All language subtitles for Homicide.Life.on.the.Street.S04E08.Sniper.Part.1.1080p.PCOK.WEB-DL.DD2.0.x264-NTb_track4_[eng]

[door clicks open]

[whistling] Hey, how you doing?

[Munch] What'll it be?

Uh, I don't know,
a soft drink, soda,

anything cold with ice in it.

- Coming right up.
- Great. Thanks.

[whispering]
Tim! Jay Leno's here.

- [Bayliss] That's not him.
- [Munch] It's Jay Leno.

- [Bayliss] Are you sure?
- Sure, I'm sure.

- That is not.
- It is.

What would Jay Leno
be doing in Baltimore?

I don't know, but that's him.

Maybe he's just-- It's some guy
who looks like Jay Leno, huh?

- It's Jay Leno.
- Be tactful.

It's not Jay Leno! Right!

- All right, great.
- Okay.

Thanks.

- [whispering] It's Jay Leno.
- No kidding.

Yeah, and he's right here
in our bar, sitting here.

- What are we gonna do?
- Leave the man alone.

He's a celebrity,
he doesn't want to be bothered.

He probably came here
for some peace and quiet.

Trust me, ignore him,
and he'll be happier.

He probably
wants to remain anonymous.

Right, right, you know what?

I won't even
look him in the eye.

Excuse me, guys,
you got any peanuts,

or anything
like that from the bar?

[whispering] He wants peanuts.

Bring him peanuts,
but don't engage
in any conversation.

[Bayliss] Right.

Ah, that's great. Thanks.

Hey, beautiful day, huh?

I love
coming down here to Baltimore.

I got a cousin, Mary,
she thinks I visit her,
I really come for the crab cakes

and to go out
to Camden Yards, and,
you know, just kinda hang out.

Well, don't say
[indistinct] [laughs]

So, we do
our show in California,

so don't get back to this
part of the country much,

so it's fun to come back.

It's a great town,
don't you think?

I guess, you guys
probably don't get
a chance to watch much--

Watch much late-night TV, huh?

Oh, look at the time!
Well, gotta run.

Nice talking to you.

Hard to believe
the bar is empty.

[exhales]

Ha.

[theme song playing]

[*]

1996, boy, that [indistinct]
looks empty.

You're a clean slate--

- What are you doing here?
- I'm testing my new lens.

- A got a new lens
for the camera.
- Wonderful, that's great.

"Paralysis, neurological
damage, drop foot."

- Drop foot?
- Drop foot?

Yeah, the possible side effects
of back surgery.

My doctor wants me
to have a laminectomy,
you know what that is?

That's when they cut out
the bad disc,

and fuse the vertebrae together.

Spinal fusion.
My ex-brother-in-law had that.

[Bayliss] Yep, I've never had
surgery before.

Frank, Frank, look it here.
Look here.

On the consent form it says
it says

that one of the possible
outcomes, in small print, death!

- Ouch.
- There's a certain amount
of risk in every surgery.

Oh, yeah, sure there is,
sure there are, side effects,
right? But death?

You go in
for a little operation,
you end up in the morgue!

I mean, I don't think so.

Technically, if you die
in hospital

with a signed death certificate
from the physician,

you don't have to go
to the morgue.

[all laughing]

Thanks, Frank, that makes me
feel a whole lot better.

What?

You-- got really nice hair.

You get paid for this?

- [phone ringing]
- Who's up?

Not me, I'm still working
on the Buchnowski cutting
from December.

- [Bayliss] I think that's me.
- [Brodie] I'll get it,
you hurt your back.

- No, no, no, no, I got it.
- Will somebody please get it
before they hang up?

[Brodie] Hey, maybe this is how
we improve our clearance rate.

Don't answer the phone.

If a murder
is committed in Baltimore

and no homicide detective
takes the call,

did that murder actually occur?

- The phone!
- Bayliss, Homicide.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Got it.

We got a triple shooting
on Collington Avenue.

Take Brodie with you, please!

- [Bayliss] What you got?
- Two victims shot in the back.

Both 10-7.

A third, a teenage girl,
gunshot nicked her heart,
punctured her lung.

- She's en route to shock trauma.
- Okay. Get her name?

Keisha Farrell,
we got a body over here,
and another on the right.

[Bayliss] Okay,
what about witnesses?

A few, they thought the shots
came from the top
of the brewery.

They were each killed
by a single bullet.

No powder residue.
The entrances clean.

The shooter
was quite a distance away.

