07x03 - Dirty Little Secret

[bunniefuu]

No cigarette?

No after-sex affection?

You know, I have to tell you...

As much as I like

watching you take your clothes off

it's even a bigger turn-on
seeing you getting dressed.

You think that's sick?

Hell, you probably think
the whole thing's sick.

You'll just have to learn

to broaden your horizons.

You know, now that I think of it

you were doing a pretty
good job in that department

even before I came along.

But we've managed to raise
the bar to whole new level.

It's too bad you can't
tell anyone about it.

But, that's kind of the point
of this whole thing, isn't it?

Not telling anyone.

Thanks for stopping by.

Man: The kid was going

to his car.

He already had his keys out.

Car hit him, he flew back over there.

Car backed over him, came to a stop,

ran over him

and then high-tailed it out of the garage.

I'd say the driver was real thorough.

Real angry.

Anybody see the car?

The attendant saw a
yellow ' Pontiac lemans

run through the barrier.

We got an a.P.B. Out on it.

The kid's name was Mark stavros.

He's a second-year student
at that fancy private college

in west palm... Easton college.

Did he work part time at the hotel?

No, no, he was a guest.

Whose?

The room was rented in his name.

Room .

Tom: Cassy's fine-combing

the garage.

Good.

So, eldon, what have we got?

We've gone over the whole room

got , maybe sets of prints.

Cleaning people don't dust like you guys.

Looks that way.

Was he alone?

No, lipstick on the sheets.

Traceable fluids?

Nope.

You're asking employees

if they saw anybody?

All over it, captain.

We're trying to reach his parents.

They're on a cruise

in the mediterranean.

Harry, what do you figure

a room like this goes for?

Couple of hundred a night.

Yeah, that's what I think.

Hmm?

Okay.

Sergeant Ryan?

Are you in charge of this circus?

This is Calvin Morrissey.

He's the manager here.

I'm sergeant Tom Ryan.

I'm in charge.

Then can you explain why my hotel

suddenly looks like a policeman's ball?

Sir, I'm sorry.

Standard procedure for
a homicide investigation.

It's proving a major
inconvenience for my guests.

Not as great an inconvenience

as it's been for my victim.

Things like this

simply do not happen here.

This is palm beach's finest hotel.

Not anymore.

I guess you lose a star

with a m*rder on the premises.

I hardly find this amusing.

Trust me.

I don't either, Mr. Morrissey.

We need to see the hotel records.

No, that won't be necessary.

I looked myself.

Mr. Stavros checked in once a week

for the last month.

By himself.

That's what the record shows.

So his visitors came up on their own.

Visitors?

He wasn't coming here for the room service.

Will you excuse us, please?

They found the lemans.

Eight blocks from here

key in the ignition.

Registration?

Yeah, it belonged to him.

Him who?

The victim, Mark stavros.

Not bad.

k*ller uses the victim's own car

to run him down

and just leaves it for us to find.

No fuss, no muss

no -day waiting period.

Two thumbs up.

And they knew exactly
where he kept the spare key.

Maybe it was the woman he was with tonight.

Yeah, or maybe he had a roommate.

Yeah.

So, what happened?

Was it a robbery?

Well, it doesn't really look that way.

Then why?

Well, we were kind of hoping

that you could tell us that.

Tell you what?

There's no reason anyone
would want to k*ll Mark.

Please, come in.

So, uh...

What exactly was the arrangement here?

I don't understand.

Well, how did... how did it break down?

There's two bedrooms, three people...?

Oh... oh, um...

That was Mark's room

and Danielle and me, we're there.

Danielle: Elliot and I moved in here

at the start of the term.

We didn't need the extra bedroom

but it was all they had available.

Elliot: Mark said he'd pay

one third of the rent.

He never had a chance
to live near the water.

So, how did you guys meet?

I had classes with Mark freshman year.

Then he and I shared
a frog in biology class.

I mentioned that Danielle
and I were going out

and we started hanging out.

Excuse me!

Is there something you're looking for?

No, I'm just, uh...

Just browsing.

Are we suspects or something?

If we are, you need a search warrant.

Actually, we don't.

You see, your roommate's property

is part of a homicide investigation

and I'm sure you'll want
to cooperate with us.

