R.J. Decker (2026) s01e05 Episode Script

1
Previously on R.J. Decker
You wanted to see me?
You can stay here one week,
and then you go.
I don't need some pretend PI
looking over my shoulder,
let alone one flopping
in my pool house.
Need I remind you,
you're on conditional release.
You get caught breaking
into a car, they'll violate you
back to prison.
-I was just
in the neighborhood--
-You want something.
Where would the FLPD
be without the help
of low-rent PIs?
Well, technically
I'm a no-rent PI.
None of the neighbors
saw anything?
2:00 a.m.
You're lucky the car alarm
woke you before it melted.
Molly wanted to get one
of those doorbell cameras
last Christmas.
Might have been a good idea.
You sure you don't know
what this is all about?
I'm sorry, we have no idea.
What do you mean,
your house rolled
into a sinkhole?
Uh, well, Officer Penmar,
I mean exactly that. I was
actually home at the time.
If you've ever wondered
what the spin cycle
feels like, it hurts.
Well, under "reason for
parolee's change of address,"
we'll just write "act of God."
Yes. Oh,
my new address for now.
-This is
your ex-wife's place, right?
-Mm-hmm, her and her wife's.
- "Detective Mel Abreu,
FLPD." A cop?
- Yep.
-And Sofia, age 11, is
-Mel's daughter.
Y'all need to go
on Family Feud.
Okay. So, they excited
to meet me tomorrow night?
I mean, who wouldn't be excited
to meet their houseguest's
parole officer?
Well, here in Florida,
it is "conditional
release officer."
-Right.
-And you're the one
-who decided to change
their address.
-That's true.
A home visit is just procedure.
Hey, you! Off of the dolphin!
This is a golf course,
not a jungle gym!
So this place, it's, uh
it's all yours now, huh?
Yeah. Divorce is final
as of a week ago.
- He got the boat,
and I got this headache.
So, how's
your side hustle going?
Well, Decker Investigations
is not a hustle,
side or otherwise.
I even got a website.
Take a look.
"Covert surveillance,"
"asset recovery," and "wrongful
death investigations."
This is where
I remind you
that you're required to
avoid contact with criminals.
If you don't keep
your nose clean, you're going
right back to Apalachee.
Cleanest in Fort Laud,
I promise.
Are you sure
it wouldn't be easier
if I just gave you a job here?
You could be, I don't know,
my snow-cone guy.
That is tempting.
Actually, I'm supposed to meet
some clients in 30 minutes,
-so if we're done here
-Yeah.
Thank you.
-Uh, R.J.!
-Yeah?
Behave yourself.
Uh, okay,
Bryce, Molly, forgive me,
but "you can't hide" from who?
From Goose.
We're pretty sure it was Goose.
This guy I dated
a few times years ago.
His real name is Jared Tapp.
Everyone just called him Goose
'cause he loved Top Gun
so much.
-He was also a big fan of meth.
-Ah.
But it was a long time ago.
It's not your fault.
Uh, yeah,
Goose has been in and out
of prison, in and out of rehab.
Every couple of years,
he shows up wanting something.
Hmm.
The other night
after the cops left, back
in the house, I found this.
"Your past
is coming back to haunt you.
10K under the green bench
at Loggerhead Park
tomorrow by noon.
Or next time
I light up your house."
And the reason
you didn't wanna take this
to the police is
Goose has a cousin who's a cop.
He's made things go away
for Goose before.
We were afraid
if we told them
Yeah, no, I get it.
I get it. I get it.
Um, and I think I-I know what
to do.
Can you get
the 10K together before noon?
Yeah, but the whole reason
we came to you was
so we wouldn't
No, I I'm not recommending
you pay him. Well, I am.
But only temporarily.
I'm gonna put the money
under the bench,
and then I'll watch
from a distance
until he comes for it.
I'll take pictures
we can take to the police.
It won't matter
who Goose's cousin is if
we have photographic evidence.
That sound like a plan?
Ugh. You know,
this is like finding out
about Santa Claus.
- It's devastating, honestly.
- -What are you talking about?
Learning your job
is this boring hurts my soul.
Well, I didn't invite you,
remember? You asked to come.
