Wild Cards (2024) s03e01 Episode Script
Rack 'Em Up
1
Previously on Wild Cards
- Hi. Max Mitchell.
- Name?
Used to work with him
but for some reason
got transferred to sea patrol.
- You're gonna stay on the case.
- Thank you, ma'am.
- Both of you.
- [TOGETHER] What?
Ma'am, you can't be
serious. She's a con artist.
I know who killed your brother.
You know, she's working really hard
to get you out of here early.
Sweet, sweet freedom.
I managed to get Jonathan
Ashford's video diary.
It'll tell you everything
you need to know.
You must be willing to
walk away from anyone
at the drop of a hat.
If you cannot, that's your warning sign
to cut them loose.
Something definitely happened,
but I don't want it
to be weird between us.
Friends?
Friends.
I know who the mole
in the department is.
Commissioner, you're under arrest.
Take her away.
Guys!
- The brass is putting you on leave.
- No, I get it.
What are you gonna do?
Finally take that trip
Daniel talked about?
That's awesome.
You and Marc.
And you if you want to come.
Yeah. I just gotta see
about something first.
Uh-huh, you guys are geniuses.
To access the account,
there are 12 passwords.
Ricky, try "George".
It's 103 million!
[LAUGHING]
Was I crazy to think she was gonna show?
Go, honey. Go to him.
I'll be fine.
Mom?
One, two, three! ♪
Happy days ain't gotta work ♪
What's the hurry? On the way ♪
Takin' my time ♪
Gonna shine, ain't no shade ♪
It's a sight to see, In the breeze ♪
Mickey, I dig the new haircut.
Petrovicz. Have you
been hitting the gym?
You're looking buff.
Carver, how are the bunions feeling?
Ah.
Whoa, Miss. Where do
you think you're going?
Oh. Hold on.
- That's a toy.
- Excuse me.
Joey, Max is a police consultant.
Sorry, Max. He's new.
Don't worry, Joey, I was new once too.
So where's the action?
It's right up here. I'll walk you over.
- Who are you working with today?
- I don't know, but between you and I,
- I hope not Yates.
- I thought you liked Yates.
I love her to the moon and back,
but lately she's been a little bit
[YATES] Come on!
[WHISPERS] Scary.
Morning, Yates.
Is it morning?
I can't even tell anymore.
I just left Simmons
at another crime scene
to come to this one.
That's our 10th open case.
This one's our 11th.
Look, I know we've been
understaffed since Ellis left,
but maybe today things will turn around.
Are you telling me to turn
that frown upside down?
In a manner of speaking.
- It's good advice.
- Do you want to hear some advice?
- Here we go.
- People!
I'm officially declaring
this no murder month.
Okay? From this day forth,
should a citizen of our city
murder another, so help me, goddess,
I will kill you myself.
- What do we got?
- Murder.
I'm gonna need this.
[SIGHS]
[PHONE RINGING]
What's the story, Olive?
I just got here, but
here's what we know.
John Doe, no I.D., no wallet.
Early 20s, gunshot to the chest.
They found a 32-caliber bullet.
Went right through him.
Okay, so no leads, nothing to go on?
Not at the moment.
Great. Another winner.
Call me when you have something.
We got something.
See that blue line
right there in a shirt?
It's chalk.
So you're saying he's a school teacher?
No. Look at his fingers.
I noticed those, but I don't
know what they're from yet.
It's from playing pool.
Moving the cue back
and forth on the skin.
You got to play four to six hours a day
to develop calluses like that.
Trust me, I used to play
a lot of pool growing up.
Canvas every pool hall
in a five-mile radius.
I guarantee you someone's
going to recognize him.
Hop to it, Sparky. You heard the lady.
- Nice work, Mitchell.
- Can I have my coffee back?
No.
♪
All right. And you're sure about that?
Okay, I'm going to
send an officer your way
to take your statement.
Thank you very much.
All right.
Got an eyewitness in our carjacking case
that's willing to testify, so,
case number ten closed.
Oh, great.
Because we just picked up another one.
You're kidding?
Even I'm not that funny.
-
- [TONI] Max.
Chief wants to see you.
Thanks, Toni.
Ah!
- Mine.
- That's the office coffee machine.
You need to put it back in the kitchen.
Never.
Chief, you wanted to see me?
Hey, Max.
You miss me?
♪
Hey.
Hi.
You're back.
I'm back.
Now that the internal investigation
into the Russo affair is done,
Ellis has been cleared
of any wrongdoing,
and his reinstatement has been approved.
- That's great.
- Yeah, and I was just telling Ellis
that we're pretty backed up here,
so I'd like him to start right away.
Well, that's good,
because Yates has been
very overwhelmed with the caseload.
Right. And since Max has
stayed on as a consultant,
I assumed you two
would partner up again.
Uh, that
works for me.
Of course.
[CHIEF LI] Great.
Your badge, Detective.
Collect your service
weapon from the armory.
Good to have you back.
It's good to be back, sir. Thank you.
Oh, and, uh, diggin'
that new haircut, sir.
[MAX] We think he lost a bet.
Not that I don't like
it, 'cause I love it.
Your old silky mane made you look soft.
Now you look like a bullet.
Deadly and mean.
Get out of my office.
- Gone like the wind.
- [WHISPERS] Come on.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Hey, I know that
Look, can I just say
something first, please?
Sure.
Look, I am sorry I sprung that whole
"come away with me" thing onto you.
It was wrong of me to do that.
It was just after years of
trying to find Daniel's killer,
once I finally did, it was like
I was lost.
And I was reaching out for
something to hold on to,
and and
that was wrong.
And I see that now, and
I'm really sorry.
And you do not owe me
any kind of explanation
for why you didn't show
up at the dock, okay?
I mean that.
It's really sweet of you
not to mention anything
in front of Li, but if you
do not want to work together,
I totally understand that.
Just-just give me the word
and I'll make it happen.
Thank you for all of that.
But it's all good.
We can move on.
Onward, upward.
Moving on up.
Okay, great.
Thank you.
It's, uh, it's really good to see you.
So, where have you been this last month?
Ah, I took the boat down to Mexico.
I was gonna travel around a little bit,
but I ended up just settling down
in a small surfing town.
What'd you do there?
I ate, drank,
surfed, bummed around a little bit.
It's hard for me to
imagine you bumming around.
Yeah, it was for me, too. Trust me.
But, no, I needed to clear my head.
Honestly, I was trying
to figure out how to just
be myself again, you know?
Well, you do seem a
little bit more chill.
And as long as I don't see you
wearing a puka shell necklace
or asking me to play hackysack,
we'll be okay, because
those are deal breakers.
I think I can manage that.
Honestly, I was surprised
to see you still working here
because, I don't know,
I kinda had this funny feeling
you were gonna skip town that night.
So good for you. You proved me wrong.
Well, since my dad got out of the joint,
he needs to see his
parole officer every week,
we can't leave,
I needed a legit job,
they offered, and
voila.
Detective Mitchell.
You kept the badge.
Yeah, it was my one non-negotiable.
[SMALL CHUCKLE]
Well, I'm glad you
made the choice to stay
instead of going back
to a life of crime.
You are done with all the crime, right?
Oh, yeah.
All that's behind me. Dust
in the rear view mirror.
- Sergeant?
- So, anything else going on?
Nothing new in the exciting
life of Max Mitchell.
Um
Mom?
Hi, Peanut.
It's me.
Oh.
Oh, my god.
[CRYING] Mama.
[GEORGE] Vivienne?
Nope. Nothing new. Just, uh,
same old, same old.
[NOTIFICATION ALERT]
It's Chief Li. He wants
us in the observation room.
Looks like somebody ID'd
your vic from this morning.
Max, you were right.
That's Monte.
He owns the Third Street Billiards Room.
[MONTY] Yeah. That's him. Tommy Z.
That's what everybody called him.
How'd you know him?
He started coming around
my place with his friends
when he was around
I don't know, 16.
Troublemakers.
I got a lot of kids like that.
skipping school and playing pool.
This kid was different.
He was the most gifted
player I have ever seen.
Within a year, he was beating the pros.
He could have been one
of the all-time greats.
[YATES] When's the last
time that you saw him?
[MONTY] Last night he came in,
played a few games and then left.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Can you think of anybody who
might want to mess with him?
No, not this kid.
He lit up every room he walked into.
You couldn't help but like
him. He was a good kid.
It seems as though Tommy
was a rising star in
the tournament circuit
until about a year ago,
when he stopped
competing professionally.
