♪ ♪
I've died and the Devil has come for my soul.
As he should.
But the devil wears Prada.
I wear what the good Lord gave me
and maybe Forrester Creations
every now and then.
How the hell did you get in my house?
Oh, I charmed the housekeeper.
Charmed?
Yeah, with your pointed hat and your ragged broom?
I doubt it.
More like annoying persistence and maybe a little blackmail.
Says the warlock.
-But I'm here, so how doesn't matter. -Mm.
Except that now I have to do another background check
on my housekeeper.
-Give her a break. -Yeah. Not before I give you one.
Keep your beefy hands to yourself, cowboy.
I'm not here for you.
I am here to see your "widdle, widdle" wifey.
Vanessa.
Hey, baby.
I could tell that you needed to talk.
You could?
Given how close we are
to the anniversary of Doug's death,
it's no surprise you're feeling emotional.
I'm surprised, though.
Why is that?
Because I didn't wake up sad, Nicole.
I woke up angry,
steaming, furious.
It has been almost a year, and I am still struggling
with who to blame for Doug's death.
JOEY: Something happened to Doug?
He was in a car accident. Something about...
a-a... a ravine and a fire.
God.
My husband is dead.
You didn't have a hand in this, did you, Joey?
I had nothing to do with Doug's death.
Thank you...
for taking such good care of me.
I don't know how I'd get through this without you.
♪ ♪
The hospital released a statement
regarding Dr. Lia Whitmore's death. Yeah.
I have no further comment.
As I said...
Look, you...
That's all the questions I'm answering right now.
Ted's been inundated with calls since news broke about Lia.
I just can't wrap my head around how something like this...
I mean, she was an amazing trauma surgeon, Ashley,
and chief of staff.
How could she break so badly?
Well, desperate people do desperate things.
-Oh. Oh, hey, Naomi. -Hi, June.
Chief Hawthorne said
he was meeting with his daughter-in-law.
I put your coffee on the table.
If you want anything else, you wave me down.
-Thanks, hon. -You're welcome.
-Hi, Elon. -Hey.
Thank you for meeting me today.
Of course. What's going on?
Well,
I remember when Jacob was undercover,
how comforting it was talking to you.
And I could really use your wise words right now.
And why is that?
Because I'm worried about my husband.
Ah. You having lunch?
Yes, please.
All right. Uh, why don't you take this table right here.
-Wonderful. Thank you. -Right here.
And you know, I'll be right back.
All righty.
You know, I couldn't help but notice that, um,
that police officer over there--
it must make you and your patrons feel so safe.
Oh, him?
Uh, that's not just any police officer.
That's the chief of police.
Oh. Wow.
What's he doing?
Is he having one of those, uh, "lunch with the chief"
PR meetings that I hear about?
Oh, no, that's his daughter-in-law,
and it's a private meeting.
But I'm sure Elon will make time
-to talk to you if you had a concern. -Oh.
Uh, just before Naomi arrived, he was talking
to another customer about that doctor who...
died in prison.
Yes, I've heard about that.
I was reading about it.
That's so, so sad.
Someone with so many talents is gone.
Mm, mm, mm, mm. Sure was.
-Mm. -But you know what,
I put the blame on that Impaler for messing up that lady's life
to the point where she didn't see another way out.
-The Impaler? -No good, rotten thug, if you ask me.
-Really? -I warned Smitty.
He's the one who wrote that article.
I warned him, "Stay away from that story."
But you know what? He didn't listen.
Well, whoever this Smitty guy is,
he definitely should have listened
to the very wise waitress.
Mm.
Hey. I called you in to update you
on some new intel in the Impaler case.
A Red Market operation was shut down in San Francisco.
The operation structure was similar to the one
we busted while I was undercover.
You think the Impaler was running that one, too?
If there's a connection, I'll find one.
But here's the best part.
My liaison at the SFPD told me
that their operation was dismantled
because of your articles.
You always hope that your work does some good.
And yours absolutely did, Smitty.
A hospital administrator read the stories.
They noticed a similar pattern at her facility.
It turns out the Impaler lured a lab manager
into working for him, just like how he did with Lia.
