"Hey." "We're looking for Louie." "Uh... he don't work here no more." "Yeah?" "How about this?" "You want to try again?" " Try hard, primo." " Yeah." "Louie?" "He's in back!" "Ha-ha!" "Yeah!" "Come on, Louie!" "Whoo!" " Louie, why'd you make me run!" "You nailed him, Pablo!" "You nailed him, Pablo!" "Let's go!" "Let me do him, Pablo, let me do him, let me do him!" "Look at you, boy!" "What's the matter with you?" "He's an accident victim, not a fatality." "Got to keep your eyes open, homes." "This is a busy intersection, huh?" "Aw, I think it's busted." "You in pain?" " Uh-huh." " Yeah?" "That's called the pain of life, son." "Huh?" "You keep letting that blanca D.A." "twist your words around, man, you ain't gonna be feeling that pain again." "Ever!" "Get it fixed." "Louie Suarez?" "Split to Puerto Rico." "Any idea when he's coming back or how he can be reached?" "He didn't run to the island to get reached." "That's the third witness against" "Pablo Torres we've lost this year." "As long as people are more afraid of Pablo than they are of us..." "This is New York, not Rio... we don't hand our neighborhoods over to criminals." "I'm pushing the button on plan b." "Pablo's brother." "Yeah." "He might be more afraid of us." "Glad you stopped by." "Been meaning to give you these since I heard you got assigned to the 12th." "What is it?" "Hold on, I'm gonna show you." "You can always use... an extra pair of collar brass." "Thanks, Danny." "On the other hand, you want to carry something useful... you ever seen a slapper before?" "Nothing better in close quarters." " Take it." " Where'd you even get a thing like that?" "Right there." " It was grandpa's?" " You didn't think all those things were mine, did you?" "Thanks, but no thanks." "Suit yourself." "Just keep in mind, Bambi, you're not in Cambridge anymore." "Listen, guys, it's simple, okay?" "The election's not till next year, so for the next year I'm gonna keep my job," "Manhattan district attorney, and then we'll take it as it comes." "Thanks, okay?" "Go Jets." "Sir." "Hey, A.D.A. Reagan." "You going after Pablo Torres for money laundering?" "What, have you given up on murder, assault and extortion?" "Not given up, just walking through another door." "Money laundering, wire fraud, conspiracy." "Based on his brother's operation," "Esteban Torres." "He's the one who beat the odds, right?" "Academic scholarship, math teacher at P.S. 389." "Guy opens a community learning center to tutor kids who are getting left behind." "That do-gooder center was bought with Pablo's dirty money." "Have you nailed down the money trail?" "We've got cash deposits by Pablo to the learning center and checks cut from the learning center to Pablo's auto-detailing shop." "That's money laundering." "And you think Pablo Torres is gonna roll over because his schoolteacher brother got jammed up?" "We don't go after Pablo first... we target Esteban." "The local hero." "If he refuses to take the stand and testify against his brother, he goes to jail." "He's the only one who goes to jail." "Never happen." "He's got too much to lose... family, career, reputation." "You're some piece of work, Reagan." "High heels and brass knuckles." "I'm passionate about my job, sir." "All right." " Is that the green light?" " Yes, but..." "Next year is an election year... that means no stink bombs this year." "Sir, you had 70% of the vote last time... who's gonna challenge you?" "I got my eyes on a bigger prize this time around." "The police commissioner is a civilian position, Frank." "I mean, do you think it's wise to wear the uniform to ceremonies?" "It's important to me that my people know where I came from." "So, the D.A. wants my job, Frank." "As ambitious as Charley Rossellini is," "I wasn't sure he'd settle for anything less than the White House." "Well, he's got his sights set on City Hall first." "I mean, he-he's formed a PAC, and his first deputy's about to resign to run his campaign, so... right?" "He's been a pretty strong D.A." "But, now, is that code for "popular D.A."