TV-Serie: The Closer - 6x13
The Closer 6x13 Living Proof,Part One Original Air Date on December 21, 2010 == Sync, corrected by elderman == == for www.addic7ed.com == Xhelat!
Mor djal kurve!
Nalu!
A kopil dreçi.
I'm sorry?
Edhe une e foli anglishten, o burr.
Ngadal, ngadal, mor plak, meçele.
T'hangt dreqi!
Ti mi dhonove çikat...
Anilen dhe saren e rna vrave djalin!
Armand?
Shariq Marku esht ketu me marr hakun!
Bolma!
Hiqe prej ketu!
M'le rahat.
Ani.
Ani.
Ty nuk tkam djal!
Ty nuk tkam djal!
Ty nuk tkam djal!
Duart I ke me gjak!
Aah!
Aah!
Me shkaterrove familjen!
Lugat!
Ty je I marum!
Lugat!
Aah!
What a shame.
Two grown men get into a knife fight in front of holiday shoppers and handed you an attempted murder case the day before Christmas Eve.
Oh, the attempted murder part is over.
The intended victim is now getting medical treatment for a wound on his hand, and the would-be killer is dead -- hit by a patrol car, which makes this a use-of-force investigation.
The car itself is city property, which makes it a major crime.
City property?
They were driving way too fast.
Responding to a 911 call.
Excuse me, excuse me.
But maybe -- maybe we could call this a traffic accident.
No, that leaves us wide open to a lawsuit from the victim's family.
We don't even know if he has a family.
There was no wallet, no I.D.
Look, Captain, my entire division has holiday plans, and my parents are visiting for Christmas.
Chief, I sympathize.
But I am leaving tomorrow to be with my mom and dad in Park City.
My kids are already there.
And my dad is not feeling well.
And this may very well be his last Christmas.
I'm sure we can wrap this up by tonight.
Detective Sanchez, find Dr.
Morales for me, wherever he might be.
And you get the dash Cam from the patrol car and interview the officers.
I'll get the guy who was attacked in an interview room right away.
And we'll take his statement together.
Hmm.
I checked in at work, and then I went out to pick up some presents for my kids.
Do you know why you were attacked?
I'm not sure.
Maybe because I carrying Christmas presents.
Oh.
So it was a robbery.
Oh, no.
No, no, no.
Then why else would someone try and kill you over Christmas presents?
Because he's Muslim.
So, you -- you recognized that man?
He was my father.
Oh, my.
Well, then I guess you must know his name because he didn't have an I.D.
on him.
First name Shariq.
S-h-a-r-I-q.
Last name Marku, like me.
Do you know why your father tried to kill you?
It's a long story.
You want the one that starts in the 14th century or today?
In the interest of time, just as far back as necessary.
Um, after the war in Kosova, I was separated from my family and fell in love with a woman who was helping refugees...
Like me.
You know, m-most Albanians, we don't take Islam so seriously.
But my father?
When I finally got a chance to talk to him on the phone, before we come to America, I tell him about the girl I'm going to marry, a Christian girl.
He tells me I am dead to him.
This was nine years ago.
I never see or hear from him again until today.
Do you know how your father found you?
Well, my sister Anila called the office yesterday -- uh, how do you say?
-- Out of the blue.
But, uh, she never left a message or a number.
I think maybe she told him how to find me.
Do you have any other relatives in the U.S.?
I have another sister, Sara, but I have no clue where she is.
Please, um, call me if you find them.
Oh, yes.
Of course.
I, uh, often dreamed about meeting my father again.
And today, I passed right by him without even recognizing him.
We actually, um...
Used to go to Christmas dinner sometimes.
Before the war.
My father...
I don't know what happened to him.
Nine years is a long time.
Not in Kosova.
Excuse me.
I have to apologize.
My son has a holiday concert, and my wife turned her phone off and is no doubt wondering where I am, so, uh, unless you need me...
No, no.
Thank you so much, Mr.
Marku.
So, how'd it go?
The assailant turned out to be the victim's father.
His name was Shariq Marku.
Let's find out where he lived and notify any relatives.
Please.
So, this is a Major Crimes case, then?
I'm only asking because my parents are taking me to Italy for Christmas.
We're supposed to leave tomorrow night.
Italy.
Italia.
The airline wants $700 to change my ticket.
Okay, you know what?
Let's ask Chief Pope.
Let him decide whose case this is.
The faster you make that notification, the better for everyone.
Excuse me, Chief, here's a summary of the witness statements.
They all say the same thing.
The old man was trying to stab our Christmas shopper when the police ran him over.
Thank you very much, Detective Sanchez.
Nice hat.
See?
I told you.
This won't take longer than 72 hours.
Also, your parents are in the murder room.
What?
They are?
Oh.
Chief, wait!
Lieutenant Flynn, you have to fold in the crooked part.
What difference does it make?
The kids are just gonna tear it open anyway.
Hey, less yakkin', more wrappin'.
We gotta be finished before all of you leave tonight.
Mama!
Daddy!
Brenda Leigh!
Oh, daddy, I'm so sorry I wasn't able to meet y'all when you first got into town.
You travelled all this way.
I just feel terrible.
Oh, catch your breath.
Catch your breath, honey.
We're not anxious at all, are we?
No, everybody has made us feel right at home, like always.
I just wish we could all watch Lieutenant Provenza put on his Santa suit and take all these toys to the needy children.
Um, Chief Johnson...
Oh, I-I-I'm sorry.
Uh, mama, daddy, this is my Captain Raydor.
I-I-I mean, my friend, Captain Sharon.
I mean, my friend, Sharon Raydor.
Friend?
We have been waiting to meet one of Brenda's friends since she graduated High School.
Well, here I am.
Wait a minute, Clay.
Did you say "Captain," as in you work here?
Yes, that's right, Mrs.
Johnson.
I see.
Her friend works here.
Uh-huh.
Please, call me Willie Ray.
Brenda's friends are my friends, too.
Okay, Willie Ray.
Your parents have something to tell you, Brenda Leigh.
Very exciting news.
Is that right?
What is it?
Excuse me!
I found the father's place.
It's just west of here.
Who do you want to send with me?
Uh, Lieutenant Provenza, can you spare an elf?
Flynn!
Flynn!
What?
Why me?
You're better at your real job.
Oh, yeah?
And would y'all please take a look for a suicide note and anything that shows intent to stab his son to death?
Chief, I e-mailed the witness statements to Chief Pope.
Oh, thank you.
Um, I'm sorry, uh, mama, Captain Raydor and I need to -- I mean, Sharon and I need to -- It's all right, little girl.
You and your friend run along and do your job.
Y'all aren't irritated?
No, no, no.
We're gonna have all the time in the world to catch up, honey.
I promise.
Good.
All the time in the world.
Okay.
All right, come on -- rewrap anything Flynn touched, huh?
There was a murder attempt in progress, and our heroic officers intervened.
Where's the problem?
If we call it a use of force, it will go on our end-of-year stats, and Chief Delk won't like that.
Chief Delk left this morning on vacation.
You're speaking with acting Chief Pope.