Any reason you wouldn't?

No.

We haven't got anything to hide.

Good.

About Mark?

What about him?

Did he have anything to hide?

No.

Nothing.

Was he, uh...

Was he dating anybody in particular?

Nothing steady.

It was mostly the three
of us hanging out together.

There's nobody you can think
of who had a problem with him?

No.

He was a nice guy.

Yeah, everybody liked him.

Obviously, somebody didn't.

Lipschitz: Can you believe that apartment?

I didn't live that way
when I was in school.

I don't live that way now.

Yeah.

You think you can explain something to me?

What?

Why do people always lie to cops?

Because they're guilty

because they're nervous

or because they don't like cops.

Yeah, I knew you'd have the answer.

Tell me...

One, two or three?

Two, hands down.

We say their roommate is dead.

Who wouldn't be nervous?

Why not one?

That they're guilty?

There's no reason to.

We're homicide cops.

That's a reason.

Wait a minute, you're telling me

every time you question somebody

you're figuring they're either guilty

or they just don't like you?

Something like that.

Terrific.

Hey, you must make a
lot of friends on the job.

Well, I made friends with you.

Don't take that to the bank.

Tell me you got something.

Too much is what we got.

Hair samples in every color imaginable

from every body site imaginable.

Looks like he used this for a playroom

before he could afford hotel rooms.

Prints?

Lots of them, but nothing to help us.

The ones on the steering wheel are his

but they're smudged.

From the k*ller's gloves?

Uh-huh, same with the
spare key in the ignition.

We did find the box where he kept it.

It's right under here.

Did you dust this?

Uh-huh.

Nada.

It's over there.

Thanks.

Hi.

Hey!

Hey.

How was the dentist?

Not as much fun as an autopsy.

Speaking of which, no surprises on stavros.

Massive cranial trauma.

Hector figures he was dead
before he hit the ground.

Backing over him was
putting lips on a chicken.

Yeah.

What's with that?

Tom: It's where the k*ller

found the duplicate key.

It's kind of narrow, huh?

Yeah.

Yeah, and it's kind of
snug for the key to fit.

And too snug to shake out.

And too snug to get it out with gloves on.

Eldon!

Eldon, dust the inside of that thing.

Okay?

Thanks.

Cassy: Is it readable?

Tom: Oh, yeah.

Maybe a little smudged,
but enough for an I.D.

Great, now all we need is a likely suspect.

Maybe one of those two roommates.

Maybe both.

Woman: Sergeant Ryan?

Yeah, that's me.

Why is my son being interrogated?

And you are?

Beverly Drake.

Elliot's mother.

And you?

I'm sergeant St. John, his partner.

How nice for him.

Are you going to answer my question?

We asked a few questions.

I'd hardly call that an interrogation.

So I may assume he's not a suspect?

I wouldn't presume to
tell you what to assume.

Sergeant Ryan

please don't tell me you're a smartass.

Actually, there's room
for discussion there.

I'm not...

Drake: Because if you

want to play games

I have more lawyers on
retainer than you have I.Q. Points.

Really, how many lawyers do you have?

From coast to coast, .

Really?

And unless you and your department

want to get to know them intimately

I would advise you to
proceed carefully with my son.

Very carefully.

Are we understanding each other?

Totally.

We like it when those threats

are right out front.

Call me tomorrow.

I'll give you the name of my hairdresser.

What do I need the name
of her hairdresser for?

I think this looks great.

Was that Beverly Drake?

The very same.

Yeah, her, uh...

Her son was a friend of the stavros guy.

You... you were nice to her

weren't you?

Yeah.

We're nice to everybody.

No. No, you're not.

What's the problem, Harry?

Please...

Please tell me that
you did not piss her off.

We didn't piss her off.

We pissed her off a little.

That's not funny.

Give us a speech on how much influence

she has with the mayor.

Frannie has been working on her for a year

to be a sponsor of the u.J.A.

Really? She didn't look Jewish.

No.

She's not.

That's how come it's taken so long.

Please, please, guys.

Don't screw this one up.

Frannie will die, and I guarantee you

she'll take me along with her.

Oy.

Look, I know you're upset, so am I.

