Prime Suspect Episode 1.11 The Great Wall Of Silence

It's early in the morning, and Duffy sits with the NYPD's psychiatrist for a routine evaluation, mandated after both he and Jane shot and killed a man each during their sojourn upstate. What's on Duffy's mind? He left his underpants on the bathroom floor that day. And if he had died, people would have seen his underpants on the floor and drawn the wrong conclusions. Still, Duffy ends the session on a high note, cracking a joke about his briefs. Philbin neglects the clear implication that Duffy's mother is still laundering his underpants... A little later, Jane and Evrard enter a packed Chinatown restaurant on Baxter Street where a uniformed bilingual officer is already interviewing witnesses. She points them to the basement, where they find crime tech Patty going over the corpse of family man James Paget, shot dead. Patty mentions that the building houses an illegal poker game on the second floor; maybe Paget was in the neighborhood for that.

When the cacophony of the diners' voices suddenly subsides, Jane runs upstairs to find they've all left, just as soon as elderly restaurant owner Mr. Ma and his slick lawyer Richard Zhou showed up. Zhou is polite, offers his card and whatever other assistance Jane needs, without actually helping at all. After they leave, the Chinese uniformed officer explains that Zhou is the lawyer for the president of the local benevolent association, George Lin - the neighborhood's main man. It's not long before Jane and Evrard are back at the precinct talking to Paget's wife, Alice. She had a feeling something was wrong, but she can't understand how her husband was shot in Chinatown. When Jane explains he might have been attending an illegal poker game, Alice vehemently denies it. Paget hasn't gambled for years; he works a program, and she's always known when he was lying. Besides, his thing was always the horses. If he was going to start hurting his family again, it wouldn't have been to play poker.

Later, Jane and Evrard proceed to a construction site to visit Paget's partner, Walter Skolnick, who explains the way they used to do business. Skolnick is the design guy, and Paget took care of financing and approvals - getting their buildings built. They met on the night of the murder until 8:00. Afterwards, Paget said he couldn't hang out for a beer. Skolnick knew Paget for 20-something years, and his gambling never affected work... but it was an addiction. On the way out, Jane mentions that she has to stop by the dry cleaners to pick up her dress for the "racket" that night. Evrard is shocked. Not only is he receiving a major award tonight, but Jane's wearing a dress? With heels? Jane talks him down - all Detective of the Month amounts to is a plaque from the Detectives Association. Evrard warns Jane that he plans to make his plaque into a belt buckle, so she can just get ready for that.

Evrard and Jane proceed to yet another Chinatown restaurant to meet with George Lin, who treats them to zongzi, aka mung bean paste fried with sugar. Lin is aware of Paget's murder, and his lawyer Zhou didn't intend to scare off all the witnesses. It's Lin's responsibility to counsel the businesspeople of the neighborhood, since tourism is their main industry. Trouble is bad for business. But still, there are no witnesses willing to come forward. Back at the precinct, Augie and Calderon watch the news to learn the Baxter Street gambling parlor has been raided. Residents who won't talk on camera claim the place has been operating for a long time. When Augie refuses to answer his phone, Calderon checks it - Augie's wife is calling. Calderon offers condolences - he's been there - but Augie's wife is going to keep on calling, so Augie should pick up. Augie doubts Calderon has really been there; he's just circling the airport, while Augie is living in the middle of downtown "there."

Learning that Paget attended a Gamblers Anonymous meeting twice a week, Jane asks Augie and Calderon to check it out. Augie points over his shoulder in warning as angry Chief of Detectives Bondlow charges towards Jane's desk to demand if she's the person behind the Chinatown raid. Bondlow points out that the Chinatown voting block counts for 1.1%, then works his way down the food chain to Jane's own job. Jane is going to stop jamming up George Lin's neighborhood, because he's going to cooperate - now. Bondlow turns to introduce George Lin, who assures Jane he's done everything possible to find Paget's murderer - but this person is NOT a member of his community. Duffy turns over the toxicology report - Paget's totally clean. Just then Alice shows up to introduce her son Ethan. Even if Jane doesn't like her, Alice wants her to know that Paget was doing everything he could to stay strong for their son. If Jane doesn't want to find the killer for Alice's sake, then she should do it for Ethan's.

Augie and Calderon interview Stew Bailey, Paget's Gamblers Anonymous sponsor. Bailey's been sponsoring Paget for nine years, and Paget's been clean for five. This addiction is tough; the wind can blow funny and you're right back at the table. He recalls a time when Ethan got clipped by a car. Alice was at the hospital calling, but Paget was at the track, ignoring the phone. Bailey was afraid Paget was going to kill himself over the guilt. But after that he totally turned around, vowing never to gamble again. Augie's wife calls again, and once again Calderon offers advice, claiming he's starting to feel bad for her. Calderon picks his battles, because he only gets two or three wins a year. Augie explains his problem: he had a vasectomy and didn't tell his wife Veronica because she never wanted a baby. But now she does, so...

Jane and Evrard return to the construction site to talk to Skolnick, wondering if the murder might have something to do with Paget's work. Skolnick admits they work with all kinds of crooks. Then he introduces his lawyer Paul Robie, who informs that lately there's been money missing from business accounts, with several unaccounted-for cash withdrawals by Paget. Over the last month, they've dealt with several vendors with extensive criminal records. Robie and Skolnick offer up a giant pile of file boxes, promising they might be worth looking into. Jane's convinced the files are merely distraction from what might really be going on with Paget and Skolnick. Back at the precinct, Duffy introduces Jane and Evrard to their visitors: FBI Agents Brazie and Biddle, who want to know how the case is shaping up. The cops can share what they've got now or later. Jane immediately deduces that Paget was their snitch. But the decision to share is up to Evrard because it's his case. Evrard graciously points the agents to the mountain of boxes containing Paget's files.

