Shane tucks a gun into his sock, warning Mara it may take a few days to sort things out. Mara asks him to be careful and gives him a kiss. In the background, little Jackson happily hums to himself at the kitchen table. "We'll always be together. All of us," Shane promises, scooping up Jackson for a hug.
Vic pays a visit to Danny's house. She cuts to the chase: "If you're interested in doing the right thing, relinquish your rights to Lee." She initially doesn't want to let Vic in, but relents. Vic brought along a present for his youngest child: a mobile to hang over the crib.
Vic doesn't want the two of them to be at odds over Lee. His solution for that is a court-ordered DNA test. "You wanna have a kid so bad? I know a lotta women who'd like to get knocked up," Danny snaps. Vic would rather work on a co-parenting plan than go to court, wasting a lot of time and money that neither of them have. All he wants is for Danny to acknowledge his rights and responsibilities as Lee's dad.
Edgar-veda and Vic go to a meeting to present the Box O' Blackmail. They use the old "this just showed up on my doorstep" explanation. Edgar-veda wants Cruz to face his crimes, even though he's a major campaign contributor. Kouf proposes a joint investigation into the matter.
Someone else at the meeting plays a video of Vic meeting with cartel man Rios. Vic says he was just trying to use Rios for intel. Edgar-veda didn't turn the Box O' Blackmail to ICE right away because they thought it could be handled locally; they soon realized they were in too deep. ICE will be taking over the case. Edgar-veda is relieved that the box is someone else's problem.
Of course, Edgar-veda sees this as an opportunity to make friends in high places. Vic points out, "Cruz is gonna grind up half of L.A. before these idiots come up with a code name for their operation." Vic is concerned about the repercussions for Olivia's career; her file is still in the box. Turns out Edgar-veda has the file tucked away somewhere. "Bet she can't wait until that bill comes due," mutters Vic.
At the clubhouse, Vic likens the meeting with ICE to "another Mexican donkey show." Has Ronnie seen Shane today? Nope, and the bearded one would very much like to finish what they started. Vic is disappointed in the way Ronnie handled the attempted hit on Shane. Now they have no idea how much Shane knows about their plan or what he might do.
"On a good day, that prick's a wild card," Ronnie reminds him. Vic has known Shane since before the Strike Team was started, a fact that I think is clouding his judgment. He also knows he had a big hand in the way Shane turned out. "That's why you got to put him down," Ronnie says vehemently.
Vic tells Ronnie he has bigger worries than Shane, namely "a daughter traipsin' around in a French maid's outfit in front of boys, popping X." Does Ronnie think Vic should just put a bullet in Cassidy and be done with it? Ronnie looks stunned Vic would accuse him of thinking that. Vic is sure he can fix Shane nonviolently, just how he's gonna fix things with his wayward kid.
Their conversation is interrupting by Claudette, who tells Vic his review-board hearing is in an hour. Vic thought he had another two weeks. Claudette shrugs that the schedule got changed.
Ronnie sits on a bench in headquarters' hallway, looking like an anxious expectant father in an old movie. Vic emerges with the verdict and it's the worst possible outcome; he's been fired without pension, effective in 10 days. He bets things would've gone down differently if he still had the Box O' Blackmail. Ronnie is in disbelief: "Taking down the public face of the Mexican cartel got you canned?"
Vic's PBA rep stops them before they can leave. Vic's career isn't over yet; the chief makes that call. The rep advises Vic to have Claudette put in a good word for him. Vic knows if that's what it takes to save his job, he's a dead man walking. The big man, of course, puts it in more colorful terms. Claudette is as likely to help him as the PBA rep is to let Vic take his wife to Vegas for a weekend of freaky sex.
At what looks like a homeless encampment, paramedics do CPR on someone they're wheeling to an ambulance. Shane gets out of his truck nearby. He heard through the grapevine that Vic is being fired. Vic asks how Shane's doing mentally after that scare with the Armenians. Shane says it's the kinda thing that "just makes you wanna hug your kid and not let go. I thank God I'm blessed with a wife who loves me."
The person who just left in the ambulance is a prostitute. She was discovered by a colleague that dropped Vic's name to the uniforms. "What is it with you and whores?" Shane jokes. Vic retorts, "Tryin' to keep 'em from temptin' you."
 |
| (Image credit) |
"Amber and I were getting clean for each other," says Farrah. "That's why Bombay did this." Vic reminds Farrah she had a chance to get out of "the life;" he even paid for her bus ticket. Farrah asks, "Why are you mad at me?" Uh, he literally just told you. Farrah doesn't remember them having issues. Vic bets she can't remember who she's given blowjobs to.
