Original subtitles

You were pregnant?

Yes.

By your boyfriend, Craig Halpern?

Yes.

You concealed the pregnancy from your parents?

Yes.

When it was time for the baby to be born, what did you do?

We went to a motel.

And when the baby was born, did you, uh,

did you know he was alive?

Yes.

Your initial statement was the same as Craig's,

that the baby was stillborn.

My client will testify that Craig Halpern took the baby away from her, and smothered it.

The terms of the plea agreement require that Miss Straub testify under oath.

In return for your truthful testimony,

you'll be allowed to plead guilty to one charge of involuntary manslaughter.

A three-year suspended sentence with probation.

Which means you have a felony conviction,

which stays on your record for the rest of your life.

If you violate the terms of your probation, you go to jail.

- Do you understand? - I'm just so sick of all of this.

No more than I am.

Do you understand the terms of the agreement?

Yes.

Then you need to tell me now.

Who murdered your baby?

Mr. Wayland already told you.

You have to say it in your own words.

Craig did.

Craig killed it.

Sign the agreement.

Homicide.

Hey, Ballard! Wait up!

Hey.

Ah! Good morning.

Hey, listen, uh, you know dinner tomorrow night?

Yeah. Are we still on?

I forgot, Daniel's birthday.

I promised him I'd go by after work.

Oh. Okay, no problem.

- You sure? - Yeah, no, don't worry about it.

What about tonight? I was thinking the Dead End Saloon.

Oh! A bar?

Well, there's a game on.

- What game? - I don't know. Any game.

Basketball, hockey.

You know what, how about we go to a real restaurant,

like, uh, Charleston's?

How about we go to a restaurant that doesn't scarf up my weekly nut?

How about we go Dutch?

How about we alternate?

Dead End Saloon tonight, my treat.

Next time, Charleston. Your treat.

Oh, yeah. Hey, there's a good deal.

A short time ago, the State's Attorney's Office

informed us that they would reduce the charges against our client

in exchange for her complete cooperation, and truthful testimony.

I want to thank Private Investigator, Mike Kellerman...

Mikey, Mikey, Mikey. This is what it's come to.

Working for a sleazebag defense attorney in a sharkskin suit.

- Who is Kellerman? - He's an old colleague of ours.

Homicide detective?

Long story.

Well, I'd like to hear the details sometime.

Not from me, you won't.

I'm sick of the whole damn saga. I know how it ends.

What's up with that?

You should mark this moment, young Giardello.

Why?

Mike Kellerman's departure from the Baltimore Homicide Unit

was so beleaguered, so woeful,

so hangdog, that only Tricky Dick's evacuation by helicopter

from the White House was more pathetic.

In short, Red was dead.

Now the man walks on water.

A resurrection to rival the original.

Makes me wanna convert.

Maybe I should do, like, a reverse Sammy Davis Jr., huh?

This doesn't feel good to me, Gee.

Debbie Straub's family's got money, fancy-ass lawyers.

And Craig Halpern, the kid's more or less on his own.

Be that as it may, Danvers is satisfied,

the girl has copped a plea.

I want you back in rotation.

I wanna work this some more,

see if I can turn up something that'll help the kid.

Move on. The only thing left for you to do is to testify at the trial.

Let me work it a little longer, Gee.

Hey, you wanna spend more time on this,

you spent it on your own time, not my time. Capisce?

- Capisce. - Buona fortuna.

Stivers! Take a ride with me.

Where are we going?

Back to the beginning.

I wanna start at the crime scene,

talk to Craig's family and friends,

and have a heart-to-heart with the boy,

see if I can get him to tell me what really happened in that motel room.

Falsone, a done deal means the deal's done.

Debbie'll testify against Craig.

Let the jury decide which kid is more culpable.

Why should Craig be charged with murder,

and have to spend the rest of his life in prison,

while Debbie gets off with a slap on the wrist?

Well, you're making assumptions about the girl

the same way you think everyone else is doing about the boy.

Maybe, but I'll tell you right now, if Craig had been the one

to cut a deal, you can bet that Debbie's lawyer

would be putting Kellerman back on the job.

So this is about you and Kellerman?

Some kind of testosterone contest?

This isn't about who's a better detective.

It's about my gut, okay?

