Friday, October 21, 2016

There's Nothing Wiley About These "Coyotes" (Episode 2.10)

Previously on: Drug lord Armadillo Quintero was stabbed to death in the Barn's holding cell (thanks in no small part to Shane). Danny got in trouble for not finding the knife; she swore he didn't have it on him when she arrested him. Deputy Chief Gilroy threatened Vic's family and Shane wanted to kill him. Vic wouldn't allow that, so Gilroy wound up getting arrested for corruption. Lanie the civilian auditor was getting ready to release her report.

Shane bangs on the door of Vic's hotel room/apartment and hands him the newspaper. He thought Lanie's report wasn't due to come out for weeks, but there it is. The Strike Team is mentioned under a headline that proclaims "Failing Grades for Farmington Police Unit." Edgar-veda's name is also mentioned 3 times. Shane notices a pair of lacy red panties hanging on a chair. A woman, presumably Emma, calls from the bathroom for a towel.

When Vic and Shane arrive at work, everyone looks in their direction. Claudette doesn't like disliking her job. Dutch, the eternal optimist, says cheerfully, "Lucky for you, we might not have jobs in a couple weeks." Edgar-veda stalks in. Vic thinks the two of them should get their stories straight. The captain doesn't have time: "I have to manage perhaps the most dysfunctional, inefficient precinct in this city."

Vic gets a call from Corinne, who's in something of a panic. Gilroy called their house and we all know what happened last time. He left a message that he's coming over. Gilroy was bailed out of jail and is supposed to be on house arrest. Vic will be right there; Corinne needs to keep the doors locked and the alarm on.

Julien complains, "I just got married. Now's not a good time to be losin' my job." Is there ever a good time for that? Danny explains the process: Older officers get offered early retirement, then they fire disciplinary problems. The city won't fire a young black officer who works in a mostly-black neighborhood. Danny is worried about her own career; she pretty much got blamed for Armadillo's murder, not to mention Yassirah's lawsuit.

Danny asks Claudette for help in clearing her name. She insists there's no way she'd miss a large kitchen knife; one of the other inmates must've given it to Armadillo's killer. "Or another cop," Claudette suggests. Then, almost immediately:
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Danny asks what Claudette means, even though it's really freaking obvious.

When Vic gets home, Corinne is shouting through the door for Gilroy to leave. Gilroy wants to apologize, not hurt her; he just needs to see Vic. Speak of the devil and he appears to pat you down. Vic tells Corinne to go back inside and learns Gilroy cut off his house arrest ankle bracelet. The former deputy chief can explain everything. "Save it!" Vic orders, "I'm taking you in."

Gilroy drops a bombshell: The D.A. wants him to give Vic up. He just can't go to prison and the best his lawyer can do is 8 years: "My liver can't do 7." Gilroy asks for help getting out of the United States. The answer, predictably, is a huge no. "Once I'm gone, you're in the clear too," he reminds his old buddy.

Vic pats him down again. Gilroy says he's not wearing a wire; he told the D.A. to go to hell when that was suggested. Time isn't on their side. Vic again refuses. Gilroy tells Vic he better put a gun to his head. Uh, he did that once and you're still alive. Might not wanna push your luck. Vic tells Gilroy to get in the truck. "What a stupid bastard you are," mutters Gilroy.

Shane drops a bag at Gilroy's feet, saying he owes $200 for the new clothes. They know Gilroy's picture will be posted at the border crossings. Might I suggest plastic surgery? Now their former boss needs Mexican and American passports. Oh, and maybe some money. Shane shuts that idea down in a hurry: "If you're lookin' for a loan from us, you can tickle my zipper."

Gilroy gives Shane the key to his safe-deposit box. He has $75,000 left from his land grab scheme, because, surprise of surprises, his mistress Sedona disappeared with the rest of it. Even in Mexico, that money won't last long. Gilroy shrugs he's a simple guy who can live in a hut on the beach. He doesn't plan on staying in Mexico long; he has a friend in Brazil. For that, he needs a one-way plane ticket from Mexico City to Rio. "I owe you," he tells Vic. When Vic tells him to shut up, Gilroy actually pouts.

