Gone Baby Gone

This programme contains very strong language.

'I always believed it was the things you don't choose

'that makes you who you are.

'Your city.

'Your neighbourhood.

'Your family.

'People here take pride in these things,

'like it was something they'd accomplished.

'The bodies around their souls,

'the cities wrapped around those.

'I lived on this block my whole life.

'Most of these people have.

'When your job is to find people who are missing,

'it helps to know where they started.

'I find the people who started in the cracks,...

'and then fell through.

'This city can be hard.

'When I was young, I asked my priest how you could get to heaven

'and still protect yourself from all the evil in the world.'

'He told me what God said to his children.

'"You are sheep among wolves."

'"Be wise as serpents,...

'"yet innocent as doves."'

The things is, she always had a smile on her face.

That was her. She was always smiling.

I mean, who would take my little girl? She never hurt anybody...

Whoever you are, if you have her...

..you just let her go.

Now, we won't charge you.

'If you're out there, let her come home.

'All right? Let her come home.'

HE SIGHS

Fuckin' cops.

-'She's a sweetheart...'

-It's just unbelievable.

The whole force standing outside the house, gathered on the sidewalk,

with their arms crossed.

I mean, are the kidnappers comin' back?

'Amanda McCready was taken from her home between 8.00 and 8.30

'Wednesday night. She's four years old,

'has blonde hair and green eyes, weighs 35 pounds, and...'

-You know I love you, right?

-Yeah, I know.

'..and a wary citizenry have been left with so little to cling to.

'A blanket, a back door and a doll named Mirabelle.'

The neighbourhood's coming together.

We're gonna have a rally. Everyone's gonna have a vigil tonight.

Erm... The neighbourhood's all alert.

everyone's alert of what's going on and everything, the surroundings.

We got flyers up, posters up. We have all that stuff up,

so everybody's well aware and looking for Amanda.

In related news, the Boston police captain

responsible for preventing crimes against children

spoke a few words a moment ago, words of comfort.

I know the pain of losing a daughter."

"We will not fail. We will pursue every avenue...

Do you know the mother?

A little bit.

I was a freshman, she was a senior.

She was blowing Michael, the postman.

He was still 14 and innocent, and milking cows up Vermont.

I don't know about innocent.

Amanda may be carrying a little girl of her own.

Mirabelle was last seen with Amanda. It's her favourite doll.

This is horrible.

Not if you're Channel Nine.

Turn it off.

Good night.

DOOR BUZZER

DOOR BUZZER

Angie, get the door.

-I'm in the bathroom.

-DOOR BUZZER

It's seven o'clock! Seven in the fuckin' morning!

What?!

Are you Patrick Kenzie?

Er, yeah.

Bea and Lionel McCready. Our niece was kidnapped three days ago.

Please, come on in. Come on in. I have to apologise.

There's been some trouble with kids, ding-dong-ditch,

running away. That's the reason for the language.

-We can come back later?

-No, make yourself comfortable.

I'm sorry about the mess. We've been, er...

I had a late case, a lot of cases. We've been working a lot.

We were working on a case last night, you know, so we just...

Please sit down, though.

Or, er... My associate will be in in a minute. She's in the other room.

How can we help you?

Do you know people in the hood who don't talk to police?

Yeah. One or two.

We want to hire you to augment the investigation of Amanda.

-Is that right?

-You know how in JonBenet Ramsey,

the family hired investigators?

Are the police OK with you hiring outside help?

They need to worry about finding my niece.

Hi. I'm Angie Gennaro. I work with Patrick.

I'm Bea McCready. This is my husband, Lionel.

They want to hire us to, er, augment... the investigation.

They should talk to Precision Investigators.

-Who? What?

-Well, let's hear them out, Ange.

Well, aren't you missing persons detectives?

Yeah, that's what your ad says.

Yeah, we are missing persons detectives. I'm sorry.

I think what Angie means to say is, just for the sake of disclosure,

up to this point, our experience has been primarily,

you know, finding, erm, missing persons who've gone missing,

that had stopped payments on their jet-ski...

Every police officer in this state is looking for your niece right now.

I'm not sure how much help we could be.

-You're not gonna do any harm.

-All right, look.

I got a pension comin' up with Edison, so that's collateral if...

-No, it's not that.

-Why is this so hard?

The cops and Lionel don't want me comin' here.

-Now you don't want the job?

-It's not that -

-We consult privately before we make decisions like these.

-We do.

Helene puts her to bed.

She goes to Dottie's, maybe gone half-hour, watches TV.

Then she comes home and Amanda is gone.

She was watching Wife Swap. It's her favourite show.

-You live upstairs?

-Yeah. When our folks died,

they left us a unit, my sister a unit. Basically, we got no choice.

With the acoustics in the apartment...

Just come over to the house, talk to Helene.

Lionel, talk to Helene?!

-Look, she don't show it, but she's hurtin'.

-Please, please.

Look, I was no saint. All right? I had my own problems.

I took a hard bust at 22. Bea straightened me out.

My sister Helene has not had that.

Talkin' to the mother's the least we could do. We'll come right over.

-Thanks a lot.

-Pleasure.

-It's the brown three-decker by the park.

-It'd be hard to miss today.

GENERAL BUSTLE

Look at this. Jesus! It's like a fuckin' block party here.

Four Cape Verdians got killed here last year,

no-one gave a shit.

We have a good life, right?

Is that a trick question?

I don't want to find a little kid in a dumpster.

Maybe she's not in a dumpster, babe.

I don't want to find a little kid

after they've been abused for three days.

Yeah, nobody does.

All right. Listen, we'll just go and talk to 'em.

You don't wanna do it after that, I won't argue with you.

OK.

GENERAL STREET NOISE

KNOCK AT DOOR

Hi. Please, come on in.

Helene, this is Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro.

Hi.

I remember you from high school.

I see you're still a little conceited, huh?

-Would you excuse us, Dottie?

-Dottie's my best friend.

She can be in my house if she wants.

We don't wanna get in your hair. We'll just ask you a few questions.

-Everyone wants their part now.

