"The following story is fictional and does not depict any actual person or event." "September13,1999" "I like that one,mommy." "you're right,abby." "It's beautiful." "Kind of looks like the old house." "Can we just get out of here,mom?" "But I think it has a pool,natalie." "I could have a pool party." "For my birthday." "Hello,your birthday is in november." "Mom." "Just a regular party then." "With a vanilla polar bear cake." "Don't hold your breath,ab." "November's still two months away." "And?" "A lot can happen in two months." "We're the bradford girls." "We celebrate birthdays in style." "This year won't be any different." "This our spot,mommy?" "Yeah,for tonight." "Are we really going to get a house like the one back there?" "Of course we are,sweetie." "We can have any house we want." "One day." "hmm.Environmental group found it." "Testing the bottom of the lake." " For what?" " That...stuff they test for." "Looks like this heap was submerged for years." "Wasn't the only thing submerged." "Marlene bradford.35 years old." "How'd you make the id?" "Car's vin number." "Running dental records for verification now." "She was reported missing eight years ago." "Hmm,hot plate." "Hmm,tv,hangers." " Looks like she was moving." " Or living in her car." "Area's popular with the homeless.Has been for years." "A kid's doll." "Might have been a whole family." " So what killed her?" " Small caliber weapon." "Could be a .38." "That explains marlene." "so where's the rest of the family?" "Cold Case Season 4 Episode 18" "marlene bradford,mother of two." "Reported missing november 17,1999." "Kids the last to see?" "Yeah,natalie,14,abby,nine." "Told the cops mom dropped them off at school." "Never came back." "Both girls went into the system; we're locating them." "Marlene had a job at al's village market on broad street." "But she was still living in her car." "You try getting by on six bucks an hour with two kids." "Bullet's out to ballistics.Maybe we get a hit." "Car doesn't take a dive without making a splash." "Thinking some bum in the park saw something?" "Shelf life's short on the street." "Transients disappear." "Do a canvas." "Maybe we get lucky." "Will...word in my office?" "Sure thing." " You went behind my back." " Excuse me?" "I know you got the name of the ex-trucker jersey's looking into." " It's a free country." " You need to back off,will." "He took my wife." "You got no business telling me what to do." "This guy's got it coming,no denying it, but you do this,you're lost." "You know where mary was going the night she died?" "Dink's That was our club." "I told her I'd meet her if I got off in time,but... you worked late." "If I had been there, she wouldn't have been left dying on the side of that road." " It wasn't your fault,will." " He's got to pay for that." "And he will." "Let jersey bring him in." "What I do with this is my business." "Someone shot my mom." "Who would do that?" "Abby... your mom have any enemies?" "She was like a pta mom.No way." "But you'd been living on the streets." "For three months,yeah, but it wasn't always like that." "We had a nice house,a yard." "So how'd you end up in the car?" "Dad got cancer... and everything changed." "The doctor bills wiped us out." "We lost everything." "Your mom have any run-ins on the street?" "Honestly,I..." "I don't remember a lot about that time." "You don't remember being homeless?" "It sounds weird,but... what I remember from back then is my mom always being there." "is my mom always being there." "You were young." "Maybe your sister natalie will remember more." "Me and natalie got separated in foster care." "I was lucky.I found a good family right away." "I take it natalie didn'T." "She was older." "No one wanted her for long." "We just kind of grew apart." "And she had changed anyway." "Changed how?" "She believed mom took off,left us." "But now she'll know it wasn't that way,right?" "You didn't believe that?" "It was my tenth birthday." "I knew she wouldn't leave us." "Someone's going to talk to my sister,right?" "Yeah." "Tell her I miss her." "ok." "Like I said,I don't have a mother." "She jumped ship way back." "We found her this morning at the bottom of fairmount lake." "She had been shot,natalie." "She probably did it to herself." "The ultimate escape." "You think your mother killed