Motive

I was 21 years old,

and I was juggling two jobs,

I had a toddler, and I was going to night school,

and it felt like I was drowning.

Listen to you.

You're still using excuses.

And the truth is, I wanted to quit.

I thought that was my only option.

And Judge Rodman, I remember, she took me into her office,

and she gave me one of the more unique motivational speeches

- that I've ever received. - Go ahead, say it. I was a bitch.

No, I won't say that. She wasn't,

but she did make my life miserable in a really great way.

She taught me something really important, and that is

that the harder something is, the more it's worth doing,

if you want it badly enough.

But I wouldn't be a detective

if Judge Rodman hadn't held me accountable

and made my life hard.

And I'm a good detective. I'm proud of that.

Does anyone have any questions for Detective Flynn?

- Go ahead. - Did it get easier juggling everything

- after you finished your degree? - No, it got worse,

because after graduation, I had academy,

and then I had my rookie year,

and if you want to be a homicide detective,

you have to be willing to give up your personal life.

A career in law is just like that,

there are no boundaries,

and you take that job with you everywhere you go.

_

Less than five minutes until they post the list. You're not curious?

Like you said, less than five minutes.

Doesn't seem like there's much point in stressing now.

Because you're a shoo-in.

Maybe you'll finally let me take you out for that drink to celebrate?

Yes!

- Who'd you get? - Judge Rodman.

Me too.

Seriously? Rodman?

I guess we'll be spending a lot of time together at the courthouse.

So how about that drink?

- Start without me. - Come on, Lexi.

- You work too hard. - No, I work smart.

_

- Mom. - What?

- I said dice the peppers. - Yeah, that's what I'm doing, see?

A little smaller.

Okay.

So, Staff Sergeant, eh?

No, acting Staff Sergeant. Is this going in there?

Yeah.

What, you don't want the job, or...

God, no. The politics of that position are terrible.

It could be an opportunity, though, right?

Hmm...

There is another opportunity I wanted to talk to you about, though.

Uh, Interpol.

They asked me to apply for a secondment.

- Interpol? - It'd be three years away,

in Paris, though, and I just moved in here, so...

Why are you trying to talk yourself out of it?

Is that what it sounds like?

You think I should do it?

Mom, it's Paris.

It's only three years.

I could take this place over for you.

You just want my apartment.

Hey,

I heard this was an Arson call.

Why are we here?

Because of who's house it is. Judge Rodman's.

- Natalie Rodman? - Yeah, you know her?

Yeah, she was one of my profs.

I just talked to her class at the university last week.

Is she okay?

She's lucky to be alive.

I wanted to get the steaks grilled before it rained,

so I turned on the barbecue to preheat it.

I went outside,

and I wasn't five feet away,

and the damn thing exploded.

When was the last time you used it?

Three days ago. It was fine.

Honey, no.

Honey... really.

Everyone is making such a fuss over nothing.

Judge Rodman? Are you okay?

Yes. May I have a moment with my clerk, Detective?

Yeah, sure.

I need you to go to the office to get my case files.

I'm going to work at the house tomorrow.

Anything you need.

I'm just so glad you're all right.

So, go.

Motive - 04x12 - Chronology of Pain

Excuse me, are you with Arson?

- Ah. - Detective Flynn.

Hey, Kennecki, nice to see you.

I thought you were with Telephone Response.

No, they switched me over to Arson a couple weeks back.

How did you escape TRD?

With a lot of double shifts and free overtime.

It's not like I could really sit on my ass.

You kicked it too hard.

Thank you.

I wasn't ready for Homicide.

A little too much talking, not enough listening.

Well, you're welcome. What do we got?

Well, we found the remains of three small butane tanks,

hidden by a layer of black foil.

So when she lifted the lid, she wouldn't have seen them?

No. When she lit the element, the caps melted, released the gas,

- and the whole thing blew. - Well, it could be a firebug.

I mean, in terms of

a plan for murder,

it's the equivalent of cutting someone's brake lines

and then hoping that they drive.

Well, depending on how much research they did.

There's no gate, no cameras.

The whole burglar alarm system just covers the house.

It's pretty easy to keep an eye on the Rodmans.

Okay, so anyone could have come back here

in the last three days, and hidden the tanks?

They'd be in and out fast. It only takes about five minutes.

Sorry I couldn't narrow down your timeline.

That's okay. We need to canvass the neighbors...

I've already got uniforms on it.

I'll get them to report to you.

All right.

That's some good work, Mitch.

- It's good seeing you. - Nice to see you.

Natalie, I'd be a lot happier

if you would go to the hospital

and get checked out.

I'm fine.

It would take a lot more than that to rattle my cage.

Can you think of anyone who'd want to hurt either of you?

Don't sugar coat this, Detective.

We all know that Natalie was the target.

- We do? - Brent,

you're making yourself look very suspicious.

And everyone knows

Natalie loves to cook,

thanks to the profile

in the alumni magazine last month.

See, that's the problem

with being married to a writer.

They're prone to hyperbole.

So you think an angry ex-con did this.

Haven't you heard?

I'm soft on crime.

Nat, don't be so nonchalant about this.

You have pissed off your share of criminals,

and victims,

and we have the hate mail to prove it.

Don't forget the car, Brent.

- Yeah, right, the car. - What car?

I am kidding!

I saw a car parked out on the street

a couple of days ago.

I wrote down the plate.

Natalie thought I was over-reacting.

Because you were over-reacting.

Here it is.

Tell me about this hate mail you mentioned.

We keep it all on file at Judge Rodman's office.

I'll need access to it, as well as the Judge's schedule for the past week.

Of course.

If you want to give me a ride to the courthouse,

I can get that for you now.

You don't mind?

You kidding?

Some scumbag just tried to blow up my boss.

Whatever you need.

Hey. So far,

all of the prisoners who sent Judge Rodman hate mail are still in prison,

and all of the victims have alibis.

Hmm, well, I may have found the next great motivational slogan.

Picture it, "You dumb bitch,

I'm going to rip out your eyeballs and feed them to you."

- Charming. - Mm-hmm.

It's too bad the author of that

He was nowhere near Natalie's house.

I ran that plate that Brent Rodman gave you.

It belongs to Craig Sugimoto.

I know that name.

Yeah, his daughter was murdered last year?

Judge Rodman just handed down the sentence.

How many years they get?

Judge Rodman only gave the guy 12 years.

I know how it works. He'll be up for parole in eight.

My daughter was only 22 years old.

- I'm sorry for your loss. - Yeah.

Everyone's sorry.

No one wants to do anything.

Is that why you went over to Judge Rodman's house?

To get her to do something?

All right, yes, I went by her house,

but just to talk.