The Closer

Synchro: ShalimarFox, Kiry

Michelle Clark, 16 years old.

She didn't answer when she was called for breakfast this morning, so

her father came upstairs to wake her

found his daughter hanging from the ceiling, cut her down with scissors.

And the parents heard?

Nothing in the night, their bedroom's on the other side of the house.

- Chief Johnson, can I have a word? - I'll be right there.

Yeah.

Sanchez and daniels have taken the parents into the kitchen,

they don't have to watch their daughter get hauled out of here on a gurney.

And Flynn's calling Michelle's friends,

just to try and find out if she was as happy as her father described.

Okay.

Buzz, memorialize the crime scene. Thank you.

I want to thank you for coming down.

I need a fresh pair of eyes on this.

On what, exactly?

It's... it's sensitive.

Commander, I'm, I'm happy to help.

I'm just not sure why you need my division to investigate a suicide.

Could you come with me a moment, please?

Now...

Your mother is just outside.

She's welcome to join us y time you like.

Or your father.

No.

No, please.

I don't want my dad to know anything about this.

Okay. It's okay.

We can handle that.

Now...

I looked over the interview you gave during your medical exam yesterday,

and...

It says your assailant invited you...

To his home.

Is that correct?

So, this is someone you knew, someone...

You considered a friend?

I liked him.

I did.

It says you...

Talked and watched some tv.

Then what happened?

He had these pills,

and he wanted me to take one.

Drugs.

What kind?

Ecstasy.

I had never tried it before.

I swear.

I was so scared, but...

He said he wanted...

To be...

My boyfriend.

He said...

Michelle, is this a person you know from school?

Can you tell me his name?

What happened to you is not your fault.

I want you to know that.

Now,

I spoke to gail, the nurse who examined you.

And she said that during your exam, it was suggested that

somehow your attacker might be related to a law-enforcement officer.

Is that true?

Michelle, if there's a boy out there

who would do this terrible thing to you

hiding behind a badge,

I need to stop him.

I'll tell you, I'll tell you what. Let's try this.

You just say his name...

One time...

And I'll handle the rest. Can you do that?

Darren.

Darren Yates.

"Yates"?

Isn't there someone real high up in the sheriff's department?

Commander Mark Yates.

That's...

That's Darren's father.

Buzz, could you leave us alone for a moment, please?

- Yes, ma'am. - Thank you.

And, nothing you heard here leaves this room.

- I understand. - Thank you.

- I'm gonna ask you a few questions. - Okay.

We have rape detectives.

Why wouldn't one of them taken Michelle's statement instead of you?

Since I heard that

the attacker might have something to do with law enforcement,

I thought I'd be in a better position to keep the case from being covered up.

- So you believed her statement? - Oh, yes.

- Yes, I did. - `cause it's been a week

since this interview,

and you haven't filed any charges against this Darren kid.

Well, they took semen samples off of Michelle.

I had to get something off the boy without his knowing about it,

and I was waiting for a dna match.

Then the boy's father,

he called me yesterday screaming.

Why?

Someone at the lab tipped off Yates that I had made

a positive dna match to his boy off Michelle's rape kit.

And if Yates could come at me like he did,

that, that might explain what happened to this girl

which is why I should turn this case over to you,

why I sought out your opinion.

Okay, you want my opinion?

Here it is.

You slow-walked this case in a way you never would have even considered doing

if the suspect hadn't been a relative of a sheriff's commander.

In addition, you left your victim exposed to her attacker,

who is at school with her on a daily basis,

while you busied yourself with the

political implications of this investigation.

The result is a physically and emotionally traumatized girl

who killed herself.

And speaking frankly, commander, I just don't know how

or why you think that I could straighten out this mess for you.

Speaking frankly, chief, you're the last

person on earth i'd ever ask to cover my ass.

All right. That's a good point.

So, what are you asking for?

Let's say everything you said about me is true.

That doesn't change what happened to this girl.

And as Daniels could explain to you,

that even though there were witnesses,

I no longer have a victim, which means I no longer have a case.

But I think you might.

The alarm at Michelle's house wasn't set last night,

and it looked to me like there were signs of a struggle.

I think if you just go to the morgue and look

- I've seen the body. - Well, look again!

I'm sorry.

Please.

I...

I know I don't deserve it, Brenda,

but I'm asking that you just go and examine the body.

Just... Just make sure this isn't your case.

I'm telling you, it's suicide.

You're 100% sure?

Are you suggesting someone broke into her house,

drugged her, and hung her from the ceiling?

What happened here?

Those marks were several days old.

On this wrist, too.

From handcuffs or some such thing.

- You know she was raped last week. - Yes.

Looks like she was restrained during the sexual assault.

She tried pretty hard to get free.

We also have carpet burns...

On her legs...

Like she was forced onto her knees,

and severe tearing of the vaginal wall.

Bruising on the buttocks from a forcefully used flat hand,

and there was a fissure in her...

- How much of this do you want to know? - All of it.

Sorry, pretty terrible, but

all done days before she died.

I'd appreciate it if, before you make your final determination,

that you do a tox screen for me, please.

What would I be looking for?

Ambien, barbiturates,

Valium, tranquilizers. You know what?

Do a complete workup for me, please.

I don't want to leave anything out.

Chief, i'm not sure I understand.

Understand what?

Cases involving non-stranger rape

are incredibly difficult to prove.

Lawyers will say she dated the boy, that the sex was consensual,

and that the boy broke up with her afterwards. Michelle got mad,

tried to get even by accusing him of rape,

and then, being emotionally unstable, Michelle killed herself.

I'm sure they will say that, yes.

And with the victim dead, it's gonna be next to impossible

to get her statement entered into trial.

We won't get a rape conviction out of this ever.

Well, that's okay, detective, because we're not investigating her rape.

We're investigating her murder.

OK, in what universe

doesn't make sense not to notify me

that commander Yates'son is being investigated for rape?

Actually, chief, now it's murder.

Yeah, I figured that, since you're here. When was that decision made?

A couple hours ago.

I thought it looked like this girl was a suicide.

"Looks like."

You weren't at the crime scene. Even the coroner remains

undetermined as to cause of death.

- What's he waiting for? - Tox results,

and, in addition to the physical evidence,

Which is slight.

The victim didn't leave a note. Am I supposed to stand aside

when the evidence is slight just because the suspect is related to...

Stop right there. I am not

advocating that we hide behind the blue line.

We're gonna tell them that all we're doing is fulfilling

our legal obligation, and that in view of that,

we need this investigation to be beyond reproach.

And not a word to the press. Understood?