12. Last Request

[r2k]

Here’s the latest. I promise you this one might be a tearjerker so keep the Kleenex handy. I also made sure the killer was a little different this time around. I’m not sure if this episode will live up to the shock “Strange Fruit” delivered, but I think it will give that episode a run for its money. Beware, there are some racist characters. And some of the things they do and say are outright nasty. Within CBS network standards of course. It’s all part of the traits some of the characters in this fan fic possess. Use your imagination during the final scene to really picture what it would look like. Throughout this fan fic, really try to picture the scenes. If this were a real episode, it would be sad. Veena Sud would be proud.

Last Request

September 15, 1970
“I’ll Take You There” by The Staple Singers plays in the background. It is night. In a dark alley, two black boys are walking. One is thirteen years old. The other is only eight years old.

13 year old: Man, tie your shoe. You gonna be trippin’ on that shoe lace.
8 year old: Leave me alone. I don’t wanna tie my shoe. It keeps on untyin’ anyway.
13 year old: That’s cause you gotta learn to tie it right. You never learned to do it right.
8 year old: Stop man.
13 year old: You’re my little brother. It’s my job to protect you. Make sure you learn everything right. Mama can’t be there all the time.
8 year old: I hope she ain’t home on report card day.
13 year old: When she finds out you flunkin’ math, she’s gonna whip you good.
8 year old: She can’t find out.
13 year old: She can and she will. I’m not coverin’ for you. The school year is just startin’. You gotta bring those grades up.
8 year old: Man. You’re no fair.
13 year old: I am fair. More fair than you think. Look, we gotta get home.
-The two boys walk off.

-Later, at a playground. Police cars arrive on the scene and proceed towards the playground equipment. A trail of blood from the curb leads them. They see a boy lying dead further ahead. The 13 year old boy’s body is laying on the blacktop where the equipment is. He has been stabbed in the heart really deep. The camera focuses on his lifeless body. The younger brother is nowhere to be found. In the case file room, The 13 year old’s box is being filed away.

Jefferson, C.
Sept. ‘70

-In the present. Lily and Scotty pull up at a nearby prison. They get out of the car.
Scotty: Can’t believe we’re gonna be face to face with this guy.
Lily: I know. He’s killed 10 cops and 20 civilians over the last 25 years. Amazing how long it took to catch him. He’s been at large for at least 17 years. Since they learned who he was.
Scotty: He’s scheduled for execution at the end of the week.
Lily: Wonder why he wants us.
Scotty: I hope he’s not trying to get his life spared.
Lily: Or prolong it.

-Inside the prison. The warden, Bill Polter is walking with Lily and Scotty.
Bill: The inmate is Kaylen Jefferson. We’re talking baddest killer you’ve ever met.
Lily: So you have any idea what this about?
Bill: Well, seeing you solve cold cases, yes. Many years back, 1970, I believe, his older brother was killed on a playground at night.
Scotty: That was before my time.
Lily: Almost before mine.
Bill: Anyway, Kaylen’s mother came home that night to find Cordero missing. That’s about all he would tell me. Funny thing is, this guy doesn’t want a deal so it’s a mystery why he wants to see you. He just said, bring the cold case lady in.
Lily: So that’s what I’m known as around here.
Bill: Well, to tell you the truth, a lot of your cold case killers are here.
Lily: I’m just hoping James doesn’t find out I’m here.
Bill: We’re keeping him occupied. I’m aware of his letters and phone calls so I prepared in advance. Besides, we keep the death row inmates away from the others. And we told Kaylen to keep a lid on it.

-They arrive at Kaylen’s cell.
Bill: Well, here we are. I’m going to have two guards here to watch over you two. This guy is dangerous.
-One of the guard’s opens the cell door. Inside, a 43 year old man is sitting on his bed. His image flashes back to age 8 and then returns to 43.
Lily: Kaylen Jefferson, I presume.
Kaylen: That’s me.
Lily: Detective Rush. This is my partner, Detective Valens. I’ve been told you have something.
Kaylen: Well, not really. Thing is, I need you.
Lily: For what?
Kaylen: Someone’s gotta look out for my mother.
Lily: I don’t know how I can help.
Kaylen: I had an older brother, Cordero.
Lily: The warden mentioned him.
Kaylen: So you know how he died?
Lily: He didn’t know how.
Kaylen: He was stabbed, that’s what happened. They killed him!
Lily: Do you know who did it?
Kaylen: I’ve been trying to find out for years.
Scotty: Is this while you were killing cops and innocent people. Kind of a side hobby. Find the killer while killing others needlessly.
Kaylen: Watch your tongue, boy. I still have a mean streak.
Lily: That is a good question, Kaylen. Why did you kill all those people?
Kaylen: I don’t know, alright. Cordero was supposed to raise me. When he died, there was only my sister. She couldn’t do it. She was only 10. Now, she all my mama have left.
Lily: You love you mother?
Kaylen: Yeah, I do. She hasn’t been in to see me yet. My sister neither. But I think of them all the time. And the Lord.
Lily: So you’re a changed man?
Kaylen: Don’t matter. I’m gonna die at the end of the week.
Lily: So what do you want, Kaylen? What is it that you want?
Kaylen: To do one good thing in my life so that I can tell God my life was worth something. I want you to reopen my brother’s case. I want to know who killed him. Lily: Why? So you can have a sense of justice? You’re way past being able to seek that out on anybody else.
Kaylen: But my mother isn’t. She’s a strong woman. Cordero dying never crippled her, but made her stronger. And me, well, I made her strong too. I know that I’m not really doing this, but you’re the closest thing I’ve got to proving to my mama that I’m worth something. Even at the end. Here’s the lead you need. Something I never told anybody.
Lily: Lay it on me.
Kaylen: My brother and I were supposed to be home. Mama was at work. She was a single mother. Cordero took me to the park to play basketball.
Lily: What happened?
Kaylen: On the way home, a gang approached us. Cordero quickly told me to run home. Gave me the keys to the house and I ran. Later that night, Mama came home and came in to check on us. Cordero was still gone. She called the cops. So much trouble came out of that. But the police believed me when I said I had no idea where Cordero went. So there you have it. The reason Cordero was out there that night alone.
Lily: So you’re scheduled to die at the end of the week?
Kaylen: At midnight.
Lily: Well, then I better get started. Scotty, we’re on a time limit here.

Opening Credits

[r2k]

-In the case file room.
Lily: Cordero Jefferson, age 13, stabbed in the heart. Playground in the badlands. This place never stops sucking us in.
Scotty: Any leads back then.
Lily: None. Like most cases from there, nobody talks much.
Scotty: But this was 1970. Gangs couldn’t have been so bad back then.
Jeffries: (joining them) I wouldn’t jump to that conclusion. Gangs and drugs were around back then too.
Scotty: Sorry.
Lily: The official report has Cordero’s mother, Mary, calling the police after she arrived home. Around 11:00 P.M. She must have seen he was missing and quickly called for help. They found him within the hour at the playground.
Jeffries: I remember this case. I remember Kaylen. You know despite all the people he has killed, I never forgot that face he had when he learned his brother was dead. I worked the streets back then. That poor boy depended on his brother for guidance.
Scotty: And without him there was nobody to lead him.
Lily: I always forget these killers were children at one time.
Jeffries: You never really see a vicious killer as a child. This is one I did. Breaks my heart to see him go bad. Solve this one Lily. Do it for Kaylen. He’s probably thinking back to his childhood right now. When things may have been easier. He’s probably thinking about what happened.
Lily: I guess our first place would be to talk to the mother. Kaylen gave me the address. Hopefully, she’ll want to talk to us.

-In a nicer suburb from the Badlands. Lily and Scotty knock on the door of a house. A 70 year old woman answers the door.
Lily: Mary Jefferson?
Mary: Mary London now. I remarried in 1973. (Image flashes back to when she was 35 and returns to the present again.
Lily: Your son called us.