Edgar-veda confronts Lanie about her report, which wasn't due for 2 weeks. He was also supposed to get an advance copy. Lanie claims someone stole her notes and leaked the unflattering portions, which was probably most of what she wrote. "Who the hell has access to your notes?!" demands the captain, now in full head-chomping mode.
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Lanie doesn't know who could've possibly stolen them. A likely story. She icily adds that nothing she wrote was embellished; everything happened. But she's ever so sorry it makes him look bad.

Vic informs the boys that the new minority member of the Strike Team starts today. Since Shane and Vic have other things to do and Ronnie is presumably still recovering from his burn, Lem will be showing him around. Lem, usually Mr. Congeniality, gripes, "Why do I have to babysit the new guy?" Shane says somebody has to run their car-theft ring investigation while he and Vic deal with a problem.

Vic explains that Gilroy skipped bail, so him and Shane are helping him flee the country. Lem thought they were all staying out of trouble until the money train heist. If Gilroy goes to prison and starts talking to the D.A., the Strike Team will get locked up themselves. Of course, somebody else could tell the D.A. about them first, the most likely suspects being Edgar-veda, Claudette, and Lanie. Vic says they'll have to be extra careful.

There's a knock on the door. Here comes new Strike Team member Tavon, a veteran of Special Crimes. Wonder if that's anything like Special Victims Unit. After some handshakes, they get down to business. They only have one day to nail the head of the city's biggest car-theft ring, like a reverse version of Gone In 60 Seconds. The Strike Team has never gotten close to him because the guy knows their faces, except one. This will be a one-day trial period. Vic hands Tavon a file; Lem can fill him in on the rest.

Out in the back parking lot, Shane opines that Tavon seems "a little too cool for school." He remembers, as do I, what happened to the last newcomer. Vic interviewed Tavon a few times and he seems fine.

Claudette arrives at the home of 71-year-old Toni Jahnes, who lies dead on her living room rug. Someone broke in and stole her jewelry. Dutch thinks the killer smashed her head against the mantle and "being so old, she probably couldn't put up a fight." I don't think anyone could fight after getting their head thrown into a mantle. Dutch is pissy that his excellent case closure rate wasn't mentioned in Lanie's report. Appropos of nothing, Claudette notices framed photos of Toni's two daughters.

Vic speaks Spanish to some guy and hands over the key to Gilroy's safe-deposit box. Yeah, that seems like a smart idea. The idea is the guy will take some of the money to make Gilroy's fake IDs. Vic promises Shane this will get Gilroy out of their lives without bloodshed. Shane knows Gilroy is Vic's friend, but "I'm not gonna let him hurt us."

Edgar-veda gets into the back of a car with the police chief. The captain assures him that the report is totally biased; it doesn't mention how dramatically crime has dropped in Farmington. Chief asks what Edgar-veda would do in his place. "The first thing I would do is fire me," mumbles the captain. Chief says, "So far, I'm with you." But if Edgar-veda is fired the day the news article is printed, it'll make it appear to the public that the charges are credible. He suggests the chief withhold judgment.

"I've heard about this kind of slick shit of yours," says Chief, "It doesn't work on me."
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Chief knows Edgar-veda is running for office. He gives him a 6-month ultimatum: If he wins the election, he'll be a city councilman and no longer Chief's problem. If Edgar-veda loses the primary, he will quietly resign from the police department because he needs more time with his family.

Edgar-veda paces his office. Machado, his campaign manager, tells him not to worry so much; they have a contingency plan, namely a smear campaign. Edgar-veda gets on his high horse; he doesn't want to win the election by using dirty Mexican political tricks. Machado reminds him that half his supporters were born in Mexico. Edgar-veda wants to clean up the Barn and rehabilitate his image before the election.

In the truck, Shane speculates that Edgar-veda "the backstabbing bastard" turned them in to the D.A. so the Strike Team could take the hit for that report. He doesn't like the timing to Tavon's arrival, especially since Edgar-veda gave his blessing. Vic promises Tavon will be gone tomorrow.