Did this manager have debt?
Crushing, and was promised huge returns,
enough to pay off his creditors if he joined the Red Market.
There is a special place in hell for these users
who prey on people's vulnerabilities like that.
Just like how Lia did with Grayson.
The man was just trying to keep his mother in assisted living,
but Lia used that to manipulate him.
Well, Lia also had money troubles.
Her entire retirement savings was wiped out.
But, yeah, talk about bad choices.
One after another.
But if we're handing out the blame, ultimately...
All falls on the Impaler.
Which is why I want to nail that bastard
and bring them to justice.
So, where do you go now?
Well, my San Fran contacts. You?
Words, my friend. Words.
You're stoked.
Well, my stories are having an impact.
It's something I've been missing
ever since I quit being a full-time dad.
The other day, this woman came up to me
talking about my accomplishments with the Red Market series.
It means a lot.
[phone dings]
It's the report.
I better get to it.
Cool. Well, I have an idea I want to pursue.
Trust your gut, Smitty,
because your article started a domino effect,
and cracks are starting to show in the Impaler's operation.
Jacob told me about Lia's suicide.
And I don't know. Maybe it's just my legal brain,
but my first thought was
that there's got to be more to the story.
Maybe that the Impaler is involved?
So exactly what is it that you're asking?
I just want you to be straight with me,
because my instincts are screaming at me
to convince Jacob to step aside from this case
and get the hell out of town.
Oh, you know what, I'm gonna have another.
This tea is amazing.
-Oh, thanks. -Mm.
You know, I always shake in a little cinnamon.
Is that... I knew there was something special about it.
Speaking of tea, you seem
to be very plugged into everything going on in town.
I want to hear more about the Impaler.
-I don't think so. -Really?
That's a gruesome tale.
No, no. Now you've got me all curious.
Come on. Don't leave me hanging.
Well, the Impaler runs a Red Market.
-That means he deals in blood. -Oh.
He would have him ghouls driving all around town
in a mobile van collecting donations from the unhoused.
-No. -Mm-hmm, girl.
The collectors would bully them
into making more and more donations.
And if they didn't do what they were told...
Really?
Why would these unhoused people donate blood if it was so bad?
-They got paid. -Oh...
I mean, not much, but, you know, if you're living on the streets,
it's hard to turn down an offer, any offer.
Did you tell me that you...
you blame the Impaler for what happened to that...
-this doctor? -Yup.
It turns out she was using her position at the hospital
to steal blood and plasma.
Wow. Well, it doesn't sound like she was all that innocent
if she was involved with this Impaler.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Well, now,
I did read in Smitty's article
that the Impaler apparently found out
that the doctor had lost a lot of money and took advantage.
-Now, that's just plain wrong. -Yeah.
-That's not good. -No, you don't do that.
No.
-What a shame. -Mm-hmm.
Hayley?
Will you... Please, please don't touch anything.
I have always wanted to go here.
Catch.
What are you doing in my house?
Well, aside from seeing
if the good Lord will bestow blessings
by striking Frankenstein here down,
I'm here to check on my friend.
She means you.
You and I both know that Jacob would never turn
the Impaler case over to another detective.
He would look at that as turning tail and running.
He has a personal stake
in bringing this particular criminal to justice.
Losing our friend Derek was... a huge blow for me, too.
I understand his need to avenge that,
but he's losing his objectivity,
and that is a liability.
His need for justice can consume him.
I mean, how many hours did he spend on Leslie's case?
And then, he was undercover for months. I just...
I don't want my husband's work-life balance
to shift all towards work again.
But it's worse if he lies to me about it.
You're frustrated, and I hear you, okay?
So maybe what you should do is sit Jacob down
and hash this out before... before it festers.
Okay? Sit him down and say-- Tell him straight up,
"Listen, Jacob, I...
"I appreciate you trying to protect me,
but I prefer the truth."
Okay. I'll do that.
I will talk to Jacob.
Good.
Anyone ever tell you you give good advice?
Huh. Not enough, that's for sure.
Well, you do. So, thank you.
You've helped me feel less unmoored.