Yeah, 'cause I assumed that
a stakeout would be awesome,
- not a damn,
I don't know, sleep aid.
How'd it go
with your CRO today?
Still not such a fan
of the whole, uh, PI thing.
She offered me a job
making snow cones.
Benefits?
You tell me
it's not more exciting than
what we're doing right now.
Come on.
- You got eyes on the target?
- -Yeah, it could be Goose.
He's headed straight
for the money.
-What, the guy
in the dorky hat?
-Yep.
What is that,
a bandage on his hand?
Yeah, could be
from that flamethrower
you mentioned.
Hey, wait. Where you going?
I don't have his face.
I need a better look.
-Hey--
-Stay here, watch the car.
Damn it.
No!
Man, what the hell
is wrong with you?
It's okay, Officer. I'm okay.
All right, roll over,
show me your wrists.
Are you serious?
Come on. Let's go.
Nice.
Damn.
Thanks. Bye.
Say "never."
Uh
-Never.
-Again.
Never.
-No, stupid. Say "never again."
-Right.
-Uh, never again.
-Uh-huh.
Uh, you know this is, like,
a terrible place to stab
someone, right?
- You want the good news
first or the bad?
I take it the
good news is that
the hot dog vendor's
not going to press charges?
The bad is you're about to buy
him a new cart and all
the hot dogs you spilled.
-Done. And thank you.
-Mm-hmm.
If you're looking for
missed calls from your CRO,
there shouldn't be any.
This went into the system
as an incident report
and not an arrest.
-She wasn't notified.
-Thank you.
But it would make
an interesting story to tell
at dinner tomorrow night,
don't you think?
It would, but if you don't,
there might be 100 hot dogs
in it for you.
-Get out.
-Okay.
What about this one here?
A little less blurry?
I don't know. If it is Goose,
- he's a little thicker
these days.
- Yeah.
Then again, his weight was
always kind of yo-yoing
up and down.
You know, when money's tight,
less meth, more carbs.
Is that something on his hand,
or is that, like, a smudge?
Nah, it's a Band-Aid.
It's really the only
identifiable feature I got.
I'm sorry. But if you want,
we can still take it
to the police.
-We can share your suspicions.
-No. No, that's okay.
If I know Goose,
this is over now.
I don't want to put Bryce
through any more craziness.
Yesterday,
you made it sound like
you and Goose,
you weren't all that serious.
Yeah, I try to give people
that impression,
especially in front
of my husband.
You two had
a real history, huh?
We were a thing
for over a year.
This was before
he put the "career"
in "career criminal."
But Bryce doesn't
know it was serious,
so if you could not mention
Thing is, I feel responsible
for the money you lost.
If you'll let me,
I'd like to try to get it back.
-How?
-You know where he lives?
Any old friends still in touch?
I mean, I may have
a few old numbers somewhere.
A couple buddies of his,
an aunt, an uncle.
But I'd be surprised
if he's still on speaking terms
with any of them.
Send them to me.
I'll see if I can get
a bead on him.
-What?
-I learned my lesson, you know.
I really didn't need
another reminder
that I made a huge mistake
a long time ago.
You ever have
five minutes of your life
you'd do anything to have back?
- I know exactly
what that's like.
Yeah, that's right,
Miss Picquand.
It was your nephew's car I hit.
I was towing
this Nissan Z. Repo job
Well, it don't matter.
But there was this dog, eh?
I up and swerved and
No, ma'am. No, no, no, ma'am.
No, I won't feel right
till I get a check in his hand.
- $1,400.
- Hey.
Just one more? Yeah?
Okay, try to limit yourself
to 40 or 50, please. Thank you.
You say he's
there most afternoons,
do you? All right.
Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.
I'll send him your love.
Absolutely.
That was Remy Tremblay.
Big old tub from Cell Block D,
used to take my pudding cup
at lunch.
What are you talking about?
That was my client's
ex-boyfriend's aunt.
No, the voice
you were doing.
- Remy.
- Wish, eh?
- I wish you'd give me
that pudding.
- Chills.
-Yeah.
-The aunt tell you
where to find Goose?
Yeah, he's staying with a buddy
at the Las Olas trailer parks.
