Murder at the Presidio

I said leave it.

-Come on. -Guys, hands off.

-No. -Come on, baby.

I said no.

-Please, come on. -No.

She said no.

I thought I told you the last time you were in here.

-You know, they started it. -Yeah, well, I'm ending it.

Chandler.

Hold up. This is a restricted area. Military Police personnel only.

-Warrant Officer Chandler. -Criminal Investigation Division.

Is that supposed to impress me, Chief Warrant Officer?

It'd be impressive if I didn't have to freeze my ass off...

coming out to a crime scene in the middle of the night.

-Gum? -No, thank you, sir.

Corporal...

Jeffries. Tara Jeffries.

Cpl. Jeffries, could you take that light away from my eyes now?

Sorry, sir.

I forgive you.

So, Corporal, where am I going to now?

Second floor. Ask for Capt. Donovan, sir.

Thank you, Corporal.

Officer.

Capt. Donovan.

We don't need CID here.

This isn't a Drunk and Disorderly. Murder is our jurisdiction.

The victim was the wife of a Military Police officer.

-The soldier on the stairs? -Sgt. Barry Atkins.

-Where was he tonight? -He's one of my men.

That's not what I asked you, sir. Was he on duty?

He was off base.

But his whereabouts are accounted for, Chief Warrant Officer.

Don't waste your time. My men have it all under control.

Maj. Dawson wouldn't like it if I didn't at least pretend...

to do what he ordered me to do.

What are we working with here?

You know we've had a string of burglaries on base.

This one went bad.

Poor Franny surprised the perpetrators and got a kitchen knife in her chest.

Your boys find her wedding band?

No, gone with the rest of the jewelry, some cash, and silverware.

Strange they missed this.

This handle match the set in the kitchen?

Yes, we have done this before.

Yeah.

Door was wide open?

-She didn't have the dead bolt locked. -Franny was the trusting type.

Yeah, I can see that.

Anybody talk to the neighbors?

There's only one on this floor, a Mrs. Owens.

The building has been mostly vacated. We questioned her. She didn't hear a thing.

Like I said, we have this investigation well in hand, Chandler.

Can we take this outside, Captain?

If we must.

I'll get right down to it, Donovan.

I know your MP's can handle this, but they shouldn't. Thanks.

And why is that?

Well, for one, Military Criminal Code says that homicide is CID's responsibility.

No, screw jurisdiction.

This one is personal. Can you understand that?

Noted. And the second reason why your MP's shouldn't be involved.

Personal feelings can get in the way of an investigation.

You know the prime suspect in any spousal homicide is the husband.

In this case, your Sgt. Atkins.

We've eliminated Barry Atkins as a suspect.

-Already? -Atkins checked out a car at 6:00 p.m.

He spent the evening with his wife's brother's family in Modesto.

Fran's brother, Tom, confirmed that Atkins was with him until midnight.

So unless you think...

her own brother would lie to protect his sister's killer...

the Sergeant was 50 miles away when she was attacked.

No. This was a burglary gone bad, and we, not you...

are going to get the scum bags who did it. Capisce?

That was quick.

Yeah.

It seems Capt. Donovan was even less impressed by my badge than you were.

-Good night, Corporal. -Good night, sir.

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

Barry... I mean, Sergeant.

I'm so very sorry.

Sorry for your loss.

-Such a nice girl. -Yeah.

-Here, honey. -I'm good, thanks.

You gotta eat.

Thanks for coming, Mom.

Where else would I be when my boy needs me?

-I'm so sorry. -Thanks.

-Did you hear from Dad at all? -Left a message.

Screens his calls in case I'm looking for alimony.

I'm sure he'll leave you a nice warm telegram.

Sergeant.

-Warrant Officer. -Terribly sorry for your loss.

If I can help in any way, officially or otherwise, just name it.

I'm gonna get the guy who did this to my wife.

I know you will.

Lt. Chandler, Criminal Investigations. This is my mother.