Well, I'll follow your gut anywhere.

Saved me a sliver of table, huh?

Yeah, I still have some clout around here.

Lunch? It's on the State of Maryland.

No, thanks. Maybe some coffee.

How's your case?

Well, my prosecution rests on the testimony of one scared,

screwed-up child, against another.

I got you. Can't sleep, can't eat.

Your hair's falling out.

You're a mess, Danvers. I don't envy you.

And you, Kellerman? Happy in your work?

Sure. Ecstatic.

I was reviewing your efforts on behalf of Debbie Straub.

You talked to a woman at Baltimore Family Planning?

Yeah.

What was that about? There's no explanation in your notes.

I wanted to know if Debbie had talked to anybody about her predicament.

Prenatal, abortion, adoption, foster homes, the whole gamut.

- And? - As far as I can tell,

she never talked to anybody.

These other inquiries aren't in your notes.

I didn't wanna hang a neon sign on the fact

that Debbie didn't deal with her pregnancy in any way.

So, why this one reference?

Boxed. Underlined. Question-marked.

It's Craig.

Craig, what?

Craig went to Baltimore Family Planning, not Debbie.

I was working for her, not him, so I dropped it.

You didn't follow up?

Like I said, it's not my problem.

I remember when the truth mattered to you

more than your paycheck.

Thanks for the coffee.

I know Kellerman from the Fugitive Squad.

I had a drink with him the other night.

Did he tell you his side of the story?

I didn't get a chance to ask him.

He was too busy pumping me about Falsone's case.

So, what'd you tell him?

I told him to go sniff around someplace else.

Well, if Kellerman is a dog, he's a Jack Russell terrier.

Sinks his teeth into your butt, and won't let go.

Hey, Rene, enough about Kellerman, okay?

He seemed kinda needy,

like he really missed being a cop.

Yeah, yeah. He's a complicated guy.

Got a lot of karma to work through.

- Who's got karma? - Mike Kellerman.

Oh, there's a cautionary tale.

Going from murder police to the hot, cheap motel circuit.

A lot of ex-police end up as private investigators.

Sure, after you've put in 20 years,

and you've made pension,

and you're looking to break up your golf game twice a week.

I mean, Kellerman was put out to pasture way before his time.

I've heard a lot of rumors, but never what really happened.

Hey, Sheppard? Not now.

And you and Bayliss, you two should know better.

What is your problem, Gharty?

It's not the time or the place.

Well, she just asked you a question. I'm curious, too.

Any conversation about Mike Kellerman, Luther Mahoney,

or Junior Bunk is strictly off limits.

Their names shouldn't even be mentioned in this building.

A perp grabs a gun, and shoots up the squad room.

Three uniforms die.

You, Ballard, Bayliss, all get shot.

Two detectives turn in their badges, and the whole subject's taboo?

You want the gruesome details? Ask your pal, Kellerman.

I'm part of this unit now. I should know what happened.

All right. Here.

Here.

This is what happened here.

Satisfied?

- Mrs. Falco. - Mr. Keller.

- Kellerman. - I'm sorry.

I'm running late. You'll have to excuse me.

I need to ask you just one question about Craig Halpern.

Mr. Kellerman, you know I can't answer that.

Besides, as I told you before, he only made a preliminary inquiry.

About what?

Mr. Kellerman, how many ways can I say it?

- I can't tell you. - Okay, okay.

You know, I respect your client confidentiality policy, I really do.

But like you say, Craig wasn't really a client,

he was just a kid who walked through the doors,

and found out he had to have his parents' consent

before you could help him, right?

So he must have gone somewhere else. Where'd you send him?

- Why do you want to know? - You liked him, didn't you?

Thought he was a nice kid?

Maybe I'll turn up something to put him in a better light.

If you know anything, if you just,

if you wanna point me in that direction...

Up to you.

Craig Halpern did come in here.

Wanted to know what was involved in an open adoption.

I tried to explain to him that he'd have to sign an agreement

terminating his parental rights,

and that the degree of involvement or contact

with his child was entirely up to the adoptive parents.

He wanted contact with his kid?

That's what he said.

Of course, we told him that the mother would have to agree

to place the child for adoption before we could proceed.

What did Craig say?