-I know.

I already talked to the cops 40 times.

-Sorry to take up your time.

-We're not the cops.

Beatrice asked us to come over here and see if we could help out.

Why don't Bea mind her business? It's my kid.

-Cos everyone's gotta have their moment.

-Right.

Beatrice hired them to find Amanda with her own money.

So, show them the goddamn courtesy and respect...

-She's in grievin', prick.

-She can grieve how she wants!

-You don't live here!

-Don't you fucking yell at her!

-You ain't her father!

-Fuck you, Lionel!

-Go fuck yourself, cocksucker.

-Get the fuck outta here.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

-Maybe we should go.

-I understand. I'm sorry.

Maybe we should go?

Can we all just have a few words in the hallway, please?

Excuse us, Helene.

-Helene's got emotional problems.

-It's not that.

-What is it, then?

-She's a cunt!

-Don't use that word!

-God help me, it's true.

This is a child.

-QUIVERING:

-And I don't know where she is.

Well...

We can't do any harm, right?

It's all right, Bea. It's all right, Bea. Huh?

Thank you.

Well, she's, er, quiet.

She tries very hard to be a good girl.

What about Helene? People she hangs out with?

She got a lot of people come by the house?

-I don't know. She's at the Fillmore all the time.

-The Fillmore Lounge?

Yeah, she drinks every day.

She's got the gene. You know, the disease. Our parents had it, too.

-She use drugs?

-I think she does a little coke.

How much is "a little"?

I don't know. A few times a week, maybe.

-I mean, how much is a lot?

-A few times a week's a lot.

Then she does a lot. I don't know anything about that.

I put the plug in the jug myself. I got 23 years' sobriety, so I'm good.

Congratulations.

You mind if we see her room?

-They kidnapped the furniture, too?

-Patrick.

VOICE OVER POLICE RADIO

Solved it yet?

Captain. Patrick Kenzie. This is my associate, Angie Gennaro.

Mmm-hmm.

I see Beatrice went on and hired someone.

So, it wasn't your recommendation?

It was not.

She would mortgage her home to every snake doctor

taking credit cards if she thought it would help.

My job's hard enough without inviting the circus in here.

Captain, this isn't about the money for us.

You ever investigated an abduction before?

She was hopin' we could help with the neighbourhood aspect, the people.

How old are you?

-I'm 31.

-He just looks young.

A four-year-old child is on the street.

It's 76 hours and counting.

The prospects for where she might be are looking grim.

You understand? Half of all children in these cases are killed flat out.

If we don't catch the abductor by day one,

only about ten per cent are ever solved.

This is day three.

He may look young,...

but if he wants to work this case, he'd better not act it.

Well, he's been hired by a woman who's the victim of a crime.

He's entitled, as her representative, to be cooperated with

by the Boston Police Department. So he expects to be.

And he will be.

He and his... better half will be contacted by two of my senior men,

at their convenience, and be permitted to observe.

We're just trying to help, Captain.

Look, I don't care who does it.

I just want it done.

Good afternoon.

Ready to start?

GUITAR SOLO INTRO

SOFT ROCK MUSIC

All I'm saying is, we heard Helene comes here.

We're not asking for the combination to the safe.

Listen, I ain't sayin' a fuckin' word. I already talked to the cops.

All right.

-Dave, right?

-Big Dave!

Big Dave, all right.

I'm Medium Patrick. Nice to meet you.

You're fuckin' light in the ass to be talkin' shit.

Jesus, man, I'm just playin'!

Listen, buy a couple of fuckin' drinks or screw.

OK, we'll take a couple of tonics.

SIGHS: Christ.

Steve Penteroudakis! The Grecian Formula!

Oh, shit. What are you doin' here?

Look at this little motherfucker.

Gyro, beers and Keno.

Two in the afternoon. What up?

Listen, I've been fuckin' everywhere puttin' up posters, man.

You know? Every project hallway.

All over City Point. Everywhere.

It's a tragedy. She used to come and sit at the bar.

-She was our mascot.

-Helene brought Amanda in?

Mostly in the afternoons. I mean, it's no place for a child at night.

-Really?

-Oh, yeah.

Hot tempers. Lot of drugs. Trust me.

So, how often is Helene in here?

Five nights a week. C'mon, guys, please.

She's a coke ho, OK? She's fuckin' doing lines just about every night.

Trust me, it's not a real shocker.

She's that bad, huh?

Huh? Oh, she's fuckin' terrible!

Listen. Remember when the kid got kidnapped? You saw her on the news?

She's sayin', "Oh, I was at my neighbour's house for a half-hour."

Bullshit! She was in here for, like, two hours, bumpin' rails.

-Oh, yeah.

-What time did she come in?

-Eight o'clock.

-Are you sure it was that night?

Fuckin' positive, cos she was in the shitter bangin' down rails with Ray.

-I was bangin' on the fuckin' door.

-Skinny Ray?

Yeah. Ray Likanski. He's in there duckin' me like a faggot.

He thought I didn't know he was in there...

Hey, Stevie?

-What the fuck you doin'?

-Nothin'.

-What's up, Lenny?

-Don't talk about people you don't know.

These are my friends, I've known them years!

-What's up, guy?

-You said you weren't a cop, guy.

-I'm not a cop.

-Then why don't you fuck off?

-Why don't you mind your business?

-He's gonna be a smartass?

You're awfully worried about people's asses, Dave.

You probably got a fuckin' ass like a Skippy jar.

What are you doin' here? Dave can't make a martini worth a shit.

Trying to help Helene find her daughter.

Don't be runnin' your mouth like you're better than me.

-I'm not the fuckin' one.

-All right, just cool it.

-Cool it? Listen to this douche bag.

-Bet she fucks the asshole in half.

What the fuck is the matter with you guys?!

You, you punk-fuckin' jackass.

We're leavin', alL right? CLICK

You know, Dave, I think it's your good looks.

Cos there is some fine pussy in here tonight.

Open that door.

-Open the door, Mike.

-Now! DOOR UNLOCKS

If ya ever wanna get fucked, let me know.

