TITLE SEQUENCE

INT. RESTAURANT

A Conway Twitty impersonator is crouched on one knee under a blue light.

SINGER: Some say love it is a river. And that it drowns the tender reed. And some say love…

Cut to Ray Velcoro looking at the stage from his usual spot in the restaurant.

SINGER: ...it’s like a razor. And that it leaves your soul to bleed.

Ray looks across the table to an older cop.

SINGER (singing): And some say love, it is a hunger. An endless aching need…

Cut back to the table.

COP: You got your father’s hands.

Ray puts his hands on the table. The knuckles are bloody and his hands are shaking.

SINGER (O.S.): I say love, it is a flower…

RAY: My father made me nervous.

COP: Maybe you were already nervous. Maybe you lacked grit.

Cut to an angle of the two men plus the singer. The singer keeps singing in the background.

COP: I see you. Running through the trees. You’re small. The trees are like giants. Men are chasing you.

RAY: I’m right here.

COP: You step out the trees, you ain’t that fast. Now, son, they’ll kill ya. They’ll shoot ya to pieces.

Cut back to the stage and the singer.

RAY: Where is this?

COP: I don’t know. You were here first.

Ray looks down. His chest is bleeding. The singer keeps singing and the camera pans up to the blue stage light.

CUT TO: CASPERE SAFE HOUSE - DAY

The radio that was playing “I Pity the Fool” last episode plays the song the singer was singing in the restaurant. Ray’s body is in the same place, seemingly lifeless. All of a sudden, he jumps up, gasps for air, and rips off his shirt to check for bullet holes. He sees that he is OK, then scans the room to find the camera trained on him and the animal masks hanging on the wall.

RAY: Ahh… Pissed myself.

EXT. CASPERE HOUSE - DAY

Cop cars surround the scene. Ray leans on an ambulance as he’s being bandaged. Bezzerides exits her car and runs towards Velcoro.

BEZZERIDES: What the fuck, man? I'm commanding officer of this detail. You call me you got something.

RAY: Well, I got shot. That's something. I found our murder scene. That's something else.

BEZZERIDES: You don't enter a scene without your partner-- me.

RAY: I didn't know it was a scene. I walk in, next thing somebody shotgunned me.Twice.

BEZZERIDES: Then how are you still--

RAY: Rubber buckshot. It's just impact. Riot shells. You know, like... like cops use.

Silence for a moment.

BEZZERIDES: You all right?

RAY: Couple of cracked ribs. Took one in the sternum, so my heart aches.

BEZZERIDES: And how did you find this place?

RAY: Prost tip through a CI. Said Caspere took her here once.

BEZZERIDES: All right. Well, get cleared by a doctor. See if you can bring in the hooker. Fuck, it smells like piss.

RAY: Burris is already inside.

Ani heads towards the crime scene.

RAY: So I'll go ahead and take the day, Xena?

Ray pulls out a pack of cigarettes.

INT. CASPERE HOUSE

LIEUTENANT BURRIS (to man dusting for evidence): Everything goes through Vinci PD Special Homicide Task Force.

BEZZERIDES: What are you doing with my scene, Lieutenant?

BURRIS: Securing it. One of my men gets shot, you better believe I'm on site. (stare down) It's all yours.

Burris exits the house. Bezzerides begins looking around. She walks by a sex swing in the middle of the room and pulls up a covering on the wall.

BEZZERIDES: Soundproofing.

She looks at the sex swing.

BEZZERIDES: Oh, Christ.

EXT. CASPERE HOUSE - DAY

Ray is leaning against the ambulance smoking a cigarette.

INT. FERTILITY CLINIC

Frank grunts. He looks to his side and sees hand cream and porno magazines. He closes his eyes and tries to focus.

FRANK: It ain’t working. Look. This, uh… dammit.

JORDAN: Is it the place?

FRANK: This has never happened to me in my fucking life!

Frank zips his pants and stands up. Jordan is holding a cup.

JORDAN: Maybe we could get a room nearby? Take our time?

FRANK (checks his watch): I ain’t got the time.

JORDAN: This is important, Frank.

FRANK: No shit. You don't think I know that? There is no part of my life not overwrought with live-or-die importance.I take a shit, there's a gun to my head saying, "Make it a good one. Don't fuck up.”

JORDAN: Baby, just relax.

Jordan reaches for his crotch and he pushes her away.

FRANK: This whole thing is unnatural. Don't feel right.

JORDAN: We talked about this. A lot.

FRANK: It's unnatural. They already said I'm fine.

JORDAN: What does that mean?

FRANK: What I said. This. This. Phenomenal motility, the doc said.

JORDAN: God forgive me for misreading what subtle clues you embed for me in your limp dick, which is as wishy-washy as your fucking mood. So what if it's hard for us? Like I'm your fucking incubator.

She throws the cup at him.

JORDAN: Suck your own dick. (exits the room)

INT. CASPERE SAFE HOUSE

Paul gives a rundown to Bezzerides as Dixon listens on.

