Unforgettable (TV Series)

Til Death (2014)

Dylan Walsh: Al Burns

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Quotes 

• Eliot Delson : Well, finish packing up, people. You have any idea how much that brownstone's costing me by the hour?

  Al Burns : Sure, after dinner.

  Eliot Delson : Burns?

  Al Burns : I'm taking my three hours.

  Eliot Delson : Fine. Just don't break anything. I want my deposit back.

• Carrie Wells : So, what? You making me dinner?

  Al Burns : I thought I'd get takeout.

  Carrie Wells : Oh.

  Al Burns : Japanese place on Green.

  Carrie Wells : Ah.

  Al Burns : You happen to remember what we liked there?

  Carrie Wells : You're kidding me, right?

  Al Burns : No.

  Carrie Wells : Twice in two days? Okay, fine.

  Al Burns , Carrie Wells : Shinko.

  Al Burns : River fish. Got ya. And open a bottle of wine.

• Carrie Wells : Whatever happened to my sushi?

  Al Burns : Oh, something came up. You still up for it?

  Carrie Wells : I'm always up for it.

• Carrie Wells : Two hours alone in a room with an undergraduate call girl.

  Al Burns : Three hours.

  Carrie Wells : Even better. What happened?

  Al Burns : We talked.

  Carrie Wells : What, did you give her life advice?

  Al Burns : No. She gave me advice, actually.

  Carrie Wells : What kind of advice?

  Al Burns : The kind you don't ask for but you get anyway.

  Carrie Wells : Fine. Are you planning on taking her advice?

  Al Burns : You'll be the first to know.

• Al Burns : This is it. 872.

  Carrie Wells : You're kidding.

  Al Burns : Why? You don't like it?

  Carrie Wells : I... I think it's beautiful. I'm just... wow.

  Al Burns : What do you say we officially christen the place?

  Carrie Wells : Do you mean carry me over the threshold?

  Al Burns : If you're gonna do something, do it right.

  Carrie Wells : Really?

  Al Burns : Mm-hmm.

  Carrie Wells : [letting out a squealing giggle as he picks her up]  Don't drop me.

• Carrie Wells : Where are you?

  Al Burns : That Japanese place on Green with the amazing sushi, where we went after we closed the Burrell case.

  Carrie Wells : Yashin, yes, and it was after the Zuniga case, actually.

  Al Burns : Right, so what did I get again? It was some kind of roll with, uh, sea eel and something.

  Carrie Wells : What am I, your personal Zagat guide?

  Al Burns : Come on, I know you remember. It's almost my turn.

  Carrie Wells : Fine, fine, fine. You ordered a dragon roll, which, by the way, no self-respecting sushi lover would...

  Al Burns : Now, wait. I liked what you had with the sauce.

  Carrie Wells : Shinko. River fish.

  Al Burns : River fish. Got it.

  Carrie Wells : Remember you kept leaning across the table to get at mine, and you got a stain on your tie, which, by the way, was an improvement on that tie.

  Al Burns : [sarcastic]  Thank you. Did you want something?

  Carrie Wells : Yeah, I want river fish.

• Cherie Rollins-Murray : Killing couples is a pretty rare serial killer profile. I mean, you got the Zodiac Killer out in California. He killed couples. The Son of Sam shot at several couples parked in their cars.

  Jay Lee : Yeah, but all those victims were teenagers, early 20s at most.

  Al Burns : The affluence and age of these couples doesn't fit any pattern we can find.

  Cherie Rollins-Murray : Mm-hmm.

  Al Burns : Murray, if you could get on the ballistics. I'm guessing .40 caliber. With some luck, we should be able to match them.

• Al Burns : What, it's not major enough for Major Crimes?

  Eliot Delson : I didn't say that. I said we had limited resources, and the choice of how to allocate those resources belongs to me.

  Al Burns : We're talking about a series of double homicides that I believe are related.

  Eliot Delson : I know you have history with this, but a serial killer who randomly targets wealthy, middle-aged couples?

