(male #1) 'I understand that.'
But I'm getting paid on..
I am listening, you're not listening.
- I'm getting paid-- - Hi, baby.
If you'd just give me a brief moment to..
I'm not giving attitude!
Hello?
'Hello?'
Midnight, they're gonna shut my gas.
What'd you bring?
- Chicken? - For the concert.
I got to do these bills.
You should go.
Honey, I can see Nirvana anytime.
You know
you could ask Krystal for the money. She'll help you.
I know. I don't wanna ask.
I'm gonna heave that thing out the window.
Here, grandma. Here's your tea.
Don't touch that.
This is worse than pro wrestling.
Shush. You don't know anything about it.
These guys'll bleed every last cent.
Can't take it with you.
So that others might live in the light.
So, it's a freezing February night.
I'm up, get this call about midnight.
Oh, is this the Jamaican job? That's a good one.
Yeah, you know how Jamaican jobs are, right?
I mean, aliases, no papers.
Give me a bag of bones any day.
Yeah, well, I'm in a slump
and I need a cake job like you wouldn't believe.
So he gets this call out of, uh, North Central.
- You telling this or me? - No, go ahead. It's your story.
(Jeffries) 'So, anyway, we're riding out'
and I'm thinking, I hope
this is not a Jamaican.
Please don't let this be a Jamaican.
Do-don't finish it. Vera, homicide.
So anyway, I get out there.
This guy's on the front seat, frozen through.
And he's a Jamaican.
No. He's a Burmese Buddhist monk.
I take one look, I say to Vera
"Why couldn't he be Jamaican?"
Hold on just a second, hold on.
Hey, you couldn't wait?
It's for you. Another cold one.
Why do you got to be like that?
Some of those stories of yours I like.
Uh, Detective Rush.
(male #1 on phone) 'I wanna tell you about a murder.'
And this happened a while ago?
'In 1989.'
What's your name?
'I don't wanna tell you my name.'
Okay, what do you want to tell me?
'She was elderly.'
Who was elderly, the victim?
'Her name was Krystal Hogan.'
'At her age, there was no defending herself.'
How old was she?
'Almost 81.'
How is it you know she was murdered?
'I did it.'
Guy confesses to murder
and then he won't tell you his name?
Maybe it's a hoax.
I can't find a box on the lady.
Well, it's not Krystal Hogan
but I-I seem to remember a K. Dugan
when I was on the line.
Maybe an '87 job.
Kendall Dugan.
Drug shooting.
Oh, right.
So, did you run her name through the computer?
Waiting for something to kick out.
Well, there's not much else you can do, though.
(Jeffries) 'Lil?'
That fellow's back on the line.
You hung up on me.
'I was having second thoughts.'
'Now I'm not.'
Well, I don't have a box on Krystal Hogan.
- Sorry. - 'What does that mean?'
No box, no body, no crime.
Maybe you're just a guy who likes talking to police.
You don't believe me?
I'll tell you where the body is.
Okay.
'2212, Elm street.'
Germantown.
In the basement.
Wanna tell me your name now?
Guy's real up front, or messing with me good.
- Gave you an address? - I'll run it.
Don't have enough for a warrant.
So, finesse the neighborhood.
Right. Worth a door knock.
Are you Brad Meyer?
Yeah. Who are you?
Philadelphia police.
Detective Rush.
Oh, low blow.
Someone called the cops on me?
No. Uh, can I talk to you a minute?
What's goin' on?
This is my wife, Dana.
She's police.
I'm just looking into something
that might have happened around here
several years back.
Thought it was about us getting rowdy.
We only moved in eight months ago.
'Maybe you should try that lady, Joan'
across the street.
She brought us a moving-in casserole
and knows the neighborhood business pretty good.
Thank you.
Krystal Hogan.
She was an old pistol.
So, you knew her?
Lived right over there.
When was that?
10-15 years ago.
She moved in with her son's family.
Then, this was awful..
The son and his wife died
in a crash on the turnpike.
That left Krystal alone over there
with her grandson.
Do you remember the grandson's name?
James. Just a teenager.
Acted like one, too.
Always ridin' around in his car.
James, was that you honking that horn?
- Yeah. - Honk, honk, honk.
- I'm sorry. - Show some courtesy.
I told you to be waiting outside.