This time of day,
he's pretty deep
into a six-pack or three.
All right. So what's the plan?
You go over there
and ask him nicely for 10K?
Nicely, not so nicely.
I guess it depends
how drunk he is.
There he is.
Looks like I'm just in time.
I know you?
Yep, I'm the ghost
of beer future.
I'm here from the year 2034.
Huh? No? You don't recognize me
from this morning?
The hot dogs, the running.
You know what? Forget it.
The sixer is a peace offering.
You give me the ten grand,
I give you the beer.
No one calls the cops.
-We both go home happy.
What do you say?
-Ten grand?
Yeah, Goose, ten grand.
Ten grand. You give it to me
or you give it to the cops.
-That's up to you.
-You know what?
How about instead
I just kick your ass?
Whoa! Whoa.
You have a prosthetic foot?
- Yeah.
- Since when?
I don't know, a year ago.
I flipped my ATV
when I was out in Punta Gorda.
Are we gonna fight or not?
Not. Because
I don't think you beat me
in a foot race this morning.
-Are you making fun of me?
-No, I'm not making fun of you.
But you're not getting
my beer either.
Probably gonna need it
more than you anyway.
Hey!
All right, in position.
In position. Let's go.
Let's go, let's go.
Denny, second. Hayden!
Move your butt.
You're playing third.
Slide over.
Good. You got this.
Vince, lighten it up.
Let's get the good vibes going.
All right, turn two.
This one's coming
to you, Hayden.
There it is.
Okay, boys. Let's go.
-Mr. Decker. Hi.
-Hi. Uh
Is now a good time
for an update?
Yeah, we're at
Henry's baseball game.
But it's fine. I just sat down.
So the person who made off
with your money this morning
wasn't Goose.
What? Are you sure?
Wish I weren't.
I don't understand.
If it wasn't him
We should talk. I-I wanna know
if there's anyone else that--
Dad!
-Dad! Dad!
-What's the matter?
Henry?
Molly, what's going on?
What is it? What's wrong?
You okay?
I picked up my glove,
and all that fell out.
"You made me run. Your turn."
Brooks, why don't
we show Henry where
he's gonna be sleeping tonight.
-Thanks, Vince.
-You got it, buddy.
You're positive
this wasn't Goose?
Even if he had both of
his feet, he was three sheets
to the wind when I left him.
There's no way
he could have gotten in
and out of that dugout
without someone noticing.
None of this
is making any sense.
The note we got
at the house said our past
was coming back to haunt us.
But if it wasn't Goose
Well, look, first things first.
Do you feel safe here?
At least for tonight?
Yeah, we've known
Vince and his wife
for years. And
And Henry and Brooks were
on the same all-star teams.
And I can't think of a reason
that the person
who's doing this
would think
to look for us here.
Okay.
Well, good news.
Whoever he is, I think
he may have screwed up tonight.
You see this?
I'm hoping that's blood.
The guy I chased today,
he had a bandage on his hand.
Maybe when he put
the bullets in, he left
a little of himself behind.
Now, obviously
I-I can't run DNA, but if we
did take it to the police--
I told you the other day
w-we're not going
to the police.
Right, but that was
because of Goose's cousin.
And now that we know
Goose isn't our guy--
-Well, do we?
-Sweetie, he just told us.
We know that the guy
that he was chasing
wasn't Goose,
but maybe that was
Goose's cousin.
Maybe they're working together.
What then?
Well, Goose isn't
the only one with friends
in the police department.
If you want,
I can introduce you to--
No!
We did everything you told us
to do this morning. Everything.
And what happened?
The guy who did this
spotted you.
And now $10,000 isn't enough,
he wants us to leave town too.
The message didn't say
leave town, it said run.
-Is there a difference?
-It's okay. He's right.
Today did not go as planned.
I'm sorry, I really am.
So I'm hoping you guys will
let me stay on and work for you
free of charge.
At least until you two
and Henry feel safe.
We would appreciate that.
Is there anyone else
you can think of that would
put you through all this?
I mean,
I teach kindergarten,
and he does people's taxes.
We're the family that gives out
king-size candy bars
at Halloween.
I thought everyone liked us.
What about one of your clients?