So why did he stop?
I don't know.
[TYPING]
[NOTIFICATION ALERT]
What was Tommy doing for a living?
I I don't know.
I mean, this and that.
You know, odd jobs.
[MAX] Tommy was a pool hustler.
How do you know that?
Well, he won every professional
tournament he was in,
and then he suddenly stopped.
The only reason someone
that good stops competing
is 'cause they don't want to
get recognized in pool halls.
There's a lot more money
to be made travelling across
the country, fleecing players
in unsanctioned contests.
Why didn't Monty tell us that?
Because he doesn't want
cops coming around his place.
Owners usually take 15
percent of the action.
So Tommy left the pool
hall around 2:00 a.m.
and was killed around 2:30 a.m.
It wasn't a random mugging.
Maybe someone followed
him outside of the bar.
Unis took statements
down at the pool hall.
Nobody mentioned anything suspicious.
That's not surprising.
They are gambling illegally.
Well, if we go in there flashing badges,
even bedazzled ones,
we'll get a whole lot of nothing.
Just wanna wish you good
luck with that, new guy.
Because Simmons and I are
not taking on another case. [CLAPS]
Vamanos, Simmons.
That was Spanish.
She wants enchiladas.
Did she just call me the new guy?
Okay, you two come up with a plan.
Don't I always?
♪
I'm walking my own line ♪
In my own way, in my own time ♪
Hey everyone.
We heard this is where the action is.
Who wants to shoot some pool?
♪
When the mist is rising ♪
And the rain is falling ♪
I was hoping for a little
more fanfare than that.
Hey, um, who do you
got to know around here
to get in on one of the pool tables?
It'll be a while.
Why, did somebody die?
As a matter of fact, yes.
Oh. My bad.
He was murdered.
- Who was he?
- Tommy Z.
Best pool player in town.
At least he used to be.
Did you know him?
Everybody knew Tommy.
Everybody liked him.
Why is it always the good ones that
Do you need a straw? 'Cause
- you're crying into your drink.
- Yeah.
[SOBBING]
Everyone loved Tommy, right?
I mean, the kid was
overflowing with charm,
and he wasn't only my friend.
He was the best player I have ever seen.
And maybe
maybe the only guy who could
have beaten me in my prime.
To Tommy.
[GROUP] To Tommy.
We gonna wrap this up?
I got a game waiting.
Hey. Kid. A little respect.
Ignore him.
No class.
Thanks, Sal.
I guess not everybody loved Tommy.
I'll start working the
tables, flash some cash around.
Once these locals sense an easy mark,
their lips will start flapping.
I'm gonna talk to that lady at the bar.
She seems like a regular,
and I think there's a
little more she wants to say.
Go get her, tiger.
Damn it, kid!
It's not fair.
I'm sorry, Tommy.
I'd give anything to see you
walk through that door again.
Mom, where have you been
for the past 15 years?
Do you remember Monaco?
It's hard to forget,
the last time I saw you.
And that casino con I wanted to pull?
The one I told you was too dangerous
and out of our league?
Well, that was just the point.
I wanted us to set our sights higher.
Reach for that brass ring.
You did it anyway.
Must be something in the genes.
Turns out you were right, dear.
I got caught.
So you've been in
prison all these years?
No. That would have been
much easier and safer.
No. I have been on the run
from Gedeon Varga.
[DRAMATIC STING]
No, Viv.
[MAX & RICKY] Who's Gedeon Varga?
No one really knows because
nobody's ever seen his face.
He has his hands in everything.
Extortion, drugs, smuggling, casinos.
Turns out Varga was
behind the casino I robbed.
How have I never heard of this guy?
Some say he doesn't
exist, that he's a myth.
That his real talent is to be invisible.
That's how he stayed untouchable.
Come on.
These days, nobody's untouchable.
Gedeon Varga is.
He's the devil himself.
Hey.
Hey.
You said you were looking for a game?
Rack 'em up, champ.
[UPBEAT ROCK MUSIC]
When I was a little girl,
daddy would always bring my
brothers to the local pool hall
When I asked to go, do
you know what he would say?
Girls can't play pool.
Can you believe that?
My god, that's terrible.
So I gave up.
But I never stopped dreaming of it.
Then last month, my whole
life flipped like a pancake.
My filthy rich grandma
died and left me everything.
Of course, I did the decent thing
and bought my daddy and my brothers
a brand spanking new double-wide.
But I kept the rest of
Granny's millions for myself.
So now that I'm retired,
I'm gonna learn how
to play some nine ball,
and get a private massage therapist.
And a personal chef.
Oh, and a dog walker.
Because rich folks don't need to be
to be picking up anybody's doo-doo.
Speaking of that.
Hey, Siri, remind me to get a dog.
Wow. Well, I learned so much from you.
I feel like I took advantage.
We should have played for bigger bucks.
Luckily,
there's more where that came from.
But first, I'm parched.
could I be the one you love? ♪
Well, I certainly sold my
trailer trash to riches story.
Okay. Did you learn
anything interesting?
Please. Does Netflix
cancel every show I like?
Is oat milk still disgusting?
Hey, Max, just give
me the rundown, please.
Okay. That is Kelly.
Tommy Z's grief-stricken girlfriend.
And from what everybody
says, she gladly would have
taken a bullet for him.
That there
is Salvatore, Tommy's stakehorse.
So he finds all the matches and
puts up the money for the bets.
And pays all expenses
for the three of them
to travel the country, hustling.
Probably takes a nice chunk
of their winnings, too.
If Tommy was his cash cow,
he wouldn't want to kill him.
No.
But he might.
That's José.
I heard Salvatore originally staked him,
and then Tommy came along,
and, well, he was just too good, so
José got kicked to the curb.
Well, I heard the
night Tommy was killed,
Tommy and José played
pool until 2:00 a.m.
Tommy won and then left with 50 grand.
When they found Tommy's
body, the cash was gone.
Maybe José's jealousy
got the better of him.
He kills Tommy, his known
rival, and then he steals
the 50K he felt was rightfully his.
And now José has Salvatore
back as his stakehorse.
Seems like Tommy's death
only benefits José.
I think we just found your next game.
[CLINK]
♪
Blow on it, Reggie,
honey, for good luck.
Anything for you, sugar.
Well, now I'm definitely gonna win.
- You're up.
- Well, I don't know which one to hit first.
They all look so cute.
They're numbered.
You're supposed to
sink them in order.
Damn, honey.
I guess your blower's busted.
So you knew that guy
who got shot, right?
Timmy something.
Tommy. What about him?
I heard you got beat
by him bad last night.
You wanna talk, or you wanna play?
Rumour has it you lost 50 grand. Ouch.
If I win, you gotta
promise not to shoot me.
What the hell are you talking about?
Sure. I was pissed at Tommy,
but the only thing I killed last night
was a bottle of rye.
I passed out and woke up
on that table this morning.
José!
Got a game over here.
We're not done playing.
Actually. We're done.
♪
"I passed out"?
Not the most original alibi.
No, but it should be
easy enough to confirm.
What the hell is that?
Voodoo doll.
- Of who?
- Ellis.
Why do you have a pencil
voodoo doll of Ellis?
To control him.
Find me a licorice and a marshmallow.
I need to make one of Max.
What's going on? What're you
what are you doing?
We gotta take them down a notch, okay?
- Why?
- Wake up, Simmons.
When Ellis left, you and I,
we became the number one team.
The go-to guys. You know what I mean?
Now that he's back, he could
retake that number one spot,
And I'm not gonna let that happen.
Okay? I got a taste of
the gold, and I want more.
Okay. Um
What I think you need
is a nice night's rest,
for us to close a case,
and you'll feel right as rain, huh?
- No voodoo?
- No voodoo.
I was gonna make him do the Macarena.
Give me that.
Come on.
Fine.
- Hey, Yates.
- Yes?
- Do you have any more of these?
- No.
Do you have one of me?
No! I don't.
Hand it over.
What were you gonna do with this?
I talk to it sometimes
when I'm lonely, okay?
There's a lot of hours between
quitting time and clocking in.
It's actually kind of sweet.
I mean, it's weird and creepy.
But it's sweet.
Yeah.
Just out of curiosity,
do you ever wake up
in the middle of the
night doing the tango?
- Give me that. Give me that.
- Yeah. Okay.
[MONTY] Yo, Burt!
Hi, Burt. What's up?
My blood pressure, cholesterol and rent.
Take it off, you bastard!
