- Brenda is asked to prove a hate crime, but Taylor's interference may finally be enough to ruin the case.
- Chief Johnson and the Priority Homicide Squad investigate the death from a serial gay-basher on the prowl. The politically sensitive case has the interest of an influential State legislator demanding swift justice. When Lt. Flynn gets a hot tip on a possible suspect, he passes it on to his mentor, Captain Taylor, who makes a high profile arrest. Brenda, not convinced of the arrested man's guilt (or in his brow-beaten confession), refuses to close the case. When Lt. Provenza finds key evidence that shows the suspect couldn't have done it, Brenda looks closer to home for a solution. Meanwhile, she also has to deal with her sick cat who, it turns out, isn't exactly sick.—garykmcd
- A man enters a bar requesting help with a bloodied individual being carried in his straddled arms. A doctor-customer calls for an ambulance and the police, while attending to the injured man. The doctor re-phones emergency services, saying he called twenty minutes ago asking them to hurry. There is a composite poster labeled gay-basher on the entry door. The man-in-the-bar ridicules Det. Ross for his late arrival and handling of the bloody incident. Captain Taylor explains to Lt. Flynn, the hand-off to Priority Homicide is due to the political nature of the case; he excuses Det. Ross from his duties while Chief Johnson enters the bar area. Brenda has brought her sick cat to a crime scene in a pillow case and she is questioned by Sgt. Gabriel, why the cat to the crime scene? Gabriel hands the animal to paramedic Terrence, requesting it be brought to an animal hospital, while Terrence is there to transport the beating victim. The man originally carrying the victim was given a sedative by Dr. Hall, and is holding the bat found outside where the bloodied man was found. He is crouched near the victim, dazed, due to the medicine he was given. Det. Sanchez informs Brenda the bar patrons have disturbed the crime scene as he explains the case to update her.
At autopsy, Dr. Crippen explains the first blow to the side of the head is the cause of death, the other wounds came afterward, including the cracked ribs, left arm broken in two places and the shattered femur. The blow to the side of the head is the only strike from the back, the other wounds came after the victim was likely dead. Brenda wants the autopsy evidence in a hate crime detailed before the body is opened up to prevent the court accusing the police from inflicting the wounds. The doctor understands there was some jewelry stolen. Gabriel says a Gucci watch and a diamond ring. Dr. Crippen hands Brenda the item found under the victim's T-shirt; she holds up a pair of designer dog-tags, diamond-in-laid. Crippen adds, there was residue of Special-K under the victim's nostril; ketamine mix to dull the senses, popular in gay-dance-clubs. Brenda is aware of the drug's effects, possibly making the victim not suffer through the beating.
Flynn gets a tip the gay-basher-poster looks just like the woman-caller's boyfriend; he transfers the caller to Robbery/Homicide, directly informing Captain Taylor of the call. Brenda goes to her office where Assemblyman Bridges, local politician representing a gay neighborhood, and Chief Pope are waiting for her. She tells them they are picking up the man matching the composite picture. The only blood found at the crime scene is that of the victim, despite there being so many people disturbing the area. Brenda educates Bridges on procedure, i.e. we do not disseminate the picture of a person-of-interest to prevent the court from accusing the police of contaminating the evidence; we just don't want to track the murderer down, we want to make certain we do it so he is put away for life. Robbery/Homicide is in progress of apprehending a suspect at his apartment address with Captain Taylor leading the group. Blake Rawlings, gay-basher is taken out of his apartment by the police when they bash open the door and he is shooting up in the bathroom. Brenda politely explains her methods to the Assemblyman of gaining the suspect's trust while Rawlings is cuffed and hauled away by Robbery-Homicide. Taylor makes certain Blake eyes the composite drawing while he is on the floor of his motel-room-apartment; by some standards, Rawlings was roughed up taking him into custody.
Pope is screaming there is no evidence where the arrest was made, no wallets, no jewelry, no bloody clothes, no stolen property at all. Brenda, in Pope's office, reminds him of the mess Robbery-Homicide made of apprehending Blake Rawlings based on the composite drawing tip. Pope doesn't want to cause any more friction within the gay-neighborhood via Assemblyman Bridges. He insists Brenda continue with the case and leave Taylor be. Brenda says Taylor wants the case, let him take it. Pope insists she take it and he will handle Taylor. Brenda tells him you always say you will handle Captain Taylor but you never do. She exits Pope's office upset, with the file.
