Boston Blue

Amen.

May this candle bring peace to the soul of my father,

Benjamin silver.

I'm so glad we're all here

to celebrate Ben's yahrzeit together.

- It means a lot. - The first anniversary

of a loved one's death

should be supported by the gathering of family and friends.

I appreciate you being here.

There's no place we'd rather be than here.

We're here.

So, tonight, and every day forward,

we're gonna celebrate the joy.

Pass that brisket this way.

I still cannot believe to this day

that he did not take my phone away

- or my Xbox. - Jonah.

- You were his favorite. - You were his baby boy.

- The baby boy. - Dad didn't have a favorite.

- Jonah was his favorite. - Sarah, how can you say that?

He loved you all the same.

Well, maybe a little bit more.

How was I the favorite?

After all the hours Ben suffered

coaching your horrible girls' soccer team.

- Dad! - Grandpa, you know

- you said that out loud, right? - He's right. No.

- He's right. We were awful. - Wow.

Awful.

And dad was so patient.

Remember how you used to pout on the sidelines?

- Because you hated not playing. - Lena.

- -Do not tell that story. - Tell the story.

Yes, please tell us about the superintendent

pouting on the sidelines.

She devised a whole plan.

Now you make me sound like some kind of evil mastermind.

She used to pay her teammates

a dollar so they would fake injuries

so she could stay in the game.

- That is evil. - Terrible.

I was the best player on the soccer team.

I was just doing what dad always said to do.

If you witness an injustice... Do something about it.

Lena, do you remember all the corny, bat mitzvah ideas

- that he came up with for you? - What'd you end up going with?

- I didn't have -a bat mitzvah. - How come?

Because I didn't technically fully convert.

To judaism.

Sorry.

It's okay. It's okay.

L'Chaim.

What?

I've been practicing.

Okay.

L'Chaim!

- Look at this man speaking Hebrew. - Can we talk

- about her soccer days more? - Yeah. It was

- quite genius. - Can we not?

Well, you can talk about the "genius" part.

Why is everything in Boston uphill?

You let me know if you need to stop, catch a breath,

stretch, you know?

Will do, will do.

I am curious, though... why aren't we driving?

'Cause traffic's been redirected around the park.

You know, thanks for including us on Friday.

Ben sounds like he would've been a great guy to have a beer with.

And you call him your dad, not your stepdad.

That is very cool.

- We were very close. - Yeah.

If you don't mind me asking, how does it work?

You practice judaism but you never converted to judaism?

Yeah. Well, my mom gave me the option to convert

when she married dad.

I didn't want to do it. I was torn

between my grandpa and her.

Baptist minister.

You know, the more I went to temple and practiced judaism,

the more I got into it. I just...

I never actually went back and did the mikvah,

the conversion ritual.

And now, at the anniversary of Ben's death,

it's kind of bothering you that you didn't?

Yeah.

I'm worried that he died disappointed.

All those traditions were so special to him.

You know, high holidays, passover seders,

family shabbat.

If I had to guess, I'd say he probably understands.

Set a pretty high bar for us dads.

When my wife died, all my sons ever saw

was me coming in late with takeout

and heading out early back to work.

They lost out a lot to the job.

- Grief is tough. - I know.

Maybe it's not too late to fix it.

For both of us.

- Thank you. - What do we got?

The building's handyman was taking out garbage.

Came across this rug.

And there's a body inside?

Chopped up or together?

Saved that surprise for you two.

Thanks.

Stab wound. Bled out.

No cuts or bruising to suggest a struggle.

No wallet.

No cell phone.

Just a set of keys.

Looks like a robbery,

but it doesn't exactly quack like one.

I mean, why go through all the trouble of rolling this guy up

in a rug, dragging him down here,

dumping him just for a cell phone and some cash?

You think it's a "they"?

Definitely take more than one person

to carry him all the way down here.

Check out his right hand.

Now, I bet you cannot break the grip

that he has on these flowers.

Let's see.

- Wow. - Cadaveric spasm.

Instantaneous rigor at the moment of death.

And you know this because...?

Let me guess: You have another sibling,

who's a coroner.

No.

I, temped for three months

at the medical examiner's office.

You tagged toes?

I answered phones,

but I did pick up a few useful facts,

like the reflex reaction of someone when they're stabbed

is to let go.

But he held on tight, so that means

these flowers meant something to him.

It can probably get us an ID.

Or lead us to our killer.

Want to go over your morning schedule?

Not unless it's captivating, Charlie.

Want to go over your afternoon schedule?

District attorney silver! District attorney silver.

- Do you have a minute? - You know that woman?

- No, I don't think so. - You go on, Mae.

- I'll handle this. - No, wait. Please. What happened to my son

was unfair and no one will listen to me.

I need your help.

Mae, go inside the courthouse, please.

No, I requested a case review on behalf of my son.

His name is Elijah Daniels.

I don't know that name.

You never read it.

My application never got to you?

I don't know why I thought this was possible.

It's all just empty words and false hope with you people.

Whoa... security! Security.

Okay, Charlie, thanks.

It's okay. Thank you, sir.

Ma'am.

I take case reviews very seriously.

Now, I don't know how yours fell through the cracks,

but I am not in the business of false hope.

- What's your name? - It's... It's Joanna Daniels.

My son is in prison

and he doesn't deserve to be there.

I need your help to get him out.

I'm a professor at bu.

I ride my bike to campus every other day around this time.

You were in the bike Lane, right?

- Yes, I was in the bike Lane. - Mr. Sims, I'm not...

- "Professor," if you don't mind. - Okay. All right.

Professor, can you tell us

exactly where the accident occurred?

It wasn't an accident.

Why do you say that?

Because it was a hit-and-run.

The word "accident" suggests

a lower degree of accountability.

Now, sir, can you tell us what happened?

I was coming around that corner when I was suddenly struck

from behind, thrown from...

my now mangled means of transport.

- Your bike? - I plummeted

towards the asphalt as my not-yet-fulfilled life

flashed before me.

Can you describe the vehicle for us?

Faded green sedan.

Not sure of the model, not high-end.

Paint transfer.

Did you get a look at the driver?

No faces. Just two silhouettes.

Didn't even slow down or look back.

Massachusetts plates.

R27. That's as far as I got.

I loved this bike.

I want you to find out who did this to her.

Okay, now, the paramedics are here.

They're gonna take a look at you and get you all bandaged up.

Attention, all units.