[BURT] Hey! Hey!
What the hell?!
Take it off! Take it off!
- Jeez.
- Calm down.
Hold on a second. Is
this your jacket or not?
It's Tommy's. I took it last night.
José was passed out
using it as a blanket.
I was keeping it safe for Tommy.
- What's the big deal?
- The big deal is that Tommy's dead.
Wait, what? I-I I had no idea
You killed Tommy and took his coat!
No, no, no, no!
Stop! Stop!
I swear!
Here, take it.
Man, you try to do a nice thing, huh?
Let me just get
something from the pocket.
Where the hell'd you get that?
You bet big last night and lost.
None of your business.
Oh, yeah? Your two-year-old
tab is my business.
It's okay.
- Happy now?
- Paid in full.
I guess hell has frozen over.
Well, suddenly I'm not
that thirsty anymore.
Plenty of other establishments
who would appreciate a
patron such as myself.
What's uh, his deal?
Bit of a loser, I'm afraid.
Can never catch a break.
He bet big for José to win last night.
For a loser, that's some wad of cash
he was flashing around.
How does a broke gambler walk in here
with a dead man's jacket
and a pocket full of cash?
What the hell?
Take it easy, Burt.
We just want to know about the coat.
The coat? I gave it back.
Who the hell are you, anyways?
The police. And between Tommy's coat
and that wad of cash
you were flashing around,
you just became our number one suspect
for this murder.
[BURT] Since when is it
a crime to borrow a coat?
When that coat is full of cash
and belongs to a murdered man.
I told everyone, José
was sleeping it off.
He was using Tommy's coat as a blanket.
I didn't want him to puke all over it.
Oh, you're a prince. However, Tommy
left Monty's pool hall
with 50 grand in his pocket
and took a bullet in the chest.
When they found the
body, the money was gone.
And today you show up a newly rich man.
- [PHONE DINGING]
- I can explain.
[ELLIS] Yeah, so can I.
You got pissed off at Tommy,
you followed him outside the
bar, and then you shot him,
and then you stole his 50K.
No, I didn't kill Tommy, I swear.
Burt, you made a big bet
last night, and you lost.
- Just admit it.
- That bet I placed on José,
It wasn't my money.
Really?
It was Salvatore's money.
He paid Burt to place
the bet on José to win.
Why would Salvatore bet
against his own player?
Because the game was fixed.
Tommy was supposed to throw the match.
Salvatore knew if he was seen
betting against one of his own players,
everyone would know it was fixed.
So he had Burt place the bet for him.
What he didn't know is
that Tommy placed a bet.
And he didn't throw the match, he won.
Fifty grand.
So Tommy screwed over Salvatore,
then the kid ends up shot and robbed.
I don't need to connect the dots, do I?
We did a little digging into Salvatore.
Turns out he was a pretty
great pool player himself
back in the day.
Hustled himself across the map.
Yeah, and got the priors to prove it.
Portland. Winnipeg. Rochester.
- [PHONE DINGING]
- Unlawful wagering, theft
Recurring assault charges.
Not a guy you want to mess with.
- Got anything solid on him on this case?
- Not yet.
But if we can find out
why he betrayed him,
then it should give us a clearer picture
of what happened that night.
Work fast before this
guy hits the road again.
Look, I'm gonna need a minute
to process Burt's release, okay?
I'll be right back.
Okay.
[GEORGE] Hey, baby girl.
I've been trying to reach you.
Ricky's back from Zurich in the morning,
so we gotta make a decision now.
Are we in or out?
Gedeon Varga is not the sort
of man who forgives and forgets.
But if you've never seen
Varga, who caught you?
Tomo Hayashi, Varga's right hand.
While I was waiting for them
to decide how to dispose of me,
I managed to slip away and
steal a car from a valet stand.
You staged the car accident?
I had to improvise.
Tomo was right on my tail,
so I leapt from the car
before sending it over
the cliff and into the sea.
Rather operatic, I know, but I
I really had to sell it.
And the money you stole?
Unfortunately, it
went down with the car.
But Varga didn't believe
you were really dead.
Not without a body.
I hoped he'd think I'd
been swept out to sea.
But every time I felt
safe, I'd hear a report
that Varga was still looking for me.
Like I said, the guy really
knows how to hold a grudge.
But the only saving
grace was that he thought
that I was working alone.
He didn't know my identity,
nor did he know about
you or your father.
That's the secret that
kept you both safe.
So why did you come back?
Over the years, I found
moments to watch the two of you.
From afar, because I knew the
risks of getting too close.
But I just missed you both so terribly.
Then you landed in prison,
and it was impossible
to keep eyes on you, and I just felt
Like I'd been cut off from my heartbeat.
When I heard you were being released.
I just
I had to be there.
Hey.
- We did it.
- Oh.
[VIVIENNE] What I didn't know
was that Varga had uncovered
one of my aliases,
which tripped an alert at the border,
and Tomo Hayashi caught up with me.
With an ultimatum from Varga.
Repay every last cent I stole
- or
- Or he'll kill you?
No. If it was just that,
she wouldn't have come back.
When Hayashi found
me outside the prison,
unfortunately, you were all exposed.
So all those years of being so careful,
just gone in an instant.
So if you don't pay Varga back.
We're all dead.
How much do you owe?
Well, it's not a small
amount of money per se.
How much, Vivienne?
A hundred million.
[GEORGE] It's not exactly
chump change. Call me.
There isn't much time left.
Hey. You all right?
Yeah.
You ready to find out why
Tommy screwed over Salvatore?
Baby, I was born ready.
Wow.
You got more game than
a truck stop arcade.
You ever think about getting
yourself a stakehorse,
- like Salvatore?
- Nah.
Well, I hear he and Tommy had
a pretty sweet deal going on.
Sweet can turn sour awful quick.
Are you saying that their
love boat started leaking?
I heard them arguing
outside in the alley.
I was taking out the trash,
and the two of them
were really going at it
after the big game
between Tommy and José.
So what were they fighting about?
I only caught bits and
pieces, so I can't be sure.
But
lately I've heard a rumour.
I don't think it was about pool.
It was a bigger problem.
- Like what?
- Like girl problems.
You've heard two's
company, three's a crowd?
Travelling around together,
two guys and one girl?
Are you saying Kelly cheated
on Tommy with Salvatore?
Sal's got money. He's a charmer.
Wouldn't doubt he snuck
in a side pocket shot
when the real player wasn't looking.
Double or nothing?
Maybe later.
♪
So,
you heard the rumours, too?
Certainly explains why
Tommy stuck it to him
with his "screw you" win.
He was punishing Salvatore for
sleeping with his girlfriend.
Nothing like a messy romance
to foul up a good partnership.
Speak of the devils.
Lovers spat?
I don't know. Let's find out, shall we?
I know, I know it hurts, honey.
I was a wreck when my Robert died.
But day after day, you just
figure out how to survive.
Thanks, Myrna.
And gin helps. Make it two this time.
[MAX] Make it three.
I'm buying.
[MYRNA] Oh!
You're lucky you have
such amazing people
to help you get through this, Kelly.
Amen to that.
Now
If you will excuse me,
mama's got a tinkle.
- Oh!
- Oh, jeez. Myrna, careful!
Why do you have a gun?
No, no, no, that's not mine.
Wait a minute.
Hold on a second.
It's a 38-millimetre, same
calibre gun that killed Tommy.
That's my gun, Kelly.
How the hell did you get
my gun out of my safe?
I've never seen it
before. I didn't do this.
One of the rounds has been fired.
- You need to call the cops.
- No, no, no, no, no, no!
- We don't call the cops.
- This is your gun.
And it might have killed someone.
So unless you want to go down for that,
I'd pick up that phone
and start dialing.
Wait. What are you
You're cops?
Yeah. We are.
I'm a cop. She's not.
I have a badge.
It's bedazzled, Max.
He's just jealous.
Kelly, the ballistics
report just came back
and your gun is a match
for the murder weapon.
I told you, it's not my gun.
Somebody put it there.
Did you kill Tommy because you
were having an affair with Sal?
I would have never cheated on Tommy.
Somebody started that stupid rumour.
I was trying to get
Tommy to leave Salvatore.
- Why?
- Tommy used to love the
game just for the joy of it.
But when Salvatore recruited him,
and the money started
rolling in, he changed.
Money became all he cared about.
The last trip we did was the worst.
Took this guy in Winnipeg
for everything he had.
The guy was clearly in over his head.
But Salvatore kept saying
that wasn't our problem.
