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Cruel and Unusual Recap

Secretary Lucy Hargess is working late at her law firm. She calls home and her daughter Caroline answers. Caroline asks to speak to William and when he takes the phone, she tells her husband that she pulled the wrong files for her boss, investment banker Edward Pike. The files show offshore bank accounts for millions of dollars, and figures that Edward has been laundering money. As Daniel tells her to come home, Edward cuts off the phone and strangles Lucy, slamming her face down on a photocopier that goes off.

Edward then calls his dealer, Rick Delaney, and says that he destroyed everything. Rick tells him to call defense lawyer Jack Schiller, who Edward has protected in the past. Jack assures Edward that they’ll protect

Soon, Edward goes on trial and William confers with the police and prosecutors. The DA shows William the photocopies and photo enhancement shows Edward’s face. In court, Jack disputes the evidence and moves to exclude the photocopies as evidence. The judge agrees and afterward, Jack confers with his investigator and confirms that Lucy was unfaithful and used drugs for depression after the death of her mother. The lawyer produces a witness who testifies that Lucy was promiscuous, and Jack says that it shows Lucy was killed by a jealous lover rather than Edward.

The jury soon finds Edward not guilty. Daniel watches in shock, and later at home, comforts Caroline when she has nightmares about Lucy’s murder. The doorbell rings and William finds a manila envelope on his doorstep and no sign of the deliverer. He goes to opens it and finds newspaper clippings about a child killer freed on a technicality, and later convicted. There are other cases of criminals initially released due to lack of evidence and then later convicted. The last clipping has Edward’s conviction and a phone number to call. William considers and then dials the phone number.

Soon, a man arrives at William’s porch. William greets him and the man introduces himself as Mr. Chapel. He says that all of the men in the articles had the same thing in common: they thought that innocence and “not guilty” are the same thing. They’re people that treat justice like some kind of business, and Chapel says that he has his own business: Vengeance Unlimited.

Inside, William tries to understand what Chapel is offering. Chapel explains that the people he went after used the system to their advance, and now Chapel is going to use the system to William’s advantage. William won't even be in the company while he does his job. William wonders what the catch is, and Chapel says that he has fee of one million dollars. However, he has an alternative: a favor. He explains that one day William will help him get someone else. Chapel doesn’t explain why he does what he does. Caroline runs in and tells her father that she had another nightmare, and Chapel says that he’s William’s friend. He offers to help her with her nightmares, and offers her one of her stuffed dolls to keep away the nightmares. William takes her up to bed, but first tells Chapel to do it.

Jack, Edward, and Rick go to a club to celebrate, and Chapel is watching from a nearby table.

K.C. Griffin is working at her newspaper when she gets a phone call. It’s Chapel, and he tells her that she owes him a favor. K.C. says that it’s been a while and had hoped he forgot. Chapel asks about her father, and K.C. confirms that he’s retired in Arizona. She doesn’t have the million, and Chapel asks her to unlock the record room so he can meet her there. At 8, K.C. meets with Chapel. She’s heard about Edward, Jack, and Rick,. Rick makes $9 million a year and has 15 arrests but no convictions. K.C. confirms that Jack has gotten him off, and Jack makes a lot of money representing dealers. He gives the money to Edward, who launders the money overseas. It comes back clean and Rick files the money with the IRS.

Jack and Edward go on the news shows and say that they considered a lawsuit, but Edward thought the right thing to do was catch Lucy’s killer. Edward is soon publishing a book on his hunt for the killer and signing a movie dealer.

Chapel tells K.C. that he’s going to need her for the next 18 hours. She says that she had a dinner and then admits that she’s breaking up with her boyfriend. They walk past a church holding a bake sale and K.C. admits that she’s quit law school again because she doesn’t think lawyers are happy. Jack comes out and gets in his car, and Chapel tells K.C. to wait. He then approaches Jack and says that it’s about Edward. Chapel says that Edward belongs in prison and Jack should help him. He wants the names of the overseas banks where they put the drug money. Jack refuses to talk and Chapel figures that he’s too good. He brings up the case of a company that produced a car that tended to explode, and says that he could strap Jack into one of the cars and send a truck flying at him, and Jack still wouldn’t talk. However, Chapel says that he’d like to give it a try and tasers Jack unconscious.