Anyone ever get really angry
when they found out
how much they owed
the government?
No one comes to mind.
But my partner's more
the face of the company,
so if someone had a problem,
they'd go to him.
Are you kidding? It's a dump.
I believe the listing calls it
"a fixer-upper's dream."
We can't show this to R.J.
It's worse than his old place,
and his old place is
upside down in a crater.
You are aware
of the man's budget, yes?
He is paying us
rent in babysitting
and day-old hot dogs.
This sudden interest
in rehousing R.J.,
it wouldn't have
anything to do with
the dinner we're hosting
for his conditional release
officer tonight, would it?
It wouldn't not have
anything to do with it. No.
"Sofia, meet the nice lady
who collects Uncle R.J.'s pee
every few weeks
-to make sure
he isn't doing drugs."
-Sweetie
He was supposed to be here
one week, okay?
And yes, he's a good guy.
He means well.
I get it. Pero he's also
What?
A crap magnet.
He attracts trouble.
Trouble attracts him.
It's only a matter of time
before he tracks
some right in here.
He hasn't always been that way.
Not when we were
buddies at the Herald.
Not when we were married.
I mean, he took chances.
Most photographers do.
But he always knew
where the lines were. He didn't
go looking for trouble.
I didn't say
he goes looking for trouble.
-You said he finds it.
-Mm-hmm.
And you're right.
The thing is, I worry sometimes
it's a little my fault.
How?
When we separated,
the problem wasn't that
we didn't love each other,
it's that we were only
ever supposed to be pals.
And so afterwards,
we stayed pals.
But then once you and I got
together, I pulled back
a little, and then a lot.
I mean, me and my ex
getting beers, watching
the Marlins twice a week,
sort of a lot to explain
to my sexy new girlfriend.
But because I pulled back, I
I wasn't there
when things fell apart.
So really, if we think
about it, it's my fault
he went to prison.
Okay, beating up that guy
who broke into his car,
-that isn't anybody's
fault but his.
-Mm-hmm.
But it took him
a while to get to that place.
And I guess I wish
I'd been paying
better attention.
Babe,
I am not asking
to adopt him, I promise.
I just want to be more
there for him this time.
You'll still show him
the fixer-upper's dream?
Yeah.
Okay.
Hmm.
Wow. You went
full mystery wall.
Gotta be honest, I don't know
why they do that in the movies.
It's depressing, looking at
everything you don't know.
Did you sleep last night?
I just I need
some more time.
But the dad, Bryce, he
he came apart last night.
I was walking him out,
he started talking about moving
his family to Santa Clara,
where he went to grad school.
Well, I can think of worse
places to start over.
Yeah, I know,
but why should they?
Oh, I don't know. A maniac with
a grudge and a flamethrower?
I gotta go meet
his business partner.
See if he can think
of anyone with a grudge
and a flamethrower.
What's up? You need something?
Just want to make sure
that you're still on for dinner
with your special friend
tonight?
Oh, yeah, I wouldn't miss it.
I mean, not without getting
violated back to prison.
Gosh, Mr. Decker, I'm at
a loss. We like the people
we work for, and they like us.
Hard to imagine anyone
going after Bryce.
And you're sure
you can't think of anyone
who might have gotten ticked
when they owed Uncle Sam
more than they were expecting?
Well, sure, but nobody
who ever shot the messenger
or "flamethrower-ed" him,
you know.
You don't have any idea when
he'll be back to work, do you?
I'm sorry, I don't.
Well, save him,
okay? I-I love the guy.
And if I'm being honest,
I'm screwed if he doesn't
come back soon.
He's the one who keeps
this place humming.
He does, huh? Hmm.
That's funny.
I noticed it was just
your name on the door,
and the sign,
and the letterhead,
the ads, everything.
If I had a nickel
for every time I offered
to make him partner
He always just says
he doesn't need the credit.
Plus, you know,
he'd have to be certified.
Sorry, are you saying
Bryce isn't a CPA?
Really?
Last night, he told me he went
to grad school in Santa Clara.
-Did he?
-Yeah.
Huh.
Maybe he just never sat
for the exam?
Maybe. But if he's
as good as you say he is,
then why would
he go to grad school
without getting certified?