-Mrs. Atkins. -Call me Bunny.

Please, everyone does. It's nice to meet you.

-Attention. -At ease.

As you were.

It's a wonderful service the chaplain gave her.

Wonderful.

-Our prayers are with you. -Thank you, sir.

Mother, you remember Maj. Dawson, my commanding officer.

-Maj. Dawson. -How nice to see you again.

Why don't you take a couple of days, regroup, and when you feel like...

report to me at Headquarters.

Begging your pardon, sir, I'd like to return to duty...

as soon as possible.

I understand. I'll discuss it with Capt. Donovan.

-Thank you, sir. -Bunny.

-Get your hands off me. -Relax, Tom.

Relax? My sister is dead.

-She's dead. -There's nothing you could have done.

There's nothing I could have done?

What's going on, Tom?

What's going on?

Any of these people actually know Fran? Any of you people know Franny?

Did you know Franny?

Franny was nice to everyone she met. People remember kindness.

A lot of good it did her.

What about you, Mr. Policeman? Couldn't even protect your own wife.

-No one's sorrier than I am, Tom. -No one's sorrier than I am.

And why wasn't she with you the night you came over?

She wasn't feeling well.

Then why didn't you stay home and take care of her?

You're her husband, you're supposed to take care of her.

I don't think Franny would like you acting like this, you know?

I think that we're all just trying to do the best we can here.

Should have taken care of those guys the first time.

Lock yourself out, Officer?

-Hello again, Corporal. -It's Tara.

Cpl. Tara. No, I have my keys right here.

How are you liking your new post?

It's fine.

Just have to get to know San Francisco. It's pretty good once you get to know it.

With the base closing in six months, I don't think I'll have time...

to develop any strong feelings about it.

Yeah, we don't have much time.

Excuse me?

Can you come by the enlisted mess on Friday night?

All the MP's get together for drinks when we're done our shift.

And you want me to...

Drink. That's what we do there.

-Do you drink? -When I have to.

Me, too.

I should get in there and pay my respects. Friday night, remember.

The Presidio.

Sir?

This base has been a military fort since 1776.

Back then the Spanish flag flew over these walls.

U.S. Army took over in 1848.

The Presidio's been part of every conflict we've had since then.

And soon it's going to be gone.

Damn base closings. Damn budget cuts.

Yes, sir, damn budget cuts.

I just finished the report on the Deats-Able court martial.

Excellent work.

Thank you, sir, but the facts were pretty straightforward.

I have your new case right here.

The Capobianco hearing? But what about the Frances Atkins case?

The MP's are on that.

It's a homicide. It's supposed to be ours.

Capt. Donovan feels it's part of the MP's ongoing investigation...

into the base burglaries. I tend to agree with him.

Sgt. Atkins' squad was investigating a series of robberies.

It's my theory he got too close.

Maybe the men who killed his wife are sending him a message.

Maybe. Why do you want it?

It's my job.

I know you think you've got something to prove here, Chandler.

But you don't.

That's why you're here. That's why we're all here.

James, just start thinking of this base like it's the Titanic...

and your only job is to stand on the deck...

and watch the grand old lady disappear into history.

-Sir, the MP's-- -Are on it.

The MP's have got it covered. Let them handle it. Don't make any waves.

Capobianco is your next case. Do you understand that?

Of course, sir.

Captain, something I can do for you?

Since you're new here, I want to make it clear to you...

how things work.

-And how is that? -We run this base.

Does the General know that? We can call over to his...

Shut up. You know what I mean.

Was that necessary?

And just because this base is going all to hell...

me and my men are not going to go with it. You understand?

You're confusing the hell out of me.

First you run the base, then you don't. He's a general, you're a captain.

I'm fuzzy on this whole chain of command thing.

Let me give you the Braille version.

Stay away from Fran Atkins. Stay away from Sgt. Atkins.

And stay out of our affairs.

You left out the "or else," Captain.

Or else.

Okay.

Welcome to the Presidio.