In the town of Eden, a young couple drives through towing their boat. Two police officers pull them over, admiring the boat, and then plant a packet of drugs in the boat. The husband, Kenneth Stensma, spots the officer planting the drugs and gets out to confront him. The sheriff, James Broll, draws his gun as the wife Ellie gets out, and Kenneth jumps him. The gun goes off and Kenneth drops to the ground as Ellie screams.
Later in the hospital, Broll and his deputy Dave Webster, watch nervously as the doctors tend to Kenneth. Broll makes sure that Webster has their story straight and warns that the DEA is talking to Kenneth. Meanwhile, the DEA agents inform Ellie that Broll claims that Kenneth drew a gun on him, and that they found the gun at the crime scene.
That night, Webster is watching the news report on Kenneth’s shooting with several of the town officials: Broll, Mayor Bob Laird, Deputy Dave Webster, and Laird’s cousin J.J. When Webster nervously says that he’s not sure if he can back up Broll’s story, Broll asks if anyone wants to go to jail. They don’t, and Webster caves.
Later, KC meets with Chapel at a diner and tells him that Webster has disappeared. Broll was a narcotics cop in the city and he was busted for planting drugs on tourists and blackmailing them. He got off thanks to some contacts, moved to Eden, and is running the same scam with Laird and the others. KC says that all vehicles in Eden are impounded and sold, and Laird and his cronies get their money. The LA DA can’t do anything, and KC hopes that they can do something. Chapel agrees to take the case.
At the hospital, Ellie receives a package from Chapel with similar cases that he’s handled. She calls the phone number provided and Chapel meets with her. He explains his deal and he’s making arrangements to get Kenneth moved, and he’ll handle all of her problems.
Later, Hubbell spots a car speeding into town. He pulls Chapel over and Hubbell addresses him by name, asking if he’s going to look in the trunk. Hubbell immediately does so but discovers that the handle is covered in a liquid. Chapel explains that it’s serotonin as Hubbell collapses. Once he’s handcuffed Hubbell and put him in the trunk, Chapel drives off
A surgeon from Montreal, Dr. Jeff Grant, visits Ellie and says that Chapel called him to repay his favor. He asks for Ellie’s permission to operate on Kenneth immediately.
Laird kisses his wife Www and drives to his office.. unaware that Chapel is watching him. He then enters the house while Www watches her talk shows. He calls the state police on Laird’s phone and asks to joint hem, and claims that he’s a convict. After Chapel puts a flower pot in the sing and hangs up, he strolls out.
Chapel drives to an abandoned gas station and parks his car inside. He leaves the engine running and Hubbell in the trunk. As KC pulls up and picks him up, Chapel plants a hidden transmitter. Chapel gives her an agent’s ID and reviews their plan. KC is clearly nervous, and he has her pull over to review. She reviews the plan: Chapel will go in and bait Broll, then 19 minutes later she’ll get Hubbell out of the trunk and takes him to the gas station.
Satisfied, Chapel gets out and walks into the local bar where J.J. works as bartender. He says that he sells diaper, addressing J.J. by name, When J.J. wonders how Chapel knew his name, Chapel points out that there are a lot of people worried that someone might ask about Webster. As Laird comes out, J.J. tells Chapel to get out. The mayor says that Chapel can talk to him in private, and Chapel accepts.
In laird’s office, Laird figures that Chapel is a reporter. Chapel says that he likes how Laird takes money from drug runners, and brings up Laird’s wife. He describes Ellie and that she’d never get over losing her husband, and J.J. comes in and attacks Chapel with a bat. Chapel easily disarms him, but Broll comes in, holds a gun to his head, and arrests him. Laird takes J.J. to the emergency room, and Chapel suggests that Broll call Hubbell. The sheriff gets no answer.
Hubbell wakes up and chokes on the carbon monoxide fume flooding the gas station.
Chapel tells Broll that he’s there to help him.
KC opens the trunk and gets Hubbell outside. She shows him a photo of Chapel and says that he’s a hitman.. and Broll hired him.
Chapel warns Broll that Hubbell can’t be trusted, and can make things bad for Broll. When Broll threatens to beat him, Chapel says that it would be better if they took a ride and Broll agrees.