What were you and Sal arguing about?
Salvatore always held
on to the winnings,
and now he won't give me Tommy's cut.
Says Tommy screwed him on
the last game so he's owed.
Where were you when Tommy
walked out of the bar that night?
I stayed around till past 3:00
hoping Tommy would
cool off and come back.
But he never did.
Now I know why.
[SOBBING]
[ELLIS] So, you believe her?
I do. I think she loved Tommy.
Besides, why keep the
murder weapon in your purse?
Maybe Salvatore shot Tommy
and planted the gun on her.
Or Kelly actually did do it,
and she was just waiting
for the right time
to put the gun back in the safe.
Do you really believe that?
You gotta remember, this whole thing
is centred around a rumour
of an alleged affair.
So either it's true, or
the whole thing's a frame-up
to make him look guilty,
but who would do that?
Somebody who had access to the safe,
and somebody who hated
Tommy enough to kill him.
Somebody who had access to the safe.
What are you thinking?
Give me a sec.
Bingo.
♪
Hey.
You wanna play a game?
Me?
No. I don't play anymore.
Okay, well, I'm sure someone else
will want to play for this 20K.
Hey.
What the hell, huh?
For old-time's sake.
♪
I guess I still got it.
That's what everybody says.
Hey, Tommy had his last game
at this table, didn't he?
I heard it was one hell of a game.
Tooth and nail to the end, right?
But nobody knew that the game was fixed.
It was not.
Then why did you have Burt bet
against Tommy on your behalf?
Because the game was fixed.
Tommy was supposed to throw
the match, but he didn't.
What? You fixed the game in my place?
It was Salvatore's idea.
I just went along with it.
Are you crazy?
Sal, what the hell are you thinking?
- What is all this?
- Focus, Sal, you got 20K on the line.
I put a hex on you ♪
Oh. My turn.
Okay, so let's review here.
Tommy was supposed to
throw the game, but didn't.
Because of that,
it makes sense that
people heard you arguing
about the fact that he beat José.
That wasn't the only thing
you two were arguing
about that night, was it?
There was juicy goss
going around that you
were sleeping with Kelly,
and Tommy caught wind of it.
I never touched Kelly.
I mean, I know that, but Tommy didn't,
and he was pissed.
And that's why he decided to
screw you over on the game.
[CROWD MUMBLES]
Who the hell are you?
Somebody who likes to play games.
Speaking of, there was somebody else
who was playing you,
and everyone else in this bar.
That affair rumour wasn't just gossip.
Somebody started that for a reason.
You want to know who that was?
- It was Myrna.
- The lady who's always at the bar.
I think her name's Myrna.
Who are y'all looking at?
Myrna told everyone that Salvatore
was sleeping with Kelly.
What? I didn't do anything.
Do you remember Winnipeg?
Yeah. What about it?
There was a man there,
and you took him for
all that he was worth.
He was already way over
his head in the game.
Not to mention that his
house was triple mortgaged.
He was humiliated that he
was about to lose his house,
so he killed himself, leaving
behind his wife, Myrna.
She's crazy!
Oh, really? So you're
saying this isn't you?
When you found out who hustled
your husband, you wanted to get even.
So you followed the trio
back to the pool hall,
and you set yourself up
as some innocent barfly.
[MAX] You kept up the
character for weeks,
noticing the trio's personalities,
their insecurities, weaknesses,
making up rumours about
them all to set them up.
And then there's the matter of the gun.
[MAX] It was in that
moment I saw the reflection,
of the safe keypad, from
where I was standing.
And then I realized I'm in Myrna's spot.
You took the gun from Monty's safe,
killed Tommy with it,
and planted it on Kelly.
Nuts!
You can't prove anything.
[ELLIS] Actually we can.
Because Tommy's stolen cash
was just recovered at your hotel room.
It's over, Myrna. You
can drop the act now.
That little punk ruined my life.
He deserved what he got.
Myrna, you're under arrest for murder.
Now that you got your revenge,
I really hope the life
sentence was worth it.
You're a cop?
Yeah. Are you coming?
In a sec.
All right, let's go, Myrna. Let's go.
And by the way, Sal?
Never hustle a hustler.
Just like old times.
- Nice work, you two.
- Thank you, sir.
[YATES] Who's the best?
Aw. Thanks, Yates.
- We are. That's who.
- Okay.
Just solved another
case, so, drinks on us.
Drinks on you.
- Drinks on me.
- Coming?
Sure. I'll come.
Rain check.
I just got back. The boat's a mess.
Boo.
See you at Brownie's.
Next time. Promise.
Nice work today, partner.
I guess the Dream Team is back together.
Yeah, I guess it is.
Well, uh, don't spend
too long on that report.
I don't think anybody
reads them anyways.
Right.
Um. Hey, uh,
I know we didn't get a
chance to chat much today,
so I just wanted to ask,
you doing okay?
Yeah.
- Why?
- No,
it was just a couple of
moments today where I felt like
I don't know, like there
was something on your mind.
Nope. Not me.
Not a care in the world.
Okay. Just me.
Well, have a good night.
You too.
[RICKY] We need to talk.
Sidebar, please.
Look, I don't want to speak
ill of your undead mother here,
but are you kidding me?
She shows up out of the
blue asking for 100 million
the same night we finally
get the Ashford money?
It's a little convenient.
There's no way she knows
about the Ashford money.
And I know it looks bad,
but coincidences do happen.
She's a professional liar.
- So are we.
- She abandoned you.
Left you to raise Max all alone.
Do you really want to hand
her our hard-earned dough?
It's not a question of want.
Gedeon Varga is no joke.
If what she says is true, we'll all be
dead if we don't pony up the cash.
If it's true. I vote no.
Look, it's going to take at
least a month to get the money
out of the Swiss accounts,
launder it to cash and get it back here.
We might as well get started.
We can decide later.
Oh, honey. I'm sorry.
I can't imagine what
you're going through.
Whatever you want to do, we'll do.
Everything's set for tonight?
[RICKY] Are you sure about this?
Yeah. It's the only
way for a fresh start.
[MAX] Get the money off to Varga,
and let's just be done with this.
Bon voyage, hundo million.
We could have been great together.
[MAX] Okay, well, let me know
if anything goes wrong
with the handoff, okay?
Where are you?
[MAX] Just finished grabbing
a bite with the team,
and I have one more stop to make.
[MAX] Police!
Come out with your hands up!
Marc.
Hi.
Max? What, um
What are you doing here?
Ronnie's egg rolls were
extra greasy tonight,
and I didn't want you to
miss out on the heartburn.
But I see you got other dinner plans.
Is Marc getting steak tonight?
You lucky boy.
No, actually, Max,
I should have mentioned
this earlier, but
Hi.
Max, this is, uh, Jessica.
Wow. Finally. I've
heard so much about you.
Oh. Nice to meet you.
Uh, we met down in Mexico.
She was taking some time
off, and so was I, and uh,
anyway, she's a journalist.
Uh, are you still on vacation?
No, I live here in town.
Do you want to stay for dinner?
Oh, no. No, that's okay, I-
I gotta go. Um,
I was just dropping off these egg rolls.
They pair really great with the steak.
- Right.
- Have a good night.
Yeah. Yeah. Good night.
Nice to meet you.
She seems really nice.
Yeah. She, uh, she is.
I'm gonna grab a beer. You want one?
Yeah. Great. Thanks.
♪
Ricky.
We need two pints of ice
cream and a '90s rom-com, stat.
What's going on?
Who are you?
This is Tomo Hayashi.
I'm here on behalf of Mr. Varga.
I was just explaining to your family
that there's been a misunderstanding.
You see, Mr. Varga
demands payment in full
before the deadline.
That doesn't cover it?
This money covers Vivienne's
original debt of $98 million.
But after 15 years with
inflation and interest,
you're about 30 million short.
Oh, no. That's news to me.
When's the deadline?
It's in exactly 20 minutes.
- Well, that's impossible.
- It is.
Which is why Mr. Varga
is offering another way
to pay your remaining debt.
Oh, that is so sweet of him.
It's a task suited to your skills.
If you accomplish it, he
will consider you debt free.
No! We've already done
everything he's asked.
For all we know, he'll
keep pushing the goalposts.
Either he'll take the cash
or we'll disappear with it.
You can run, but
you'd be drastically underestimating
Varga's resources.
You'd leave the others unprotected.
What others?
You may be willing to
risk your lives, but
will you risk theirs?
What's the job?