Their fake ID guy comes out of the bank with a paper bag of money. He doesn't seem to know where to go. Vic keeps gesturing him toward the truck. The guy stays where he is. Shane can't believe someone can "flawlessly duplicate government documents and can't tell his left from his right." He hopes he remembers where they're meeting.

Danny and Julien break up a Jerry Springer-worthy catfight. One woman spits out a boxcutter blade from under her tongue. Ouch! Another of the young ladies involved is wielding a knife and very obviously pregnant. Back at the Barn, the pregnant girl's wounds have been dressed and she's sitting in the cage.

Julien heard this isn't the first time she picked a fight recently. Danny asks why she's doing this. "Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I have to stop bringing it," says the girl. Uh, actually it does when "bringing it" means "brawling in the street." Danny thinks the woman is a little old to be fighting. She asks about Antonio, the baby's father. The pregnant woman doesn't know where he is and doesn't care. This isn't about him, anyway.

Danny agrees. This is about the baby. She doesn't want anything to happen to it, right? The pregnant woman doesn't answer, just fiddles with the torn hem of her shirt. Danny realizes she's trying to miscarry, though if she's really 8 months along, the baby would more than likely survive. Julien seems to know she's having a boy. The pregnant woman says that means her son will look and sound like Antonio. She doesn't want to look at an Antonio Junior forever. I'm starting to wonder if Antonio raped her. Danny has to walk away.

Claudette has background on their murder victim Toni. She worked for the parks department for 30 years. Her daughters are both dead; one had ovarian cancer and the other was killed by a drunk driver. There have been 3 similar break-ins over the last 2 weeks. Dutch is only halfway paying attention; he's at his desk compiling a "win list." Ugh, the narcissistic weasel. Apparently, his name was mentioned in the article, so he's worried about his job.

A uniform delivers the preliminary autopsy report. Dutch glances at it and declares, "Wasn't a murder." Toni died of a heart attack, not blunt-force trauma. Claudette asks when the heart attack occurred. The M.E. doesn't know. Claudette figures it could've happened as a result of Toni seeing burglars in her house. She doesn't know who to contact; Toni has no other next-of-kin or heirs listed. "Heart attack probably doesn't count as a win, does it?" asks Dutch.

Back at the hotel, Vic finds two empty beer bottles on the counter, the only alcohol he had in the place. He and Shane find Gilroy at a nearby bar. "You the police?" asks the bartender. Gilroy got rough with some of the customers and played the "I'm a cop" card when the bartender tried to throw him out. The bartender called the cops 20 minutes ago: "It's a good thing I'm not being robbed."

Vic tells Gilroy to stand up and walk out with him and Shane. Gilroy protests he needed a drink after 4 months in jail. He offers to buy Shane and Vic a drink. "Stop makin' a scene, you dumbass," says Shane. Gilroy laughs, "Oh, you" and playfully slaps at his face. This could be his last chance. He doesn't know how right he is about that.

Gilroy tries to carry the drink out with him. Shane puts it back on the bar. Gilroy stands up and starts to fall over; Vic catches him. The bartender calls after them, asking who's paying Gilroy's tab. Vic slams some money on the bar.

Lem has a talk with a car thief. If Louis wants his drug charges reduced, he should cooperate with them. Louis refuses to rat out his cousin Denon: "It'll screw up Christmas and I'm not lettin' some cracker cop ruin the holidays." Tavon looks pissed and kicks over Louis' chair. Lem struggles to get Tavon back under control. However, I have to give Tavon credit for sticking up for his partner.

Lem manages to pull Tavon loose and they both go sliding into the wall. "Dude, there's cameras in here," Lem hisses. Tavon heard life at the Barn was different. Lem lies that he heard wrong. He turns to Louis with the threat: "I'll tell all your homo homies you're my snitch bitch." It's up to him how much helping them has to hurt. To punctuate this, Tavon crouches next to Louis and rubs his hands together menacingly. He says ratting out a cousin isn't as bad as turning in your brother.