?" "Because my polls say there is no more popular public figure in New York than you, Frank." "I won't be running for mayor." "No, but I hope that you'll be standing shoulder to shoulder with me." "Now my office will coordinate a series of joint appearances, and I thought maybe we could kick it off with a formal announcement on the steps of City Hall." "I mean, I have to tell you that no one looks better in a uniform than you, Frank." "I don't do politics." "Right." "Um, uh, let me be clear." "Because, you see, I don't give a damn how many "True Blue" speeches" "Rossellini makes at the PBA dinner dance with you and your pals." "You work for me." "I serve at your pleasure, Mr. Mayor, but I work for the people of New York City." "Mr. Torres, have a seat." "I'm Erin Reagan-Boyle, assistant D.A." "And I am a high school math teacher." "What am I doing here?" "It seems you made a deal with the devil." "I'm afraid your bill has come due." "We started with four students." "Now we have over one hundred from grades five to 12 studying every day." "And how do you pay for the center?" "The building, your staff, the operating expenses." "Got a grant as part of a pilot program from the board of ed and money from several foundations." "That was before the recession..." "that money's dried up." "You were desperate to keep your project going." "We were just starting to see results." "So you went to your brother." "It was only a bridge loan, to keep the doors open." "That was two years ago... he's been bankrolling you ever since." "What, you want to arrest him for that?" "The most positive, generous thing he has ever done." "Maybe you need to be reminded on how gangsters make their money." "Richie Gonzales." "He didn't need that cane before your brother decided to become his business partner." "George Morales." "He refused to pay protection money." "Beaten so badly he's lost sight in one eye." "The corpse of Claude Eboue." "He disrespected Pablo by driving his cab on the same street" " that Pablo was relieving himself..." " All right, stop." "Do you understand that your brother does not get a pass for buying you erasers and pencils?" "Do you understand..." "that I would never testify against my brother?" "We're here." "All right." "Whew!" "We got a fresh one." "A high of 97 predicted for today." "Indian summer." "When you say "fresh one"..." "Mrs. Muller, 91." "Died with a can of tuna fish in her hand." "So listen up, rookie." "You will remain on post until such time as the M.E. gets his lard-assed humps to do their job." "How long does that usually take?" "For the body to decompose?" "No, for the MLI to show up." "I don't know, the over-and- under's about five hours." "You're taking the over, though, right?" "3-B." "Get the lead out." "Come on." "Frank, that daughter of yours, she's a pistol." "You didn't parachute in here to tell me that." "Frank, can I be candid?" "And brief, I hope." "What our polling shows... if the election was tomorrow I'd kick his butt." "Good luck to you." "You would not necessarily be out of a job in a Rossellini administration." "I appreciate the vote of confidence." "I don't expect an outright endorsement, Frank, just... put some distance between you and that empty suit." "Thanks for stopping by, Charley." "You know, I had ten years on the job before I finished law school." "I think I understand the pressures on New York's finest better than some west-side baby-kisser ever will." "When you were in the bag, you were already more politician than cop, Charley." "Good news." "Erin's got quite a career ahead of her." "You're too smart to use my daughter for leverage." "I'm smart enough to know that your mayor is gonna have problems next year." "Last thing I want is for you to be collateral damage." "Okay, Esteban, think about it." "I need an answer by the end of the day." "Is that when I get my 30 pieces of silver?" "Mr. Torres, I understand that this is an emotional decision for you." "Maybe there's a way that you won't have to take the stand in open court." "Really?" "You could testify before the grand jury... it's a secret proceeding." "Your brother would never have to know." "I cannot stab Pablo in the back like that." "If I do this..." "I have to tell him first." "I don't think that's a good idea." "Pablo got jumped into the Webster Avenue boys at 11." "They wanted me, too, but Pablo backed them off." "Made sure I got to school, made sure I got home safe." "Anything I've been able to accomplish I owe to him." "He's a dangerous man." "Have you considered how he might react?" "Do you really think I have more to fear from my own brother than from you?" "He shoots." "He scores!" "Oh!" "What a shot." "What a pass." "What's wrong?" "You lost your appetite?" "You look like you seen a dead person or something." "What, you put Renzulli up to it?" "Come on." "When's Renzulli ever listened to anything I say?" "I had to burn that uniform." "Hey." "The rookie gets the short stick on the job since back before I came on." "Yeah, speaking of sticks, grandpa," "I offered Jamie your old Blackjack, too." "My old slapper?" "I'd take that as a compliment." "Yeah." "He turned it down." "It's not 1959, pop." "That's 1969, thank you very much, Francis." "They're not authorized." "Doesn't mean it can't save your life." "That's all