WOODRUGH: Bungalow was a business lease through the Catalast Group. Same place leased his car. Utilities paid by Porpoise LLC, which was Caspere's company. And he had a landline here, too. Printed out the phone record. (hands her the paper)

INT. CAR - DAY

BEZZERIDES: If we don't get anything today, I want you on working girls. Put those looks to use.

WOODRUGH: Sure.

BEZZERIDES: So I could not mention it, but you're an adult.

WOODRUGH: All right.

BEZZERIDES: All right. That actress--

WOODRUGH: If you're asking me if I did what she said, then I'm gonna get out of the fucking car.

BEZZERIDES: Well, I was gonna ask if you thought the exposure would interfere with doing fieldwork.

WOODRUGH: I seriously doubt it.

BEZZERIDES: You should sue her when it's over. Chick's loaded.

Ani holds her e-cig.

WOODRUGH: Is that a fucking e-cigarette?

INT. RESTAURANT

Ray is sitting at his usual spot. The door opens, and Frank and one of his men enter the room. Frank sits down across from Ray and the man sits at a bar stool.

FRANK: You can't talk on the phone?

RAY: I'm trying to stay off the phone.

FRANK: What? What do you got?

RAY : Who else knew about that spot? Caspere's place? You walked me into something, Frank.

FRANK: What are you on about?

INT. RESTAURANT - LATER

A drink is set down for Frank. Ray has seemingly finished his story.

FRANK: Wow. That's some luck on you. Fuck.

RAY: Where's the girl who gave up the place?

FRANK: Caspere bought whores. She was one of Danny Santos'. My crew don't pimp.

RAY: Well, then maybe she had a boyfriend. You know, set Caspere up for him. Or maybe Caspere was into so much dirt, there's no telling which side the ax came from, because let me tell you, there was some fucked-up psychology at work in that place before it was a murder scene. Now, are you gonna tell me what Caspere was doing with you, or do I wait to walk into another dark room, this time with real bullets?

FRANK: There's a certain stridency at work here. I'm gonna put it off to you getting blasted.

RAY: Oh, frankly, I'm apoplectic.

FRANK: I'm feeling a little apoplectic myself.

Frank sighs then looks at the table to see Ray has ordered a water.

FRANK: What's with the water?

RAY: Booze tends to take the edge off. I want to stay angry.

Frank gives a small nod.

FRANK: Caspere had a lot of my money in play. Real estate. Property adjacent to the rail line.

RAY: How long did you know him?

FRANK: Started working with him the last few years. He was here when we moved out of the city.

RAY: They stole a hidden camera after they shot me. Hard drive. Boggles the mind what might be on it.

FRANK: Like I said, I'm gonna put off the stridency.

RAY: Well, you do that, Frank.

Ray gets up and leaves. The scar-faced waitress approaches the table.

WAITRESS: Is Ray hurt? What happened?

FRANK: Somebody murdered him.

EXT. CHESSANI MANSION - DAY

Bezzerides and Woodrugh walk up the driveway towards the mansion.

WOODRUGH: The mayor of Vinci lives in Bel-Air?

INT. CHESSANI MANSION

A blonde girl holding a glass walks past scattered clothes and a painting of the mayor to answer the door.

BEZZERIDES: Are you Betty Chessani? We're state police, ma'am.

Paul and Ani enter the house.

VERONICA: Veronica Chessani. I'm Betty's stepmother.

BEZZERIDES: Mrs. Chessani, do you mind if we ask you a few questions? Did you know Ben Caspere, the Vinci city manager?

VERONICA: Only a little. A dinner party I meet him once.

Ani looks around to see various bottles, articles of clothing, and drug paraphanelia.

BEZZERIDES: You guys have a party last night?

VERONICA: No.

Veronica inhales from a plastic bag filled with weed smoke.

VERONICA: Is medicine for my eyes.

Veronica sits down and gives Paul a smile.

VERONICA: Hello.

Ani walks away.

WOODRUGH: Do you remember Mr. Caspere and your husband ever talking late at night?

VERONICA: No, I don't think. Have you talked to Austin? He say okay for you coming here?

WOODRUGH: Sure.

VERONICA: Oh.

WOODRUGH: We're checking because Mr. Caspere kept an apartment in the city and his phone records show a lot of phone calls coming to this house. 1:00, 2:00 AM.

VERONICA: I-- I don't-- I don't know. I don't pay attention. Is upstairs line. Business.

WOODRUGH: So how long have you been married to Mr. Chessani?

VERONICA: Mayor Chessani. Never mister, he says. For a year.

WOODRUGH: And how'd you guys meet?

VERONICA (laughs): A party.

Ani continues to search the rest of the house. She sees various paintings and pictures of Mayor Chessani. She looks on a desk and sees a classified Land Title Survey. She hears glass shattering and a woman screaming upstairs and goes up to investigate.

INT. CHESSANI MANSION - UPSTAIRS

Ani stops outside of the room of a girl looking over a map at her desk.

BEZZERIDES: Hey. Everything all right?

The girl gets up and closes the door.

