The Wire 5x5

1. Joe will be missed.

2. Very much missed. We liked joe.

3. A hard man not to like.

4. Tomorrow ain't promised to no one.

5. Meanwhile, we go on.

6. In business— life—

7. What you learn to appreciate

8. The most is a dependable man.

9. One day, same as the next.

10. Yeah, i learned a lot from watching joe.

11. We deal with you or your second.

12. No one else.

13. No one else knows our names.

14. No one else contacts us.

15. Understand?

16. To contact us, use this...

17. Only.

18. I don't talk on no cell phones.

19. Here. To call for lunch, you can talk.

20. To call your girl, you can talk.

21. To call your lawyer even, you can talk—

22. The law says that is between you and the lawyer.

23. - Hmm. - All right?

24. To find out what movie is playing down the street,

25. You can talk.

26. All of that is good because all of that tells them

27. There is nothing good to hear.

28. But for business,

29. Do not talk on the phone.

30. - Never. - Right.

31. I mean, joe taught me that.

32. But what about— what is...

33. Hmm.

34. How that play?

35. Man overcame his grief.

36. Do it feel like a crown on your head right now?

37. Do it?

38. 'cause that's what i'm wearing on my head.

39. We should celebrate.

40. Yeah?

41. Atlantic city.

42. Can't play like that now.

43. Omar gonna make a move. We know this.

44. Yo, i need to go past home. You mind a ride?

45. Naw. You know i like your peoples.

46. Fact is, i gotta tell 'em i'm not gonna be coming round for a time.

47. You stepped up and made your play.

48. Now i gotta make mine.

49. - At least four. - Alma: Got it.

50. Yeah, we're going back through the old cases,

51. So we could find more than that.

52. What else?

53. And the motive now seems sexual.

54. What do you mean sexual?

55. Is someone sodomizing homeless men?

56. I can't get that specific.

57. How can i not get specific?

58. Well, just say the killer is acting from sexual compulsions.

59. Anything more detailed than that we need to keep in the case file.

60. I don't know, detective.

61. Last time, i couldn't get it out front on metro.

62. Let me run it by my desk and call you back, all right?

63. All right.

64. Anything late from copshop?

65. Follow-ups on the recent murders.

66. An arrest on one, which was the domestic cutting from hampden.

67. No arrests in a couple of drug-relateds from east baltimore.

68. Okay, give me a bit for the budget line.

69. Domestic was a patricia boggus, found in her car.

70. Drug-relateds were one Joseph stewart,

71. Found in his dining room,

72. And one nathaniel manns, found in an alley garage.

73. A couple grafs on each. Write it as a single short.

74. Also, i got word on another homeless murder.

75. The detective on it says it's related.

76. He says it's sexual.

77. Sexual?

78. - They being raped? - He wouldn't confirm that.

79. He just says that the killings are sexual in nature.

80. Write what you got.

81. I'll run it by the 4:00, see if it takes.

82. This indictment is the result of an 18-month

83. Investigation by the state's attorney's office

84. And the baltimore police department.

85. And it shines a light on a cornerstone issue

86. For any representative government—

87. Public trust of public servants.

88. Senator davis abused that trust.

89. He traded on his power and influence

90. So that he could use local businesses

91. And campaign donors as his personal atm machine.

92. He created a network of charitable and non-profit

93. Organizations whose purpose was to accumulate cash

94. For his private use, betraying the goodwill...

95. Rhonda pearlman?

96. Bill zorzi, covering federal court for the "sun."

97. Right. How do you do?

98. Not to be all petulant on your special day here,

99. But since when does a prosecutor in this town

100. Stage a perp walk and not call the daily newspaper?

101. We called gail gibson.

102. Left a message on her voice mail.

103. Gail left for a freelance gig four months ago.

104. Well, her voicemail still works.

105. Who's replacing her on city courts?

106. From now on,

107. Just don't jam me like that again.

108. He must be held accountable

109. For his fraudulent actions.

110. Senator davis has opened our legislative body

111. To monetary persuasions.

112. He has done this knowingly and with complete disregard

113. For the office that he represents.

114. - It is this kind of impropriety... - How's it feel, clay?

115. Not much fun on the ass end, is it?

116. You said it, norman.

117. There's the short con and the long con.

118. You're gonna need a statement.

119. Nothing too joyful.

120. You don't dance on clay's grave until you're sure

121. The motherfucker's dead.

122. Clay ain't getting up from this.

123. Also you don't want to piss off his base,

124. Being too gleeful about it.

125. That guy still has a base?

126. After all the shit he's pulled?

127. To solicit individual and corporate contributions...

128. I'll tell you one thing. That fella right there

129. Is looking pretty damn mayoral.

130. More than nerese, definitely.

131. With the profile he gets from this,

132. I'd say it's mr. Bond's race to lose.

133. And remain under common court.

134. Senator davis will have to account for that money.

135. What'd you tell your girl?

136. That i'm going away on business.

137. I won't be around for a couple weeks.

138. Shouldn't be more than that.

139. Better not.

140. And miss trainor say we gonna learn a problem

141. Like that once every day for this year and the next.

142. You mean memorize 'em?

143. Yeah. Learn it by heart. Learn the question.

144. Learn the answer, too.

145. 'cause them questions gonna be on the msa test y'all take next year.

