All language subtitles for Cold.Case.S07E17.Flashover.WEB-DL.AMZN.en

♪ Hello hello hello ♪

♪ Is there anybody in there ♪

[children]
'Daddy!'

[children]
'Daddy, please come.'

♪ Is there anyone at home ♪

[children screaming]

God! Oh, God!

[glass shattering]

[screaming]

[glass shattering]

No.

♪ Relax relax relax ♪

♪ I need some
information first ♪

♪ Just the basic facts ♪

♪ Can you show me
where it hurts ♪

[groans]

♪ There is no pain
you are receding ♪

[gasping]

♪ A distant ship's
smoke on the horizon ♪

[hissing]

♪ You are only
coming through in waves ♪

[grunting]

How did a father not go back
inside and get his own boys out?

I don't know.

A man would die to save his own.

♪ When I was a child ♪

♪ I had a fever ♪

[horn honking, tires squealing]

♪ Now I've got that
feeling once again ♪

Lil, it's Nick.

Uh..

I broke down on. I'm, uh..

...on Conshohocken near Belmont.

Pretty messed up.

Lil, I think
I may have killed somebody.

[coughing]

[indistinct chatter over radio]

Oh, crap.

Department vehicle
signed out by Detective Vera.

- Gone before I got here.
- Stop writing, will you?

Sorry, Detective. Got to fill
out an accident report on all..

I said, stop...writing.

Look, uh..

Look, do me
a favor, can you, uh..

...just make it a car stop?

No accident?

[sighing]

Right. Sure.

Okay, go ahead.

I got it from here.

Thanks.

[sighing]

Scotty...it's me.

We got a problem.

[theme music]

[sighing]
Damn, Nick.

[phone beeps off]
Is there any blood?

A little on the airbag.

Yeah, it looks like
he just hit the sign.

[sighing]
No animals down on the road.

You hear anything on the radio?

Not yet.

What about that uniform?

Nick was gone when
he arrived on the scene

and I told him it's on me.

But why ditch the car?

Trying to duck a DUI?

Message he left was
a whole lot worse than that.

You think he was serious?

I called him back five times

and he won't answer his cell.

I'll get it towed to my guy

have him...clean it up.

What the boss don't know
can't hurt him, you know?

He's got enough problems.

Well, at least till
we figure out

what the hell's going on.

- Will or Kat know?
- No.

Figured it's
bad enough I got you

on the hook for this now, too.

It's Nick, Lil.

I mean, they'd want to know.

I'll have them
swing by his place.

[Lilly]
'See if he turns up.'

The guy's a mess.

[glass breaking]
Yeah, he's been for a while now.

Schmitty's is up the road.

He's probably
headed home from the bar.

Big guy with a voice, right?

He in some kind of trouble?

What kind of
condition was he in?

Whoa, just so you know

I didn't serve him
more than three.

Guy tops it off in
the parking lot, that's on him.

Not trying to jam you up.

Just tell us when he left.

About an hour ago,
wits about him.

I'll cut off anybody,
cop or no cop.

Yeah. Yeah, we got that.

Sounds like
he's become a regular.

Every night this week,
knocking back the Manhattans.

He get into it
with anyone at the bar?

Not tonight. Keeps to himself,
regulars know he's a cop.

Wait. What do you mean,
not tonight?

Last week, some idiot came
in here shooting his mouth off.

Me and Big Mac tossed him
before it got out of hand.

And this idiot got a name?

[Lilly]
What'd he look like?

I don't know. Just some guy.

White, medium build,
maybe thirties.

So what was it about?

Not sure, the guy was sure

busted up about something.

[male #1]
'You happy with
yourself, detective?'

I thought
you should know.

Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I got it, buddy, okay?

I tried to tell you
but you wouldn't listen!

My brother's gone,
and that's on you now.

Know what, jackass?
I told you to hit the bricks.

You're nothing but a drunk bum.

Mac, get him out of here.

How can you live with yourself?

You need to calm down.

- Come on!
- Just relax, man.

Just calm down. Just relax.

I'm alright.

I don't know
what the guy's beef was.

Something about his brother.

He blamed Vera,
felt he wronged him somehow?

[Bartender]
'Cop never bothered nobody,
so I gave the guy the boot.'

- Nick ever here with anybody?
- Nah.

Mostly just drinks alone.

Last couple nights
in here looking over

'some old file photos.'