You don't tell your grandmother to wait outside--
I have a date.
- And if we don't-- - Oh, hold your horses.
I forgot my keys.
I got keys. Let's keep moving.
James, will you stop rushing me?
You know what? I'm screwed now anyway.
(Joan) Taking care of his grandma put a real strain on James.
Anyway, poor old Krystal eventually went missing.
- When was this? - '89, '90.
Wandered off.
The kid went to the police.
Put flyers all around, including one on my door.
Used some kind of tape that took off the paint.
A body in our basement?
It's a possibility.
Outrageous.
I told you that was weird.
What was weird?
This cat from the moving company.
What company?
The other day they were moving a family in down the block.
One of the workers stops over, says he grew up in this house.
And he wants to have a look around?
You'd think he'd want to see his old bedroom or something
but this dude, he only wants to see the basement.
(Brad) I basically live down here.
Got my bar, my video games..
...stereo..
...various...whatnots.
That's odd.
What are these bricks about?
(Brad) 'That's the old coal chute.'
You do this?
No.
Coroner says from the pelvis, it's a female.
And she has her teeth, so we'll get an ID.
What about her age?
Sutures on the skull are closed up.
She was elderly.
So your guy was for real.
I just hopes he calls back.
Get that file from missing persons?
Krystal Hogan. October '89.
Yeah, the grandson, James, filed the report.
Did the investigators do the job right?
They put out an APB
checked the morgues, hospitals, jail system.
Took statements, from this James.
Some others didn't tell you much.
Says there were no other relatives.
They got dementia written down question mark
case was filed pending more info.
'But then, in '94'
James petitioned the court to declare grandma dead.
That allowed him to collect
on a $50,000 life insurance policy.
Well, it won't buy you the 76ers
but it does give you motive.
What about the moving company?
Does James work for one?
Haven't made that connect yet.
But we're thinking he's the caller?
Rush.
Line two. It's him.
- 'Anyway to trace this boss?' - We wish.
Detective Rush.
I don't like that you said that.
Said what?
That I just like talking to police.
I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't have to.
So, why are you doing this?
Listen, James, I'm just trying to do my job here.
(Rush) 'You still there?'
I'm here.
Are you surprised I know your name?
Uh...I guess not.
Look, did you find the body?
'James, the best thing for you'
is to come into police headquarters.
Just tell me, yes or no.
[whispers] DMV photo.
'I know you found her.'
'I mean, you had to have.'
'Hello?'
Uh, uh, I'm here.
Um, uh..
...I was thinking.
Thinking what?
'I understand what you're doing.'
I do that. I'll, uh..
I'll be in a dark mood and I'll..
...turn to people who I don't really know.
'Seems safer.'
I don't wanna talk.
Well, hey, it doesn't have to be me.
Are you religious? I can get you anybody you want.
- 'James?' - I'm here.
Why'd you kill her? She wasn't a good grandma?
No, she was.
You wanna tell me how you did it?
You're making my head hurt.
James, how about we hang up?
You wanna hang up?
'Yeah, I'll give you my cellphone number.'
That way you can take a bunch of breaths, collect your thoughts
and then we'll figure this out.
James?
'Yeah.'
5-5-5..
...0-1-9-8.
Risky play.
I was losing him.
Give him my number, maybe build a trust.
What's our take on this guy?
(Rush) 'Well, we know he was orphaned.'
Lost both parents on the same night.
And at 19, he was solely responsible
for an 81-year-old woman.
- No other family? - All alone in the world.
Auto-track just spit out his current address.
We got him.
Philadelphia police.
(Vera) 'Police! Anyone here?'
Clear.
Guy didn't finish his chicken potpie.
We know he's in a hurry.
He knew we were on to him.
(Vera) 'You find something?'
Something.
"Listen, darling, I don't mean to make you tense.
"I'm sorry.
"I just want us to move up in the world.
Love you, Sherry."
Sherry, who?
"Fox."
Postmark, February, 1989.
You still reading your love letters from 14 years ago?
This guy's reliving a better time
'cause brotherly luv movers is paying a slave wage.
Guy's living alone, got a bad job gettin' older.
Self-esteem's shot, so he's breakin' out old love letters?
Guilt over grandma's gaining on him.
But still, why does he crack after 14 years?