That he tried to convince her.

Did they already give you the news

that Debbie's putting the baby's murder squarely on you?

Her parents made her do that.

She won't say I'm guilty at the trial.

No, you see, that's what the deal she made means.

She has to testify against you.

She's not gonna say that I killed the baby.

- No way. - How do you know?

She gave me her word.

And how did she do that?

You two aren't allowed to talk to each other.

Doesn't mean we can't communicate.

What, by ESP?

She's not gonna blame me.

You'll see. She won't.

I can't wait to get to court to see her again.

You look beat. You get any sleep?

Not that much.

You can't catch your breath, right?

I mean, you're trying, but you just can't calm down.

Your heart's going a mile a minute, you're jumpy.

It feels like there's mice in your chest?

And the worst thing is, you feel like you're about to cry all the time.

But you can't tell nobody.

And you think,

"If I could just get some damn sleep,

maybe the feeling'll go away."

So you curl up in a ball, and close your eyes.

Maybe if you're lucky, you'll nod off for a few hours.

But when you wake up, the feeling's still there.

Hey. Believe me, I know what you're going through.

You've been in jail?

Well, I've spent a few nights in juvie,

nothing as serious as this,

but no, I-- I mean,

I know what you're going through with Debbie.

The same thing happened to me.

I was just a few years older than you are now.

I got my girlfriend pregnant.

We didn't tell anybody either.

Only, we ran off, and got married.

I would have done that, got married,

but... Debbie didn't want to.

Well, she said we were too young.

Said we should wait.

Craig, when you went to that motel,

you didn't plan to kill your baby, did you?

No.

Things just got away from you, didn't they?

Debbie killed the baby,

and you went along because you love her,

and you didn't want to lose her.

Craig, you have to speak up for yourself.

You have to get on that stand, and tell them your side of the story.

I can't.

I keep my mouth shut, nothing bad can happen to Debbie,

and she'll do the same for me.

She made the deal. She's cutting you loose.

I told you, she's just doing that

to get her parents off her back.

When this is all over, we'll get married,

and we'll have another baby--

No, no, no. That's not gonna happen,

because you're gonna be in jail for a very long time.

Debbie's gonna get married all right,

but it's gonna be to somebody else.

She's not gonna let me down.

I know it.

Hey, Ballard. Falsone called.

Dinner's off.

He's hung up on the case, needs a rain check.

Oh. Thanks.

Ah! Shep?

Hey, Ballard.

What are you doing for dinner tonight?

Ah, I told my mom I'd drop by and help her trim the tree.

All right. Some other time.

Hey, Bayliss. What's up? Wanna go eat?

Oh, yeah. Absolutely. What are you up for?

Moussaka.

Moussaka? Isn't that made with lamb?

Oh, yeah. It's ground lamb, and potatoes,

and eggplant, it's so yummy.

Well, I don't eat anything with a face.

Do they make vegetarian moussaka?

Um... no, I don't think so.

- And if they did, what would be the point of that? - Well, listen, listen, listen.

Listen, if you're up for meat, I've got an alternative for you.

Liquid Earth.

It makes an incredible soy-textured vegan reuben.

It's marvelous.

Yeah. Like I said, what would be the point of that?

Hey, Stu? My brother! Let's go eat.

Oh, boy, I'd like to, but I, uh,

I gotta duke it out with Flora.

But I thought she won the scuffle

over who gets Mr. Coffee?

Yeah, Mr. Coffee, Mrs. Microwave,

all the little pots and pans.

So, last weekend,

I'm out buying new kitchenware, right?

And I'm at the checkout, and this girl,

she's ringing me up, right?

- Two, 300 bucks? - That's a lot of dough.

Especially for a boy who can basically get by on a a bowl,

a spoon, a bottle-opener, and a pair of chopsticks.

- So then, why were you springing for all the extra stuff? - Yeah, I might meet someone.

If they come over to the apartment, I don't want 'em to think

I'm a guy who eats cold cereal for supper.

- Which you are. - Which I am.

Anyway, anyway,

So we get to the last item.

$2.99 spatula.

It ups me to $300 flat.

I snap, I go ballistic.

Out comes the manager.

He says, "Woah, whoa, whoa, forget about it."