Shane tosses the barely-conscious Gilroy onto Vic's couch. Their Mexican connection, Quazi, starts speaking Spanish.
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Vic translates that the guy wants to wait until Gilroy sobers up. Shane is like "oh hell no." Gilroy slurs out, "Where's my money?" Vic tells him they're keeping it safe. Lem calls to let Vic know he set up a meeting with Louis' cousin Denon this afternoon. I bet it's the best news he's heard all day. Vic tells Shane they have to go to the car sting. They leave Gilroy and Quazi alone, which I'm sure won't come back to haunt them.

Claudette goes back to Toni's apartment. She takes a long look at the framed pictures of Toni's kids and the certificate of appreciation from the city parks department. She sits down at the kitchen table, clearly looking for something. But even she's not sure what. Perhaps she's seeing some of herself in Toni. Earlier, she mentioned to Dutch that she hasn't talked to either of her daughters in a long time.

At the Barn, Edgar-veda asks Dutch what happened to his partner. Dutch isn't sure. The captain tells him to do police work instead of polishing his resume. There's been a shooting. He and Claudette are assigned. Vic comes in, acting all cheery toward Edgar-veda. The captain asks how Tavon is settling in. Vic says he seems to be trying. If Vic has any cases he can close, today would be the day.

Vic feigns concern about his boss's job. Edgar-veda smugly informs him that Latino police captains are in demand; he could have a dozen job offers tomorrow. Vic is the one who should worry. Vic is still willing to keep up his end of their deal. It remains important to the captain too.

"Aceveda's screwing us," Vic informs Shane in the clubhouse. He's only asking about the car theft sting and Tavon, not a peep about Gilroy. That figures. Shane's been watching TV all day and there hasn't been a news story on the city's assistant police chief-turned fugitive. Vic guesses the D.A. is too embarrassed to let the public know. The good news is Shane got in touch with Coyote Jack; they should be able to get Gilroy out of the country in an hour.

Edgar-veda asks how many casualties were at the scene Claudette investigated. She isn't sure if Toni died before or during the break-in. The captain was referring to the shooting he sent her to. Even if the burglar caused Toni's fatal heart attack, the law doesn't view it as a homicide. The shooting is a priority crime. He asks where Dutch is. "I don't know. Guess he's got his priorities straight," she says. Claudette intends to finish what she started.

Edgar-veda repeats the burglary was victimless. I'd like to see him tell that to Toni's family. Claudette loses it. She shouts that she is working a real case and she could close it faster if he'd stop bothering her. She's angry that her coworkers are worried about how they'll feed their families "because of a bunch of crap they know nothing about and had nothing to do with! No wonder this precinct's upside down. Saving these people's jobs should be your priority."
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Claudette goes into the ladies' room to compose herself. Lanie asks if she's okay. "Am I being graded?" Claudette fires back. Lanie confirms her suspicions that some people will be fired, but maybe Claudette can help her make sure they're the right ones.

Vic and Shane meet Coyote Jack's van at a cemetery. Vic hustles the load of illegal immigrants out of the van and orders Coyote Jack to give him the wheel. Vic drives them through a police gate. Coyote Jack asks if this is the INS building. No, that's downtown, but they'd be happy to drop him there. Coyote Jack claims all dozen or so people in his van were just hitchhikers.

Vic wants to hire Coyote Jack to smuggle someone into Mexico. Coyote Jack's never had to charge anyone for that service before. Vic calls bullshit: "We know the tunnels run both ways." It's Jack's choice whether he wants to help them out or go to jail. Jack agrees.

Dutch finds Claudette at Toni's house again. He caught the shooter from the other case two blocks away from the scene, gun still on him. Not sure if there's a reason for it, but she sends him to check the kitchen.

Lem listens in from the Strike Team van as Louis introduces Tavon to Denon. Try saying that 5 times fast. The story is Tavon knows where Denon can find a fleet of Expeditions. Denon is immediately suspicious; he's never seen Tavon before. Where's his hood? Tavon claims he's from Detroit and that's why he likes cars. Here in L.A., he runs with, I kid you not, the 4th Street Clown Posse. That seems to pass muster.

Denon asks what shape the Expeditions are in. "Factory fresh, straight outta Motown," Tavon replies. His friend is a truck foreman who assigns routes; the driver gets a cut of the profits. Denon offers him $10,000 per truck, $11,000 for leather interior. That's not what Tavon gets in Detroit. Denon gets in his face: "This ain't Detroit, bitch." "You better back up off me, bitch," Tavon warns.