As far away
as that rooftop there?

- Could be.
- Okay.

Whoever he is,
he's a great marksman.
Two bullseyes in the heart.

[Pembleton]
He missed the third victim.

Better shot than you, Frank.

- They got something on the roof.
- [Bayliss] Okay.

This may have been here
before the shooting,
but you should take a look.

[Bayliss] Game of hangman.

This chalk looks fresh,
let's get lab techs here
to take some scrapings.

Nine-letter word.
Something, something, O,

something, I, something,
something, A, something.

What word is it?

I don't know,
maybe it's not a word,
maybe it's a name.

Well, either way,
it doesn't matter.

I got me a living victim.
Keisha Farrell.

Living victim,
case always goes down, right?

Yes, sir, always.

Keisha Farrell
died 20 minutes ago.

- She died?
- [Giardello]
In the operating room.

Wait, she died during surgery?

We got a triple
homicide here now, huh?

Kellerman, Lewis,
Munch, we need you guys.

We found three
shell casings on the rooftop
at the brewery building,

- 308s.
- We also a game of hangman.

[Kellerman] The kid's game?

Yeah, we took
scrapings of the chalk,

and sent them
out to the lab to be analyzed.

Okay, victim number one

is Louise Wilcox,
45 years of age,

she's a nurse at St. John's
Veteran's Hospital.

Number two, Vernon Capers,
20 years old,

he was on disability.

We found a pocket knife on him,
and two black-tops of cocaine.

Maybe it's drug-related.

Yeah, cos it was in that
sort of neighborhood, huh?

- Touché.
- [Bayliss] Third victim,
Keisha Farrell.

Fifteen years old.
High school student.

Maybe the shooter
hit the others two by accident,
and was aiming for Capers.

He accidentally
shot them in the heart?

More like
accidentally on purpose.

Three nice, clean shots,
three people expunged.

- It makes your point.
-"Expunged"?

Is there any connection
between the victims?

Well, all three were Black,
all three lived
in the neighborhood.

All right,
let's do-si-do partners,
investigate each victim.

Bayliss, you're the primary.

Work with me
on the Wilcox woman.

Kellerman, Lewis,
take Vernon Capers,
look at a drug motive, huh?

Pembleton, you and John
talk to Keisha Farrell's family.

I want everything, family,
grudges, wives, husbands,
girlfriends, boyfriends.

I wanna know what
they did with their free time.

I wanna know
what toothpaste they used!

If there's a connection
between these three victims,
it may lead us to our shooter.

F-A-R-R-E-L-L.

Died during surgery. Ugh.

Louise Wilcox
was a nurse on my shift.

But I don't know anything
about her personal life.

Well, did she ever
mention a Vernon Capers?

- Not to me.
- How about Keisha Farrell?

Nope.

Well, maybe
they were patients of hers.

Look, I can give you
her charts to look at,

but I have got to
get back to work.

Without Louise,
I've got twice as much to do,
and half the time to do it.

- [Bayliss] Terrific.
- Wait, there's more.

- Okay.
- [administrator] Those charts
don't leave this desk.

Okay. Okay.

We found your brother
with a pocket full
of ready rocks, Mr. Capers.

Does Vernon have
any other bad habits?

Yeah, he used to
leave the toilet seat up
every now and then.

Drive my girlfriend crazy.

You got a warrant or something?

We're not loving to pin
nothing on you or your friend.

We're Homicide, not Narcotics.

We just need to know
if maybe your brother,

because of his
problems with cocaine,

might have got himself
mixed up with some lowlife

- who maybe wanted him expunged?
-"Expunged"?

Hey, look, he was a doper,
okay, yeah, sure.

But I'm talking a little weed,
a little cocaine, nothing more.

[Lewis] Who was his dealer?

Vernon never made a buy.

So how'd he get the stuff?

Anything Vernon needed,
he came to me.

Hey, Pike took care of Vernon.

You took care of your brother?

Yeah, but I guess
not good enough.

Mr. Farrell,
do you know why Keisha
wasn't in school this morning?

She didn't like going to school.

I tried to keep after her,
but I work two jobs.

Never enough time.

Do you know what your daughter
was doing on Collington Avenue?

If I'd been after her more,
she'd have been in school.

She'd be coming home
tonight for supper.

I always made sure
we had supper together.

Okay, Mr. Farrell,
we won't take up
any more of your time, thanks.

Thank you, sir.

You know something,
I hate hospitals.

A hospital like this,
who blames you?