KC offers full immunity to Hubbell in return for his testimony against Broll. Hubbell quickly agrees. Meanwhile, Chapel has Broll park nearby and says that KC is a state cop, and has him turn on a radio he has. It broadcasts Hubbell’s conversation with KC, and Chapel says that he bugged the whole place. Meanwhile, Hubbell describes how the others beat Webster, and then took him out and Broll shot him while the others watched. Laird and Broll buried the body, and they never told Hubbell and J.J.
Broll draws his gun and promises that the jury will never hear Hubbell’s testimony. Chapel warns him that Eden is crawling with cops, and says that he worked with a former drug runner, Joey Lazar. Joey wants to have a chat with Broll. Broll calls Lazar, who reads Chapel’s script and says that he wants to cut a deal. He then talks to Chapel, who says that it was fine. Lazar points out that he’s in jail and there’s nothing else that Chapel can do to him, and Chapel points out that he still has his health.
The sheriff takes Chapel back to his office, and Broll takes a call from his wife Vicki. She tells him that he has to talk to their children’s principal. Once he hangs up, Chapel warns that if someone finds Webster’s body then Broll will have trouble. He advises Broll to make sure that Laird doesn’t say anything. Broll doesn’t believe it, but has the technician Jimmy check the phone record. Chapel’s call to the state police is on it.
KC takes Hubbell to a warehouse and has him write down his confession. She paces nervously and waits for Chapel to make contact. Chapel finally calls her and says that everything is going good. He goes to the hospital to check on the Stensmas.
Grant tells Ellie that Kenneth will be fine. As she leaves, Chapel approaches her.. unaware that J.J. is watching. He calls Broll and tells him that Chapel is with Ellie, and Broll realizes that something is wrong.
Chapel gives Ellie some tickets and tells her to get out of town. Once she leaves, Chapel goes back to his car and Broll and J.J. arrive with guns. Chapel says that he told Ellie that if she didn’t change her story then Kenneth would leave in a body bag. They don’t believe it, and Broll tells Chapel to make Ellie disappear while J.J. watches. Chapel has no choice but to agree, and Broll says that he’ll be with Kenneth waiting for them to call when she’s dead. As they drive after Ellie, Chapel casually disarms J.J. and tosses his gun in a sewer.
Ellie goes to her motel and Chapel talks about how he loves to kill women and cats. He then takes J.J. to Ellie’s room, knocks him out, and shoves J.J. in. Chapel tells Ellie that she can’t be there because she’s dead, takes her pantyhose, and sends her away in a taxi. He then calls the hospital and says that he’s going to kill Kenneth.
Kenneth waits until the doctor leaves Kenneth and then prepares to kill him. However, the DEA agents come in and post guards. Broll has no choice but to cooperate.
KC faxes Hubbell’s confession to the state police.
J.J. wakes up and discovers that Chapel has tied him to a chair with Ellie’s pantyhose. Chapel flashes a fake FBI badge and says that Hubbell has already talked. He repeats what Hubbell said about Webster’s murder, and J.J. figures that he’d better do the same thing. Chapel has him call Broll and confirm that Ellie is dead and Chapel chopped it up. Broll talks to Chapel and says that they should move the body because he doesn’t trust Laird, and gives Chapel direction to where they hid the body. Once Chapel hangs up, he thanks J.J. on behalf of the government and then punches him unconscious.
Chapel He calls KC and says that she can go. She tells Hubbell that state troopers are on the way and he should stay there. Hubbell refuses to stay there alone and demands protection, and figures that she’s an impersonator. She throws dust in his face, gets her mascara tube out of her purse, and puts it to the blinded officer’s neck. He falls for the bluff and KC handcuffs him, and then walks out.
As Broll digs up Webster’s body, Chapel arrives and tosses Broll’s car keys away. He punches the sheriff and tosses away his gun, and asks what got him so screwed up. Broll tries to attack him and Chapel tosses him into Webster’s grave as sirens sound in the distance. Chapel says that someone called the state cops and told them what Broll is doing, and then drives away.
The FBI agents interrogate everyone, but their contradictory stories about Chapel make no sense. They also have no idea who KC is or what deal he made with Kenneth.
Later, Ellie is at home with Kenneth when Chapel calls her. He confirms that she’s doing okay, and Ellie figures that he lost someone. Chapel admits that there was a woman, but says that he has to go and walks off down the street
Written by Gadfly on Sep 17, 2016