And neither of us wants Major Crimes racking up Christmas pay when F.I.D.
could handle this with one or two people.
Don't make a big deal out of it.
And I'm sure Chief Johnson will help you as much as she can.
I will, I-I will.
Okay, fine.
If you need me, I'll be cataloging 911 tapes right after I disappoint my children and my sick father with the news...
Of my delayed departure.
Sorry you have to work the holidays.
My kids are with their mother anyway, so what do I care?
And it's only temporary until Chief Delk gets back, at which point he'll finish with his reorganization and fire me.
You don't know that.
And for now, you get to be acting Chief.
Yeah, living the dream.
Would you just please make sure that, uh, Captain Raydor gets the hell out of town?
In the spirit of the season and all.
Lieutenant Tao, would you please help Captain Raydor collate her 911 calls?
Sure thing, Chief.
Thank you.
Um...We are gonna finish tonight, right?
Because the condo I rented in Maui is...
Nonrefundable.
Yes, don't worry, Lieutenant Tao.
I want to make -- I want to make sure that everyone makes their travel plans.
Brenda, remember -- parents.
Big surprise.
You are gonna want to hear it.
Right.
My parents always give me something special for Christmas.
You didn't steal our thunder, did you, son?
No, sir.
Absolutely not.
I'm so excited!
What could it be?
We know how much your work means to you, dear, and how hard it is for you to get away to Atlanta.
So, Clay and I were saying, since none of us is getting any younger -- we're moving to L.A.
Clay!
You're what?
They're moving here.
They're looking for a house in our neighborhood.
Isn't that exciting?
I can't believe it!
Is that true?
So true.
We're keeping the house in Atlanta, you know, for memories.
But we've talked to a realtor here, and with the economy the way it is...
The prices are not gonna get any lower.
Oh, daddy, I'm so sorry.
Just one second.
That's great, great news.
I want to hear all the details.
Deputy Chief Johnson.
Help me.
I mean, how can I help you?
We're inside Shariq's apartment, and, uh, yeah, Chief...
I think the old man was pretty angry today.
Oh, really?
What makes you say that?
Well, we found his daughter, Anila Marku, but she ain't talking.
Why not?
Her throat's been cut.
Two beds in the living room.
Maybe both of the old man's daughters slept out here.
Hey, Chief, found a pay stub for Anila Marku from a motel on Sunset for $150 a week.
Might explain why they can't afford a tv, a computer, or a phone.
Well, there's not much on the menu.
Lots of, uh, bologna and cheese.
Still no sign of the murder weapon.
If it's the same knife he used to attack his son, we already have it.
Chief, dogs are considered unclean in most Muslim cultures.
Having one in the house is unusual.
Yeah, so's the Christmas tree and bologna.
Found a prayer rug in the bedroom, Chief.
Chief, these shoes -- men's, women's.
This is a boy's pair.
Here's a 2nd-place ribbon for boys track and field -- Sherwood elementary.
Let's call the school.
L.A.
unified's shut down for the holidays.
Ohh.
Hey, stop!
!
Give him to me!
He's my dog!
Come back here!
Gonna get you now!
Come on!
Ooh.
Lieutenant Provenza, I hate to ask you this, but would you ride with the boy downtown?
I'll go, too, Chief.
If Ms.
Marku was his mother...
All right, all right.
How much you want me to tell him?
Uh, until we know what's going on, very little.
Stop right there!
Stop!
And -- and let him keep his dog.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Detective Gabriel, let's get that woman over to the morgue as quickly as possible, and take over looking for the other sister.
Hey, we're not gonna be interviewing people after today, are we?
I'm helping my mom cook dinner for 15 people.
Did I mention I used all my points to upgrade to a beachfront condo?
All right, look, I promise, y'all.
Come Christmas day, everyone will be where they're supposed to be.
All right?
I promise.
Uh-huh.
Excuse me, what are you -- you're supposed to be working on my victim.
This is his daughter.
You're kidding.
Meet Anila Marku.
It seems her father was intent on killing all his children today, so now I'll be investigating your victim for murder, and you can leave.
I already paid to change my ticket.
Oh, I don't have a ticket 'cause I'm driving to Palm Springs for Christmas.
I appreciate you special-requesting me all the time, Chief, but I'm resigned to missing you for a week, starting tomorrow.
I understand, doctor, but there's a child involved here, and we have to find out who killed his mother.
God.
That's terrible.
In fact, it's stories just like that that I'm gonna be completely forgetting while I'm in Palm Springs.
This man who got mowed over by the police car?
Sitting right next to his spinal column was an old bullet.
How old?
Hard to say.
Years, at least.
Can you dig it out for us?
Are you planning on having him delivered poolside?
Doctor, I need to know the origin of that bullet.
Where are these people from?
Kosovo.
Well, then it probably came from there.
I mean, it's a troubled part of the world.
Take this poor woman, for example.
Having her jugular cut was not great, but in some ways, a lot less traumatic than her past.
These burns?
Oh.
Looks like torture to me.
Heated knife blade, maybe.
And that distention there -- Too long ago to say, but probable rape.
Very cruel.
You know, Eastern Europe, it's human-trafficking central.
A lot of the women from that part of the world end up right here in L.A.
I assume you want DNA on both of them?
Yes, two samples off each person, please.
Yes, commander, what is it?
About the boy you found at the victim's house.
I've been dealing with Children's Services, and as soon as Lieutenant Provenza is finished, they want to place him in emergency Foster care.
Commander, I'm in the middle of a murder investigation here.
And that boy is a potential witness.
He's also 300-d, Chief -- "no legal guardian."
Children's Services insists on placing him before the holiday shutdown tomorrow.
Lieutenant, what did you tell him?
Well, like you asked, I was pretty vague.
I said that his mom and his grandpa wouldn't be coming home for a few days, and, uh, he would be safe with us.
He just stared at me.
He didn't ask a single question.
I'm telling you, Chief, I find that damned odd.
I'm gonna go talk to him.
Chief, without relatives, we're legally obligated to find -- we -- we do.
We have a relative.
An Uncle and an aunt, somewhere.
Yeah, that's right.
Armand Marku.
He's on his way down here now to be told about his sister's death.
Marku takes the kid.
That makes Children Services happy.
All we need to do is set up a medical exam for the boy before we release him.
Okay, I-I'm gonna go see if I can grab a doctor before they all go home.
Uh, Lieutenant, what's the boy's name again?
Skander.
Skander Marku.
And this is my dog.
He's very cute.
Does he have a name?
Um, Skander, we'd like to ask you some questions about your family.
Would that be all right?
Was your grandfather mad about anything lately?
Did he ever fight with your mom?
I guess.
What about?
I don't know.
When they were mad, they talked in Albanian, and I don't know it, really.
Oh, so you grew up here in America?
Where were you before you came home today and saw the police?
With my friend Rudy from school.
I want to go home.
Oh, I'm sorry, Skander.
I'm afraid that's not possible right now.
We want to release you to a relative, but do you know where we might find your aunt?
Is she in Los Angeles?
No, she's in Kosova.
All right, then.
How would you like to go home with your Uncle Armand?
My Uncle Armand's dead.
He died in the war.