He really never mentioned
Santa Clara to you?
Sorry, no.
Uh, but you know us
number crunchers.
Not always great
at the interpersonal stuff.
All right, use the legs.
Use the legs.
All right.
You about scared
the bejesus out of me.
I'm sorry, I-I needed
a quiet place to work.
-I'm sorry.
-You're fine.
Something got you in a state.
Last night,
Bryce Danner told me he went
to grad school in Santa Clara,
but I searched
every school in the area.
There's no record of anyone
with that name.
Yeah, well, there's probably
no record of me attending
Iron Tiger Tae Kwon Do,
but I did take six classes.
Broke a board and everything.
There were graduating notices
for a Bryce Cartman,
a Bryce Wachtel,
and a Bryce Hempstead.
So I thought there
might be some clerical error.
Searched those names.
I found this. Come here.
What you got?
Uh, Bryce Wachtel,
stabbed in San Francisco, 2011.
Nearly died.
Yeah, police never
found the perp.
They suspected it was due
to a business dispute
between Bryce Wachtel's
business partner
and the Chinese Triad.
Well, that's very interesting,
but I think you have to help
the Bryce you have
before you move on
to another, no?
No, that's the thing.
They're the same guy.
The last 15 years,
Bryce Wachtel has been living
under the name Bryce Danner.
So he let you and his wife
think they were being
terrorized by an ex-boyfriend,
but if I'm following, the more
likely scenario is his--
It was someone who realized
he's on the run from the Triad.
Well, say something.
Can't believe I mentioned
Santa Clara last night.
I'm sorry.
I was scared.
I am scared. I just I--
Start from the beginning.
Tell me everything.
Fifteen years ago,
I was living in San Francisco.
I was doing tax work
with a partner, same as now.
One of our clients was
this chain of car washes.
They had an unusual
corporate structure,
but they paid their bills,
paid their taxes.
Bryce, they were a Triad
business. You were helping them
launder their money.
They were laundering
their money.
We had no idea we were
in bed with the Triads.
I mean, we only ever met
the guy who, on paper,
owned the car washes.
Then one day
this Triad gangster
shows up at the office.
He's pissed off. He's
He's accusing us of stealing
almost a million dollars.
-Did you?
-No.
But when we looked at it,
the business had a hole
in its books.
That money was disappearing
into a shell company:
Shadowblade Enterprises.
Josh and I had
never even heard of it.
And believe me,
a name that stupid,
we would have remembered.
I take it the guy
that stabbed you,
he didn't believe you, right?
I'm 99.9% sure the guy
who stabbed me was embezzling
the money himself.
And I might have been able
to prove it if he hadn't
gotten himself killed
in some gang war
before I got out
of the hospital.
I was there for a while.
-Liver transplant.
-Okay.
And after I got out,
Josh and I went on the run.
We moved out here,
helped each other
create new identities.
I'm sorry, Josh lives
in the area too?
Yeah.
And obviously he knows
your real name
is Bryce Wachtel.
Trust me, he is not
the one doing this to us.
Would Molly agree?
Molly doesn't,
um, know about any of this.
She's never heard of
Josh or Bryce Wachtel.
Look, when she and I first met,
I had only been here
for a couple of months.
And I was worried
if I told her the truth,
I would lose her.
Bryce, I understand not
wanting to scare her
back then, but now?
Letting her think that the guy
that lit your car on fire
was her ex?
I did think it was him
at first.
But then last night, whoever
it is didn't just put bullets
in Henry's glove.
There was a thumb drive too.
It had all
of my medical records
from San Francisco,
my surgery, my real name.
It was all there.
All right. Who has access
to these records?
Out here? Uh
My GP. I told him a long time
ago that the name change
was for business reasons.
It didn't bump him.
I have a copy at my office
and, uh
and Josh has one.
He was my emergency contact.
It was in case anything
went wrong with the transplant,
but I repeat,
he would never do this to us.
Josh is in as much danger
from the Triad as I am.
All right, two things:
You give me the thumb drive.
You tell Molly the truth.
I mean, she deserves
to know she has nothing
to do with this.
Go ahead.
No, Brooks, come on.