You are going to steal us a diamond.
♪
♪
Previously on Wild Cards
- Hi. Max Mitchell.
- Name?
Used to work with him
but for some reason
got transferred to sea patrol.
- You're gonna stay on the case.
- Thank you, ma'am.
- Both of you.
- [TOGETHER] What?
Ma'am, you can't be
serious. She's a con artist.
I know who killed your brother.
You know, she's working really hard
to get you out of here early.
Sweet, sweet freedom.
I managed to get Jonathan
Ashford's video diary.
It'll tell you everything
you need to know.
You must be willing to
walk away from anyone
at the drop of a hat.
If you cannot, that's your warning sign
to cut them loose.
Something definitely happened,
but I don't want it
to be weird between us.
Friends?
Friends.
I know who the mole
in the department is.
Commissioner, you're under arrest.
Take her away.
Guys!
- The brass is putting you on leave.
- No, I get it.
What are you gonna do?
Finally take that trip
Daniel talked about?
That's awesome.
You and Marc.
And you if you want to come.
Yeah. I just gotta see
about something first.
Uh-huh, you guys are geniuses.
To access the account,
there are 12 passwords.
Ricky, try "George".
It's 103 million!
[LAUGHING]
Was I crazy to think she was gonna show?
Go, honey. Go to him.
I'll be fine.
Mom?
One, two, three! ♪
Happy days ain't gotta work ♪
What's the hurry? On the way ♪
Takin' my time ♪
Gonna shine, ain't no shade ♪
It's a sight to see, In the breeze ♪
Mickey, I dig the new haircut.
Petrovicz. Have you
been hitting the gym?
You're looking buff.
Carver, how are the bunions feeling?
Ah.
Whoa, Miss. Where do
you think you're going?
Oh. Hold on.
- That's a toy.
- Excuse me.
Joey, Max is a police consultant.
Sorry, Max. He's new.
Don't worry, Joey, I was new once too.
So where's the action?
It's right up here. I'll walk you over.
- Who are you working with today?
- I don't know, but between you and I,
- I hope not Yates.
- I thought you liked Yates.
I love her to the moon and back,
but lately she's been a little bit
[YATES] Come on!
[WHISPERS] Scary.
Morning, Yates.
Is it morning?
I can't even tell anymore.
I just left Simmons
at another crime scene
to come to this one.
That's our 10th open case.
This one's our 11th.
Look, I know we've been
understaffed since Ellis left,
but maybe today things will turn around.
Are you telling me to turn
that frown upside down?
In a manner of speaking.
- It's good advice.
- Do you want to hear some advice?
- Here we go.
- People!
I'm officially declaring
this no murder month.
Okay? From this day forth,
should a citizen of our city
murder another, so help me, goddess,
I will kill you myself.
- What do we got?
- Murder.
I'm gonna need this.
[SIGHS]
[PHONE RINGING]
What's the story, Olive?
I just got here, but
here's what we know.
John Doe, no I.D., no wallet.
Early 20s, gunshot to the chest.
They found a 32-caliber bullet.
Went right through him.
Okay, so no leads, nothing to go on?
Not at the moment.
Great. Another winner.
Call me when you have something.
We got something.
See that blue line
right there in a shirt?
It's chalk.
So you're saying he's a school teacher?
No. Look at his fingers.
I noticed those, but I don't
know what they're from yet.
It's from playing pool.
Moving the cue back
and forth on the skin.
You got to play four to six hours a day
to develop calluses like that.
Trust me, I used to play
a lot of pool growing up.
Canvas every pool hall
in a five-mile radius.
I guarantee you someone's
going to recognize him.
Hop to it, Sparky. You heard the lady.
- Nice work, Mitchell.
- Can I have my coffee back?
No.
♪
All right. And you're sure about that?
Okay, I'm going to
send an officer your way
to take your statement.
Thank you very much.
All right.
Got an eyewitness in our carjacking case
that's willing to testify, so,
case number ten closed.
Oh, great.
Because we just picked up another one.
You're kidding?
Even I'm not that funny.
-
- [TONI] Max.
Chief wants to see you.
Thanks, Toni.
Ah!
- Mine.
- That's the office coffee machine.
You need to put it back in the kitchen.
Never.
Chief, you wanted to see me?
Hey, Max.
You miss me?
♪
Hey.
Hi.
You're back.
I'm back.
Now that the internal investigation
into the Russo affair is done,
Ellis has been cleared
of any wrongdoing,
and his reinstatement has been approved.
- That's great.
- Yeah, and I was just telling Ellis
that we're pretty backed up here,
so I'd like him to start right away.
Well, that's good,
because Yates has been
very overwhelmed with the caseload.
Right. And since Max has
stayed on as a consultant,
I assumed you two
would partner up again.
Uh, that
works for me.
Of course.
[CHIEF LI] Great.
Your badge, Detective.
Collect your service
weapon from the armory.
Good to have you back.
It's good to be back, sir. Thank you.
Oh, and, uh, diggin'
that new haircut, sir.
[MAX] We think he lost a bet.
Not that I don't like
it, 'cause I love it.
Your old silky mane made you look soft.
Now you look like a bullet.
Deadly and mean.
Get out of my office.
- Gone like the wind.
- [WHISPERS] Come on.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Hey, I know that
Look, can I just say
something first, please?
Sure.
Look, I am sorry I sprung that whole
"come away with me" thing onto you.
It was wrong of me to do that.
It was just after years of
trying to find Daniel's killer,
once I finally did, it was like
I was lost.
And I was reaching out for
something to hold on to,
and and
that was wrong.
And I see that now, and
I'm really sorry.
And you do not owe me
any kind of explanation
for why you didn't show
up at the dock, okay?
I mean that.
It's really sweet of you
not to mention anything
in front of Li, but if you
do not want to work together,
I totally understand that.
Just-just give me the word
and I'll make it happen.
Thank you for all of that.
But it's all good.
We can move on.
Onward, upward.
Moving on up.
Okay, great.
Thank you.
It's, uh, it's really good to see you.
So, where have you been this last month?
Ah, I took the boat down to Mexico.
I was gonna travel around a little bit,
but I ended up just settling down
in a small surfing town.
What'd you do there?
I ate, drank,
surfed, bummed around a little bit.
It's hard for me to
imagine you bumming around.
Yeah, it was for me, too. Trust me.
But, no, I needed to clear my head.
Honestly, I was trying
to figure out how to just
be myself again, you know?
Well, you do seem a
little bit more chill.
And as long as I don't see you
wearing a puka shell necklace
or asking me to play hackysack,
we'll be okay, because
those are deal breakers.
I think I can manage that.
Honestly, I was surprised
to see you still working here
because, I don't know,
I kinda had this funny feeling
you were gonna skip town that night.
So good for you. You proved me wrong.
Well, since my dad got out of the joint,
he needs to see his
parole officer every week,
we can't leave,
I needed a legit job,
they offered, and
voila.
Detective Mitchell.
You kept the badge.
Yeah, it was my one non-negotiable.
[SMALL CHUCKLE]
Well, I'm glad you
made the choice to stay
instead of going back
to a life of crime.
You are done with all the crime, right?
Oh, yeah.
All that's behind me. Dust
in the rear view mirror.
- Sergeant?
- So, anything else going on?
Nothing new in the exciting
life of Max Mitchell.
Um
Mom?
Hi, Peanut.
It's me.
Oh.
Oh, my god.
[CRYING] Mama.
[GEORGE] Vivienne?
Nope. Nothing new. Just, uh,
same old, same old.
[NOTIFICATION ALERT]
It's Chief Li. He wants
us in the observation room.
Looks like somebody ID'd
your vic from this morning.
Max, you were right.
That's Monte.
He owns the Third Street Billiards Room.
[MONTY] Yeah. That's him. Tommy Z.
That's what everybody called him.
How'd you know him?
He started coming around
my place with his friends
when he was around
I don't know, 16.
Troublemakers.
I got a lot of kids like that.
skipping school and playing pool.
This kid was different.
He was the most gifted
player I have ever seen.
Within a year, he was beating the pros.
He could have been one
of the all-time greats.
[YATES] When's the last
time that you saw him?
[MONTY] Last night he came in,
played a few games and then left.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Can you think of anybody who
might want to mess with him?
No, not this kid.
He lit up every room he walked into.
You couldn't help but like
him. He was a good kid.
It seems as though Tommy
was a rising star in
the tournament circuit
until about a year ago,
when he stopped
competing professionally.
So why did he stop?