The bruised, cracked-out Farrah insists she's not a hooker anymore. She hasn't used drugs for two whole weeks and neither has Amber. They've even been going to NA meetings. A uniform tells Vic the paramedics just pronounced Amber dead. Farrah starts crying, begging Vic to find the guy who killed her friend.
Back at the Barn, Vic parks Farrah in an interrogation room with Julien. Farrah can't believe Vic doesn't care that she could die next. Vic says, "By me, that's euthanasia." Julien thinks Vic is being a little harsh. "I've been down the road with this little slut," Vic tells him. Claudette catches the tail end of this discussion.
Julien asks when Farrah last saw Amber. The day before on account of Amber "working" nights. Farrah knew something was wrong when she didn't see Amber at sunrise this morning. She again points the finger at their pimp; Bombay threatened Amber. According to Farrah, pimping is just a hobby for Bombay. He makes most of his money cooking crystal meth.
"I trusted you!" Olivia says to Vic in the clubhouse. She just found out Vic had the Box O' Blackmail the whole time they've known each other. Vic explains Edgar-veda took it out of his hands. Olivia asks if Vic knows a good attorney. He assures Olivia her boss won't ever find her file. Edgar-veda plans to use it as leverage. "So I've traded one blackmailer for another?" Yeah, basically.
Vic is trying to figure out a way to take down Cruz "in the 10 days I still have a badge." Rios has disappeared. Olivia needs an inside man and Vic is her only option. She doesn't think her boss Chaffee will go for it. He's raiding Cruz's construction site later to see if they can find Rios' body.
Vic worries this will scare Cruz into hiding. The guy's smart enough not to leave a body lying around his own construction site. He might have some ideas, though. He heads for the site and tips off Cruz. Cruz gives Vic an envelope of cash, calling it "this week's pay and severance." Vic is no longer useful to him.
Billings and Dutch interview a home invasion victim. She was home alone when she heard glass break. She tried to scare the intruder off with her gun and thinks she might've shot him. The woman thought this neighborhood was gentrifying: "I was gonna flip the house like on those infomercials."
Dutch wants to take a mosey around the neighborhood; Claudette lives five doors away and he's concerned. He gets the answering machine when he calls her house. Dutch notices her car in the driveway. He knocks on the front door. Boxes of files are overturned and scattered on the other side of the glass.
Claudette still doesn't answer, so Dutch breaks in. The living room and her study are also in disarray. Mountains of dirty dishes are piled in the kitchen sink.
Danny tries to talk to Vic's other baby-mama. Corinne doesn't care about what's going on between Danny and Vic. Danny tells her about the DNA test; she doesn't want Vic in Lee's life, not even in the form of child support checks. She's sure Corinne wouldn't like part of Vic's tiny paycheck going to Lee.
Danny won't settle for anything less than sole custody and no visitation. The only way to make that happen is to prove to a judge that Vic is an unfit parent. Corinne says her ex has a lot of bad qualities, but he loves his kids. "You know this guy better than anybody," Danny pleads, "It's all about him all the time." She asks Corinne to give her take on Vic to the judge.
Danny suggests the former Mrs. Mackey think of testifying as "a long-term business decision in the best interest of your kids."
"Crime scene is this house, not mine," Claudette tells Dutch peevishly. He inquires about her car. The alternator's gone out, so a uniform gave her a ride to work this morning. Billings reports he found blood around the side of the house: "Looks like Annie Oakley winged the guy."
"Tried to get a read on Shane," Vic says quietly to Ronnie, "Looks like we might be all right." "As long as he's alive, we're not all right," Ronnie disagrees. When Claudette enters the breakroom, Vic pretends to be advising Ronnie about car repairs.
The captain's heard about the board's ruling and would prefer if Vic cleaned out his locker today. In exchange, she'll ask the chief to allow Vic to have a percentage of his pension. Vic considers this briefly, but decides to stay the full week and a half to tie up loose ends.
Claudette turns to Ronnie; she wants the Strike Team to investigate Amber's murder because her pimp also deals meth. Julien exposits that Bombay the pimp's "government name" is Marcel Letourneau. There's no address listed on his record and none of "the girls" seem to know how to find him.