Photos? What, like,
crime scene photos?

I don't know.

They were dark,
hard to make out.

Like something burnt up.

[bartender]
'Honestly, his line of work.'

I didn't want to ask.

Key still works.

Whoa.

[Kat]
'Clearly the maid don't.'

[Will]
'God, just when
you think you know a guy.'

Oscar needs a Felix.

[Will]
'Oh.'

Told me he
passed his physical.

Dude's a time bomb.

[Will]
'It's worse than I thought.'

- What was her name again?
- Julie.

Split up years ago.

Booze and pills
definitely do not mix

with photos of the ex.

- What do you got?
- 'It's a crime scene photo.'

Something I saw Nick
looking at a few weeks back.

[knocking on desk]
Hmm? What the hell?

Can't you see
I'm taking a table nap?

[Kat]
Been a lot of those lately.

What do you got?

Some other case.

Arson photo.

Didn't recognize
it at the time.

"J.D. Billingsley, 11/06."

But why bring home
a four-year-old arson case?

Might have something to
do with the guy at the bar.

- 'You remember this case?'
- No.

But the fire marshal would.

Billingsley.
Oh, yeah, I remember.

Double homicide,
arson, couple years back.

You worked that
with Nick, right?

Yeah, that's right.
What's going on?

He contact you?

Any reason
the case might come up?

No. Any reason it should?

Tell us
about the arson case, Ray.

Was a house over in Kensington.

Incendiary,
pretty open and shut.

J.D. Billingsley?

Joe Don Billingsley.

Lit up his own place,
middle of the night.

It was a double homicide?

His own two boys.

Drunk bastard had
custody for the weekend.

[dog barking]

Looks like
a bomb went off.

Flashover.

Simultaneous ignition
of all combustible material.

Flashover.

Smoke and gas layer

got trapped at the ceiling.

At 1,100 degrees, the
whole room burst into flames.

Father said he was
asleep on the couch.

Yeah, he
also said he couldn't get

to the kids' room down the hall.

Yeah, ran
into a wall of flame.

With no burns on his bare feet?

Thought he
ran out the front door.

Yeah, just let in more
oxygen, fed the beast.

Did you see the
crazed glass back there?

Puddle configurations?

Multiple points of origin.

Burn marks on the
baseboards and walls.

Yeah, all
the way down the hall.

Seen hundreds of these.

[Ray]
'Most of them do it
for the insurance.'

- No. This place was a rental.
- 'Whatever.'

Fire this
hot don't occur without

the use of an accelerant.

What, lighter fluid?

Butane, propane,
maybe gasoline.

Same result.

[Ray]
'Got your pour patterns
on the floor right there.'

Under the beds.

Son of a bitch
burned his own kids up.

Then ran out of the house.

Three and five, those boys.

That one just about
tore everybody up.

Including Nick?

Nick was going
through a divorce at the time.

Rubbed him pretty raw.

Sick bastard killed
his kids just to spite his ex.

Nick put him away?

Billingsley got life.

He's lucky he
didn't get the needle.

He didn't have the
decency to take his own life.

Any reason Nick would
be looking into that case again?

Never said nothing to me.

[Scotty]
You remember
if this Joe Don had a brother?

Maybe at the trial?

I'm sorry, I don't.

Is everything okay?

[Lilly]
'Well, you hear from him, Ray'

let us know.

[Kat]
Joe Don Billingsley,
convicted in '08.

Arson, double homicide.

Doing life up in Rockford.

Was. Till he caught a
shiv last week in the yard.

Bled out.
Old Joe Don's gone.

Could be the guy
Nick meant, got killed?

A loudmouth
at the bar blamed Nick

for his brother's death.

[Will]
'Younger brother, Travis.'

Popped twice for
DUI, resisting arrest.

Well, now he's stalking Nick.

He was fired
from his last job at Costco.

We're trying to track
down a new work address.

[Scotty]Travis.

Looks dumb enough
to go after a cop.

Morning, Lieutenant.

Something wrong
with the air upstairs, Pat?

You know where
Detective Vera is, John?

I guess I'm about to find out.

Don't jerk me around.

I know all about
the abandoned department vehicle

[Pat]
'out on Conshohocken Road.'

Okay.

I also know that one of your

detectives had it
towed to a private garage.

One of my detectives?

[Pat]
'Can't say I blame them.'

Damaged vehicle,
reeking of Kentucky sour mash.