Skander, maybe your grandfather told you that, but it's not true.
He's alive and well and coming here to meet you.
Yeah?
Excuse me, Chief.
Uh, Lieutenant Provenza called from across the street.
He wants me to take Skander over for his medical exam before they close.
Oh, all right.
Skander, I want you to head off with Detective Gabriel here for a quick checkup.
But one -- one minute.
No gum allowed in the medical exam.
Thank you.
Bye.
Uh, Detective Sanchez, let's rush this over to the lab with the DNA from the mother and the grandfather, and find someone over at Sherwood Elementary who can tell us whether or not there's a Rudy enrolled there.
We were told you had more information about my father.
Yes, and I'm afraid it's not good.
After this morning's incident, when we went to your father's apartment, and...
...We found your sister, Anila.
She had been murdered.
Oh, my God, Armand.
How?
Her throat had been cut with a knife.
Why?
By whom?
Well, we're not sure.
But, considering how he went after you, possibly your father.
But why?
I don't understand why.
Why?
Why?
Why today?
Why?
That's a question we were going to ask you, sir.
And we don't think your father was a religious fanatic.
There was a Christmas tree at his place and a dog.
Maybe he found out my sister was trying to get in touch with me.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Uh, Mrs.
Marku, I understand that you work with refugees from Kosovo.
Is there anything about this that might have -- I'm a human rights attorney and a linguist, not a psychologist.
Instability is inherent for people who've been driven from their lifelong homes, like Armand's family was.
Individuals snap.
It's not uncommon.
Mr.
Marku, both your father and your sister had old wounds on their bodies.
Do you have any idea how they might have gotten them?
You had implied earlier that there was more to the story.
Yeah.
Everyone get along fine in Kosova.
But then the war.
The Serbs were trying to exterminate us like rats.
It changed us.
It did.
When the N.A.T.O.
bombs came, we finally thought, "yes, we're saved."
But the Serbs, then they really went crazy.
One day, my father needs to go away for business.
My cousin comes to me and says there are Serbs nearby, hunting men like us who could be fighting them.
My cousin has a little grocery with a basement we used sometimes when the -- the bombs came.
He tells us to come, so of course -- of course I take my sisters, and we go.
It was, um, maybe 20 of us there in the dark, underneath the store...
...Staying very quiet.
But our friend, Zoje, had, um, a baby.
And the baby starts to cry, and...It doesn't stop.
It keeps crying.
Then three flashlights come down the steps.
And they say, "look at all the brave Albanians, hiding in the dark."
Then they take all the women -- my sisters, too.
Everyone is yelling.
They start shooting at all of us.
My cousin was blown apart.
There were pieces...
After a while, the shooting stops.
And, uh, the baby isn't crying anymore.
And I-I-I play dead until they set fire to the store and then leave.
Somehow, I was able to get out.
I went back to my house, and it was burned down, too.
My father is still gone.
My sisters...
My sisters were taken away.
So I ran.
I grabbed what I could, and I ran.
Y-you have to understand -- in Kosova, family honor is sacred.
Armand was obligated to avenge his sisters.
It's required by a code of justice that goes back centuries.
When I finally talk to my father many months later, on the phone, he says, "I loved you more when you were dead."
Like my cousin.
That he would rather mourn me than be so ashamed.
But to take the life of my sister?
Why would he want to kill all of us?
He didn't.
Are you aware that your sister, Anila, had a son?
What?
His name is Skander Marku, he's 11 years old, and he's here in the building.
I-I-I can't believe it.
You -- uh, uh, h-have you told him everything that happened today?
No, no.
We want to be very careful with him.
Unless we can put him with a relative, he goes to Child Protective Services tonight.
No, no, no.
We -- we will take him, of course.
Wait a minute.
He's my blood.
Joan, he's my nephew.
What about our children?
They're your blood, too.
He could be the only family I will ever have.
I mean, think of everything he's been through.
Armand, your father tried to kill you this morning!
Who knows what he's put in this boy's head.
He might be dangerous!
Excuse me.
Eshte djal.
Eshte kesevar.
Un nuk I bej ati...
Eshte markve.
Ç'ka m'ka be mu baba.
He will kill to defend his honor!
He's not spending Christmas in jail!
Mr.
Marku, you should know that Skander thinks you died in the war.
Of course he thinks this.
My father told him this lie.
Better to have a dead Uncle than a living coward.
God.
When will this be over?
We can never put it behind us, no matter what I do.
Never.
Never!
I-I'll go talk to her.
Please...
Don't let the boy go.
Mr.
Marku, do you have any idea who Skander's father might have been?
Wait, how old did you say he was?
11.
Maybe it's best not to worry so much who the father might be, for the boy's sake.
I don't think we need to tell him, in addition to all he's gone through, that...
He's probably half Serb.
Oh, my goodness!
See anything familiar?
Oh!
Oh, Fritzy, it's my angel, Keith!
Keith?
I made him in 5th grade.
Daddy!
You named your angel Keith.
We packed up Christmas and brought it with us.
And what didn't fit in the rv, we towed in the car.
You towed a car all the way across America?
Brenda, we are on what is known in the Navy as a repositioning cruise.
Besides, can't go house-hunting in the motor home.
Well, daddy, if you brought Christmas with you, where are all the presents?
Staying locked up in the rv until Christmas morning, Brenda Leigh.
No peeking!
Oh, mama!
Real corn bread, black-eyed peas, collard greens.
Chocolate pralines!
Ah, ah, ah!
Don't spoil your dinner.
Let's everybody come sit down.
Y'all finished with your case?
Uh, I think so.
The man who was hit by a patrol car this morning turns out to have sliced his daughter's throat before he went out to stab his son.
And he left behind an 11-year-old boy that I had to convince his daughter-in-law to take in for the holidays.
But now that that's done, I think that we -- all right, then.
I think it is time for the blessing.
Clay?
Well, unless you usually do it.
No, no.
All yours.
All right.
Bless us, oh, lord, and these thy...Gifts.
Amen.
So...
Your case will be over by Christmas, right?
Oh, I'm already done.
Well, I need to figure out the exact time of the mother's death, and I wish I felt better about the boy's situation, but, um...
But...Mama, you made enough food here for an army!
This is gonna be good!
Wonderful meal, mama.
Oh!
Pie for breakfast!
Nighty-night!
Good night.
Sounds good!
Oh.
I'm so glad you're excited about them moving out here.
It's been life-changing already.
And it's not like they'll be living with us.
Just -- just nearby.
Ahh, right here in L.A.
All winter.
Maybe spring.
What are we gonna do?
If Delk disbands Major Crimes, maybe I could put in for a transfer to D.C.
Oh, forget that.
We need something right now like Homeland Security going from orange to red.
Is there anything special you want from Santa this year?
Maybe an Albanian translator.
Ohh, you are so hard to shop for.
Mm.
What is that?
Oh.
Your father wanted to put up lawn ornaments.
I lied.
I told him the landlord wouldn't allow them in the front.
Oh, they brought Frosty!
Look at you!
Now it really is Christmas!
Frosty!
Yes, Lieutenant?
Mm, yeah.