But we have to keep
acting like nothing happened.

Mark is dead.

Somebody m*rder*d him.

We don't know if that
has anything to do with...

Of course it did.

You heard the detectives.

That doesn't mean we
have to keep acting like...

I think we should tell them.

The police?!

You want to tell the police?

They're going to find out sooner or later.

No, they're not going to find out at all.

If they do, everybody's going to know.

But if we don't say anything

we may end up just like Mark.

That's a chance we'll just have to take.

Oh, I hate to say it,
but maybe she's right.

Oh, your hair looks great.

You always say that.

If I shaved my head like Michael Jordan

you'd say it looks great.

Maybe I should have thought of that

when we were married.

Don't go there.

Man: Sergeant Ryan?

I'm Ronald coe.

Let me guess, you're Danielle's father.

Damn right I am.

You want to know

why I interrogated her.

Damn right I do.

I'm getting a sense of deja vu.

Your flippancy is inappropriate, detective.

You're his attorney.

Yes, and she also happens to be my wife.

Oh, I thought she was
Danielle's big sister.

I know, I know.

Inappropriate.

From what Danielle tells us

you probably violated her rights.

Definitely deja vu.

She's not a suspect.

Elliot's not a suspect.

We don't have a suspect.

Okay?

I'm warning you:

You damn well better walk softly.

He does. And he also carries a big stick.

Woman: On the other hand

it would be a pleasure
to get you into court.

Whatever trips your trigger.

Second wife.

Oh, got to be.

But it's nice of him to marry someone

that Danielle can play with.

Explain something to me.

Yeah.

All we did is ask those
kids a few questions.

So how come the parents
are so damned anxious

we don't talk to them again.

Oh, I don't know.

Maybe it's because they're afraid

of the questions we might ask.

See, you're on a roll.

Question is, what's the question?

Ryan.

Thank you.

We'll be right there.

Somebody just att*cked Danielle coe

in her apartment.

I went out for a run, and when I came back

the apartment was turned upside down.

The next thing I know

somebody comes out of the bedroom

and smashes something against my head.

Did you see what they looked like?

Big, small, thin, fat?

It happened so fast.

I couldn't even tell if it
was a man or a woman.

Did you notice if anything was missing?

Elliot: No, no, it doesn't look

like anything is gone.

Elliot!

We have to tell them.

Tell us what?

We can't.

They can't protect us if they don't know.

They can't protect us if they do!

This has something to
do with Mark's death...?

It was a joke...

A dumb joke.

If this can help catch Mark's k*ller...

I just can't believe

it has something to do with this.

Except you do.

Yeah, I do.

It was one of those nights

where it was raining so hard

you thought the windows
were going to break.

We ordered in a pizza

and we drank a couple of bottles of wine.

And I don't even know how it got started.

Look, you know

I'm really having a hard
time talking about this.

Just remember that Mark's dead

and his k*ller is still out there.

I know, I know.

Tom: We spent a lot of years

talking to people about things

they don't want to discuss.

If it makes you feel better

we've probably heard this before.

I don't think so.

You know, sometimes it helps

if you just spit it out

without even thinking about it.

Okay.

Uh, I don't know how we got into it

but we all started talking
about how none of us

could imagine our parents... doing it.

Anyway, someone came up with the idea

of voice-activated tape
recorders under the bed.

I know, it's sick

and not funny.

I guess it just seemed
that way at the time.

You did it?

Yeah... uh, with Elliot's mom

my dad and his wife.

Mark's father was out of the country.

So, we left them there
for a couple of weeks

and when we got them
back, there was a lot of tape.

Mark offered to edit it
down to all the good parts.

You listened to it?

Yes, I know it sounds awful.

Well, that's not the point.

You obviously think

there's something on those tapes

that has to do with the m*rder.

I can see how your parents
might be a little ticked off

but it's a big step to,
uh, to k*lling some...

Okay, we need to hear these tapes.

Well, that's the point.

Whoever broke in here, they stole them.

The tapes are gone.

What's the matter?

What makes you think
something's the matter?

When you're upset about something

and you don't want to talk about it

you get this funny look on your face.

Like what?

Oh, I don't know.