When Jack wakes up, he finds himself chained up inside of a car like the one he represented. The car is in a gravel pit, and Chapel and K.C. are there. Chapel tells Jack that he has the keys to the chains and the keys to car. He starts up the car and tells Jack to look behind him. A large truck is parked down the way, and Chapel says that it’s aimed at the back of the car. Chapel explains that he cut the truck’s brake lines ten minute ago and then walks away to join K.C. The brakes go and truck starts rolling. Chapel cheerfully holds up the key, and K.C. suggests that he let Jack out. Jack finally agrees to give Chapel the offshore accounts, and Chapel tosses him the keys. When he can’t reach the lock, Chapel reaches in, unlocks Jack, and pulls him out just in time. Jack writes down everything and K.C. insists that she can’t go through with blowing people up. Chapel offers her chocolate and says that it helps. She says that she can’t tolerate what he’s doing, and Chapel points out that Lucy is dead and Jack is still breathing. As for Edward, Chapel is going to give him a choice. K.C. says that maybe she can tolerate that and Chapel gives her the chocolate. Jack hands over the account information, and Chapel gives him a wired tie that K.C. has provided... and instructions.

Later, Jack meets Rick at a club. The lawyer repeats what Chapel told him to say.

Edward is sleeping at home when Chapel breaks in.

Jack tells Rick that Edward is cracking up.

Edward wakes up to find his music box on his chest, playing. The phone rings and Chapel breaks a vase in Edward’s downstairs living room so the banker knows where he is. Edward grabs his gun and goes downstairs. Chapel says that he’s a reminder of what Edward’s preacher father said about suffering being a gift when one is guilty. Edward’s girlfriend comes running down and Edward almost shoots him. She says that Chapel is in the bedroom, and Edward runs upstairs. Chapel is gone and tells Edward over the phone to sleep tight.

K.C. joins Jack at the bar and he wonders what they do. He warns her that she’s in over her head, and Rick keeps dogs and throws his enemies in a pen with them. K.C. isn’t impressed, and points out that a bunch of lawyers went after her father. She says that she can’t help him, and Jack prepares to go off. Chapel calls him on the bar phone and tells him to sit down. He tells the lawyer that Edward call him and left a message on Jack’s voice mail.

Following Chapel’s instructions, Jack goes to Edward’s home and says that Rick broke into his house. He warns that Rick wants to back out of their deal and won't pay them what he owes. The lawyer claims that Rick has called a meeting in Jack’s office. When they meet, Rick wonders how Edward is feeling and the two men argue. Chapel is in Jack’s office and listens in on the tapped tie, and calls to make a money transfer in Edward’s name to the amount of 5 million, cleaning out his account. He then calls a coroner, Murray, and says that he needs a hooker matching K.C.’s description. Once he’s done, Chapel gives K.C. a plane ticket to Europe with instructions to deliver to William.

Chapel feeds Edward instructions to deny telling Edward that Rick is pulling out. Furious, Edward tries to choke Jack until Rick’s men pull him off. The broker warns that it’s not over and leaves, and Rick notices the wire on Jack’s tire. Chapel sends K.C. to William and then goes to the conference room. K.C. gets into the elevator, and finds Edward there.

Rick demands answers from Jack, and Chapel walks in and says that the wire belongs to him. He has an ID confirming that he’s a private security worker, and says that he wired Jack to keep him safe from Edward. Chapel tells Jack that things are worse than they thought, and brings up the account showing that Edward has apparently transferred Rick’s$5 million in an overseas bank account. Rick wants to feed Edward to his dogs, but Chapel says that he deals in bank fraud and will get the $5 million back to him by 5 p.m. Jack has no choice but to back up Chapel, Rick agrees but insists that his bodyguard Kevin goes with him.

