Mob boss Prohaszka is bowling, while behind him a man named John Healy comes in. John notices Prohaszka bowling and the shoe girl says that the man worked it out with the owner. The newcomer comes over and asks if he can join him for a game. Prohaszka tells his men to take John away, and John disposes of both thugs and then draws a gun on the mobster.
36 Hours Earlier
John picks up a gun from Turk, who assures him that it’s top of the line and won’t jam.
Now
When he pulls the trigger, John’s gun jam. Prohaszka grabs him and figures that how he negotiates. John beats him down, breaks his arm, and then beats his head in with a bowling ball. The shoe girl calls the police, and runs with John sees her. The killer picks up his gun and hides it beneath a pinball machine, and then kneels down as the police come in and order him to surrender. As they arrest him, John asks for a lawyer.
Father Lantom finds Matt sitting outside his church and realizes that he’s Jack’s son. He assures Matt that anything he said is sacred under the seal of confession. The father offers Matt a cup of coffee but Matt says that he has to go to work. As Matt walks off, Lantom says that he had a lot on his mind the last time he was there. The lawyer tells him to take care of himself and leaves.
On the docks, New York Bulletin reporter Ben Urich meets with a mobster, Silvio. Silvio says that Rigoletto retired--in pieces--and asks for information in return for what Ben knows. The reporter says that someone has been hitting the Russians, and Silvio assures him that it wasn’t Rigoletto. However, he admits that he doesn’t know. Ben sa6ys that he’s spotted a pattern but police reports and public records have been changed to cover it up. He figures that Silvio knows something, but Silvio merely says that he’s retiring to Florida because the rules are gone. The mobster admits that he appreciated that Ben didn’t drag his children in when he reported on Silvio’s arrest, and advises Ben to give it a pass.
Karen is working at the office and reading a letter when Foggy comes in. She hastily puts it away and says that she was working for them for free... for a day. Matt comes in and they notice his bruises, and he claims that he had an accident. Someone knocks at the door and a surprised Karen lets him in. It’s Wesley, who says that he represents a consortium, Confederated Global Investments, which wants to put Murdock & Nelson on retainer. Matt wonders why and Wesley says that his employer wants two local boys because he’s doing a lot of business in Hell’s Kitchen. He assures them that his employer wants them to remain legal and ethical, and slides over an envelope. Foggy is duly impressed, but Matt isn’t convinced.
Wesley asks if their clients end up working for them after they get them off for murder, and Matt asks Karen to step out. Once she does, Wesley apologizes and Matt points out that Karen was never charged. Wesley says that he has friends on the force, and suggests that they should review one of their cases before making a decision. Matt agrees and Wesley tells them that they have 38 minutes to get to the precinct house. He hands over a file and says that it has everything they need, and walks out. Once they’re alone, Foggy wonders what’s up with Matt. Matt says that he’ll meet Foggy there and then follows Wesley down the street. Wesley gets into a limo and tells his employer that it’s been taken car3e of, and they drive off with two SUVs escorting them. Matt clutches at his side and realizes that he’s bleeding.
At the precinct house, John tells Foggy that he just went to the bowling alley to play. Then Prohaszka threatened his life and he killed them in self-defense. Foggy notes that he’s comfortable with being arrested and John says that he had issues, but he’s better. Matt arrives and, much to Foggy’s surprise, says that they’re taking John’s case.
At his office, Ben is on the phone trying to get an extension on his insurance policy. His editor, Ellison, comes in and Ben quickly hangs up. The editor isn’t happy that Ben is working crime beat when he’s on the city desk. Ben insists that he thinks the Union Allied scandal is tied to the Russians, but Ellison says that it doesn’t sell papers and puts him on the subway line piece. Furious, Ben insists that there was a time when they wrote real news, but Ellison warns him that they’re hanging on by a thread. The reporter has no choice but to give in, and Ellison says that he’ll make a call to the insurance company.
At the precinct, Matt assures John that anything he tells them is confidential. He then asks the killer how he’s tied to Wesley. Foggy tries to back off of the matter, but Matt suggests that Wesley could act as John’s character witness or that John killed Prohaszka on his orders. John admits that he’s not afraid of what happens if they lose the case, and Foggy talks to his partner privately. He insists that they shouldn’t be defending real criminals and figures that something is off about the entire thing. Matt insists on taking the case to jury and tells John that they’re going to waive the indictment. John refuses, saying that he wants to go directly to trial. Matt warns him that he’ll have to testify, and John says that he’ll trust in the justice system... and assures the partners that Wesley’s check will clear.
Later at the bowling alley, Wesley goes to the jukebox where John hid the gun. When the players tell him to wait his turn, he puts a quarter down and waits. Once he has the gun, he walks out.