They exchange a few "who you callin' a bitch" remarks. Tavon eventually agrees to Denon's terms since he's on someone else's turf. Tavon just needs to know when and where to drop off the cars.

In Toni's bedroom, Claudette discovers someone stole all her lipstick. Maybe the burglar was a woman? Dutch found 3 empty bags of cookies and a half-eaten bag of brown sugar. Their girl could be a junkie. Should he check with Vic about dealers in the neighborhood? Claudette wants to do her own police work.

Claudette pays a visit to a street-corner pharmacist named Long John. "Oh, the pirate gangster, huh?" Dutch jokes. Now is really not the time to get cute. They're looking for a female customer of his who probably bought last night or tried to trade jewelry for rock. Claudette snatches Long John's hat right off his head even though he's much taller than her. She finds drugs inside it.

Long John asks if they'll drop the drug charge if he talks. It depends. The customer they're looking for is a "transie, calls herself Mancy." "Mancy a transie or a cross-dresser?" asks Dutch, as if that matters. Long John wants to know if there's a difference. "Fairly large one," Dutch quips.

Shane found no official papers have been issued for Gilroy: APBs, bench warrants, and the like. Lemming doesn't get why: "The guy cut his ankle monitor and bailed 8 hours ago." Lanie's report hit the paper today, so Vic highly doubts it's a malfunction or clerical error, as do I.

Claudette has shared her theory about how the knife got into the holding cell. Danny knows Vic; he'd never throw her under the bus like that. "Sorry to waste your time," Claudette sighs.

When Shane and Vic get back to Vic's place, there's a white sheet tacked to the wall. Gilroy stands in front of it while Quazi snaps Polaroids and gives instructions in Spanish. Vic's translation: "He says stop smiling. It makes you look gay" is probably incorrect. He hands Gilroy a plane ticket and informs him they had to take $10,000 out of the $75,000 for the coyote's expenses.

Gilroy says the D.A. has been asking him questions about Terry. He thinks the case might get reopened. Gilroy swears he never mentioned that he warned Vic about Terry being after the Strike Team. Vic gives him the party line he's used since the beginning: "Terry got killed in the line of duty by a drug dealer." Gilroy is all "c'mon, ain't nobody here but us chickens."

Vic draws his gun and stands Gilroy up. Shane whips off Gilroy's buttondown shirt and pulls down his pants, checking for a wire. He finds a tape recorder and mike taped under Gilroy's boxer shorts.
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"That's what the trip to the bar was about, wasn't it?" Vic asks. It's Shane's turn to pull his gun. He starts calling Gilroy a son of a bitch. He puts a couch cushion in between his gun barrel and Gilroy's face. Gilroy admits D.A. investigators are outside watching him. If anything happens to him, they'll know. Shane backs away and makes the understatement of the year: "Oh, this is not good."

Shane wonders how much the investigators have witnessed. The scene at the bar? The bank run? Quazi? Coyote Jack? Vic says it doesn't matter; none of that can be used against them. Considering they're currently aiding and abetting a fugitive, I think he's wrong about that. According to Vic, however, Gilroy asking for their help made it entrapment.

The only real evidence Gilroy got against them was the tape, which Vic now has. Shane points out the matter of harboring a fugitive. Vic says they're not anymore. Gilroy's going to Mexico as planned. The disgraced assistant chief asks what he's supposed to live on; $65,000 won't last him a year. "What about the hut? The rice and beans?" demands Shane. Gilroy replies, "That's when I wasn't really going." "Oh, you're going," growls Vic, snapping at Gilroy to get dressed.

"I didn't wanna do it. They made me," Gilroy blubbers. He apologizes to Vic. Vic tells Gilroy to get a hold of himself; he has to lose the tail on his own. "We're putting our success in his hands? Jesus!" Shane cries. Vic assures his partner that Gilroy's "done some of his best work soused."

