All language subtitles for The.Equalizer.2021.S01E07

This equalizing you're doing, if you
don't stop, I have to come after you.

I'd be disappointed
if you didn't.

MEL: Previously
on The Equalizer...

ROBYN: You like me?

How can I like you
when I hardly know you?

I'm not too keen
on private citizens

opening their own
branch of law enforcement.

- How's your aim these days?
- [gunshot]

HARRY: You gonna set a trade
with the guy who's hunting you?

Who's to say that he
doesn't draw you in

and then arrest you
when your guard is down?

Why would I do that?

District Attorney Grafton.

I still wonder how you managed

to unravel a decade-old
conspiracy single-handedly.

Guess I owe you one.

- Then at least the files have to be...
- Madam DA.

- The answer's "no comment," Harv.
- I haven't even asked my question yet.

Well, see? I saved
us both some time.

Now, if it's about the Mendoza case,
the press will get a statement tomorrow.

I'm not here about Mendoza.

I'm just wondering if you had
anything to say about the rumors.

Which rumors?

The vigilante helping people,
doing what the cops can't.

Not only is it true, but
whispers are growing louder.

NYPD has a file
on her. Still no ID.

If word of this goes wide...

It'll undermine public confidence in
our police. Not to mention your image.

It'll be an issue
for your reelection.

My mother said, "Every problem
holds the key to its own solution."

I don't follow.

What better way to demonstrate
the firm hand of law and order

than bringing a
vigilante to justice?

Get me everything
the NYPD has on her.

[laughter]

Aunt Vi!

Not sure what's going on
here, but it looks like trouble.

Oh, it's good trouble. I decided to
try one of these online dating sites.

DELILAH: I'm helping her with
her profile. Okay, how's this?

"Artistic, free-spirited woman
who loves good conversation,

a nice glass of wine,
travel and spontaneity,

looking for a partner in fun."

Oh, your daughter's
nothing less than brilliant.

Are you sure you wanna do this?

You can't trust what people say
about themselves on those sites.

You don't know
who they really are.

And people at singles
bars are so honest.

DELILAH: Gender.
Looking for a man.

Oh, no, no. Why limit it?

Baby, I was at Berkeley in the
'70s. You kids didn't invent free love.

[laughs]

You know what? Go, Aunt Vi.

Okay, how serious
are you thinking?

True love, or a hit it
and quit it kind of deal?

Hey. You gonna be the one getting
hit if you don't quit talking like that.

And not too much info, Berkeley.
There's no such thing as privacy online.

We don't want some creep knowing
our phone number and address.

You're such a cynic. You could use
a little bit of that free love yourself.

- I'm late for a meeting.
- AUNT VI: Uh-huh.

- I love you all.
- Bye.

Bye.

WOMAN: Her name is Nia.
She's been missing for days.

- You two are roommates?
- And best friends.

We met at a bus stop in
the rain, just started yapping.

She's different.

She's one of those people who wears
their soul on the outside, you know?

- When's the last time you saw her?
- Five days ago.

She left for work
but never got there.

- She work most days?
- Two or three jobs at a time.

She's saving up
for nursing school.

You file a missing
persons report?

I tried. But people like us,
we're invisible till we break a law.

In my neighborhood,
folks don't call the cops.

We just know it
won't do any good.

Yeah, I know what it's like not to
have the police take you seriously.

I've been through that myself.

But you are not invisible here.

So, can you think of anyone who
might have a grudge against Nia?

Anyone who might wanna hurt her?

Yeah.

She told me about some
Latino guy that was following her

who she owed some money to.

She ducked off into a store and lost
him, but she was still pretty freaked.

Did you get a name?

Benny.

He was tall with blue eyes.

And I think he
might have hurt her.

Getting real tired of having this
conversation, Mike. Where's my money?

[grunts]

What the hell is your problem?

- [groans]
- This is not the talking part.

