Description[]
The team re-investigates one of Lt. Stillman's cold cases: the 1983 murder of a Chinese-American teen whose girlfriend had been killed by gang members only three months earlier.
Synopsis[]
In the streets of Philadelphia’s Chinatown during 1983, a teenage boy named Chao 'Jack' Lu asks a teenage girl named Tam Sung out for a date. She then tells him not to kiss her so close to his father’s store. Jack’s cousin, Warren Lee, tells him he won $20 playing dice. A Dragon Boy gang member bumps into them and shows off his gun. Jack enters the store and watches in disgust as his father, Hong Lu, pays protection money to another member of the Dragon Boys, who would be later identified as Danny Yo. Jack’s brother Ling tells him he shouldn’t bring his girlfriend around or their dad will find out. Jack jokes and says he will end up marrying the girl. Later, Stillman investigates Jack’s murder after he is discovered shot to death in an alley.
In the present day, Rush finds a shoebox full of drugs and cash under Eddie Saccardo's couch; she gets dressed and hurries out to work. At the station, Valens informs Stillman that Jack’s mother, Da Chun Lu, is there to speak to him. Mrs. Lu apologizes for the last time she met with Stillman. She remembers when her husband tore up Stillman's business card after he asked the family for information during Jack’s funeral. Mrs. Lu says her husband recently passed away. She explains Jack wasn’t in a gang, but was dating a girl named Tam Sung, who was also Chinese but her parents had emigrated from Vietnam. She says Tam was killed three months before her son. Mrs. Lu explains she hasn’t talked until now since her husband forbade her, citing mistrust of the police.
Stillman tells Rush that Jack was a 17-year-old who was shot twice in the back and once in the head and that the Dragon Boys gang ran the neighborhood. Jeffries says Tam, who was also 17, was shot in the chest by what was thought a stray bullet while she participated in a parade in Chinatown. After they learn that Tam’s father Joe owns the same gun that was used to kill Jack, Miller and Jeffries question him. Joe knew Jack was interested in his daughter at the time. He remembers attending the parade where Tam was shot, cheering her on. After a bullet hit Tam, Jack and Joe rushed to her. As his brother Ling pulled him away, Jack told him he saw that the shooters were gang members with dragon tattoos. Tam died in his father's arms. Joe says he never spoke to Jack again, even during Tam’s funeral.
Stillman tells Miller and Jeffries that the Tong, a group of businessmen, control the Dragon Boys while keeping a clean and helpful public image through an organization called the Chinese Trade Alliance. He explains the Tong contact the Dragon Boys through a man called the Dai Lo.
Rush and Valens meets with Jack’s brother, Ling, at the family tea store. He tells them his father didn’t want them to talk to the police at the time. He gives another reason why they couldn’t help in Jack’s case and other instances: they didn’t trust and still don’t trust the police. But of course, Mrs. Lu was different, unlike her elder son and husband who were reserved and introverted. Her younger son was like her: outgoing and extroverted. Ling remembers when Jack got in a fight with a Dragon Boy member named Danny Yo in the store. Bo-Lin Chen, a friend of the Lu’s, walked in and defused things. Ling says Danny died in 1985. Valens sees that the family store worked with the CTA. Rush asks another employee, Warren Lee, if he knew Jack and he says he was his cousin. Rush suspects Warren knows something and leaves her business card. She asks him to contact her when they get some chrysanthemum tea in stock
Miller tells Valens when Danny went to jail, he was always bailed out by one man, who turns out to be Bo-Lin himself! She explains Chen is now the CEO of the CTA. They figure that Chen was the Dai Lo, the communicator between the Tong and the Dragon Boys. Stillman and Rush meet with Chen in Chinatown where he claims gang members ruin Chinatown. He explains he runs the CTA which provides his people scholarships. They accuse him of being the Dai Lo, but he simply tells them to have a nice day. Miller tells Jeffries she found Jack contacted a detective named Ray Bianchi and shared his theory that Tam was killed by the Dragon Boys.
Stillman asks Bianchi about talking to Jack. He says he knows he lied in 1983 when he said he knew nothing about him. Bianchi explains Jack was looking for revenge. He remembers staking outside a casino and seeing Jack pull a knife on a Dragon Boy member. He put Jack in his car and told him he is trying to save him. Jack said he was upset since the Dragon Boys killed Tam. Bianchi tells Stillman he paid Jack to translate tapes containing wire taps of the conversations between members of the Chinese gang. Warren walks in the station on the pretext of bringing Rush her tea. He remembers when he told Jack about his little sister Stacy getting kidnapped by the Dragon Boys. Jack grabbed some cash and told Warren to wait up while he saves his sister. Warren learned Jack was killed the next day.