CRASHING

How's that, motherfucker? HE SPITS

Now you know. Keep your fuckin' mouths closed.

-You wanna say some shit, Fat Dave?

-Fuck you!

Fuck you! Make me a martini, you fat bastard!

-Get the fuck out!

-Make me a fuckin' martini, you fat fuckin' retard!

Fuckin' unbelievable!

Ow...

SIRENS WAIL

-Can I help you?

-Detective Bressant?

-That's right.

-Patrick Kenzie. You just called me?

Oh, sorry. Sergeant Detective Remy Bressant.

How you doin'?

-Should we, er,... sit down?

-Something wrong?

-No. It's just...

-I think Nick was expecting an older couple, maybe.

Well, life's full of surprises.

Corwin Earle, molester. Recently work released.

Went AWOL around the time Amanda disappeared.

Known associates, Leon Trett,

and his handsome wife, Roberta.

The Tretts were released six and eight months ago respectively.

They have drug habits. We think Corwin's with 'em.

Jailhouse snitch claims that Corwin confided in him

and told him, when he got out, he was gonna move in with his family.

The three of 'em have some kind of Addams Family deal goin' on.

Corwin's plan is to keep a kid in the house to have sex with.

-Sounds promising.

-Not for Amanda it doesn't.

-You think he has Amanda?

-There's lots of holes in the theory.

Corwin likes little boys, you know? He likes 'em seven or eight or nine.

So, that's it? No other leads, three days in?

No, we got more. We got six psychics tellin' us to look in six states,

Lionel and Bea with airtight alibis, we've interviewed neighbours

and we got a finger blaster who cut off his ankle bracelet.

-Take it easy.

-No! Who the fuck is this guy?!

Jack Doyle extended you a courtesy. You got something to contribute,

be my guest. Otherwise, you can go back to your Harry Potter book.

Isn't it usually somebody who knows the victim?

There's plenty of people in Helene's life that are capable of doin' this.

So you've probably talked to Ray Likanski?

-Who?

-Ray Likanski.

Skinny Ray, they call him. 6'2", about 160 pounds, does blow.

Helene's boyfriend. No?

Never heard of him.

Well, with all due respect, we can contribute on that point.

-Really? How?

-The night Amanda went missing,

Ray was at the Fillmore Lounge doing coke between eight and ten.

Fascinating(!)

With Helene McCready.

You're shittin' me?

-She did bullshit us.

-I'm gonna tear her a new asshole.

We'll meet you down there.

So, what kind of name is Bressant?

It's the kind they give you in Louisiana.

I thought you were from here?

Well, it all depends on how you look at it.

I mean, you might think that you're more from here than me, for example,

but I've been living here longer than you've been alive.

-So, who's right?

-I'll mull it over.

-What's up, sucker?

-Bubba! Good to see you, man.

-Everything good?

-Yeah. What's up? How're you doin'?

Have you seen those people?

Drug addict, drug addict, fuckin'... paedophile.

What makes you think I know people like this?

I know you don't pay your rent doin' people's taxes.

I don't pay it sellin' penny rocks to child molesters neither.

They're not all child molesters. Just, er...

Just one, Corwin Earle. The others, he hangs out with.

-SCOFFS:

-What are you two, crime dogs?

We got hired to find that little girl.

The mother was at the Fillmore all night when the kid was taken.

-With Skinny Ray.

-He's a fuckin' bitch!

-I thought Ray was your boy?

-Work for me?

He's a fuckin' cokehead! He works for the Haitian.

-Ray works for Cheese?

-Yeah. Cheese, Ray, Chris Mullen,

-the whole trash-picker crew.

-Did you sell to Helene?

There's reasons why there ain't Plexiglas between us right now.

I don't fuck with skeezers like Helene, or coconuts like Cheese.

You know better. I'm king of the motherfuckin' jungle!

I'll let you know if I hear anything, though.

-Thanks.

-Peace.

How well do you know Cheese Jean Baptiste?

How well do you know Cheese Jean Baptiste?

-Who?

-C'mon, sweetheart.

Cheese. Jean Baptiste.

-Oh, sounds familiar.

-No, no. It don't sound familiar, Helene.

He's a violent, sociopathic, Haitian criminal named Cheese.

Either you know him or you don't.

-Who is he?

-BEA:

-He's a drug lord, isn't he?

-LIONEL:

-Helene, who is he?

-He's just a guy, Lionel.

-Thank you.

-He is, among other things, Mrs McCready, a drug dealer.

-What other things?

-I don't know!

-Why don't you answer him?

-Why don't you suck a nigger's dick?

Listen! Don't disrespect my wife or make racial remarks in my kitchen!

-Who is he?

-It's my kitchen.

-You know what I mean!

Hey, take it easy. He's a drug dealer,

-a pimp, a pornographer, all right?

-You associate with a pimp?

-BEA: A pornographer?!

-And we think he rolled Pokey Jackson

in a carpet and shot him in the head. There's that, too.

-REMY:

-What do you do for him?

I just mule. Occasionally, not making a habit out of it.

-Lionel, what does that mean?

-She's a drug runner, Bea.

-She carries drugs. Isn't that right?

-Oh, my God! A few times!

-Where?

-Providence... Does it fuckin' matter?

Do you think I'm fuckin' around here? Of course it matters!

You better answer his question. For what?

For fuck's sake, Lionel. What do you think? Money, taste...

-Of drugs?

-No, heart stickers for my locker(!)

-What drugs?

-Cocaine and heroin.

-No, I would've seen the track marks.

-Not if you snort it.

-Right, Sugar?

-Yeah.

Less addictive that way.

Piece of work.

What the fuck is that? Where you goin'?

OPENS CAN

Oh, yeah. I keep thinking about this thing I heard.

-You know where I'm going with this?

-No.

-Did you know I used to work DCU?

-I give a fuck?

-LAUGHS:

-OK.

I still know some of those guys real well.

Anyway, I heard someone ripped Cheese off on a New Hampshire run.

-Did you hear anything about that?

-No.

-Care to take a polygraph?