Phone still blowing up because of Dr. Whitmore?
I have barely been able to get any work done the last few days,
fielding phone calls, texts, emails.
And now they're dragging the hospital's name
through the mud again.
What a shame.
Especially since Monica worked so hard
to rehab the hospital's image,
-especially when it first hit the fan. -Yeah.
I talked to her earlier, and she is a bit frazzled,
but she's still living that boss life,
putting out fires left and right.
And if anyone can,
Dr. McCormick can get us through this PR nightmare.
You don't think so?
I mean, I have faith in Monica's abilities.
I don't have faith the hospital can bounce back again.
The board is gonna face some really tough decisions
regarding the hospital's future.
Don't get me wrong.
I understand that Doug's decision
to drive drunk the night he died was his and his alone.
Understand, but...
But the events that led up to that decision...
I can't help but feel I bear a lot of the responsibility.
Vanessa, how?
Doug was spiraling.
And instead of getting him help, I criticized him.
I abandoned him.
You are experiencing what we call behavioral self-blame.
You believe that you could have prevented Doug's death
if you had changed your behavior.
Of course I do.
But you couldn't.
Blaming yourself is a coping mechanism
because you feel helpless.
Do you know what I tell my patients
when they're experiencing this?
What? -I help them stop the "should" cycle.
I tell them to pay attention
to the statements they make, like
"I should have" or "if only"
and replace those with statements like,
"I the best I could with what I knew at the time."
Understand?
Yeah. I hear you, Nicole.
And my head agrees, but...
my heart?
My heart is full of guilt
for the way that things played out.
There were so many unresolved feelings between us,
and it just... it just hurts
that I will never really know what happened that night.
It's Doug's.
JOEY: "If my death was unexpected,
"don't be fooled by the so-called evidence.
"It was no accident.
It was done at the hands of Joey Armstrong."
VANESSA: I'm meeting Deanna
at Uptown to go through some more of her father's belongings.
I can't believe you actually think we're friends.
It's one of the hallmarks of being a friend, Hayley.
Being there for each other,
like I was there for you when this one
was coding on the operating table.
And I bought you a snack, gave you words of comfort
and sage advice when you were dealing with the Duprees.
You know what, I'm gonna excuse myself.
Oh, glory.
HAYLEY: To where?
Anywhere that's not here.
You got this?
Yes.
I'll...
deal with this menace.
You know, I really like your style, Hayley.
Mm-hmm. It's a lot of purple,
a little bit too much for me.
I mean, it's kind of like that
dinosaur just kind of exploded all over the place,
but it speaks to your personality.
You present yourself like you're Fairmont Crest royalty,
but everybody knows that your bloodline is bootleg
more than bougie.
Hm. You're one to talk.
Oh, I am nouveau riche,
and I come from music royalty,
but I didn't have to diddle with the devil to get my bag.
I don't know what kind of game you're playing, Leslie,
but it ends now.
I'm not playing any games, Hayley.
I really do want us to be besties.
Jacob.
Hey, son.
Oh, my bad, Pops.
I didn't realize you were there. What's up?
What are you so focused on
that you shutting off the whole world?
Remember when I told you I was waiting
on a whole load of intel from SFPD?
-Yeah. -It's here.
And I'm looking for anything that'll lead us to the Impaler.
And?
Well,
I was comparing Ren's phone contacts
with those of his counterparts,
and there's one number that they both have in common.
-Oh, yeah? -Check it out.
Talk to me.
Why is Portland panicking?
No, I already lost the DMV and San Francisco.
I'm not shutting down another operation.
Yes, I'm aware that these articles are causing an issue.
Believe me.
But your cunning leader has a plan
to take care of this snoopy reporter.
He will not be writing any more articles on our organization.
No, listen to me. You sit tight,
and you do not make any changes to any locations, understood?
Don't call me. I'll contact you from a new number.
The check, please.
-All right. -Well, thank you.
Oh, and by the way, that was a wonderful recommendation.
The strawberry shortcake. It was divine.
And so was the conversation.
I hope you don't mind me going on about the Impaler.
