Written by Mark Rosner

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 383.

Smith synopsis: Episode 8

BOBBY rises up out of the bowels of Union Station to meet the rest of the crew. He has a new score: cash, from a commercial vault in Houston. He gives everyone a chance to walk away, after the debacle in Reno -- but this isn't a job coming from Charlie. Bobby's been in touch with an old business associate - YVES, a cunning Frenchman, whom Bobby goes way back with. Everyone is in: Tom, Jeff, Annie, Marley and Joe. First order of business: Annie will provide new working IDs for everyone. Bobby goes off, and so does everyone else, but not before hostile looks pass between Tom and Annie, both feeling betrayal from the failed baseball scam.

Hope is driving the morning carpool, picking up the Turkenson kids. Debbie reminds Hope that Book Club is tomorrow night. Hope has read the book, and could be the newest member. But Bobby will be away on business -- Atlanta, she thinks -- and she doesn't know if she can make it. Debbie urges her to reconsider.

A big fundraiser is underway in a ritzy Palisade neighborhood. The cause is PC, and the Valet Girls have the parking concession. Unbeknownst to either the host or many guests, however, the Valet Girls -- including ringleader HEATHER and ace drivers ALYCIA and OPHELIA -- are working for Tom, Jeff and Marley today, helping them steal luxury cars that have been ordered overseas. The Valet Girls take the cars from the guests, drive them to a secure spot, where Tom, Jeff and Marley have set up a phone company van. Inside the van, Marley uses a laptop and scanner to steal the electronic signal from the cars' keys. At a later date, the boys will go and steal the cars, using the purloined electronic code and the guests' addresses.

Joe is working at his garage when one of his workers tells him he has a visitor. Joe walks over to be confronted by RICHIE MULLINS, Shawn's older brother. Richie, a grizzled ex-con with plenty of attitude, hasn't heard from Shawn in weeks. Since Shawn was his partner before Joe's, Richie feels entitled to know what's going on -- and to get a cut of whatever Joe and Shawn had going on. Bobby is not in Atlanta or Houston. He's in Costa Rica, shopping for his dream house. Real estate agent SAVIOLA takes him through a gorgeous hacienda. Extols the virtues of life among the peaceful Ticos in Costa Rica. The house costs a little over a million. That's a number Bobby could live with. As for the rest of his family -- Saviola can assist them in gaining legal residency, and there are plenty of good schools for the kids. He also introduces Bobby to a banker who will help him transfer his money out of the States. The plan could really come together.

While Joe helps Macy bring groceries into the house, they discuss what to do about Richie. Macy says pay him off to get lost, that's what Shawn always did. But Joe's not convinced. Richie is all about money. Once he sees they have some, they'll never get rid of him.

At the beach house, Tom checks his messages to see if Annie called. Jeff makes fun of him -- maybe there's a telegram under the door, or something from FedEx? It's clear to Jeff that Tom needs to move on. He calls Heather, from the Valet Girls. Tells her to come by tonight and get paid. And bring your friend Ophelia.

Hope and Debbie run into each other in the neighborhood. Chat car to car, like two cops. Debbie really wants Hope to come to Book Club, and finally manages to convince her.

While the boys initiate phase two of their car stealing scam, bringing stolen cars to Joe's garage before shipping them to Shanghai, Joe gets called away to deal with other business. Richie has been asking questions around town and heard that Art Jackson was asking the same questions, before getting hit by a car. He doesn't buy Joe's story about Shawn being in Vegas. He demands the truth from Joe, or he'll go to the cops.

Joe must decide what to do about Richie. He can't leave him running around town like a loose cannon, or chance Richie going to the cops. He stacks money and guns on the table -- which would be the more effective way to deal with Richie? Richie arrives at the garage as night falls, but he won't set foot inside. He is suspicious of Joe and his every move. Joe tells Richie that Shawn got badly shot during a job, and he is now out in the desert, being cared for at a private clinic. He was shot in the neck, and can't talk. He hands Richie five grand, then ten: Shawn would want Richie to have his cut. But Richie laughs in Joe's face. The die is cast as the men climb into Joe's truck. They will drive out to the desert, and pay a visit to Shawn. Hope arrives at Debbie's house for Book Club. There are Cosmos and bottles of wine to drink, and as TURK goes off to work his night shift as a Narcotics cop, it is becoming clear to Hope that Book Club will be more of a party than a literary salon.