He'll throw in the spatula for free.

- I say, "No, thank you. I don't think I want it." - Why?

There must be half a dozen spatulas sitting in a jar on Flora's counter.

Oh, I get it. You want her to give you one of hers.

One of ours.

I'd even take the little-- the little, uh,

plastic one that's half melted.

I have bought enough damn spatulas in my day.

I'm not about to buy another.

How about this? Come to dinner with me,

and I will buy you a spatula. Huh?

I can't do it, partner. I have to see this through.

Right.

But...

Ah, thanks anyway.

Detective Ackerley.

Your name came up, you know,

in in casual conversation, and Gharty just flipped.

He did?

Said your name was never to be spoken in that building,

and then I asked him what happened,

how the whole Mahoney thing went down,

and he really went into orbit.

Pulled up his shirt, showed me his scar,

the whole nine yards. It was freaky.

Sorry to hear that.

I always got along okay with Gharty.

Gives me a funny feeling to hear that my old pals

are talking about me.

Refusing to talk about you, mostly.

That's fine, I don't really blame 'em.

It's not my favorite subject, either.

Well, I wouldn't know.

All I've got to go on is second-hand speculation.

Don't you think it's about time I heard your version?

Hey. I heard you went over and had an eve of the trial

heart-to-heart with Craig Halpern.

Yeah. Join me?

Not tonight.

So, in your professional opinion, is he guilty?

Of murder? No.

He's gonna take the stand and tell the world she did it?

His word against hers?

Nope.

Well, what is it, then?

In the name of love he's taking one for the team

or is he just a moron?

He's convinced that even though she made the deal,

she's not gonna give him up.

Well, he's gonna have plenty of time to contemplate

his misreading of the situation.

Yeah. About 15 years, if he lasts that long in the joint.

One more time.

Don't you have to get up bright and early to testify?

Yeah. I thought a good, solid hangover would add to my credibility.

You said you weren't drinking.

Well, you look like you could use some company, Paul.

After all, how often do two grown men get to share

some first-rate melancholy

over some second-rate well bourbon?

Especially when the other man at the bar

is not just another bartender or pub-crawler

but, in fact, a complicated murder police, like oneself.

- Hey. - Ballard.

May I have a Jack Daniels, with a beer back?

Good choice.

So... you can tie one on with Munch,

but you don't have time for dinner with me?

I was in such a lousy mood after I talked to Craig Halpern

that I didn't want to inflict myself on you.

Oh, so now you're deciding under what conditions we see each other?

No.

Hmm!

Maybe I don't just wanna see you when you feel good.

Maybe I can make you feel better.

Maybe you could do the same for me, when I'm down.

I'm sorry. I should have called you after I was done in Central Booking,

and tell you what's up.

Take it from there, decide together.

You know what, if you didn't wanna see me,

you didn't wanna see me. Just tell me that, okay?

Okay.

Do not just leave me a damn message.

Okay.

The State calls Assistant Medical Examiner, Gita Kalyani.

Debbie Straub delivered a live male infant.

Six pounds, five ounces.

Slightly premature. Perhaps two or three weeks.

Not stillborn?

The lungs were inflated.

When immersed in water, they floated.

The baby had taken a breath,

which means it was a live birth.

Dr. Kalyani, you say the infant was premature.

Was he healthy?

Aside from a slightly lower than average birth weight, I would say yes.

And to what do you attribute the low birth weight?

Poor prenatal care.

I meann, in cases like these involving young, unwed women,

it's not uncommon for the mother to pretend she's not pregnant,

and to disguise her condition by starving herself,

and her baby.

Despite the baby's physical problems,

should he have survived?

Yes.

So, cause of death?

Asphyxiation.

Petechial haemorrhaging was evident in the baby's eyes.

Isn't it difficult, Dr. Kalyani,

to distinguish a SIDS death

or an accidental suffocation, say, from homicide?

Yes, but given the timing and the circumstances of the death,

moments after birth,

the determination of the medical examiner's office

is that baby Straub was deliberately smothered.

I heard her scream, the girl, and then say,

"What are you doing, what are you doing?

Give it back to me. Give it back to me."

And then?

About ten minutes later, he left his room,

and walked around to the back of the motel.

"He" meaning the defendant, Craig Halpern?