I don't know.
[TYPING]
[NOTIFICATION ALERT]
What was Tommy doing for a living?
I I don't know.
I mean, this and that.
You know, odd jobs.
[MAX] Tommy was a pool hustler.
How do you know that?
Well, he won every professional
tournament he was in,
and then he suddenly stopped.
The only reason someone
that good stops competing
is 'cause they don't want to
get recognized in pool halls.
There's a lot more money
to be made travelling across
the country, fleecing players
in unsanctioned contests.
Why didn't Monty tell us that?
Because he doesn't want
cops coming around his place.
Owners usually take 15
percent of the action.
So Tommy left the pool
hall around 2:00 a.m.
and was killed around 2:30 a.m.
It wasn't a random mugging.
Maybe someone followed
him outside of the bar.
Unis took statements
down at the pool hall.
Nobody mentioned anything suspicious.
That's not surprising.
They are gambling illegally.
Well, if we go in there flashing badges,
even bedazzled ones,
we'll get a whole lot of nothing.
Just wanna wish you good
luck with that, new guy.
Because Simmons and I are
not taking on another case. [CLAPS]
Vamanos, Simmons.
That was Spanish.
She wants enchiladas.
Did she just call me the new guy?
Okay, you two come up with a plan.
Don't I always?
♪
I'm walking my own line ♪
In my own way, in my own time ♪
Hey everyone.
We heard this is where the action is.
Who wants to shoot some pool?
♪
When the mist is rising ♪
And the rain is falling ♪
I was hoping for a little
more fanfare than that.
Hey, um, who do you
got to know around here
to get in on one of the pool tables?
It'll be a while.
Why, did somebody die?
As a matter of fact, yes.
Oh. My bad.
He was murdered.
- Who was he?
- Tommy Z.
Best pool player in town.
At least he used to be.
Did you know him?
Everybody knew Tommy.
Everybody liked him.
Why is it always the good ones that
Do you need a straw? 'Cause
- you're crying into your drink.
- Yeah.
[SOBBING]
Everyone loved Tommy, right?
I mean, the kid was
overflowing with charm,
and he wasn't only my friend.
He was the best player I have ever seen.
And maybe
maybe the only guy who could
have beaten me in my prime.
To Tommy.
[GROUP] To Tommy.
We gonna wrap this up?
I got a game waiting.
Hey. Kid. A little respect.
Ignore him.
No class.
Thanks, Sal.
I guess not everybody loved Tommy.
I'll start working the
tables, flash some cash around.
Once these locals sense an easy mark,
their lips will start flapping.
I'm gonna talk to that lady at the bar.
She seems like a regular,
and I think there's a
little more she wants to say.
Go get her, tiger.
Damn it, kid!
It's not fair.
I'm sorry, Tommy.
I'd give anything to see you
walk through that door again.
Mom, where have you been
for the past 15 years?
Do you remember Monaco?
It's hard to forget,
the last time I saw you.
And that casino con I wanted to pull?
The one I told you was too dangerous
and out of our league?
Well, that was just the point.
I wanted us to set our sights higher.
Reach for that brass ring.
You did it anyway.
Must be something in the genes.
Turns out you were right, dear.
I got caught.
So you've been in
prison all these years?
No. That would have been
much easier and safer.
No. I have been on the run
from Gedeon Varga.
[DRAMATIC STING]
No, Viv.
[MAX & RICKY] Who's Gedeon Varga?
No one really knows because
nobody's ever seen his face.
He has his hands in everything.
Extortion, drugs, smuggling, casinos.
Turns out Varga was
behind the casino I robbed.
How have I never heard of this guy?
Some say he doesn't
exist, that he's a myth.
That his real talent is to be invisible.
That's how he stayed untouchable.
Come on.
These days, nobody's untouchable.
Gedeon Varga is.
He's the devil himself.
Hey.
Hey.
You said you were looking for a game?
Rack 'em up, champ.
[UPBEAT ROCK MUSIC]
When I was a little girl,
daddy would always bring my
brothers to the local pool hall
When I asked to go, do
you know what he would say?
Girls can't play pool.
Can you believe that?
My god, that's terrible.
So I gave up.
But I never stopped dreaming of it.
Then last month, my whole
life flipped like a pancake.
My filthy rich grandma
died and left me everything.
Of course, I did the decent thing
and bought my daddy and my brothers
a brand spanking new double-wide.
But I kept the rest of
Granny's millions for myself.
So now that I'm retired,
I'm gonna learn how
to play some nine ball,
and get a private massage therapist.
And a personal chef.
Oh, and a dog walker.
Because rich folks don't need to be
to be picking up anybody's doo-doo.
Speaking of that.
Hey, Siri, remind me to get a dog.
Wow. Well, I learned so much from you.
I feel like I took advantage.
We should have played for bigger bucks.
Luckily,
there's more where that came from.
But first, I'm parched.
could I be the one you love? ♪
Well, I certainly sold my
trailer trash to riches story.
Okay. Did you learn
anything interesting?
Please. Does Netflix
cancel every show I like?
Is oat milk still disgusting?
Hey, Max, just give
me the rundown, please.
Okay. That is Kelly.
Tommy Z's grief-stricken girlfriend.
And from what everybody
says, she gladly would have
taken a bullet for him.
That there
is Salvatore, Tommy's stakehorse.
So he finds all the matches and
puts up the money for the bets.
And pays all expenses
for the three of them
to travel the country, hustling.
Probably takes a nice chunk
of their winnings, too.
If Tommy was his cash cow,
he wouldn't want to kill him.
No.
But he might.
That's José.
I heard Salvatore originally staked him,
and then Tommy came along,
and, well, he was just too good, so
José got kicked to the curb.
Well, I heard the
night Tommy was killed,
Tommy and José played
pool until 2:00 a.m.
Tommy won and then left with 50 grand.
When they found Tommy's
body, the cash was gone.
Maybe José's jealousy
got the better of him.
He kills Tommy, his known
rival, and then he steals
the 50K he felt was rightfully his.
And now José has Salvatore
back as his stakehorse.
Seems like Tommy's death
only benefits José.
I think we just found your next game.
[CLINK]
♪
Blow on it, Reggie,
honey, for good luck.
Anything for you, sugar.
Well, now I'm definitely gonna win.
- You're up.
- Well, I don't know which one to hit first.
They all look so cute.
They're numbered.
You're supposed to
sink them in order.
Damn, honey.
I guess your blower's busted.
So you knew that guy
who got shot, right?
Timmy something.
Tommy. What about him?
I heard you got beat
by him bad last night.
You wanna talk, or you wanna play?
Rumour has it you lost 50 grand. Ouch.
If I win, you gotta
promise not to shoot me.
What the hell are you talking about?
Sure. I was pissed at Tommy,
but the only thing I killed last night
was a bottle of rye.
I passed out and woke up
on that table this morning.
José!
Got a game over here.
We're not done playing.
Actually. We're done.
♪
"I passed out"?
Not the most original alibi.
No, but it should be
easy enough to confirm.
What the hell is that?
Voodoo doll.
- Of who?
- Ellis.
Why do you have a pencil
voodoo doll of Ellis?
To control him.
Find me a licorice and a marshmallow.
I need to make one of Max.
What's going on? What're you
what are you doing?
We gotta take them down a notch, okay?
- Why?
- Wake up, Simmons.
When Ellis left, you and I,
we became the number one team.
The go-to guys. You know what I mean?
Now that he's back, he could
retake that number one spot,
And I'm not gonna let that happen.
Okay? I got a taste of
the gold, and I want more.
Okay. Um
What I think you need
is a nice night's rest,
for us to close a case,
and you'll feel right as rain, huh?
- No voodoo?
- No voodoo.
I was gonna make him do the Macarena.
Give me that.
Come on.
Fine.
- Hey, Yates.
- Yes?
- Do you have any more of these?
- No.
Do you have one of me?
No! I don't.
Hand it over.
What were you gonna do with this?
I talk to it sometimes
when I'm lonely, okay?
There's a lot of hours between
quitting time and clocking in.
It's actually kind of sweet.
I mean, it's weird and creepy.
But it's sweet.
Yeah.
Just out of curiosity,
do you ever wake up
in the middle of the
night doing the tango?
- Give me that. Give me that.
- Yeah. Okay.
[MONTY] Yo, Burt!
Hi, Burt. What's up?
My blood pressure, cholesterol and rent.
Take it off, you bastard!
[BURT] Hey! Hey!
What the hell?!