"Get ready for a long, lazy afternoon on the stroll, turning down free BJs while we look for this idiot," drawls Shane. Vic jokes, "Who said anything about turnin' 'em down?" Farrah told Julien about Bombay's new girl Capuchina. Vic bets Capuchina replaced Farrah as bottom bitch and now Farrah wants to settle that score. He'll take Shane out for a Capuchina while Ronnie and Julien wait for the forensics report.
On his way out, Vic runs into Corrine. His ex asks why he's suddenly interested in joint custody. "Because I want joint responsibility," Vic replies. Corinne calls bullshit; he's had 14 years to be the biggest male influence in Cassidy's life and he's never been around. Vic doesn't want to make that mistake with Lee. Corinne arches an eyebrow, "This baby's a do-over?"
Vic doesn't want to be a bad example by walking away from his illegitimate love child. Corinne confides the reason for Danny's visit; she wants help making a case to keep Vic away from Lee. Corinne asks Vic to consider if he's pushing the issue because he's a fighter or because he thinks it's really in the baby's best interests.
As they approach a motel, Shane nervously keeps a hand on the butt of his gun. Vic notices and asks what's up. "Shit can jump off with these 187 cats, man," Shane shrugs. A woman, presumably Capuchina, answers their knock. Vic pushes his way into the room, claiming he smells marijuana.
Looking around, they find drug paraphernalia and a Taser. Capuchina says she has it because "one of my regulars likes me to use it on his nuts." "Who could blame him?" Vic chuckles, pocketing some cash he found on the nightstand. He asks about Bombay.
Capuchina is sure Farrah sent them: "Bitch couldn't handle her business. Chose the white smoke over her black pimp...Farrah ain't right in the mind. Why she got kicked to the curb." Capuchina has a vision for her future, namely running her own stable. She calls it being an entrepreneur. Vic says, "You help us find Bombay and we'll sponsor you for the Rotary Club."
Capuchina clearly has no idea what that means because she wrinkles her nose and says she doesn't do anal. Vic pulls out his handcuffs and asks, "What about bondage?" He's adding obstructing a police investigation to her list of charges. Capuchina struggles against him and finally gives up the name of someone who might know where Bombay is: Two-Man.
Two-Man is Bombay's business partner who collects money from the meth sales. Capuchina doesn't know where Two-Man lives or what he looks like other than "big, ugly, black as a flat tire." Farrah might have a better idea of where to find Two-Man.
From the backseat, Farrah says Two-Man collects drug money "every Mother's Day," which is apparently slang for the day welfare checks are issued. She points out Two-Man's car. Shane is curious why Farrah didn't mention this guy earlier. Farrah plays like she didn't know if he was still Bombay's partner.
Vic parks a distance away from Two-Man's car. The three of them will be sitting there until Two-Man shows up so Farrah can ID him. Vic suggests they "keep the talking to a minimum."
Dutch reads over crime statistics and notices there's been a 15% increase in burglaries in Claudette's neighborhood. The thieves always take electronics and jewelry. Makes sense to me; easy to transport, easy to pawn. Billings thinks it'd be worth chatting with the private security guards in the area.
"Rent-a-cops?" Dutch frowns. Billings would call it "rent an ex-cop." One of the security companies, PRP, mostly employs former police officers. In an uncharacteristic show of motivation, Billings called PRP and one of the owners is coming in to talk.
Enter Lester, resplendent in a hideous Hawaiian-style shirt. Billings thinks it's a genius idea for ex-cops to run a private security firm, even though I've heard that's a common line of work for retired public servants. He boasts about his own side gig with the gourmet vending machines until Dutch glares.
Lester chalks up the recent burglary boom to gentrification. Wealthier whites have been steadily moving in, so "for the blacks and Mexicans, it's a crowbar Christmas." He's helpfully brought along PRP's logbooks from the last three months. Lester also has a couple of suspects in mind: recently paroled crackhead Elliot Gallardo and pawnshop owner Paolo who's got "an interesting way of compensating for his low inventory."
In the car, Farrah points out Two-Man. Vic tells her to stay put and "try to keep your clothes on." The pimp seems to realize he's being watched by plainclothes cops and takes off. Shane lags behind, causing Ronnie to bellow: "Up and at 'em!" With a mighty grunt, Ronnie tackles Two-Man as he dashes out of an apartment building. He punches the suspect in the face until Julien pulls him off.
Vic twists Two-Man's arm behind his back, asking if he knows Bombay. Turning to his colleagues, he says, "Anybody feels like writing me up for excessive force, you better do it in the next 10 days." Vic pats down Two-Man and makes a deal: If he tells them about Bombay, the cops will let him keep his money "and forget all about the track-and-field tryout."