- Yes. - Would you describe what you saw?

He was walking very fast with his head down,

and he was carrying something covered by a white towel.

What was he carrying? Could you tell?

By the way he was holding it, I thought it was a baby.

- Objection. - Sustained.

Could Craig Halpern have been carrying something else?

A bag or parcel, or maybe some takeout food?

You don't cradle takeout.

- Objection. - Withdrawn.

Your witness.

- Hey. - What are you doing here?

Ah, bail hearing. Ransom.

Kidnapping case?

No, that's the mope's name. Walter Ransom.

It's a generic West Baltimore drug slang.

What about you? Have you got the two kids?

Yeah. I was thinking about what Kellerman might have told

the girl's lawyer, to trip me up.

Oh, yeah? Well...

I don't know. I wouldn't worry about that.

I would.

Hmm.

- What makes you think Kellerman's got it in for you? - Everything.

I mean, he was in my face from the moment I walked in that squad room last year.

I never liked him, he never liked me.

You know, one day on the ramp, we even pulled our guns on each other.

You're kidding me? You guys drew your weapons?

It's crazy, huh?

Right to the brink, in the blink of an eye.

That is one reckless, hard-nosed bastard.

He even got you shot.

Well, I guess you could look at it that way.

How else are you gonna look at it?

Kellerman shoots Mahoney, that's how the whole thing starts.

I mean, if he doesn't, then you don't catch a bullet,

a lot of bodies don't fall,

and a lot of crap doesn't come raining down,

and Frank Pembleton is still on the force.

Ah, you can never tell where something gets started.

That whole Mahoney episode, it was a lot bigger than Kellerman.

- I've forgiven him. - Forgiven him?

Mm-hmm.

If I were you, I'd still be designing ways to pay Kellerman back.

Ah, but then I'm Sicilian.

And revenge tastes best as a cold antipasto.

You know, after I got shot, I had a lot of time to think about cause and effect.

How I came to be lying there in that bed, staring at the ceiling.

And I decided that I could accept what I did.

You know? The part that I played,

and what went down.

But I had to let the rest of it go.

See, for me to blame Kellerman or Luther or Lewis...

What would be the point of that?

Resentment is like you taking poison,

and hoping that the other guy is gonna die.

I guess Zen never got to Sicily.

Good luck in there.

- Mike. - Tim.

How are you doing?

Oh, I'm running late, as usual. But it's good to see you.

Yeah, it's good seeing you too, Mike.

Falsone.

Detective, you had a case... Vazquez.

Was there a suspect in this case?

Yes.

Was the suspect charged with the crime?

Objection, your honor. Where are we headed?

Let's find out. I'll allow it.

Was anyone charged in the Vazquez murder?

The state's attorney's office didn't feel the evidence

in that case was strong enough.

And that's why the victim's name is still in red?

- Correct. - Now, this name, baby Straub,

is written in black, indicating the case is closed,

because my client was charged with murder. True?

True.

Not because he was convicted.

As far as the Homicide unit is concerned,

when the suspect's charged,

the case is closed, and the name goes up in black.

Interesting. Even if the wrong person is charged?

It doesn't happen very often.

But it does happen.

I suppose. Rarely.

What if the suspect is acquitted?

Is the case reopened?

If there's new evidence.

If there's not, does the case stay on the board in black?

Yes.

Just because someone's acquitted,

doesn't mean they didn't do it.

The system isn't perfect.

Before this case came to trial,

did you feel you had enough evidence against Craig Halpern

to indict him for murder?

Your honor, this line of questioning is inappropriate.

The witness is a detective, not a legal expert.

Your honor, the witness certainly has the professional

experience to offer his opinion.

I'll allow it.

In my opinion, no.

Not enough evidence to bring a murder charge?

- No. - Well...

that's what you just said about the suspect in the Vazquez case.

The name's still in red.

Yeah, I guess it is.

Did you experience the same sort of intense pressure

to close the Vazquez case from the State's Attorney's Office

as you did to close this one?

No.

No more questions.

The State calls Debbie Straub.

- Looking for Falsoney? - Yeah.

He's hanging around somewhere.

- Nice to see you too, bitch. - Hey!

I'm supposed to be friendly to you when I see you?