Thanks for your cooperation.

You ever have surgery, I mean,
besides being shot last year?

- Elective surgery?
- When I was 12
I had my appendix out.

- Oh, so, they
put you under, huh?
- Yeah.

- I mean, what was that like?
- I don't remember.

You don't remember your
consciousness being
suddenly obliterated?

I was a kid.

You know something?

Your heart,
it could have stopped.

You could have found out
you were allergic to anesthesia

and just died
right there on the table.

You know, Tim,
sometimes these back troubles

are psychosomatic.

[Pembleton] Vernon Capers?

And none of Louise Wilcox's
patients had a criminal record.

And none
of her co-workers held a grudge.

Well, there's no reason anyone
would've shot Keisha Farrell.

How are we doing
on this Vernon Caper's
drug connection?

Zip, this case is turning
into a stone whodunit.

- Brodie, play that for me again.
- What, the hangman?

[Bayliss] Yeah.

You know, it does
take two to play hangman.

Yeah, but the bullets we
recovered from the three victims
all came from the same gun,

so that would imply
that it was just one gunman.

Yeah, one gunman and a friend
with a good vocabulary.

Mm-hmm.

- [Pembleton chuckles]
- What? It's from my doctor.

These are muscle relaxants.
They're for back spasms, see?

Yeah, but you're not supposed
to pop 'em like aspirin.

Frank, I don't need
medical advice
from you, all right?

I'm fine.

[Pembleton] Yeah, okay.

[ominous instrumental playing]

[gunshot pops]

[gunshot pops]

[tires screeching]

[police radio chatter]

[Munch]
Another game of hangman, huh?

Are these the same letters
you found at the first scene?

Well, it's a nine-letter word,

but he added another letter, T.

This is a whole new game.
There's fewer wrong guesses.

You see the stick guy,
he's just got the head,

the body and one arm.

Well, he's
hanging himself, literally.

Maybe he's trying
to work something out.

Could be modifying the rules,
and with each wrong guess
he shoots somebody.

Shell casings are 308s
like Collington Square.

That and this hangman game,
we're definitely looking for
the same shooter.

Giardello and Russert
just showed up.

[chuckles] We all know
what that means, eh, buddy?

- Mm-hmm.
- Congratulations, Timmy!

It's a bouncing baby red ball.

- Any cigars?
- Great!

[ominous instrumental playing]

Our shooter
from Collington Square area

has moved on to Highlandtown.

Now, the pattern
of both locations is the same.

All shots were fired
from an adjacent rooftop,

all victims
were shot in the heart.

Now we might be
dealing with a sniper who
chooses his targets at random,

we might be dealing with
an assassin personality,
or a serial killer.

Right now,
we've got a lot of unknowns.

Detective Bayliss.

Our two latest victims are

Irma Watts,
34, white, secretary,

and Armando Layzek,
26, also white, a city worker.

Now we recovered three bullets,
each with a four-right twist,

from
the Collington Square scene.

And that means we are
looking for an HK rifle.

Also, a second hangman game was
found at the Highlandtown scene.

That information should
not leave this squad room.

I don't want
any leaks to the press.

I've got our handwriting expert,
Andy Orloff, comparing
the letters in both games,

see what he can come up with.

Traditionally,
it takes two to play this game,

but ballistics
points to only one gun.

At this point,
we don't know whether there are
one or two assailants involved.

Location of the shooter?

Warehouse rooftops,
the first one was
four stories high.

The Collington Square location
was seven stories high.

Our guy likes heights.

Okay, Lewis, call Quantico,

put together a psychological
profile on the sniper, okay?

Kellerman, run down
all the shooting ranges,
all the gun clubs.

Shabazz, Higby, get a list
of registered HK rifles, okay?

Now, Munch and Frank
and Stapopolous and Tambelli,

take each
of the Highlandtown victims,

see if they had anything
in common with each other

or with the Collington Square
victims, all right?

Howard's going to stay
on top of the chalk
and handwriting analysis.

The game of hangman
is our shooter's signature.

Maybe that'll lead us to him.

I'll be holding
a press conference.

Any requests
for information, for interviews,

refer them to my office, okay?

Now let's be thorough,
but let's be fast.

We don't know when
or where, or even if,

our sniper
is going to strike again,

and I don't want
to wait to find out.

The next move is ours, okay?

Okay! Let's go!

Now we're suddenly
looking for a sniper,
that's interesting.

What do you mean?

Well, two Black people get
killed in Collington Square,
it's drug related.