  Al Burns : Oh, I get it. It's the headlines, right?

  Eliot Delson : Al, fortunately and unfortunately, when we take on a case, a certain amount of media attention generally follows.

  Al Burns : Yeah, you don't want your rich friends waking up to the news they're being stalked in their own homes.

  Eliot Delson : I am simply asking that, despite your personal convictions, we not jump to any conclusions.

  Al Burns : You don't have to jump to these conclusions. They're staring you in the face!

  Eliot Delson : Fine, use the team. But you got 48 hours to work this up as a serial killer. After that, we're gonna dump it down to Midtown South as a home invasion homicide.

  Al Burns : Fine, but by the way, you hired me for my personal convictions.

• Jay Lee : So, we're talking about Eileen and Howard Brenner. Married fifteen years. They live up in Scarsdale. Turns out, they have two daughters. One who rode with Annie Truman, and the older daughter, who rode with Talia Grant back in 2010.

  Al Burns : Okay, so they took riding lessons together. Great. You got more?

  Jay Lee : Don't I always, Al? For starters, I got a series of cell phone calls in 2010 from Donald Grant to Eileen Brenner.

  Al Burns : So? Their kids are in the same class. They're making carpool plans.

  Jay Lee : Yeah, but how do you explain calls from the two other dead husbands, Truman and Reid, to Mrs. Brenner, as well? And the fact that the number they used to call her isn't the same one her own husband used to call her. Now, that's some pretty secret carpool plans.

• Jay Lee : So, after I found those calls, I took all the data you worked up from the first two homicides. Cell phone records, bank statements, duplicated with the Brenners and our last victims, the Trumans.

  Al Burns : Lot of data.

  Jay Lee : Which is why I ran it through an NSA data mining search engine, and...

  [typing] 

  Jay Lee : ...found that.

  Al Burns : What is that?

  Jay Lee : Those empty spaces represent three-hour time blocks of no cell phone use. Which means none of the husbands made any calls, used any cards, or checked any e-mail accounts within those three hours.

• Al Burns : I know those dates. August 8, August 17. The Reid and Grant murders.

  Jay Lee : Exactly. Those couples were killed within twelve hours of the husband going dark. Same goes true for Glen Truman and his wife Ianna yesterday.

  Al Burns : So, the question is, what were they doing in those three hours?

  Cherie Rollins-Murray : I might have an answer. Turns out our Eileen Brenner wasn't always Eileen Brenner. Meet the former Eileen Hanson. Complete with a criminal history.

  Al Burns : A prostitution charge.

  Cherie Rollins-Murray : Oh, several. Out of Florida 17 years ago. After graduating college, she and a couple of sorority sisters apparently started a little call girl ring. Our squeaky clean Scarsdale soccer mom was once a hooker.

• Eliot Delson : What do you mean she doesn't know who works for her?

  Al Burns : That's how she runs it; she only knows her girls by aliases and their disposable cell phone numbers.

  Eliot Delson : Okay, so all the husbands used the same escort service and the same apartment. That doesn't mean it's the same killer.

  [checking his watch] 

  Eliot Delson : Which leaves you... 39 hours. Oh, by the way, I assume that you tipped off Vice to the arrest?

  Al Burns : What arrest?

• Eliot Delson : I hesitate to ask this, but how exactly did you leave things with Mrs. Brenner?

  Al Burns : We told her to keep doing what she's been doing. In fact, we insisted.

  Eliot Delson : [sarcastic]  Oh, good. You insisted that she continue to operate a criminal enterprise.

  Al Burns : We're not interested in a prostitution bust. We're trying to find a killer, who's probably about to kill again, and Eileen Brenner's service is the only thing that connects all our victims.

  Eliot Delson : [sarcastic again]  Great. So now Major Crimes is in business with prostitutes.

  Al Burns : That a problem?

• Jay Lee : So, Brenner only knows her girls through their cell phones, right?

  Al Burns : Yeah, and they were all burner cells, so, dead end.