Alright, get to it, Pat.

That's a $35,000 vehicle

that belongs to the department.

[Pat]
'And I would like
to get it back'

before the
commissioner gets wind of this.

Good as new.

I'll get right on it.

As for Detective Vera,
I would suggest

you find out where he is

and just what
the hell is going on

before the end
of the working day.

Oh, I'll get
to the bottom of it.

Put your house in order, John

or I'll do it for you.

[Scotty]
Travis Billingsley.

Detective Valens and Rush.

That supposed
to impress me?

Supposed to jog your memory.

Last time you saw
Detective Nick Vera.

Why? Something happened to him?

Asked you a question, pal.

How you know Detective Vera?

Oh, so now
I'm supposed to help the police?

How's that
for an impression, jackass?

In case
you need my badge number.

[Lilly]
This ain't a
courtesy call, Travis.

You got into a bar fight
with Detective Vera last week.

That wasn't a fight.

Just tracked him down
to let him know what he did.

Yeah, what'd he do?

He put my brother away.

Got him killed.

Yeah, real sorry
they don't look kindly

on scumbags who burn up
their own kids in prison.

My brother wasn't a monster.

Joe Don didn't do it.

Right, buddy.
Nobody in jail did it, right?

I had proof.

I tried for months
to get Detective Vera

to take another
look at the case

but he wouldn't listen.

[Pink Floyd
singing, "Hey You"]

Detective, Detective Vera,
can I talk to you?

It's about my brother.

What's the name, buddy?

- Travis Billingsley.
- Billingsley?

[Travis]
'Called five times
about my brother, Joe Don.'

He's doing
life up in Rockford for arson.

Yeah, 'course. I remember.

I just need you to hear me out

'cause the DA won't and that

court-appointed lawyer my
brother had was a joke--

Well, it's a little late, pal.

- He confessed.
- That's not true.

Yeah. Check
the trial transcripts.

He admitted he did it when he

was in lockup awaiting trial.

- Game over.
- 'That's just it, he didn't.'

Check out the record
on that cellblock snitch.

Inmate the DA put
on the stand was a liar.

My brother would never
admit to setting that fire

'cause he didn't do it.

Everybody's innocent
in the can.

But he never confessed
to you, did he, detective?

Just asking you to take a look.

Yeah, sure.

I'll take a look.

He didn't give a rat's ass.

That cellblock snitch has
given false testimony before.

Cody Blanchard lied when he
said my brother confessed.

How do you know?

'Cause he done it
three times before.

That's how come
they kept letting him out.

So, he's a serial snitch.

That don't mean he lied.

Another guy
he did it to got freed

after he
recanted his testimony.

That the only reason
you tracked Nick down?

Let him know that?

Wouldn't you?

Lying SOB snitch
sealed my brother's fate

and got rewarded for it.

And now it's too late.

[Kat]
'Called Frackville.'

Found out Nick went to visit

Billingsley's old cellblock
snitch a few days ago.

Already landed back
in the can?

Thieving drug fiend.

Old habits die hard.

[John]
'Anybody here seen Nick?'

Not yet, boss.

Don't know.
He's got plenty of time.

Maybe he
took a sick day.

So that's how we're
gonna play this, huh?

- What's that, boss?
- 'Oh, cut the BS.'

I know that Nick is
missing, along with his car.

[John]
'This whole mess has
already blown upstairs.'

'As much
you want to protect Nick'

all of you might want to start
thinking about your own badges.

Look, we
got no idea where Nick went

[Kat]
'but we're on it.'

[muttering]
Alright, look.

Think it's got
something to do with a guy

Nick put away on an arson case
four years ago.

Got killed
in prison last week.

[John]
'Billingsley.'

What does
this got to do with

Nick cracking up his car?

Don't know, but it's
the last case he was working on.

That's it?

[John]
Is there anything else I
need to get in front of here?

Nick's in bad shape, boss.

Something I don't know, Kat.

It's not physical, John.

His head's not right.
We're worried about him.

Alright, talk to ADA Bell.

See what he knows about
the Billingsley case.

Rush and Valens
went to pay Billingsley's

old cellmate a visit.

[Will]
They're trying to track down

his ex, see if he talked to her.

I'll reach out
to Boyle over in Feds.

See if we can get
a location on his cell phone.

- We'll find him, boss.
- We'd better..