146. She tell you all that?

147. Miss trainor say if the scores don't go up before the selection,

148. All the teachers gonna get fired.

149. Selection? What she mean?

150. When the people vote for whoever.

151. You mean an election?

152. Nigga think you all that.

153. Now, why you gonna go and do that?

154. Dukie about to cry. Lookit.

155. - Fuck is wrong with you? - Ain't nothing wrong with me!

156. I'm out here getting stuff done.

157. You up in some house somewhere playing mike's lil' bitch.

158. Smacked his little ass.

159. And finally, we've got that 40-inch thumbsucker

160. On bud selig and baseball's halfhearted response to

161. The latest recommendations on steroid use.

162. Bottom line is the owners think bud is swell,

163. The players union is staying mum, bonds has the home run record,

164. And everyone's pretending the issue will go away.

165. - And there's news in there? - ( chuckles )

166. What do you like for the front?

167. The clay davis indictment, obviously.

168. The congressional hearings on iraq.

169. Price's piece on how much carcetti raised

170. For his gubernatorial run is solid.

171. And the feature on john waters filming again in baltimore

172. Could go out front if the art is good.

173. We have him on the film set posing with a couple of child actors.

174. - Is that allowed? - Now, now.

175. Let's not confuse the auteur with his art.

176. - Anyone like anything else? - Gus: Yeah, this came in late,

177. But this business at the bottom of the metro budget about another

178. Homeless man being murdered— that might have some play.

179. There were other homeless men murdered?

180. We ran a short piece a week ago

181. About possible connections in three cases inside metro.

182. Yeah, the motive's said to be sexual,

183. But the cops are being cryptic

184. About what exactly that means.

185. Well, we could run it inside,

186. But you might want to report it some more, see where it goes.

187. Right now, it's a little vague for a-1.

188. Okay, then, we'll see where we are in a couple hours.

189. I told you, duke.

190. I'll fuck 'em up good. Just say the word, man.

191. Naw, man. I can't have you stepping up for me anymore, you know?

192. Yeah, well, talk to the man.

193. He'll set you straight.

194. - Yo, mr. Dennis. - Hey.

195. I need to train with you some.

196. See that.

197. What happened?

198. It ain't no thing.

199. I'm just kinda getting a little tired of it, that's all.

200. All right, son.

201. Go get some gloves on and let's see where you at.

202. It's all pretty straightforward.

203. I'm surprised the lawyers you were paying

204. Went to the trouble of getting it postponed.

205. Maybe 'cause we was paying by the hour.

206. In any event, you got a lot going for you here.

207. Car registered to a front, guns in a secreted compartment.

208. Oh, the woman we registered it to,

209. She can't do no time. Just a name we used.

210. Then get someone who can.

211. Preferably someone without priors,

212. Someone you trust to stand the charge.

213. Also came past with this here.

214. More money made clean.

215. When you figure out what we gonna do with that there, holler at me.

216. How do i do that?

217. 410-915-0909.