People don't really like you,
Benny. Made you real easy to find.

Nia Edwards. You
were following her. Why?

- Now talk.
- It's... It's my job.

- To hurt people?
- No, I work for a payday loan company.

Eastway Pay. They hire
me to pressure delinquents.

Oh, that's funny. I
have a similar skill set.

- When's the last time you saw her?
- Uh, Tuesday.

No, no, no.
Wednesday, Wednesday.

Same day she went missing.

Missing? I don't know
nothing about that.

Look, I never even spoke
to her. She bounced.

I went after her, but she
jumped into some dude's car.

- Where?
- It was over there on, um, Herkimer.

HARRY: Come on,
Nia. Where are you?

[phone chimes]

Never thought I'd see the
day you were swiping right.

And you won't. Dee's got my aunt on
this dating app. Can you believe that?

Yeah. If I was single, I'd
be on, like, ten of them.

Dating is a numbers
game, girlfriend. It is.

And my number is one.

It's... It's just you,
my Harry McBeary.

That's not a name
we agreed upon.

I mean, Aunt Vi doesn't need this.
Heck, I could set her up with a nice guy.

I set you two up, and
it was love at first sight.

- For him.
- For her.

Oh. Don't listen to this man. He
pursued me like his hair was on fire.

[chuckles]

You sent me flowers
every day for a month.

- It was a credit card snafu.
- Oh.

No, alpha guys don't need to chase.
We just put out our pheromones and wait.

Okay, alpha.

Well, your pheromones were
Axe body spray and printer toner

before I got ahold of you.

Yeah, I think you mean
denim and sweat. Okay, I got it.

Looks like a gray Camry.

ROBYN: That's Nia.

MEL: She got in willingly.

Check the plate.

It's blank.

Must have a PhotoBlocker coating on
it. It prevents cameras from reading it.

- That's one creepy red flag.
- [phone chimes]

Darn. I gotta pick
Dee up from school.

She's having one of those
inexplicable half-days.

Hey, McBeary, can you poke
around the NYPD database

and see if you can find any
crimes involving a gray Camry

with unreadable plates?

It's not a name we agreed upon.

Guess who drove through the
drive-through without hitting a pole!

You know that's
supposed to be the norm?

- Guess who got a date.
- DELILAH: Ooh! Let me see.

Mm-hm.

I told you he was the one.
Looks totally distinguished, right?

- Right?
- ROBYN: Chase Lammens?

Aunt Vi, you can't really wanna
date a guy who has a boat.

Plays his cards right, he
could be O Captain! My Captain!

We need to get into your closet
and see what you're working with.

- Yeah, let's go.
- Nothing too...

- AUNTI VI: Oh, my God!
- Frisky.

[phone rings]

Hey, Harry. What's up?

Hey. You need to get
back here. Right now.

So, what'd you find?

Nothing good. Search triggered
a second missing persons case.

Another woman got into a car
with an unreadable license plate.

Only one week after,
she was found dead.

And whoever murdered
her caused facial trauma

and then used makeup
to cover up her bruises.

It was such an odd detail,

we crossed-referenced it through
the whole tristate area, and...

Ten more murders popped up.

Rob, this isn't just a
missing persons case.

We're dealing
with a serial killer.

How are we the first
people to see this?

Crimes happen all over
the place, you know.

Various jurisdictions
don't centralize their cases.

Same age, same race. Somebody
should have put this together.

The killer knew
what he was doing.

Choosing victims from
marginalized communities.

Places where turning a blind
eye gets you a promotion.

Aside from being found
beaten and choked,

bruises covered up with makeup,

coroner's times of death indicate
that their murders occurred

exactly one week after
their respective abductions.

If this pattern holds true...

We have less than
48 hours to save Nia.

Yeah.

That's not enough time.

We need help on this one.

- Your cop friend? Are you sure?
- He's a proven asset, one we need.