INT. CHESSANI MANSION - DOWNSTAIRS

While Paul and Veronica are talking, a girl crashes down into the pool outside. Veronica and Paul rush outside.

EXT. CHESSANI MANSION - POOL

Tony Chessani looks down from the balcony, smoking a bowl and wearing a bathrobe.

TONY (with thick Hispanic accent): And stay down there, you dumb bitch.

The girl laughs as she splashes in the trash-infested pool, topless.

VERONICA (to Tony): I tell you to keep these whores from my house!

Tony is smoking a bowl, and turns to see Ani approaching him from behind.

TONY: Yo, Ronnie. Who the fuck these people?

Tony starts walking towards Ani. He kicks something and it shatters.

BEZZERIDES: State police. Cover yourself.

TONY: Got a warrant?

Cut back to the pool. The shirtless girl is staring at Paul. He looks away and goes back in the house.

INT. CHESSANI MANSION - DOWNSTAIRS

VERONICA: Why you hurt me like this, huh?

TONY: Yo, why don't you chug a pot of coffee? Take a Xanax and chill your ass. Bodine on his way down. I called him. People ain't happy with y'all goose-stepping up in here.

BEZZERIDES: You knew Ben Caspere?

TONY: Nah, some old guy who worked with my pops.

The wind blows through the open door and sends everything on the floor flying.

VERONICA: No! No! No! Who left door open?

Veronica runs to close the door and Tony rolls his eyes.

BEZZERIDES: Where'd you pick up that accent?

TONY: Accent? You racist woman.

Tony smiles then starts talking with an American accent.

TONY: I admit, it's a total put-on. Different roles for different jobs. I have a lot of friends.

BEZZERIDES: And what is it you do?

TONY: Specialty events. I am an organizer.

WOODRUGH: What kind of events?

TONY: All kinds. Now, if you'll excuse me (puts on an urban accent)-- Y'all best to get stepping 'fore my man Bodine come in here with a lawyer, chew your asses out. You ain't got no jurisdiction coming in here.

Ani and Paul exit the mansion.

INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE

DOCTOR (reading from chart): Burst capillaries, cholesterol terrible, your liver is redlining.
Can I ask how much you drink in an average week?

RAY: All I can.

DOCTOR: Drugs?

RAY: A few.

DOCTOR: And I'll just go out on a limb here and guess that your diet isn't particularly healthy.

RAY: Well, this, you know, had me thinking about, uh changing some things.

DOCTOR: Well, it's certainly possible to live with unhealthy habits, but it helps if you don't have every one under the sun.

RAY: Am I cleared?

DOCTOR: I'd take a couple days, but, yeah, you're cleared. Burris says to clear you at any rate.

RAY: Great. All right, see you.

DOCTOR: Can I ask you something, Mr. Velcoro? Do you want to live?

Ray goes silent and starts staring at his X-ray.

EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE

Construction men are busy at work while Frank and Bart walk through the site.

FRANK: What are you doing here?

BART: Vertical mall. What do you need, Frank?

INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE - ROOM

FRANK: Gratitude for starters.

BART: Frank. You know I'm grateful. I've told you.

FRANK: Gratitude you can count.

BART: Frank, what I pulled together to take your shares back, no one else would have paid what I did. And I'm grateful with the rail corridor stuff. It's great.

FRANK: Thank you.

BART: How many times do you expect to be paid for the same thing?

FRANK: Every month. 25% of your net.

BART: I-- I already paid you. Come on, man. You moved on.

FRANK: Things change. If they change for me, they can change for you. Things are good right now. That's good.

Frank starts going through some of the mailboxes in Bart’s office.

FRANK: Maybe one day the Teamsters, your electrical workers, they get a problem with this site. Probity Loan, that loaned you that money, that lets you buy into this gravy train, they're gonna call back the note. And you'll need a friend, which is what I'm offering you. How's Mary and the boys? She stood by you, huh?

Bart looks to a picture on his desk of his wife and kids.

FRANK: You like the schools in Tarzana?

BART: I want weekend deliveries. And those electrician fucks, they're charging me for five guys when three will do.

FRANK: There you go. One hand in the other. First of the month, Bart. I'm not going anywhere.

Frank exits the office and puts his shades on.

INT. BANK

A bank worker opens a safe deposit box for Bezzerides and Woodrugh and Ani begins going through it.

INT. STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

BEZZERIDES: He had a safe-deposit box at a Bel-Air security firm. Articles of incorporation for a couple LLCs. These corporations he had formed within the last year. We're looking into asset listings now.

DAVIS: Good. They can use that to follow his money.

O’NEAL: No closer on a suspect? Velcoro didn't see who shot him?

BEZZERIDES: Said they were masked.

DAVIS: You think he could have staged that? I mean, at the end of the day, he just got banged up some.

BEZZERIDES (thinking): Can't imagine why he would. There was something else in that box, too. Blue diamonds.

Ani opens her first to reveal blue diamonds in her palm.

BEZZERIDES: We'll follow up on the corporate holdings and the prostitution connections while the lab processes the apartment. Caspere seems deep with Catalast. Nothing much public on them. Own a lot of land.