-I already took one.

Different questions this time.

C'mon!

It's all right.

We don't care about a couple of hopheads beatin' each other.

We care about your child.

So, come on. How much?

Do you give a fuck about your kid?

Of course I do.

We know you took the money.

So just tell us how much you took.

How much?

How much?!

HOW MUCH?!

130.

HE SIGHS

REMY WHISTLES, CLEARS THROAT

130,000?

Yes, Bea!

How'd you do it?

-Me and Ray had to do this run up Nashua, right?

-Yeah.

We drop four keys on these bikers.

When we walked through the motel with the money,

these cops just swooped in and went right for the bikers.

And Amanda was with us, so, erm,...

we just pretended to be a family, got in the car and took off.

-You took Amanda?

-What am I gonna do, leave her in the car, Bea?

I don't got no day care.

It's really hard bein' a mother.

It's hard raisin' a family, you know?

All on my own.

But God made you barren, so you wouldn't fuckin' know so...

-You are an abomination.

-Hey, hey! Right here, right here.

What happened next?

We was driving back.

And Ray...

Fuckin' Ray was, "Everyone's gonna think the cops got the money."

You told Cheese the cops got it?

But you and Ray kept the money?

This whole fuckin' thing is Ray's fault!

Where's the money now, Helene?

-It's with Ray.

-And where's Ray?

Chelsea.

Let's go. C'mon. She rides with you. I don't want her in my car.

KIDS SHOUT

TYRES SCREECH C'mon, move the bike!

-Go fuck your mother!

-What?

Beat it, sucker!

-Helene, you went with Scott Flaherty, didn't you?

-How do you know?

I was at St Mark's. I was a freshman, you were a senior. Remember?

No.

Whatever happened to Scott?

Ah, he stabbed a foreign exchange student in the chest.

He got life in Walpole.

He's a faggot now.

He was a faggot in high school.

-LAUGHING:

-Oh, man!

-You're terrible.

-SHE CHUCKLES

-He was cute.

-Well, he'd wear them tight shorts.

Oh, who's a faggot now?

You're datin' a faggot!

So, how did the money end up in Chelsea?

I thought you and Ray went home after.

No, we dropped off Amanda and went back to Ray's.

Then retarded Ray left his baby rock at my place.

I'm like, "I'm gonna drop this motherfucker."

"I don't care if he got a big dick."

So, we went back to the apartment and Ray was hollerin'.

He was gonna wake Amanda. She needs her sleep.

You know? So, we went back to Ray's, or Ray's mother's, whatever.

I don't know where she went, but she left her fuckin' cats

and it smells like cock.

And Cheese never contacted you?

No. We didn't hear from Cheese, and Ray said, "Don't say shit."

It wasn't worth it, for Amanda's sake, to say what happened?

Cheese has your kid!

God fuckin' knows what he's doing to her.

What am I gonna do? Call Cheese and be like, "You got my daughter?"

-"Cos I just ripped you off..."

-Yeah!

-Helene, sit back.

-Oh, my God!

I'm gonna call the cops, too, and be like, "Oh, just so you know,

"I run coke and heroin, in case that's relevant"?

-All right, calm down. Calm down.

-You make me sick.

What makes you think Ray hasn't spent the money?

Nigger, please. I hid it.

Pull over.

Looks like somebody talked with Ray before they shot him.

Looks like he held out pretty good.

-He didn't have it.

-Hmm?

He couldn't say where the money was cos he didn't know. Helene hid it.

-HE SCOFFS

-Ray made poor relationship choices.

-I guess they didn't believe him.

-Poor prick.

-DOOR OPENS

-I am not waitin' in the fuckin' car.

-Where's the money?

-I don't give a fuck about the money!

-Helene...

-I just want my daughter home!

I know. I... I know. I'm sorry. It's very upsetting about Ray, but, er...

-Where's the money?

-Right there.

-Where?

I buried it when Ray was passed out.

What was that book, "Everything you need is in your own backyard"?

-A French book.

-That wasn't a book.

-That was a book.

-No, it was a cartoon.

-It was a cartoon. Right, Helene?

-Fuck you both!

-Should we get the FBI?

-That's the worst thing we could do.

I don't want Cheese to kill Amanda after he sees a bag of paper.

-It's kidnapping.

-I don't see a note.

-You see a note?

-Nope. No note.

This is a missing children's case.

Kidnapping has nothing to do with it. Fastest way to get Amanda home

is to swap the money for her and walk away. Plain and simple.

-Do you know Cheese?

-I knew his brother better, Jude.

He was a sweet kid. Cheese went another way.

-He wouldn't hurt her, right?

-Ask Ray.

All he cares about is his money. If he gets it back, he won't hurt her.

Just keep your mouth shut, OK? We'll get her back. It'll be fine.

-You're gonna talk to him?

-Yeah.

Well, tell him I'm sorry. He knows me. Just tell him I apologise.

-HE LAUGHS

-I'm sure that'll fix everything(!)

-Take her home. We'll take care of this.

-We'll meet you over there.

-I'm hungry.

-I'll get you something.

No, her. That's what she said to me before I put her to bed.

She said, "I'm hungry." They fed her, right? She's not still hungry?

I don't know.

-SOBS:

-I know I fucked up!

I just want my daughter back. I swear I won't do no drugs no more.

I won't even go out. I'll be fuckin' straight. Cross my heart.

It's all right. We're gonna find her.

You have to. You promise?

Yeah. I'm gonna try.

I will.

Promise.

You have to promise me.

I promise.

-Where are you going?

-To talk to Cheese.

-No, you're not. Get back in the car.

-That's a mistake.

-He won't talk to a badge.

-No. No way!

You want her back or not? I know him. If there's a deal to be had, we...

We're handling this. Get back in the car.

Guys, you negotiate a ransom for a little girl,

then it is the FBI, cos it's kidnapping.

All you'll do is scare him. The more you do, the worse it is for her.

All right, go ahead.

Just... relax, sit tight. I know him. I'll take care of it.

Good luck.

HE SNORTS

It's been a long time.

Nah, I quit.