-Inside the house.
Mary: I haven’t seen Kaylen in years. The one visit I made to him was a few weeks ago. He didn’t know I was there. I just watched from the outside. I’m not ready to see him face to face.
Lily: Do you hate him?
Mary: No. I don’t know why I’ve only been in to see him once. The good Lord helped me walk when Cordero was killed but somehow I find myself struggling on this one. I remarried a man I loved. Was hard after my first husband died.
Lily: How did he die?
Mary: Vietnam.
Lily: I’m sorry.
Mary: Went with the territory back then. Black men went off to fight. He died that year. When the summer began. I remember getting the message personally.

-Flashback to 1970. “What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye is playing in the background at the Jefferson house.
Mary: Kaylen, eat your breakfast!
-Kaylen giggles.
Cordero: Kaylen, stop. Mama said eat your breakfast.
Kaylen: No!! He he.
Mary: Kaylen, I’m gonna run this large wooden spoon up and down your butt now sit down and eat!
-Kaylen sits down, not wanting the wooden spoon. There is a knock at the door. Mary opens it. A man with a telegram is there.
Mary: This don’t look good.
Man: Mary Jefferson?
Mary: Yes. What’s happened?
Man: I don’t know how to tell you this,
Mary: Oh no. No! no! no! no!
-Mary drops to the floor. Cordero and Kaylen’s sister, Jamike comes running in.
Jamike: Mama what’s wrong?
Mary: No!! Not my husband. Please Lord no!!!
-Jamike starts crying.
Jamike: Daddy!!! (Jamike cries silently as Mary is loud. Kaylen is confused.
Kaylen: What’s happened?
Cordero: It’s daddy. He’s dead.
Kaylen: What? (tears start rolling down his eyes.)
-Cordero walks up and hugs him.
Cordero: I guess from now on you’re my responsibility.
-Cordero holds Kaylen tightly as they both cry. Mary walks in with Jamike on her side.
Mary: Oh boys. Come here babies. We’ll be okay. We’ll make it. We’ll make it.
-All four hug each other on the kitchen floor as the man with the telegram stands by.

-Return to the present.
Mary: Those were sad times. So many men we knew died. So many children without fathers. The beginning of the end.
Lily: So Cordero stepped in played dad for Kaylen.
Mary: (Proudly) Yes. And he did a wonderful job. Never disappointed me. Which is why I don’t understand how he ended up dead at that park. It makes no sense.
Lily: It does now. Cordero took Kaylen to play ball. Kaylen told us.
Mary: That was their night to play. I had to work so I told them not to go. They must have waited until Jamike was asleep. My boys were out there together?
Lily: Cordero distracted a gang while Kaylen ran home. Cordero must not have made it.
Mary: (Looks at a picture of Cordero on her mantle.) Why, Cordero? Why? You were supposed to watch your little brother. At home.
Scotty: Did Cordero have any friends we could in touch with? Maybe they know something.
Mary: Cordero had quite a few friends. Many of them unfortunately have died. Goes with the neighborhood. His best friend made it out. Actually, they just met two weeks before he was killed. But they would have been best friends. Lives in Norristown. Darrin Wright. Has a family and I think he’s a lawyer. They went to school together. If anybody would know anything, it would be him.
Lily: We’ll check on him. Do you plan on seeing Kaylen again?
Mary: I don’t know. They won’t let me be there when he dies. I would like to spend some more time with him. An extended visit.
Lily: I’ll see what I can do.
Mary: I do love Kaylen. He’s my baby. He’ll always be my little baby. He was so delicate as a little boy. I don’t know what happened. After Cordero was killed something happened to him. I didn’t see it coming. Then one day, I realized it and it was too late. Jamike knew. She told me she had a feeling something was not right. He was getting into trouble at school but I never thought it would escalate to this. I think it would bring him peace to know what happened.

-At the station.
Lily: We’re going to talk to Cordero’s friend Darrin soon. I’ll bet he might know something.
Scotty: What about the sister? You think she’ll cooperate.
Lily: Mary didn’t talk too much about her. She was at work. Has her own family.
Stillman: Maybe she knew they left the house that night.
Lily: Maybe.
Scotty: So how you gonna get an extended visit for Kaylen’s mother?
Lily: I think the court’s will be generous.
Vera: You mean the D.A.’s office.
Lily: I’ll do what I have to.
Vera: You know this means Cupid will be shooting his arrow again real soon.
Scotty: Let’s hope it’s a direct hit this time.
Lily: You guys are just relentless. I’m going now.
Vera: You’re gonna have to pay him back for his small favor.
Lily: Not necessarily. Look, I’m going to talk to Jamike.
Vera: And swing by the D.A.’s office for a favor.
Lily: Of course. Later guys.
Vera: Don’t forget.
Lily: I know. Ask if he’s still mad at you.
Vera: Right on. (Lily walks away.) I knew she’d remember.

-At the D.A.’s office.
Kite: So you want this convicted cop killer to have an extended visit with his mother?
Lily: I know it sounds like a lot.
Kite: It certainly is.
Lily: Look, the guy is going to die anyway. His mother has barely seen him in years aside from a brief visit a few weeks ago. She didn’t even let him see her. She watched him from a distance. This visit is more for her than it is for him.
Kite: I guess I can pull some strings.
Lily: Thank you.
Kite: Now.
Lily: Right on cue, Kite.
Kite: You didn’t think this was going to be cheap.
Lily: Let’s hope you’re not cheap tonight.
Kite: What are you in the mood for?
Lily: Not sure.
Kite: I was thinking something a little more than say, fries and a coke.
Lily: I’m never gonna live that moment down.
Kite: I was amused.
Lily: That last thing a girl wants is for her boyfriend to see her scarfing French fries.
Kite: And taking large gulps out of your large coke.
Lily: Diet Coke. Kite. Diet Coke.
-Kite laughs.
Kite: I’ll pick you up after work.
Lily: Alright. I’ll go. Maybe we can figure this out. Oh, I was forced to ask.
Kite: Another favor.
Lily: Question. Are you still mad at Vera?
Kite: Well, we did get the real killer. Didn’t quite pull the capital murder charge we originally had but we did get him. Tell him we’re cool.
Lily: Okay.
Kite: By the way, how does this death row inmate figure into your specialty.
Lily: His older brother was killed in ’70. His mother asked for the special favor.
Kite: I’ll be sure to mention that. See you tonight.
-Lily walks out. Kite smiles. He is happy to see them possibly getting back together.

-Lily is at a dentist’s office where Jamike’s husband works. Jamike works there too as a secretary.
Jamike: I’ve been so scared to go visit Kaylen. I figured, “There’s plenty of time.” Here we are, one week from the execution. And here I am, still waiting.
Lily: It’s hard when you know a loved one is going to die.
Jamike: We’ve lost so many people in this family. And now the last man is going to be gone. Of course, he was gone a long time ago.
Lily: Cordero’s death really affected Kaylen.
Jamike: When our father died, Cordero became the man of the house. He whipped Kaylen and me into shape. Kaylen wouldn’t have made it that summer without his brother. Soon after school started for us, Cordero was killed.
Lily: Jamike, did you know they snuck out of the house?
Jamike: Of course I did. And it wasn’t the first time. They went to play basketball at the park a lot. It was getting dangerous out there at night. I can’t imagine what they were thinking. Cordero knew better than to do that. He put Kaylen in danger.
Lily: Do you remember Kaylen coming back that night.
Jamike: No. I was asleep when he did. I didn’t wake up until Mom came home and found him missing.
Lily: Was Cordero having problems with anyone at school?
Jamike: There were some older boys in the neighborhood. They were making the move from child thugs to gang members. They bullied the younger boys in the neighborhood.