Hey, Harry, run a name
for me. Chase Lammens.

L-A-M-M-E-N-S.

All right. What's he
have to do with this?

Rob? Rob!

You're right. We should
have seen this sooner.

Yeah, you should have. But we
both know these neighborhoods.

Cops don't look too close.
What matters is what we do now.

Nia's still out there, but the
window to save her is shutting fast.

We need the full weight
of the NYPD behind this.

I'll take it to my captain, see
if we can get some resources.

I'll also pull cold cases
from all the jurisdictions.

Maybe there's
something else we missed.

Well, move fast.
Clock's ticking.

Where are you going?

Talk to the families of the other
vics, try to get some answers.

- I should come with you.
- No, not here.

You show up at their door,
the only color they'll see is blue.

They won't talk to you
the way they'll talk to me.

DANTE: Captain, there's
a clear pattern here.

And a potential minefield.

Do you really want
me to announce

the department overlooked a
serial killer in communities of color

over circumstantial evidence?

In this political climate?
We'd be crucified.

You don't even know if this
case is connected to these others.

What if it is? Sir, we
have a responsibility.

There's a man serving time for one of
these murders. What if he didn't do it?

What if the real killer's
out there and doesn't stop?

How's that story gonna look
when they find out we did nothing?

All right, you want a task force, I
need more than a PhotoBlocked plate.

Now, you find something, anything
that links this girl to those murders,

I'll get you whatever you need.

And one more thing. That
project of yours, the vigilante?

The DA's making her a priority.

You're gonna have to share
all your notes with their office.

I know she's gone, but I still feel
her every time I walk past her room.

Like she's watching over me.

MAN: Thank you for that.

They say grief is the final expression
of love that we have to offer.

Thank you all for coming today.

WOMAN: Thank you.

- Mrs. Howard?
- Yes?

I was hoping I could talk
to you. About your daughter.

I said about all I'm gonna say. It's
been a year since they found her body.

I'm sick of y'all cops acting like
you're gonna help but never do.

I'm not a cop. And
I am here to help.

MRS. HOWARD: The date she
disappeared was her birthday.

Did you know that?

24, right?

[scoffs]

I told her to take the day off,
but she didn't listen. Never did.

- I know the type.
- [chuckles]

Did she drive to work that day?

She didn't have a car. She was saving
up, but I doubt she would have used it.

She rode her bike everywhere.

The last text she sent said
someone had punctured her tires.

Said she was gonna walk.

Did you tell the police that?
Because I didn't read that in the report.

I told them. They
didn't think much of it.

Well, that points to the
abductor knowing her schedule,

even which bike was hers.

I knew that was important.

Mrs. Howard, I know
what you've been through,

and I'm gonna do
everything in my power

to catch the person
who killed your daughter.

So if there's anything you
think of... here's my contact info.

It's completely confidential.

Just leave a message,
and I'll call you right back.

Okay. You never
told me your name.

It's better that way.

Hey, Harry. The killer was
definitely watching the vics.

Probably got to know 'em first.

Right. Which is why Nia was
so ready to get into the car.

You know, one of the first things I
did when cultivating an asset at the CIA

was to rent a place near them.

I could watch them,
arrange bumps.

I'll get a list of property managers
with month-to-month apartments

in close proximity to
Nia and Kayla's place.

See if you can narrow it to
vacancies in the last three months.

Yeah, you got it.

[beeping]

I gotta go. Let me
know what you find.

- How'd it go?
- I ran into some politics.

If I can't connect Nia to
these others, we're on our own.

And you wonder
why I do what I do.

Speaking of which,
you're on the DA's radar.

- She's made you a priority.
- Am I a priority to you too?

Right now, all I wanna do is
find who's killing these girls.

There's a man, Deshawn Sanders,
serving time for one of the murders.

The victim was his fiancée.

If he's not our doer, he
may have something to say.

Ask him if there was anyone
new in his fiancée's life.