Two white folks go down,
it's a red ball.

It's got
a nice ring to it, "red ball."

It's urgent, you know?
You get press conferences.

Hey Meldrick,
you got a problem with the way
the investigation's being run?

I ain't got
a problem, Sarge, I just think
it's interesting, is all.

Tell me when you get that
profile back from Quantico, huh?

You got it.

I'm telling you,
you and Howard, it's love.

[indistinct]

We're extremely confident
we'll apprehend the shooter.

We have back-up
from every district in the city.

Are you recommending that
people stay inside their homes?

There's no need for panic.
There is need for caution.

My daughter
was shot this morning.

What are the police
doing about it?

We have a double shift
of homicide detectives
working on this case,

and we will catch
whoever shot these five people.

- You don't know anything,
that's what you mean!
- Get this guy.

Captain, do you have
any indication where or when
the sniper will strike next?

I want to speak
to somebody in charge!

I want to see the mayor!

Where is the mayor
and the commissioner?

Shouldn't they be involved?

I want some answers
from the police!

I want some justice
for my daughter!

I want justice for my daughter!

Captain Russert
is in charge of the case.

She's got the support
of the commissioner and mayor.

We're very close
to making an arrest.

- [reporters shouting]
- I can't tell you any more

without compromising
the investigation.

Thank you all
for your cooperation.

- What's this fellow's name?
- Farrell.

[reporters]
Mr. Farrell! Mr. Farrell!

Who the hell let
that lunatic in the building?

Why did you announce
that we were close
to making an arrest?

We're no closer now
than we were this morning.

The media
doesn't need to know that.

Yeah? Well, it doesn't
help our credibility
making false promises.

Look, you were the one
who wanted to hold
a press conference.

You can't hold
a press conference,

and then tell them
we don't know anything.

We have a sniper
on the loose in Baltimore.

I will not be responsible
for people being misled
about the danger.

I'm not suggesting
you mislead them.

I'm suggesting
that by the time you hold
your next press conference,

you're able to announce
we have the killer in custody.

Hey, put more uniforms
at the front entrance.

I don't want reporters
in the squad room.

I don't want civilians
roaming the hallways.

What have we got to connect
these five victims, huh?

Anything? Anything at all?

We've checked and re-checked
with their families, friends,

co-workers, psychic advisors
and dry cleaners.

Farrell, Capers,
Wilcox, Watts and Layzek

couldn't possibly have
less in common with each other.

Except they're all dead.

You're a literal guy, Frank.

- What are you reading?
- A book of word games.

"Hangman, the game
gets its name from the method

of counting incorrect guesses.

A gibbet or gallows is drawn.

On the first incorrect guess,
the head of the man is added.

The next gives him a neck,
the third a body, and so forth.

If the man is completed
before the player
has guessed the correct word,

he is hung,
and loses the round."

- Ouch.
- Now, there's no completed man
on either of these two photos.

He hasn't lost the round yet.

Which means
he's still playing the game.

We might have a break!

The lab identified the chalk
from the hangman letters.

The type of chalk is Da Vinci.

It's manufactured
by Majestic, Inc.

It's usually
sold in art supply stores.

Yeah, and you know something,
the stores may not be
open much longer.

We need to talk
to managers, clerks, owners

of every art supply
businesses in the area.

Track down whoever
bought this brand
of Da Vinci chalk.

All right, we also want to get
any and all credit card receipts

to cross-check
against the hangman letters.

Mm-hmm, you mean handwriting
analysis can compare a signature

with the writing
from the hangman games?

Well, that's what
we're looking for.

Modern science.

- You coming, Tim?
- Yeah, I'm on my way.

[suspenseful
instrumental playing]

- Detective Bayliss!
- Yeah.

- Meet Andy Orloff,
our handwriting expert.
- Great!

Listen,
we've narrowed down the receipts

of credit card purchases
of Da Vinci chalk
in the past year.

Yes, and you've got
the photographs
of the hangman games

at both crime scenes, yeah?

What we're
looking for is a match.

Fine, we're
counting on you, all right?

- Oh, boy. Oh!
- [Russert] Lewis, line three.

Lewis, Homicide.

Wait, hold on.

I've got Quantico,
they say they can't give us

a complete psych profile
for 24 hours.

Ugh, well,
then tell them to fax us
whatever they've got right now,

and if they've got
a problem with that,
tell them to call me.

I'm going to be in my office.

[Lewis] All right.

I don't mean to scare you,
Andy, but you're our only hope.