-Oh, no. -Some people think I'm a little too chatty.
Oh, gosh. Oh, I love all the town gossip.
Do you think that the cops are gonna
get that guy, the Impaler?
-I know they will. Jacob-- -Really?
Yeah, girl. Jacob, Naomi's husband--
he doesn't give up easily.
He has a personal stake in catching that bloodsucker.
Oh.
his best friend, a fireman named Derek Baldwin,
was killed during a shootout
-with the Impaler's goons. -No.
How terrible.
Oh, my goodness.
Derek used to come in here a lot.
He worked at the free clinic.
-Oh, honey. -He was good people.
Oh, what a pity.
To just be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Mm-hmm.
Or was he?
Why would a firefighter be involved
with something like that?
Why would he even be in that location?
Maybe he wasn't as innocent as he seemed.
Here you go.
Keep the change.
Oh. I sure will.
Hello there. I'm sorry to interrupt, but
aren't you Dani Dupree's daughter?
Uh, yeah, and... and you are?
I'm Heather. I've had the pleasure
of hanging out with your mother a few times.
-Heather Armstrong. -Oh, yes, Heather Armstrong.
But don't let the name put you off.
-I am nothing like my brother. -Oh.
There is an abundance of beautiful women in this town.
You know, Vanessa and I founded the Beautiful Babes Club.
-Oh. -Yeah.
We count Dani as a member, actually.
Well, two supermodels right here in Fairmont Crest.
Probably more than other gated communities.
You could be a member, too.
Your skin. I mean, you are stunning.
-Me? -Yes, you.
Well... well, thank you.
Um, but no. I...
I leave all the modeling and designing to my mom and sister.
I'm actually an attorney.
-Are you? -Mm-hmm.
Wow. Impressive.
Now that could come in very handy for us,
as well, with our club.
A girls' night out, if it gets out of control?
-Oh. -Then again,
we could also just call your father-in-law,
the chief of police, right?
Uh, that's interesting. Um...
What?
Ah, well, it's just,
I know how you know me because my mom brags
-about her daughters, as usual. -She does, yes.
But how do you know about the other branch of my family tree?
Oh. There's a very nice,
very talkative waitress right over there.
-Oh. June. -June.
I'm so sorry for being paranoid, and...
Oh, no, no, no. No worries.
No. You can never be too diligent these days.
You know, personal information
in the wrong hands can be dangerous.
I'm sure your husband, the detective,
would say the same thing.
-June, as well? -Yes.
-Yes, she's talkative. -Hmm.
More like the town crier today.
-Wow. -She was just being sweet.
She's giving me the lay of the land.
She's telling me all about this Impaler.
Ugh. Sounds awful dangerous.
But your husband came off as a real hero.
I hope he gets everything he deserves,
demolishing that blood ring.
Oh, Joey.
Lemon poppy seed scones.
-They're my favorite. -That's why I made them.
Thought you might use a little TLC.
You tossed and turned all night,
and this morning, you seemed a little off.
You always know exactly what I need when I need it.
And right now, I long to eat my feelings.
Thank you.
Hey, if I can bake a solution, I'm happy to do it.
I was in a mood this morning, but I met with Nicole,
my unofficial shrink, and now,
having an entire plate of scones to eat, I'm feeling better.
Who am I kidding? I'm not feeling better at all.
Ah.
It is almost the anniversary of Doug's death,
and I'm having a really hard time dealing with it.
I'm nothing but nerves and regret.
Probably because
you went through Doug's things with Deanna.
Did you find anything that surprised you
or did something trigger you?
No.
Deanna couldn't bring herself to go through the box.
Well,
that's not exactly true.
She took out an old photo
and we shared a nice moment.
When I spoke with Nicole earlier,
I explained to her how complicated my feelings are.
Of course they are.
But I didn't tell her the whole story.
I've never told a soul that you and I were together
in Puerto Rico when Doug died.
Or that he realized we were together
during the last phone call I had with him.
That adds a layer of guilt that...
...I'm having a hard time dealing with.
What tough decisions
will the board have to make after all this?
Well, I don't want to speculate,
and I certainly don't want to cause any panic.