DAVIS: Gotten close to Velcoro?

BEZZERIDES: My impression? Straight up? Guy’s a burnout.

INT. MAYOR CHESSANI’S OFFICE

Chessani yells at Velcoro, Holloway, and Burris.

CHESSANI: Bitch comes into my house, no warrant, no nothing, harasses my wife, my children.

BODINE: The mayor is very upset.

HOLLOWAY: What did you find, Ray?

RAY: A murder scene in an apartment in West Hollywood. This private development group, Catalast, rented it for Caspere.

HOLLOWAY: And?

RAY: Oh, same kinds of weirdness we found at his other place. You know, his fetish shit. And there was a spot where a camera and a hard drive had been, but the guy that shot me took it.

BURRIS: And you didn't get a look at him?

RAY: No. As soon as I turned, I just saw the blast.

CHESSANI: What about the cunt?

BURRIS: Bezzerides. She ask any questions about the department?

RAY: No, not really.

INT. STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

DAVIS: Velcoro's dirty. I want him. I thought I was clear on that. We got a crooked Vinci cop we can leverage. All the better. He's a man, for Christ's sake.

BEZZERIDES: Yeah, so what?

DAVIS: I'm not saying fuck him, but maybe let him think you might fuck him.

O’NEAL: Detective Bezzerides isn't IA or UC. She's tasked with a murder.

DAVIS: Sure. Sure. And I'm not putting this in a memo, but Velcoro is worth a bonus. I can see working a promotion for you.

INT. CHESSANI’S OFFICE

HOLLOWAY: State attorney subpoenaed our time sheets.

RAY: Hmm.

HOLLOWAY: What's your next move on Caspere?
RAY: Well--

CHESSANI: --I want her badge. I want her hick sheriff boss's badge. This state thing is gonna get cleared up soon enough. They're gonna come out owing me and that-- that cunt is walking the plank.

RAY: Look, the camera taken means there was something on it. Maybe the killing, maybe footage of the killer. But he was traveling up and down the state doing land deals.

BURRIS: Well, that's smoke and no fire. Land deals aren't gonna bring this in. But keep working the hooker angle and get it wrapped before state makes this part of their probe.

HOLLOWAY: Clear?

RAY: Um Bezzerides is running the case, sir.

CHESSANI: Bezzerides is gonna be running a yogurt stand.

BURRIS: So steer her to something concrete. I like a pimp for this.

RAY: Look, you want the truth? Maybe this is a good excuse to take me off. You know? I mean, she don't trust me. And I ain't ever exactly been Columbo.

CHESSANI: What the fuck does that mean? This is your best man?

BURRIS: You're on it, Ray, period.

RAY: How's the, uh, probe looking?

HOLLOWAY: We'll work it out.

RAY: Yeah.

Ray stands up and exits the office.

INT. VC SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Ani walks by her old office to get her things.

ELVIS: They treating you all right?

BEZZERIDES: Like a cheerleader on an oil rig.

Ani sees Steve, a sheriff, walking towards her in uniform.

BEZZERIDES: Oh, shit.

STEVE: Hey, thought your phone was busted. I heard you were up here. I thought I'd stop by.

BEZZERIDES: Okay, yeah. I've just-- I've been working down south.

STEVE: No, yeah, I know. I know. I just thought maybe we could go grab a bite.

Ani starts walking him towards a more private part of the office.

STEVE: I can come down, you know, since you're not answering my phone calls.

BEZZERIDES: Yeah, Steve, look. You’re a decent guy, but--

STEVE: Wait, wait, wait. Come on…

BEZZERIDES: This has run its course. Okay? No big deal. You didn’t do anything. But you and I, there's just not much there.

STEVE: There's not much there? Well, you could have fooled me. You know, you fucking started this.

BEZZERIDES: Don't push this somewhere ugly. Just be a little mature about it. Have some dignity.

STEVE: Dignity? You're a real suck 'em and leave 'em type, huh?

BEZZERIDES: You talk to me like that again, you're gonna need a little baggie to carry your teeth home.

Steve starts walking out of the office. As he passes Elvis’s desk:

ELVIS: Mama's boy.

STEVE: What?

Steve starts towards Elvis and Ani gets between the two of them.

BEZZERIDES: Stop. Stop. Get the fuck out of my squad room.

STEVE: All right. You know, you got serious problems, Detective.

BEZZERIDES: I'm whittling them down.

Ani sits down at her desk.

ELVIS: Wow.

BEZZERIDES: Yeah?

ELVIS: Nice.

BEZZERIDES: You got something to say?

ELVIS: Nothing at all.

INT. VELCORO HOUSE

The older man from Ray’s earlier vision struggles with a shot glass. Ray helps him lift it to his lips.

RAY: You could just drink from the bottle.

EDDIE VELCORO: Drink out the bottle, you got a problem.

Ray drops a bag of marijuana on the table.

EDDIE: You know that last shit you gave me kept me up all night. Thought I could hear your mother.

RAY: Well, it’s not that. It's indica.