Saccardo arrives to pick up Lilly, driving an Italian sports car, to take her to the beach to a fair and watch the sun rise. Sitting on the beach, Rush thanks him for letting her wear a diamond bracelet she thinks he rented. Saccardo says it is hers to keep, but she gives it back. Jeffries and Miller talk to Stacy at the station. She is surprised to learn that Warren told them about her kidnapping. She says she was young, was missing for a few hours, but doesn’t remember any specifics. Miller says at age five, she remembers all the details from when a father in her neighborhood had a heart attack right in front of her. Stacy describes when Jack was brought into the room where she was held. The Dragon Boys searched Jack and saw he was wearing a tape recorder taped to his stomach. She never saw Jack again and some guy took her home. She believes she was held at a restaurant owned by Bo-Lin.
Rush and Valens bring in Bo Lin and ask him when the last time he saw Jack. He says he made sure the tourists that visited Chinatown were safe. After Rush threatens to shut his businesses down, he explains Jack didn’t understand Chinatown. He remembers taking Jack up to his office after he found Jack with the tape recorder. He told him he is a businessman who works with his father. He explains to the detectives that he was being extorted by a cop during the time—Ray Bianchi.
Miller and Jeffries tell Stillman that Bianchi’s kids were put through college using funds linked to the CTA. Stillman brings him in and accuses Bianchi of taking money from Bo Lin. Bianchi reveals he made a deal to stop the gunfights in the streets. Stillman tells him that Jack trusted him. Ray remembers when Jack asked him if he knew who killed Tam. After Ray said a rival gang member shot her, Jack shared his belief that Bo-Lin was not going to be arrested since he was paying him. Bianchi admits Jack stole the tapes that had Bo-Lin’s voice on it. He figures the Chinese gang took the tapes after they killed him.
The detectives search the store and find the tapes. They bring in Mrs. Lu and ask her to listen to the recordings. She says the tape contains the voice of Chen and her eldest son.
After they call in Ling, they play a tape where they hear him request Bo-Lin to give him some bodyguards AKA some of his boys, dragon boys to be exact, to move some drugs. Ling denies being the person on the tape, but Rush says his mom identified him. Rush gives Ling a message from his mom written in Chinese. He reads her message that says he brought shame to his father and family. Ling remembers when Jack confronted him about working with the Dragon Boys and Bo-Lin. Ling tells Jack that he is going to take over the store and is doing what is best for the family. Jack then tells him that he knows Bo Lin sent the Dragon Boys to shoot up the parade. After Jack threatens to tell their dad about the drug shipment, Ling then coldly and fatally shoots him in the back.
Ling and Ray are arrested. Warren is reunited with Stacey by Kat at the store. Bo Lin continues his business as CEO of the CTA, until he is confronted by federal agents. Joe Sung and Da Chun Lin have tea and see their son and daughter’s spirits, happy together. Rush enters Saccardo's apartment but it is completely empty save for the diamond bracelet he tried to give her at the beach. She takes the bracelet and leaves.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Kathryn Morris as Lilly Rush
- Danny Pino as Scotty Valens
- John Finn as John Stillman
- Jeremy Ratchford as Nick Vera
- Thom Barry as Will Jeffries
- Tracie Thoms as Kat Miller
Guest Cast[]
- Peter Onorati as Ray Bianchi (2009)
- Kemp Lee as Jack Chao Lu
- Chi-Muoi Li as Warren Lee (2009)
- Bruce Locke as Ling Lu (2009)
- Tzi Ma as Bo-Lin Chen (2009)
- Lawrence Monoson as Ray Bianchi (1983)
- Johnny Wu as Ling Lu (1983)
- Elaine Kao as Stacey Lee (2009)
- Jack Ong as Joe Sung (2009)
- Robin Shou as Bo-Lin Chen (1983)
- Irene Tsu as Da Chun Lu (2009)
And[]
Co-Starring[]
- Gina Chai as Da Chun Lu (1983)
- Anthony John Crane as John Stillman (1983)
- Jordon Dang as Warren Lee (1983)
- Kyla Dang as Stacey Lee (1983)
- James Hsu as Danny Yo
- Evan Lai as Joe Sung (1983)
- Taya Rogers as Tam Sung
- Raymond Ya as Hong Lu
Notes[]
- Jeremy Ratchford does not appear in this episode.
- Joe Young's case box is visible when Stillman puts away Jack's case box at the end of the episode. (It's one of a group of four white boxes on the right side).
- The last appearance of Bobby Cannavale as Eddie Saccardo.
- This episode has similarities to "It's Raining Men":
- Both take place in 1983.
- Both have the victim's older brother killing them using their father's honor as an excuse.
- Both victims wanted to change things for the sake of their significant other.
Music[]
- New Order "Age of Consent"
- The Cure "Other Voices"
- The Police "Invisible Sun"
- Golden Earring "Twilight Zone"
- The Police "Every Breath You Take"