So, for now, I think we should just concentrate
on making Garland the best place for patient care.
Oh, we are well past the panic front.
Excuse me. I have to do the afternoon meds.
-Oops. -Yeah.
Well, I think we could use some good news.
Ha. Agreed.
-I spoke to my brothers about linking up with you. -Ah.
And they said they could be free for lunch sometime this week.
Ah. Well, wait. Doesn't one of your brothers live,
like, an hour away?
Yeah. And if you're lucky, he might not come.
Well, if it's easier for him, I can meet him there.
You know what,
I am going to let you manhandle it.
I am sharing their contact info with you.
-Mm-hmm. -Now, if you'll excuse me,
I have a PT patient I need to torture.
All right.
You know, I almost believe the words coming out of your mouth.
Almost.
Understandable.
I get that you have
to tip your tiny little toes all around town.
But we're birds of a feather
when it comes to our social lives, or lack thereof.
That is ridiculous.
I am Bill Hamilton's wife.
My social calendar is full.
How many of those people that you hobnob with actually call
or text you after the parties?
Okay, Leslie, I've told you before.
So, I'll say it slower
and more emphatically this time.
I'm... not interested
in being... your friend.
It's okay, Hay-Hay.
It'll take some time, but I'll change your mind.
Because I'm... persistent.
Just ask your husband.
Toodles.
Hey, Hayley.
Is looney Leslie gone?
Crazy has officially left the building.
Oh, good.
So why does she think you two are friends?
I mean, you... you're not friends, are you?
No. No, we are not.
I mean, she thinks we have a bond
because we're both outcasts.
And no matter how many times I say it,
she won't take no for an answer.
Although, if... if I'm being totally honest,
she's not wrong.
Everyone in this town hates me.
No, no. No. I don't hate you.
-Caroline doesn't. -Look, babe,
I-I know you're just trying to make me feel better,
but truth is,
I am lonely, Bill.
I cut back on my hours at the firm.
You didn't.
You took on another case with the Naomi,
and even when you were in the hospital,
you were working.
You're not thinking of taking Leslie up
on her offer just to teach me a lesson, are you?
Bill, I am not that petty or desperate,
and I'm sure as hell not interested
in buddying up with the likes of that woman.
Under no circumstances.
Ted.
Dana.
Is there gonna be another press conference
now that Garland is in the news?
I don't know.
That's Monica's call.
But if there is one, I'm gonna tell her
to not let you anywhere near it
since you hijacked the first one.
My clinic is connected to Garland,
and you-know-what is always rolling down the hills.
I mean, I had to do damage control, Ted.
Fine.
I will just talk to Monica myself.
I already asked where to find her.
Dana. Dana, no.
Dana.
Looks like Leslie's up to her usual no good,
which I do not have time for today.
Look, look, before you get back to it,
I need to tell you I did talk to your brothers,
and we're gonna meet up right here in the DMV.
Okay. Where you guys going?
Orphey Gene's? Uptown?
A sports bar.
We're gonna meet at the club.
What? Oh, hell, no.
It proves there's a direct link between the Red Market
that was operating here and San Francisco.
I'll file the court order for the carrier records,
and maybe, if we're lucky, we'll find out the identity
of a high-ranking member of the Impaler's organization.
Outstanding work, son.
And while that's processing, I'll look back over the file
and see if anything else jumps out.
I heard you had plans with Naomi for later.
Right. Right.
Yeah, but I don't remember telling you that.
You know what, I'll just call and cancel.
Son, if you care about your wife,
you'll put that phone down.
Hey, there, son-in-law.
I hope you are here to tell me
that Tyrell agreed to have a family party
before he leaves to Banneker.
We are still working on that,
but I could actually use your professional help.
You know I can't treat family,
but I can recommend a doctor if you need somebody to talk to.
I'm not looking for a therapy session.
I was hoping to use your skills in forensic psychology.
[phone buzzing]
Talk to me.
In my hall?
Right now?
No, they can pass.
I'm sorry. We, uh... we have a visitor
who just can't seem to take no for an answer.
Hi, Joey.
Vanessa.