Cut to an old-school TV playing a “Detective Story”.

MAN ON TV: The smell of burning flesh.

MAN #2: Your own.

MAN #1: Well, then talk! What did you do with the stuff?

MAN #3: Now wait a minute, fellas. Louis is okay.

RAY: I had a dream about you.

EDDIE: I can’t ever remember my dreams. Barely sleep anyway.

Ray checks out his father’s shelf full of family pictures. He gestures towards an empty spot.

RAY: Where's your badge?

EDDIE: Well, it's...

Eddie jerks his thumb towards a trash can. Ray picks up his father’s badge, which is sealed in a glass box.

RAY: You shouldn't do that. Whatever you saw on the news or whatever pissed you off, you'll wake up one day and you'll miss it.

EDDIE: I won't miss it. There ain't no PD anymore.

RAY: Well, if you're gonna throw it away, I'll take it. I'll give it to Chad.

TV: Pull. Have you got any friends with push like that?

RAY: You been eating?

EDDIE: Nah, I don't get hungry.

RAY: Well, that grass will give you an appetite. Put you to sleep, too.

Eddie sniffs the bag of weed.

EDDIE: Mm. How's your boy?

RAY: He's all right. It's hard being a kid. We don't see each other as much as we'd like. Pop, the guys in Vinci, you knew Kevin Burris a little. Holloway the chief?

EDDIE: Holloway's a good man. Hard charger. Old school. Worked them tough beats under Gates. Back when you could actually do police work. Yeah, Burris, too.

RAY: Why'd he leave? Set up shop in Vinci?

EDDIE: 'Cause he's fucking smart. (sighs) And after the riots and OJ, we just couldn't do the job right. So he said so long to those cunts and, phew headed on out of town. I should have been looking ahead. Wouldn't have no half pension now.

RAY: Anyways, I hadn't seen you in a while.

EDDIE: Yeah.

RAY: I figured you needed your medicine.

EDDIE (gestures towards TV): Look at that shit. Kirk Douglas. No country for white men, boy.

Ray gets up as his father starts lighting a joint. He studies the badge.

INT. CASINO - OFFICE

Frank looks down at Jordan, sitting at a cards table, through the window.

FRANK: I don't get it.

OSIP: We'll be in Vegas for a few days. I have other business. Gives me time to confer with my people. We can talk next week.

FRANK: A month ago it sounded like we were a done deal.

OSIP: We've been over this, Frank. I don't make these decisions myself.

FRANK: And Caspere? My thinking is this is somehow connected to you getting cold feet.

OSIP: Sure. We're not stupid. What you had sewn up, the stitching's frayed, Frank.

FRANK: This is too big to walk away from.

OSIP: I don't ask permission.

FRANK: I wasn't talking about you.

Osip begins to get up.

FRANK: You leaving? Bon fucking voyage.

OSIP: All right, Frank.

Osip exits the room. The door closes.

FRANK: Fucking Commie Jew fuck!

Frank composes himself.

FRANK (to Nails): Where's Blake?

NAILS: I messaged him.

Frank looks down to see Osip shaking hands with Jordan.

FRANK: And Stan-- why isn't he here? Shouldn't a reasonable man infer from Osip's arrival and departure and fucking failure to make good on our terms as being connected not just to Caspere, but prefiguring Caspere? In a causal sense. I'm saying do you think Osip could have done Caspere?

NAILS: Not my department. But if you're asking me is he that kind of guy? He looks half anaconda and half great white.

INT. STADIUM - DIRT BIKE TRACK

A buzzer goes off and the riders take off from the finish line. Woodrugh is standing next to another man, holding a beer.

MIGUEL: So I saw that paper, bro. Thought I'd check up on you. Got you downrange, huh?

WOODRUGH: It's bullshit. I'm half working this thing for state. Supposed to see me through.

MIGUEL: So?

WOODRUGH: So fuck no, I didn't.

MIGUEL: Yeah, well, I didn't think you did. So you been going to meetings?

WOODRUGH: I went the first year. I mean, if you want to get over something, maybe sitting around and remembering it in every detail ain't the right way.

MIGUEL: Yeah, well, the thing of it is some of that knowledge they spill makes sense. Stuff about the past, not denying it letting it be a part of you.

WOODRUGH: Yeah.

EXT. STADIUM

Paul and Miguel walk towards the parking lot.

WOODRUGH: You working?

MIGUEL: Yeah, just some things here and there. Mm, I got on with the electricians union.

WOODRUGH: Mm, great.

MIGUEL: Still a low man. You ever miss it?

WOODRUGH: Yeah.

MIGUEL: You know, I keep thinking about the village. Outside Al Awjar.

WOODRUGH: The valley.

MIGUEL: Nice people, man. Mountains.

WOODRUGH: We ain't soldiers anymore, man.

MIGUEL: I remember thinking I could have just stayed there. Just forget finding the squad. I mean I think, like, that was like the-- it was the last time shit felt right for me, bro.

WOODRUGH: You mean combat.

MIGUEL: Would you ever go back to it?