herself?" "My mom was weak and helpless." " She didn't know how to deal with life." " It's a tough thing losing a spouse." "No excuse for being clueless." "She didn't even know how to balance a checkbook." " Sounds like she got overwhelmed." " And that's my problem how?" "Any idea who might have had it out for your mother?" "Besides the bums,derelicts,and drug addicts who populated our new world?" "Be specific,natalie." "The first night we lost the house,my mom brought us to a shelter in the city." " Tough place to end up." " You don't say." "Is this where we're going to live now,mommy?" "No,baby." "This is only for tonight." "Just till I figure things out." "Which one is ours?" "22." "What are you looking at?" " I think there must be a mix-up." " There ain't no mix-up." "It's the last bed,and you ain't taking it from me." "But we were guaranteed this bed." " The woman at intake said..." " you want this bed,take it." "Barbie here's going to be turning tricks in no time." " Don't talk to my daughter like that." " What are you going to do about it?" "Hey,what is going on here?" "Nothing." "I was assigned this bed." " Vita." " She don't even need a bed." "You know the rules." "Tell her to go sleep in that car I saw her pull up in." "Mothers with kids get the last bed." "I see you again,I'll kick your ass,bitch." "We stayed just that one night." "Figured we were safer in the car." "Maybe marlene bumped into this vita outside the shelter?" "I already told you what happened." "Your mom shot herself." "Your sister abby doesn't think so." "She's young." "She'd like to see you." "She's with a good family now." "She doesn't need me." "Not going to replace you." "Maybe it isn't so bad if they did." "Yeah.I was mad-dogging that woman." "I was mad-dogging that woman." "So what?" "Did more than that,vita." " You threatened her." " Not long after,she turned up dead." "Those were just words.I barely even remember her." "Well,a trip downtown might jog your memory." "I can't be skipping out on my shift." "I'm one paycheck away from being back on the street as it is." " Then answer the question." " You ever run into marlene again?" "The truth,vita." "Yeah,I saw her,okay?" "Where?" "On her way to work at that store over on broad street." "Thought she was a little bitch." "A little bitch,huh?" "But homegirl had more heart than I thought." "mommy,where you going?" "mommy has to work the late shift tonight." "You're leaving us out here?" "I'll be right there." "I can see you through the window." "We're the bradford girls." "we stick together." "I'm sick of going to school in clothes I slept in." "It's gross." "By the end of the month,we'll have a place of our own, and all this will be a distant memory." "That's what you said last month." "This time it's going to happen." "just stay under the covers, and no one will even know you're here." "no employee parking.Customers only." " I know,mr.Patel..." " move the car." "What about my kids?" "Take your kids home to the sitter." "I can't afford a sitter." "You don't like the rules,get another job." "I need this job.Please." "Rules are rules." "Get them out of here.Now." "well,maybe I'll call the ins." "Tell them about the illegals you have cleaning the store at night." "rules are rules." "I'm not moving my car." "You cross me?" "You'll regret it." "You'll regret it." "marlene started a war with her boss." "I could have told her." "You can't win a war with management." "Now,if you don't mind,I got to get back to work." "Hi.Welcome to blue mart." "That was ballistics." "Well,they got a hit on the bullet found in marlene's car?" " From a .38 colt revolver." " Oh,that's specific." "And guess who owns one?" "Marlene's boss." "Lost your business,anil." "For hiring illegals." "Common practice." "The big superstores pay a fine." "Me?" "Ruined." "Maybe you blamed marlene bradford?" "Maybe it's 'cause of her you got to wear this clown suit." "What are you talking about?" "Marlene was a good employee." " That superstore was the rat." " Then why'd you shoot her?" "She's dead,it was your gun that killed her.You know what?" "I'm seeing a new uniform in your future,anil." "Bright orange jumpsuit." " I bought that gun for the store." " And you killed marlene with it." "No,you don't understand.I gave it to her." "Sure you did." "I did." "For her own