I think our victims
knew their killer.

[door buzzer sounds]

You come around now?
Ask me about my fiancée?

Maybe you haven't looked around,
but the case seems pretty closed to me.

- Did you kill her?
- Sure. Ask any of the guards.

Not a single innocent
man up in here.

- I'm asking you.
- No. I didn't kill her.

Then tell me what happened.

I was supposed
to take her to work,

but I was sick, so
she decided to walk.

A week later, she's dead, and
I'm a Black man with no alibi.

That's what happened.

Witness said she got into a
sedan with an unidentified man.

Could a friend have
been giving her a ride?

She was a homebody. She
didn't have any guy friends.

So you'd say it's unlikely she got into
a car with someone she didn't know?

No way.

Which is exactly what the prosecutor
said when he pointed at me in court.

- Look, I understand...
- You understand. Do you?

What it's like to have
your fiancée murdered?

Your dreams shattered?

And to be told that you're
the one that killed her.

My family, her family all thinkin' that I
murdered the only woman that I love.

Tell me again you understand.

- Thank you.
- Uh-huh.

- [phone rings]
- Anything?

DANTE: Just that your
theory might be right.

The killer may have had a passing
acquaintance with the victims.

I think he went even further,
embedding himself into their lives.

Someone took a short-term rental
across the street from Nia's place.

Paid cash in advance.

Landlord never saw
him. I'm here now.

Whoa. Hold up.

If the guy's there, we need to
do this right and get him in cuffs.

Well, then, I guess you
better get here quick.

[beeping]

You waited.

You made a convincing argument.

Look, we both want Nia back safe, so
best chance at that is to work together.

- Whoa. Hold up. What are you doing?
- What's it look like I'm doing?

We don't have a warrant.

- Good thing I'm not a cop.
- I can't legally enter the premises.

Sure, you can. You're
witnessing a break-in.

- [lock clicks]
- And look at that.

The intruder's armed too.
Better see what's going on.

ROBYN: Nia.

Wha...?

[elevator bell rings]

[dog barks]

[groans]

He got away. What's worse is
I didn't get a good look at him.

You used me. As a shield.

I was controlling the target area
so neither one of us got killed.

I knew you were wearing a vest.

You're unbelievable,
you know that?

You gonna keep bitching at me about
getting shot or you gonna help me?

Nia's not here. Gotta be
keeping her somewhere else.

But this is definitely
where he stalked her from.

He was packing up, clearing out.

Look at these.

Now look at those.

Out of all the
pictures on this laptop,

those are the ones the
killer thought of to print.

So...?

So he chose ones that are
conservative, flattering. As if...

His feelings toward
women are conflicted.

He's hurting them but at
the same time reveres them.

Jibes with the fact that none of
the vics were sexually assaulted.

And the postmortem makeup points to
guilt and shame about what he's done.

All these items are vegan.
Detox pills, probiotic shake.

It's almost as if he's
trying to purify himself.

So not only is he conflicted about
what he's doing but who he is.

Who are you? You're
proficient in profiling.

You with one of the
alphabets? Ex-FBI? Intelligence?

I just like reading a
lot of crime novels.

- How long we gonna play this game?
- [siren wails]

I guess somebody
called in those gunshots.

You need to go. Now.

Nia's still out there, so I'm gonna
need to know everything your team finds.

And you're gonna need to
put some ice on that later.

I tried to pick your killer up on camera,
but there aren't any around the apartment.

Not very many in the
neighborhood either.

Makes areas like that
good hunting grounds.

I also ran that name you
gave me. Chase Lammens.

- Guy's vanilla.
- No priors? No red flags?

Uh-uh. Owns a
boat. Divorced twice.

I mean, other than buying cat sweaters
on Etsy, guy seems pretty harmless.

- Why... Why are we looking for him?
- Rob, tell me you didn't run Vi's date.

I didn't run him. Harry did.