218. Anything else?

219. Naw, take me off your clock.

220. Fucking mope pisses me off.

221. Be generous.

222. I have a feeling this firm is going to have quite a payday

223. From mr. Stanfield and his people.

224. He just gave me his phone number.

225. If marlo stanfield is using a cell phone,

226. It's just a matter of time before we're up to our asses

227. In pre-trial motions,

228. Litigating a wiretap case.

229. Joe gave him to us just in time.

230. Work the bag.

231. Keep your hands up.

232. Right. Left. Right.

233. What now?

234. You need to attribute that?

235. What?

236. Fifth graf, the dependent clause.

237. The one about a "pattern of widespread influence-peddling

238. Over a period of years."

239. Either the indictment shows that or it doesn't.

240. Besides which, you begin three grafs in a row with a gerund. Look.

241. How do you expect me to write this thing with your fucking fingers in my eyes?

242. At least let me turn my copy in before you stomp on it.

243. Attaboy, zorz.

244. They want more reporting on this,

245. But i don't see where it can go from here.

246. The cops are selling a sexual motive,

247. But they won't explain it any more than that.

248. Who are you dealing with?

249. Detective who has the case.

250. And he wants publicity?

251. Didn't know if you would come back.

252. Took a lot of money with you.

253. It wasn't about the money, bro.

254. Wasn't never about that.

255. Is that him?

256. Old monk prefer the condo life, i see.

257. Too good for a row house.

258. Moving with muscle, too.

259. Most likely they expecting you to make a move.

260. And here i am.

261. How 'bout that?

262. Thanks for meeting me again.

263. This is scott templeton.

264. He'll be working the story with me.

265. It's not like i want everyone at your newspaper knowing my name.

266. - I know. - Look,

267. You want these homeless cases to get attention, right?

268. That's what you're trying to do here.

269. Guy's a predator. People need to know.

270. Agreed. And i understand that there are things

271. You need to keep secret so that you can solve the murders.

272. I get that. We can't do much with this story

273. Unless we give it enough juice.

274. Juice?

275. We need to tell people what this is about,

276. Why he's doing it.

277. We need to make this thing come alive on the page

278. Or they're gonna bury the story like they did the last time.

279. I told you it's sexual.

280. Compulsion, obsession, that kinda thing.

281. But what the fuck does that mean?

282. It's not like he's carving up housewives

283. Or strangling coeds here.

284. Your guy's killing homeless men.

285. Why exactly? What's in his head?

286. Is he raping them? Sodomizing them?

287. I don't have any semen in any of the cases.

288. I don't have that.

289. But he's doing something, right?

290. He ties a red ribbon around their arms.

291. A red ribbon?

292. Yeah, a bow.

293. He gift-wraps the motherfuckers.

294. - That enough juice for you? - Yeah, kinky.

295. But no one kills people to tie ribbons around their arms.

296. Can we say they were molested?

297. Is it fair to say that?

298. We'll go with molested then.

299. You didn't get that from me.

300. - Bartender: Another round? - What else?

301. You want this story to fly, you got to give us something different.

302. Keep what you need in the file, but give us something with a twist.

303. A sexual serial killer isn't enough?

304. Cold world, i know.

305. - He started biting them. - What?

306. He's biting his victims.

307. Inside thigh, right ass cheek, left nipple.

308. - He's a biter. - Fuck. Shit.

309. Yeah. That twisted enough for ya?

310. Are we talking cannibalism here?

311. Just biting for now.

312. We'll see where it goes.

313. And did he bite all of them?

314. Not all. Just the latest ones.

315. - He's maturing. - Maturing?

316. Yeah, it's a technical term.

317. It's when a serial killer's becoming more obsessive.

318. He starts to develop an intricate pattern

319. In what he does with the bodies.

320. It's weird stuff.

321. A biter. That's great.

322. My name is nowhere on this.

323. For your tab.

324. We'd stay and have one with you,

325. But we still have time to make the second edition.

326. Thanks.

327. - ( music playing ) - so you thinking if you learn to fight some,

328. People around the way gonna leave you be.

329. Thing is, even if you learn to fight,

330. People gonna come at you just the same.

331. It ain't like the movies where you beat up one bully

332. And the rest just back the hell up.

333. Let me ask, why you think

334. They even bother to come at you the way they do?

335. I mean, why you?

336. See, all i know

337. Is that right there.

338. I ain't never had no use for other things.

339. I could fight.

340. For a time there, i could run them corners.

341. Not much life outside that, really.

342. I was on a corner for a while.

343. How that go?

344. Yeah, well,

345. I guess what i'm trying to say is

346. Not everything come down to

347. How you carry it in the street.

348. I mean, it do come down to that if you gonna be in the street.

349. But that ain't the only way to be.

350. - Around here it is. - Yeah.

351. Around here it is.

352. World is bigger than that.

353. At least, that's what they tell me.

354. Like how do you get from here to the rest of the world?

355. I wish i knew.

356. Michael grew up fast.

357. Yeah, he did.

358. Anyway, for a kid like that,

359. My onliest plan might be fine, you know?

360. Might could work for a boy like that.

361. But a kid come to me with other skills,

362. Other way of being,

363. All i got is hope and wishes.

364. That's something, i guess.

365. Wish it was more, son.

366. I do.

367. Thanks.

368. Attagirl.

369. Alma, you've got the investigation itself.

370. Anything that breaks from headquarters, that's you.

371. Well, yeah, i thought i'd work back on the victims.

372. A profile of who these guys were.

373. Well, that's a nice idea,

374. But i already sent fletch out on that about an hour ago.

375. What's left for me to do?

376. You can go and talk to the homeless.

377. React quotes from the homeless?

378. Just 'cause they're in the streets doesn't mean that they lack opinions.

379. Where am i gonna find homeless people?

380. Not at home, i imagine.

381. Go, go, my children.

382. Read it and weep.

383. ( yawns ) i already did.

384. So did the major.

385. So did the colonel.

386. So did our newly christened deputy ops.

387. Deputy's over at city hall right now.

388. That was quick.

389. Just 'cause you got some fucking reporter to buy

390. Your weak shit does not mean everyone else buys it.

391. Five gets you 10,

392. Deputy's over there right now, talking them back down to earth.

393. Is this nut raping them?

394. Well, i haven't debriefed the investigators in detail,

395. But the office reports don't indicate penetration or ejaculation.

396. What can we do? What can we say we're doing already?

397. We've got good people working it.

398. Obviously, it would be better if i could keep them

399. - On it around the clock. - You're talking overtime.