Pretend like nothing's ever happened?

You put me in a position I never should have been in.

You jeopardized my career.

When you shot Luther Mahoney,

you dropped all of us in a world of trouble.

But you made a choice, you signed off on what I did.

Any right-thinking cop would have been down with that shooting from the get-go.

Yeah, I wasn't sure then, and I'm not sure now, but Kellerman, you were a cop.

And cops protect each other.

What would you know about what cops do?

You were just looking out for number one.

- Look, I don't owe you. - Oh no?

- Let go of me! - You're still a cop because of me!

- You let go! - When Pembleton and Falsone had me in the box,

I took the weight for you and Lewis.

When Gee said that I could go to trial and beat the charge,

but I'd take you guys down with me, or I can quit,

and this all goes away for you and Meldrick,

my hand went to my belt, and I tabled my badge.

You did the right thing at the end.

Your back was against the wall!

What am I supposed to do? Applaud for you?

Putting things right that you screwed up in the first place

doesn't exactly entitle you to a medal.

Don't ever touch me again.

Like I said.

After you checked into the motel, what happened?

Well, I laid down on the bed, and Craig started telling me to push.

Weren't you in a lot of pain?

I was dying.

Well, the couple in the next room, Mr. and Mrs. Delport,

have testified that they didn't hear anything.

No.

You were in incredible pain, but you didn't make any noise?

- I couldn't. - Why not?

Well, Craig said if I wanted to keep this a secret,

I would have to be quiet, so...

he gave me a towel to bite down on.

And what happened next?

Craig kept pulling, and I was pushing.

And then the baby came out.

After the baby was born,

then what happened?

Miss Straub?

Once the baby was delivered, what did Craig Halpern do?

Objection. Leading the witness.

Sustained.

Let me rephrase.

After the baby was born,

what happened to him?

Miss Straub?

Craig took it, and wiped its face.

It was crying.

And then?

I asked him to give it back to me.

Craig Craig, give it back to me.

Did he?

No, he didn't.

Tell us what happened next.

What happened next, Debbie?

Next, he killed it.

He put his hands on its mouth and smothered it.

Craig Halpern, the jury has found you guilty

on the charge of murder in the first degree.

I'm scheduling the sentencing hearing for 10:00 a.m.,

a week from Friday.

This trial stands adjourned.

Hey, you're okay.

What do you think the judge is gonna do to me?

Well, I have to be honest with you.

I think the judge is gonna throw away the key.

You're gonna get a life sentence.

You could be paroled in 15.

If you don't screw up in prison, you'll be out before you're 35.

- 35? - I know it sounds ancient to you now,

but it's not the end of the world.

You remember that. Keep it together inside.

Stay on track.

That's such a long time.

Craig...

I want you to tell me what really happened at the motel.

I know you wanted to have this baby.

You wanted to be a father.

Why did you go along with Debbie?

I mean, what went wrong?

I don't know.

She was screaming at me, but I couldn't really hear what she was saying.

It's gonna be okay.

I was standing there holding the baby,

and she put out her arms and she kept saying,

"Give it back to me, give it back to me."

Craig, give it back to me.

And I did. I mean, I could see myself doing it

like I was hypnotized or something.

So you handed her the baby?

I knew why she wanted him, but I didn't know what else to do.

And uh, and then I just gave up.

Let her have him.

You know, even this morning when Debbie knew what she was gonna say on the stand,

she was telling me to hang in there.

This morning?

"Hang in there. I love you. It's our secret."

Uh, "Once this is all over, we'll be together, and no one can come between us."

What are you talking about?

Debbie didn't tell you anything this morning.

It's all in your head.

She played you for a fool.

It doesn't matter.

I'm just like her.

I'm just the same as her.

I'm as guilty as she is by just standing there.

- I killed my baby, too. - Yeah.

You did.

You're gonna have to carry that for the rest of your life.

- Hey. - Hey.

I thought he might still be up.

Ah, it's way past his bedtime.

I have his present.

He won't be able to open it until tomorrow anyway.

You could've waited.

Well, I just wanted it on the record that I didn't forget his birthday, okay?

Tell him I came by?

Yeah.

I'll tell him.

You wanted to see us, Gee?