That scares me.

[Bayliss sighs]

No, honey,
Caroline, I can't come home yet.

I know. I know.

I didn't forget about your
piano recital tomorrow night.

I hope
I can make it too, I know.

Okay, I love you too.
Now go to bed.

[receiver clicks]

[sighs]

Bayliss, Homicide.

Yeah, yeah. Okay, I'm on my way.

Sniper struck again?

No, but a uniform
found a game of hangman
at an elementary school.

- So I'm going to
go check it out.
- I'm going with you.

I want
the two of you wearing vests.

- [Bayliss] Don't worry, Chief!
- And don't tell me not to worry!

You think he's setting us up?

The sniper?

He draws a hangman,
and we respond.

Bang, he picks us off
like a couple of sitting ducks.

Is that what you think?

You're telling me
it hasn't crossed your mind?

Well, yeah, yeah,
it's crossed my mind.

That's all I'm saying.

[ominous instrumental playing]

So, where's the hangman?

[officer] Right here.

Huh, what do you think?
A warning?

- Possibly.
- A warning?

My kids go to this school.

It's almost midnight,
in about eight hours,

150 children
between the ages of 6 and 12

will be going to school,
now, we need to order this block

cordoned off,
this building close!

And set off a city-wide panic?

We don't have an alternative.

Megan's right,
there's a possibility

that the sniper
is sending us a warning
as to where he'll hit next.

We can't risk these children.

We sent chalk scrapings
from the wall to the lab

and some photos to Andy Orloff
to compare handwriting.

Now we're just waiting
to see if there's a match
with the first two scenes.

How long
is that gonna take, Tim?

Well, they're working
as fast as they can.

Bayliss, you still think
these games are connected?

The first two games
used nine-letter words,

this one here,
it's a four-letter word.

So they may be unrelated.

Or the sniper
went on to another word.

Gee, I just heard
from Munch and Pembleton!

[Giardello]
What'd they find out?

They have
two suspects from a block away.

- They got two suspects?
- They got them in custody,
they're on their way.

[officer] Come on out.

[Howard] Two children.

Open your hand.

I want you to tell me
the truth, man to man.

You draw this game?

You guys
are just playing a game, right?

- Well, just a game, right?
- Bayliss, it's a kid.

All right, fellas,
get the kids out of here,
make sure they get home safe.

I still want that chalk
and handwriting analysis
for confirmation.

- All right.
- And I want a uniform
detail posted here.

As a precaution.

[ominous instrumental playing]

[gun clicks]

What you got there, Timmy?
Some good stuff, huh?

Percodan, Percocet, Tylenol 3s.

- They're muscle relaxants.
- Even better.

And you don't get any.

No one's willing
to share their drugs anymore.

So, this doctor,
does he still think

back surgery is a good idea?

He said that I could either
have months of physical therapy

with no guarantee of success,
or I could get an operation.

So, he recommended
the operation.

- With no guarantee of success.
- What's that supposed to mean?

Well, when you go
to a chiropractor,

you go to a physical therapist,

the doctor
doesn't see any of that dough.

He's gotta
cut you open to collect.

Dr. Erlich is very dedicated.

He didn't get into this
business because of the money.

- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.

What kinda car
does he drive? Lexus? BMW?

- Jaguar.
- Probably
the economy model, huh?

So, he drives a Jaguar,
it doesn't mean
that he's not dedicated.

Argh! Get out of there.

- [phone ringing]
- Homicide, Detective Munch.

Where? Yeah.

- Bayliss!
- What?

Another shooting,
four people dead
outside The Walters Art Gallery.

[sirens wailing]

Sir, I want to thank you

for giving me this job, sir.

It really means a lot
that you've given me
this chance to prove myself.

You haven't
proven yourself to me yet.

- Yes, sir.
- Quit talking,
and keep videotaping.

Yes, sir.

[camera shutter clicking]

Did you see where the shots
came from, Judge Hazelton?

Well, there was an echo,

but I believe they came
from one of those rooftops.

Maybe the Washington Monument.
You should look up there.

We've got a couple
of detectives up there now, sir.

[Russert] A nine-letter word,
just like the first two games.

He's filled in more letters,
but made fewer wrong guesses.

What does that mean?

Well, it means
he's closer to the right word,

but he still hasn't found
the answer he's looking for.

Maybe we ought to
buy him a dictionary.

Yeah.

- Thanks.
- Okay, we got positive
ID's on these bodies.