400. If you could lift the cap for this particular investigation...

401. Done. Unlimited overtime for two detectives.

402. Anything they need.

403. Sir, a case like this, where we're proactively

404. Trying to prevent additional murders,

405. Is going to require more than two detectives.

406. Deputy, i got the school board chairman telling me

407. He's a short hair away from laying off 50 middle school

408. Teachers and shutting down special education in every

409. Elementary school in the city in violation

410. Of a federal consent decree.

411. To the extent that i've got more than an extra couple of dollars,

412. You aren't getting it. Embracing the hard choice.

413. It's one of the— one of the burdens of command.

414. Is there anything you can do

415. To further protect the homeless?

416. We can have patrol units spread the warning,

417. Try to convince anyone on the street to move into the city shelters after dark.

418. Can't you have police sit on locations where the homeless gather?

419. - Monitor them like that? - And still answer the calls?

420. Not without doubling up post units, which means overtime.

421. Overtime, again.

422. Blood in our veins, mr. Mayor.

423. Every day, you look more like a boss.

424. Fuck you.

425. I didn't mean it like a bad thing.

426. - Yeah, you did. - Yeah, i did.

427. What's that?

428. A gift from your one true partner.

429. Cell phone number of marlo stanfield.

430. - How the fuck did you get marlo— - don't ask, don't tell.

431. Like one of those guys sucking dick in the army.

432. Whatever else i ever did to piss you off,

433. Remember i also did this.

434. And, carv?

435. When you put the bracelets on that bitch,

436. Remind him again of my fucking camera.

437. You can tell all of 'em— royce, the caucus,

438. All them grasping bitches who we put in every city department—

439. You tell every last one that i do not fall alone.

440. - Clay... - Think i'm gonna be the scapegoat

441. For the whole damn machine? Shit.

442. Clarence is going to stand with you.

443. He told me so. He'll be out there.

444. Easy for him. He ain't running for nothing no more.

445. I don't see you and your kind with me on this.

446. A whole mess of people think they belong on the fence, don't they?

447. - Clay, it is what it is. - Y'all better hope not.

448. Or it ain't gonna end with clay davis.

449. Just take a moment and think about what you're saying here.

450. You can have yourself a pity party,

451. Talk all kinda shit to some prosecutor.

452. You know where you'll be then?

453. Out in the damn cold.

454. No connections, no allies,

455. Nowhere to hang your hat in this damn town.

456. Or you carry this for all of us,

457. Carry it as far as you can.

458. And if the worst happens, if they take your seat,

459. If you go away for a year or so to some minimum-security

460. Summer camp, then so what?

461. You come home to a town that still knows your name.

462. Look at burrell.

463. He goes quietly, and now he's making 12 a year more

464. Than when he was commissioner and working half the hours.

465. You think that happens if he does the piss-and-moan?

466. Prosecutors come and prosecutors go.

467. But win or lose,

468. You still gonna be back around before we know it.

469. Am i right, senator davis?

470. Mm-hmm.

471. Want me to find another carry-out?

472. - Someplace closer? - You don't like this food?

473. I'm saying, i don't like the way them chinky motherfuckers

474. Be acting sometimes. The way they be looking at me.

475. Don't worry about it.

476. Chris with you?

477. Behind me.

478. What you got on?

479. What?

480. You want that faggot to know we waiting on his ass?

481. Just being careful is all.

482. If i can see the vest,

483. You don't think that he could see the vest?

484. I'm the one that's baiting him, though, right?

485. It seems i'm the only one who's not hiding out.

486. Ain't no thing.

487. 'cause when omar come at you,

488. He gonna be gunning at your head.

489. I know i would be.

490. Stayed outside of monk's all night.

491. They left before morning, though.

492. They'll be back. No doubt.

493. Do you hear a lot of concern regarding these murders?

494. I haven't heard anybody mention it.

495. No?

496. Well, most of the folks we serve

497. Aren't actually homeless.

498. Most are working poor.

499. So most of the people i interviewed here weren't—

500. Homeless? No. Some, maybe.

501. Why didn't you—

502. Well, you seemed to be getting along okay.

503. I didn't want to ruin it for you.

504. Um, where would you suggest i go, then?

505. Streets maybe.

506. The reporter the "sun" papers sent over?

507. Not exactly bob woodward.

508. Hell of a job, bubbs.

509. But you know we need help tomorrow waiting tables in the back room.

510. If you don't like it, then i won't ask again.

511. Got to hold it with both hands, you know?

512. Trying to hit what you aiming at, a'ight?

513. It's not like they do in the movies. Not going to work.

514. A'ight, so come on, spread your legs.

515. What's the first thing you gotta do?

516. Jack a round in the chamber.

517. Like this, watch.

518. Go ahead.

519. It's hard to do.

520. A'ight.

521. So then try this.

522. It's a tool, just like a monkey wrench.

523. That's all it is, a'ight?

524. I didn't know it was gonna be so loud.

525. Why you even want to do this?

526. What is you thinking, duke?

527. You think if you start carrying, ain't nobody gonna try you?

528. Nah. Somebody's always gonna try you.

529. And if they know that you carrying,

530. They gonna make you come out with it.

531. And once you come out with it, you gotta be ready to go all the way.

532. You can't bring it out unless you're willing to use it.

533. Can't be no doubt.

534. Man, can't shoot, can't fight.

535. Can't even stand on the damn corner.

536. You got other skills, man. You smart like that.

537. I don't know, bunk.

538. You can't believe everything you read nowadays.

539. Well, my little shit-stirrer.

540. As per your request for additional manpower

541. And man-hours, unlimited overtime has been approved

542. For the investigation into the killings of homeless men

543. For you and one other detective only.

544. What about surveillance teams?

545. We need to be watching some of these places, watching the smokehounds.

546. Two detectives only.

547. You and the stalwart detective greggs here

548. Are what has been authorized.

549. Nothing beyond that.

550. What the fuck, jay? I'm working a serial killer here.

551. - It's a red ball. - Hence the overtime.