Shane wants to cut their losses and turn Gilroy in because the guy's poison. It's hard to argue with that. Vic knows Gilroy can do it. He points out, "We send him back to prison, he starts talking, he makes our lives hell."

At the Barn, Vic informs Edgar-veda that Gilroy jumped bail. He came to Vic's place this morning and asked for help getting to Mexico. Vic didn't bring Gilroy in because they've been friends for 15 years; he thought he could convince Gilroy to turn himself in. Gilroy is still at Vic's place, drunk and crying. Vic didn't want anyone to seem him like that. Edgar-veda will send someone over.

"Vic, Denon just called. He wants to move those cars right now," says Lem. The meet was originally set for the next day, but Denon changed his mind. Edgar-veda knows Denon is a major thief and tells the guys to go get him.

Downstairs, Danny asks if she and Vic can talk. Vic's in a hurry. Danny corners him in the clubhouse. She knows she's on the top of the firing list because of what happened to Armadillo. Vic agrees it was unfair that she got suspended over it. Danny heard Armadillo's death could've been good for Vic. She's spent 6 1/2 years getting where she is and doesn't want to lose her career. Vic asks if she's been talking to Claudette.

Danny responds with a question of her own: "What happened in that cage?" Vic acts like he doesn't know. Sometimes people hide weapons and cops don't find them. Danny knows she did a good search and asks pointblank, "You had something to do with this, didn't you?" Of course, Vic says no. After everything she's done and covered up, he's pulling this shit on her? Danny tells Vic to stay away from her and leaves the clubhouse.

Dutch goes to what looks a crackhouse and asks one of its denizens where he can find Mancy. The guy is out of it and holding a large bottle filled with piss. Claudette asks the same question of a woman with a belt wrapped around her arm, ready to shoot up. Claudette finds strung-out Mancy up in the attic. Mancy is, let's say, not the most convincing female impersonator I've ever seen. I'm not sure if he/she's in the throes of an overdose, withdrawal, or AIDS. Either way, Claudette wants Mancy taken to a hospital. In a paper bag, Claudette finds high school graduation pictures of Toni's daughters.

Lanie talks to Gilroy's surveillance team on the phone. She tells them to grab him up and make sure they get the tape. Downstairs, Edgar-veda makes a big speech about how they're a family and he's gonna fight like hell to save everyone's jobs. The officers and detectives should focus on protecting and serving.

Claudette follows him up to the balcony and says, "Nice speech." I can't tell if she's being sarcastic. The captain frets, "Could be my last." Claudette tells him that Toni was already on the floor when Mancy broke in; he/she didn't cause the heart attack.

Julien informs Pregnant Brawler that they can have her put in county lockup until the baby is born. Judging by the girl's shape, that won't be very long. She shrugs and tells him to go ahead: "You don't think there's other ways to do it? Fighting's just the way you get the most props." Danny says it's okay if Pregnant Brawler doesn't want the baby; she can give him up. Pregnant Brawler asks if they've talked to her baby-daddy Antonio. Does he want her back? Does he want to be in his son's life?

Julien is sure they can find a good foster home if it comes to that. Her son deserves a chance. Pregnant Brawler doubts they can "give away a brown baby" when "not even his daddy wants him." "I'll take him," Danny blurts out. I think part of the reason she broke it off with Vic is because Danny wants a baby and knows Vic would never say yes to that. "I ain't givin' my baby to a white cop. I'd rather kill him with my bare hands," says Pregnant Brawler, even though Danny just stomped all over her notion of nobody wanting a "brown baby."

A taxi drops Gilroy off in a deserted parking lot, where he's meeting Vic and Shane. I'd be worried about the location if I were him. Shane asks, "How many wine coolers did it take you to get here?" Gilroy says he followed Vic's instructions to the letter about taking the bus and the subway. He paid the coyote $10,000 and the guy gave him an empty envelope. He lost his tail.

Vic opens the sliding door of a nearby van and introduces Gilroy to Coyote Jack. He holds up the envelope. The guy Gilroy gave the $10 K to was actually hitman who'll kill Gilroy if Vic ever calls the hitman with a designated code. "You made me pay my own hitman?" Gilroy is aghast. Shane bets he could really use another drink now.

