Morris calls Danielle's voice mail and leaves a message saying that it's cruel that she's not letting him know she's okay. He also warns that if he learns she's with some other guy, they're both dead. Morris says that she can't do better than him, insisting that he's a bad boy and she'll eventually come crawling back to him.
Bill dreams of watching Rothstein on TV, talking about writers give readers something they can't get otherwise. The room bursts into flame, and Bill wakes up.
At the club, Peter tries to call Marjorie's abductors. Alma and Morris are watching the tied-up Marjorie in Alma's shed, and Alma says that they'll let Peter stew for the night rather than answer. She figures that Peter will be desperate to deal with them the next day, and tells Marjorie to stop whining through her gag.
The next morning, Tom is at home when Peter calls. Peter admits that he found the Rothstein books in the car and Rothstein's killer will exchange Marjorie for the books. The teenager warns that Morris is probably watching Tom hoping he'll go to Peter, so he won't tell Tom where he is. Tom says that they called there as well, and suggests that they call the police. Peter refuses, warning that Morris killed Rothstein and Andrew. He has to keep Marjorie alive to get the books.
The Saubers' doorbell rings, and Tom tells Peter to stay by his phone and hangs up. He grabs a kitchen knife, goes to the door, and finds Bill there. He hides the knife and opens the door, but refuses to let Bill in. Bill asks if Peter is still missing, and Tom confirms that he is and says that he's a wreck. Tom finally lets Bill in and Bill shows him that Peter was in the bookstore where Andrew was killed. The PI figures that Peter went there to sell the Rothstein books, and Tom says that Peter never mentioned Andrew. He then tells Bill that it's not a good time for him to be there and claims that Marjorie is in bed after taking a pill. Tom offers to come to Finders Keepers later that morning, and refuses to explain further.
As Bill goes to his car, he calls Holly and tells her something weird is going on at the Saubers house. Holly is at her apartment with Lou, and says that Lou is settling in. Bill tells her to call Jerome to the office and hangs up. Holly tells Lou that the call was Bill, and Lou offers to help out at the office to occupy herself while she looks for work. Another call comes in and after the caller says that she'll have to call them back later, wondering if the call is a joke. After she hangs up, Holly tells Lou that it wasn't Roland.
At Alma's place, Alma and Morris have sex. Morris is increasingly aggressive, and Alma asks what's gotten into him. She finally shoves him to the floor and figures that Morris has been having sex with Susan in the book, not her. Morris insists that he's having sex with both of them, and Alma furiously insists that it makes a difference whether he fucks her or "Susan". When Alma slaps him, Morris slaps her back and Alma says that she's Susan to Rothstein, not to Morris. She screams at Morris that it makes a difference to her and goes into the bathroom, sobbing.
Holly goes the police impound lot and the garage attendant, Marty, tells her that the Mercedes belongs to her. He says that it's something to a collector and is still drivable. Holly stares at it in shock, and tells Marty that she's fine when he asks if she's okay.
Bill arrives at Finders Keepers, and Lou says that Holly gave her some chores while she looks for work. She gives Bill coffee, and Jerome shows Bill photos of Stan's corpse. The report Jerome got shows that the DNA of the John Doe at the hospital matches that on Stan's corpse. The DNA the police found at the Saubers house matches as well, and Jerome suggests that Peter might be involved with the killer. He finds Morris in a shot of the video of Rothstein's mourners, and has confirmed that Morris was at the job fair with Carl. Carl's yearbook has a photo of Morris, and Bill remembers meeting Morris during Lou's case. Morris' line in the yearbook is a Jimmy Gold quote, and there's a thanks to "IS" for saving his life. Jerome has confirmed that Morris' lit teacher was Ida.
Later at Ida's house, Bill shows Ida the yearbook and she remembers Morris. She says that the word was that Morris was sexually abused and then got ensnared with an older woman. Ida is surprised that Morris referred to her as IS since it was a sign of respect, because he was skipping classes and she was rough on him. She gave him The Runner to try and reach him, and they realize that it made a lasting impression on Morris. Ida is shocked that the boy she turned on to The Runner murdered Rothstein, and Bill asks if the "older woman" was Alma. Ida tells him that she never heard that it was, but Bill wonders.
Alma and Morris confront Marjorie and Alma tells Marjorie that it would be a mistake for her to scream when she takes the duct tape gag of. She shows Marjorie a picture of Andrew and says that she can be violent and sick, and that Marjorie's life is in grave danger if Peter doesn't give them the books. Morris dials Peter's number and Marjorie begs her son to help her. When Peter tries to negotiate, an unmasked Morris snarls a him that it's not a negotiation. He puts a hacksaw to Marjorie's neck, and Peter agrees to meet so they can make a plan. Morris warns him that if he spots the police then Marjorie is dead, and has Marjorie say "please".
Bill returns to Finders Keepers and sees the Mercedes parked outside. He goes in, furious, and asks Holly about the Mercedes. Holly says that she inherited it, and Bill asks her to come to his office. Bill asks what is going on, and Holly says that if she didn't take it then some terrible person would buy it when the police auctioned it off. He asks her what to do with it, and Holly insists that Brady was the evil one, not the car. Bill says that the Mercedes' legacy was that it's a murder weapon in a mass killing, and then Brady used it to drive Olivia to suicide. Holly yells at him that she remembers, and then insists that Olivia would have wanted her to drive it. She insists that she needs to restore the Mercedes' glory. When Bill says nothing, Holly walks out.