-Flashback to 1970. “ABC” by the Jackson Five plays in the background. Kaylen, Cordero, and Jamike are walking to the school.
Cordero: Now Kaylen you be good in class. You’re in third grade. It’s gonna be harder.
Kaylen: Stop treating me like a baby.
Cordero: You’re my responsibility now. Mama can’t watch over you like before. She gotta work.
Jamike: Listen to Cordero, Kaylen. He knows what he’s talking about.
Kaylen: What happened to Daddy?
Jamike: Don’t worry about it, Kaylen. Enjoy the first day of third grade, okay.
Kaylen: Nobody ever tells me what happened. I want to know.
Cordero: You’re not gonna know right now so stop asking.
-A gang of 4 starts moving in from behind. The kids notice.
Jamike: Who are they?
Cordero: Trouble. That’s what they are.
Kaylen: Why aren’t they going to school?
Jamike: They dropped out.
-The members approached.
Gang member #1: Hey kids. What’s up.
Cordero: Nothing. We’re just going to school.
Gang member #2: They goin’ to school. Getting them an education.
Gang member #1: Education is for fools. A white man’s idea. Not for us.
Cordero: We’re goin’ to school. You don’t wanna go that’s fine. But we’re goin’.
-Gang member pulls a knife.
Gang member #1: Watch your attitude boy. I run these streets.
-Cordero stands firm.
Cordero: You’re all tough huh. With that knife. You really need it, don’t you.
Gang member #1: A blade commands respect. As a young brother, you should understand that.
Cordero: You’re not my brother.
Gang member #1: You got that right. You better watch your step. You might get cut.
-The gang walks away. Eventually, they disappear.
Jamike: Cordero, you better watch it. They are bad.
Cordero: They don’t scare me.
Kaylen: Why did they have that knife?
Cordero: Because they’re evil, that’s why. You always want to know things. They’re evil. Let’s go to school.

-Return to the present.
Jamike: That was the scariest five minutes of my life. I never thought I’d be happy to reach the school building.
Lily: This was a week before Cordero died.
Jamike: We were only two weeks into the school year. News hit the school the next day. And we didn’t have grief counselors in those days.
Lily: You had to cope in your own.
Jamike: We did. Mama and I coped.
Lily: Kaylen didn’t.
Jamike: It was horrible what happened. Cordero and Kaylen had a bond. Kaylen was close to his Daddy. And when Daddy was killed, Cordero stepped in. Kaylen never said a word during that funeral. Cordero was able to get him to talk when Papa died, but there was nobody to comfort him there.
Lily: Did he become the man of house after that?
Jamike: I’m afraid not. He became, I don’t know how to explain it. He was never the same after that. He really started misbehaving. And the offenses became worse. Then, when he was 17, a gang member was murdered. Nobody would ever dare say it, but we all knew it was Kaylen. At 18, he left home and we hadn’t heard from him since. That was 25 years ago. We went through so much trying to make it. We were good people. Mama never asked the Lord for anything more that she had. And her husband and son were killed in the same year. Her faith was tested.
Lily: It wasn’t the Lord’s doing. Somebody killed them both. Your father was in a war. Your brother was minding his own business. Somebody chose to end their lives.
Jamike: I keep telling myself that to keep from breaking down. After all these years, those wounds are still hard to heal.

[r2k]

-Meanwhile, Scotty and Vera visit Darrin Wright at his law office. He is sitting at his desk. His image flashes back to 13 and then returns to 48.
Darrin: Cordero was a well-liked boy with most of the kids. It was that wanna be gang he had troubles with.
Vera: Wannabe gang?
Darrin: They talked tough, but never had the guts to do it.
Scotty: You sure about that.
Darrin: Eventually, they ended up in prison. At that point in time, they were simply a nuisance.
Vera: What kinds of trouble was Cordero getting into with this gang?
Darrin: Well, there was Le Mar Reed, Michael Wood, Toby Jackson, and Tevin Davis. They were the frightening four. To most. Cordero wasn’t buying into their gang act.
Scotty: Maybe his resistance escalated things.
Darrin: Wouldn’t rule it out. Cordero would stand up for himself but would then take it a bit too far. He always had to have the last word. So it is possible those four killed him.

-Flashback to 1970. “ABC” by the Jackson Five plays in the background. At school, Cordero and Darrin with a few others are hanging out after school at the front.
Cordero: It’s been bad. Mama won’t talk about it. Jamike is always sad. I don’t know what we’re gonna do.
Darrin: It’s been different not having you around.
Cordero: I gotta look after my brother. He needs somebody.
Darrin: He needs to have some friends of his own.
Cordero: I know. He clings to me like crazy.
-The gang comes up.
Le Mar: Well, look who’s here. Smart boy.
Michael: With a smart mouth.
Cordero: You like making other kids scared. Makes you feel big.
Le Mar: That smart mouth is back.
Darrin: Come on Cordero, let’s go.
Le Mar: He’ll go when I say he can go.
-Le Mar pulls out the knife again.
Cordero: You still think that knife scares me.
-Le Mar grabs Cordero’s arm and makes a small slit. Cordero doesn’t cry or flinch.
Le Mar: Are you scared now?
Cordero: No. I don’t feel your kind of pain.
-Le Mar backs off.
Le Mar: You are not making me happy. I think me and you need to meet again when everyone else is gone.
-The four walk away.

-Return to the present.
Scotty: Any idea where these four are today?
Darrin: One shaped up before the other three went south. He’s a lawyer too. Works not too far from here. We say hi and that’s about it. The other three. One died. The other two have been in and out of prison so many times I couldn’t tell you where they are today. The lawyer is Toby Jackson. His number is listed. Here’s the phone book. Let’s see where it is. Here.
Vera: We thank you for your time.
Darrin: I’ve been reading about Kaylen. How’s he doing?
Scotty: He’s okay.
Darrin: We all should have seen it coming. Why didn’t we stop it? All the struggles our people went through in the Civil Rights Movement and so many of our kids ended up the way they did. Kaylen was so innocent back then. I just can’t see him killing all those people. I have four kids. It’s hard work raising them even with a good house and neighborhood. I still worry. And the deck isn’t even stacked against me like it was for our parents.
Vera: Just do the best you can. That’s all you can do.

-At the station.
Lily: Jamike was aware the two boys were sneaking out of the house.
Vera: And Cordero’s friend Darrin confirmed there was a bullying gang out to get Cordero.
Scotty: I’m not sure about that. These other kids seemed to want to recruit members, not hurt them. I find it hard to believe the situation escalated so fast.
Lily: It’s all we’ve got right now. Maybe this gang member might know something.
Vera: You think you’re gonna get a confession out of him so quickly?
Lily: He might give us something without knowing it. We better hurry if we’re gonna find him.
Scotty: Since when were you ever in a hurry.
Lily: I gotta get home to feed the cats.
-Vera says it to Scotty silently and Scotty reads his lips.
Vera: (speaking silently only moving his lips) She’s got a date with Kite.
-Scotty looks stunned and can’t hide his expression from Lily.
Lily: Thank you Nick.
Vera: You’re welcome. Come on, it’s good news. We’re all happy for you.
Scotty: We should all celebrate sometime soon.
Vera: Bring your boyfriend.
Lily: Let’s go talk to Toby. And not another word of this will be spoken.
Vera: By the way…
Lily: He’s still mad at you.
-Vera looks kind of stunned. Lily turns around and smiles, knowing she just lied to him for fun. Scotty follows her out.

-At the law office Toby Jackson works. He is outside with Lily and Scotty.
Toby: I appreciate you letting me talk to you out here. It’s not something I want everyone in there to hear.
Lily: So you were kind of in a gang back then.
Toby: If you would call it that.
Scotty: Thing is, two of them ended up in jail and the other dead.
Toby: Tevin was shot in ’77. I was in college at that point.
Scotty: We thought you guys didn’t go to school.
Toby: That was just talk. We’d harass the little kids before school and after. Le Mar was a little more into the gang thing than I was. Michael and Tevin were too. We met in elementary school. As we grew up, the neighborhood started to grab hold of us.
Lily: When did you get out?
Toby: After that boy was murdered. You see, I had both my parents looking after me. Daddy told me that day I couldn’t go out. He had the night off work so he decided to watch over me good. Lucky for me I wasn’t there with them.
Lily: So you believe they killed Cordero.
Toby: I’m pretty sure. There was a lot of tension between Le Mar and Cordero. Cordero was desired by Le Mar. Thought he’s make a good gang member. Cordero wanted none of that. I got to meet him at the grocery store that day. I was with my parents. He was with his family.