Before he does
any more harm.

Especially to himself.

[Will]
'Hey, Julie.'

What's going on?

Is this about Nick?

Have you seen him?

He stopped by this morning.

He didn't look
so good. Is he okay?

Just showed up at your door?

Really kind of threw me.

I-I hadn't seen him
since the divorce

and we never really
talked after that.

- What'd he want?
- I don't know.

But it looked like he
had something on his mind.

I was trying
to get my kids ready.

[Pink Floyd singing, "Mother"]

Hey, Jules.

Nick.

Uh..

Thanks. If only
I had time to read it.

What are you doing here?

I don't know. Uh..

Just felt like I
needed to see you.

How've you been doing?

You really should
have called. I..

♪ She won't let you fly ♪

Is something wrong?

No. Uh, sorry.

You're right.

I was just
getting my son ready for school.

Your son?

I know you got remarried. I..

Clint. He just
started preschool.

Clint. Wow.

[toddler crying]
I like that.

I also have
a two-year-old daughter.

That would be
what you hear yelling upstairs.

[crying continues]

Mommy, I
can't find my other shoe.

Can you hold on one second?
I'll be right back.

And we
can talk for a minute.

[Julie]
'Okay, now you go
find the other one'

'and I'll
find your jacket'

and tell your sister
I'll be right there.

[Clint]
'Okay, mommy.'

Never really
had a chance to talk.

Figured it
must be important, but..

Didn't say
where he was headed?

Never got that far.

It looked like
he'd been up all night

like he was working a case.

Is he okay?

We don't know,
but if you hear from him again

make sure to give us a call.

[door buzzer ringing]

What up, Squirrel?

Figure you got to
watch your back in here

with a
nickname like that.

Yeah, yeah. Everybody's got

to watch their back in here.

Just better at it than most.

Well, it helps to have
friends in the DA's office.

[Lilly]
'Got the parole board to cut'

you loose early
three different times.

Yeah. I'm just keeping
my eyes and my ears open.

Waiting for a nut
to fall from a tree.

Unfortunately, that
nasty meth habit

keeps landing
you back in here.

Yeah, well, that's a..

That's just
a temporary situation.

Now what can I do for you?

Why did Detective Vera
recently come to see you?

Philly Homicide, ain't you?

You guys don't talk?

Was it about
the Billingsley case?

Billingsley.
Man, that's ancient history.

Yeah. So was Joe Don.

Caught a shiv
up in Rockford last week.

Yeah, I heard about
that from your partner.

Hard row to hoe for a baby
killer inside these walls.

So, what did Detective Vera
want to know about Joe Don?

Oh, man, I mean,
what is it with this case?

I already testified to the DA.

Ain't the
question we asked you.

Aah!

Te-tell me again
what's in it for me.

[Lilly]
'Oh, we don't tell
the last homicidal'

maniac you flipped on
it was you who gave him up.

What kind of cops are you?

The kind that don't care
about you. Detective Vera!

- Why'd he come talk to you?
- No disrespect, Detective.

It don't have
to be like this, okay?

I tried to play
ball with your guy

but he just
took it the wrong way.

You testified that Joe
Don told you he did it.

- Burned his house down.
- That's right.

That what I told the DA,
detective, on the record.

While he was awaiting
trial in county lockup.

Damn right.

He said that if he couldn't

have custody of them kids

then that bitch
couldn't, either.

And that's why
he set that house on fire.

Joe Don said this
to you even though

he never confessed
to me or anybody else?

We were on the same
cellblock, detective.

Yeah, but he
didn't have a cellmate.

When exactly did he
tell you he did it?

When I was
walking by his cell.

What, through the food slot?

Yeah, that's right.

He said he lit
that bitch up with gasoline.

- Uh-huh.
- Mm.

He said because he wanted
custody of those kids, right?

- That's what he said.
- Both of them?

The boy and the girl?

Yeah, that's
right, both of them.

A little girl, too.

Hmm.

[groaning]

Joe Don
didn't have a little girl.

He just had two boys.

Look, man!

I just told that DA, detective

what he wanted to hear

just like I'm telling you.

What's that?

[Cody]
What do you want me
to say? He did it?

Then he did it.

Whatever you want me to say.

You just give
me the right information

before I take the stand

and I'll say
it right, don't you worry.

A man is dead
because of your lying ass.

Because of me?

I thought it was you
who put him in here.