We got a doorman, Ernie Zaratta,
a physician, Joel Pollack,

Evan Reginald,
he's a retired judge.

And Mary Caswell.

Mary Caswell, you mean,
the wife of Henry Caswell,
the city councilman?

- Right.
- We've got a red ball
on top of a red ball.

[suspenseful
instrumental playing]

Let's go over
what we know, okay?

Firstly, how do we know
this is even the same sniper?

Shots fired, the same pattern,
victims all shot in the heart.

The hangman game's
been at every scene.

Each time more letters
are added to the word.

All right, also, chalk scrapings
indicate that Da Vinci chalk

was used in all three games.

No correspondence between
the total number of victims

and the number
of completed letters.

No correspondence between
the total number of victims

and the number
of incorrect guesses.

The victims
are all races, all ages,

all economic backgrounds,

both genders,
and no connections between them.

Okay, let's start over
with every crime scene,
one by one.

Maybe there's a connection
between the locations,

Collington Square is a C,
Highlandtown's an H.

Mount Vernon's an M.

It's got nothing to do
with anything, does it?

What about the names
of the victims, Bayliss?

Names, places, letters, numbers,

times of day, names,
God, no pattern is emerging!

Time! What about time?
What are the times on record?

Okay, we got 8:00 a.m.,
we got 4:00 p.m. and midnight.

No minutes, no seconds?
Exactly on the hour?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's what
the witnesses recollected,
on the hour, every eight hours.

Okay, three shooting incidents,
each exactly eight hours apart.

All right, it's 3:35 a.m. now.

Now, Vernon was
12 o'clock midnight.

So we have got
less than five hours.

And where?

Where?

You have less than five hours
to find the sniper,

and you're going to meet
with the families
of the victims?

These people
are demanding answers,

and they have
a right to be heard.

You should be concentrating
on catching the shooter.

Well, there isn't
anything more we can do
right now, except wait.

Listen, it's not our job
to placate the families.

Well, I think it is our job.

These are concerned citizens.

They need to know
that we're listening to them.

We are responsible
for giving out information.

They want information,
they can turn on the news.

Well, I'm also
setting up an 800 number.

What?

Any family member
who wants to know

the status of our
investigation can call in,
keep current on our progress.

Now, people can get
updates over the phone.

That way they
won't have to come down
to police headquarters.

An 800 number?

Yeah, people will feel
that they have access

to the Police Department.

They'll get
the answers that they need.

No.

It's a perfect solution to our
public information problem.

I really think it's a good idea.

It may be a good idea,
but we're already short

on money and manpower as it is.

I'm not authorizing the funds
to set up an 800 number.

What?

You should have checked
with me first, Captain.

Let me know when you have
a break in this case.

[sighing] Oh.

[rain pattering]

[Russert] Hey, Tim?

Tim, what the hell
are you doing?

- Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
- Hey, whoa!

Wow!

- Are you okay?
- I'm fine.

I'm fine, I just--

I took some muscle
relaxants for my back.

I'm fine.

I got names in red
piling up under my name.

Under my name.

Why are they
piling up under my name?

Because I answered
the phone call, right?

Yeah, it's my responsibility,
it's my case.

You know, with every case
there are those moments

when you feel
you've lost your way.

You don't know if it's worth it.

The hours.

Not being able to go to your
daughter's piano recital.

Right, see,
but then something happens, hmm?

A piece of evidence,
a witness comes in.

You get that moment of clarity,

a moment when you love your job.

But what amount of stress

would make someone
want to suddenly go out,

and shoot at strangers?

See, that's
the reason why he shoots.

There's no stress at all.

Well, what do you mean,
no stress?

You see, with a marksman,

it is about precision.

See, it's about
total concentration.

And you just--

You look
through the scope, see...

and you exhale.

And you steady

your mind, body.

You focus,

the brain, the eye, the hand.

The gun.

And then the fog
just lifts and you're...

one with your target.

And then you shoot.

Bang.

No stress at all.

Our handwriting expert,
he's got something.

[ominous instrumental playing]

Take a look at these.

M from the third hangman game,

and M from a credit-card
purchase of Da Vinci chalk.

We've got a match.

Our suspect is William Mariner,
age 43, insurance executive.

No prior arrests, no prior
medical or mental history.

[Russert] Wife, Linda,

three children,
two girls and a boy.

Lieutenant Jasper from QRT
will fill us in on procedures.

We know a lot
about this guy already.

He's a crack shot,
a former military sharpshooter.