I'm gonna talk some private shit.

Hey... don't get too far.

You know I'll be right here.

Bitches love the Cheddar.

-How you been, Chris?

-Better than you.

-Yeah. Good to hear it.

-Fuck you!

All right, be cool. It's been too long not to see a fool.

I grant you audience.

-Go.

-We found what you were looking for in Chelsea.

What I care about Chelsea?

Cos one of the idiots that robbed you lived there.

What idiot?

The one that you and Chris beat with a pipe and shot in the chest.

I don't know about nobody gettin' killed.

But if somebody robbed me and end up dead,

well, you know, life... is a mo'fucker.

Cheese, we got your money.

It was buried in Ray's back yard.

We wanna give it back to you in exchange for Amanda McCready.

The two police outside are the only others who know.

No-one gives a fuck about what you did.

Man, I didn't even like Ray.

You get your money, a mother gets her daughter back

and we say we found the kid in the bushes.

It's either this, real quiet, or it's a thousand fuckin' cops

kickin' your door in, puttin' their fat knees in your neck.

Hold up.

Whoa. Whoa! COCKS GUN

What the fuck is this?!

-Lift up your shirt.

-C'mon, man.

Motherfucker, you heard me.

Lift up your shirt.

-It ain't like that, Cheese.

-But see, I ain't down with you.

Lift up your shirt!

You too, baby. Ain't no gender immunity. Let me see some tit.

Don't never come in my spot like that.

Ma boss, moi.

You got my money?

You leave that shit in the mailbox on your ass way out. You feel me?

Some other motherfuckers let fools rob on 'em. I don't play scrimmage.

But I don't fuck with no kids.

And if that girl only hope is you,

well, I pray for her.

Cos she's gone, baby.

Gone.

Cheese, if you ever disrespect her again, I'll pull your fucking card.

OK?

So you're saying you didn't do it? Fine.

We'll take your money and we'll be on our way.

But if it turns out you're lying,

I'm gonna spend all that money to fuck you up.

I'm gonna bribe cops to go after you, pay guys to go after your crew

and I'll tell everyone I know you're a CI and a rat.

And I know a lot of people.

And you'll wish you'd listened to me,

cos your shitty crime syndicate headquarters is gonna get raided,

your doped-up bitches will be sent back to Laos

and this retard will testify against you for a reduced sentence

while you get corn-holed in your cell by a gang of crackers.

Cos from what I heard,

the guys that get sent up to Concord for killing kids,

life a motherfucker.

If I see you again, I'm gonna get discourteous on you.

And get that sausage off my lawn.

-What happened?

-He said he didn't know anything,

but you can put his money in his mailbox.

-That's what he told you?

-That's it.

Nothing else?

Yeah. He said that he wanted you two off his lawn.

I thought you knew this guy?

Half the guys he knows are degenerates.

-You know what the other half are?

-What?

Cops. But don't hold it against me.

No, no.

I won't hold it against you.

Know what I'll hold against you?

We had one chance to make this deal.

You said you knew him, and you fucked it up.

Now I gotta get a warrant, start surveillance,

hope to Christ we get lucky. You know, if Amanda dies cos of this...

-HE SIGHS

-I'm gonna have to hold it against you.

You'll hold it against yourself for a long, long time.

HE SIGHS

Hopefully, I didn't fuck this up.

PHONE RINGS

-Yeah?

-Cheese called in.

-He'll take the deal with Amanda, but he wants to go tonight.

-Great.

It is and it isn't. They record calls at the station.

-"Jack got a hold of the transcript."

-What does that mean?

It means our badges are forfeited at this point.

He wants you both down here now.

Cheese said he left something in the mailbox to prove he's got Amanda.

This is a transcript of a recorded call that came in this morning.

Care to read the highlighted portion?

Aloud.

Er...

"Caller... CLEARS THROAT

'..Bitch, you better have my money.'"

"Detective Bressant, 'Who is this?'"

"Caller, 'You know who the fuck this is, fool.' Creole curse words."

"'If you want that girl back, you need to meet me up Quincy tonight.'"

"'Fuck around, I'll throw her in the lake.'"

The lake he refers to is the water in the abandoned quarry.

Detective Bressant goes on to make an unauthorised ransom arrangement

to exchange Amanda for 130,000 tonight in just that location.

After some discussion,

Detective Bressant was kind enough to produce this.

Do you recognise it?

You have involved me in an illegal activity

without my knowledge or consent, and I don't fuckin' appreciate it.

-You don't have to be part of it.

-The hell I don't!

If I delay this, I further endanger the life of that child.

Is that something you expect me to do?

No, Sir.

-I'll accept responsibility.

-You'll accept nothing!

Don't come in here trying to get noble, boy.

Let me see that note.

My God.

He wants to separate us. The note instructs you guys to be here

waiting for Amanda, me and Nick to be at the clearing with the money.

Once Amanda's turned over to you,

you call us on the radio and we turn over the cash.

-Who is he likely to bring with him?

-Chris Mullen.

-He was at the club when we made the offer.

-What do you know about him?

He probably killed Ray for Cheese.

-If I had to guess.

-All right.

-Nobody else knows about this.

-I don't know.

Yes?

Is keeping it quiet better for Amanda or is it better for us?

Do you have any children, Miss Gennaro?

No, Sir.

My only child was murdered.

She was 12. Did you hear about it?

What you probably didn't hear, Miss Gennaro,

is what that feels like. What I have to deal with.

Knowing that...

my little girl likely died crying out for me to come and save her.

And I never did.

My little girl died afraid and alone...

in a shallow ditch bank by the side of the road,

not... ten minutes from our house.

I know what it feels like to lose a child.

Now, damn it, you force my hand

and then question the way I handle it?

No one's questioning you, Sir.

I honour my child with this division,

so that no parent has to go through what I've known.

This child...

..is all I care about.

I'm gonna bring her home.

Why would he bring us all the way up here?

I don't know. It's big, dark, easy to get away.

No.

They're gonna kill her.

This asshole could have found some level fuckin' ground somewhere.