Like on Christmas morning

when you don't get what you wanted

but you don't want your folks to know

how disappointed you are.

How do you know me so well?

I was paying attention.

Cassy, I've been doing
this job for ten years

and I remember how
the first time for things

used to upset me... my first dead guy

my first dead woman, my first...

My first dead child.

But, you know, the next time...

It didn't bother me as much.

Then you think you're getting used

to the stuff and then...

Something like these kids, yeah.

I can't, I mean, this...

It's not m*rder, it's not r*pe, it's not...

It's like she said, it's sick.

They got their whole lives ahead of them

everything going for them.

And then they go and pull a stunt like this

to the very people that are making

all this possible for them.

Yeah.

There's got to be
something more on that tape.

Yeah, that's what I figure.

And I think Danielle and her boyfriend

know what it is.

Hey!

Ah! Ah!

Tom: Ah, yes.

Red and white yamaha.

Two-four-six-eight...

Both: Five-seven.

Yes.

Um-hmm, as soon as possible.

Thanks.

I checked upstairs.

There's definitely nothing missing.

If he didn't take anything out...

He had to be putting something in.

Right.

Bingo.

Cassy: What?

The place has been bugged.

Oh, great, great.

Oh, god.

Okay, where else?

Ah, yeah, here we go.

Right here, here's one.

Okay.

Well, that'll be it for in here.

Check the bedroom?

Yeah, that's where he
was when I surprised him.

How'd he get in here, anyway?

I got you an alarm system.

It, it wasn't on.

Why not?

Because I like to keep the windows open

so it doesn't get stuffy.

You have air conditioning, don't you?

Yeah, but it's very expensive to run.

Since when can't you afford
to run your air conditioning?

Oh, aha! Since you bought a new car.

Aha.

"Aha!" is what detectives say

when they figured something out

and don't try to change the subject.

You know how expensive
Boxster insurance is?

Yeah, a lot more than a mustang.

A lot more.

That's the price

of a status symbol.

That's not why I bought it.

It is.

Is not.

Is so.

Okay, whatever.

Don't passive-aggressive whatever.

I don't like being called
in the middle of the night

because somebody broke into the apartment

you left wide open.

All right, next time I won't call.

The next time the guy might have a g*n.

You won't be able to do anything.

You got scared?

You're damn right I got scared.

That's very sweet.

Well, if it's all the same to you

I'd much rather pay your
monthly utility bill, okay?

Then we'd both sleep better.

Hello.

Uh-huh.

Yeah.

Okay.

Okay, thanks, bye.

Motorcycle's registered
to sipco corporation.

Ever heard of them?

Yeah.

Let's just check it out in the morning

which is going to come a lot sooner

than I'd like to think about.

Want me to stay over?

Make sure everything's okay?

No, it's okay.

I'll be all right.

Thank you.

Okay, turn on your alarm.

I will.

And the air conditioning.

I mean, what the hell,
as long as you're paying.

Good night.

Good night.

Cassy: Well, well, hello,

Beverly Drake.

No kidding.

Right at the top of the list.

Must be an important person.

Well, actually it's listed alphabetically.

You think that's a coincidence?

I think not. But what's
the real connection?

I think she wants to find out what we know.

Mm-hmm.

Well, that would make a short conversation.

Maybe not, maybe not.

There's a lot of stuff in those tapes.

What if Mark stavros was blackmailing her?

There's a lot of blanks in that theory.

Okay, well, let me fill them in.

Stavros doesn't have the kind of money

that his roommates do.

He's sharing expenses...

Well, so are they.

Yeah, but the Drake kid made it sound

well, like they were doing him a favor.

And he's driving an old car...

Okay, so, he's the poor boy at the party.

It's a long jump to blackmail.

Not so long.

We find his body in, in
palm beach's finest hotel.

So the question is

how come he's not at the no-tell motel

like most kids his age?

Where did he get the money for the room?

I think it's time for a chat

with Beverly Drake.

Not until we check Mark
stavros's bank records.

Okay.

Drake: Now, exactly what

is this all about?

We have reason to believe

that you planted surveillance bugs

in my apartment.

And why would I do that?

We hoped you'd tell us that.

Look, detective...

Sergeants.

Sergeant...