552. But two detectives working a red ball?

553. What the fuck's wrong with this city?

554. We need hours for a dozen men.

555. We need surveillance vehicles, cameras.

556. What do you want from me?

557. Ain't you still working that triple from two weeks ago?

558. I got stuff i could run down on that, yeah.

559. But jay put me on this here.

560. Come here.

561. Do you even see how fucking wrong you are? Do you even see it?

562. They're gonna pay for this case, bunk.

563. - This is just the beginning. - Pay for what case?

564. You just took a real detective off a real case

565. - Behind your bullshit. - I'll fix that.

566. But eventually, these motherfuckers are gonna pay out

567. Enough for us to do marlo stanfield. Just watch and learn.

568. You've lost your fucking mind, jimmy. Look at you.

569. Half-lit every third night, dead drunk every second.

570. Nut deep in random pussy.

571. And what little time you do spend sober and limp-dicked,

572. You're working murders that don't even exist.

573. Take the ot and work the hell out of your triple.

574. Don't worry about your office reports.

575. I'll cover you for the bosses.

576. - What the fuck is going on? - Just work your triple.

577. I'll cover every hour of it from my case file.

578. Excuse me, sir. Sir.

579. I'm with the "baltimore sun."

580. Can i talk with you a minute?

581. You make an appointment?

582. Sorry. I'm booked up all afternoon.

583. I'm doing a story on the homeless men who've been killed.

584. You heard about that?

585. You got two dollars on you, right?

586. I was wondering if the murders had changed things

587. For you and the other fellas out here.

588. You want to know about them murders?

589. - That's why i'm out here. - Want to know who's doing it?

590. - Do you know who's doing it? - I do.

591. Can you handle hearing it?

592. What's your name?

593. Nathan levi boston.

594. And you know who the killer is?

595. Do you believe satan walks the earth in a fleshly form?

596. That satan can occupy the souls of men?

597. And he's just getting started.

598. There's gonna be a lot more dead before it's over.

599. Hundreds. Maybe thousands.

600. They told me they still had you working outta this shithole,

601. But i didn't believe it.

602. It ain't much, but it's been months since a boss has been able to find me.

603. You still have some interest in marlo stanfield, right?

604. That's his cell.

605. He stopped using cell phones.

606. Ellis. How?

607. Police work, detective. Police work.

608. Yo, this the high hat?

609. Say what?

610. Y'all still open for carryout?

611. I want some of that pepper steak.

612. Wrong number, fool.

613. I wish i could tell you it's a shock.

614. But it seems to happen in every city

615. Where we get us a place inside the power structure

616. And we become targets.

617. Hmm, i know you're right.

618. I'm not saying it's a black-white thing.

619. The state's attorney, mr. Bond, he's black.

620. But if it serves his purpose—

621. Gets his name in the news,

622. Ups his profile— he'll do whatever the folks

623. Pulling the strings want him to do.

624. Whether it be character assassination,

625. Tie the noose in the rope, whatever.

626. But they picked the wrong man this time.

627. They must not of heard about you, senator.

628. - I don't run from a fight. - I know that.

629. 'cause the people know— now i'm talking about the people now—

630. The people know what i've done for west baltimore

631. And this city as a whole.

632. They know the battles i fight in annapolis every day.

633. They know these charges ain't nothing but bs.

634. Oh, hey, hold it now. It's radio.

635. I gotta hold my tongue, i know.

636. I don't want nobody pulling y'all's broadcasting license,

637. So i can't say it like i feel it.

638. But i wanted to come here on your show tonight—

639. And thank you so much for the opportunity, my brother—

640. But i wanted your listeners to be the first to hear it from my mouth.

641. I have committed no crime,

642. And i am gonna keep on doing the people's work without breaking stride.

643. I want to thank you for that, senator.

644. And also i want everybody to know, la-di-da, and everybody to know

645. There's going to be a gathering at the mitchell courthouse

646. Tomorrow at 2:00

647. So that people can be heard on this.

648. And i hope they come out in good numbers.

649. 2:00 on calvert street.

650. - It's time to lift every voice. - I heard that.

651. Three detectives for a 24-hour wiretap.

652. Four more for a couple of two-man surveillance teams.

653. A pair of unmarked cars.

654. I'm not asking the world here, cedric.

655. Lester, if i had it, you'd have it.

656. That's the cell number of the motherfucker who put 22 bodies on us.

657. - Go to the fucking mayor! - I've been to the mayor.