I wanna keep it simple.

You people from Homicide
get the wife and kids
out of the way,

then we go for Mariner.

Hold up a minute,
we are gonna try to talk
to this guy first, right?

I wanna be prepared in the event
of a hostage situation.

I don't want
to go in too quickly,

because then we might
create the exact situation
we are trying to avoid.

[Giardello] Bayliss,
let the man finish, please.

Sharpshooters
are trained like QRT is trained.

The greater the pressure,
the cooler the response.

Just saying,
you go in like paratroopers,
this guy is going to snap!

- [Giardello] Bayliss.
- Detective,
he already has snapped!

Okay, all right,
can Bayliss go in and talk
to him before moving in?

When we secure the home,
and isolate Mariner, okay.

- Fair enough?
- Yeah, yeah.

Let's do it.

[crowds chatting]

[knocking on door]

[Linda] Bill? Honey?

[knocking on door]

Bill? Honey, you
want some breakfast?

I made your favorite,
blueberry pancakes.

I'll keep your plate warm.

Your daddy
will be out in a minute.

Who wants maple syrup?

- [kid] Me!
- [phone ringing]

- Hello.
- [Bayliss over phone]
Mrs. Mariner.

I'm Detective Tim Bayliss
from the Baltimore City Police.

Is your husband with you?

He's in his study.

What's this about?
What's going on?

We're very concerned
for your safety right now.

Are your kids
with you too, Mrs. Mariner?

Yeah.

Okay, good, please
step outside, Mrs. Mariner,

you and your children.

[Linda screaming]

- All right, kids.
- Mommy!

[Howard]
Come on, honey, let's go!

- Okay, let's go!
- No! No!

Mrs. Mariner,
I'm Captain Russert.

I'm Lieutenant Giardello.
You spoke to Detective Bayliss.

Why are you doing this?

I'm sorry, Mrs. Mariner,
but we've a warrant

to arrest your husband
for the murder of nine people.

- No. No. That is not true!
- [Bayliss] Mrs. Mariner.

If we could just speak to you
for just a moment, please.

[Linda] I'm going in,
you can't do this!

[Linda] Come on! Come on!

Shh! Listen, listen!

We won't hurt you,
and we don't want
to hurt your husband.

[panting]
Please don't hurt Bill.

He locks himself in his study,
he comes and goes all hours,

he doesn't eat,
he doesn't sleep,
he doesn't even drink.

If he was drinking,
I could handle that, but this--

- Mrs. Mariner,
does your husband own a gun?

A rifle.

He keeps it
with him in his study.

I tried talking to him,
but he keeps babbling.

- [Bayliss] Babbling about what?
- I don't know.

He keeps saying
he's gotta finish the game,

and if he can finish the game,
then he can stop.

Is your husband
still in his study?

What are you gonna do?

I'm gonna go talk to him.

Okay, you're up,
the study's in front,
off the living room.

QRT is ready for you to go in.

- Did Jasper greenlight
a sharpshooter?
- They're in position.

They're not gonna shoot
unless I give the signal, right?

Listen,
if the situation deteriorates,
you give it up to them, okay?

You understand?

[suspenseful
instrumental playing]

William Mariner,
this is Detective Tim Bayliss.

Can you hear me in there?

Your wife Linda and I
were just talking outside,

and she's real
worried about you.

Whatever is going on,
we can work it out.

I want that.
Your wife wants that.

I'm sure
your kids want that too.

[William] I'm very close now.

[Bayliss]
You're very close to what?

The last letter.

When I get
the last letter, I can stop.

I-- I just
have to figure it out.

Yeah, I-- I understand
about figuring things out.

Boy, my job,
I figure things out every day.

This isn't my job.

Well, what is it that you're
trying to-- to figure out?

Maybe I can help.

Mr. Mariner?

[William] Do you wanna
play a game of hangman?

It's a nine-letter word.

Go ahead, guess a letter.

Why don't you
come on out here, Mr. Mariner?

Guess a letter,
then I'll come out.

All right. M.

I already have an M.

[Bayliss]
Well, I chose a letter.

You promised you'd come on out.

But you didn't
choose the right letter.

Guess again.

[sighs] Please, Mr. Mariner.

- [William] I'm waiting.
- Yeah, okay.

B.

- That's it.
- [Bayliss] Mr. Mariner?

[ominous instrumental playing]

I finished the game.

I can stop now.

It's over.

Mr. Mariner, why don't you come
on out here, and we'll talk.