[Cody]
'Hey! Hey!'

I don't get it.
I played the game.

I fed you and the DA
what you need and-and-and

this, this is the thanks I get?

Yeah, the thanks.

Well, that cop
had a screw loose, no?

The truth is, Joe Don didn't say

any of that BS to you
about offing his kids, right?

Difference does it make?

[Cody]
'I mean, if he didn't do that'

then he
did something else, right?

I mean, we all did it in here.

[Lilly]
The difference is

he's dead, Squirrel.

Yeah, well,
I wasn't glad to hear

that Joe Don got stuck, but,
uh, huh, that man was twisted.

Oh, yeah.
And he was in denial, too.

What are you talking about?

Oh, he would cry
himself to sleep every night.

Just crying about them kids.

Yeah, then he would write

letters to
some crackpot scientist.

What scientist?
How do you know?

A little C.O. bird told me.

He's working on his appeal.

You know, thought
he could get him out.

What's a name worth to you?

Worth keeping your acorns
out of a vice, Squirrel.

This is Joe Don
Billingsley's old house.

FBI tracks Nick's
phone to this location.

Yeah. Why
would he come back here?

Who you calling?

Nick.

[cell phone ringing in distance]

[muffled ringing]

[ringing grows louder]

It's his.

Last call an hour ago to me.

Home phone.

Why wouldn't he
just call your cell?

[Will]
'I don't know.'

[female #1]
'You have one unheard message.'

[phone beeping]
Left a voicemail.

[Nick over voicemail]
'Hey, man, uh, it's Nick.'

'I just wanted
to tell you, uh, it's been'

'great working with you.'

[Nick]
'You've always been
a-a...a good friend to me.'

'I think
I still owe you 50 bucks.'

'Anyways, um...that's about it.'

'Sorry about the whole mess.'

[Scotty]
Hey, boss.

Next time you two get the
instinct to protect me, don't.

Where are we on Nick?

[Scotty]
'Running down
a list of calls, messages'

anyone who talked to Nick
in the past 24.

[Lilly]
'Yeah, there was a
recent call on his cell'

to Jeannette Peterson,
Billingsley's ex-wife.

[Scotty]
'Miller and
Jeffries are headed over'

to talk to her now.

Also, calls to a Goran Petrovic

a professor over at Temple.

One yesterday
and one last week.

[Scotty]
Correspondence
records at Rockford

show Billingsley
wrote multiple letters

[Scotty]
'to the same Dr. Petrovic.'

- What kind of professor?
- Chemical engineering.

Also worked for multiple

companies that served
private military suppliers.

Hit the campus.
Pay the doc a visit.

You talk
to Criminal Intelligence?

Oh, yeah, we got teams

of plainclothes cops
trying to track him down.

Alright, tell
them no paper trail.

[Lilly]
I just said find him, bring
him in, no questions asked.

Yeah, don't take "no"
for an answer from Nick.

And, Scotty,
get that damn car back.

[Goran]
'Used to design
all sorts of nasty'

explosives
with military applications.

Lucrative, yes.

But also insane.

I prefer teaching.

Detective Vera asked you to
review the JD Billingsley case?

Given that he was

the original investigator

and seemed quite
desperate, yes, I took a look.

Well, the fire marshal
determined that it was arson.

Which frankly,
I found stunning.

Though I shouldn't anymore.

Why's that?

Most fire marshals only have

high school degree and certified

after one 40-hour
course in fire investigation.

[Lilly]
Ray Crawford's been on the job

30 years, he's done
hundreds of arson cases.

Instincts and
experience is no substitute

for scientific method.

And this finding
completely ignores it.

What did
you tell Detective Vera?

I told him the truth.

From the photos,
it appears that the fire

reached upwards
of 1,800 degrees.

- Flashover from the accelerant.
- Not necessarily.

The temperature is
affected mostly by ventilation.

But what about the burn patterns

and the...the puddle
configuration under the bed?

The effects of flashover can
look like evidence of arson

[Goran]
'but these
burn patterns aren't indicative'

of an accelerant.

So how did the fire start?

[Goran]
That's hard to tell.

From these pictures

'it appears that
the point of origin'

'was most likely the kitchen.'

But you can't say
for sure what caused it?

[Goran]
Not for certain.

Which why I'm baffled

by the fire marshal's finding.

Oh, Crawford's
been at it a long time.

He learned from the old timers.