You got to step towards
your target, okay?
Is it okay to go back
in there now?
Uh, yeah, I'd give them
another minute.
So this is everything that
you have on the thumb drive?
Yeah, it's 22 pages
of Bryce's medical records.
There you go.
And this is helpful how?
Page 16.
Page 16.
-What am I missing?
-Coffee ring.
I mean,
maybe it was there whenever
whoever left the thumb drive
scanned the original.
So you go to Bryce's doctor
and his pal Josh
and see which one has a copy
with a coffee ring
on the same page.
I'm hoping. Yeah.
Small detail.
Last time I checked,
PIs don't have subpoena power,
so how are you gonna get
them to show you their copies?
Wish is gonna help me with
the doctor tomorrow,
but Josh, now living under
the name Sonny Tedesco,
is gonna be a bit trickier.
Bryce didn't have
a current address,
so I gotta dig one up.
Hmm.
-Mmm.
-Mom, check it out!
-Mm-hmm?
-Uncle R.J. is teaching me
how to make cheesecake.
-Wow.
-He didn't even use a cookbook.
Well, you know,
it sort of reminds me of this
famous prison recipe I know.
It doesn't have to be baked
or refrigerated,
so inmates can make it
using ingredients
they find in the canteen.
I mean, cheesecake
is cheesecake. Am I right?
Oh.
Ooh. Your date. I'll get it.
Sofia, it's
not my date.
Not even close to my date.
Amazing. And that's
when my father decided
that R.J. got him
in the divorce.
Which reminds me, he texted us
the other day, asked how
the house hunt was going.
Oh. Uh
Well, poorly,
if I'm being honest.
But that's mostly because
my not-a-side-hustle
-has been keeping me busy.
-Okay.
But I repeat,
this is all just temporary.
You will be visiting me
somewhere new very soon.
Not that we're in any rush.
Thank you.
So, I mean,
as long as he's around,
I think you ought to
make him cook more often.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Well, you know what?
I really do hate
to dine and dash, but I've
gotta get back to the course.
-Should I walk you out?
-Actually, Mel, could you?
Mm-hmm.
I mean, you know, it's
just a a paperwork thing.
It's not a paperwork thing.
Yeah. No. I
I'm a detective. I, uh
I detected that.
I don't want
to create problems,
but I couldn't help picking up
that you don't exactly
love him living here.
-I didn't say that.
-No, you did not.
But if that's how you feel,
I just want you to know
that you can call me.
And you would
I would tell R.J. that I think
he needs a different situation.
I want the best for
everyone that I supervise.
I'm rooting for all of 'em.
But successful reintegration
into society is complicated.
And it shouldn't cost others
their own happy home.
You decide you want him gone?
Gimme a call.
I'll be the bad guy,
and no one else
would need to know.
- Call it a professional
courtesy.
-Thank you. Thank you.
-Right.
-Good night.
-Good night.
How'd it go?
Well
you win some, you lose some.
Your client's doctor
was unwilling to prescribe
human growth hormone
to satisfy my curiosity on what
might grow when you take it.
Okay.
On the other hand
Hey!
You got the file. Good work.
Yeah, little lady running
the records room had
to abandon her station
when the toilet in the restroom
very mysteriously began
to overflow.
-Is that not the copy
you're looking for?
-No.
No coffee ring on Page 16.
Plus, every one of
these pages is marked
"for internal use only."
They must have done
that when the doctor took
Bryce on as a patient.
So, wherever the blackmailer
laid his hands on
Bryce's records
-Yeah, he didn't do it here.
-Okay.
Hey, Cath. What's up?
Hey.
I was in our assignment meeting at the Herald this morning
when a familiar
name popped up, Sonny Tedesco.
He's your client's old friend
from San Francisco, right?
Yeah. I mean, well,
Bryce thinks they were friends.
I'm not so sure he isn't
the blackmailer though.
Yeah, he isn't.
He was executed out
in Sunrise this morning,
gunned down in his doorway.
What?
Whoever did it wrote
the Chinese symbol
for "thief" on the house.
I thought you'd wanna
let your client know.
Looks like someone
brought the Triad to town.
Bryce.
Geez, you scared me.