If we're going to play show-and-tell

you're going to have to go first.

Fine.

What exactly is this?

Mark stavros' bank record.

You can wait for me outside.

That's not a good idea, Beverly.

It's a fine idea... outside.

I needed to find out how much you knew.

We know a lot.

You have the checks?

Absolutely.

All drawn on the maristat corporation.

Of which you're the c.E.O.

What if I said he was on the payroll?

We'd ask to see the timecards.

As a consultant.

We'd ask for his reports.

Not bad, sergeant.

We try.

Oh, he's as good as it gets.

He's just modest.

We figure blackmail.

You were paying him off.

Obviously you've heard the tapes.

He wanted more?

No.

Then why'd you k*ll him?

I take it back... you're not so good.

You admit paying him off.

He'd heard enough on that
tape to have me thrown in jail

but if I'd wanted to k*ll him

I wouldn't wait until I paid him $,.

That's not much

of an alibi.

All right...

Then how about this one?

Two nights ago, I was
with a two-star general

convincing him to award
maristat a $-billion contract.

How long were you with him?

All night.

He needed a lot of convincing.

Can he vouch for that?

In every way imaginable.

Tom: That story check out?

Like an echo.

You think the general
was telling the truth?

The man's calling the
whole contract into question

admitting she was
there, he's telling the truth.

Ryan.

Really?

Thanks a lot.

That was Andrews.

Two housekeepers

saw Lauren coe leaving stavros's room

the night of the m*rder.

That doesn't necessarily
make her the k*ller.

Moves her up the list.

We really appreciate

your coming in and talking to us.

No problem.

You sure you don't want

your own lawyer?

Positive.

More water?

No, thanks, I'm fine.

Let's just get to it, okay?

Right this way.

Tom: Okay...

We believe that you were in the room

the night that Mark stavros was k*lled.

Which means that you have a witness

that can positively I.D. me?

Actually, we have two.

I don't suppose you'd believe

that I was tutoring him in con law.

No. No, because we know he had a tape.

Oh, yes, he did have a tape, compliments of

my perverse little stepdaughter.

What makes you think that?

How else would he get it?

He hasn't been over to my home.

So, he was blackmailing you.

Yes, sergeant Ryan, he was blackmailing me.

How much were you paying him?

Not how much...

How often.

Once a week...

Every week.

Not a nice boy.

Mm...

Real prince.

He paid for the room?

That was part of his turn-on.

He made a big deal about the fact

that he didn't need me
for my money, just my...

Does your husband have any idea?

No!

And there's no reason for you to tell him.

Mrs. Coe, we're not trying
to break up your marriage.

Good.

'Cause it's just barely hanging on.

It's no secret that Ronald
and I are having problems

not to mention lolita zapping
me every chance she got.

It's amazing

it's lasted this long.

You were having

an affair, weren't you?

I told you stavros was blackmailing me.

No... that's what he was
blackmailing you about.

Do you know what it means
to be a successful lawyer?

-hour days

seven days a week.

And when I get done at the office

Ronald wants to take me dancing.

So you were having an
affair to relieve the stress?

Yes.

Yes, it did.

Till that tape popped up.

I thought stavros was a one-shot thing.

The more I saw him, the more he wanted.

He started talking about
meeting me twice a week.

And you weren't prepared to do that?

No.

But the alternative

was to tell your husband.

And I hadn't figured out

a way to do that

so I kept meeting stavros.

St. John.

Mm-hmm.

Thanks, eldon.

Prints matched.

What prints?

Yours.

Mrs. Coe, you're under arrest

for the m*rder of Mark stavros.

You have the right to remain silent.

You have the right to an attorney.

This is ridiculous.

Anything you say...

Get your hands off me.

Lipschitz: Did I not tell you?

Did I not say that together you
were the best of the best, huh?

The ' dolphins, the ' bulls.

Do you remember anything like that?

Uh-uh. But I do remember one time

when he called us a blot

on the landscape of law enforcement.

That was very harsh.

Did he ever apologize for that?

No, not that I recall.

I apologize.

I apologize for every unkind look.

For every unjustified comment.

You are the light of my life.

You're my pride and joy.

This is really about Beverly Drake

being in the clear, isn't it?