  Jay Lee : Maybe not. I tracked down the serial numbers on the phones, and check this out.

  [showing Al his tablet] 

  Jay Lee : Most of the phones were purchased at a campus bookstore at Hudson University.

  Al Burns : A college? Oh, come on. She's recruiting students?

  Jay Lee : Maybe. Me and Murray are gonna head over there right now.

• Al Burns : This is all just... sad.

  Carrie Wells : What, you mean rich married guys sleeping with girls young enough to be their daughters?

  Al Burns : Yeah, and then the rich married guys get killed. You know, it seems like... whoever's doing this is making a point about these men. But why kill the wives?

  Carrie Wells : All right, what if it's not the men? What... what if it's the marriages? All of these couples, they seem... perfect.

  Al Burns : Mm. The money, public displays of romance.

  Carrie Wells : Storybook relationships.

  Al Burns : Every one a lie.

  Carrie Wells : Every one a lie. What if our killer is punishing the hypocrites? Husband and wife.

• Al Burns : Jay, you get anything off the videos?

  Jay Lee : I think our doorman shouldn't quit his day job. His shot selection is awful, and with the films taken together, forget it, this man displays a certain narrative monotony, you know what I'm saying?

  Al Burns : All right, you think he's our guy or not?

  Jay Lee : I doubt it. His alibi for the Truman killings checks out. He did record all three of our victims, but each with a different woman. I sent the pictures of the girls to that dean over at Hudson University to see if he can help ID 'em.

  Al Burns : All right, so the question is, if the link isn't one escort, does anything tie these victims together other than their profiles?

  Jay Lee : Well, our killer chooses his victims, right? So if it's not the doorman, where does he see 'em?

  Al Burns : You know, usually these high-end operations, the girls like to check out the johns first. Some public place; restaurant, nightclub.

  Jay Lee : Only problem is, because of the number system, we can't ask Brenner; she wouldn't know.

  Al Burns : Yeah. It's not like we can ask the victims.

  Jay Lee : You know what? Maybe there is someone we can ask. With what Brenner charges these guys, you figure they got to be heavy hitters, right? I think I even recognize a couple of them. If we can get 'em to talk to us, maybe we're in business.

  Al Burns : [glancing at Eliot in his office]  They don't have to talk to us.

• Eliot Delson : The bar's called the Windover, between Lex and Park on 57th. According to Stanton, all the first meets take place there. I'm telling you, this guy hasn't been this speechless since the Dinkins administration. He'll do anything for us - he'll set up meets, give us names - as long as we keep his name out of it.

  Al Burns : We don't need him.

  Eliot Delson : He was practically begging to wear a wire. What do you mean we don't need him?

  Al Burns : He doesn't fit the profile of our victims. Stanton Ward is divorced. Our guy's not going to target him.

  Eliot Delson : Burns, believe me, this guy will be of help to us.

  Al Burns : Oh, he's already helped us. We know where the girls make their first meet.

  Eliot Delson : What's the plan? We just sit and wait for the perfect married john to show up, which could be God knows when.

  Carrie Wells : [entering]  No, we don't have to wait. Hey.

  Eliot Delson : Oh. No, see, I hate it when you do this.

  Carrie Wells : Do what?

  Eliot Delson : You know. Have Burns soften me up with a jab, then you come in at the perfect moment with the left hook.

  Carrie Wells : I prefer to think of it as an uppercut.

• Carrie Wells : Listen, Eliot, I think whoever we're after is a person who grew up in a world that was perfect on the outside but rotten on the inside. By killing these married couples, this person, in their mind, is killing their own parents, the ones who made them suffer behind closed doors by denying the lies in their own marriage. This person is targeting perfect couples, ones who seem too good to be real because they aren't real.

  Eliot Delson : All right, I'll buy your profile. But where do we find such a couple?

  Carrie Wells : Al, will you marry me?

  Al Burns : Thought you'd never ask.

• Carrie Wells : You could order a martini or something, Al. Irish whiskey's a little cop bar, don't you think?