Take it off! Take it off!
- Jeez.
- Calm down.
Hold on a second. Is
this your jacket or not?
It's Tommy's. I took it last night.
José was passed out
using it as a blanket.
I was keeping it safe for Tommy.
- What's the big deal?
- The big deal is that Tommy's dead.
Wait, what? I-I I had no idea
You killed Tommy and took his coat!
No, no, no, no!
Stop! Stop!
I swear!
Here, take it.
Man, you try to do a nice thing, huh?
Let me just get
something from the pocket.
Where the hell'd you get that?
You bet big last night and lost.
None of your business.
Oh, yeah? Your two-year-old
tab is my business.
It's okay.
- Happy now?
- Paid in full.
I guess hell has frozen over.
Well, suddenly I'm not
that thirsty anymore.
Plenty of other establishments
who would appreciate a
patron such as myself.
What's uh, his deal?
Bit of a loser, I'm afraid.
Can never catch a break.
He bet big for José to win last night.
For a loser, that's some wad of cash
he was flashing around.
How does a broke gambler walk in here
with a dead man's jacket
and a pocket full of cash?
What the hell?
Take it easy, Burt.
We just want to know about the coat.
The coat? I gave it back.
Who the hell are you, anyways?
The police. And between Tommy's coat
and that wad of cash
you were flashing around,
you just became our number one suspect
for this murder.
[BURT] Since when is it
a crime to borrow a coat?
When that coat is full of cash
and belongs to a murdered man.
I told everyone, José
was sleeping it off.
He was using Tommy's coat as a blanket.
I didn't want him to puke all over it.
Oh, you're a prince. However, Tommy
left Monty's pool hall
with 50 grand in his pocket
and took a bullet in the chest.
When they found the
body, the money was gone.
And today you show up a newly rich man.
- [PHONE DINGING]
- I can explain.
[ELLIS] Yeah, so can I.
You got pissed off at Tommy,
you followed him outside the
bar, and then you shot him,
and then you stole his 50K.
No, I didn't kill Tommy, I swear.
Burt, you made a big bet
last night, and you lost.
- Just admit it.
- That bet I placed on José,
It wasn't my money.
Really?
It was Salvatore's money.
He paid Burt to place
the bet on José to win.
Why would Salvatore bet
against his own player?
Because the game was fixed.
Tommy was supposed to throw the match.
Salvatore knew if he was seen
betting against one of his own players,
everyone would know it was fixed.
So he had Burt place the bet for him.
What he didn't know is
that Tommy placed a bet.
And he didn't throw the match, he won.
Fifty grand.
So Tommy screwed over Salvatore,
then the kid ends up shot and robbed.
I don't need to connect the dots, do I?
We did a little digging into Salvatore.
Turns out he was a pretty
great pool player himself
back in the day.
Hustled himself across the map.
Yeah, and got the priors to prove it.
Portland. Winnipeg. Rochester.
- [PHONE DINGING]
- Unlawful wagering, theft
Recurring assault charges.
Not a guy you want to mess with.
- Got anything solid on him on this case?
- Not yet.
But if we can find out
why he betrayed him,
then it should give us a clearer picture
of what happened that night.
Work fast before this
guy hits the road again.
Look, I'm gonna need a minute
to process Burt's release, okay?
I'll be right back.
Okay.
[GEORGE] Hey, baby girl.
I've been trying to reach you.
Ricky's back from Zurich in the morning,
so we gotta make a decision now.
Are we in or out?
Gedeon Varga is not the sort
of man who forgives and forgets.
But if you've never seen
Varga, who caught you?
Tomo Hayashi, Varga's right hand.
While I was waiting for them
to decide how to dispose of me,
I managed to slip away and
steal a car from a valet stand.
You staged the car accident?
I had to improvise.
Tomo was right on my tail,
so I leapt from the car
before sending it over
the cliff and into the sea.
Rather operatic, I know, but I
I really had to sell it.
And the money you stole?
Unfortunately, it
went down with the car.
But Varga didn't believe
you were really dead.
Not without a body.
I hoped he'd think I'd
been swept out to sea.
But every time I felt
safe, I'd hear a report
that Varga was still looking for me.
Like I said, the guy really
knows how to hold a grudge.
But the only saving
grace was that he thought
that I was working alone.
He didn't know my identity,
nor did he know about
you or your father.
That's the secret that
kept you both safe.
So why did you come back?
Over the years, I found
moments to watch the two of you.
From afar, because I knew the
risks of getting too close.
But I just missed you both so terribly.
Then you landed in prison,
and it was impossible
to keep eyes on you, and I just felt
Like I'd been cut off from my heartbeat.
When I heard you were being released.
I just
I had to be there.
Hey.
- We did it.
- Oh.
[VIVIENNE] What I didn't know
was that Varga had uncovered
one of my aliases,
which tripped an alert at the border,
and Tomo Hayashi caught up with me.
With an ultimatum from Varga.
Repay every last cent I stole
- or
- Or he'll kill you?
No. If it was just that,
she wouldn't have come back.
When Hayashi found
me outside the prison,
unfortunately, you were all exposed.
So all those years of being so careful,
just gone in an instant.
So if you don't pay Varga back.
We're all dead.
How much do you owe?
Well, it's not a small
amount of money per se.
How much, Vivienne?
A hundred million.
[GEORGE] It's not exactly
chump change. Call me.
There isn't much time left.
Hey. You all right?
Yeah.
You ready to find out why
Tommy screwed over Salvatore?
Baby, I was born ready.
Wow.
You got more game than
a truck stop arcade.
You ever think about getting
yourself a stakehorse,
- like Salvatore?
- Nah.
Well, I hear he and Tommy had
a pretty sweet deal going on.
Sweet can turn sour awful quick.
Are you saying that their
love boat started leaking?
I heard them arguing
outside in the alley.
I was taking out the trash,
and the two of them
were really going at it
after the big game
between Tommy and José.
So what were they fighting about?
I only caught bits and
pieces, so I can't be sure.
But
lately I've heard a rumour.
I don't think it was about pool.
It was a bigger problem.
- Like what?
- Like girl problems.
You've heard two's
company, three's a crowd?
Travelling around together,
two guys and one girl?
Are you saying Kelly cheated
on Tommy with Salvatore?
Sal's got money. He's a charmer.
Wouldn't doubt he snuck
in a side pocket shot
when the real player wasn't looking.
Double or nothing?
Maybe later.
♪
So,
you heard the rumours, too?
Certainly explains why
Tommy stuck it to him
with his "screw you" win.
He was punishing Salvatore for
sleeping with his girlfriend.
Nothing like a messy romance
to foul up a good partnership.
Speak of the devils.
Lovers spat?
I don't know. Let's find out, shall we?
I know, I know it hurts, honey.
I was a wreck when my Robert died.
But day after day, you just
figure out how to survive.
Thanks, Myrna.
And gin helps. Make it two this time.
[MAX] Make it three.
I'm buying.
[MYRNA] Oh!
You're lucky you have
such amazing people
to help you get through this, Kelly.
Amen to that.
Now
If you will excuse me,
mama's got a tinkle.
- Oh!
- Oh, jeez. Myrna, careful!
Why do you have a gun?
No, no, no, that's not mine.
Wait a minute.
Hold on a second.
It's a 38-millimetre, same
calibre gun that killed Tommy.
That's my gun, Kelly.
How the hell did you get
my gun out of my safe?
I've never seen it
before. I didn't do this.
One of the rounds has been fired.
- You need to call the cops.
- No, no, no, no, no, no!
- We don't call the cops.
- This is your gun.
And it might have killed someone.
So unless you want to go down for that,
I'd pick up that phone
and start dialing.
Wait. What are you
You're cops?
Yeah. We are.
I'm a cop. She's not.
I have a badge.
It's bedazzled, Max.
He's just jealous.
Kelly, the ballistics
report just came back
and your gun is a match
for the murder weapon.
I told you, it's not my gun.
Somebody put it there.
Did you kill Tommy because you
were having an affair with Sal?
I would have never cheated on Tommy.
Somebody started that stupid rumour.
I was trying to get
Tommy to leave Salvatore.
- Why?
- Tommy used to love the
game just for the joy of it.
But when Salvatore recruited him,
and the money started
rolling in, he changed.
Money became all he cared about.
The last trip we did was the worst.
Took this guy in Winnipeg
for everything he had.
The guy was clearly in over his head.
But Salvatore kept saying
that wasn't our problem.
What were you and Sal arguing about?