-Flashback to 1970. “Tears of a Clown” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles plays in the background at a grocery store. Cordero is with Kaylen by the cereal aisle.
Cordero: Look, there’s you favorite. Cheerios. Grab it.
Kaylen: Yum yum. I like this stuff.
Corder: Yeah, I bet you do.
Kaylen: Hey look, there’s one of those guys we saw the other day.
-Cordero sees Toby. Toby approaches him.
Toby: Hey.
Cordero: Hey.
Toby: Hey man, look, I’m sorry about Le Mar. He thinks he’s all bad and stuff. Don’t sweat him. He’s a lot of talk.
Cordero: I know he is. Why do you hang out with him?
Toby: I don’t know.
Cordero: You’re in my science class. Let’s sit together tomorrow.
Toby: I’d like that. I don’t know anybody in that school other than the gang.
Cordero: You shouldn’t be friends with them. They’re not bad now, but they will be soon.
Toby: I know. My dad keeps getting on me.
- Toby’s parents come up to them.
Toby’s dad: Darrin, there you are. We’ve been looking for you. This isn’t one of your gang friends.
Toby: No dad. He’s in one of my classes.
Cordero: Cordero Jefferson. Nice to meet you.
Toby’s dad: Well, you seem like a good influence.
Cordero: I try to be. I gotta watch after my little brother, Kaylen.
Toby’s Dad: I think that’s wonderful you taking on that job. You know, Toby’s got a younger brother, Jamal. I think he’s in Kaylen’s class. You know, how about every once in a while, Kaylen can come over and play with him. You and Toby can do something together. You could get a break.
Cordero: I’d like that a lot. Thank you.
-Cordero’s mother comes along.
Mary: Cordero, you’re brother has wandered off again.
-Mary looks at Toby’s parents.
Mary: Hi, I am Mary Jefferson, Cordero’s mother. And Kaylen if we ever find him.
Toby’s dad: George Wilson. This is my wife, Kim.
Kim: Pleasure to meet you.
Mary: You guys must have just moved in. I don’t believe I’ve seen you around.
Kim: We came here in July. Toby doesn’t know a lot of people. He’s kind of made the wrong friends.
Mary: That can happen. Well, I assure you Cordero is a good boy.
Kim: I also have another son around here. We think he’s in your other son’s class.
-Kaylen and Jamal come running up to them.
Mary: Well, I see you two have found each other.
George: How about I take the boys across the street for some ice cream while you two get acquainted.
Kaylen: (in a sad tone.) I don’t have a daddy.
Jamal: Dom’t worry, Kaylen. You can share my daddy with me.
Kaylen: Okay.
Jamike: I want ice cream too.
George: How about I take the guys and girl.
Jamike: Yeah!!
The men and girl walk out of the grocery store.

-Return to the present.
Toby: After that, I had a new friend.
Lily: And the gang.
Toby: They didn’t know.
Lily: You think they might have?
Toby: They never mentioned it to me.
Scotty: You think maybe that is why they killed him. I mean they tried to recruit Cordero and in a way, Cordero ended up recruiting you.
Toby: I never thought about it that way. Sounds like a motive for Le Mar. He was getting tougher and meaner. It was a matter of time before he acted on it.

-Later that evening. Lily and Kite are at a restaurant.
Lily: You know, I kept going over and over in my mind why I spent so much time out with that guy. And you were waiting so patiently in my place.
Kite: You care about people.
Lily: I do. But I’ve done a good job of not going that extra mile again. Well, except in the interrogation room.
Kite: I’ve heard you’ve done a number on some people.
Lily: Well, you gotta get into their minds.
Kite: You know, I like this. You and me. It just feels good.
Lily: It does. I missed you. Funny thing is I’ve had more spare time open up since we split.
Kite: Look, I don’t want to push you if you don’t seem ready.
Lily: That’s a good idea. But you know, I think I’m ready to go a little further. But let’s take it a slow for a while. Get to know each other again.
Kite: Sounds like a plan. You know, I kind of missed you coming in all the time, asking for a favor.
Lily: That was fun. Had no idea if I was get a yes or no. Or what it would require. How is work?
Kite: As good as always. You send plenty of people my way.
Lily: That I have.
Kite: And you’re okay with that other case.
Lily: Yeah. I’ll be fine. It’s just the one from a while ago. The two kids and old lady who was smothered.
Kite: What’s up with that?
Lily: Well, about a month after he went to jail, I started getting letters from him. Never opened them. A little while ago, he called me in to reveal something about a different case and he brought it up. Why I never wrote back.
Kite: Why didn’t you?
Lily: It would be awkward. A detective writing to someone she arrested. But I did write one letter eventually. You know just to comfort him. Told him to cool it off. Is it me? Do I have this effect on people?
Kite: I think you do. You have that effect on me as well. I can’t stop thinking about you.
Lily: By the way, what happened to that one girl from the pizza place.
Kite: Didn’t work out. She was kind of a dits.
-Lily giggles.
Lily: She was. I think I was a bit mean to her though. I’m sorry.
Kite: Don’t worry about it.

-A little later. At Lily’s place.
Lily: Well. Here we are again.
Kite: Yep. Here we are.
Lily: You know, I bet the girls have missed you.
Kite: The cats.
Lily: You wanna come in. I’m sure they’d love to see you.
Kite: (in a nervous manner) Okay, sure.
-Lily giggles as she knows Kite is freaked out by the cats. They both go in. The door shuts.

[r2k]

-The next morning at the station. Lily is at her desk. Vera and Scotty watch her from a distance. Lily is well aware they are staring at her.
Lily: You’re just dying to know the details, aren’t you boys?
Vera: What? Us. No. It’s none of our business.
Lily: Then why are you both drooling like hungry dogs over there?
Scotty: Can’t we just look at you and admire your hardworking aura.
Lily: Hardworking aura. That’s a new one.
Vera: What happened?
Lily: Now boys, I don’t kiss and tell.
Vera: Did he see the cats?
Lily: Yes, he did. And he’s as freaked out about them as you are.
Vera: Have you seen them?
Lily: Yes, I picked them out. They’re lovely cats. In fact, guess who I’m leaving with when I go on vacation.
Vera: You know, I’m a busy guy. Scotty can do it.
Scotty: Oh know. Maybe Jeffries has some spare time.
Lily: You guys, they’re living beings too. They are capable of love.
Scotty: Trust me, cats are only capable of not listening to a word you say.
Lily: Okay, let’s get down to business. Jeffries should be here any minute with news on the whereabouts of the other two gang members.
-Jeffries joins the group.
Jeffries: Well, only one of the jailed members is still alive.
Lily: Please tell me Le Mar.
Jeffries: Is that your final answer?
Lily: Will it make me a millionaire?
Jeffries: No, but it will give you and Scotty a reason to go to a different prison today.
Lily: No millions.
Scotty: Come on, Lil’. Let’s go. You can tell me all about your date on the way there.
Lily: How about next time I invite you all on the date?
Vera: Is Kite payin’?