right." "Let him learn the hard way." "When he's rolling around in the dirt with 300 pounds" " of prison muscle." " I never carried one." "Come on, dad." "You're six foot, four." "You got hands of stone." "I still remember spankings I got from you with those war clubs." "You gave me plenty of chances." "Justify it any way you want." "Everybody in this room knows when those things did most of their damage... after the perp was cuffed." "What?" "What am I going to do with you?" "How am I going to teach this kid the ropes?" "You got a problem with me when I'm a dumb rookie, and a problem when I'm not." "Why is that?" "We've got both image and sound inside the church." "What if Pablo goes off?" "Four from our squad are in position to take him down at my command." "I didn't hear you come in." "What can I say, bro?" "Sneaking up on folks is in my bones, right?" "It's been a while since we sat here, man." "Yeah." "What's the matter, bro?" "You can't talk at school?" "Steban?" "You in trouble, man?" "Don't tell me." "It's one of these fine young tutors in the short skirts?" " You got in trouble?" " No, no." " You got in trouble?" " No." "It's nothing like that." "What is it?" "It's the money." "You need more?" "Come on." "No." "No, no, no." "No, no." "The D.A." "She's on to it." "She wants to shut me down." "So... this D.A. is gonna foreclose on the kids to strike a blow at me?" "She wants me to testify against you." "I'm ashamed of myself for even thinking about it." "I mean, all these years you've looked out for me, kept me alive." "No." "You tell her okay." "Tell her, take her shot." "I'm right here." "Let my abogado work for his money, huh?" "What?" "How about that?" "I think... maybe I should be more ashamed of this, and you less." "You do what you got to do, man." "'Cause you in jail?" "I..." "I don't see it, man." "I mean, what are you going to do, teach the convicts six times seven?" "But me?" "I can jail as strong as anybody, man." "I'll do a nickel like it's a weekend in Rikers." "It's not like she's got a body on me or nothing, man." "Yeah, but I take the stand, and how can you make this right on the street?" "I'm still me." "None of those baby gangsters want to throw down with Pablo." "Come on." "I don't know what to say." "Nothing to say, man." "Look, you made a life, bro." "Right?" "And you're doing the same by those kids." "I'm the last homie to take that away from you, man." "Be easy, bro." "No, I understand." "Yeah." "I've got something for you." "I hope it's Junior's cheesecake." "I got to go." "Doesn't look like junior's cheesecake to me." "I think the time is right to walk these open cases back to Pablo Torres." "You got your own squad on center street." "Why me?" "My guys are good, but they're understaffed by 50 percent, and burning through overtime to make the case we already have." "I'm not interested." "I just had Esteban Torres in front of the grand jury." "Seeing what it's costing him..." "He got to you, didn't he?" "The iron maiden." "Look, I'll do whatever I have to do to send him upstate, but if there's another way..." "Let me see." "Three strongest cases against Pablo and his wrecking crew." "Until they blew out my witnesses." "You got something that's not a complete waste of my time?" "Louie Suarez." "He was my best murder witness, until Pablo got to him." "Louie's in the wind, but if we can charge Pablo with money laundering and witness intimidation, we can indict him on a class a felony." "Put him away for 15 years, instead of three." "A two-Reagan task force?" "Why not?" "She looks great." "Joe worked two jobs that summer for the extra money." "Found the engine in Rochester." "Thanks." "Yep." "Restored it from the ground up." "Yeah." "I never could figure out why he loved this car so." "He wasn't even born when I bought it." "Number one, it's an awesome car." "Number two, it was your car." "None of us wanted to be more like you than Joe did." "I saw Joe's girl Angela a while back." "She's moving back to Portland." "Really?" "You missed a spot." "That night..." "To me, it's like a movie in my head, but with deleted scenes." "Joe was hitting a location, right?" "Brooklyn South." "Just like dozens of other times?" "Yeah." "Except, this time, the perp rabbited." "Joe could run." "Chased this guy down." "Another perp comes out of nowhere, and shoots Joe." "Four times." "And the two perps?" "What do you think?" "Our guys returned fire." "Dead at the scene." "The warrant squad's a great unit." "Strong team, early tours, a lot of overtime." "But every time you hit a door, you need an angel on your shoulder." "You should have the car." "Take her home." "Since I became police commissioner, they