Why not 12 or 19?
I'm gotta call Jeffries.
Get him on the hunt for this foxy lady.
In the meantime, let's see if brotherly luv has any for James.
Yeah, I had a job over in Germantown
three days ago.
James Hogan was on that crew?
Yeah.
Listen, that guy's a hell of a worker.
Shows up on time
doesn't clown around, dependable.
So he's full-time?
Yeah, and then some.
Been with us close to three years now.
Why isn't he here today?
This ain't union
but a guy puts out, I give him the days he wants.
This was the first time James asked
'so I told him to take the week.'
He ever talk about a girl named Sherry?
- Beats me. - Any girls at all?
'Look, I don't know.'
Some of the humps around here
give him a hard time about that, but..
...let's face it, he's not George Clooney.
Excuse me.
Lilly Rush.
I saw you at the apartment.
'So you stuck around, huh?'
You were watching?
'Now there's a cop out front.'
I can't get back in.
'It's not just your house, James.'
There's an APB out on you.
What'll happen to her body?
What do you want to happen?
I thought maybe
a service of some kind
and then bury her at the county cemetery.
- 'Don't think so.' - Why not?
I'm not trying to upset you, but, uh..
if next of kin doesn't claim the body
the coroner has procedures.
Like what?
Oh, he'll cremate her then, uh..
put her remains in a plastic bag.
Probably stamp on a ticket number
or some ID, then box it up
and stuff it away in a warehouse somewhere.
You wanna come in, James?
Talk face to face?
We can see about a real funeral
for grandma that way.
Do you really get dark moods
or were you just conning me?
Wish I was conning you.
Look, you can talk to me.
Don't you feel that?
Yes.
'So come in. We'll talk.'
About what?
How about...Sherry?
Sore subject?
Off-limits.
Maybe because she's no longer a fox.
She goes by Mrs. Stephens now.
Lives on the main line.
Nice digs.
Marry an Ob-Gyn, and you can have this, too.
(Sherry) This is a mistake.
There was no homicide.
James's grandma went missing.
Well, it ain't a mistake.
Have you seen James recently?
Talked to him?
Not in three years.
Still, this doesn't make sense.
But you two were involved, right?
Well, he was my boyfriend.
We lived together forever.
You break up with him?
We met at a bowling alley.
And at the time that kind of life was really fun to me.
Ten years later, it wasn't.
How long till you got married?
- A year. - That's pretty quick.
Doesn't seem so quick when you're over 30.
Sherry, going back, were you around
when Krystal supposedly went missing?
Not the exact day.
But I was staying over a lot.
What was that like?
- How do you mean? - Before Krystal's gone.
Sleeping over with grandma in the house?
Mostly okay.
But sometimes not.
Let's go upstairs.
No, it'll be better here.
What if Krystal comes in?
Let her.
No, come on.
What?
Times change, grandma.
'Gotta accept that things ain't like'
when you were a kid.
I just came to give you a check for groceries.
You don't like it here, grandma?
I can make other arrangements for you.
But James threatened to put her in a home, not murder her.
Now, Krystal was chippin' in on the bills, right?
(Sherry) 'I think she didn't mind helping out'
when James got in a pinch.
Well, please tell me he's not in trouble.
Wish I could.
'Thanks for your time.'
(Vera) 'So, she outgrew the guy.'
He's still pining for her all these years later.
Most people get over this stuff.
She left him three years ago
grandma died 14 years ago
but I still don't get why he's reaching out today.
- Where you headed? - Due in court.
Drop by social security for me?
Uh, not my favorite joint.
What do you need?
Well, it took five years
before the court declared Krystal Hogan dead
and six years before James collected the life insurance.
So, in the meantime
you think he was picking up
her benefit checks?
Easy scam to pull off.
Sherry said grandma had some cash floating around.
So, what about Krystal's bank records?
Already put out a subpoena.
Alright.
- Rush. - Yeah?
Remember when I ran James through NCIC, PCIC?
Yeah, he was clean.
Yeah, well, I got his social, I ran him again.
He got an assault charge.
Why didn't it show up earlier?
He wasn't charged under the name James Hogan.
He was charged under the name James Gable.
- Gable? - Half-brother to the victim.
Lonnie Gable.
So he has some family after all.
I don't know if Lonnie's gonna see it that way.