WOODRUGH: I don't think so. Didn't think I'd stay on as long as I did. And then it was hard to see coming home, you know?

MIGUEL: That's not what I mean. You know what I'm talking about. Them three days. I think about you, man.

WOODRUGH: Stop it.

MIGUEL: Why? What if I don't want to forget, huh?

WOODRUGH: Dude, you should go. I'm out.

Paul starts walking away. Miguel puts his hand on his shoulder to stop him.


MIGUEL: Hey, look. Don't pretend, all right? Don't pre--

Paul turns around and punches Miguel in the face.

WOODRUGH: Fuck you, asshole.

MIGUEL: Woodrugh, I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean for that. I'm sorry, man. I'm drunk. I am drunk. I'm sorry!

Woodrugh runs away from the scene, holding back emotion. Dixon snaps a picture of him from the upper level of the stadium.

INT. WAREHOUSE

Bezzerides prints out a photo of the car that dropped Caspere off at the bench.

BEZZERIDES: City traffic cams came back. Ventura picked this one up 1:00 AM night of the murder. Caddy pulling onto PCH from the 33. Car's registered to a film transportation department.

DIXON: That flick they're shooting here?

BEZZERIDES: Got it in one.

Velcoro grunts as he opens the door and enters the room.

BEZZERIDES: You're back.

RAY: Yeah, not for lack of trying.

EXT. FILM SET - DAY

A man in goggles with a thick vest and a strange haircut lays in the dirt. He starts climbing up the prop mountain.

DAN CZARN (O.S.): Caspere arranged our tax incentives. Only way you can film anything in California now. Threw him a co-producer credit. We're real sorry to hear what happened.

DIRECTOR: Cut!

BEZZERIDES: Was he around here much?

CZARN: No. I mean, he came by-- we were in prep, helped out with PD, zoning.

BEZZERIDES: That producer credit come with a paycheck?

CZARN: Back end, yeah.

RAY: What about that car? The Caddy?

CZARN: Went missing one morning last week. We filed it stolen with sheriff's. Put in the insurance papers yesterday. I'll bring you to our transpo head.

Cut to a different part of the set. An armored car drives by 2 more actors in costume.

TRANSPO MAN: Yeah, Monday morning it was gone. Lock on the gate was bolt cut. Sheriff's took a report.

BEZZERIDES: Any personnel missing?

TRANSPO: No, nothing unusual. We had a driver quit the week before due to family issues. I never knew the Caspere guy.

BEZZERIDES: I need names and addresses of everyone in your department.

TRANSPO: Sure. Yeah.

EXT. FILM SET - MOUNTAIN

ASHLEY DAISON: Cut. Fuck it. Check the gate. Let's move.

RAY: Hey, what's this thing about?

SET PHOTOGRAPHER: About two tons of shit. Some collapse of civilization revenge flick. Ought to make it a silent picture the way the guy does his lines.

RAY: (looks at the camera around his neck) That's your job?

PHOTOGRAPHER: Yeah, set photographer. (snaps a picture) It's the best use of my time so far.

Ray holds up a photo of Caspere to him.

RAY: You ever-- you ever seen this guy around?

PHOTOGRAPHER: Yeah, I've seen him. Some city guy. Wants to brush shoulders with the industry, I guess. Heard he partied with our director once or twice.

RAY: Oh, yeah?

PHOTOGRAPHER: Yeah, Daison was going on about some party they went to. Well-attended, he said. I mean pussy. Like, wall to wall. I guess being the set photographer don't rate an invite.

Cut to Ani and Ray talking to Daison.

DAISON: Yeah, it was just like a dinner, drinks thing. Lots of suits, potential investors.

BEZZERIDES: What about girls?

DAISON: Yeah, girls were there. They are over half the population.

BEZZERIDES: Were there any hookers at this party?

DAISON: I really wouldn't know that, ma'am.

RAY: Where was it?

DAISON: Somewhere up above Ventura. I really don't remember. Tell you the truth, I drink. So it makes my recollection unreliable. Jack, get everyone up for a rehearsal. I'll be there in a sec. Burning dollars. Yeah.

A girl holding a notepad walks up to Ray and Ani.

GIRL: I still work for the city manager's office. With Mr. Caspere-- with what happened, they sent me down to collect copies of the tax agreements.

RAY: Why? Something wrong with them?

GIRL: I don't think so. They're just trying to get all the city's paperwork in order. With the state's inquiry.

RAY: All right. Thank you.

INT. CASINO - OFFICE

FRANK: The fuck have you been? You take off on me now?

BLAKE: Just with my lady. My-- my phone died.

FRANK: Your fucking phone died? Am I a goddamn teenage girl?

BLAKE: Frank, Stan.

FRANK: What about him?

BLAKE: He's dead.

INT. WAREHOUSE BASMENT

IVAR: Couple of our Mexicans found him, boss.

Stan is sitting dead in a hole in the basement with his eyes burnt out.

FRANK: What is this, huh? Who the fuck would have something against Stan? Don't make any fucking sense. What is he to anybody?