drive me everywhere." "Omar Vasquez?" "Can we ask you some questions?" "About what?" "About Louie Suarez." "He don't work for me no more." "Yeah, well, he's a witness in a murder investigation." "Yeah?" "Well, that's bad business on Webster Avenue." "Maybe he got some career counseling." "Yeah?" "From who, Pablo Torres?" "Yo, everybody knows about Pablo." "Why you gotta ask me?" "Because he came to your fruit stand gunning for Louie Suarez." "Nah, he don't." "No?" "19 stitches in the side of your head at Montefiore don't lie." "Not Pablo." "It was his little pistolero grumpy." "He put the Cannon upside my head." " Big gun?" " Chrome .45." "Look even bigger pointed at you." "Thanks for your time." "You gonna pay for that?" "Hi, Angie." " It's good to see you." " Yeah." "How soon do you leave?" "Tomorrow." "I have so much left to do." "I won't stay long." "I used to love this city." "Picking up the Sunday times after a night out, more people on Second Avenue at 3:00 a.m." "Than in Portland during rush hour." "Why are you going?" "Same reason you became a cop." "The night that Joe, um... the last night, before he went out, did he seem worried?" "Did he say anything?" "I have no answers for you." "But I did find a box of Joe's things in the closet while I was packing." "If you want them." "Yeah." "Good luck to you, Jamie." "Thanks." "You, too." "So the school teacher came through before the grand jury." "Yup, here's the warrant." "Safety first, okay?" "I don't care how Pablo came across to his brother." "He's a gangster with bodies on him." "Our tac plan is solid." "Go over it again." "Every time you hit a door..." "We'll hit the club like he's Carlos the Jackal." "Reagan." "The night his brother testifies?" "Find Esteban, get him off the street." "Whoever killed Pablo's probably gunning for him next." "I'm sorry, Esteban." "Who killed him?" "We don't know yet." "But we'll find them." "I know." "I killed him... when I listened to you." "Don't turn this on yourself." "You told me the grand jury was secret." "It is." "We have no reason to believe there was a leak." "Pablo knew we were coming for him." "He needed to put his affairs in order." "He was trying to protect me." "So he told those bastards he gave me permission." "Thanks." "No forced entry, no signs of struggle." "Thank you." "His people got to him before we could." "Looks that way." "Wow." "Two to the back of the head." "Solitaire hand on the table." "Coffee machine is on." "Pablo sits here dealing, tells one of his punks to get him a cafecito, catches lead instead." "Boom." "Calls all his boys together, sits on his thrown, silver crown around his neck." "Yeah, silver crown around his neck which is... no longer there." "So he tells his crew, "I got to go upstate for a pop, but I'm still the king, and Esteban is still my little brother." "And anybody so much as breathes hot sauce on him," "I'll snatch their life."" " They see that as weakness." " Yup." "As if Pablo was a snitch himself." "Okay, so then, why leave the body here?" "In their own spot?" "Send a message." "The king is dead." "Did you double-check?" "We've had a pole Cam up on that location for nine months." "And it was running last night." "We could already have that shooter on tape." "I had my techs upload the link directly from the pole." "This camera covers the club where Pablo was murdered." "There." "Can you move in on those faces?" "Hey, run that back." "Run that back." "Are you showing off for your kid sister?" "No." "What was that?" "There." " What?" " That flick of light right there." "There." "There." "Yeah." "It's on his waist band." "Chrome .45." "Grumpy's most prized possession." "Hey!" "Police!" "Police!" "Don't move!" "Get down on the ground now!" "Easy, kid." "A bad day for you is just a punch line for me." "Hey, Syd, are we still on for dinner?" "Bad news, sweetie." "The partner just called and told me" "I have a 500-page deposition to finish tonight." "Ugh!" "Sounds like an all-nighter to me." "If I do get out of there, can I wake you up when I get in?" "Better wake me up, or there will be consequences." "You're the light at the end of my tunnel." "Love you." "Me, too." "Bye." "Testing." "Testing." "This is Detective Joseph Reagan." "Six months into my investigation of the Blue Templar." "Big meet tomorrow." "I think I'm in." "My FBI contact was changed without explanation." "I..." "I don't know if they can be trusted." "I make this record separate from my recordings for them." "More after tomorrow." "We play by my rules in here, okay?" "So, no more games, and no street names, Israel Beltran." "I ask you a question, if you're smart, you answer it." "Why am I gonna