Might explain
why it's based on, uh

junk science
and old wives' tales.

Yeah, but Joe Don, he escaped

with no burns on his feet.

How's that possible?

Because fire burns upward.

And one that reaches flashover

is the next hottest thing
to hell.

And unless you're confronted
with that type of heat

you just can't understand it,
detective.

You're right. I don't.

He left his kids inside.

As soon as he went outside

to find another way in

he just let in more oxygen.

Fed the beast.

Even a fireman wouldn't go
back into this blast furnace.

So what you're saying is..

...it's possible Joe Don
was telling me the truth?

I see no evidence of arson.

That's good. Right?

If he wasn't already dead.

Seemed to take
the news pretty hard.

You think the fire
started in the kitchen.

Older house like that

nine times
out of ten, it's faulty wiring.

Yeah, but there's
no way to tell for sure.

Usually, there'd
be some prior issues

with overloaded
circuits, browning outlets.

But you'd have to ask
somebody who lived in the home.

[Jeannette]
'Joe Don getting killed'

all these detectives
coming round here again.

It's like the
nightmare never ends.

Detective Vera
came by here?

Yesterday.

Asking me all those questions

about things
I'd rather not relive.

Going over your statement.

I didn't care to
but I trust Detective Vera.

Joe Don was pretty
upset when I moved out.

He lost his job.

Drinking too much.

He just.. He wasn't
the same man I married.

I filed for separation

and...then he...
he found out I was dating.

He threaten you or the kids?

He said some
pretty...terrible things.

But, um..

...I couldn't deny
the boys their father.

[Jeannette]
You know, when
they told me that

he set the house on fire

I couldn't believe it.

You know..

...nobody should
experience a loss like that.

Jeannette, did
Detective Vera

ask you anything
else about the house?

He kept asking about
when I lived in the house.

About the kitchen.

He said he'd never let
another man raise his boys.

I lost everything.

Jeannette, I need to ask you
about the time before you left

when you
still lived in the house.

Do you remember
any electrical problems

with the lights
or the outlets?

What problems
didn't the house have?

Lights were always
flickering on and off.

Did you tell your landlord?

Cheap bastard
never fixed anything.

Do you remember any problems
with the wiring in the kitchen?

The switches
or the outlets?

Why are you asking me this?

He's dead, my kids are gone.

- It's important.
- Why?

[instrumental music]

I don't know how
to say this but..

...it's possible Joe Don
didn't set that fire.

You must be joking.

You're the one
who told me he did it.

The police,
the fire department

the lawyers,
it has to be true!

I'm not so sure anymore.

Well, I don't
have any doubt, detective.

You tell me how a man

doesn't run back in
there to save his own sons.

The neighbors,
they saw him on the street

while my babies burned up.

How could
he not go back in there?

Tell me that!

Those were your kids,
would you stand outside

while they burned alive?

Jeannette, what was wrong
with the wiring in the house?

You know, every time
you'd plug in the toaster

the fridge would go out.

In the kitchen?

One time
the outlet melted down.

I lost a bunch
of breast milk.

Joe Don finally called
an electrician

and the landlord
got all upset about it.

The landlord?

Bela.

He only wanted to use
his handyman

to fix everything
on the cheap.

Look, I-I don't understand

why you keep asking me
about the house.

Should talk
to insurance company.

I'm still trying to
get them to pay up.

Oh, that's got to be
rough on you, Bela.

Yeah, I should not
have rented to that family.

[Bela]
Now, that man was alcoholic.

It's always bad when man
of house cannot hold on to job.

Understand that house
had a lot of electrical issues.

Issues? No issues.

You cannot put blame
on me for what happened.

Oh, we didn't say that, Bela.

Maybe we should talk
to your handyman.

Why you detectives
keep harassing me?

[Lilly]
So what happened when Joe Don
hired his own electrician?

Oh, that stupid
waste of money.

You know how much
electrician charges per hour?

Yeah, sounded
like you needed one.

Joe Don was problem tenant.

Always overloading
circuits, clogging up pipes

asking for more time
before paying rent, always!

No, the way we heard it, your
handyman couldn't fix anything.

[Scotty]
There's old wiring,
lights flickering

browning outlets,
and you send over

a guy who can't
screw in a light bulb.

That's ridiculous.

Jorge is very good handyman.

I know him personally.

Joe Don's ex told us
a kitchen outlet melted.