- Oh, wow.
- Just ran a simple background check.

[laughs]

- Thought I was paranoid.
- Hey, sometimes the bogeyman is real.

You think it'll never come to your
doorstep until someone you love is dead

and you're the only one
who cares to find out why.

- Don't forget my lineup.
- Keep moving.

I'm gonna put a part
down the back of your head.

[laptop rings]

- Who you?
- [chuckles]

A friend of your
father's. Who you?

I'm Stefon, his favorite son.

Oh, yeah? He tell you that?

No, but if you met my
brother, you'd understand.

You and Kyler go get
your backpacks ready.

Okay.

How'd you get my personal num...

You know what? Never mind.

Your boy's beyond cute.

Give him time,
he'll wear on you.

- But thanks.
- You look tired.

I was up until about 3
a.m. processing the scene.

But I never miss the hour
before school with my boys.

How do you do it?

Separate home from work?

When I come in at night,
before I hang up my keys,

I look at them, feel the weight in
my hand to remind myself I am home,

to remind myself to be present.

When I hang them on that peg, I put
away whatever I dealt with that day,

and until I pick them up again,
I am here... and only here.

You have kids?

[chuckles]

Nice try. Tell me
you found something.

Anything that'll get us to Nia.

Forensics from the laptop
belonged to some elderly man

with a proclivity
for stuffed animals.

So the killer either stole it

or bought it from a pawnshop?

There's something else.

The computer's camera
light was disabled,

but there's evidence
the camera was active.

- He was watching us.
- Maybe.

The rest of the place
was scrubbed clean,

but I had my guys look
through the dumpsters.

Found this. More of
his deep dive into Nia.

That's credit data.

I'll be right back.

What? Wait.

Daddy, Kyler won't
let me play on his VR.

- He's been on it all morning.
- Go to your rooms and work it out.

- Don't come out until you do.
- [Stefon grunts]

- What?
- STEFON: I didn't say anything!

I just talked to Mrs. Howard.

Her daughter also had a payday
loan from Eastway Pay. Just like Nia.

That's how the killer's
targeting the victims.

He'd have their picture,
all their personal client data.

He'd know their habits, where
they spend their time and money.

He could do a deep dive and find
specific women who trigger him.

But the victims were
from different jurisdictions.

Info couldn't have come
from local branch computers.

The killer'd need to access
the corporate system.

So either he hacked in, or,
more likely, he works there.

- I'm headed to the corporate office.
- I'll meet you.

No, not this time. If we're right,
we need to do this by the book.

It's our best shot
at finding Nia.

Hey, sweetness.

Oh, Mom, you mind
giving me a ride to school?

I thought Aunt
Vi was taking you.

She didn't come back
home from her date last night.

Wait. What?

Yep. Guess they must
have really hit it off.

And she hasn't called?

Whoa. Okay, what's the big deal?

That's not like her.
Something must be wrong.

Voice mail. You have access to
her dating profile. Pull it up now.

Okay. I think you're
tripping. I'm sure she's fine.

You don't know that. Something
could have happened to her.

She could have got into an
accident, or abducted, anything.

Ugh. I'm sorry I'm
late. You ready, Dee?

See? Mom thought
you'd been abducted.

Abducted? Really?

Oh, sweetheart, you need
to have more faith in people,

or else you're never
gonna have any fun.

- So, good date? Was he nice?
- He was charming, actually.

We had a lot of really good
wine, talked all night and...

[high-pitched tone]

- I fell asleep on the couch.
- Fell asleep. Huh.

You know what? Your imagination
is just as lively as your mom's.

Get out of here. Dish with
you on the way to school.

Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Just work things. Glad you
had a good time last night.

You're right. All ten
had loans with us.

Who would have access
to their private data?

Accounts are assigned
by geographic district.

Only a few people would
have access to all of these.

Does the system log
who's been in them?

Only one person
accessed all ten.