658. I've been to him on my knees twice already.

659. Once for your case, remember?

660. And all i could bring back was two men to work clay davis.

661. And yesterday, for the serial killer that homicide was working?

662. Two men only. I've done my job.

663. I've gone up the ladder every time.

664. But if a fucking serial killer can't bring back more than a couple of detectives,

665. What the hell does it matter that you have a fresh phone number?

666. More manpower's been assigned according to the pio.

667. Hmm-hmm.

668. And?

669. I led with the first victim.

670. Ex-marine. Bronze-star in vietnam.

671. His family begged him to come home, which he would do now and then,

672. But they hadn't seen him in a month before the murder.

673. Good shit.

674. Real good shit.

675. Late, but you got the goods, right?

676. Half of these guys in the streets are whack jobs,

677. The other half just want to borrow a fin.

678. But, yeah, i got good stuff.

679. Got a family of four under the hanover street bridge.

680. Father broke down and cried when i talked to him.

681. Him talking about how he couldn't protect himself, couldn't protect his kids.

682. Mother just kept stroking the youngest one's blonde hair.

683. Whoa. We got names on this, right?

684. Yeah, yeah. Guy's name is, um...

685. Boston. Nathan levi boston.

686. Okay, you got 30 inches, if you need them.

687. You're going off the front in a package with alma and fletch.

688. Olesker wrote a pretty damn good column, too, for metro front.

689. Go, go. Write, write.

690. This serial killer is making one baltimorean very, very happy.

691. Clay davis.

692. One news cycle

693. And his indictment's gonna be off the front page.

694. Well, if it bleeds, it leads.

695. A fucking serial killer.

696. I give them a sex-crazed madman who's enough of a freak show

697. To get the whole city hot and bothered and what comes back?

698. One fucking detective. And who is it?

699. Kima greggs, who should be working her triple.

700. So now i can't give you her hours without fucking up honest casework.

701. Well, now it's easier, jimmy. We don't need as much.

702. Now we need a wiretap.

703. I can monitor that myself.

704. Shit, anything we get up is gonna be illegal anyway.

705. So we don't want anyone getting near it.

706. Sydnor, maybe. I can trust him.

707. You start pulling information off that phone,

708. You're gonna need at least a couple of surveillance cars in the street.

709. We'll worry that when we get there.

710. The important thing is that he's making it easy for us.

711. Before, with all that face-to-face, we were gonna need what?

712. Remote cameras, microphones,

713. Half-a-dozen guys working surveillance 24 hours.

714. But now he's talking on a phone and i got him.

715. So how do we squeeze a wiretap out of my serial killer?

716. He's gotta call someone.

717. Who?

718. The mayor. Cardinal keeler.

719. Cal fucking ripken. Who gives a fuck?

720. A bullshit number on the paperwork to the courthouse,

721. Marlo's cell number on the tap itself.

722. This is fucking genius... ( laughs )

723. - Or not. - ( cell phone rings )

724. If that's about your case, you need to answer it.

725. Remember you're working a serial killer.

726. Nah, it's my ex-wife.

727. Calling all night.

728. Like i got time for her fucking bullshit.

729. Thing is, they got to believe it's your killer calling

730. Before they'll pay for a wiretap.

731. Well, fine. Fuck it. Call your buddy oscar.

732. Tell him we need another body.

733. This time the sick motherfucker is gonna call mr. Ripken

734. With something only the killer could know.

735. That should shake 'em up enough for a couple of wiretaps.

736. Monk sure do like to retire early.

737. Three go in and one come out.

738. Better odds.

739. We're gonna wait on it, though.

740. They'll get better still.

741. If not tonight, then the next.

742. You're a patient man.

743. You, too.

744. I tried to reach you on your cell all day long.

745. I called beadie, she said she had no idea where—

746. I know, i know. It's my fault.

747. - They still up? - Yes.

748. Hey, guys.

749. Hey, dad.

750. Listen, sean.

751. I want you to know i did everything i could to get to your play tonight.

752. Hey, mike.

753. It's cool. No worries.

754. Your mom said you were great.

755. Why don't you it now? Let me hear it.

756. I don't know. It's lame like that.

757. You gotta see the whole play.

758. What band is that?

759. - Dead meadow. - Dead metal?