Salvatore always held
on to the winnings,
and now he won't give me Tommy's cut.
Says Tommy screwed him on
the last game so he's owed.
Where were you when Tommy
walked out of the bar that night?
I stayed around till past 3:00
hoping Tommy would
cool off and come back.
But he never did.
Now I know why.
[SOBBING]
[ELLIS] So, you believe her?
I do. I think she loved Tommy.
Besides, why keep the
murder weapon in your purse?
Maybe Salvatore shot Tommy
and planted the gun on her.
Or Kelly actually did do it,
and she was just waiting
for the right time
to put the gun back in the safe.
Do you really believe that?
You gotta remember, this whole thing
is centred around a rumour
of an alleged affair.
So either it's true, or
the whole thing's a frame-up
to make him look guilty,
but who would do that?
Somebody who had access to the safe,
and somebody who hated
Tommy enough to kill him.
Somebody who had access to the safe.
What are you thinking?
Give me a sec.
Bingo.
♪
Hey.
You wanna play a game?
Me?
No. I don't play anymore.
Okay, well, I'm sure someone else
will want to play for this 20K.
Hey.
What the hell, huh?
For old-time's sake.
♪
I guess I still got it.
That's what everybody says.
Hey, Tommy had his last game
at this table, didn't he?
I heard it was one hell of a game.
Tooth and nail to the end, right?
But nobody knew that the game was fixed.
It was not.
Then why did you have Burt bet
against Tommy on your behalf?
Because the game was fixed.
Tommy was supposed to throw
the match, but he didn't.
What? You fixed the game in my place?
It was Salvatore's idea.
I just went along with it.
Are you crazy?
Sal, what the hell are you thinking?
- What is all this?
- Focus, Sal, you got 20K on the line.
I put a hex on you ♪
Oh. My turn.
Okay, so let's review here.
Tommy was supposed to
throw the game, but didn't.
Because of that,
it makes sense that
people heard you arguing
about the fact that he beat José.
That wasn't the only thing
you two were arguing
about that night, was it?
There was juicy goss
going around that you
were sleeping with Kelly,
and Tommy caught wind of it.
I never touched Kelly.
I mean, I know that, but Tommy didn't,
and he was pissed.
And that's why he decided to
screw you over on the game.
[CROWD MUMBLES]
Who the hell are you?
Somebody who likes to play games.
Speaking of, there was somebody else
who was playing you,
and everyone else in this bar.
That affair rumour wasn't just gossip.
Somebody started that for a reason.
You want to know who that was?
- It was Myrna.
- The lady who's always at the bar.
I think her name's Myrna.
Who are y'all looking at?
Myrna told everyone that Salvatore
was sleeping with Kelly.
What? I didn't do anything.
Do you remember Winnipeg?
Yeah. What about it?
There was a man there,
and you took him for
all that he was worth.
He was already way over
his head in the game.
Not to mention that his
house was triple mortgaged.
He was humiliated that he
was about to lose his house,
so he killed himself, leaving
behind his wife, Myrna.
She's crazy!
Oh, really? So you're
saying this isn't you?
When you found out who hustled
your husband, you wanted to get even.
So you followed the trio
back to the pool hall,
and you set yourself up
as some innocent barfly.
[MAX] You kept up the
character for weeks,
noticing the trio's personalities,
their insecurities, weaknesses,
making up rumours about
them all to set them up.
And then there's the matter of the gun.
[MAX] It was in that
moment I saw the reflection,
of the safe keypad, from
where I was standing.
And then I realized I'm in Myrna's spot.
You took the gun from Monty's safe,
killed Tommy with it,
and planted it on Kelly.
Nuts!
You can't prove anything.
[ELLIS] Actually we can.
Because Tommy's stolen cash
was just recovered at your hotel room.
It's over, Myrna. You
can drop the act now.
That little punk ruined my life.
He deserved what he got.
Myrna, you're under arrest for murder.
Now that you got your revenge,
I really hope the life
sentence was worth it.
You're a cop?
Yeah. Are you coming?
In a sec.
All right, let's go, Myrna. Let's go.
And by the way, Sal?
Never hustle a hustler.
Just like old times.
- Nice work, you two.
- Thank you, sir.
[YATES] Who's the best?
Aw. Thanks, Yates.
- We are. That's who.
- Okay.
Just solved another
case, so, drinks on us.
Drinks on you.
- Drinks on me.
- Coming?
Sure. I'll come.
Rain check.
I just got back. The boat's a mess.
Boo.
See you at Brownie's.
Next time. Promise.
Nice work today, partner.
I guess the Dream Team is back together.
Yeah, I guess it is.
Well, uh, don't spend
too long on that report.
I don't think anybody
reads them anyways.
Right.
Um. Hey, uh,
I know we didn't get a
chance to chat much today,
so I just wanted to ask,
you doing okay?
Yeah.
- Why?
- No,
it was just a couple of
moments today where I felt like
I don't know, like there
was something on your mind.
Nope. Not me.
Not a care in the world.
Okay. Just me.
Well, have a good night.
You too.
[RICKY] We need to talk.
Sidebar, please.
Look, I don't want to speak
ill of your undead mother here,
but are you kidding me?
She shows up out of the
blue asking for 100 million
the same night we finally
get the Ashford money?
It's a little convenient.
There's no way she knows
about the Ashford money.
And I know it looks bad,
but coincidences do happen.
She's a professional liar.
- So are we.
- She abandoned you.
Left you to raise Max all alone.
Do you really want to hand
her our hard-earned dough?
It's not a question of want.
Gedeon Varga is no joke.
If what she says is true, we'll all be
dead if we don't pony up the cash.
If it's true. I vote no.
Look, it's going to take at
least a month to get the money
out of the Swiss accounts,
launder it to cash and get it back here.
We might as well get started.
We can decide later.
Oh, honey. I'm sorry.
I can't imagine what
you're going through.
Whatever you want to do, we'll do.
Everything's set for tonight?
[RICKY] Are you sure about this?
Yeah. It's the only
way for a fresh start.
[MAX] Get the money off to Varga,
and let's just be done with this.
Bon voyage, hundo million.
We could have been great together.
[MAX] Okay, well, let me know
if anything goes wrong
with the handoff, okay?
Where are you?
[MAX] Just finished grabbing
a bite with the team,
and I have one more stop to make.
[MAX] Police!
Come out with your hands up!
Marc.
Hi.
Max? What, um
What are you doing here?
Ronnie's egg rolls were
extra greasy tonight,
and I didn't want you to
miss out on the heartburn.
But I see you got other dinner plans.
Is Marc getting steak tonight?
You lucky boy.
No, actually, Max,
I should have mentioned
this earlier, but
Hi.
Max, this is, uh, Jessica.
Wow. Finally. I've
heard so much about you.
Oh. Nice to meet you.
Uh, we met down in Mexico.
She was taking some time
off, and so was I, and uh,
anyway, she's a journalist.
Uh, are you still on vacation?
No, I live here in town.
Do you want to stay for dinner?
Oh, no. No, that's okay, I-
I gotta go. Um,
I was just dropping off these egg rolls.
They pair really great with the steak.
- Right.
- Have a good night.
Yeah. Yeah. Good night.
Nice to meet you.
She seems really nice.
Yeah. She, uh, she is.
I'm gonna grab a beer. You want one?
Yeah. Great. Thanks.
♪
Ricky.
We need two pints of ice
cream and a '90s rom-com, stat.
What's going on?
Who are you?
This is Tomo Hayashi.
I'm here on behalf of Mr. Varga.
I was just explaining to your family
that there's been a misunderstanding.
You see, Mr. Varga
demands payment in full
before the deadline.
That doesn't cover it?
This money covers Vivienne's
original debt of $98 million.
But after 15 years with
inflation and interest,
you're about 30 million short.
Oh, no. That's news to me.
When's the deadline?
It's in exactly 20 minutes.
- Well, that's impossible.
- It is.
Which is why Mr. Varga
is offering another way
to pay your remaining debt.
Oh, that is so sweet of him.
It's a task suited to your skills.
If you accomplish it, he
will consider you debt free.
No! We've already done
everything he's asked.
For all we know, he'll
keep pushing the goalposts.
Either he'll take the cash
or we'll disappear with it.
You can run, but
you'd be drastically underestimating
Varga's resources.
You'd leave the others unprotected.
What others?
You may be willing to
risk your lives, but
will you risk theirs?
What's the job?
You are going to steal us a diamond.
♪
♪