  Al Burns : I like to taste my whiskey. How do I look? Suit's a little tight.

  Carrie Wells : Well, that's 'cause it fits.

• Lauren : That whiskey?

  Al Burns : Irish. Can I get you one?

  Lauren : Only cops drink Irish.

  Carrie Wells : [on comms]  I told you.

• Lauren : You're not a cop, are you?

  Al Burns : [quietly]  Scotland Yard, retired.

  [she laughs] 

  Al Burns : Nah, I wish. I play around a little with hedge funds.

  Lauren : I never know what that actually means.

  Al Burns : Well, it means I'm a little boring... I have time to kill, and... maybe some cash to burn.

  Lauren : You want to burn some on me?

  Al Burns : I'm old enough to be your father.

  Lauren : So? I feel old. You know?

  Al Burns : Mm. Yeah. Maybe.

  Lauren : You're nice.

  [sliding him a business card] 

  Lauren : Just go online and pick a time.

• Lauren : This guy... kills their wives, too?

  Al Burns : We think. He sees the wives as... partners in the lie. Their husband's lie.

  Lauren : You have a partner?

  Al Burns : Yeah. I'm... working with her right now.

  Lauren : She's posing as your wife?

  Al Burns : Mm-hmm.

  Lauren : Wow. What's she like?

  Al Burns : She's good at her job. I mean... she's brilliant at her job. In general, she's pretty... she's pretty brilliant.

  Lauren : Huh.

  Al Burns : What?

  Lauren : Now, that's funny.

  Al Burns : What?

  Lauren : Guys I see, they... they probably had their wedding announcements in the "Times". They show up in the Style section, at all these events, wives on their arms... and yet they're here with me. And I never hear even a whisper of what I just heard in your voice.

  Al Burns : What'd you hear?

  Lauren : [soft snicker]  You know.

• Carrie Wells : How much of a head start does he have on us?

  Al Burns : We don't know. We got a BOLO out on his car, but if he's coming for you, for me...

  Carrie Wells : No, that doesn't fit the profile. He wants both of us in this house.

  Al Burns : My point. Stay put. We're gonna finish what we started.

  Carrie Wells : I'm not arguing. I'm just saying, I'm not very good at it.

  Al Burns : Don't worry, I'll be home soon.

  Carrie Wells : Oh, well, I'll have your pipe and your slippers ready for you.

  Al Burns : I think married life suits you.

• Eliot Delson : Way to go, guys.

  [checking his watch] 

  Eliot Delson : And you only needed 45 hours.

  Al Burns : You owe me three hours.

  Eliot Delson : And we didn't even have to use your crazy plan.

  Carrie Wells : Who are you calling crazy?

• Al Burns : We had a nice day.

  Carrie Wells : Oh, yes, we did.

  Eliot Delson : Just tell me that you kept the receipts for all the things in those bags.

  Carrie Wells : Did we need receipts? Did you get receipts?

  Al Burns : Rich people don't need receipts.

  Carrie Wells : We didn't get receipts.

• Jay Lee : Hey, Al, just got back background on Proctor. Turns out he was an only kid. One of Dad's regular hookers turned out to be a federal agent. Dad was sent up the river, Mom had a nervous breakdown, and poor little Adrian ended up in foster care.

  Al Burns : And Harvey Reynolds?

  Cherie Rollins-Murray : Proctor killed him. Looks like they met when Proctor was investigating the call girl scandal at Hudson five years ago. I think he sensed Harvey's own damage, figured he might find a future use for him, which he did.

• Jay Lee : Pretty slick move turning on the camera.

  Carrie Wells : Well, you know me, Jay. I'm slick. Although I will say, it's a little disturbing that you could have watched us any time you wanted.

  Jay Lee : Why? Uh, what would I have seen?

  Al Burns : Well, I'm a little embarrassed to tell you, Jay. But you'd have seen two people in an absolute frenzy, ravenously devouring... raw fish.