760. Meadow. Dead meadow.

761. Oh.

762. What the hell's wrong with the ramones?

763. I'll make it up to them next weekend.

764. Take 'em to a ballgame or something.

765. Hey, this is life, jimmy.

766. This is the stuff that actually matters.

767. I know.

768. I talked to beadie.

769. She knows she's losing you.

770. Like i knew. I'm not judging.

771. I'm not saying this to hurt you.

772. But she knows.

773. And she's ready for it the way that i was ready for it.

774. You're drinking. You're out all night.

775. She doesn't know where you are.

776. And she's no fool, jimmy.

777. I'm sad that it wasn't with me,

778. But i'm glad for you.

779. I know, you can imagine that?

780. I was glad that you found her.

781. I was glad for her, even.

782. For a while there, you were happier than i'd ever seen you.

783. She's great.

784. She is.

785. Don't do this.

786. Hey.

787. You all right, bubbs?

788. I'm good, i'm good.

789. Except for something that's been on my mind.

790. But i see you into something though...

791. I can take a minute.

792. Need to find something out.

793. But at the same time, i don't know if i really want to know.

794. It's best to know, bubbs. I'm living proof.

795. They got drugs and shit now.

796. Why's it on your mind now?

797. Been volunteering down viva house, doing like you told me.

798. Man say he want me to serve food.

799. You can. It don't travel like that.

800. I know they say so, but i feel— i don't know.

801. I went down to the clinic on my own yesterday,

802. Got as far as the door, but...

803. Tough to go alone.

804. Yeah.

805. Give me 10 minutes.

806. So where do we take it today?

807. Well, unless the story develops,

808. I think we've covered the bases.

809. I'd say that alma can check on things

810. And see where we're at by afternoon.

811. You owe me a govan story.

812. And you need to get with shane

813. And figure out what's going on with that school series.

814. I don't know, gus. I think this thing has legs.

815. Maybe i go out with the cops on their rounds.

816. Watch 'em warn the homeless.

817. Good thought, but alma can work that into whatever file she has.

818. Yeah?

819. Hey.

820. Busy?

821. No, just, uh...

822. Jimmy's not in yet.

823. I know. He's sleeping one off.

824. Late night, huh?

825. They're all like that now.

826. Relax. I'm not looking for a snitch.

827. I know you're his partner in crime and i don't care.

828. Whoa, beadie.

829. I just want to know from you where this is going.

830. I mean, you know him.

831. You know what it is that he can and can't do.

832. Don't know if i can speak on that.

833. Look, i'm ready to put him out, okay?

834. For me, for my kids...

835. I mean, if in the end, if this is all there is to him,

836. If he can't be better than this, i just want to know.

837. He's working this case right now.

838. Serial killer, actually.

839. You are not gonna try to tell me that this is about a case.

840. Try that shit on some civilian.

841. Look, he'll get his head in a certain place, he'll take a drink.

842. I mean, a lot of us will.

843. It's more than just a drink he's taking.

844. Well, beadie, i can't tell you what to do.

845. I don't like giving up.

846. Okay, i gotta go back to work. Thanks for letting me vent.

847. Hey, you want to get started today?

848. - Sooner we decide on a school— - after lunch, yeah.

849. - Finally found a line, huh? - Uh-huh.

850. Know that wasn't easy. They been hiding for years.

851. I'm a pro.

852. Me, too.

853. - Let me ask you... - Hmm?

854. When do results come back?

855. About an hour from this test. There you go.

856. And they want you to believe

857. That there's only one side to this story

858. And that their so-called facts cannot be denied.

859. But we have some facts of our own, don't we?

860. We know who our leaders are.

861. And we don't want them picking our leaders for us, do we?

862. No!

863. And we will not stand idly by as they single out our leaders

864. And selectively prosecute—

865. Or should i say persecute them—

866. Just because they have the courage

867. And the fortitude to stand up for us.

868. Let them hear you.

869. Let them hear you loud and clear.

870. Clay davis isn't going anywhere, is he?

871. No!

872. We need him, we're going to keep him,

873. And damn anyone who says otherwise.

874. Clay davis!

875. Clay davis!

876. Clay davis!

877. What the fuck is this i hear about you might not stand tall on this?

878. You got that wrong, old friend.

879. - I'm gonna carry this. - You damn sure better.

880. Because if you don't, you won't be able

881. To squeeze another greenback outta this town

882. For the rest of your natural life.

883. Oooh-la-la.

884. Lookie here.

885. The fuck is that?

886. Change of pace.

887. They look kinda hot with their clothes on.

888. Hey, clarice.

889. Your serial killer called the "baltimore sun."

890. Some goof claiming to be your guy called a reporter over there.

891. One of the guys writing this shit up.

892. - It's gotta be a crank call. - Probably so.

893. But seeing as it's the fucking newspaper,

894. You go over there and you set them straight.

895. Go ahead.

896. Negative.

897. - Negative means... - I know what it means.

898. - It must be wrong. - It ain't wrong.

899. All the shit i done. All the works i shared.

900. My best boy years back?

901. I fired off the same hype as him dozens of times.

902. He had the bug for sure.

903. That shit ain't right no how, man.

904. You're disappointed.

905. Shit, this ain't about the bug, is it?

906. This is you, trying to make the past be everything, mean everything.

907. You don't even wanna think about the here and now.

908. Sorry, bubbs.

909. Shame ain't worth as much as you think.

910. Let it go.

911. He said he wanted people to know

912. There'd be 12 bodies before he's finished.

913. He said, "i came to take 12."

914. I said, "what happens after 12?"

915. He said, quote, "i go somewhere else." unquote.

916. I asked him about the bite marks.

917. He said that they wanted him to bite, that they asked for that.

918. He complained that the article made him sound like a pervert.

919. I asked him if he was angry at the men.

920. He hung up.

921. He called you on your cellphone?

922. Why didn't he call the paper?

923. I was all over the city yesterday

924. Handing my cards out to homeless men.

925. He probably got the number from a card.

926. Shit, i might of handed him a card.

927. I think this is the guy.

928. I mean, detective, a chill ran down my back.

929. There's no way to know. I mean, if it's some other nut,

930. We're gonna look like fools if we run any of this in print.

931. Your cell phone caught the number? He dialed you?

932. Yeah, i dialed it back.

933. Payphone on south hanover near west street.

934. - What did he sound like? - What do you mean?