Peter and Morris meet inside a church, and Peter tells Morris that he won't get the books until he releases Marjorie. Morris tells him that he'll kill both of Peter's parents, and Peter tells him to shut up. He gives Morris one book and says that Morris won't get the rest until he releases Marjorie. Peter says that he already snapped Morris' picture and if he hurts Marjorie, he'll send the picture to the cops. Morris warns that it's bigger than both of them, but Peter isn't impressed and leaves.
Later, Morris tells Alma what happened. She warns that time isn't on their side, and says that they'll meet then pretend to wire a vest on her bomb. Morris takes out the book and says that they'll read it together, and worries that Rothstein killed off Jimmy or made him gay. Alma assures him that Rothstein beats everyone else even on his bad days, and they go inside.
Bill and Jerome drive to Morris' motel room, and Bill says that he'll know whether to call the police once he gets a better look. He has Jerome wait in the car, picks the door lock, draws his gun, and goes inside. Bill fids Morris' board with the surveillance photos of the Saubers' pinned to it.
At Finders Keepers, the phone rings and Holly ignore it. She tells Lou not to answer it, and Jerome and Bill come in. Bill says that it's too dangerous to tell the police what he found, and Jerome tells Holly what they found. The PI says that he doesn't want Holly parked outside of the office, and Lou says that Brady brought Bill back from becoming a fat alcoholic. Bill asks if those are Brady's words, and Lou says that when Brady taunted him, he gave Bill purpose and a weird sense of family. When Bill asks what she means, Lou points out that he met Holly, Jerome, and even Lou because of Brady. She suggests that they be mindful of what Brady gave them. When Bill says that it doesn't work that way for him, Holly tells him that everything has to make sense for him, but it doesn't make sense that she wants the Mercedes. Bill says that the most horrifying thing is that Lou keeps channeling Brady. She insists that she isn't, and Bill tells her that Brady was a butcher and goes into his office, yelling curses.
After dumping Marjorie in the bathtub, Morris and Alma read the book. In it, Jimmy remembers Susan as his true love. Alma figures that it's her that Rothstein is talking about and he never stopped loving her. Morris asks if she wants to fuck, and Alma sobs and tells Morris to read anymore until she gets back.
Bill goes to the Saubers' house and threatens to go to the police if Tom doesn't talk to him. Jerome is outside, and Tom warns Bill that he's making a bad situation worse. Bill realizes that someone has Marjorie, and Tom tells Bill that he wants a confidential conversation or Bill should go out. The PI finally agrees and Tom says that "they" got Marjorie, and Peter has the books. Tom explains about the exchange, but says that he doesn't know where any of them are. Bill wants to bring in the police but Tom refuses.
Alma serves Marjorie stew to keep her strength up. Marjorie figures Alma will kill her, and Alma says that she doesn't plan to. When Marjorie asks why she would let he live, Alma says that they're going to go to a different country, out of touch of the law. Bill and Jerome arrive outside Alma's house, and Morris comes in and says that Bill was with Tom, and gags Marjorie before taking her into the bathroom.
Bill has Jerome wait in the car and Alma lets him in. She flirts with him and invites him in, and Bill figures that Alma hated Rothstein. In the bathroom, Morris holds Marjorie and tells her not to make a sound.
Bill asks Alma about Morris, and she claims she doesn't know him. He says that he heard she was involved with Morris since he was a teenager.
Jerome gets out of the car.
Bill points out that Alma and Morris both loved Rothstein in different ways. Alma laughs and says that Morris isn't there, but he comes and goes. She claims that she doesn't know where Morris is, and suggests that they get together because of the look Bill gave her when he arrested her 30 years ago. Alma says that Morris is a lover and didn't kill Rothstein.
Jerome looks around Alma's back yard.
Alma invites Bill to look around, and points out that he's a private citizen rather than a cop. Bill bids her goodbye and leaves, but sees the shed and approaches it. Alma comes out and tells him that there are personal papers in it. She says that it's her church and he can see it if he takes his clothes off. Bill takes a rain check and leaves. Jerome is back at the car, and says that he didn't find anything around the yard. Bill says that they'll come back after Alma is asleep and look around some more.
In the house, Alma tells Morris that Bill was asking about him. She figures that if Bill has Morris pegged for Rothstein's murder, the police might know something as well. Alma tells Morris to make the exchange and hit the road. She has Morris take Marjorie back to the shed.
When Peter calls his father, Tom asks him to go with him to the exchange. Peter refuses, saying that it's too dangerous, and Tom tells him that Bill is on to all of it. He wants to bring Bill in to help the swap, but Peter figures that Morris is too desperate to risk bringing in someone else.
Morris waits in the shed with Marjorie, and he figures Alma is reading the rest of the book without him. Marjorie offers to tell him out it ends, claiming that she read them when they were in Peter's closet... if he lets her go to the bathroom. Morris doesn't believe that Marjorie read it, and he gets some frozen food from the freezer to put on his sore neck. He sees Danielle necklace on the bottom, and checks further and finds blood on the ice.
Alma comes in and sees Morris with the necklace, grabs a crowbar, and hits him over the head. Marjorie screams, and Alma drops the crowbar and tells her to shut up. As Alma regags Marjorie, Morris wakes up, grabs the crowbar, and rams it through Alma's back. Alma turns, asks Morris how could he, and dies.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 9, 2019