Two-Man gives up the location of new meth cooking house. He spits out blood, glares at Ronnie, and gripes, "I think he broke my goddamn jaw." "You broke your own jaw, asshole," Vic counters.
At the camper/slash meth lab, Julien wants to wait for uniform backup. Vic would rather have the element of surprise. He sternly tells Farrah to stay in the car. When the team gets close to the trailer, someone opens fire on them. Julien gets the kill shot. Vic and Shane line up the bra-clad female meth cooks against the trailer. Farrah is standing next to the car.
"I did what I had to do," Julien says when Claudette arrives. She doesn't want him talking to anyone other than his union rep about the shooting.
Back at the Barn, Dutch and Billings shake hands with Lester, thanking him for his help. Lester and Vic look daggers at each other. A process server appears with papers ordering Danny to appear in family court. "You son of a bitch! You told me I had until tomorrow night!" Danny shouts. Vic replies coolly, "That was before you went behind my back and dragged Corinne into this." "After all the shit you pulled on Corinne, she comes crawling back to you like a whipped puppy." Danny wonders what kind of dirt Vic is holding over his ex-wife.
By now, everybody in the squadroom has taken notice of them. Vic says Corinne just understands kids need their dads. Danny grits her teeth, looking like she wants to punch something (preferably Vic's balls).
Olivia tells Vic he missed a show at Cruz's construction site: helicopters with thermal cameras, canine teams, forensic accountants, and...
 |
| (Image credit) |
Dutch calls to Vic across the parking lot, inquiring if he knows Lester. Vic nods, "Guy's an asshole. Into all kinds of wrong shit....If you think he did something shitty, he probably did."
Claudette remarks she saw Danny arguing with Vic. Danny apologizes, promising it won't happen again. Claudette requests she keep a lid on it until Vic is terminated in 10 days. That's clearly news to Danny. She explains about her now-ugly custody dispute with Vic. Claudette offers Danny time off to handle things.
Billings found out Elliott the crackhead has an airtight alibi: "Four people saw him stealing food from a soup kitchen." "How do you steal from a soup kitchen?" Dutch asks. He suggests they try another investigative angle. Most of Lester's security clients are people who've had recent burglaries. What if Lester is staging them to create more business? Billings doesn't like the idea of interrogating a former cop.
Vic vents to Chaffee about blowing a covert investigation: "I'm outta my department on my ass because of this thing." The only way to turn things around is to give Cruz the Box O' Blackmail. "We'd be handing the man a loaded gun," says Chaffee. Letting Cruz have it keeps the shady developer in the cartel's good graces. Chaffee gets it; they could arrest Cruz for extortion.
Olivia worries Cruz will smell a rat when he discovers her file is missing from the box. Vic warns her that he'll have no choice but to put Olivia's folder back in. Olivia knows Edgar-veda won't just return it; she already asked. Vic tells her it's all about how you ask.
Vic announces to Edgar-veda that he's working undercover for ICE; he needs Olivia's file and the Box O' Blackmail. Edgar-veda thought Olivia was working for Cruz. Vic says things aren't always what they seem. "I'm sorry, but Vic doesn't make a very compelling character witness," says the councilman. He's keeping Olivia's folder in case she changes teams again.
Vic lays out what'll happen if Edgar-veda doesn't cooperate. Cruz will rat out Olivia, who in turn will rat out Edgar-veda for keeping her blackmail file. Vic will back her story. Edgar-veda's face falls as he realizes they're serious. He tosses Olivia's file onto his desk.
Billings brings Lester in for questioning. Dutch gets right to the point: "The more security systems you sell, the more money you make. And what better way to stimulate demand than breaking into houses?" Lester can't believe they're accusing him of that after his 15 years protecting and serving the residents of Farmington.
Billings tells Lester the burglar got grazed by a bullet and left a blood trail. Lester takes off his Hawaiian shirt and there's not a scratch on him. He also has some impressive muscles. "53, still ripped," Lester boasts. He turns around, pulling down his pants and his boxers. "Liking that ass?" Lester's lower body is similarly unblemished.
Dutch asks how to get in touch with Lester's partner J.R. Lester claims J.R.'s been on vacation since last weekend.
Capuchina arrives in the squadroom, asking for someone from the Strike Team. Shane takes her to the clubhouse. The hooker claims Bombay is mean, but not capable of murder. She saw Amber go for a ride with Two-Man. "Just because she got in his car doesn't mean he killed her," Shane points out.
