringing]
Yeah. For Charlie.
[Rudy] Charlie. Rudy.
We’re safe.
Okay.
Lee? Lee?
Are you okay?
Yeah.
Yeah. Uh…
I need a favor.
He pleaded guilty, so it’s only a matter of the sentencing.
Why him?
Well, we both know the difference between you and an overworked public defender could be measured in years.
That’s not an answer. Why him?
Judge Harris, he just humiliated–
Yeah, I-I heard.
Yeah, well–
Wh-Why were you there?
I was curious.
It was Robin’s car that he stole.
Y-You didn’t know that. Yeah.
It’s weird, but…
So, I-I just wanted to see the kid and-and I-I know he did a very bad thing, but nobody should be treated like that.
[exhales]
I was ashamed of us, of this building. It…
I was humiliated by his humiliation.
And I know I can’t help everybody, but I would like to help Kofi Jones.
This isn’t easy for me.
I know.
I know. I was there, I saw.
But you’re asking me to do this, knowing what you know about me.
I just… think it’s the right thing to do.
And I thought maybe you might think so, too.
[stammers softly] All right.
I’m sorry.
I shouldn’t have asked. I’m… Really.
[car chiming]
One condition.
When we have our glass of wine, no law talk.
Deal.
Thank you.
[car door closes]
[slow, somber music]
[footsteps approaching]
Adam?
[dramatic music]