Chapel goes to the morgue with Kevin. Murray has a dead hooker for him but she’s blonde rather than a redhead like Chapel requested. The coroner has eliminated all of the paperwork, and Chapel then knocks Kevin unconscious. He tells Murray that we’re done and out of his life forever, and Murray sighs with relief. Chapel tells Murray to call the police in three hours and have them arrest him for attempted necrophilia.

K.C. delivers the tickets to New Zealand to William. He wonders if she’s paying back a favor, and K.C. shows him a clipping of a banker who Chapel got out of prison. She explains that Chapel got her father out of prison and reminds William that his flight leaves in four hours.

Edward discovers that he no longer has access to his offshore account. Chapel calls posing as a bank officer and asks him to come down to their office to give direct authorization. Chapel is in the parking garage below, and apologizes to K.C. for her having to wear a blonde wig. He tells her that once she tells Edward what he’s instructed, he’s out of her life forever. K.C. admits that they ended up in the same elevator together, and Chapel tells her to go home, insisting that it’s too dangerous. Edward comes out and K.C. goes over to him despite Chapel’s instructions. She kisses Edward and Chapel takes photos, and then starts to drive off. Meanwhile, Edward grabs K.C. and pulls off the wig. He recognizes her from the elevator and drags her into his car. Another car cuts Chapel off before he can get over, and Edward drives away.

K.C. whistles to Chapel from down the street. He joins her, and she explains that she dated quarterbacks in Texas and learned how to jump out of a moving car. K.C. realizes that Chapel is shaking, and he apologizes for involving her. He says that it’s time for her to go home, and then walks away.

That night, Chapel calls Rick and claims that Edward attacked him, broke his arm with a baseball bat, and took Kevin away. He says that Edward went home to get his passport, and is going to leave the country with Rick’s money.

Edward returns home and notices war trickling down from upstairs. He goes up and finds the dead hooker in his tub. The drugs and $2 million of Rick’s drug money are on his bed. Chapel turns on the music box and shows Edward a mocked-up photo of Edward kissing K.C. Edward goes for his gun but Chapel has already taken it. He explains that Edward strangled Lucy but money got him off, and now it’s going to get him killed. Chapel suggests that Edward call 911 and easily subdues Edward when he attacks him. He says that Edward knows that he’s bad and needs to be punished, and figures it will give him some form of release. When Edward says that he doesn’t want to be released, Chapel says it’s not an option. Rick pulls up outside, Chapel points out that the money belongs to Rick and asks Edward what he’s going to do. He suggests that Edward call 911 but the broker refused. Chapel then calls 911 and reports a shooting. He puts the phone on the mantle and walks out, tossing Edward’s gun on the table.

Edward grabs the phone but by the time he turns, Chapel is gone. Rick comes in carrying a gun and outside, Chapel walks away as gunshots ring out.

The next day, William reads an article about Edward being charged with a double murder: Rick and the prostitute. There’s another article about Jack testifying against Edward. Chapel calls and William tells him that Caroline is sleeping better. When William says that he feels better but he still doesn’t feel good, Chapel secretly stands outside and tells William to imagine losing his family, his home, and his friends. Caroline runs to her father, and Chapel tells him to kiss his daughter. Before he hangs up, Chapel says that he’ll be in touch about the favor and walks away.

K.C. is waiting for Chapel and she says that she wonders if anyone can help Chapel in the shadows. She says that he needs help with his anger management issues, and Chapel asks if she realizes what price she’s going to pay. K.C. points out that Edward’s money is missing and wonders if Chapel knows where it is. Chapel just smiles and points out that William and Caroline are singing. When K.C. turns back, Chapel is gone.

Later, Chapel goes to the church and gives the priest the missing $3 million for a brownie.

Written by Gadfly on Nov 7, 2015

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