Back at the office, Foggy demands to know what’s going on. Matt insists that they need the money, but Foggy says that they can’t do it. After Matt apologizes, they get down to business. He figures that the DA will have to prove it was deliberate murder, and the shoe girl was in back when it happened. Prohaszka’s men won ‘t testify, much to Foggy’s surprise. Matt agrees with their approach and suggests that Karen check on Confederated Global’s background, and Foggy notices that she’s gone.
Karen responds to the letter and meets with a lawyer. He reminds her that she signed a NDA and then took the stolen file to the New York Bulletin rather than the police. The lawyer tells her that his clients will pay her six months’ salary to make up for any stress that she suffered, even though they acknowledge no connection to Rance. Karen realizes that they want her to keep her mouth shut, and the lawyer says that it’s a chance to put it all behind her.
That night, Ben goes to the hospital to meet with his wife Doris. The administrator warns him that they’ll have to put his wife in a communal room. Ben warns that they’re going to cut Doris off and says that he wants to make sure Doris can rest and get better so she can come home. Shirley fills out the paperwork to keep her in a private for five days and warns that it’s the best she can do. As he goes, an orderly, Norma, tells Ben that Doris had a good day and asked about him. He goes to Doris’ room and finds his wife sleeping. Ben sits down on the bed and takes her hand.
At the office, Matt and Foggy are going over the case and discover that their wifi is running slow. Karen comes in to tell them that Confed Global is a holding company. However, Wesley’s check cleared. Matt asks Karen to hold off on the long lunches until the case is over. The Internet comes up and they go back to work.
At the trial, Foggy gives the opening statement to the jury. As the judge gives the jury instructions, Matt listens and realizes that one of the jurors has an elevated heartbeat. Wesley comes in and Matt hears his distinctive wristwatch.
That night, the female juror Matt heard meets with a man, Oscar. He tells her to keep it together until the verdict, and warns that she doesn’t want something floating around. Oscar tells her to go home and get some rest, and Karen walks off. Daredevil grabs Oscar and beats him, and then demands to know what he has on Karen. Oscar says that he has a tape that the juror doesn’t want her kids to know about. He says that he doesn’t know who he works for. Daredevil tells Oscar to tell the juror to get off the jury and then leave town if he wants to stay alive.
The next day, the judge announces that the juror has been excused due to extenuating personal circumstances. Matt gets up to make his closing argument and hesitates, listening for any nervous heartbeats. After a moment, Matt says that the prosecutor hasn’t met the burden of proof to show that John is guilty of murder. He notes that John may meet a judgment outside the courtroom, but the jury can only concern itself with the case.
Leland meets with Wesley and demands to meet with their employer on a matter that requires his personal attention: art for his penthouse. He assures Leland that the situation is under control, but the financier isn’t convinced. Leland suggests that they just get rid of John like they did with Rance, but Wesley explains that after the recent deaths of their hired help, he wants to handle it within the law. As for Foggy and Matt, Wesley says that they hired the lawyers because they’re completely clean and above reproach. When Leland warns that he can’t move on Prohaszka’s holdings until the glare is off, Wesley tells him to get the papers ready.
Karen goes to see Fisher’s wife Jennifer. She insists that nothing happened between them, even though the man’s corpse was found in her apartment. Jennifer knows that they weren’t having an affair, and Karen asks her about Union Allied, and asks if they offered her money to keep quiet. The widow tells him to let it go, but Karen says that it doesn’t feel right. Jennifer admits that her husband said the same thing and she told him he had a responsibility to do something about it. She admits that she already signed, for the sake of her kids, and advises Karen to take care of the people she cares about.
At his office, Ben calls Shirley to thank her for her help. Karen comes in and says that she read his article about Union Allied... and she has more of the story.
As the judge receives the jury’s verdict, Matt hears the elderly foreman’s heartbeat speed up and realizes that they’re hung. The judge announces the same thing a moment later. The judge informs the court that they have a hung jury and the foreman confirms. Foggy figures that the DA will retreat, but Matt knows better and John congratulates him on his speech.
After his release, John is packing to move when Daredevil attacks him, shattering a nearby mirror. The two men fight and John grabs a shard of glass to use as a knife. Despite that, Daredevil subdues him and demands to know who hired him. John refuses to talk until Daredevil drives the shard into his throat. The hit man gives the name--Wilson Fisk--and Daredevil tells him to get out of Hell’s Kitchen. However, John says that he gave up Wilson’s name and the man will find him and everyone he ever cared about and make an example of them all. He says that Daredevil should have just killed him, and then drives his head onto a nearby metal spike.
At an art gallery, the curator--Vanessa Marianna--finds Wilson admiring a painting with gradations of white. He says that he’s interested in purchasing it, and Vanessa explains that what matters is how it makes the viewer feel. Wilson stares at it and says that it makes him feel alone.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 14, 2015