This is where we part ways. You guys'll be on top of that cliff.

We'll be right across from you. Radio us when you have him.

-We will.

-Well, good luck.

INSECTS CHIRP

How they gonna get Amanda up here?

GUNFIRE RADIO: 'Ambush! Ambush!

'It's fucking Cheese!

'Where is he?' GRUNTING AND GROANING

INDISTINCT SHOUTING OVER RADIO/ GUNFIRE CONTINUES

-Sure you heard something?

-Over there!

-Where?

-I heard a splash down there.

Somebody took Cheese out, then all hell broke loose.

-Where's Amanda?

-Something went in the water.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

-Where?

-There! Right there.

-Oh, my God.

Oh, no.

Jesus Christ!

SHE GASPS

DOOR OPENS

Hey.

Hi.

How's the leg?

It'll be fine.

They find anything?

They got divers in there now.

She could still be alive.

Maybe she's hiding. She could be stuck.

Right?

I don't think so.

Hmm.

SHE SNIFFS

TV PLAYS

Hey.

SHE SIGHS

-DOYLE ON TV:

-'This quarry is extremely deep and treacherous,

'and all too often... she keeps that which she takes in.'

-REPORTER 1: A sad end to that story. REPORTER 2:

-It sure is.

-Ron is next with sports. The Bruins in action tonight?

-Yes, they are.

RON CONTINUES COMMENTARY

PATRICK: 'And like that... she was gone.

'We gave our statements, Nick and Remy the same.

'All of us spared any blame for Amanda's death.

'Jack Doyle resigned on the condition that he,

'and he alone, be held accountable.'

-ON TV:

-'The legendary captain of a unit dedicated to children

'stepped down today in the aftermath of controversy...'

'He was granted the dignity of early retirement,

'but the humiliation of half a pension.

'It was an ignominious end to an illustrious career.

'Chris's run lasted a day and a half, until, from what they could tell,

'he ran into someone who wanted the money more than he did.'

'..Chris Mullen was gunned down in an apparent robbery.

'The Police Commissioner defended the rising tide of crime

'as a statistical aberration...'

'Enough time went by, and they called off the search.

'They issued Helene a death certificate.

'The frame and the casket were donated by the funeral home...

'..but had to be returned at the end of the afternoon.'

You know I love you, right?

Yeah.

I just wanna be alone for a while.

'I don't know if she blamed me, or if she blamed herself.'

CLOSES DOOR QUIETLY

'But when she didn't think I was home,

'or if she thought I couldn't hear...

'she would cry.

'I couldn't stop running it over and over and over in my mind.

'The vague and distant suspicion

'that we never understood what happened that night,

'what our role was.

'Or maybe it was just that, like hundreds of other children

'who disappear each year and never return...

'..Amanda was even more haunting for never being found.

'What they did find was another big story.

'And I couldn't help but find it strange.

'Not two months later, and not far away...

'another child went missing.'

-WOMAN ON TV:

-'A bicycle left roadside, a tyre left spinning...'

Late breaking news on that story. Little Johnny Pietro is also wearing

what this reporter believes may be a sign.

Johnny is wearing a medallion of St Christopher...

'Johnny Pietro and his medallion.

'What I didn't find strange, was that, this time,

no relatives came knockin' on our door.'

-Hey, Patrick.

-Hey.

-I need you to come on a ride with me.

-Where?

-To Everett.

-What? No parties in Lynn?

That ain't funny. You got your toast with you, right?

-My what?

-Your gun, dummy.

Er, yeah.

URBAN MUSIC ON RADIO

This ain't no strip club in... in Lynn, Patrick.

Got somethin' better for you, buddy.

TURNS RADIO OFF

You asked me to find some people. I think I found 'em.

-What are you gettin' me into?

-Don't give a fuck about Corwin Earle now?

Yo, cos the fat bitch and the old dude are in there.

My man didn't know about the diddler.

Come in with me, we'll find out if this motherfucker's in there.

You know what? If you don't wanna come in, don't come in. Fuck it.

Let's go.

BANGS ON DOOR

DOOR UNLOCKS

-Guess who.

-Jerome Miller?

-No, it's the coke fairy. Open up.

-I got the money right here.

You think you're gonna hand me money on a fuckin' porch?

Open the door.

-Who's he?

-Your father. Open the fuckin' door!

UNLOCKS DOOR

-Look out.

-OK, man. Chill, chill.

MUSIC BLARES WITHIN

-What, are you guys startin' a band?

-Startin' a band...

It's a taste. Cocaine for the old man.

Fuckin' Christ!

Want me to change a roll of quarters for you?

APPROACHING FOOTSTEPS

-I told you to tell me when it got here!

-It just got here.

-You already did some!

-It was a taste bag!

Sorry, love.

Here, count this fuckin' mess.

-SHE SNORTS

-Where's the rest, man?

-Huh?

-Soon as he's finished countin' that fuckin' mess.

RATTLES DOOR

KICKS DOOR

-Mr Miller, do you mind?

-No, I don't mind.

-Excuse me.

-You're excused.

-Please don't snoop around.

-Relax, handsome.

-Excuse me!

Where the fuck do you think you're goin'?

Mr Miller, I'm warning you!

Stop!

Patrick, shoot this bitch.

You fat, busted cunt.

You put a gun on me, you better use it.

Just give us our fuckin' wizza!

You don't wanna shoot her, Patrick?

-Who's this guy?

-Corwin, go back to your room!

It's not a party?

Nope. It's not a party.

-How much money is there, Patrick?

-Enough.

Want this?

HE SPITS

What are you doin'? Pick up the fuckin' money.

-At least two guns in the house. Roberta's carrying hers.

-What else?

-They're high.

-On what?

-Cocaine.

Your friend tell you that, too?

-Squad'll be here in five minutes.

-You're not waiting?

Did you tell me you saw Corwin Earle

with a St Christopher medallion on his wrist?

-I definitely saw him.

-We're not waiting.

-COCKS GUN

Stay here. And don't fuck around, all right?

Good job.

GUNFIRE

SQUELCHING GRUNTS: Oh, fuck!

