Them

Uh-uh-uh.

Back away from that fridge.

- Happy birthday. - Aw.

Your daddy would be so proud of you.

- Thanks, Mom. - Kelvin!

Wish your mama a happy birthday before she go to work.

Happy birthday, Mom. Damn.

All right. I got to go.

I love you.

Be safe.

1227 East 35th Street.

Southeast corner. Single-family residence.

El Chato on Olympic.

Best breakfast burrito in the city, boss.

No food at a crime scene, and don't call me "boss."

I told you, compadre. I'll take hers.

Late night? I only ask because you're late.

You only ask 'cause you're an asshole.

You responding?

Call came in just before 6:30 a.m.

Victim is a Ms. Bernice Mott.

- Foster mother. - Who made the call?

One of the children. Malcolm, 16.

Where's Malcolm now?

Transporting him to PAB for questioning.

Only material.

- For now. - The other children?

DCFS has them downtown.

Captain.

Thanks.

No porch light or exterior lighting on,

closest streetlight is approximately 60 feet north.

Good God.

Main breaker tripped.

No signs of forced entry in the front door.

Curtains pulled in the living room

and the dining room.

There are mold spores on the ceiling

and the walls.

All that money from the state, she couldn't spring for a decent La-Z-Boy?

- Was it this hot when you got here? - Worse.

Thermostat was cranked to 90.

There's a star-shaped clock on the wall in the dining room.

Stopped at 3:17.

Glass is cracked.

Sign of struggle?

Glass door in the dining room has been shattered.

Watch your step.

The kids were in this bed when we got here.

Dirty... dirty diapers,

broken toys.

Square imprint on the floor of the closet in the master.

Something was here.

It's been moved.

Detective?

You okay?

Yeah, fine.

Fine.

You're gonna want to come see this.

Cleaning supplies lined up along the hallway into the kitchen.

What the fuck?

Shit.

Victim's...

victim's right leg has been broken,

bent... backward.

Complex fractures implied.

Victim's neck has been broken.

Her head... twisted.

Multiple spinal fractures implied.

Ms. Mott's mouth is distended...

unnaturally so.

Are you ready to release yourself from fear?

Imagine...

Imagine what might happen,

what might be available to you

- if fear was not an option. - If fear was not an option.

Are you ready?

Ready to relinquish doubt and befriend

- your most actualized self? - Your most actualized self?

Are you ready to rel...

Are you scared?

Don't be.

Who is everyone's favorite piggy?

That's right, it's Cheddar!

And here he comes right now!

Hey, everybody.

Who's ready to party?

What the hell was that?

I was just trying something new.

You think corporate approved my script so that you could try something new?

It's called improv.

No, it's called a liability, dancing around like that.

You could kick some poor kid in the face, knock a molar loose.

Who's paying for it?

Exactly.

But the kids loved it.

A kid just tried to swallow a Skee-Ball.

They're not Siskel and Ebert.

Is that all?

I have an audition.

Ah, yeah. Good luck with that, Billy Dee.

...that are being used across the nation in law enforcement.

This is an aberration.

This is something that should never have happened.

We had in place all of the procedures

that would keep it from happening.

Procedures fell down because of human error,

and we will deal with that human error.

Fuck that. Guy was a beast.

Yes, sirree, he was a big ol' boy.

I'm sorry.

Everything that happens in the police department reflects upon me.

I'm gonna need you to step back.

I don't escape, uh, any kind of responsibility...

Cuff me.

Lieutenant.

I just came from East 35th.

Yeah, I heard it was brutal.

Yes, sir. I want this one.

Color me surprised.

I'm so glad that I have a fucking door so people can't just walk in.

The Mott murder, sir.

It's been decided.

You're it.

Great. Thank you.

Partnered with McKinney.

He's the lead.

Fuck.

Remember who gave you your last two promotions

and choose your next words carefully.

It's just... he has his own style.

There, you see? Diplomacy looks good on you, Reeve.

He closes too quick, sir.

Translation, he doesn't overinvest. He stays grounded.

What is that supposed to mean?

I got removed from Southside Slayer almost two years ago.

Isn't there some sort of statute of limitations on penance?

Unfortunately, I got a memory like an elephant when it comes to D-2s

physically assaulting a CI and blowing up an investigation.

I didn't blow up an investigation.

You didn't not blow up an investigation either.

Well, if you think that, then why assign me at all?

Well, unfortunately for me, you work hard and smart.

And you'll never let something like that happen again.

- Yes, sir. - Hello, Malcolm.

I'm Detective McKinney.

This is Detective Reeve.

Sorry to hear about what happened to your foster mom.

You must be shaken up.

We don't want to cause you any more grief.

All we want to know is what you saw.

Nothing.

Okay. Then, what you heard.

Malcolm, I know you didn't do that

to Ms. Mott.

I also know that you must have heard something.

You're a big boy, Malcolm.

Did you play football?

I played.

Linebacker.

You?

Let me guess.

Full back?

Big and strong.

Now, you were a little kid in that house, weren't you?

Been with Ms. Mott since you were how old?

Three.

Three-year-old's not so big and strong.

I was called out to that house once or twice.

I was a patrol officer back then.

And I remember because I saw a few kids,