Brenda has Barry, the victim's friend looking at Blake from the media room, and he recognizes him from the picture in the bar, not sure of the identity that night. Barry tells her Rawlings was leaning over Clint in the dark at the time and then he threw the bat at me. Brenda asks Barry to describe what happened before the attack. Barry describes Clint as a little high, they stopped for a drink before heading out dancing; Barry was the designated driver. He left the bar, but to return, forgetting his jacket with his cellphone in it. He tells her their house just went on the market, he has not been working much lately, and Clint was trying to get back into acting. Barry is teary telling his story. He does not recognize the found dog-tags, he says they were certainly not Clint's.
Brenda interviews Blake Rawlings with Jimmy York, Blake's attorney. Blake says he goes after gay guys heading back to their cars because they are dropping stuff, usually alone and they have money; he claims he does hate anybody. Blake says the stolen property is hiding in the trunk of his girlfriend's car. He tells Brenda he went to the grocery store the night of the assault because the girlfriend doesn't want him using drugs around her; he used the parking lot of the store to shoot up and continues to plead for help from Brenda.
The police call upon Jennifer Russell, Blake's girlfriend, who remembers and calls out Captain Taylor's name to Lt. Flynn, saying she was the person calling the tip line for the reward money, turning in Blake. She said Flynn transferred her call to Captain Taylor; so, did you bring the money? Lt. Flynn tells her, you don't get the money until he is convicted, honey. Flynn hands her a search warrant, they go to the garage, pop the trunk, finding all sorts of loot and a wooden bat; just like Blake said it would be.
It doesn't surprise Brenda that Flynn transferred the call to Taylor, as she looks over the stolen property tagged on her desk. She listens to Det. Gabriel praising her good work, saying he just wants to get the bad guy. She orders him, together with Sanchez and some uniforms to find the watch and wallet near the crime scene. Terrence interrupts Brenda to report on her cat; it was very pregnant with six kittens, presenting her with bill. Pope calls for her, she says Sgt. Gabriel will show you out and I will pick up my cat, thank you. Brenda informs Gabriel they will not be arresting Blake just yet.
Agent Howard is driving Brenda to dinner, but before they dine, she must meet with Pope for a drink. Fritz says he will pick up her cat and kittens. She informs Pope she hasn't charged Blake with the murder yet, after Pope hands her a token gift of appreciation for her hard work and for putting up with the forces that are; he tells her the gift is a pair of small diamond earrings. He asks why Blake hasn't been charged. Brenda says it is an evidence issue and no confession are reasons given for not making the arrest stick.
Fritz notices the blue box from Pope, saying jewelry is never just jewelry, despite the way Brenda pushes it off as the token gift it was. Brenda's epiphany is when she thinks of the meaning behind the dog-tags encrusted with diamonds. They were given to Clint by someone other than his lover Barry. Brenda is holding Kitty, while the kittens are in the back seat. Agent Howard ponders how he is going to valet this car with six kittens in the back seat.
The kittens are in Brenda's office as she gets some good news when Gabriel gives her the stolen wallet, ring and watch taken from Clint. They were tossed in a nearby pond with the money gone from the wallet. Brenda asks Lt. Tao to identify the merchant selling the diamonds in the dog-tags, Det. Sanchez is asked for a dump of every cell phone the victim was using in order to find anyone else he might have been taking to at length. Sgt. Gabriel is asked to secure credit reports, hopefully providing the frequent callers from Clint and Barry. I am pretty sure they didn't buy this necklace, but I am pretty certain there is someone else who did. Flynn asks what about me? Brenda says you can command the tip line because irrespective of already catching the guy, who would transfer those calls to Captain Taylor if you weren't here? Flynn has a look about him knowing he crossed the line.
Provenza asks Taylor why he is marching Blake Rawlings to an interview room lead by Det. Ross and patrolmen. Taylor responds, sometimes Pope giveth and sometimes Pope taketh away. Brenda is reviewing Blake's interview when Provenza inquiries what she wanted. She says I think I got this, go home Lieutenant, there no sense everyone being exhausted. Taylor grills Blake, working on a confession from him on the premise he gets help for his addiction. Provenza mentions Tao says you might think there is someone else that could be involved in this murder. Brenda answers, there could be a strong possibility. Taylor sweats Blake into a confession, telling him I can help you. I can give you an upgrade from assault with a deadly weapon to first degree murder; Det. Ross, put that back in its cage, and Taylor exits the interview room.