BLAKE: Too much coming right after Caspere.

FRANK: No shit. Who, huh? Who the fuck's coming after me? (pushes Blake) Huh? WHO!? Get Santos, Fregredo, Constantine, anybody that works on our property or what used to be our property, now, tonight! Santos' place.

BLAKE: What are you thinking?

FRANK: Just fucking do what I tell ya. Pack him up. He deserves better than this.

EXT. CLUB - STREET

Paul shows a group of prostitutes a picture of Caspere.

WOODRUGH: How you guys doing? You ever see this guy around?

They shake their heads no. Paul moves on to a new group of girls who also tell him no. He is told no by a third pair of girls and sits down on a park bench. He sees a boy in an angel costume going down on someone and takes a drink from his flask.

EXT. STREET CORNER - NIGHT

Paul walks up to a group of 2 girls and one guy standing on a corner. He takes out the picture of Caspere.

WOODRUGH: You guys ever see this guy around?

They say nothing and shake their heads.

WOODRUGH: Look, I'm not vice. I don't give a shit who fucks who here. No?

MALE PROSTITUTE (TYLER): I've seen him before.

WOODRUGH: Where?

TYLER: Never dated him, I mean, but he'd been around a few times. I was working. Good with faces.

WOODRUGH: Where was this?

TYLER: Couple times, this club a couple blocks down. Lux Infinitum.

WOODRUGH: You been there?

TYLER: No.

WOODRUGH: Is it big with hookers?

TYLER: Big with all sorts. But, yeah, they got some prime time in there. It's one of them circuit clubs, you know? (laughs) Trade runs through. Some European. That pussy is expensive, so yeah, you got party people, but also suits and whatnot.

WOODRUGH: All right. Thanks.

TYLER (laughing): They're not gonna talk to you. They probably wouldn't even let you in. This angsty cop drama you're rolling.

INT. RAY’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Ani looks around the house and sees a group of model planes and space shuttles on the wall.

BEZZERIDES: You like models, I guess?

RAY: Yeah, started building them with my kid. Then I just started doing them without him.

Ray hands Ani a cup of coffee.

BEZZERIDES: Thanks.

There’s a knock on the door. Ray walks over and looks out the window.

RAY: Shit. Just a minute.

Ray leaves the house.

EXT. RAY’S HOUSE

Gena is standing in his front lawn. Her husband is in the car.

RAY: Hey.

GENA: Look, Ray, I, uh-- I just wanted to see about Chad.

RAY: Yeah, I don't want to repeat that conversation.

GENA: I don't want to do that. I think you've got worse trouble. State police officers came to see us. Investigators, two of them. Wanted to know about you.

RAY: Wanted to know what?

GENA: If I ever saw extra cash you couldn't account for. If I had ever known you to be violent. If I, uh ever knew or suspected you took retribution on the man who attacked me.

Gena hands Ray a thick envelope.

GENA: It's 10,000.

RAY: For what?

GENA: To not contest the custody. We just-- we just want to do what's best for Chad.

RAY: You think you can buy my son?

GENA: No, it's for it's to just go, Ray. It's an alternative. Go somewhere. Before we can't turn back. Whatever happens, those questions, a custody battle, it's not gonna be easy for Chad.

RAY: So don't start it.

GENA: The way those two investigators sounded, it's a matter of time, Ray.

RAY: You put that envelope away. I'm gonna pretend like you never really thought I'd take it.

GENA: I didn't. But I hoped I might be wrong.

Ray starts walking back to the house. Camera cuts to show Bezzerides watching and listening from the doorway. Gena walks to her car and Ray gets back in the house.

INT. RAY’S HOUSE

BEZZERIDES: You all right?

RAY: Yeah. Yeah, we should get back to work.

INT. LUX INFINITUM CLUB

Tyler escorts Paul past the dancers and towards the VIP lounge. On the way there, Paul bumps shoulders with Frank who is walking the other way. Frank, Ivan, Nails, and Blake all stare at Paul, and he stares back. Tyler leads Paul behind a curtain.

INT. LUX INFINITUM - VIP SECTION

Paul holds up a picture of Ben Caspere.

MALE PROSTITUTE: Yeah, he liked it here. One of them older guys, never left the bar, just wait for the girl to walk up.

Paul tips the waitress who brought him a drink.

WOODRUGH (to waitress): Thank you. (to prostitute) You know anyone he ever left with?

PROSTITUTE: Uh, a few of the girls here for sure, but I wouldn't try talking to them. You'd just get them into trouble.

WOODRUGH: He like boys?

PROSTITUTE: More like he likes to watch. Had me and this girl go at it while he sat in the corner.

WOODRUGH: You do girls?

PROSTITUTE (smiling): In a pinch. With the right medication.

WOODRUGH: Who's this girl?

The prostitute looks at him with a smile.

WOODRUGH: Fuck.

Paul hands him a wad of money.

PROSTITUTE: Her name's Tascha.She's one of them Euro tricks. Hasn't been around lately. One of those elite bitches, worked those private parties.