Remember the case we solved last night?
Uh-huh.
Yeah, well, Merry Christmas because Gabriel went and unsolved it.
It's not my fault!
What's not your fault?
Going through Anila Marku's financials, I -- Lieutenant Tao?
At the time her father was attacking her brother, Anila was withdrawing cash from an atm.
So he couldn't have killed her.
Yeah, but banks -- who knows if their clocks are even right?
Okay, sorry.
But my ex-wife invited me to Christmas Eve dinner with the kids -- the first time in six years.
And I'm defrosting two turkeys.
And my flight leaves in four hours, so arrivederci, roma.
Look, it's not my fault that our time line just blew up.
Yeah, but, Chief, you promised.
You gave your word.
You said we'd all be where we're supposed to be at Christmas.
And you are!
You're here.
Because there's a murder, and it hasn't been solved.
And my mama makes enough food for 100, so y'all are invited over for Christmas dinner, okay?
Mm-hmm.
What else?
Oh.
Looks like everybody gets holiday pay today.
Lieutenant Provenza, Aloha Bowl -- my office, two hours.
Aloha means hello and goodbye.
Okay, so the Markus, they paid for an Internet connection, but there's no computer in their apartment.
It's missing?
That explains why there's no phone.
It's a lot cheaper to make overseas calls with a computer.
To a sister in Kosovo, maybe.
Excuse me, Chief.
I got ahold of the principal at Skander's school personally, and she just sent me the student roster.
There is no Rudy, Rudolpho, Rudolph.
No Donner, no Blitzen.
Lieutenant!
And when you look at Skander's school record, it shows that the school issued him a laptop computer.
Okay, uh, Lieutenant Provenza, I want to talk to that boy again, please.
Thank you.
Chief!
Captain, I thought you were going to your parents' for Christmas.
I am.
They're at their timeshare in Park City skiing with my kids.
Oh.
So your father must be feeling better?
Yes, it turns out it was just a really, really bad cold, and it's all cleared up.
It's a little Christmas miracle.
But I want to thank you for being so helpful.
And I have a little present for you.
Really?
Oh, you shouldn't have.
Oh, I'm sorry.
It's not that kind of present.
It's the 911 calls.
This is really interesting.
In the background, you can hear the two men arguing.
Really?
Except there's all kinds of noise, plus they're yelling in a foreign language, so I sent it the tapes down to the sound lab for you, and who knows when they'll have them ready, but, anyway, follow up, follow up!
And, everyone, Merry Christmas!
You too.
And happy, happy new year!
I hate her.
Did I say that out loud?
Go ahead -- go ahead and have a seat.
This is the second time we've had to drop our kids with my parents in two days.
Skander has been through enough.
What's so pressing that it can't wait until after Christmas?
Mrs.
Marku, we have learned that Skander was not truthful about where he was yesterday during his mother's murder.
Okay, wait a second.
You brought us down here to question him?
No.
But I need him to tell me where he was during his mother's murder, and what happened to his computer.
Skander's not responsible for her death.
My father is.
Our investigation confirms that your sister was still alive when your father attacked you, so he didn't kill her.
If you're insinuating Skander is somehow a suspect in his mother's murder, I'm officially letting you know, he has a lawyer -- me.
And he's not talking to you.
Mrs.
Marku, I'm surprised.
Last night you were afraid to let Skander into your house.
Because I didn't want to have to explain to another child he's lost his entire family.
But now I have no choice, because I certainly don't trust you people do it.
Well, I need to know how he lost that family.
Yeah, well, that's your job, not ours.
Look, I-I need your help.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Marku, please.
You -- you are putting your family at risk!
What's up?
That -- that boy is the only suspect I have in his mother's murder, and he's leaving the building!
I'll take care of it.
Officer Butler, with me.
Howdy, folks.
I'm, uh, Chief of Police William Pope.
So, you excited about Christmas, young man?
Okay, well, happy holidays to you folks.
One second there, son.
Excuse me!
Wait a minute.
What are you doing?
You have no right to hold Skander!
Actually, I do.
Because you, young man, are under arrest.
...Use of the hands, on the offense.
Repeat first down.
Back so soon?
How were the slopes?
Did you just arrest a 10-year-old Albanian boy?
Albanian-American boy.
I thought he was 11.
Yeah, 11.
About so high?
Murder suspect?
Yes.
Yeah, I may have had something to do with that.
Why?
Because his aunt, Joan Marku, marched over to central division to file a kidnapping charge and a civil rights complaint.
Well, that's easy because he wasn't kidnapped.
He was arrested.
And he's a juvenile, so he won't even wind up in court where a lawyer could use a rights violation to threaten us.
Oh, well, she is threatening you currently with a rights violation.
She identified herself as his lawyer, and you are denying him counsel.
Don't worry.
He ain't talking.
Well, I am talking, and you both better listen -- in the process of creating this miasma of officer-involved incidents, did you also order someone to physically assault Armand Marku?
No.
I prevented Mr.
Marku from injuring his arm in the elevator door.
The charges are without merit, and you may take that as my official statement.
Oh, thank you.
I'm just gonna jot this down on my way back to the airport.
Oh, wait.
I can't go to the airport yet because I have to file a report about you, to you, and I have to interview the victim!
So where's the boy?!
Wow, Mrs.
Johnson, this looks delicious.
It's just leftovers.
Can you imagine cooking a meal in here?
I guess if you brought in a broaster and a crock-pot.
Aren't you hungry, Brenda Leigh?
No, daddy.
Where's Lieutenant Provenza?
I'm bringing food for him and Skander, ma'am.
Maybe black-eyed peas and fried okra will get him to talk.
You know, this is crazy, Chief.
Why don't we just ask the kid if he did it?
What if he confesses?
He's got a lawyer, but she's not present.
He's a juvenile, but I don't know...
Captain, I thought you were -- not anymore.
I am once again in a 72-hour reporting cycle for an officer-related assault involving our acting Chief of Police, and your suspect is my witness, so -- oh, it's a little Christmas miracle.
What is?
Well, we're not sure if we can interview the boy, but you have to!
Now, I-I've just got a couple questions I need you to ask.
Okay, listen -- as soon as I finish asking my questions, I'll ask some of yours, but then I want a police escort to L.A.X.
Done.
So, can you tell me which policeman pushed your Uncle?
The bald one.
And then what happened?
If I say, will you let me go?
If you can tell me what happened after the policeman pushed your Uncle, then, yes, I can help you go home.
He didn't push my Uncle.
He didn't?
He punched him in the face, then took out his gun and pointed it at my head.
Ohh.
Skander...
Are you sure about that?
Yeah!
Then he shoved me in a closet, put a blindfold on me, and told me to lie down on the floor.
Oh, God.
And then he tied me up and said he was gonna kill me.
All those things crossed my mind.
Brenda Leigh?
Mama, please, not now.
And then he kicked me stomach.
It's true!
Okay.
O-kay.
This is some very, very bad stuff.
And that bald policeman is in big, big trouble.
Oh, this isn't helping me at all.
You don't really have to ask the boy questions.
Mama, yes, I do.
No, no.