He told them just

"plug it into the bottom".
That your idea?

I am not negligent.

I have lawyers
who can prove this.

Yeah, sure you do.

Look, I manage three
apartment buildings.

People always
want something for nothing.

Never mind
if it's a fire hazard.

I did not start that fire.

This is not my fault.

Oh, yeah, it...
It's nobody's fault.

Hey, call just came in.

Got a jumper
at 12th and Ridge.

It's two blocks up
from Nick's place.

[camera shutters clicking]

[indistinct chatter over radio]

White male,
40s, heavyset.

- No ID?
- Nada.

Face is
messed up from the swan dive.

[uniform cop]
'Six stories up.'

Lil.

That ain't him.

It's good you got
that department vehicle

back in
serviceable condition.

Any such luck
with your detective?

No.

Hey, that's too bad.

Do what you've got to do.

[sighing]

You know, John

[Pat]
'I know you think I hate you.'

That I'm after you because
of what you did to my son

15 years ago.

- Pat--
- No, let me finish.

I know Matt was a screw up.

Wife and I,
we tried everything.

Rehab, kicked
him out of the house.

More rehab, none of it worked.

Now, this
is none of my business.

No, it was everybody's
business. That was the problem.

Everybody in
this whole damn department

knew that he was my son.

[Pat]
'So every time he got arrested'

'he got a pass, skated
by, and Matt knew it.'

He counted on it.

Till you finally locked him up.

- I don't need to hear this.
- No, you do.

I had to, Pat!
It was his fourth time!

It took my kid a long time
to get straightened out, John.

[Pat]
'Getting a job
is tough with a record.'

But, finally, he did it.

He even got married.

Last month..

...he actually
gave me a grandson.

I heard. Congratulations.

Which is right about when I
finally admitted to myself

that getting locked
up was the best thing

that ever happened to my son.

Which, I guess, is my
roundabout way of saying

you were right.

So, I'm going to
return the favor.

Pat, it was a long time ago.

When or if you
get your detective back

I expect you to do the same.

- Nick?
- 'Take him off line.'

'Send him
to psych services.'

If that doesn't work,
take away his badge.

[Pat]
'Take care of it, John.'

I realize now
it's the only way.

[door opening]

Yeah, okay, thanks.

That was the fire station.

Said Nick was
just there 15 minutes ago.

- Got into it with Crawford.
- Fight?

Said it got pretty heated
until some

firemen jumped
in and Nick took off.

Alright, call Lil and Scotty.

See if they can catch up to him.

The balls
on that guy coming in here

going at me how I do my job!

Who the hell's he think he is?

- Calm down, Ray.
- 'Don't tell me to calm down!'

How would you like it
some fireman marches

into the PPD, saying
you messed up a case?

He came at you
about Billingsley?

Whatever! Son of a bitch!

This about half hour ago?
He on foot?

Hell if I know. Couple of the
guys tossed him out on his ear.

He's lucky
I didn't break his jaw!

Yeah, alright, alright.
Just tell us what happened.

I've been a fire marshal
before he was a beat cop.

Don't tell me
what's arson and what ain't.

♪ Ticking away ♪

Take a look
at the file, Ray.

There were electrical
problems in the house.

No residue of
a petroleum-based accelerant.

You're out
of your freaking mind.

Just take a look
at the file, please.

I've heard about enough.

Get the hell out of here.

I don't think he did it, Ray.

I don't really care
what you think.

I know it's arson

just like you know
a murder when you see it.

He never gave it up!
That never bothered you?

What are you talking about?

Forty eight hours in the box,
I never got him to give it up.

He always
maintained his innocence.

That don't bother you?

No, that's between him and God.

I went on
what you told me, Ray.

That it had to be arson.

Wh-what are you saying,
that I'm wrong, Nick?

- That this is all on me?
- No, no, I'm not saying that.

Don't forget, you took
the witness statements.

You testified on the
stand to his state of mind.

- Ain't denying that.
- The guy was a drunk!

He's a terrible husband!

Pissed off at
his wife, at the world.

Been there.
All those things, myself.

It doesn't mean
that he killed his kids.

Oh, cry me a river.

Joe Don Billingsley
didn't deserve what happened!

He didn't deserve to die!

Boo-hoo! Live with it.

We gotta
make this right somehow.

There is nothing to fix!

Guy's dead and gone.