Jay Ackerman, one
of our business VPs.

Are employee cars registered?
Maybe for garage security?

- Yes.
- What kind does Mr. Ackerman drive?

Looks like a 2015 Toyota Camry.

Don't move! Hands up!

Show me your hands! Don't move!

DANTE: We got him.

He had pics of all the
vics on his computer.

- Any sign of Nia?
- Searched his house. She wasn't there.

This guy have any priors?

A domestic assault charge
by his wife that was dropped,

although we did find a few grams
of coke in the trunk of his car.

- Still there?
- It's not him.

- What?
- Our killer would never use drugs.

And he would never marry, because
no woman would measure up to his ideal.

Slow down. I haven't
even questioned the guy.

- And I need to be there when you do.
- Absolutely not.

Come on. This is no time for
bureaucracy. Nia is still out there.

- We're running out of time.
- Then let me do my job.

[beeping]

You're in a lot of
trouble, Mr. Ackerman.

Come on. You think I don't
own a TV? I know how this works.

You wanna charge me
for the coke, have at it.

I'll get probation and a
drug diversion program.

Possession of cocaine is
the least of your problems.

I'm not stupid, and
you don't scare me.

Then we've both
misjudged each other.

Let's talk about the
girl you abducted.

What girl? I didn't
abduct any girl.

Yet you had pictures
of her on your computer.

As well as ten other women
who were abducted and murdered.

No, wait. I don't know
anything about any of this.

- I think you do. Where's the girl?
- No, wait. I'm telling you the truth.

Then why does your car have
PhotoBlock on the license plate?

- PhotoBlock?
- Where's the girl?

No, I... I...

I am not saying anything
else. I wanna speak to a lawyer.

[phone buzzes]

- Dante.
- ROBYN: Swing and a miss, huh?

- You were watching me?
- Well, yeah.

You wouldn't allow me in the room.
I need you to ask him something.

Maybe you didn't hear, but legally
I can't ask him any more questions.

You can ask him if he's hungry.

Play good cop. Offer
him something to eat.

Sell him on that burger
joint across the street.

Got good burgers across
the street. Can I get you one?

Yeah, sure.

Are you convinced now?

Because the killer had
vegan food in his apartment?

All the evidence
points to this guy.

An orgy of evidence. When
does that ever happen?

Someone is trying to
set him up to take the fall.

We had the right place,
just the wrong guy.

We need to go back there,

see who had access to his
computer, who could have set him up.

I just arrested a guy.

If you don't listen to me, you're gonna
have another autopsy for your file.

We have six hours left.

I can't ditch my arrest based on
tea leaves and your gut. I'm sorry.

[beeping]

Which vendor did
you say you're with?

Vonner-tech. Can I just
say, I love your brooch.

Oh, thank you. It
was my mother's.

Oh, beautiful. I don't think people
wear brooches nearly enough anymore.

Totally agree. What passes
for fashion these days, right?

So, you were saying,
with your current system,

only the user can
access their hard drive?

Yes. I mean, no. Upper-level IT
managers have administrative access.

Would they be able to
access their drive remotely?

Yes, they would be able to,

as long as they have their
company laptops and...

[gasps]

WOMAN: Hey! Security!

[beeps]

[sighs]

HARRY: Just sent you the
loan address for Carter Jacobs.

House belonged to his father.

I'm guessing there
was trouble at home?

You'd be right. Carter
had a child services file.

- Give me the Cliff Notes.
- Dad, no surprise, was abusive.

Which explains why his mom
left when he was ten years old.

Case psychologist points to
severe abandonment issues

as cause for his acting out:
animal abuse, setting several fires.

But by age 15, he
drops off the state's radar.

There's no records
or arrests as an adult.

Any pics of the parents?

- [phone chimes]
- You should have 'em.

Who does the mom remind you of?

This is all about the mom.
Abandonment triggers the violence.