protection." "Mommy,the water's cold." "I know." "I'm sorry,baby." "How come you can't get an office job like sarah's mom?" "'Cause mom can't find her way out of a paper bag." "Not a lot of job openings for housewives with one year of college." "what the hell is going on here?" "sorry,mr.Patel." "the girls needed a place to wash up before school." "Look,we're staying across town." "You said no babysitter." "But there's no house,is there?" "no one for you to stay with?" "No family?" "I just need a little more time to scrape up first and last month's rent, and then I'll be able to find a place." "Please." "You can use the facility anytime you want, but the parking..." "I'm sorry." "If the customers can't park,they find another store,and I'm out of business." "I just don't know where else to go,here it's safe." "Oh,I know a place." "over there at,uh,fairmount park at the,uh,sweet briar cutoff." "Uh,don't let the looks of me stop you." "it ain't the ritz,but you're not going to be there long anyway." "You're onto sunnier shores real soon." "you're one of the lucky ones.I can tell." "I can tell." "thank you." "here.For you." "you're all alone.To grow old protect yourself." " I can't take that." " You have to." "Think about your girls." "Everybody needs a helping hand." "land of plenty?" "Not for people like marlene." "So who was this homeless dude?" "Name's hopper.A regular." "Came in for his daily lottery ticket." "You said fairmount park at sweet briar?" "Definitely." "That's where marlene's body was found." "Well,canvas struck out." "Hard to believe anybody would stick around here for eight years." "I thought will was coming with." "Had something to do." " Like what?" " Wouldn't say." "Vincent hopper?" "Philly P.D." "Wanted to talk to you about a woman named marlene bradford?" "Her body was found near here in the lake." "she didn't deserve that." "One in a million,that marlene.Nicest kids." "You directed her here back in '99." "I thought we'd be celebrating our move to sunnier shores together." "Well,looks like she wasn't the only one who didn't make it." "Ah,run of bad luck." "Put me behind schedule." "You're lucky I'm still here." "There's a change around the corner,you know?" "You know something about marlene's disappearance?" "Marlene wasn't meant for the streets." "Last time I saw her,it was only getting worse." "Nat,you're supposed to be in the car with abby." "I got to use the john if you don't mind." "You couldn't have taken her with you?" "Jeez,can't I even take a pee without her?" "And anyway,she's sound asleep." "ah,she's just being a teenager." "she's better than most of them around here." "You know everybody here,don't you?" "After a few years,it gets easy." "Years?" "But that's not going to be you." "It's abby's birthday tomorrow." "I can't even get her a cake." "Here." "It's a hope ticket." "A hope ticket?" "Lets you dream about what you'd do with the winnings." "A million dollars." "Deal is,if you win,you got to share the wealth." "50-50." "Think of it as a finder's fee." "What would you do with a half a million dollars?" "Oh,I'd get my family back." "Half a mill?" "I could provide for my boy and his mom." "Like I should." "How old were you in this picture?" "My son's got his eye set on this special glove." "and I mean to get it for him." "Then I'm sure you will." " Mom!" " What's the matter?" "£­ The car,it's gone." "£­ What?" "!" " Where's abby?" " I don't know,mom!" " Where's your sister?" " She was in the car!" "The car disappeared with abby in it?" "Guess she wasn't so lucky after all." "That happened the night before marlene was murdered." "So,what did marlene do?" "What any mother would do." "She panicked." "whoa.Scared the crap out of me,buddy." "Just closing up." "You need something?" "Winter of '95 was really something." "Yeah,it was." "Can't get it out of my mind." "Yeah,right.Well,you know,I-I should finish closing." "My wife was killed that night." "Hit-and-run trucker." "But you know that,don't you?" " No." " She didn't die right away." " Oh,please." " Took a while." "Please.I-I... what-what-what do you...want?" "Money?" "A-anything." "What do you think you can possibly give me?" "I-I don't know.I..." " you left her there to die." " Please.It was an accident." "You drove away." " Close your eyes." " No.Please-don't do