-At the prison, Lily and Scotty are sitting in a room with Le Mar Reed. His image flashes back to age 13 and then returns to 48.
Le Mar: I remember that Cordero kid. Hot headed. Didn’t know what’s good for him.
Lily: Because he didn’t join your gang.
Le Mar: He disrespected our gang. He spit on it. I don’t look too kindly on that sort of thing.
Scotty: Thing is, we know he and his younger brother were out that night. And we know you guys were out there too.
Le Mar: Kaylen Jefferson is a thug. You gonna believe him over me.
Lily: The scale is kind of even at this point. Seeing that you are both behind bars.
Le Mar: But he’s gonna die soon.
Scotty: And you’re here til the day you die.
Le Mar: So why should I help you?
Lily: Because if you are guilty of this murder, you will get the needle. How’s that for an incentive.
-Le Mar looks coldly and Lily and realizes he should cooperate.
Le Mar: Okay. We bumped into them that night. The little one ran home. Didn’t matter. He wasn’t the one we wanted anyway. Cordero was the man I needed to talk to.

-Flashback to 1970. Cordero and Kaylen are walking home together. The gang started moving in. Le Mar, Michael, Toby, and Tevin are there.
Le Mar: Hey brother. What you doin’ out here this late.
Cordero: You’re not my brother.
-Le Mar pulls his knife out.
Le Mar: I warned you not to disrespect me. Now it’s dark and there ain’t no police.
-Le Mar moves closer to Cordero. Cordero runs.
Le Mar: You come back here sucka. Get him. Le Mar and Toby chase after him. Tevin and Toby go the other way to cut him off.

-Return to the present.
Le Mar: We lost him. Never saw him alive again.
Lily: And that’s what happened.
Le Mar: That’s what happened. The truth.
Lily: Well, Le Mar, somehow the truth smells bad, like it’s gone bad.
Le Mar: Believe what you want. Toby lost him.
Scotty: Wait, Toby lost him. You mean he was with you.
Le Mar: Yes. Thing is, he stopped talking to us after the murder. Family moved away soon after.

-In the interrogation room. Vera, Scotty, and Lily are with Toby.
Lily: You lied to us.
Toby: (pauses for a few seconds.) Alright, I was with them. Look. I became friends with Cordero, but I couldn’t just drop the other guys. It was complicated.
Lily: How complicated?
Toby: (image flashes back to 13) You don’t just quit a gang like that. They are repercussions (image returns to 48).
Lily: What repercussions?
Toby: Le Mar carried a knife around. What do you think the repercussions were?
Lily: So was there an encounter with Cordero the night he was killed.
Toby: I thought I saved Cordero that night. I pretended to lose him in the chase.

-Flashback to 1970. Toby catches up to Cordero. Le Mat is still further behind and can’t see what is going on.
Toby: Listen, I’m going to keep running. Stay here and go home the minute it is clear.
Cordero: Why are you still with them?
Toby: It’s complicated. I got to go.
- Toby keeps running. Le Mar follows him. Further down the alley, Toby stops.
Toby: I don’t know where he is.
Le Mar: He won’t get far. We’ll find him.
Toby: You man, let’s just go him. We’ll get him another time.
Le Mar: We look for a while. And then we go home.
-The two walk away together.

-Return to the present.
Toby: Cordero snuck away. I have no idea what happened. We gave up and I went home.
Lily: Do you think Le Mar may have found him?
Toby: I don’t think so. He couldn’t have murdered to long after. We went home. I know I died. Le Mar saw me to my house. I don’t think he could have gotten to the playground in time to do it.
Scotty: So you’re not sure if Le Mar could have done it.
Toby: I have to give him the benefit of the doubt. But I really don’t know for sure.
Lily: Was there anyone else who had it in for Cordero?
Toby: Nobody at school. Cordero was well-liked by pretty much everybody. Other than Le Mar, I can’t imagine anyone hating him.
Lily: You only knew Cordero about a week. Did both of your families ever get together?
Toby: That weekend. My mom and their mom got together. Dad took the five of us to the pool. We ran into some trouble with some white people.

-Flashback to 1970. “” George is with the five kids at the pool. Other black families are there was well. They are sitting by the deep end.
Kaylen: This is a great pool. Mama never takes us here.
Cordero: That’s cause she busy.
Kaylen: She’s not busy now.
George: That’s because your mother and their mother are having an afternoon together, getting to know each other. Like friends.
Toby: Mom has been dying to meet a friend since we moved here.
Cordero: Mama needs a friend to get together with since Dad died. She just ain’t been the same.
Toby: My uncle is fighting in ‘Nam right now. I’m kind of worried.
George: You ain’t got nothin’ to be worried about. Uncle Jim is comin’ back in one piece.
Toby: Yeah, but what if he don’t.
George: He’s comin’ back and that’s final. Understood.
Toby: Yes, Dad.

-A group of white teens approach.
White guy #1: Look, negroes in the sun.
White guy #2: What’s the point, they’re already burned.
-Cordero’s getting angry.
George: Just stay cool. They want us to get mad.
White guy #3: Stupid negroes.
Cordero: That all you can come up with. You’re friends had better insults. Or maybe you’re just not smart enough.
White guy #3: Are you talkin’ to me, coon.
Cordero: Yeah, I am.
White guy #1: You better watch it negro boy. You might get hurt.
Cordero: That supposed to scare me?
White guy: Maybe, maybe not. But I know you. And if you don’t watch it, we might have to do a lynching.
George: Now, that’s it!! (He gets up and walks over to the boys.) Get out of here now.
-The lifeguard comes over.
Lifeguard: Is there a problem?
White guy #1: No, sir. No problem at all. Just the pool’s infected with monkey crap.
-George gets mad.
Lifeguard: Get out of here Dennis. The fifties are over. I’m kicking the three of you out again if you harass these people again.
-The lifeguard looks at George and the kids. The gang leaves.
Lifeguard: I’m sorry about that. They do it all the time. If I had my way, I would have them arrested. They’ve harassed too many black families.
George: What they really need is a good whippin’. Over and over.

-Return to the present
Toby: Now that boy is someone Cordero might have provoked.
Lily: You never mentioned this to the cops back in ’70.
Toby: I didn’t think it was possible for those three punks to have killed him. It was night. White guys drivin’ through the badlands looking for a black kid. Kind of a death wish.
Scotty: You mentioned the one boys name was Dennis. You remember a last name.
Toby: No. The pool closed that weekend. We moved again before the next summer.
Lily: To a better place.
Toby: You might say that. Out of the badlands.
Scotty: Hey, how’d you manage to get together with Cordero so many times without your other friends knowing.
Toby: Beats me. My dad was the one who picked them up most of the time. The gang wasn’t around.
Lily: Maybe they killed him to keep him from you.
Toby: Are we done here?
Scotty: Yeah. By the way, what was name of that pool.
Toby: Washington Community Pool. If memory serves, it is still open. Rebuilt it of course. You might be able to find the lifeguard.

[r2k]

-At the Washington Community Pool, which is now an indoor workout center, Lily and Scotty arrive at the front entrance of the pool area. A lifeguard is sitting at the desk.
Lily: Rush, homicide.
Scotty: Valens, homicide.
Lily: We’re trying to locate a lifeguard who may have worked here in ’70. We’re not sure the name.
Lifeguard: I’m not sure. We have records from when this place was just a pool. Come back here.