Exactly.

Which means you are, too.

Exactly.

And we could have arrested

Mother Teresa for this k*lling.

Exactly.

Somebody better tell him to cheer down.

Well, it's nice to see that he's happy.

Yeah.

So why aren't we?

Happy, I mean.

I don't know.

Too easy?

No, not exactly.

More like too neat.

Explain something to me.

Don't start with that again.

But you've been doing so well with it.

Just... come on.

If Lauren coe was such a good lawyer

why was she so forthcoming

about what went on between her and stavros?

Why wouldn't she just clam up?

Misdirection.

She wants to seem cooperative

so we will look elsewhere

'cause she knows we made her at the hotel.

Maybe, but explain this to me.

She's very careful with the death car.

She wears gloves.

So why does she leave
the print on the key box?

No, more than that.

Why does she leave the key box at all?

Think about it.

She walks into the garage.

She goes underneath the wheel well

she gets the key box out

opens it up, takes the key out

reaches back underneath the wheel well

and replaces the key box.

Doesn't that seem

like a lot of trouble to go to?

Not if you want somebody to find it.

Why would she want that?

Not her, somebody else.

So what can I do for you, sergeants?

Just a few more questions, that's all.

Ask away.

Cassy: You said you had

some classes with Mark stavros?

Yes.

Tom: You didn't mention

that you were also seeing him.

Well, I was hardly seeing him.

We had coffee a few times.

Now, you roomed with Sally Barnes

last year in the dorm?

You have to stay there
when you're a freshman.

She says that what was going on

between you and Mark was more than coffee.

One night.

But that's all it was, it was one night.

And then he stopped seeing you?

I stopped seeing him.

Must have been awkward.

He moves in, you and
Elliot in the next room.

It wasn't awkward at all.

Look, I told you, this was no big thing.

Tom: Was it a big thing

when you found out

that he was sleeping with your stepmother?

That's the first I heard of that.

How do you feel about it?

What is this, Jerry springer?

I'm not surprised.

She trashed my mother's life.

Why shouldn't she
trash my daddy's life, too?

And you never forgave her for that?

I think that I'm done talking now

so, if you don't mind...

No, it's okay.

In fact, we'll do the talking for a while.

We think you still had feelings for Mark

and so you suggested he
move in with you and Elliot.

That's not how it happened.

That's how Elliot remembers it.

But it didn't work out so well.

He still wouldn't look at
you, which had to hurt some.

So, you listened

to the unedited tapes.

Heard Beverly Drake offering bribes.

Heard your stepmother

talking to her lover.

And so you found out how Mark

was blackmailing her

that fertile mind of yours figured out

how to blackmail him, get him back

and Lauren, too.

But you're good.

You're very good.

So you didn't leave a fingerprint

that would jump out at us.

See, most people would have left it

on the steering wheel or a mirror

but not you, you're more subtle.

What are you saying?

Well, that you transferred
one of your stepmother's prints

to the key box to incriminate
her after you m*rder*d Mark.

I wouldn't know how to do that.

That's right, most people wouldn't.

It's tricky. It requires
a special kind of tape.

Cassy: But there's a place

to research things like that.

On the Internet.

They're called chat rooms

where you can ask people
for unique information

like we did last night.

It took us a while, but we found out.

Mystery writers chat room.

So we asked the question,
how to transfer prints.

And somebody remembered
being asked that question

about a month ago.

Somebody whose log-in name was "Danny boy."

Why don't we find out

what your log-in name is, Danielle?

Ryan, St. John, my office.

Now!

Okay, I got to go.

Frannie just called.

Beverly Drake just made

one of the largest donations
they have ever received.

That's great, Harry.

Mm-hmm.

Ms. Drake also asked

that the two of you be made

especially aware

of the nature of her donation.

Why would she do that?

Why, indeed?

What did you two do?

What makes you think we did anything?

Because my I.Q.

Is higher than room temperature!

Aw, but not as high as Mrs.
Drake's attorney account.

What did you do?

Well, there was the matter

of cassy's apartment
being broken into, Harry.

You blackmailed her!

Harsh... that's a little harsh.

And if frannie's happy, then you're happy.

That makes us happy.

And why tamper with all that happiness?