His ex-wife still thinks
that he killed her kids.

His own parents think that
he killed their grandkids!

Guess what? So do I.

And that's
the way it's gonna stay.

Hey!

You do what you got to do!

I know what I got to do!

I know what I got to do!

Nobody comes in here and
talks to me like that.

He said something
about Joe Don's parents.

Making it right?

I don't know what he's gonna

do and frankly, I don't care.

So why wouldn't you look
at the evidence again, Ray?

You seriously entertaining
reopening this case?

Get the hell out of my house.

[rain pattering]

[Lilly]
'Nick! Get in.'

[thunder rumbling]

Joe Don's
parents' house, huh?

Been out here what?

An hour?

Just trying to figure out
what to say.

You had a busy 48 hours.

You had us all worried.

Have I been fired yet?

Maybe the boss can
pull some strings.

For both of us.

You?

Considering I covered up a DUI.

Sorry about that.

You're a good cop, Nick..

...but you need help.

I saw my my ex-wife Julie.

She's got two kids.

I always thought
that that'd be me.

No, it's never too late.

I'm happy for her.

Back when they caught this case

it's all I
wanted was a kid, a family.

And then when I saw
that burnt-out bedroom..

And the kids..

Yeah.

'Yeah, I sat down in the box'

across from this man

this father that had

had burned his kids alive

and I couldn't believe
someone could do that.

Did he?

I went at him
day and night, Lil.

I knew something
wasn't right in my gut.

I kept looking for that
one thing in his story

that one slip
that just lets you..

...lets you know he's a liar.

Just needed one slip.

But he never did.

I didn't need a
statement to get a conviction.

I had everything.

I was just so sure
he'd done it.

And you weren't
the only one, Nick.

Firemen call it the "beast".

Flashover.

It only got hotter
when he went outside

trying to find another
way back to get his kids.

But he couldn't.

I just couldn't get
my head around that.

What that was like?

I thought for sure
he'd set that fire.

And he tried to tell me,
and I couldn't hear it.

He tried to tell you what?

That he wasn't a killer.

He was just afraid.

Afraid for his own life.

And for that,
I couldn't forgive him.

It was you, Joe Don.

You started that fire
you burned up those kids.

No, I could never do that.

I would never hurt them.
I loved my boys.

Really? Then how could you just
leave them in there to die?

I just...the fire,
it was everywhere.

It was so hot.
You have no idea.

[Nick]
'You're right, I don't.'

You had plenty of time
to go in there and get them out.

No, I thought I could,
but it happened so fast and..

...and then I was on fire.

'The fire,
it was, it was everywhere.'

- And the heat, my God..
- Help me believe you.

[pounding on table]
'How does a father
not go back inside'

and get his own boys out?

I don't know.

You see, a man, a man would do

anything to save his own.

I tried.

[glass shattering]

I really tried.

I don't believe you.

You're a liar.
You're a damn liar.

[slamming]
How could you just stand by

and let that happen?

Help me understand that,
okay?

- How?
- I don't know, alright?

I just..

...couldn't.

I don't know.

I mistook cowardice for guilt.

It's an honest mistake, Nick.

One that can't be made right.

[rain pattering]

[sighing]

[Lilly]
'Well, look,
we'll talk to the DA.'

We'll try to clear his name.

Okay?

First, I gotta do this.

[thunder rumbling]

Mr. and Mrs. Billingsley,
I'm Detective Vera.

I know who you are.

I'm sorry for your loss.

What do you want?

There's been
some new evidence in the case

and I know it will
never bring your son back

but I want you to know

I'm going to do everything
I can to clear his name.

[door slamming]

[thunder crashing]

[Pink Floyd singing,
"Wish You Were Here"]

♪ So so you think you can ♪

♪ Tell Heaven from Hell ♪

♪ Blue skies from pain ♪

♪ Can you tell a green field
from a cold steel rail ♪

♪ A smile from a veil ♪

♪ Do you think you can tell ♪

♪ Did they get you to
trade your heroes for ghosts ♪

♪ Hot ashes for trees ♪

♪ Hot air for a cool breeze ♪

♪ Cold comfort for change ♪

♪ Did you exchange
for a walk-on part in the war ♪

♪ For a lead role in a cage ♪

[music continues]

♪ How I wish how I
wish you were here ♪

♪ We're just two lost souls
swimming in a fish bowl.. ♪♪

[theme music]