-The lifeguard takes Lily and Scotty to a room in the back.
Lifeguard: All the records are here. We have personnel files, work schedules.
Lily: Work schedules. Are they in order?
Lifeguard: They should be. The owner was pretty strict about those things. At least that’s what the current owner says. You know he was lifeguard back around that time. I think he’s here. Let me go find him. I’m Lisa. If you need anything, please let me know.
Lily: Thanks.
-Lisa leaves.
Scotty: Work schedules. Let’s see. They’re filed by month and year. September. Here it is.
Lily: That was fast. We need to get this guy to do our older case files.
-A man comes in.
Jim: Jim Lewis. Lisa said you wanted to talk to me.
Lily: Yes, did you work here in 1970.
Jim: Sure did. (image flashes back revealing him as the lifeguard.) Was in high school back then. 16 years old.
Lily: Do you remember an incident involving three white boys and black family.
Jim: Three white boys yes. Black family, narrow it down please. Those three punks created so many unpleasant experiences here at the pool I couldn’t keep track of them all.
Scotty: Well this time a black boy stood up to them.
Jim: Now that I remember. Black guy with four boys and a girl. I was flirting with a girl. Almost missed the whole thing. I made it a point to watch when those three were at the pool. You see, they were equal opportunity discriminators.
Lily: Huh.
Jim: They were mean to you no matter what you were.
Lily: Gotcha.
Scotty: One of the black boys was murdered not too long after
Jim: I never knew.
Lily: Another is on death row.
Jim: You mean that cop killer that’s been on the news.
Lily: That’s him.
Jim: I’ll be damned.
Lily: Do you think those three boys would have killed any of the people they harassed?
Jim: Yes. In fact, they ended up going to prison for attempted murder. All but one. He seemed to escape unnoticed while the other two just went away.
Lily: Someone mentioned that one of the guy’s names is Dennis.
Jim: Dennis Varga. He’s the one who got away.
Lily: Any idea where he is?
Jim: Comes in here every week. With his own kids. Just as mean and rotten as when he was their age.
Lily: His kids are in high school.
Jim: Unfortunately. We’ve had numerous complaints from the girls about the boys. Like father like sons. Dennis was pretty vicious back in high school.
Lily: You knew him.
Jim: Graduated with him. Never liked him much.
Scotty: You ever try to get him kicked out of the pool.
Jim: When you’re sixteen, you don’t have much power. And now, well, Dennis can be pretty intimidating. He says jump, people say “How high”. As long as he is out of our hair, we’re happy.
Lily: Is he here now?
Jim: No. But he’s listed. I can’t give out that information here.
Scotty: Okay. We understand.
Lily: Thanks for your time.

-At the station.
Jeffries: I got a hold of Dennis Varga. He didn’t seem to like us calling him in, but he’s on his way.
Scotty: This should be fun.
Lily: Where’s Vera?
Scotty: Still at lunch, I think.
Lily: I have a feeling we might need him. Let’s hope he gets back here before Dennis arrives.
Scotty: I think it’s too late for that.
-Dennis Varga comes in kind of annoyed and arrogant.
Dennis: Dennis Varga. You must be Detective Rush. Your colleague said you needed to speak with me.
Lily: Yes. Let’s go into this room so we can have some privacy.
-Lily, Scotty, and Dennis walk into an interrogation room.
Lily: Have a seat.
Dennis: Can you tell me what this is about? I hope the pool hasn’t called in.
Lily: This about a murder that happened 35 years ago. 1970. Cordero Jefferson. He was 13.
Dennis: Don’t know him.
Scotty: You had some words with him at the pool and he stood up to you.
Dennis: Still not ringing any bells.
Lily: This boy was found stabbed in a park in his neighborhood.
Dennis: Black boy?
Lily: Yes.
Dennis: Narrow it down, lady. Those neighborhoods are full of those stories. Dumb black people. They don’t know any better.
-Jeffries is on the other side of the mirror. Vera joins him.
Vera: What did I miss?
Jeffries: Well, I’m on this side of the glass, so nothing yet.
Vera: What happened?
-Back on the other side.
Lily: So, you think black people are stupid.
Dennis: Come on. They’re a bunch of monkeys. No intelligence whatsoever.
-Lily looks over at the glass, knowing Jeffries is on the other side.
Scotty: Why not cease with the insults? Do you know anything about his death?
Dennis: No. I never knew him. (Whispers under his breath) Spick.
Scotty: What did you say? (Scotty is angry.)
Dennis: You Mexicans deaf too.
Lily: Back off Scotty. Cool it. He’s just trying to get a rise out of you.
Dennis: Listen to feminazi, wetback. You might learn something. Not much. Doesn’t look like she’s had any in a long time.
-On the other side of the glass.
Vera: Should we go in there?
Jeffries: If I go in there, I may not be a cop at the end of the day.
Vera: Well, I’m gonna get Scotty out of there now.
-Back on Lily’s side.
Lily: So you enjoy being racist.
Dennis: And sexist.
Lily: Well, I believe we have a word for people like you. Scotty, I’m trying to think of it. That’s right, Cracker. pale color.
Dennis: Watch your mouth!
Lily: You can dish it out but you can’t take it. Isn’t that what happened with Cordero? You intimidated so many of his kind until one day he was there and refused to take it.
Dennis: You’re not gonna hook me, girl.
Lily: We’re gonna be watching you, Dennis. I think you killed that boy. And we’re going to find the proof.
Dennis: Really?
Lily: Really. One way or another, we’re going to get you.

[r2k]

-Later, after Dennis has left.
Lily: We can’t get him on anything.
Scotty: He gave us little to go by.
Lily: And 35 years have passed with no witnesses. You know, if Dennis is so racist.
Scotty: What?
Lily: I’m thinking. Hypothetically of course. Dennis and his buddies drive into the Badlands, which wasn’t as bad as it is today, right. They might go relatively unnoticed.
Scotty: Possible.
Lily: What if this wasn’t the first time they did this?
Scotty: Or the last?
Lily: Let’s look for a pattern.
Scotty: I’ll ask Jeffries.
Lily: I’ll look for the boss.
-Mary and Jamike come in. Lily stops to greet them. Scotty pauses for a few seconds and moves on.
Lily: Hi.
Jamike: We were going to the prison to see him.
Mary: I feel the time must be now. With only a few days left.
Lily: I think that’s wonderful you’re going. You know, I have to talk to my boss for a second. I was going to go do a follow-up interview with Kaylen. How about we go together? It might make him less apprehensive.
Mary: I’d love that. Have you made any progress?
Lily: Well, we think it might have been a group of racist teens.
Jamike: You mean those white kids from the pool.
Lily: You remember them.
Jamike: (flashing back to age 10) Yes, I do. They were cruel to us. And right in front of everybody. They were all afraid of them. (images returns to age 45.) But Cordero stood his ground. Later, I overheard them talking about how they were going to teach him a lesson. I couldn’t hear it all, but they were planning to do something. I just assumed since Cordero was killed in our neighborhood it was the other gang from school. I never realized it might have been somebody else.
Lily: I’ll be right back.
-Lily goes to Jeffries instead of Stillman.
Scotty: We need to know if there is a pattern of single murders in that neighborhood.
Jeffries: I’ll do what I can.
Lily: Will. I need an additional favor. Look into all of the people Kaylen has killed. I want to know what race they were.
Jeffries: Sure thing.
Lily: Scotty, we’re going to the prison to talk to Kaylen one last time. His mother and sister are coming.

-At the prison. Kaylen is sitting in his cell alone. The door opens. Lily comes in first, alone.
Lily: Kaylen.
Kaylen: You find him yet.
Lily: Almost. In the meantime, there are two people who want to see you.
-Jamike walks in first. Kaylen is surprised. Jamike’s image flashes back. Kaylen’s image flashes back as he rises to greet her. Mary comes in. Kaylen’s image remains 8 as her image flashes back. She hugs him tightly and does not let go. The images return.
Mary: My baby. What happened to you? I tried so hard to do you right.
Kaylen: I’m sorry Mama. I messed up.
Mary: You were cheated out of life. I alone couldn’t save you. And I wanted so much to see you face to face. You are my baby, (starts crying), and you always will be. I remember the day you were born. Cordero was five. He tried to play catch with you. He had waffle ball and he kept throwing it to you. But you wouldn’t throw it back. But you smiled at him. You two were so good together. Forgive me for not fighting harder for you.
Kaylen: Mama, don’t. You did everything you could for me. It was my choice. I killed those people.
-Lily’s phone rings.
Lily: Rush.
-Lily continues her conversation in the background.
Mary: I love you. I always have. And I always will.
Jamike: Kaylen, I love you too. It doesn’t matter what the people out there think of you. We’re your family. We’re here for you now.
Kaylen: I’m sorry we snuck out of the house. It was my fault. I kept begging until he gave in. (image flashes back) It was only for a little while.
Mary: Cordero’s death is not your fault. Somebody else killed him. You didn’t.
-Lily interrupts.
Lily: Kaylen, you said you didn’t know why you killed those people. But I think you do. All of your victims were white. Even the first one.
Jamike: So was the one from when you were 17. We know it was you Kaylen.
Kaylen: I’m going to die at the end of the week. I don’t want that first kill to stop it.
Lily: You’ll need to make a statement on that one. But the fact you killed white people tells me something.
Kaylen: Yes. I was there. I saw it from a distance. (image flashes back.) He always looked after me. (image returns). I felt I owed it to him to go looking for him. I went to the park. It was the only place I knew. And I saw them.
Lily: The three white kids from the pool.
Kaylen: There were four this time. They were holding him. Laughing at him.