What I mean is whenever we had trouble with Charlie, we let her use Clay's laptop.
When she was done, we'd read over some of her e-mails.
Mor djal kurve!
Nalu!
A kopil dreçi.
I'm sorry?
Edhe une e foli anglishten, o burr.
Ngadal, ngadal, mor plak, meçele.
T'hangt dreqi!
Ti mi dhonove çikat...
Anilen dhe saren e rna vrave djalin!
Armand?
Shariq Marku esht ketu me marr hakun!
Bolma!
Hiqe prej ketu!
M'le rahat.
Ani.
Ani.
Ty nuk tkam djal!
Ty nuk tkam djal!
Ty nuk tkam djal!
Duart I ke me gjak!
Aah!
Aah!
Me shkaterrove familjen!
Lugat!
Ty je I marum!
Lugat!
Aah!
What a shame.
Two grown men get into a knife fight in front of holiday shoppers and handed you an attempted murder case the day before Christmas Eve.
Oh, the attempted murder part is over.
The intended victim is now getting medical treatment for a wound on his hand, and the would-be killer is dead -- hit by a patrol car, which makes this a use-of-force investigation.
The car itself is city property, which makes it a major crime.
City property?
They were driving way too fast.
Responding to a 911 call.
Excuse me, excuse me.
But maybe -- maybe we could call this a traffic accident.
No, that leaves us wide open to a lawsuit from the victim's family.
We don't even know if he has a family.
There was no wallet, no I.D.
Look, Captain, my entire division has holiday plans, and my parents are visiting for Christmas.
Chief, I sympathize.
But I am leaving tomorrow to be with my mom and dad in Park City.
My kids are already there.
And my dad is not feeling well.
And this may very well be his last Christmas.
I'm sure we can wrap this up by tonight.
Detective Sanchez, find Dr.
Morales for me, wherever he might be.
And you get the dash Cam from the patrol car and interview the officers.
I'll get the guy who was attacked in an interview room right away.
And we'll take his statement together.
Hmm.
I checked in at work, and then I went out to pick up some presents for my kids.
Do you know why you were attacked?
I'm not sure.
Maybe because I carrying Christmas presents.
Oh.
So it was a robbery.
Oh, no.
No, no, no.
Then why else would someone try and kill you over Christmas presents?
Because he's Muslim.
So, you -- you recognized that man?
He was my father.
Oh, my.
Well, then I guess you must know his name because he didn't have an I.D.
on him.
First name Shariq.
S-h-a-r-I-q.
Last name Marku, like me.
Do you know why your father tried to kill you?
It's a long story.
You want the one that starts in the 14th century or today?
In the interest of time, just as far back as necessary.
Um, after the war in Kosova, I was separated from my family and fell in love with a woman who was helping refugees...
Like me.
You know, m-most Albanians, we don't take Islam so seriously.
But my father?
When I finally got a chance to talk to him on the phone, before we come to America, I tell him about the girl I'm going to marry, a Christian girl.
He tells me I am dead to him.
This was nine years ago.
I never see or hear from him again until today.
Do you know how your father found you?
Well, my sister Anila called the office yesterday -- uh, how do you say?
-- Out of the blue.
But, uh, she never left a message or a number.
I think maybe she told him how to find me.
Do you have any other relatives in the U.S.?
I have another sister, Sara, but I have no clue where she is.
Please, um, call me if you find them.
Oh, yes.
Of course.
I, uh, often dreamed about meeting my father again.
And today, I passed right by him without even recognizing him.
We actually, um...
Used to go to Christmas dinner sometimes.
Before the war.
My father...
I don't know what happened to him.
Nine years is a long time.
Not in Kosova.
Excuse me.
I have to apologize.
My son has a holiday concert, and my wife turned her phone off and is no doubt wondering where I am, so, uh, unless you need me...
No, no.
Thank you so much, Mr.
Marku.
So, how'd it go?
The assailant turned out to be the victim's father.
His name was Shariq Marku.
Let's find out where he lived and notify any relatives.
Please.
So, this is a Major Crimes case, then?
I'm only asking because my parents are taking me to Italy for Christmas.
We're supposed to leave tomorrow night.
Italy.
Italia.
The airline wants $700 to change my ticket.
Okay, you know what?
Let's ask Chief Pope.
Let him decide whose case this is.
The faster you make that notification, the better for everyone.
Excuse me, Chief, here's a summary of the witness statements.
They all say the same thing.
The old man was trying to stab our Christmas shopper when the police ran him over.
Thank you very much, Detective Sanchez.
Nice hat.
See?
I told you.
This won't take longer than 72 hours.
Also, your parents are in the murder room.
What?
They are?
Oh.
Chief, wait!
Lieutenant Flynn, you have to fold in the crooked part.
What difference does it make?
The kids are just gonna tear it open anyway.
Hey, less yakkin', more wrappin'.
We gotta be finished before all of you leave tonight.
Mama!
Daddy!
Brenda Leigh!
Oh, daddy, I'm so sorry I wasn't able to meet y'all when you first got into town.
You travelled all this way.
I just feel terrible.
Oh, catch your breath.
Catch your breath, honey.
We're not anxious at all, are we?
No, everybody has made us feel right at home, like always.
I just wish we could all watch Lieutenant Provenza put on his Santa suit and take all these toys to the needy children.
Um, Chief Johnson...
Oh, I-I-I'm sorry.
Uh, mama, daddy, this is my Captain Raydor.
I-I-I mean, my friend, Captain Sharon.
I mean, my friend, Sharon Raydor.
Friend?
We have been waiting to meet one of Brenda's friends since she graduated High School.
Well, here I am.
Wait a minute, Clay.
Did you say "Captain," as in you work here?
Yes, that's right, Mrs.
Johnson.
I see.
Her friend works here.
Uh-huh.
Please, call me Willie Ray.
Brenda's friends are my friends, too.
Okay, Willie Ray.
Your parents have something to tell you, Brenda Leigh.
Very exciting news.
Is that right?
What is it?
Excuse me!
I found the father's place.
It's just west of here.
Who do you want to send with me?
Uh, Lieutenant Provenza, can you spare an elf?
Flynn!
Flynn!
What?
Why me?
You're better at your real job.
Oh, yeah?
And would y'all please take a look for a suicide note and anything that shows intent to stab his son to death?
Chief, I e-mailed the witness statements to Chief Pope.
Oh, thank you.
Um, I'm sorry, uh, mama, Captain Raydor and I need to -- I mean, Sharon and I need to -- It's all right, little girl.
You and your friend run along and do your job.
Y'all aren't irritated?
No, no, no.
We're gonna have all the time in the world to catch up, honey.
I promise.
Good.
All the time in the world.
Okay.
All right, come on -- rewrap anything Flynn touched, huh?
There was a murder attempt in progress, and our heroic officers intervened.
Where's the problem?
If we call it a use of force, it will go on our end-of-year stats, and Chief Delk won't like that.
Chief Delk left this morning on vacation.
You're speaking with acting Chief Pope.
And neither of us wants Major Crimes racking up Christmas pay when F.I.D.
could handle this with one or two people.
Don't make a big deal out of it.