What did James do to him?
Beat on him...with a brick.
(Rush) 'James was using your last name?'
'Cause I bought him his first car.
I told him not to do that.
Sounds like you looked out for him.
He's my little brother.
So, how did he end up alone with Krystal?
I was in Baltimore
working for a mortgage company.
When mom died in that wreck, I came back.
I didn't wanna move in.
I've got a life. But I told him to get live-in help for her.
- He didn't wanna do that? - I couldn't force him.
She was his grandma, not mine.
Actually, he and the old girl
got along pretty good.
He always said how much he liked his talks with her.
I lived nearby, I figured
I could look over his shoulder.
But then you two had that falling out.
He was begging for me to meet Sherry.
You weren't too high on her?
I had 'em over for a barbecue.
She's nice, whatever.
Then suddenly she says that she wants
this certain wine cooler
so James goes on a run.
For the next 20 minutes
this girl goes on parade.
Flirting, prancing, bendin' over
real intentional, showing me the world.
'I just look away, whatever.'
And then she says
will I take her away to New York?
It was such a sideways thing to say, I just laugh.
And she follows it up with
"Whatever you want
wherever you want, for the rest of your life."
So, then what happened?
I got her the hell out of my yard.
'James comes back I figure I better tell him'
'before she starts lying.'
So we sit on this back stoop that I'm fixin' up.
You can guess the rest.
(Vera) 'Oh, he opened you up pretty good.'
So, why did you pull back on pressing charges?
What, am I gonna send him to jail?
I figure it's best just to walk away and not look back.
The shocking thing was
he was really fond of Krystal.
Krystal's benefit checks were $812 dollars a month.
Good bank for a 19-year-old.
And they flowed in long after her death.
These here are dated before the murder.
That's Krystal's signature.
The rest are dated after she died.
I know that writing.
See the little tails on both S's?
Mm-hmm.
Did Sherry endorse these checks?
Well, let me send it over to Questioned Documents.
- Thanks. - Alright.
What if Sherry orchestrated this?
The fraud or the murder?
Or both.
So, you're saying
Lonnie's story is starting to ring true?
Well, these checks showed she was no angel
and if James got on so well with grandma the way Lonnie says..
Hmm, plus your crush on him.
James just got sloppy.
See if you can ID this.
Two-four-two-seven, Two-four-two-seven.
- Hello. - What did Sherry say to you?
You're gonna follow me, James, you might as well just come in.
Tell me.
Cops get information, they don't give it.
'I wasn't following you.'
You asked about Sherry, so I knew you'd go see her.
But you were there.
I was around.
You around Sherry's house a lot?
Do not accuse me of that.
I know what you're accusing me of.
Then help me understand, James.
'I'm not a stalker.'
That was the first time I've ever gone by.
Only once in three years?
I've been doing what you're supposed to.
I'm working.
I haven't been in trouble. You can check.
I did.
- It's true. - Okay, then.
So, why are you flipping out today, James?
What happened to make it today?
I don't wanna tell you that.
Everything she used to give me
I don't have anymore.
But that's not new.
That's a three-year-old problem.
Tell me what she said. Please.
She was trying to protect you.
She was?
She said she didn't think you did it.
Really?
I'm wondering if she was trying to fake me out.
If maybe she was...part of it.
No. No.
I've been finding out a lot of things.
What things?
I know she signed Krystal's checks.
- 'That's forgery.' - No, that was me.
Looked like her handwriting.
And according to your brother
Sherry isn't as reputable
as she plays up to be.
Son of a bitch!
He's a liar.
'You're saying she never knew?'
Never talked about how great
it would be to collect grandma's money?
'Just got cash from you'
'never asked where it came from?'
She'd say things.
Okay.
But Sherry says things she doesn't mean.
- Don't move. - Why?
The way the light's hitting.
You're my handsome man.
Don't say that.
No one's better on the inside, hear me?
I see the way you take care of your grandma.
Sometimes I'm not sure I'm living up, you know?
You see how she watches the preachers all day?
All she wants is peace.
I do sort of feel that.
It's no accident she waits for you to open her mail.
Always letting you know that money's come.
The same joke every time.
"What good's money to a worn-out bag of bones?"
She's not gonna come right out and say it.
You got to read between the lines, darlin'.