this." " Please." " I said,close your eyes." "No child abduction reports filed the night marlene's station wagon went missing." "Car wasn't even reported stolen." "Doesn't make sense." "Losing a kid-- parent's worst nightmare." "Do almost anything to get them back." "So why not file a report?" "Maybe marlene knew who stole it." "Or maybe she got spooked." "Cops could start asking questions." "Like what was abby doing alone in the car in the first place?" " Single mother living on the streets." " State could take both girls." "Easily." "But her kid's missing." "Think it's a chance she'd take." "The car was at a public park." "Lot of restrictions." "Yeah?" "What if it got towed?" "Marlene bradford." "Her car got towed november '99,by you." "Fellas,you know how many cars I tow?" "Her car had a kid in it." "That ring any bells?" "According to the records,marlene racked up over $200 in fines." "And she didn't have that kind of dough." "But somehow she got her wheels back." "Like I said,I don't remember." "Look,bro..." "I've waived a few tickets in my day." "And they weren't nearly as hot as marlene." "You remember that,uh,red camaro?" "Oh.She stripped a few gears." "I bet you fellas get over a lot,huh?" "Eh,yeah." " Job don't pay nothing,huh?" " Gotta make it up somehow." "Yeah,damn right." "That what happened with marlene?" "You cut her a deal?" "Yeah,you could say that." "Hey,nothing comes for free,if you know what I mean." "mommy is so sorry,baby." "I promise I'll never leave you like that again." "I knew you'd come get me 'cause tomorrow's my birthday." "It's amazing you'll even be alive to see it." " Natalie..." " what?" " And she could've been killed,mom." " You don't think I know that?" "Just go inside,where it's warm, while I go talk to the driver." "All right,it's going to be $279." "I get paid tomorrow.Maybe I could come... look,save it." "You want your ride tonight,lady,you pay for it." "No,you don't understand." "If I don't get this car out of here, my kids don't have anywhere to sleep tonight." "That's not my problem,lady." "Look..." "I got something in the car." "You could get a lot of cash for it." " Like?" " A gun." "it's right here." "it was right here!" "It was right here!" "You stole it!" "Look,you want your ride or not?" "I can't leave here without it.My girls... other ways to settle that tab,lady." "What?" "we've got nowhere else to go,please." "Mom?" "what's taking so long?" "just go back inside,baby." "I'll be there in a minute." "hey,what the he?" "her kids were in the next room." " You took the gun,too,didn't you?" " That's crazy." "It didn't just walk away,dirtbag." "Hey,it was that girl." " What girl?" " The one that was in the car." "Look,I saw her take something out of the glove box that night." "Abby took the gun?" "Time to stop pretending you don't remember,abby." "I'm not pretending." "Certain things you don't forget... like being in a car that's getting towed." "And taking the gun that killed your mom." "I got scared." "I saw the tow truck driver,and I grabbed it." "What about after?" "Dangerous-- having a gun in close quarters like that." "Maybe it went off accidentally." "Maybe you got tired of your mother's empty promises." "My mom did her best." "Everything she did was for us." "Only natalie didn't see it." " promise not to tell mom?" " Whatever,stop being a baby." " What are you doing with that?" " It was in the glove box." "It's not a toy,abby!" "I wasn't playing with it!" "I... there must be,like,50 cans in there." "We hit the jackpot tonight,girls." "How much will we get for these?" "Lots." "Guess what we're going to do with the money?" "Something for my birthday?" "Something special." "Like what?" "Some cake you got out of the garbage?" "Natalie,please." "So how did you get the car back?" "I sold the gun." "I know what you did." " I'll get us out of this." " How?" "By showing us houses we're never going to live in?" "We're better off without you and your stupid fantasy world." " Stop it,natalie." " You're disgusting!" " I hate you!" " You don't mean that." "I wish it was you that died instead of dad." "Nat," "I'm sorry,baby!" "Natalie!" "Natalie,come back!" "Nat!" "Natalie!" "natalie loved mom." "She didn't mean it." "But she left with the gun." "And the next night your mom was dead." "Hey,john." "Come on in." "You haven't