-Flashback to 1970. Kaylen was watching from a distance.
Dennis: We’re going to play a game. I call it, “Kill the coon.”
Friend #1: This is a fun game.
Dennis: You know the rules, the new guy makes the kill.
Friend #2: That’s you.
New Member: I’m not ready for this.
Dennis: You’re as ready as you’ll ever be. Take the knife and kill the monkey. Consider it population control.
-New Member’s face is covered by the darkness. He hesitates. He takes the knife. Kaylen coughs. The guys turn.
Dennis: Hey, it’s another little turd boy. Get him.
-Kaylen runs away.

-Return to the present.
Kaylen: That’s all I saw. But they must have killed him.
Lily: They must not have recognized you later.
Kaylen: I blamed white people, okay. They came into our neighborhood, which already had enough problems and made more. They got so angry when a nice black family wanted to make a new life and, God forbid, move into a white neighborhood. But they did it. And they came in to kill us.
Lily: Not all people are bad.
Mary: It was wrong of you to think that because of a few bad apples, the whole tree was bad. They are many good apples on the tree of life. I wish you could have seen that.
-Kaylen bows his head and cries.
Kaylen: It’s too late.
-Mary hold his head in her lap.
Mary: It’s never too late, baby. I love you. And for the first time, I’m thinking about you and I’m happy. Because you’re here. And you are the Kaylen I remember. Sweet and loving. You have a few days left. Please be happy. And I’m going to come see you every day. I’ll be here as long as I can. You are my baby. I brought you into this world. And I’m going to be there for you when you leave. I am so proud of you.
Kaylen: That’s what I always wanted. (Starts crying) I miss him so much. I miss them both.
Mary: I know baby. I miss them both too. But I’ve missed you too and you were still here. That hurt me so much that you shut me out, us both.
Jamike: Cordero always took care of you. He knew you needed that.
Mary: You’re father loves you too. And your brother. You’ll be with them soon.

[r2k]

-Back at the station.
Lily: There were four teenage boys at the scene.
Scotty: So who’s the extra one?
Lily: Not sure. The lifeguard seemed to think there were only three.
Scotty: He knew them from school. Maybe he might know if there was an extra.
Lily: He didn’t. He would have mentioned that to us. From what Kaylen told us, this fourth guy was a new guy. This must have been an initiation.
Scotty: But I thought Dennis did the killing. He was the one who had it in for Cordero.
Lily: Dennis was the big cheese. I don’t think he killed any of these people. He had his followers do it.
Scotty: How convenient. So we bring Dennis back in?
Lily: No. We go to him.
Scotty: Wait. Let’s go to the new guy.
Lily: But we don’t know who he is.
Scotty: It just occurred to me who he is. Let’s go swimming.

-Back at the workout center. In Jim’s office.
Lily: Jim, we know you were there.
Scotty: We know Dennis wanted you to kill Cordero.
Jim: I didn’t know those guys that well. We didn’t hang out together.
Lily: Cut the crap, Jim. Kaylen saw a fourth guy at the murder scene.
Scotty: And then there’s the matter of you not doing anything about them.
Lily: Thing is, you were friendly toward them. You just couldn’t be with them out in front of everybody.
Scotty: Your reputation might cost you your job.
Jim: That job was important to me. Look, you’re right about it. I was friends with them. Even shared the same attitudes. Back then, that’s what you did. But my old man wanted me to be someone. Those other three, they weren’t going anywhere.
Lily: Did you go with them that night to kill Cordero?
Jim: That was the original plan. So Kaylen must have been the little boy we saw. He didn’t see the finale.
Lily: No, that would have crushed him.
Jim: I can’t say anything more.
Lily: This is why you can’t control Dennis’s sons here, isn’t it. Because Dennis knows the truth.
Jim: Stop.
Lily: Dennis never killed any of them, did he? He got you guys to do it and now blackmails you all.
Scotty: Or the ones who didn’t end up in jail.
Jim: What difference does it make now?
Lily: It makes a difference to Kaylen. His mother and sister, who have seen the men in their family fall.
-Jim pauses.
Jim: I want protection.
Lily: From what?
Jim: Prosecution. I didn’t kill him. I wasn’t even there when it finally went down.
Scotty: What do you mean?
Jim: I chickened out.

-Flashback to 1970. After Kaylen gets away.
Dennis: Don’t matter. They don’t remember much anyway. Here Jim, take the knife.
-Jim takes it and pauses.
Dennis: Stab the coon, now.
Cordero: No please. You don’t want to do this.
Dennis: Ignore him. He isn’t human.
Jim: I’m sorry.
Dennis: You’re never sorry for this.
Cordero: Don’t do this.
-Jim stops.
Jim: I won’t.
-Jim runs off with the knife in hand. He runs and runs.

-Return to the present.
Jim: I took the knife with me. I didn’t want them to use it. I ran and ran. When I got home I went to sleep. The next morning I went on with my life like nothing happened. I never knew anything happened to that boy. I’m not in any trouble.
Lily: If what you have told us helps, no.
Scotty: We need the names of the other two kids.
Jim: Dale Grant and Lester Brown. Both serving time in New York for attempted murder. Never made parole. How are they going to be able to help you?
Lily: Well, if they didn’t kill Cordero, they might give Dennis up for a reward.
Scotty: Like freedom or parole.
Jim: I don’t know. I wasn’t there when it all went down, but I’m not sure Dennis or any of them had committed a murder before. They were racists, but I think that was the first time any of them committed murder.

-A prison in New York.
Scotty: Lester was murdered here a few years ago in a fight. Dale is still alive. He’s waiting for us now.
-In a room, Dale is waiting. His image flashes back to 16, then returns to 51.
Lily: Dale Grant. You hung out with Dennis back in 1970.
Dale: What of it?
Lily: Went around killing people.
Dale: I’m already here. I have no desire to lengthen the sentence.
Scotty: I know. Got 25 years for attempted murder. Lester’s wife. You both tried to off her.
Dale: Never touched her and here I am.
Lily: You were 27 then. A long time here. And your friend died here.
Dale: I don’t care.
Lily: I do know this. You hate Dennis. We know he got you guys to kill some of them.
Dale: No way. He was all talk and no do. He wanted to.
Lily: Did Dennis kill Cordero? The boy from the pool.
Dale: Oh yes, he did. He was on a mission to kill all black people. He hated them. Funny. He was the cold-blooded killer and Lester and I ended up in the slammer. Dennis claimed to have killed about 10 black people during high school. Never did. Then, he moved on.
Lily: You have a parole hearing coming up.
Dale: What difference does it make now? They never seem to listen. 25 years and I’m still here. They made it very clear to me the first hearing that I was never going to get out.
Scotty: But next year, you get out. We can work out a deal. If we get Dennis, you get out.
Dale: What do you want me to do?
Lily: Make a statement. And we can get Dennis.
Dale: Dennis was did the killing. But he wanted us to get our hands dirty. Since Jim was new, he decided to initiate Jim into murder first. Lester and I were to do it later. We didn’t actually see it up front. But he did it. Will you be able to help me?
Lily: We definitely can. You’ve given us a lot.