I don't think I could ever do that.
Of course you couldn't.
See, with her it was just talk.
She manipulated you, James.
You need to see that.
He's at the bus station.
- Hello? - 'You've been conning me.'
What?
- 'Yeah, I can tell.' - No.
I can see it on your face.
Police! Don't move!
'Rush!'
It's not him.
James kills grandma for Sherry
so he can afford to take her nicer places than bowling.
And make her the new lady of the house.
Or Sherry put him up to it.
Or does the deed herself.
Those are the scenarios.
Do we know how grandma died?
Autopsy made a positive ID.
No cause of death determined.
Heard from James lately?
No. He's pissed at me
'cause I bad-mouthed Sherry.
Hope I didn't take it too far.
It's been hours.
You're gonna love this.
Sherry had four sets of parents
all before she was 11 years old.
- Foster homes. - 'Yeah, then a runaway.'
On the streets and who knows what
till she meets James.
- 'Any record?' - Shoplifting.
Well, she's a survivor.
She finds James, a 19-year-old with a house.
Moves up to a doctor
on the Main Line.
(Jeffries) 'Aw, sooki-sooki.'
Where you going?
Pharmacy run.
Thought your sister was taking care of your mother.
AWOL since last week.
Detective.
Lonnie. What happened?
I was going to my car, and James jumps me.
Keeps going on and on about Sherry and her pure heart
what a lout I am, all the old stuff.
I'm sorry. You can press charges.
No, that's not what I want.
But I didn't lay down.
Me and him, we had it out.
And we talked, too.
- You talked? - About him coming in.
I'm not gonna walk away again.
But I want him brought in safe.
I'm working hard to do that.
No. I mean I've set it up.
He's agreed to meet.
But only with you.
(James) 'Lonnie okay?'
Fair.
I'm such a jerk.
I shouldn't have hurt him.
You got to control yourself, James.
I don't know why he keeps telling that lie about Sherry.
What's the plan now, James?
I wanna turn myself in.
- Good. - One condition.
I'm listening.
You guarantee me you'll leave Sherry alone.
She's not part of this.
If that's true, you have your guarantee.
No! Certain things will look bad for her.
You're already thinking that way.
James, every cop in Philly has an eye out.
Some are inexperienced.
Don't let this end badly.
Right now, we go in safe.
This was a bad idea.
You ever ask her to marry you?
- What? - You were together a long time.
You ask her to wear your ring?
Yes.
She said no, huh?
She had her reasons.
Whatever they were
she quit you.
So, why protect her now?
I know what you're doing.
You're trying to tear her down.
I just don't think Lonnie was lying about her, James.
She was my girl.
She believed in me.
'And that may not be big to you'
but it is to me. And not just when we were together.
More so since we've been apart.
How's that work?
She told me that for the rest of her life
she would never find someone who took care of her like I did.
That that's the man I am.
Even now, I know she believes in me.
So why do you believe in her?
- She's gone. - What do you know about it?
I know Lonnie wasn't lying that day you hit him
with the brick.
And so do you.
She didn't love you, James.
And I'm your girl now.
She's one powerful girl.
James is still hanging on to what she said at the kiss-off.
While she's kicking back on the Main Line
with Dr. Stephens.
Oh, I have some new, interesting information
about Sherry and doctors.
Care for a coke, coffee?
I'm good, thanks.
Husband bring you in?
Yeah, he doesn't like me driving in the city.
How'd you meet your husband?
He was my doctor.
Hmm.
- 'Out in Merion?' - Yeah.
Forty-five minutes away from where you and James lived.
So?
I noticed your dentist, dermatologist
all your health care takes place out in the suburbs.
I live in the suburbs.
Well, now you do.
But you started with all these doctors
while you were still in Germantown.
All your doctors are male, aren't they?
I don't get your meaning.
Nothing, no meaning.
(Vera) 'Here's what bugs me.'
You and Jimmy together, I ain't seeing it.
I mean...you're a head turner.
Him...he's a shlub.
And that's not a shot.
I mean, you're out of my league, too. But..
How a man looks has never mattered to me.
Lonnie's pretty good-looking.
Not with that scar, he isn't.
No remorse for having caused that scar?
- "Caused?" - We've been talking to Lonnie.
He gave us the whole shooting match, babe.