That night, the detectives get their drink on as Evrard is presented with his award. Jane sits with Rivera and Detective Becky Hubbard, admitting she's trying to keep a lid on her drinking because she has her psych evaluation first thing in the morning. Clearly, she's not doing a good job. Meanwhile, Augie tells Calderon that he's decided to get his vasectomy reversed. Calderon warns him against this idea - after all, Veronica's crazy. When Costello enters, Jane takes notice and steps up her drinking. Taking it in, Duffy gets a bright idea and sidles up to Matt at the bar. Costello starts toasting loudly, and both Duffy and Matt take notice. When Duffy casts aspersions, Matt offers to bum-rush Costello. Duffy admits, if he were Matt, he'd be looking for any excuse to do just that...

Back at home, Jane admits she had too much fun, but Matt's not in a good mood. Having put the pieces together, he wants to know the truth about Jane and Costello, but he doesn't want to talk about it right now. Jane agrees and makes for the whiskey bottle, but Matt persists. Did Jane have a thing with Costello? Jane's response: So what? It was over a long time ago. Matt can't help but feel like a chump and ups the ante into an argument. Jane hurls a glass against the wall, and Matt lays the blame at her feet. Is she really going to pretend she can't see his side? Does she have to win that bad? He can't fight dirty like Jane can, but what Matt can do is go to sleep, leaving Jane in tears and very possibly doubting the livelihood of her relationship. One thing's for sure - Duffy overstepped into sacred territory; squad members don't rat on other squad members, especially when it comes to matters of the heart.

The next morning, Dr. Philbin makes no bones; he can smell alcohol on Jane. Lying down on the couch, Jane admits things got away from her last night, and that's why she's late. She reminds him that she's been through this before, and she really doesn't want to talk, ever. Luckily, Philbin's intercom buzzes, and the session's over. Jane's just remarking that being late has its perks, but Philbin tells her not to be late when she comes back on Friday. On the way out, Jane's phone rings. It's Alice. Ethan's missing. Alice meets Jane at the station, and moments later, Duffy walks in with Ethan, who's been drunk driving around Morningside Heights. Both Alice and Ethan want to leave, but Duffy and Jane have other plans. Duffy stuffs Ethan in a cell for some free advice. Duffy lost his father too; and it will never be right, and he'll never move on. But his death will make Ethan into man - who Duffy hopes will stay on the right side of the jailhouse door.

Jane finds Agent Biddle waiting for her in the conference room. He thanks her for the files - they helped a lot, and he's hoping to return the favor. Having found out Skolnick and Robie were swapping top-grade steel for cheap overseas steel, Paget was Biddle's informant and had allowed them to bug his offices. Two days ago, the bugs went offline. All the FBI had was Paget's charges, which don't mean much without him, but Biddle doesn't like the way his death went down. Jane sees her in and promises now that Biddle has volunteered, she's not going to leave him alone.

Later, Evrard and Jane question Robie, innocently asking him to go over his story again and again. Robie insists Paget dealt with the clients, and no, he didn't know Skolnick was under FBI surveillance. Evrard explains that the FBI has bugs you find and bugs you'll never find. Would Robie mind going over his story from the top? And would he mind if Agent Biddle sits in? Jane points out a funny thing. While Robie can lie his ass off to cops like them - which he probably knows because he's a lawyer - lying to a Federal agent is a felony. Which doesn't even factor in all the other crimes he's committed. So Biddle is going to ask the same questions they did, plus a couple more, like why Walter Skolnick might have wanted to kill James Paget, his business partner.

Late that night, Augie and Calderon kvetch on the construction site. Robie's too sweaty to get the wire taped properly. Nevertheless, they review his abort code: My allergies are acting up. Minutes later, Robie talks to Skolnick in his trailer, explaining the cops questioned him for two hours. If Robie's going to represent him, Skolnick's going to have to tell him everything about Paget. Robie didn't think Skolnick would kill Paget! Skolnick knew he wouldn't be able to reason with Paget - what did Robie think he was going to do?! Suddenly, Skolnick realizes what's happening and pulls a gun out of his desk. The FBI wants to wait for the abort code before going in, not knowing that Skolnick has already ripped the wire off Robie's chest and forced him into a truck. Jane runs to a car and gives chase. The chase leads into traffic until Skolnick T-bones another car and the truck catches fire. Jane busts the window, drags Skolnick to the ground and cuffs him, wondering where everyone else is - why is she alone in this thing?

The next day, Jane and Duffy meet with Alice and Ethan to explain that Paget tried to do the right thing, collaborating with the FBI. Alice apologizes; she wasn't easy to deal with, but really she's just like Jane. Duffy promises he's going to keep an eye on Ethan. After mother and son leave, he remarks that the day almost has a happy ending. That's when Jane gets her shot - a happy ending for everyone except herself and Matt. Later that night at the bar, Jane tells her dad about the fight with Matt. Maybe Matt's right not to trust her - because if she had to do it all over again, she still wouldn't tell him about Costello. Maybe she just can't share the way he wants. Des encourages Jane to call Matt and say she's sorry so they can move on. Sadly, it's too late, Matt's asleep.

The next morning bright and early, Jane has her second appointment with Dr. Philbin. She explains it wasn't the shooting that was bothering her the other day, and things are better now. Philbin wants to know if that's because people are letting things be how she needs them to be and not making her talk. Rather than answer, Jane explains that a body can lose a half-gallon of blood and continue to function, which is what she told herself over and over again when she was shooting and being shot at. The crazy thing? She kind of liked the adrenalin rush. And yeah, the home life is fine, thanks.