Tao, with Sanchez, show Brenda the results of their findings. Julian Carver, photographer, purchased the dog-tags on his American Express card. Brenda looks through the credit reports confirming Barry and Clint hadn't made a lot of money in the last couple of years. Tao notes they were not legally married, but they had joint accounts, shown from their credit reports, eyeing also the suit Barry bought for Clint's funeral, draining the last of his available credit. Flynn trumpets Taylor just got a confession from Blake Rawlings, but Provenza, with the help of Buzz, says that confession isn't likely to hold up. In his hand, he has tapes from retailers showing Blake was in the parking lot like he said, when the murder took place. Brenda views the video and agrees, Blake couldn't have committed the crime, after looking at the tapes with other officers, and Buzz running the machine at Provenza's direction. Brenda states she needs this Julian Carver.
Brenda, Gabriel and Sanchez drop in on photographer Julian Carver, and Brenda asks him how well he knew Clint Harper. Julian says I took six rolls of him six weeks ago, he was looking for an agent, needed some new pictures. Brenda says according to his cell phone records, you must have known him fairly well, records show frequent calls between you two, some were rather lengthy. Sanchez finds a bag of Special K stored in the microwave oven, Brenda comments, now I don't know what to believe, Mr. Carver. Brenda holds up the dog-tags found on Clint while Gabriel finds revealing poster-size photos of Clint and Julian. Julian confesses to his affair with Clint. He opens up saying Clint was ready to move in, leaving Barry for me. Julian tries to prevent Brenda from taking anything belonging to Clint, including the large provocative pictures. She counters with either you let me take these pictures or I arrest you for possession of a controlled substance, your choice. Don't worry about the pictures, I going to display them.
Julian Carver is alone in an interview room while Brenda and Barry watch in the control room. Barry says he has never seen him before, even after being shown a poster picture of him, looking much healthier and wearing less clothes. She then shows him a poster-pic of Clint; little comment from Barry. Brenda hands him a box of items Clint was not wearing in the picture. The property left at the studio now belongs to you Barry, community property law prevailing, including the house you were selling, to pay off your debts. If Clint had dissolved your partnership, you would have had to split everything equally, after you supported him for the last six years, then you fell on some hard times. You went out looking for another boyfriend and you knew a composite was being circulated around your neighborhood, you told me yourself. Brenda reminds Barry of the aluminum bat purchased days ago, using the same credit card for the new suit he purchased yesterday. Those credit cards were stolen, and after you bludgeoned Clint to death, you threw those cards in the pond across the street. How did it feel, Mr. Anderson, the boy you spent all this time with was about to leave for someone else, with half your assets? Barry stares in silence at the revealing pictures of Clint with Julian, hung around the room by Brenda.
Screw Julian Carver! I loved Clint, I loved him. Barry's outburst when Brenda asks if they had a photographer at their ceremony. Barry states he begged Clint not to go, not to humiliate me, to allow these photographs. None of this was easy, I had given him everything, what had he given me, I never wanted to hurt him, I was trying to work it out.
Watching the Barry-interview with Pope and Brenda, Assemblyman Bridges says this was supposed to be a hate crime, Brenda responds, I think it is. Bridges comments, how am I to explain this to the community? Pope chimes in with well, you have been trying for years to say that gay and straight marriages were pretty much the same. I think this guy has done it for you.
Taylor is trying to justify his behavior with the case, i.e. Blake Rawlings' forced confession. Brenda speaks her mind to Taylor, it's not the department you have been treating like crap, it's me. That's because you have been getting mixed signals, so let's see if we can straighten things out. I don't want an apology from you, I want an acknowledgement of my rank. I want an understanding you are beneath me in the chain of command, and I want you to be officially warned if you undermine my investigations ever again, Chief Pope will recommend an investigation from Internal Affairs, which I believe is the established procedure for an insubordinate officer. Are we all agreed? Pope says I see nothing improper in that request. Good, thank you so much, as Brenda exits with her kittens in their box. Taylor tells Pope, sir, I think I should point out I only got the confession you wanted me to get. Pope answers back with on the other hand, you may have accomplished more than I expected.
Brenda returns home with the kittens and Fritz brings her a bed for Kitty and the pillow case she was in when Brenda brought Kitty to the crime scene. Brenda thanks Fritz for the return of the pillowcase as it was one of a set given to her from her mother when she went to school at Georgetown.
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