And I'm sure Chief Johnson will help you as much as she can.
I will, I-I will.
Okay, fine.
If you need me, I'll be cataloging 911 tapes right after I disappoint my children and my sick father with the news...
Of my delayed departure.
Sorry you have to work the holidays.
My kids are with their mother anyway, so what do I care?
And it's only temporary until Chief Delk gets back, at which point he'll finish with his reorganization and fire me.
You don't know that.
And for now, you get to be acting Chief.
Yeah, living the dream.
Would you just please make sure that, uh, Captain Raydor gets the hell out of town?
In the spirit of the season and all.
Lieutenant Tao, would you please help Captain Raydor collate her 911 calls?
Sure thing, Chief.
Thank you.
Um...We are gonna finish tonight, right?
Because the condo I rented in Maui is...
Nonrefundable.
Yes, don't worry, Lieutenant Tao.
I want to make -- I want to make sure that everyone makes their travel plans.
Brenda, remember -- parents.
Big surprise.
You are gonna want to hear it.
Right.
My parents always give me something special for Christmas.
You didn't steal our thunder, did you, son?
No, sir.
Absolutely not.
I'm so excited!
What could it be?
We know how much your work means to you, dear, and how hard it is for you to get away to Atlanta.
So, Clay and I were saying, since none of us is getting any younger -- we're moving to L.A.
Clay!
You're what?
They're moving here.
They're looking for a house in our neighborhood.
Isn't that exciting?
I can't believe it!
Is that true?
So true.
We're keeping the house in Atlanta, you know, for memories.
But we've talked to a realtor here, and with the economy the way it is...
The prices are not gonna get any lower.
Oh, daddy, I'm so sorry.
Just one second.
That's great, great news.
I want to hear all the details.
Deputy Chief Johnson.
Help me.
I mean, how can I help you?
We're inside Shariq's apartment, and, uh, yeah, Chief...
I think the old man was pretty angry today.
Oh, really?
What makes you say that?
Well, we found his daughter, Anila Marku, but she ain't talking.
Why not?
Her throat's been cut.
Two beds in the living room.
Maybe both of the old man's daughters slept out here.
Hey, Chief, found a pay stub for Anila Marku from a motel on Sunset for $150 a week.
Might explain why they can't afford a tv, a computer, or a phone.
Well, there's not much on the menu.
Lots of, uh, bologna and cheese.
Still no sign of the murder weapon.
If it's the same knife he used to attack his son, we already have it.
Chief, dogs are considered unclean in most Muslim cultures.
Having one in the house is unusual.
Yeah, so's the Christmas tree and bologna.
Found a prayer rug in the bedroom, Chief.
Chief, these shoes -- men's, women's.
This is a boy's pair.
Here's a 2nd-place ribbon for boys track and field -- Sherwood elementary.
Let's call the school.
L.A.
unified's shut down for the holidays.
Ohh.
Hey, stop!
!
Give him to me!
He's my dog!
Come back here!
Gonna get you now!
Come on!
Ooh.
Lieutenant Provenza, I hate to ask you this, but would you ride with the boy downtown?
I'll go, too, Chief.
If Ms.
Marku was his mother...
All right, all right.
How much you want me to tell him?
Uh, until we know what's going on, very little.
Stop right there!
Stop!
And -- and let him keep his dog.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Detective Gabriel, let's get that woman over to the morgue as quickly as possible, and take over looking for the other sister.
Hey, we're not gonna be interviewing people after today, are we?
I'm helping my mom cook dinner for 15 people.
Did I mention I used all my points to upgrade to a beachfront condo?
All right, look, I promise, y'all.
Come Christmas day, everyone will be where they're supposed to be.
All right?
I promise.
Uh-huh.
Excuse me, what are you -- you're supposed to be working on my victim.
This is his daughter.
You're kidding.
Meet Anila Marku.
It seems her father was intent on killing all his children today, so now I'll be investigating your victim for murder, and you can leave.
I already paid to change my ticket.
Oh, I don't have a ticket 'cause I'm driving to Palm Springs for Christmas.
I appreciate you special-requesting me all the time, Chief, but I'm resigned to missing you for a week, starting tomorrow.
I understand, doctor, but there's a child involved here, and we have to find out who killed his mother.
God.
That's terrible.
In fact, it's stories just like that that I'm gonna be completely forgetting while I'm in Palm Springs.
This man who got mowed over by the police car?
Sitting right next to his spinal column was an old bullet.
How old?
Hard to say.
Years, at least.
Can you dig it out for us?
Are you planning on having him delivered poolside?
Doctor, I need to know the origin of that bullet.
Where are these people from?
Kosovo.
Well, then it probably came from there.
I mean, it's a troubled part of the world.
Take this poor woman, for example.
Having her jugular cut was not great, but in some ways, a lot less traumatic than her past.
These burns?
Oh.
Looks like torture to me.
Heated knife blade, maybe.
And that distention there -- Too long ago to say, but probable rape.
Very cruel.
You know, Eastern Europe, it's human-trafficking central.
A lot of the women from that part of the world end up right here in L.A.
I assume you want DNA on both of them?
Yes, two samples off each person, please.
Yes, commander, what is it?
About the boy you found at the victim's house.
I've been dealing with Children's Services, and as soon as Lieutenant Provenza is finished, they want to place him in emergency Foster care.
Commander, I'm in the middle of a murder investigation here.
And that boy is a potential witness.
He's also 300-d, Chief -- "no legal guardian."
Children's Services insists on placing him before the holiday shutdown tomorrow.
Lieutenant, what did you tell him?
Well, like you asked, I was pretty vague.
I said that his mom and his grandpa wouldn't be coming home for a few days, and, uh, he would be safe with us.
He just stared at me.
He didn't ask a single question.
I'm telling you, Chief, I find that damned odd.
I'm gonna go talk to him.
Chief, without relatives, we're legally obligated to find -- we -- we do.
We have a relative.
An Uncle and an aunt, somewhere.
Yeah, that's right.
Armand Marku.
He's on his way down here now to be told about his sister's death.
Marku takes the kid.
That makes Children Services happy.
All we need to do is set up a medical exam for the boy before we release him.
Okay, I-I'm gonna go see if I can grab a doctor before they all go home.
Uh, Lieutenant, what's the boy's name again?
Skander.
Skander Marku.
And this is my dog.
He's very cute.
Does he have a name?
Um, Skander, we'd like to ask you some questions about your family.
Would that be all right?
Was your grandfather mad about anything lately?
Did he ever fight with your mom?
I guess.
What about?
I don't know.
When they were mad, they talked in Albanian, and I don't know it, really.
Oh, so you grew up here in America?
Where were you before you came home today and saw the police?
With my friend Rudy from school.
I want to go home.
Oh, I'm sorry, Skander.
I'm afraid that's not possible right now.
We want to release you to a relative, but do you know where we might find your aunt?
Is she in Los Angeles?
No, she's in Kosova.
All right, then.
How would you like to go home with your Uncle Armand?
My Uncle Armand's dead.
He died in the war.
Skander, maybe your grandfather told you that, but it's not true.
He's alive and well and coming here to meet you.
