The search is on for Maddie in the Bosch: Legacy season 2 premiere.
Bosch: Legacy S2E1 ‘The Lady Vanishes’
Written by Tom Bernardo
Directed by Sharat Raju
Taken
We learned what happens that evening before Harry kicks in Maddie’s door and finds her missing.
The “Screen Cutter” hides in Maddie’s hall closet while the young police officer puts down her things and turns on the shower. With her back to her bedroom door, the attacker comes at her from behind. Maddie fights back against the man of formidable size. But the attacker weighs her down and knocks her out with a sedative-laced handkerchief over her mouth. The man removes his mask revealing that it is indeed city inspector Kurt Dockweiler.
We see Dockweiler rolling a body bag down the alley to his truck and drives away in the dark of night.
On the scene
After Harry finds Maddie missing, a huge police presence fills her apartment complex. Crime scene techs dust for fingerprints and collect evidence. Harry stands by directing the techs to capture everything. RHD Detective Joan Bennett calls out twice to check on Harry who is distracted in thought. Longtime partner and friend Jerry Edgar, who is now part of RHD, enters the room and assures Harry that his captain has signed off on Harry listening in at the mobile command center.
Inside the command center truck, Harry grows frustrated and asserts his own ideas about finding Maddie. Captain Seal stresses policy, which does not sit well with Harry. Outside the truck, Harry implores Jerry to keep him inside the loop. Harry leaves and the captain stresses that Jerry needs to make sure Harry does not go rogue.
Harry’s ordeal
Left with all his thoughts and fears for Maddie, Harry drives away. He calls Mo and asks him to review Maddie’s recent digital footprint. Lost in thought, Harry drives toward a red light just barely swerving away from an oncoming truck.
Back at his office Harry begins calling all his contacts for help, including Mank at Hollywood station. When he hangs up the phone, he thinks he hears Maddie’s voice calling for her dad, but it’s just his mind playing tricks on him. Then Harry receives a call from Ernie Munger at the morgue who tells him that a “Jane Doe” has been found that matches the description. As a professional courtesy and kindness, Ernie offers Harry the first chance the body.
Harry drives to the morgue and reluctantly walks toward the body. He pulls the sheet off swiftly like ripping off a bandage. It is not Maddie. Harry carefully and respectfully recovers the body. Harry’s eyes begin to fill with tears as he returns to his Jeep. Upon reaching the vehicle he collapses to the ground sobbing.
On the case
Jerry checks Maddie’s locker with Mank. He also talks to Reina Vasquez, Maddie’s training officer, about their work on the Screen Cutter case. The serial rapist is their biggest suspect so far. Jerry reviews Maddie’s notepad.
He also talks to fellow RHD Detectives Conniff and Espinosa who are watching footage of vehicles coming and going from Maddie’s complex. Jerry tells them to widen the search from one to three blocks.
The next morning
Morning has come and Harry checks in with Mo. Mo has identified calls to Maddie from Honey Chandler and an unidentified mobile number, likely a burner. Harry arrives to Honey Chandler’s home and tells her what has happened.
Honey shares that she was at Maddie’s apartment the night before last. Harry looks hopeful and asks if she remembers seeing anyone there that might be surveilling Maddie’s routine. Honey recalls a man smoking in the courtyard. Harry knows that rape victims recalled the smell of cigarettes on their attacker.
Honey believes she may be able to identify the man. Harry calls Jerry and asks him to arrange for Honey to meet with a police sketch artist.
Harry spends time with Vasquez revisiting the alley where Maddie found the mask. It is clear that Vasquez feels guilty thinking she did not try hard enough to keep Maddie from pursuing the Screen Cutter case. Harry assures her that it is not her fault. As they continue walking, Harry notices the same inspection posting from Dockweiler that Maddie found.
Dockweiler on the move
Meanwhile, we see Dockweiler driving through the desert. He stops to open the body bag to give additional sedative to Maddie. Maddie comes to briefly and tries to knock the needle out of Dockweiler’s hand. Dockweiler stumbles briefly but recovers and injects Maddie.
The next time we see Dockweiler he is at a carwash, but the truck bed is empty with no sign of Maddie’s body. Dockweiler makes a call to an officer named Pete. He fishes for information asking Peter if there are any new findings on the Screen Cutter. Pete says there is nothing new.
Hard at work
Jerry reviews body cam footage from Vasquez and Maddie looking for clues. Honey works with the composite artist. Edgar checks in with Conniff and Espinosa. They do mention a city vehicle that has been by multiple times, noting the heavy construction in the area.
Jerry and Edgar decide to pay a visit to Dockweiler. Of course, no is home. Jerry leaves his card in the door and bags a cigarette butt to test for DNA. Dockweiler drives by as the pair are leaving. When Dockweiler returns home, he is ironing and getting ready to shower.
Meanwhile, Harry visits Maddie’s apartment. He tears up as he looks around and picks up the matching sailor’s bracelet he gave her. He also picks up her police ID badge.
A breakthrough
The composite sketch is complete. Jerry shows it to Joan. He then pulls up footage of Dockweiler and asks Joan to compare. She believes it is Dockweiler. Harry pulls Jerry aside and insists that Jerry give him Dockweiler’s address. Jerry agrees but tells Harry to make sure is gone before the unit ascends on the home.
Harry arrives to the locked door of Dockweiler’s home. We see that Dockweiler is still inside dressed in a suit. Harry breaks in and begins searching the home for Maddie. Dockweiler grabs his gun and slips out the back before Harry sees him. But Harry hears the noise from the door and follows the noise. No one is there, but he finds boots in the dryer and wet clothes in the washing machine. Harry gloves up and searches the rest of the home. He finds a photo presumably of a young Dockweiler.
Harry continues searching in the bathroom. He checks the shower and finds something prickly on the bath rug. Jerry texts Harry telling him that RHD is on the way.
Wait, what?
We shift to the exterior of Hollywood station where Dockweiler parks (in a handicap space, that son of a . . .) and enters the building. When asked if he can be helped, he responds saying he believes they can.
Meanwhile, Harry calls Jerry to confirm that he exited the home before law enforcement arrived. Jerry announces that Dockweiler has turned himself in! Harry tells him to let Dockweiler out of his sight and heads that way.
Inside Mank and Jerry look at Dockweiler via the camera in the interrogation room both agreeing they believe Dockweiler is the abductor.
Jerry to Dockweiler
Jerry enters the interrogation room. Dockweiler says he will reveal the missing officer’s whereabouts if he gets what he wants. Jerry asks what that is and Dockweiler says he will have to wait for his attorney.
Jerry advises that they can still continue their conversation. Dockweiler scoffs and says he knows police are allowed to lie. Jerry suggests that Dockweiler does not really know where Maddie is. He reminds him that they have his fingerprints on the recovered mask and DNA from two rapes.
Jerry asks if Maddie is alive. Dockweiler simply responds, “For now.” Jerry probes further but Dockweiler insists he will share nothing more without his attorney.
By this time, Harry has arrived at the station. Mank tries to hold him off at the front entrance. Edgar walks out and shares that Dockweiler claims to know where she is but is asking for his lawyer.
The box
The scene shifts to Maddie in the dark. She is handcuffed in what appears to be a box. She calls out for help, screaming in panic. The camera pans up and we learn that the box is buried in the desert.
Credits roll.
Will they find Maddie in time? How long can she survive in this box? Stay tuned for Bosch: Legacy S2 episode 2 and come back for a breakdown from So Many Shows.
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