Well, the next time you see Lonnie
tell him to have another drink.
Recognize this?
I guess, it looks like a letter I wrote.
You talk about being tense.
- Over what? - Who knows?
That was 14 years ago.
"Let's move up in the world."
- Anything on that? - I have goals.
Let's try and...do well.
A driven person, aren't you, Sherry?
'Sure, no question.'
Coming up hard the way you did
you'd have to be, right?
What would you know about it?
Nothing. I came up in a real sound situation.
(Vera) 'Not like you.'
You had it hardscrabble.
You had to fight your way to the Main Line.
Did you ask James to get rid of his grandma in this letter?
No.
What did you mean by asking him
to read between the lines?
That all grandma wanted was peace?
N-nothing. I-I don't even remember saying that.
You must have loved sharing a bathroom with an 81-year-old.
I-I liked Krystal.
But she was old.
Already lived a full life.
(Vera) 'She'd had her time.'
Now it was your time, right?
Before I was a cop, Sherry
I worked in Questioned Documents.
Handwriting Specialist.
Board certified.
So?
So, this isn't Krystal's signature.
This is you signing Krystal's name.
You-you're wrong.
Board certified, Sherry.
Did you get her to go?
- For the fraud. - Won't go for the murder.
Rush.
(James) 'I'm calling to say goodbye.'
It was messed up, I open the door
and it's that James dude from the other day.
And he was armed?
Had the double-barrel all busted out.
Told us to leave.
Guy took the place. That was it.
- I've gotta get inside. - Well, SWAT wants to wait, Lil.
We can't wait.
You gotta go to bat for me.
(Lilly) 'James.'
Can you hear me?
(James) 'I hear you.'
'Hey..'
I wanna come around this corner..
...but I know you have a gun.
I'm not gonna hurt you.
I believe you.
But you need to put the gun down.
I'm gonna show you my gun, okay?
Then you show yours.
James?
Just don't ask me to give it to you.
Deal.
Say it again, will you?
Say what again?
My name. You always say my name.
James.
Sherry would never call me that.
No?
'What, then?'
Hon...or baby..
Or darlin', mostly. Darlin'.
That's nice.
No, but, sometimes you wanna hear your name
you know, and she would never say it.
I'd ask, but she said it made her feel awkward.
Who I am made her feel awkward..
Should've known back then, right?
No. She's..
...good, James.
Clever.
I feel like I can really talk to you.
Keep that gun down.
Do you like talking to me?
Yeah.
I do.
I did a bad thing.
- Do you want more? - Hmm.
There's no shame in scrubbing floors.
- If only my knees knew it. - Lemme help.
Oh, thank you.
You know, I used to run like the wind.
Did you know that?
Look at me now.
Are you sad, Grandma?
Of course I'm sad.
But this is the way it's supposed to be.
We're meant to wear ourselves out, James.
That's what the Lord expects.
Here, lift your head.
Lay back.
Oh.
Close your eyes.
Finish.
Huh?
You have to finish telling.
You have to face it.
Here, lift your head.
It's for the best.
You didn't kill her.
Sherry did.
No, it's still the same.
I put her in the basement.
'I dumped her here..'
...like potatoes.
It's the same.
Worse..
...for you.
In your mind, it's worse.
Because you let it happen.
That's what's eaten you
what you didn't do.
My God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.
- Don't! - This is it.
Suicide's not the way, James.
I'm executing myself.
I deserve to die for what I did.
Look at me.
'James.'
'Why'd you start this?'
Sherry left you, and for three years
no trouble, so why'd you call?
I wasn't getting over things
the way you're supposed to.
You couldn't move on.
And it was just...the final straw last week.
What was?
James..
...give me an answer.
Give me an answer!
'I was working down the road..'
With the movers.
...and I-I was, like, three doors down
so I figured, lemme come pay my respects.
And the kid you know..
he lets me come down here and-and look.
- Look? - Look at this place.
It's a party place.
And, the kid was telling me all the things
they do down here
and my grandma's underneath them the whole time.
Under this cheesy bar.
And I put her there!
And I looked in this beer mirror..
and I thought, I am a disgrace.
I'm a disgrace.
James..
You're not a disgrace.
You have regret.
You're facing that night.
Who says that counts for anything?
That's up to you..
...but it counts for me.