3:30 this morning, Craig Halpern hung himself in his cell.

A double shot of Jack, straight up.

It's a little early for a cocktail, isn't it, Falsone?

Still not early enough to beat you to the punchbowl.

I heard about Craig.

I know what you're thinking, you're wrong.

Then why did he hang himself?

Kid had a conscience.

Exactly. He feels guilty 'cause he did the crime.

He watched.

You know, even if that's true, he didn't feel remorse for that baby.

He just didn't have a future, he couldn't face life in prison.

He couldn't face life without her.

The boy's in love.

He never thought that she was gonna go through with blaming him.

How could he believe that?

He's a kid!

She said she loved him.

I mean, all he's thinking about is her voice whispering in his ear,

"Trust me, I love you. Don't worry about the trial.

I'm not gonna go against you. I love you."

What do you mean? They were talking on the phone?

They were passing notes in court?

Metaphorically. In his head.

Halpern believed that they were soulmates or something.

And then she screwed him over.

You know, this case is unique, almost.

I mean, this one, the one in Delaware.

How so?

Neonaticide. Killing newborns.

99.9% of the time, it's young women, alone.

There's no father around.

See, if the father's there, it doesn't happen.

Reality sets in.

I mean, couples don't just get together,

and decide to kill their newborns.

It doesn't happen.

So what's your point?

Craig and Debbie were like one person, not two people.

And all their boundaries had dissolved.

And then she broke the pact between them,

severed the cord.

And so he killed himself?

Yeah.

There is some good news, though.

I don't have to see you anymore.

Did you hear about Craig?

Yeah. I heard about him.

Why do you think he did it?

I guess he felt guilty about the baby.

Yeah, that's what I figured.

Unless it was something else.

Like, maybe he felt betrayed?

You and he made a deal, and you sold him out.

I gotta go, okay?

And you'd leave him messages, right?

He'd check his voicemail from jail?

That's how you got him to go along,

and when you took the stand and you turned on him...

You know I love you. Just hang in there.

You'll see. Everything's gonna be okay.

Just don't believe anything you hear about me.

We'll be together again.

He was so stunned, he couldn't think straight.

What's the number, Debbie? You must know it by heart.

So, the kids were communicating by voicemail?

The whole time Halpern was in jail waiting for trial,

Debbie Straub left him messages. He saved them.

Where did you get this?

- Anonymous tip. - What do you mean, anonymous?

Anonymous. Anonymous means anonymous.

Someone connected with the investigation?

How would I know?

You know I love you. Just hang in there.

You'll see. Everything will be okay.

Just don't believe anything you hear about me.

We'll be together again.

So?

She led him on. She lied to him.

What do you want me to do?

Go back to the judge, and overturn the plea.

The plea agreement is a binding deal, a contract.

Based on her truthful testimony.

The problem is, the recordings don't prove that Debbie lied on the witness stand.

- And the only person who could have contradicted hers is... - Is dead.

...Should have taken the stand on his own defense.

And even after she turned on him,

he wouldn't tell the truth about what happened in that motel room.

What about what he told me?

Isn't that like a deathbed statement?

Not after he's been convicted of the crime.

The messages on the voicemail don't amount to corroboration.

I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do.

Maybe sometimes just to get their name in black,

we're too quick to make a deal.

Let me have a pint, will you?

I knew I'd find you here.

By the way, thanks for the tip.

What tip?

- Mind if I sit? - Be my guest.

Thanks.

Us sitting here like this, having a friendly jolt,

who'd have thunk it?

Not me.

Hey, you remember the double-cutting Munch caught

last year over at that bar in Highlandtown?

Yeah. The two Vietnam vets.

Right, right. Who never served a day.

They spent the whole afternoon tossing 'em back,

and ended up stabbing each other at closing time.

Ah, We're not like those two brickheads.

I mean, you and me, we served together.

Right.

The hardest thing about leaving is knowing you all thought

I was garbage.

You all thought I didn't do the job.

Thanks to you, we learned the truth.

The truth doesn't matter.

She got off. He's still dead.

Well, I gotta get going.

Here, let me pay for these.

No, no, no. Forget about it.

I'll put it on the Straub family tab.

Thanks again for the tip.

Like I said, what tip?

See you.

Detective.