But love for his mother
fuels reverence for the victims,

and shame for
ending their lives.

Hence the postmortem makeover.

Exactly. Thanks, Harry.

[beeping]

[ringing tone]

- Detective Dante.
- I found him. The real killer.

[tires screech]

- I didn't think you'd come.
- Had to.

If you're right, Nia
only has hours to live.

Or less. Carter knows
we're coming now.

- We do this my way.
- No time. Nia might be in there.

- Damn it.
- Cover me. I'll check upstairs.

- Who the hell are you?
- NYPD.

Where's your warrant?

We have reason to suspect
your son's a serial killer.

- You really wanna talk warrant?
- I don't know nothing about that.

He's not here. Where's
Carter? Where's the girl?

None of your damn business.
You need to control this bitch.

- Where is Carter?
- What are you doing?

I'm speaking the only
language an abuser understands.

Let him go. Put down
your weapon now.

Where is he?

- [groans]
- What is this place?

If you don't tell me and a
girl dies, I will come back here

and bury you in a hole so
deep, nobody will ever find you.

It's a playground,
by his old school.

- But it's been closed for years.
- Why would he be here?

He's been obsessed
with the place

ever since his mom
didn't show to pick him up.

She left him? She promised
to come back and get him?

He waited there every
day for a week like a stooge.

One week.

Damn it. Wait!

Come on.

This is Detective Dante. I've got
someone I need you to pick up.

[tires screech]

WOMAN: [whimpering]

Nia. It's okay. Kayla
sent me to find you.

I'm gonna shoot the lock
open and get you out of here.

Okay. You're all right. Get
this off you. Let's get it off.

You're all right. You're okay.
You're okay. You're okay.

You're all right. You're okay.

It's okay. It's okay.
It's okay. You're fine.

Don't worry. You're
safe. It's okay, baby.

[siren blaring]

Nia, I know the last thing you wanna
do right now is answer my questions,

but we need to get
that man off the streets

so he can't hurt
anyone ever again.

I know it's painful,
but think back.

Is there anything he did or
said that could help us find him?

He barely talked at all.

And when he did, he just kept
saying the same thing over and over.

"Look me in the eyes."

He'd say it, and
then he'd hurt me.

- We'll talk more tomorrow, Nia.
- [car door opens]

Right now, just
be with your family.

- Nia!
- Kayla.

God...

Thank you. Thank
you for seeing us.

Hold up. We need
to talk next moves.

We disrupted Carter's
pattern, his methodology.

That's gonna have dire
consequences on his psyche.

Yeah. And now he's out there,
unmoored, looking to kill again.

And thanks to you, none of the
evidence on him is admissible.

If he was standing right
here and I put cuffs on him,

charges still wouldn't stick, all
because you led with your chin.

You're pissed. I get
it. But we have to...

We? There is no "we."

Not after what you did back there.
Putting a gun to that man's head.

That girl is the only reason
I'm not arresting you right now.

This was a mistake.

No more cooperation,
no more quid pro quo.

Whatever this
partnership was... it's over.

It's so awful what happened
to Nia. How's she doing?

She's got a road ahead of her,

and knowing Carter's
still out there doesn't help.

We'll find him.

There's something
else going on. What is it?

Things ended bad with Dante.
He says I compromised the case.

But what was I supposed to do?
Wait for the cops and let her die?

I mean, this whole case reminds
me of when my dad was killed.

How I waited, helpless, for
somebody, anybody, to lift a finger.

But to them, he was
just another Black man,

carjacked in a bad neighborhood.

Just like these girls.
Not worth looking into.

Old wounds. I get it.

That's why this case hits so
close to home. And you know what?

Dante wouldn't even know about
this case if you didn't bring it to him.

So he doesn't approve of
your methods? So what?

When was the last time you cared
about what anyone thought of you?

[sighs]

But you do care. Rob, this guy's
more than just an asset to you, isn't he?