935. Well, you talk to people for a living.

936. Did he sound black, white? Younger, older?

937. High-pitched voice or low?

938. Uh, he sounded, to me, like a white guy.

939. Not a deep voice, but calm, almost monotone.

940. He sounded older, i would say, 40s.

941. - Not a real young guy. - Can i have your notebook?

942. Whoa, whoa, you can't have his notes.

943. As this isn't a confidential source,

944. We won't invoke the maryland shield law,

945. But he'll type up a copy and give them to you.

946. But the actual document is property of the "baltimore sun."

947. So type it up, like now.

948. So, you're saying this could be the killer?

949. Can we talk off-the-record?

950. The homicide unit received a phone call this morning

951. From a payphone from the same neighborhood,

952. And based on scott's voice description,

953. And the use of the number 12,

954. Well, let's just say we need to find whoever it was made both those calls.

955. He made another call?

956. Detective, as a newsman,

957. I'm inclined to include these details in our coverage

958. If there's a credible chance the killer was really in contact with our reporter.

959. Would doing so have any negative effect on your investigation?

960. Actually, these calls are our best means of finding this guy.

961. Every call he makes, every word he says to you and to us,

962. Can only provide information.

963. If we do run a story—

964. But you can't say he's contacted police.

965. You can't print that part of it under any circumstances.

966. Okay, then how do we characterize

967. What the police think about this call to scott?

968. You can say that we're taking it seriously.

969. Going forward, is it possible

970. That you would grant a one-party consent

971. For us to monitor your reporter's cellphone and office phones?

972. Absolutely not.

973. I'm sorry, detective, but our ability to report

974. Is dependent upon our maintaining

975. The confidentiality of our conversations.

976. Now, we're perfectly willing to share with you the information

977. That this individual has as he's definitely not a confidential source.

978. But we're not going to consent to the baltimore police department

979. Monitoring our phones.

980. You'll tap the payphone, i guess.

981. Don't print that either. Don't print anything about

982. Where the killer calls from. He'll change up.

983. Well, i'll type up my notes quick.

984. Big story for you guys, huh?

985. Yeah, well, 10 minutes ago i'd have said

986. This whole thing was complete bullshit.

987. Shows what i know, i guess.

988. Which is why i'm going to fight this thing.

989. I am innocent and i have done nothing

990. Except serve the people.

991. Oh, i believe you, senator.

992. I've seen all the good work you've done for the community.

993. You definitely have my sup...

994. - That's eddie cantor, right? - No.

995. It's perfect.

996. Mcnulty, it's perfect.

997. I couldn't believe it. I'm sitting there.

998. All this bullshit coming at me, thinking,

999. "christ, this is a waste of time."

1000. Then i realized: This is the wiretap.

1001. Right here. They're giving it to me.

1002. Never mind me making a crank call to someone.

1003. This right here is lester freamon's motherfucking wire.

1004. What if they check this?

1005. How many guys in this unit have ever hooked up a wiretap?

1006. They don't know which wire goes where.

1007. Explain it to me again, because i tell you,

1008. I think i'm a smart guy, but this shit makes my head hurt.

1009. They think they're up on your killer's cell phone,

1010. But they'll never catch a call because this

1011. Goes nowhere.

1012. And meanwhile, using the same court authorization,

1013. I'm up on a live wire down at the detail office,

1014. Listening to marlo.

1015. Every day, you file office and court reports

1016. Saying there's been no further contact with the serial killer.

1017. I file exactly nothing, but use what i hear

1018. To rig the case on our real target.

1019. And when it goes to court...

1020. There's no mention of a wiretap.

1021. - It's all based on a ci. - There it is.

1022. Four copies signed by the judge.

1023. Emergency order for telephonic

1024. Intercept of a cellphone, number 410-915-0909.

1025. If the machine is rigged, you're good to go.

1026. - You're up. - Good hunting.

1027. - Holley? - Yo!

1028. You got midnight shift.

1029. Worden'll be in to relieve you at 6:00.

1030. After worden, my squad will pick up monitoring on the dayshift.

1031. Excuse me.

1032. Don't look so pissy.

1033. We're actually paying overtime for this.

1034. Yo, hold on!

1035. My leg!

1036. Stay the fuck down!

1037. What the?

1038. Damn.

1039. - ( whistling ) - ( scratching )

1040. What the?