Joe and Richie drive out to the desert in Joe's truck. Joe reaches to change the radio station, and Richie pulls iron on him. With a gun to Joe's head, he lets Joe know he's in charge now. Joe does as he's told, turns off the main road, and drives down a rutted two-lane blacktop. As they approach a trailer, Richie gets skeptical. What kind of medical facility is this? Joe says it's all cash, off the books, low-key -- then he sends the truck into a shuddering skid, throwing Richie to the side. Joe grabs the gun he's stashed, Richie blows out the window behind im and jumps from the truck. A gun battle is on. During the fight, Richie manages to escape into the desert.

At Book Club, the girls have been drinking steadily (except for Hope, who is sticking with soda) and things are getting a little wild. Debbie, the Queen Bee and provocateur of this group, steers the discussion away from the book and towards revealing personal secrets. Hope is not down with that program, so the other women urge her to have a drink. But she refuses, even as Debbie launches into a raunchy tale from her earlier years. Later that night, as Book Club is breaking up, Debbie tells Hope to stay a moment longer, and shocks her by taking out coke she has gotten from her husband. Hope looks on, conflicted, as Debbie and KIM do lines.

Out in the desert, Joe hunts Richie in the darkness. Finally he sights him, tries to run him down with the truck, and hits -- something. Then Richie is gone again. Did Joe hit him or just a Joshua tree? There is blood on the truck's bumper, but no sign of Richie.

Bobby returns home from Costa Rica and is surprised to find that Hope has not returned from Book Club. He then gets a call from Joe; he needs help in the desert. When Hope does return, still a little buzzed, she finds Bobby dressed for the outdoors.

Both are angry with each other, but will have to deal with it later -- Bobby has to go. As soon as Bobby leaves, Hope calls her sponsor. When's the first meeting she can go to in the morning? Hope got high. She has made a terrible mistake. She is up all night, sitting in her children's rooms and watching them sleep. Will they be the price she has to pay for breaking the conditions of her parole?

Annie returns to the beach house in the morning with IDs for the Houston job. She finds Heather leaving from a night with Jeff, but, more surprisingly, then sees Tom in bed with Ophelia. Though she hides it well, it gets to her. It is then that Tom and Jeff notice they have messages on their cell phones from the night before.

They drive out to meet Bobby and Joe, bringing weapons, ammo and water. The four men set out to hunt Richie down, walking the desert in the merciless heat. They are out there for hours, until Jeff stumbles on something -- a fresh body. But when Joe takes a look, he shakes his head. He doesn't know who that guy is. But it's not Pete. After more searching, Bobby finally calls off the hunt. If Richie is dead, nobody can tie Joe to the body, but if he's alive there'll be payback. They must be careful.

Hope tries to work, despite her guilt and headache, but gets a surprise visit from her parole office, LAUPER, who has arrived to administer a random urine test. Hope leaves work, arriving when Bobby returns from the desert. She panics, and continues to drive, until she reaches a nearby cul-de-sac. Hope pulls in, and sits there. Then she breaks down and weeps, terrified at what she may have done to her life.

When Joe gets back to town, after disposing of his shot up truck forever, he goes to see Macy. No sign of Richie. Maybe they have gotten through this. Later, during dinner there is a knock at the door. It's the San Bernardino Sheriffs. They are here to inform her that Richie was found dead, out in the desert. And they have questions about what he was doing out there. And by implication, what Joe might have been doing. Macy can put two and two together. First Shawn disappears, now Richie is dead. She looks at Joe, and for the first time, she is afraid of him.

Late that night, Bobby and Hope are getting ready for bed. Bobby decides not to press Hope about her late night -- she seems so upset already. Instead, he starts to tell her, in his indirect way, about the joys and advantages of living in Costa Rica. But she's too upset to pay attention. Just as well, says Bobby. Everything will make more sense in the morning. What he doesn't know, is that the next morning, and what it could bring, is the most terrifying thing in the world for Hope.

THE END