He's a good man.

But he's too busy
being good to be great.

Don't tell him, but it wasn't until
my first big blowup with Harry

that I realized how
much I cared about him.

[Harry laughs]

That's when you knew?

I knew you fell for me first.

- [laughs]
- It's not the time, babe.

Oh. I'm sorry.

[phones chime]

It's the encrypted
app. It's Carter.

"You've taken something of mine, now
I'm going to take something of yours."

How did he get your info?

Carter ran that grief group
that Mrs. Howard attended.

He saw us talking. He must have
gotten my number from her somehow.

- Rob, your family.
- They are totally firewalled.

There's no way he
knows my real identity.

Okay, then who
is he talking about?

The apartment.

He was watching us.
He saw us together.

Dante.

A vest won't save you this time.

I knew you'd come. Drop
the gun, or I will kill him.

Okay. I'm putting the gun down.

- No need for anybody to get hurt.
- Kick it here.

- The boys?
- At their mom's.

I don't hurt kids. Kids
need to be protected.

You're right. They do. We wouldn't even
be here if someone had protected you.

What the hell do you know?

I know your father was abusive
to your mother, and she left.

She told you she was
coming back for you,

but for whatever
reason, she couldn't.

Didn't. Not couldn't. Didn't.

And that makes you angry,
makes you hurt people.

I also know there's a
reason you had that group.

Because you needed
to listen to their pain,

'cause it's your pain too.

So I'm asking you, please,

let him go, put down the gun,

and I will get you the help
that you need, that you deserve.

Get me help? What,
do you think I'm stupid?

You're lying! Just like her!

Look me in the eyes. Look at me!

No.

Do it, or I will waste him. I
know you care about him.

You're not gonna kill him.

Not while I'm not watching. That's
why you made them look you in the eye.

You need to see their pain when
you inflict it, otherwise it's meaningless.

Turn around and look at me!

Last chance, Carter. Let him go.

- Look at me!
- No!

[gunshot]

What did you do?

I gave him a chance.
He didn't take it.

- You okay?
- Leave.

- Okay...
- Leave!

[knocking]

District Attorney Grafton,
you wanted to see me?

I wanted to congratulate you
on the Carter Jacobs case.

I also wanted you to know
that in light of all the new facts,

Deshawn Sanders will have
the opportunity for a retrial.

Good to hear.

I did have a few questions,
though, about what happened,

specifically, why the bullet that
killed him wasn't from your gun.

I also found the statement given
by the killer's father concerning.

The woman who was accused of
assaulting him sounds an awful lot

like the vigilante
you've been chasing.

It was. She also
helped save the girl.

- Detective, I don't have to tell you...
- No, you don't. I've seen her methods.

She's a danger, to herself and
the people she thinks she's helping.

She needs to be stopped.

So we agree. It would appear
that she has a connection with you.

That gives you an edge.

If you'd be willing to
use it to bring her in,

this office would
happily look past

any previous cooperation
you may have given her.

And with our support, a collar like
that could make a person's career.

Do we understand each other?

Yes, ma'am. I believe we do.

♪ My mother used
to take my hand ♪

♪ Put my fingers on the keys ♪

♪ She said you
gotta use your voice ♪

♪ Be the melody... ♪

DANTE: Before I hang
up my keys, I look at them,

feel the weight in my hand
to remind myself I am home,

to remind myself to be present.

- ♪ Ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪
- [laughter and cheering]

♪ Sing a song for tomorrow ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh,
ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Let the song that I'm
singing Let it carry you through ♪

♪ Let the words be a way
to give strength to you ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh,
ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Ah-ah, ah, ah, ah ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh,
ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Sing a song for tomorrow... ♪

- I'm home.
- Hey!

Hey, Mom. What's up?

♪ Let the song that I'm singing
Let it carry you through... ♪

Mmm, something smells good.

♪ Give strength to you ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh,
ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh. ♪