talk to you?" "You ain't my lawyer." "I hope you got a good lawyer, because, uh, we got you coming out of the social club on tape with your big shiny penis extension." "Ballistics just tied the gun to your bff Pablo." "You're done." "You know, I got 20 bucks says that, uh, when ballistics runs that gun through ibis, old grumpy here, he's probably gonna be good for another unsolved homicide, too." "What do you think, hmm?" "I don't want any part of that bet." "So, uh, the only lawyer that can help you now sits at our table." "That's right." "So, you can give a statement to the A.D.A., helping her to understand what you and your homies are up to, and if you're lucky, maybe you'll see the streets again" " by the time you're 50." " You want my statement?" "That's what I just said." "We run Webster Avenue, not you." "Any snitch is a dead snitch." "Whether it's the king of New York, or some teacher in a school, whatever." "It's just another guest star on our no-snitching video." "Esteban is our witness." "We need to protect him." "Our witness in what case?" "His brother's dead." "The murder suspect is brazen enough to threaten his life in front of two detectives." "That sounds like trash talk to me." "Look, our limited resources should be devoted to cases we can actually prosecute." "How will we ever get anyone to cooperate if we turn our back on Esteban now?" "You know, Reagan, I liked you better as my ninja assassin than my guilty conscience." "With all due respect, sir," "I would hate to see you make the wrong call." "Especially in a no-stink-bomb year." "Sure you don't have any sicilian blood in there?" "Look, if he has any actually useful information about this gang, and if he's willing to come in and play with our team on a permanent basis..." "I'll see what we can do." "Good-bye." "You think this is the first time I've been threatened?" " Circumstances have changed." " That's right." "Pablo's not here to get my back." "My office can protect you starting right now." "If I turn full-time snitch, do you really think" "I can do my work after that?" "There are so many places that need a dedicated teacher..." "But this is my home." "Please, Mr. Torres, help me bring these men to justice." "Pablo was the avenger." "My way is to endure." "I'm not going to testify against the gang." "Hi, grandpa." "Hey." "What's that smell?" "Trial run for Sunday dinner." "It's duck." "Burnt duck." "I like it crispy." "Where's dad?" "He's not home yet?" "He said he had an important call to make." "Anything I can help you with?" "My witness is refusing to testify." "His life is in danger, and he's refusing protection." "So, what do I do, just sit back and pretend that I don't know what's going to happen?" "Back when I was Captain of the 6-5 and your father was a Detective, we had a mob shooting, and one of the busboys at patsy's was a witness." "Now, the mob guys put so much pressure on this kid, he refused to testify." "He signed the form declining police protection." "Now, your father took that form, put it in his pocket, and then went to live with this guy for a week." "And when the torpedo showed up," "Francis threw him down three flights of stairs." "You think the busboy refused to testify after that?" "It's a Reagan tradition... be ready." "Before the inevitable happens." "Yeah." "Reagan." "It's your father." "Commissioner." "Oh, you're worried about Erin." "Well, concerned." "She put a lot of herself into this one." "Well, she's put me into it, too, and I don't work for the D.A., last I checked." "I had a thought." "After a kingpin gets knocked off, there's a power vacuum." "His lieutenants fight for position." "Well, Esteban's scalp is the prize." "With grumpy off the street," "I'm kind of liking his partner, Chavo." "Well... if Chavo made his move at the time and place of our choosing..." "I think I can make that happen." "You and Jamie okay?" "We're fine, dad." " Good." " All right." "New phone?" "It's grumpy's phone." "You know grumpy's, uh, he's pretty desperate to get a message to his boys right now." "And we do happen to have all their numbers right here." "Yeah, but he's in custody, and his boys know that." "Yeah, that's true." "But, then again, he could text them from... a phone like this, which, you know, he could've gotten from his lawyer." "No, we patted him down..." "his lawyers didn't..." "I mean, it's worth a try, right?" "Do you have search warrants for those numbers?" "Do we have time for search warrants?" "Do it." "Let's try..." "Chavo." "Okay." "We'll see what happens." "I got a text from grumpy, from jail." "Yo, check this out, man." " Did he buy it?" " Let's see." "My lawyer... hooked me up." "We'll send