Yeah?
Excuse me, Chief.
Uh, Lieutenant Provenza called from across the street.
He wants me to take Skander over for his medical exam before they close.
Oh, all right.
Skander, I want you to head off with Detective Gabriel here for a quick checkup.
But one -- one minute.
No gum allowed in the medical exam.
Thank you.
Bye.
Uh, Detective Sanchez, let's rush this over to the lab with the DNA from the mother and the grandfather, and find someone over at Sherwood Elementary who can tell us whether or not there's a Rudy enrolled there.
We were told you had more information about my father.
Yes, and I'm afraid it's not good.
After this morning's incident, when we went to your father's apartment, and...
...We found your sister, Anila.
She had been murdered.
Oh, my God, Armand.
How?
Her throat had been cut with a knife.
Why?
By whom?
Well, we're not sure.
But, considering how he went after you, possibly your father.
But why?
I don't understand why.
Why?
Why?
Why today?
Why?
That's a question we were going to ask you, sir.
And we don't think your father was a religious fanatic.
There was a Christmas tree at his place and a dog.
Maybe he found out my sister was trying to get in touch with me.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Uh, Mrs.
Marku, I understand that you work with refugees from Kosovo.
Is there anything about this that might have -- I'm a human rights attorney and a linguist, not a psychologist.
Instability is inherent for people who've been driven from their lifelong homes, like Armand's family was.
Individuals snap.
It's not uncommon.
Mr.
Marku, both your father and your sister had old wounds on their bodies.
Do you have any idea how they might have gotten them?
You had implied earlier that there was more to the story.
Yeah.
Everyone get along fine in Kosova.
But then the war.
The Serbs were trying to exterminate us like rats.
It changed us.
It did.
When the N.A.T.O.
bombs came, we finally thought, "yes, we're saved."
But the Serbs, then they really went crazy.
One day, my father needs to go away for business.
My cousin comes to me and says there are Serbs nearby, hunting men like us who could be fighting them.
My cousin has a little grocery with a basement we used sometimes when the -- the bombs came.
He tells us to come, so of course -- of course I take my sisters, and we go.
It was, um, maybe 20 of us there in the dark, underneath the store...
...Staying very quiet.
But our friend, Zoje, had, um, a baby.
And the baby starts to cry, and...It doesn't stop.
It keeps crying.
Then three flashlights come down the steps.
And they say, "look at all the brave Albanians, hiding in the dark."
Then they take all the women -- my sisters, too.
Everyone is yelling.
They start shooting at all of us.
My cousin was blown apart.
There were pieces...
After a while, the shooting stops.
And, uh, the baby isn't crying anymore.
And I-I-I play dead until they set fire to the store and then leave.
Somehow, I was able to get out.
I went back to my house, and it was burned down, too.
My father is still gone.
My sisters...
My sisters were taken away.
So I ran.
I grabbed what I could, and I ran.
Y-you have to understand -- in Kosova, family honor is sacred.
Armand was obligated to avenge his sisters.
It's required by a code of justice that goes back centuries.
When I finally talk to my father many months later, on the phone, he says, "I loved you more when you were dead."
Like my cousin.
That he would rather mourn me than be so ashamed.
But to take the life of my sister?
Why would he want to kill all of us?
He didn't.
Are you aware that your sister, Anila, had a son?
What?
His name is Skander Marku, he's 11 years old, and he's here in the building.
I-I-I can't believe it.
You -- uh, uh, h-have you told him everything that happened today?
No, no.
We want to be very careful with him.
Unless we can put him with a relative, he goes to Child Protective Services tonight.
No, no, no.
We -- we will take him, of course.
Wait a minute.
He's my blood.
Joan, he's my nephew.
What about our children?
They're your blood, too.
He could be the only family I will ever have.
I mean, think of everything he's been through.
Armand, your father tried to kill you this morning!
Who knows what he's put in this boy's head.
He might be dangerous!
Excuse me.
Eshte djal.
Eshte kesevar.
Un nuk I bej ati...
Eshte markve.
Ç'ka m'ka be mu baba.
He will kill to defend his honor!
He's not spending Christmas in jail!
Mr.
Marku, you should know that Skander thinks you died in the war.
Of course he thinks this.
My father told him this lie.
Better to have a dead Uncle than a living coward.
God.
When will this be over?
We can never put it behind us, no matter what I do.
Never.
Never!
I-I'll go talk to her.
Please...
Don't let the boy go.
Mr.
Marku, do you have any idea who Skander's father might have been?
Wait, how old did you say he was?
11.
Maybe it's best not to worry so much who the father might be, for the boy's sake.
I don't think we need to tell him, in addition to all he's gone through, that...
He's probably half Serb.
Oh, my goodness!
See anything familiar?
Oh!
Oh, Fritzy, it's my angel, Keith!
Keith?
I made him in 5th grade.
Daddy!
You named your angel Keith.
We packed up Christmas and brought it with us.
And what didn't fit in the rv, we towed in the car.
You towed a car all the way across America?
Brenda, we are on what is known in the Navy as a repositioning cruise.
Besides, can't go house-hunting in the motor home.
Well, daddy, if you brought Christmas with you, where are all the presents?
Staying locked up in the rv until Christmas morning, Brenda Leigh.
No peeking!
Oh, mama!
Real corn bread, black-eyed peas, collard greens.
Chocolate pralines!
Ah, ah, ah!
Don't spoil your dinner.
Let's everybody come sit down.
Y'all finished with your case?
Uh, I think so.
The man who was hit by a patrol car this morning turns out to have sliced his daughter's throat before he went out to stab his son.
And he left behind an 11-year-old boy that I had to convince his daughter-in-law to take in for the holidays.
But now that that's done, I think that we -- all right, then.
I think it is time for the blessing.
Clay?
Well, unless you usually do it.
No, no.
All yours.
All right.
Bless us, oh, lord, and these thy...Gifts.
Amen.
So...
Your case will be over by Christmas, right?
Oh, I'm already done.
Well, I need to figure out the exact time of the mother's death, and I wish I felt better about the boy's situation, but, um...
But...Mama, you made enough food here for an army!
This is gonna be good!
Wonderful meal, mama.
Oh!
Pie for breakfast!
Nighty-night!
Good night.
Sounds good!
Oh.
I'm so glad you're excited about them moving out here.
It's been life-changing already.
And it's not like they'll be living with us.
Just -- just nearby.
Ahh, right here in L.A.
All winter.
Maybe spring.
What are we gonna do?
If Delk disbands Major Crimes, maybe I could put in for a transfer to D.C.
Oh, forget that.
We need something right now like Homeland Security going from orange to red.
Is there anything special you want from Santa this year?
Maybe an Albanian translator.
Ohh, you are so hard to shop for.
Mm.
What is that?
Oh.
Your father wanted to put up lawn ornaments.
I lied.
I told him the landlord wouldn't allow them in the front.
Oh, they brought Frosty!
Look at you!
Now it really is Christmas!
Frosty!
Yes, Lieutenant?
Mm, yeah.
Remember the case we solved last night?
Uh-huh.
Yeah, well, Merry Christmas because Gabriel went and unsolved it.