"Vic, we were friends," Gilroy says. Vic reminds him just who threatened whose family. Gilroy claims that was a bluff. The hitman thing isn't and they both know it. Actually, Gilroy might not. He goes on about how Vic had the chance to kill Gilroy himself and couldn't go through with it. He wouldn't send a hitman after his old friend. "Maybe not," Vic concedes, "but Shane will."

Gilroy has some parting words for Vic: "I got greedy. I lost everything. There's a lesson there." Shane practically shoves him into the van. He and Vic watch as Coyote Jack drives away.

At the Barn, Denon is brought in, protesting that he didn't agree to buy stolen cars. Vic tells him there's time to come up with a better story. "It's nice to have a win on a day like today," says the captain. He asks Tavon how the guys treated him, "the guys" in this case being Lem since Vic and Shane were otherwise occupied all day. Tavon says everything is fine.

Edgar-veda and Vic go upstairs, the captain relieved to have survived today. But as Little Orphan Annie observed, there's always tomorrow. Vic knows they'll both survive the next day. Edgar-veda wishes he had Vic's confidence. Lanie tells the captain that Gilroy wasn't in Vic apartment. Vic swears that when he left, Gilroy was in a drunken stupor.

Lanie thinks he must've sobered up and gone on the run. All the surveillance team found were his clothes and the tape recorder. Vic is sure Gilroy couldn't have gone far. In the clubhouse, Vic thinks he owes the captain an apology for thinking he was the rat: "The real rodent's sittin' drunk at my apartment." Shane isn't worried; Gilroy will be in Rio de Janeiro by this time tomorrow.

Vic asks for Lem's verdict on Tavon. Lem, of course, likes the guy and says he has cojones. "It's not havin' 'em; it's usin' 'em that counts," says Shane.
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Lem goes on that Tavon is a hard worker with "a bit of a mean streak, but under control." Highlighting those traits, Lemming could very well be describing himself. Shane snaps, "Don't cream all over this guy before you seen him naked."
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Tavon is no Ronnie. Hell, Tavon isn't as good as Lem or Shane himself. All Lem meant is that Tavon being black could open up doors; they can send him places where they'd stick out too much. Speaking of opening doors, the conversation grinds to a screeching halt as Tavon enters. He presents Vic with his signed transfer papers; he just has to let his old commander know if he's staying.

"Tell him you're staying on a little longer," says Vic. Call it an extended trial period. Shane advises him to "be ready for something a little more difficult than auto capers." Tavon's ready to follow his lead.

In the parking lot, Julien asks if Danny was serious about wanting to adopt Pregnant Brawler's baby. Danny dismisses it as a stupid idea. Julien invites Danny to join him, his new wife Vanessa, and stepson Randall for dinner and church. "You tryin' to convert me now?" she asks nastily. Julien just knows she's had a hard day and she doesn't have to be alone. Danny hasn't been to church since she was 9. "God remembers you," says Julien. Danny replies, "Well, I forgot about Him." How about just saying "no, thank you"? Geez, girl, I know Julien's been a sanctimonious tool before, but he's honestly trying to help you now.

At a city council meeting, the city's showrunners and Lanie listen to the tape from Gilroy's recorder. There's only some back-and-forth between Gilroy and Vic about how the frame jobs and beat-downs never happened; Vic just made up the stories to scare the crooks because "rep's everything on the street."

The police chief shuts off the tape. He announces the Strike Team is clearing cases at a better rate than any other unit in the city; Lanie wants him to come down on them over this tape? Lanie says there are other "irregularities." Chief says Edgar-veda will take the blame; one way or the other, he's gone after the election.

"Mackey's dirty," Lanie insists. The chief doesn't think she's proven it. Lanie points out she would have more evidence if somebody hadn't stolen her notes. Chief instructs her to turn in the official report; the investigation is over.

Vic finds Claudette typing away at what seems to be the only computer in the station. He has to file a report before he can go home. Claudette says he can have it when she's done emailing her daughters. Vic thinks she better find a way to deal with her hatred of him because he's not going anywhere. "Neither am I," she says calmly. End of episode.

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