WOODRUGH: What kind of parties?

PROSTITUTE: I just heard about them. Expensive, private, rich men. Maybe she found a sugar daddy.

WOODRUGH (to waitress): Doubles.

She goes to get him his drinks.

INT. LUX INFINITUM - BASEMENT

FREGREDO: You know, Frank, I don't know what this is, but, look, I don't run things like that.
I mean, shit, who does anymore? Mexicans? Russians?

FRANK: That's a good question-- who? Who has something to gain by trying to fuck with me?

CONSTANTINE: You think it was someone here? What's in it?

SANTOS: What he means is what you got worth taking anymore, Frank?

FRANK: My associate. His name's Ben Caspere. He was into that sweet Eastern Bloc pussy you all run between clubs. So some of you might have girls that know him. Daniel here did. And what I need you to do now for me is put the word out. Any john you rob, any flea, any tick crawls across your carpet, you ask them about Ben Caspere. You find out who wants what's mine.

SANTOS: Frankie, I think you got us confused with them bitches upstairs. Appreciate our past dealings, but you're the one that left all that behind. This ain't your club no more. Those days done been over. You're straight, right? Why don't you call a cop?

Danny starts walking towards the exit.

FRANK: Stay where you fuckin' are.

SANTOS: Yeah, I know. You put them crazy eyes on and everybody's supposed to shit their pants. Thing is, you ain't that thing no more what you used to was.

FRANK (to room): He speak for all of you?

SANTOS: I'm speaking for me. Yeah, you're tall, but you're really little, and you're old. Yo, this meeting is over. Y'all motherfuckers get out of my place.

Danny starts walking away and Frank grabs him by his lip. Nails and Ivan point their guns at the other mobsters.

FRANK: Will you talk this much when I rip your fuckin' lip off?

Frank lets go of him and slaps him across the face. Danny takes his jacket off.

SANTOS: All right, Frankie. You wanna squab?

Frank takes his coat off. Santos goes to take his rings off.

FRANK: You can keep your rings on. Won't matter to me.

SANTOS: All right.

Frank ducks and disarms all of Danny’s punches then strikes him a few times in the face. Danny charges and traps him against the wall, but Frank steps to the side and slams Danny’s head off the wall. After a few more punches and kicks, Frank headbutts Danny to the ground. He starts choking him then takes a pair of pliers from Ivan to Danny’s “FUCK YOU” grill.

FRANK: I always hated these fucking things. What kind of way is that to greet the world?

Frank starts pulling on the grills and rips them out of Danny’s mouth.

EXT. PERU HOUSE

BEZZERIDES: We heard you quit your job as a driver a couple weeks back.

MRS. PERU: Yes, he took care of me. I was sick. And he couldn't take the sitting all day. He's a good boy.

BEZZERIDES: You live here with her?

TOMMY: Only sometimes. I got a place with friends.

BEZZERIDES: A car was stolen from where you work.

MRS. PERU: He wouldn't do it. He ain't been in trouble since he was a little boy.

TOMMY: Yo, yo, all's I did was quit my job. Got a lumbar problem.

As Tommy lifts up his shirt to show her, a fire goes off next door. Ray and Ani rush next door with their guns out. Ray is struggling to run. They arrive at a flaming car.

BEZZERIDES: Is that the fucking car?

Ray scans the area and finds a figure with a black hood and white mask staring at them from across the street.

RAY: Hey! Hey, hold on! Don't move! Police!

The man jumps over a chain-link fence. Ray and Ani give chase, with Ray stumbling.

RAY: Fuck…

Ani jumps the fence, and then Ray. The masked figure sprints away through a homeless community, knocking a few homeless men over, as Ani and Ray give chase. The masked figure runs into a shopping cart near the exit, knocking it over and stumbling.

BEZZERIDES: Stop, motherfucker!

The shopping cart and everything around it catches on flames, blocking Ray and Ani’s way.

HOMELESS: Fuck! Oh! You're gonna burn it all!

They clear the homeless community. Ani tracks the mask through the woods, and onto the freeway. Ray exits at the same time, as a truck turns around the corner. Ani stands in front of the truck as she aims at the masked figure, and Ray knocks her out of the way at the last moment. The masked figure hops off of the freeway and escapes.

RAY: Ah! God damn it!

BEZZERIDES: Oh, fuck!

RAY: My fucking ribs.

BEZZERIDES: That was him. That was fucking him. Fuck.

Ray writhes in pain on the ground.

BEZZERIDES: Thank you.

RAY: You wanna thank me, tell me what state has on me.

Both pant in silence for a moment.

BEZZERIDES: I don't know.

INT. SEMYON HOUSE

Jordan waits on the couch by the fireplace for Frank to walk in. He walks past her and goes to pour himself a drink.

JORDAN: I waited for you. What happened?

Frank drinks in silence then drops Danny’s golden teeth in the trash.

JORDAN: We should make up. I thought... I stayed up. Do you wanna talk?

FRANK: Maybe tomorrow.

Frank walks upstairs. Jordan sits in silence.

END EPISODE