a little more." "Teacher... protective custody..." "Make the call on the go." "We're on." "Shh, shh, shh." "I'm a cop." "Showtime." "Hit 'em." "Police!" "Drop your weapons!" "Down on the ground!" "Now!" "Hands in the air!" "Entrance clear!" "She sent you here?" "Yeah." "We're not your baby-sitters." "Next time you're on your own." "And now she needs you to testify." "Somebody grab his gun." "I'm starving." "What's this?" "Duck." "Can I have some ketchup, mom?" "It's black." "Listen, enough." "Eat some beans." "Any other comments?" "'Cause if all you're gonna do is complain," "I mean, we could just have meat and potatoes" " for the rest of our lives." " No, pop, it's fun for me and Erin when somebody else cooks." "Right?" "It's actually the first sit-down meal of my week, so thank you." "I'll second that." "It was a good job taking down those Webster Avenue boys." "Kind of a pyrrhic victory, though." "Don't use these big words." "What does that mean?" "We got the bad guys, but the learning center has to close." "There's no funding." "Well, it's a bittersweet victory." " Yes, bittersweet victory." " Mm, yeah." "Mm-hmm." "Well, nothing bittersweet about my victory." "Thank you for the Blackjack, grandpa." "And thank you for not using it, little brother, it came in very handy." "I just hope it doesn't get you another I.A. investigation." "What did you say?" " You heard me." " Here we go." "No, I didn't hear you." "Say it again." "Jamie, he's just trying to get" " a rise out of you." " Yeah, well, he got one." "Yeah, listen to your girlfriend, Jamie." "Take it easy." "I will, Danny, when you get off my back," " okay?" " Hey, I'm not on your back." "You've been riding me ever since I got out of academy." "You know, when I start riding you, you'll know about it." "Easy." "Kids." " Where you going?" "Hey." " I'm sick of this." " Sit down." " You want to talk, Danny?" "Outside, okay?" " Where you going?" "Sit down." " You want to talk about this?" " Sit down, Harvard!" " Outside, Danny." "I'll go talk to him." "I'll talk to him." "Don't tell your mom." "You pray, don't you?" "Don't tell your mom." "I'm sorry, but... rookie this, rookie that." "I mean, I can't do anything right anymore." "He..." "Well, I think he's desperate to teach you everything he knows." "By tearing me down every chance that he gets?" "That's your brother." "If Danny's tough on you... it's 'cause he wants to make you bulletproof." "I give directions to tourists in Times Square." "It's not exactly Fort Apache in the '70s." "Every tour you work, do this job like there's trouble around every corner, 'cause one day there will be." "Danny couldn't handle losing another brother." "Sit down, Charley." "I was surprised to get your call, Frank." "You change your mind?" "Congratulations on your Webster Avenue case." "Thank you." "Did you see we indicted the entire upper Echelon of the gang?" "Yes, I did." "Erin was a big part of that." "Big talent, your girl." "Just offer her a bit of guidance every now and then, and the results are first-rate." "For the most part." "For the most part?" "Class-a felonies all around." "Feels like a home run to me." "Except for the learning center closing." "That is a shame." "But... today's economy..." "If I were running for mayor, Charley, putting that right, and letting the world know about it... that would be a home run." "The Webster Avenue Community Learning Center!" "Let's hear it!" "Come on!" "Esteban!" "Funds were provided by the generosity of philanthropist James Herrera, and made possible by district attorney Charles Rossellini." "Did you have anything to do with this?" "I did not." "Where's my beer?" "You had your one before dinner." "I'm cut off, the game hasn't even started yet." "Rossellini:" "I'm overwhelmed with joy to see this happening." "Do you see the men who tried to kill you here in this courtroom?" "Yes, I do." "Will you point them out to us, please?" "Chavo, at the end..." "Julio and T-Bone." "Let the record reflect that Mr. Torres has pointed to the three defendants." "Where were you when these events occurred?" "At the Webster Avenue learning center." "You are the founder of the Webster Avenue learning center, is that correct?" "That is correct." "Did there come a time when the center was in such dire financial shape that you turned to someone for help?" "Yes, that is true." "Who was that person?" "It was Pablo Torres, my brother." "Isn't it true that Pablo was also a high-ranking member of the Webster Avenue boys?" "Yes." "Pablo did some bad things, things that I cannot defend... but he was my brother, and between us, that came first." "Anyone who has a brother," "I don't have to explain."