Guys?
Are you the one
that's been doing this, Alan?
Did you give Josh up
to the Triad?
Who to the what, now?
Josh. My friend Josh!
Did you have him killed?
Was it some sort of
a-a warning to me? Why?
Bryce, please
I don't understand.
Bryce was keeping
medical records
in the cabinet over there.
They're connected to everything
that's going on
between him and his family.
We came in here this morning
to get them. They're gone.
I don't understand.
Medical records?
Bryce, buddy, this is crazy.
I would never do anything
to hurt you.
You are the only one who's
in this office unaccompanied.
-What are you talking about?
-Bryce.
-No one else even has a key.
-Bryce, wait. Stop.
That-that doorjamb
looks like it was repaired
pretty recently.
-So what?
-So was there
a break-in in here?
If there had been,
do you think I wouldn't
have mentioned it to you?
He's right.
That's not from a break-in.
It was the firefighters.
Wait, what
what firefighters?
It was, like, a month ago
when you were up in DC
for that conference.
Some kids got
into the storefront
downstairs one night,
let off some fireworks
as a prank.
When I got in in the morning,
there were firemen all over.
They forced their way in
to make sure no embers got in.
-Why didn't you
tell me about that?
-I don't know. Why would I?
Uh, I-I called the handyman.
He fixed the jamb.
That was it. Who cares?
If you don't believe me,
go downstairs and see
for yourself.
These idiot kids could have
burned down the whole building.
I'm not so sure it was kids.
All this could have
been staged as cover
for someone to get upstairs
and go through your files.
The guy who's been
tormenting us.
If he was the one
that busted through the door,
there'd be no way to tell
after the firefighters
came through.
Yeah, that's one possibility.
Is there another one?
What if the guy that
was trying to get upstairs
was one of the firefighters?
Positions, positions.
All right, we got one down,
play at first.
Here we go. Look alive, Brooks.
Charge it,
charge it, charge it. Play!
Finish the play to first!
Yes! Thataway to be!
Thataway to be!
Dale,
do you mind taking
over for a minute?
Everything all right?
Yeah, I just want
to let you know,
Bryce and his family,
they won't be there
when you get home tonight.
You find the person
who's messing with him?
In a manner of speaking,
yeah, I did.
How long you been
a firefighter, Vince?
Yeah, I saw
your T-shirt yesterday.
"Fort Lauderdale's Bravest."
Had the logo and everything.
You lit that car on fire
the other night.
And later you came back with
the rest of your company
to put it out.
All so you could walk through
the front door in a respirator,
leave the blackmail demand
without anyone noticing.
Hey, Denny,
get your glove down.
Pulled the same trick
so you could get into
Bryce's office a month ago.
Set off some fireworks,
so your company
would get called in.
Obviously, that's when
you got his medical records.
Were you looking for him?
Did you already have
an idea that Bryce
wasn't who he said he was?
Something about Bryce
just never added up.
So what? You went
looking for secrets?
You hit the mother lode?
See, what I don't understand,
what Bryce doesn't
understand, is why.
Why?
He says you guys weren't close,
just pals through coaching,
but this?
This is something you do
to someone you hate.
That a boy!
That's what I'm talking about.
That right there, you see that?
Brooks is a natural shortstop.
Not an outfielder,
shortstop.
Vince, are you saying you did
all this so Brooks could take
over Henry's position?
-Is that what you're saying?
-Don't get me wrong, okay?
Henry, he's a huge talent,
but he could play anywhere.
Shortstop is for Brooks.
Do you know how early
kids get scouted these days?
And I don't mean pros.
I'm talking traveling teams,
sports academies,
even some colleges.
The places that put you
on the path to the pros.
No way should Bryce get
to take that away from my son.
So what, you go
and kill his ex-partner?
Yeah, that's right.
I know you didn't sic
the Triad on him.
I know you killed him yourself.
The paint you used to
draw the symbol on his house
was the same paint used
on the Danners' garage.
The Danners were told to run.
Hell, I took them in
so they could hear me
telling them, "Guys, I'd run."
But they had you in their ear
telling them that you'd help.
Maybe they needed to
see what could happen.
It's funny.