It's not my fault!
What's not your fault?
Going through Anila Marku's financials, I -- Lieutenant Tao?
At the time her father was attacking her brother, Anila was withdrawing cash from an atm.
So he couldn't have killed her.
Yeah, but banks -- who knows if their clocks are even right?
Okay, sorry.
But my ex-wife invited me to Christmas Eve dinner with the kids -- the first time in six years.
And I'm defrosting two turkeys.
And my flight leaves in four hours, so arrivederci, roma.
Look, it's not my fault that our time line just blew up.
Yeah, but, Chief, you promised.
You gave your word.
You said we'd all be where we're supposed to be at Christmas.
And you are!
You're here.
Because there's a murder, and it hasn't been solved.
And my mama makes enough food for 100, so y'all are invited over for Christmas dinner, okay?
Mm-hmm.
What else?
Oh.
Looks like everybody gets holiday pay today.
Lieutenant Provenza, Aloha Bowl -- my office, two hours.
Aloha means hello and goodbye.
Okay, so the Markus, they paid for an Internet connection, but there's no computer in their apartment.
It's missing?
That explains why there's no phone.
It's a lot cheaper to make overseas calls with a computer.
To a sister in Kosovo, maybe.
Excuse me, Chief.
I got ahold of the principal at Skander's school personally, and she just sent me the student roster.
There is no Rudy, Rudolpho, Rudolph.
No Donner, no Blitzen.
Lieutenant!
And when you look at Skander's school record, it shows that the school issued him a laptop computer.
Okay, uh, Lieutenant Provenza, I want to talk to that boy again, please.
Thank you.
Chief!
Captain, I thought you were going to your parents' for Christmas.
I am.
They're at their timeshare in Park City skiing with my kids.
Oh.
So your father must be feeling better?
Yes, it turns out it was just a really, really bad cold, and it's all cleared up.
It's a little Christmas miracle.
But I want to thank you for being so helpful.
And I have a little present for you.
Really?
Oh, you shouldn't have.
Oh, I'm sorry.
It's not that kind of present.
It's the 911 calls.
This is really interesting.
In the background, you can hear the two men arguing.
Really?
Except there's all kinds of noise, plus they're yelling in a foreign language, so I sent it the tapes down to the sound lab for you, and who knows when they'll have them ready, but, anyway, follow up, follow up!
And, everyone, Merry Christmas!
You too.
And happy, happy new year!
I hate her.
Did I say that out loud?
Go ahead -- go ahead and have a seat.
This is the second time we've had to drop our kids with my parents in two days.
Skander has been through enough.
What's so pressing that it can't wait until after Christmas?
Mrs.
Marku, we have learned that Skander was not truthful about where he was yesterday during his mother's murder.
Okay, wait a second.
You brought us down here to question him?
No.
But I need him to tell me where he was during his mother's murder, and what happened to his computer.
Skander's not responsible for her death.
My father is.
Our investigation confirms that your sister was still alive when your father attacked you, so he didn't kill her.
If you're insinuating Skander is somehow a suspect in his mother's murder, I'm officially letting you know, he has a lawyer -- me.
And he's not talking to you.
Mrs.
Marku, I'm surprised.
Last night you were afraid to let Skander into your house.
Because I didn't want to have to explain to another child he's lost his entire family.
But now I have no choice, because I certainly don't trust you people do it.
Well, I need to know how he lost that family.
Yeah, well, that's your job, not ours.
Look, I-I need your help.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Marku, please.
You -- you are putting your family at risk!
What's up?
That -- that boy is the only suspect I have in his mother's murder, and he's leaving the building!
I'll take care of it.
Officer Butler, with me.
Howdy, folks.
I'm, uh, Chief of Police William Pope.
So, you excited about Christmas, young man?
Okay, well, happy holidays to you folks.
One second there, son.
Excuse me!
Wait a minute.
What are you doing?
You have no right to hold Skander!
Actually, I do.
Because you, young man, are under arrest.
...Use of the hands, on the offense.
Repeat first down.
Back so soon?
How were the slopes?
Did you just arrest a 10-year-old Albanian boy?
Albanian-American boy.
I thought he was 11.
Yeah, 11.
About so high?
Murder suspect?
Yes.
Yeah, I may have had something to do with that.
Why?
Because his aunt, Joan Marku, marched over to central division to file a kidnapping charge and a civil rights complaint.
Well, that's easy because he wasn't kidnapped.
He was arrested.
And he's a juvenile, so he won't even wind up in court where a lawyer could use a rights violation to threaten us.
Oh, well, she is threatening you currently with a rights violation.
She identified herself as his lawyer, and you are denying him counsel.
Don't worry.
He ain't talking.
Well, I am talking, and you both better listen -- in the process of creating this miasma of officer-involved incidents, did you also order someone to physically assault Armand Marku?
No.
I prevented Mr.
Marku from injuring his arm in the elevator door.
The charges are without merit, and you may take that as my official statement.
Oh, thank you.
I'm just gonna jot this down on my way back to the airport.
Oh, wait.
I can't go to the airport yet because I have to file a report about you, to you, and I have to interview the victim!
So where's the boy?!
Wow, Mrs.
Johnson, this looks delicious.
It's just leftovers.
Can you imagine cooking a meal in here?
I guess if you brought in a broaster and a crock-pot.
Aren't you hungry, Brenda Leigh?
No, daddy.
Where's Lieutenant Provenza?
I'm bringing food for him and Skander, ma'am.
Maybe black-eyed peas and fried okra will get him to talk.
You know, this is crazy, Chief.
Why don't we just ask the kid if he did it?
What if he confesses?
He's got a lawyer, but she's not present.
He's a juvenile, but I don't know...
Captain, I thought you were -- not anymore.
I am once again in a 72-hour reporting cycle for an officer-related assault involving our acting Chief of Police, and your suspect is my witness, so -- oh, it's a little Christmas miracle.
What is?
Well, we're not sure if we can interview the boy, but you have to!
Now, I-I've just got a couple questions I need you to ask.
Okay, listen -- as soon as I finish asking my questions, I'll ask some of yours, but then I want a police escort to L.A.X.
Done.
So, can you tell me which policeman pushed your Uncle?
The bald one.
And then what happened?
If I say, will you let me go?
If you can tell me what happened after the policeman pushed your Uncle, then, yes, I can help you go home.
He didn't push my Uncle.
He didn't?
He punched him in the face, then took out his gun and pointed it at my head.
Ohh.
Skander...
Are you sure about that?
Yeah!
Then he shoved me in a closet, put a blindfold on me, and told me to lie down on the floor.
Oh, God.
And then he tied me up and said he was gonna kill me.
All those things crossed my mind.
Brenda Leigh?
Mama, please, not now.
And then he kicked me stomach.
It's true!
Okay.
O-kay.
This is some very, very bad stuff.
And that bald policeman is in big, big trouble.
Oh, this isn't helping me at all.
You don't really have to ask the boy questions.
Mama, yes, I do.
No, no.
What I mean is whenever we had trouble with Charlie, we let her use Clay's laptop.
When she was done, we'd read over some of her e-mails.