Good to see you. Oh.
you made your scones.
These are to die for.
Oh, is that a poor choice of words?
Are you crying?
Joe-Joe, did you make her cry?
No, no. Uh,
I'm just in my feelings because we're coming up
on the anniversary of my husband's death.
I... I know you mentioned that.
I am so, so sorry.
But Joey has been remarkably supportive,
and would never do anything to make me cry.
I know that your... your husband died.
I just didn't know all the details.
It might help to talk to me about it.
Vanessa's drained, Heather.
I'm a really, really good listener.
It's always been so comforting when people have listened to me,
and I've had my fair share of heartache.
Oh, honey.
Um...
Leading up...
to Doug's death, the-the months before he died,
he-he was drinking and he was gambling and lying.
He'd racked up gambling debts
that nearly ruined us financially.
He-he quit his job.
He was basically a wreck.
Then, one night, he-he left the casino drunk.
He crashed his car, and he...
...he-he died...
alone in a ravine.
Bill.
Honey?
I hate to wake you, but it's time to drink your smoothie.
I'm supposed to be resting, too.
Okay, just get this vitamin shake in you,
and then you can have a nice, long sleep.
Hmm.
-Mmm. Mmm. -Mm-hmm.
Yup.
Babe, the club is perfect. It's familiar territory,
and I'll be in my element.
And plus, after our meal with your brothers,
I can impress them with my basketball skills, huh?
Look, I love that you are trying
to strategize so this all goes smoothly.
I really do. But it is not going to work.
My knucklehead brothers are already thinking up
a million ways on how to embarrass you.
They are liable to do something so ratched,
you will get kicked out of the club.
You're not overreacting.
This is me trying not to overreact.
Shanice, I know you're skittish
about your man meeting your brothers,
and I remember the stories you told me about them,
but I truly believe it's going to be fine.
Okay.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Your mood have anything to do with that swarm of reporters
I had to wade through to get in here?
I just... I thought this was all behind us.
I guess I was just being naive.
Happy ever after really is just for fairy tales.
As long as the Impaler is out there running around,
this story is gonna rear its ugly head over and over again.
Do not give up, okay?
Jacob is determined to catch whoever this is. He's on it.
We will get our happily ever after.
Pops, how could you say that?
-Of course I care about Naomi. -You should know
your wife called and asked me to meet her at Orphey Gene's.
She has some concerns.
-What kind of concerns? -Why don't you ask her?
I'm not comfortable getting involved
in your marriage more than I already have.
Come on, Pops. You can't just drop a bomb on me
like that and leave me hanging.
She's worried that your drive
to nail the Impaler may become detrimental to your life
in more ways than one. I mean, case in point, son.
You're sitting here rereading a file
that you've been over a dozen times.
I appreciate the advice.
Smitty, I only looked into a fellowship,
which means I read a few books and audited a few classes.
I never finished the training.
It was way back when the kids were small
and I was looking for a new challenge.
Turns out it was way more of a challenge than I expected.
I get that, but I do remember you telling me
that you created a few mock profiles. Right?
I did. Is that what you need me to do--
create a profile on someone?
Because if that's the case, I can find you
-somebody way more qualified. -Well, the police
already had one of their experts do a profile,
and it wasn't as helpful to the MPD
as we hoped it would be.
Yours would be coming at it from a different angle,
an emotional one versus an overview
of textbook definitions.
Well, I have to say, you've got me curious.
Who would I be creating a profile on?
The Impaler.
Talking to you about Doug did help.
I'm so glad.
Now, maybe a long hot shower would be really therapeutic.
-Oh, I wouldn't want to be rude. -Oh, please.
Self-care is way more important than entertaining a guest.
Plus, Joey can keep me company.
"Self-care is more important
than entertaining"?
Well, it's true.
And I want to talk to you freely.
Showers are loud.
Well, my brother,
for someone that doesn't like doing his own dirty work,
your hands are awfully filthy.
Have another scone, Heather.
You may as well, because you clearly don't know
what you're talking about.
Oh, I know exactly what I'm talking about.
You offed Doug
so that you could have his wife.
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