- [gunshot pops]
- [chief] Go, go, go!

All right, we're in the room.

10-32. It's all clear.

Bayliss, you all right?
You all right?

All right,
keep the wife out of here.

Let's call the crime lab.

[Bayliss] "Eromitlab."

What the hell's that?

He finally finished the game.

He got the right word.

What does it mean?

[mysterious
instrumental playing]

We've got William Mariner's
prints on shell casings
from all three crime scenes.

We've recovered
an HK rifle from his home.

- He's definitely our sniper.
- He was our sniper.

It was unfortunate
that we lost the suspect, yes,

but Detective Bayliss
did everything he could--

I now have to tell the press
telling them our prime suspect

blew his brains out
while surrounded by
100 Baltimore City detectives

and QRT personnel?

It's not
the optimum outcome, I admit,

but we did everything
according to procedure.

Were you in negotiation
with the suspect?

I left that up
to Detective Bayliss.

You turned over a very
delicate hostage negotiation
to a subordinate detective?

- You didn't take responsibility?
- That's not what I'm saying.

I take full responsibility
for what happened.

In that case your handling
of the situation indicates to me

you're not up
to the position of Captain.

- Excuse me?
- You heard me.

- You're demoting me?
- The fact is,
you're still a Lieutenant.

You're within the 12-month
probation period for Captain,

and you failed to demonstrate
you're capable of doing the job.

Really? On what grounds?

My report
to the Deputy Commissioner

will read you were in violation
of General Order C-2,

Rule Number 1, Section 19.

- Section 19?
- Non-performance
and incompetence.

- Section 19?
- Yes, that's right.

Section 19 is a completely
arbitrary regulation,

it's a-- You can cite
non-performance of duty

for an unspecified reason.

It's a loophole
for firing someone
without having to show cause.

Yeah, and that's exactly
what you are doing right now.

Believe me,
it's nothing personal.

Oh, yeah? I think it is.

I think
it is something personal.

But I just don't think
you have the balls to admit it.

Now I'm gonna
recommend you be demoted.

Section 13, showing disrespect
to a superior officer.

Oh, so in the space
of five minutes

I've been demoted
from Captain to Detective?

Why don't you
take a few days off,

decide where
you'd be comfortable,

Arson, or maybe
back to Vice or Homicide.

That's assuming you decide
to remain with the Department.

[papers rustling]

Go home, Tim.

You caught the sniper.
Case closed.

Yeah, I'm on my way, I'm just--

I'm gonna sleep
for about 12 hours straight.

I'm too wired to sleep,

unless, of course,
you want to lend me one of those
magic muscle-relaxing pills?

You know something?
I don't need these anymore.

I don't need them at all.
Here, take them.

- All of them?
- Yeah. All.

- Is there a refill on this?
- I don't know.

You know something, that's it,

I'm not taking
the pills anymore,

I'm not gonna have surgery.

[Pembleton] You made a decision?

Yep, if I'm in agony, so be it.

I'll suffer in silence.
I'll bear my pain like a martyr.

You do know
it's not your fault that
Mariner blew his brains out?

Do I know that, Fran, hmm?

Do I really?

Ordinary guy, wife, three kids,

beautiful house in the suburbs,

and he gets all twisted up

over this game of hangman.

I try to talk to him,
and he blows his head off.

He finished the game,
and I don't really
even know what that means.

[chuckles wryly] I don't get it.

Come on.

- What?
- Time to go home.

Oh, yeah.

Hey, Frank,
can you give me a ride home?

What's wrong with your car?

Nah, it's my back,
it's just, you know,
hard to drive.

Ah, your back, what happened
to suffering in silence?

You're gonna
give me a ride home or not?

- I'm goin' home.
- Is that a yes or a no?

Frank?

[upbeat instrumental playing]

Mommy, you're finally home!

Yes, I am finally home!

Come here, and you are
gonna be late for school.

You are coming to my piano
recital tonight, right?

I wouldn't miss it
for the world.

- Yay!
- Yay!

[indistinct]

Okay, you'd better hurry up,
'cause you're gonna
miss your bus.

Bye.

[*]

[*]

[reporter over TV]
We interrupt this program
for a special news bulletin.

Three people
were shot and killed

by a sniper
in downtown Baltimore.

The shots may have been fired
from an adjacent rooftop,

but police have
no further details at this time.

This latest shooting will be
the fourth such sniper attack

the city has seen
in the past 24 hours,

bringing the total number
of victims to 12 dead.

[theme song playing]