I wonder why you just didn't
take this all to the cops.
Oh, right. You can't.
'Cause you know
the first thing that
I'd start doing
is talking about
who Bryce really is.
Loud.
So loud, they'd hear it
all the way in San Francisco.
Denny, come on.
Don't be afraid of the ball.
It ain't gonna hop up
and bite you.
God!
I didn't mean to scare you,
but I have to tell you
something.
If it's that you're moving out,
I promise my heart will go on.
No, it's not that.
So this firefighter,
you like him for the murder
out in Sunrise this morning,
but we even question him
about it,
and he'll start screaming
from the rafters
that your client has
a Triad bounty on his head?
Yeah, that's right.
That'll get him killed,
his wife, his kids.
-And yet
-And yet he killed someone.
-Mm-hmm.
-Someone he barely knew
for no reason.
If you were hoping I would know
some way to put this guy away
and keep him quiet
But you're right.
What this guy did can't stand.
I have a friend, ex-WITSEC.
She might have some ideas on
how to help the family--
No, no, no. They shouldn't have
to relocate. That's the thing.
That'd be like asking you
and Cath and Sofia to relocate.
And what they have,
what you have
no one should be able to take
that away from them. No one.
And yet, Triad.
Yeah.
Think about what it would
be like for your clients,
seeing those guys in your sleep
for the rest of your life.
How would you do any of
the things you want to do,
knowing they could be
around the next corner?
Yeah.
How would you do
the things you want to do?
Over here.
I'll admit I was surprised
to hear from you this morning.
Thought we said
all we had to say yesterday.
Well, you know, I thought
that conversation was
a little one-sided.
Plus, I wanted to show you
these. Take a seat.
Oh, Jesus.
Yeah, crime scene photos.
Different guys in
different parts of the country,
all killed by
Triad execution squads.
They are
a creative bunch,
aren't they?
See these two?
They were killed in prison.
That's important, Vince.
- 'Cause that's
where you're going.
I thought I made myself
pretty clear yesterday.
I get arrested--
You tell the world
Bryce Danner is really
Bryce Wachtel. I know.
Thing is, you do that,
your picture's going
to end up in here too.
I'm not the one they think
stole a million bucks.
Oh, but you will be.
That's the other thing
I wanted to show you.
Take a look.
What the hell is
Shadowblade Enterprises?
It's a company you've owned
for almost 15 years now,
the same company
that stole that million bucks
from the Triad
back when Bryce
and his old partner
were doing their books.
I've never even
set foot in San Francisco.
You have, Vince. You have.
At least according
to these papers.
You have.
You really think I'm afraid
of a bunch of phony-ass papers?
You should be.
'Cause if there's one thing
this whole nightmare has made
Bryce very, very good at,
it's falsifying tax
and legal documents.
Think about it.
All the stuff he had
to whip up to start a new life
out here, all the forms.
My friend,
she's a police detective,
she says this is some
of the best work
she's ever seen.
Actually
she's sitting
right over there.
You see, in a minute,
you're gonna walk over there,
and you're gonna confess to
killing Bryce's old partner
in Sunrise yesterday.
Now you can say it was for
reasons, whatever.
Anything but the truth,
because this is
important, Vince.
You say one word about Bryce,
anything happens to him
or his family,
a copy of these documents
gets sent to a lawyer
in San Francisco,
a lawyer with serious ties
to the Triad.
Turn around. Now.
- Yes!
- Whoa!
Henry seems good.
Kids are resilient.
I'm the one that can't wrap
my head around it.
My third-base coach
is a psychopath?
Man, could he run
a good practice.
Yeah.
-How's Molly doing?
-She's getting there.
She didn't love finding out
I hid all that stuff from her,
but you know
she understands, mostly.
Speaking of, uh, wives,
where's your ex's better half?
Uh, I don't know.
Good question.
Hey, everybody having
a good time?
Oh, great time.
And yet here you are,
away from the group.
Mm-hmm.
Want to talk about my offer?
I do, actually.
I wanted to say
thanks but no thanks.
You sure?
Ah!
No.
But you know how they say
you can't pick your family?
I don't think
you can unpick them either.
Yeah.
That's my girl!
That's annoying.