[r2k]

-At the workout center, Dennis and his obnoxious sons are there. Lily and Scotty walk up to them.
Lily: Dennis, nice to see you again.
Dennis: Nice to see you. How about you get suited up. My boys need a workout.
-His sons laugh.
Lily: You’ll be getting a workout soon enough.
Scotty: With Bubba, every night in a cell. We’ve been talking to Dale Grant.
Lily: He gave you up. We know what happened.
Scotty: We’ve been talking to the owner here, Jim. He gave you up as well.
Lily: So, the lack of credibility of one convict is more than made up for by one who is credible.
-Jim comes out from his office.
Dennis: Jim, you son-of-a..
Lily: Not in front of all these people. So, you hate black people.
-The black people all stop and look.
Lily: Yeah, Dale claims you bragged about killing a bunch of black people but never really did.
Scotty: You couldn’t actually kill a black person yourself, you tried to order others to do it.
-The black people in the weight room are disgusted.
Lily: Feeling a little uncomfortable.
Dennis: You have a lot of nerve.
Lily: No, you have a lot of nerve. Kaylen Jefferson is scheduled to die because you gave him a warped view of white people.
Dennis: Kaylen, the man who killed all those cops. You’re listening to him.
Lily: He was Cordero’s little brother. He was also the little turd boy as you referred to him that you saw in the bushes at the park.
Dennis: It isn’t true. Tell them, Jim.
Jim: No, you wanted me to kill him. I could never be as cold-blooded as you and I’m ashamed for what I thought and almost did.
Lily: When you killed Cordero, you killed those twenty-five people. Kaylen may have done it, but you set the wheels in motion. And even if you don’t go away for it, everyone here now knows the truth.
Dennis: You b----. These people have so many kids and don’t even know how to raise them. They’re monkeys. Subhumans. They never should have been made equal. They’re fat and lazy.
-Scotty looks around.
Scotty: They don’t look like that to me. You’re the one who had your friends kill the people for you. You’re the one who was lazy.
Lily: Dale and Lester got tired of doing everything you wanted them to. And then you expected them to murder for you. But they wouldn’t. You had to kill Cordero yourself. A 13 year old boy stabbed and you had to do it.
Dennis: That stupid little yard ape sassed me. He had no right to talk to me that way. So I taught the coon a lesson. A lesson in manners.

-Flashback to 1970. After Kaylen gets away and Jim runs off with the knife.
Dennis: Alright, Dale, you do it.
Dale: No way..
Dennis: Dale, do it.
Dale: No.
Dennis: Lester.
Lester: No, it’s not my turn. You said I wouldn’t have to do it yet.
Dennis: Someone has to kill him. He’ll talk. Negroes love to talk. Something we never should have taught them.
Lester: I’m not going to do it.
Dennis: Get out of here you two!!! Losers!!!!
-Dale and Lester leave.
Dennis: Well, I guess I’m going to have to do it.
Cordero: Do you have the guts?
Dennis: I have the guts.
Cordero: You’re nothing but a coward. You hate us for no reason at all.
Dennis: I never need a reason for anything.
-Dennis stabs him in the heart. He slowly lefts Cordero up off the ground with the knife in his chest. He holds him up there for a few seconds.
Dennis: You don’t feel so cocky now, do you, negro.
-Cordero’s life force slowly drains from his body and his feet relax. His head goes down. Dennis jerks him loose from the knife. Cordero falls to the ground and dies. Dennis drags the body over to the blacktop. He slowly walks away to his car where the other two are waiting. They get in and drive away.

-“Ooh Child” by the Five Stairsteps plays in the background as Dennis is arrested. His image flashes back to age 16. He looks over at Jim, who’s image has flashed back to 16. Both images return to 51 as Dennis is taken away. Everyone at the weight room has a look of shock. Dennis’s sons are shocked to learn their father was a murderer. Meanwhile, Darrin is at lunch with some colleagues when he spots Toby at a nearby table. He walks up to him and shakes his hand. Both images flashback to when they were 13 and return to 48. At a prison, Dale is released. He walks down the cell block by Le Mar’s cell. The images flash back though neither of them know each other. Lily and Scotty put the case file back in its place and walk away together. At the prison, Lily tells Kaylen what really happened to Cordero. His image flashes back to 8. Mary and Jamike’s image also flashes back as they hug each other. Later, Lily returns to her desk to find some flowers waiting for her. She smiles as she opens the card. As she reads it, she laughs. Vera is looking on smiling as she is happy. Back at the prison, Kaylen is being prepped for his execution. His mother and Jamike are not allowed to witness so they say they’re last goodbye. As Kaylen lays there on the table, he looks on at the window of witnesses. In the back, he sees Cordero. Kaylen smiles, knowing they will be reunited shortly. Cordero’s image fades away. Kaylen has tears in his eyes as the song closes.

Next Episode: Rock On

When footage from a recent VH1 special on the ‘80s heavy metal years reveals the final moments of a 17 year old groupie, Rush reopens the case. 17 year old Tricia Cox was found in a bathroom of a heavy metal club in 1988 following a Def Leppard concert. Her head had been bashed into the mirrors and walls. As Rush digs deeper into the case, she learns Tricia had been keeping many secrets and harbored a deep resentment towards her father for reasons unknown to the police at the time of her death.

[ruda]

R2K... great fanfic! realy great!
you know... I don't know how you can write so good fics. I love it! ;D

I can't wait for your next fanfic ;D

BIG HUG!!!

[TVFan]

Definitely an emotional story R2K. You kept me guessing throughout the story. Nice work!

[Tati]

Wow, great fic R2K! As usual, you built the case very well and I couldn't guess who the killer was. I enjoyed the scenes between Lilly and Kite too. And Vera was too funny in this one, I loved it.

[r2k]

Thanks everyone. The characters in this story are based on some of my students. Cordero was a student I had several years ago. I only used the name and changed the character around a bit. Darrin was someone in my class this year. Kaylen is a student I had two years ago. If I were a casting director for this episode, I'd choose the real Kaylen because he fit the role so well. The real Kaylen is a nice boy who unfortunately moved away during the first semester in 2003, long before I started watching CC. I originally had Cordero being shot at the playground until Time to Crime aired. Then I had to change it a bit. In a few days I'll release the next fic. I have the next two done. I just need to to some last minute checks to see if I want to change anything. But for this one, I wanted a ruthless killer instead of one with a sob story.

[Disasterfreak]

Howdy, R2K! Think this might be my favorite "episode" yet. Loved your dialogues. The only thing I couldn't quite buy was Lilly being so sympathetic toward a cop killer. I mean, the reason you tried to give for it was pretty good and convincing, but even so, I think it's pretty hard to forgive people murdering your kind. Otherwise, the fic was pretty near perfect.

And about Kite... well, I still don't like it ... but let's just say I'm dealing with it. You're taking it step-by-step and letting me down easy, which is very charitable of you.

[r2k]

Disasterfreak: When you didn't respond to this fan fic earlier, I thought the shock killed you. I hate to say it, but I was thinking of you when I wrote the date scene. I kept thinking, Disasterfreak isn't going to like this. As for Lily and the copkiller, let's not forget, "The Runner". She was understanding there as well. I teach these sort of kids and some might end up killing a cop someday. And while I'm not condoning cop killing in any way, I have the experience working with at-risk students to know that many never had a chance to really learn right from wrong. Though I consider myself conversative, I believe in forgiving people when they know they've done wrong. Of course, I also believe in consequences too. As for Kite, read my next fan fic, "Rock On". I'm giving you a spoiler. Kite and Lily will reveal something personal about each other. I'm not going to be that easy on the relationship. I will write in some conflict.

[Disasterfreak]

Yay! Disasterfreak loves a good conflict. Put some heavy angst on the side and you'll make me a happy girl. Sorry I was so long responding to this fic. I was sick for a long time and they I was overwhelmed by work... so it may be a while before I can intelligently read Rock On. Don't worry, I'll get around to it as soon as I can. And I promise to review.