HE MOANS

Hello? Shots are fired. An officer down... Shots...

Listen to me! A police officer has been shot at 33 German Road.

GUNFIRE

SINGLE GUNSHOT

HE PANTS

HE PANTS

HEEXCLAIMS

CLATTERING

THUD

HE GASPS

CLATTERING

-Get away from him!

-FIRES GUN

-Get away!

-GASPS

HE PANTS

DOOR CREAKS

(GASPS)

It was an accident.

QUIVERS

It was an accident.

VOMITS

GASPS AND QUIVERS

PANTS

Wait!

FIRES GUN

INAUDIBLE

Hey.

Are you OK?

They told me what happened.

I'm proud of you.

That man killed a child.

He had no right to live.

-You're proud of me?

-Of course I am.

You did what you had to do.

Let's go home.

I need to stay here awhile.

See you at home.

Yeah.

NOISE FROM TRAFFIC

It's fucked up, right?

HE SIGHS They tell you anything about Nick?

They said he could be OK.

I don't know.

Did they say how old that little boy was?

Seven.

Second grade.

You should be proud of yourself.

Most guys would have stayed outside.

I don't know.

What don't you know?

My priest says, "Shame is God telling you what you did was wrong."

Fuck him.

Murder's a sin.

It depends on who you do it to.

That's not how it works. It is what it is.

I planted evidence on a guy once.

Back in '95. We were paying 100 an eight ball to snitches.

We got a call from our pal, Ray Likanski.

He couldn't find enough guys to rat out.

He tells us there's a guy pumpin' up at a club in Columbia Point.

We go in, me and Nicky.

Fifteen years ago, when Nicky went in, it was no joke.

So it's a stash house, right? The old lady's beat to shit,

the husband's mean, cracked out, tries to give us trouble.

Nicky lays him down.

We're doin' an inventory, but we messed up. There's no dope.

And I go in the back room...

Now, this place was a shithole, mind you,

rats and roaches all over the place.

But the kid's room in the back?

It was spotless.

No, I mean, he swept it, mopped it.

It was immaculate.

The boy was on the bed, holding onto his PlayStation for dear life.

There was no expression on his face.

Tears streaming down.

He wants to tell me he just learned his multiplication tables.

-And his...

-I mean, the father's got him in this crack den,

subsisting on Twinkies and ass-whippings.

And this little boy,

he just wants someone to tell him that he's doing a good job.

Are you worried what's Catholic?

I mean, kids forgive.

Kids... don't judge.

Kids turn the other cheek. And what do they get for it?

So I went back out, put an ounce of heroin on the living-room floor

and I sent the father on a ride. Seven to nine.

-That was the right thing?

-Fuckin' A!

You gotta take a side!

You molest a child...

you beat a child...

you're not on my side. If you see me coming, you best run,

because I am gonna lay you the fuck down!

Easy.

It don't feel easy.

Is the kid better off without his father?

Yeah.

But, OK, he could be out there now,

pumpin' with a gun in his waistband. It's a war, man.

Are we winning?

No.

Would you do it again?

Clip Corwin Earle?

No.

Does that make it right?

-Hmm?

-I don't know.

It doesn't make it wrong, though, does it?

HE SIGHS

PUTS KEYS IN BOWL

LOCKS DOOR

-Hey.

-Hey.

How's Remy?

He lied to me.

What did Remy say about Ray in Roxbury?

"Never heard of him."

Now he says Ray's been snitchin' for him for 15 years.

Called him his old pal.

-Said he couldn't find enough people to snitch out.

-Patrick.

Ray's the reason Amanda got taken, and Remy lies about knowin' him.

-Let it go.

-Why would he lie?

-What does he have to hide?

-Amanda's dead.

Let it go.

HE SIGHS

Babe?

Nick died.

Mr Kenzie?

Nice fuckin' job on Corwin Earle.

PRIEST CHANTS FUNERAL LITURGY

Sorry about Nick.

Yeah, thanks.

I was thinking about our conversation the other night.

I said some things I shouldn't have.

You know, too much rum.

Like what?

Don't fuck with me, Patrick. Not today.

No, I wouldn't fuck with you.

Oh, you wanna play it like that, huh?

OK.

Forget about the other night and we can be friends.

What if I don't?

That's not an "if" you want to bring into your life.

GENERAL CHATTERING

Excuse me.

-Devin?

-Hey! How you doin'?

-All right. How you been?

-Can't complain.

-Can I talk to you?

-Yeah.

-Not here.

-Huh.

If it's like that, you're gonna have to buy me lunch.

-How's the Chart House? Half-hour?

-Sounds about right.

-Hey, Remy worked narcotics with you, right?

-DCU, yeah. What's up?

-Why'd he leave?

-He had a habit of just rubbin' people the wrong way.

-Like what? What did he do?

-Like marry a prostitute, for one.

-Come on!

-You don't do that if you're a cop.

You don't do that if you're a plumber! HE LAUGHS

-So, what happened?

-He says he loves her.

-Tells Mike Snell to go fuck himself and asks for a transfer.

-To Doyle?

Doyle brought Remy from Louisiana back in '72.

-You don't think that Remy's dirty, though, do ya?

-What's "dirty"?

I know he planted evidence once.

Oh, you do?

-Yeah. Why?

-Look, man, CSI is killin' us out here.

Every other juror, all they want to know is where the micro fibres are.

Certain people are workers. They don't wanna plant it, but...

They don't mind it?

So, tell me somethin',

what you fuckin' with him for?

He lied to me. I can't think of one reason big enough for him to lie

that's small enough not to matter.

All right, look. I know one thing,

but it's third party, so you gotta play it like that.

-Helene and Ray took Cheese's money back in June, right?

-Yeah?

One week later, Remy goes to a cop in DCU

-asking if anybody knew who robbed Cheese.

-So what?

So, my informant tells me,

Cheese didn't know he got robbed until two weeks later.

So, Remy knew Cheese got robbed before Cheese did? How?

Let me tell you. You better think long and hard

before you start investigating the police.