As part of his meth dealing benefits package, Two-Man gets the girls' "services" anytime he wants, free of charge. He's into rough stuff and has even broken bones. Shane remarks, "That can't be good for business. Bombay's okay with that?" "He never lets him beat on his earners," says Capuchina.
When Amber refused to "take her beatdown like a ho," Two-Man grabbed her by the hair, beat the hell out of his car with her face, and threw her in the backseat. Shane proceeds to flatter Capuchina: "I think you're a good person." He believes she's telling the truth about what she saw. Problem is her pot habit makes her an unreliable witness.
Shane is also worried about her safety and what'll happen if Two-Man doesn't get convicted. He'll write up her statement as an anonymous tip.
"Looks like J.R. decided to vacation in the ER out in Riverside," says Dutch. Lester doesn't know anything about it. Dutch found out J.R. was treated for a gunshot wound, fed the doctor a bullshit story that he accidentally shot himself while cleaning his gun. "He always was clumsy," shrugs Lester.
Riverside PD is bringing J.R. to the Barn. They're willing to bet J.R.'s DNA matches what was at the crime scene. Lester heaves a sigh: "He's my partner." Dutch respects his loyalty. He'll drop the breaking and entering charges and book Lester for trespassing and vandalism.
Lester confesses to breaking into the house, which they thought was empty right up until the gunshot.
Vic talks to an Asian girl from the meth lab. Bombay got a phone call tipping him about the cops right before the raid. Vic storms out of the room.
Elsewhere, he confronts Farrah, who's sitting in a piece-of-shit car. "You spun that sob story about your pimp killing your girlfriend? You set up Bombay for a death-by-cop payback for kicking you out?" Vic rages. Farrah thinks Bombay got what he deserved; he started Amber using crack.
Vic grabs her by the arms, drags her out of the car, and throws her down in the dirt. He's still screaming: "You warned him so he'd come out blasting! You used me! You used one of my guys as the shooter! You coulda gotten us all killed, you sick bitch!"
Farrah chuckles: "Oh, I used you. Played you just like last time. I remember now. You were an asshole back then too." She may not be pretty anymore, but she can still lead him around by his dick. "You ever thought about just cutting it off? Free your mind once and for all?" Vic lets go and stomps back to his car.
Dutch sits down in Claudette's office and confesses that he had to break one of her windows when he was trying to check on her earlier. She gives him a you-did-what-son look. Did Dutch think she was dead on the floor because she has lupus? Dutch lays out his evidence: Claudette lives alone, car in the driveway, and nobody answering the door. Claudette tells him to expect a bill for the window.
She explains that it takes all her energy to get through the workday; that's why her house is so messy. Dutch figured that and has taken the liberty of hiring a cleaning lady to come in twice a week. He's paying for it. Claudette would rather pay it herself. Ever the cop, she asks, "Is she even legal?" Dutch doesn't answer that.
Vic knocks on Danny's door. Wouldn't they both rather see all the money they're about to spend in court go toward Lee's education? "Okay, I'll give," Danny nods tearfully. She agrees to put Vic's name on Lee's birth certificate as long as she gets sole custody; they'll have to work out a visitation agreement. "I can live with that," Vic says breathlessly. This is clearly more than he expected.
Danny plans to call an arbitrator in the morning to set up an appointment. Vic is sure this is gonna work out for the best. "That's what I want for Lee," Danny nods. They say their good-nights.
When Vic is gone, Danny goes to her bedroom and tosses a bunch of Lee's clothes into a suitcase. Several others are already packed. She boxes up some toys and diapers.
Elsewhere, Shane is sitting on a bed, fiddling with his revolver. A shirtless black man emerges from the bathroom. "Need to get a better lock, Two-Man," says the Southerner, "Some lowlife could break in." Is Shane trying to get himself killed? "You got a warrant?" asks Two-Man. Shane chuckles, "Shit no."
Shane knows Two-Man murdered Amber, not Bombay. He has a witness. There are two ways to handle it: Two-Man getting ID'ed by the witness and being locked up for special-circumstances murder. "Or you can work with me and make this whole thing go away," Shane goes on. "...I need your help getting rid of somebody." "You ain't serious," Two-Man snorts. Shane says quietly, "You don't know how goddamn serious I am."
Two-Man doesn't think he'd have a problem with that. Who's the target? Shane answers with another question, "How's your jaw feeling?" OH HELL NO! Not Ronnie! End of episode.
No comments:
Post a Comment