picked up your phone all day." "All this time... he wasn't what I imagined." "What did you do,will?" "I followed him into the alley." "It was dark,raining." "Go on." "I put my gun to his chest." "But I couldn't do it." "I wanted him to be a monster." "But he wasn'T." "He was just a guy in a diner." "I thought... if I could do it... it would make it better." "It won'T." "You did the right thing." "That night at dink's, they were playing miles davis, her favorite." "I... haven't played one of his records since." "It's been 12 years." "A long time,will." "Yeah,it feels like yesterday." "She's not coming back,is she,john?" "No,she's not." "Things got ugly with you and your mom." ""I hate you." "Wish you were dead."" "Harsh words." "I was a kid.Kids mouth off." "Difference is,you had the gun that killed her." "You got something to say,say it." "At 14,it all seemed so black and white." "Life sucks because you have a lousy mother." "What do you know about it?" "More than I'd like to." "Yeah,we all got problems,lady." " I'm out of here." " Sit down." "No money.No husband." "No family.Two kids to raise." "Your mom deserved better from you." "She filled our heads with empty promises and lies!" "She was trying to protect you." "She didn't protect us." "She left us when we needed her the most." "But she came looking for you,didn't she,natalie?" "After you ran off." "Yeah,she found me." "Where?" "Home." "I thought I might find you here." "You have every right to be angry." "But I'm doing my best,natalie." "Why can't you be real for once,mom?" "You want to know what's real,nat?" "I never thought I'd be a widow." "I never thought I'd lose our home." "Your dad always took care of everything." "All I had to do was love you and your sister." "Maybe it's not enough,mom-- love." "It's all I've got." "How could he die on me?" "Still got each other,mom." "The bradford girls,remember?" "we stick together." "We got to go forward with what we've got." "Still got this,too." " A lottery ticket?" " It's a hope ticket." "It's worth a try,right?" "It's a winner." "25 bucks." "Looks like abby gets her polar bear cake,after all." "And I can still pay the finder's fee." "How about I drive you to school?" "And when you and abby get home, we'll have a real birthday celebration." "We waited for hours after school for her to show." "I was an idiot to believe her." "What about the gun,natalie?" "I gave it back to my mom." "Your mom said something about paying a finder's fee?" "I don't know what she meant." "Means you weren't the last to see her that day." "You lied,hopper." "Me?" "Lie?" "We know marlene came looking for you, to pay the finder's fee." "Was just your luck,that ticket being a winner." "What are the chances,right?" "It's news to me.I had no idea." "Oh,I think you did." "So what happened,hopper?" "You get greedy?" "Wanted the 25 bucks all to yourself?" "25 bucks?" "It was a million dollars." "Yeah,right." "A million." "She was lucky." "I know how to pick 'em,always did." "You sure do." "Just didn't count on her cheating you like that." "She had no right taking what was mine." "So you took it back-- your share." "Damn right.It was my ticket." "Was my chance." "To get off the streets?" "To... get my world back." "And everything in it." "Hopper!" " we won,hopper!" " What?" "The lottery ticket." "It's a winner." "Ah,I knew it." "what did I say?" "!" "One in a million,right?" "!" "here." "Come look at the birthday cake I got for abby." "Wait,this is $12." "Where's the rest of it?" " what do you mean?" " The million we won." "Million?" "hopper,you know how this works." "You're lucky if you win two bucks." "No,I'm going to get my wife back." "I'm going to play baseball with my son." "He wants that special glove,and I'm going to get it for him." "Hopper... that picture was from a long time ago." "You know that." "No,no." "I promised my boy that glove." "Your son's not a kid anymore." "He's a grown man." "He is?" "What's past is past." "We got to move on with what we've got." "You're just trying to keep the money for yourself." "No,that's crazy." "Now,where is it?" "!" "What are you...what are you doing?" "!" "Fabby's birthday cake!" "I know it's here." "you can't take what's mine." "What have you done?" "It's my ticket." "Hopper,don'T." "It's my hope." "Cold Case Season 4 Episode 18"