You try and take the food out of their mouths, they will fuck you up.

Thanks for the steak.

All right.

Hey.

I got it.

-PHONE: 'We need to talk to you, Lionel.

-About what?

'The acoustics in your apartment.

-'What?

-We live in a three decker, too.

'I got nothin' to talk about.

'That's fine. We can talk to the State Police.

-'Meet me at Murphy's Law.'

-HANGS UP

-LIONEL:

-If I don't go, he'll call the States.

-REMY:

-He's putting a move on ya. Don't go down there.

-This is an oath we took.

-I started this!

This has to be protected. Listen to me!

You leave that house, you're an enemy to me.

-Trust me, all right?

-No, trust me! Where I come from!

You die with your secrets!

'How long have you known Remy?'

Detective Bressant?

-Just in... Met him through the investigation of Amanda.

-That's it?

Yeah.

How long have you known Remy?

-What is this?

-They got the Internet now.

You know how it is, everybody knows everybody.

No. Everybody don't know everybody. Why are you lyin'?

-I'm not.

-You bragged about taking a hard bust.

-No, I didn't.

-Bullshit. You're hidin' something.

You better fuckin' tell it, cos you asked us for help,

and we killed ourselves tryin' to save Amanda.

I know you ain't bein' 100 per cent with me, and it's pissin' me off.

-So you better interrupt me...

-OK, fine. Don't have a heart attack.

I haven't been honest with you.

It's not something I'm proud of, you know?

I got in a bar fight back in the day. Other guy cracked his skull.

I must have said, "I'll kill ya," so they had me up for attempted.

It's my word against this guy's.

-Witness testified to my version. The jury believed him.

-Cos he was a cop.

-Yeah. He testified for me.

-So you knew Detective Bressant.

-We weren't best friends.

-But you lied!

-Why call Remy?

-He's a cop.

-That's not why you called him.

-Come on...

-It's a small place. You heard 'em arguing. They were loud.

So, you called Remy, and you and him took Amanda to blackmail your sister.

LAUGHS INCREDULOUSLY

-Why would I do that?

-I don't know, Lionel.

Maybe because after all the "I put the fuckin' plug in the jug"

and the "count your blessings", you're just like everybody else.

You saw a bag of money. You wanted it and thought you'd get away with it.

But Bea called the media, then she called us, and then you were fucked.

The case is closed, Patrick.

A coke-dealin' Haitian is easy to frame.

-Lionel?

-Excuse me?

-Look at me!

-You took your niece.

-Pardon me?

-Tell me what happened.

-Can I get some service?!

Yeah.

HE SIGHS

What?

-Three shots of Cutty and a TallBoy.

-Yeah.

Thank you.

-Just give me a second.

-HE SIGHS

23 years is something, right?

Go.

I come up to check on Amanda. She was alone, as usual.

'I was reading to her when Helene and Ray come home.'

-'They didn't know I was there.'

-Stop yellin'. My daughter's asleep!

They talked about how they'd robbed a dealer.

-You know what he'll do if he finds out?

-What the fuck's he gonna do?!

Then they were talkin' about leaving the state.

So I called Remy and told him.

..a drug run up to Nashua...

And then what?

We took her.

'Remy laid out this plan.'

We take her, force Helene and Ray to cough up the cash and put her back.

Amanda gets to spend a weekend in the country, Helene learns a lesson.

And fuck it, everybody gets paid on top.

I got no problem taking money from Cheese.

They were gonna handle the cops, but Bea? She went nuts.

-'Called the papers, hired you.'

-Lionel don't want me comin' here...

Once you found the money, they had Amanda and the money.

They decided to set up a fake exchange for you to witness.

'They got Chris Mullen to set up Cheese

at the quarry for 15K and... a chance to be the boss.

'Cheese figured it out. Even though it was too late,

-he started shooting, panickin'.'

-GUNFIRE

'And she just fell. I mean, she just...'

She fell in.

She's gone.

It was an accident. Just an accident.

She was your sister's kid, Lionel.

-Your sister's child.

-You think I don't miss her?

She was more my kid than Helene's.

Last summer, Helene and Dottie took Amanda to the beach.

A real hot day.

Amanda fell asleep.

They left her in the car, while they go in the dunes and smoke a doobie.

Two hours!

Amanda literally roasted.

She was three.

Later on...

I was holding her, trying to help her get to sleep.

My little Amanda.

She was so hot.

She felt like something just... come out of the oven.

Like a fuckin' pot roast.

So, don't feel too sorry for my sister,

because she never gave a shit about anyone but herself.

-DOOR BANGS OPEN

-Bartender? Open the safe, now!

Everybody needs to shut up and stay calm. On the floor.

-On the floor! Hands on your head.

-WOMAN:

-Oh, God!

Stay calm, this'll be over in a minute.

You know whose bar this is, shithead? SMACK!

Or you can get wise. It's up to you.

What did you say?

You're a talker, huh?

-Keep yapping, motherfucker.

-WOMAN:

-Don't antagonise him.

-Just keep yapping away.

-I didn't say nothin'.

-You should keep your mouth shut.

-Shut the fuck up!

-Keep talkin' trash.

-I didn't say nothin'.

-Close your eyes.

-Aw, fuck!

Remy Bressant! Amanda was taken by Remy Bressant!

Oh! Amanda McCready was taken by Remy Bressant!

-Wait!

-Who told you that name?

-Damn it!

-Remy Bressant! Amanda was taken...

-I told him we took her for ransom!

Remy. Please. I told him we took her for ransom. I did it.

Remy, please.

-QUIVERING:

-Please.

GUNSHOTS

GLASSES SMASH

GRUNTING, GROANING

COCKS GUN

-Are you all right?

-PANTS: Stay with him.

BANG WITHIN

Drop your gun!

Put it down!

DROPS GUN

That bartender... wasn't fuckin' around.

What did you do?

Did you get her killed?

Say "yes".

Say "yes"!

Say "yes"!

What are you gonna do, shoot me?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

She was a child.

I love children.

Why would I expose a conspiracy that I was a part of?