As the episode unfolds, Jim Ellis (portrayed by Josh Holloway) finds himself in the midst of an intense scenario, in the act of concealing a corpse when the sound of an approaching vehicle interrupts his grim task. With swift reflexes, he draws his pistol and demands to know the intentions of the driver who has dared to disturb his clandestine endeavor.
Flashback to 15 hours prior, Jim halts at a gas station, only to unexpectedly encounter Wesson Groomes (Donal Logue). Wesson, engrossed in relating an eerie dream he had, eventually steers the conversation towards an unexpected revelation—he witnessed Jim in the company of Nina Hayes (Rachel Hilson) on a recent evening. Jim, caught off guard, inquires about the price for Wesson's silence, to which Wesson responds with a demand of $10,000 by the end of the night.
Elsewhere, Ezra 'Sax' Saxton (Keith David), with a calculating glint in his eye, rewards Jim for a grueling task—manually reviving his son's heart. Alongside the reward, he provides Jim with funds to settle his debts with Carlo and a modest bonus intended for their newest acquaintance, Bob Temple (Kevin Chamberlin).
Meanwhile, Nina and Awan Bitsui (played by Asivak Koostachin) share a breakfast meeting, delving into their case just as Sax and his cronies enter the scene, casting a dark shadow over their discussion. Nina confides in Awan snippets of her childhood acquaintance with Sax. Following this encounter, Nina confronts Jim about his omission regarding his presence at Joey's fatal night. He counters by highlighting their pressing concern with Wesson, and requests the money from her. However, she retorts by insisting that he assist her first with banking records, inventory lists, and contact details.
In a parallel narrative thread, Genesis Saxton (Sydney Elisabeth), armed with a book, visits her father Royce Saxton (Benjamin Charles Watson) with the intention of brightening his recovery with some reading material. However, their interaction takes a sour turn as they clash over Genesis's perception of being treated unfairly by Sax.
Jim scours the bowling alley in search of Sunglasses (Patrick Warburton), seeking his expertise for assistance with Wesson. With a serious tone, he reveals that the task will incur a cost of three thousand dollars. Jim propositions a payment plan, but Sunglasses swiftly dismisses the idea, insisting on immediate payment. In response, Jim presents a unique offer: a pair of authentic blue suede shoes once owned by Elvis Presley. Sunglasses, however, expresses his doubts, noting the logistical challenge of retrieving the shoes from Elvis's Palm Springs residence before his impending meeting with Wesson. Jim, undeterred, urges Sunglasses to trust him on a leap of faith. After some contemplation, Sunglasses grants Jim until midnight to produce the shoes.
Jim then ventures to see Wade Ellis (Corbin Bernsen), requesting the use of his glass cutter. After a brief negotiation, Wade learns that Jim is undertaking a risky robbery mission for Sunglasses. Wade cautions Jim, emphasizing that Sunglasses is a formidable adversary not to be trifled with. This revelation sparks a heated discussion, as Jim feels that Wade only views him as a mere chauffeur.
Meanwhile, Nina and Awan are engrossed in their search for missing case files when they are interrupted by Jessica-Lorraine Sims (Sofia Vassilieva), who urgently informs Nina that the officer who filed the report on Joey is upstairs.
Jim seeks guidance from Izzy (Camille Guaty) regarding the elaborate plan involving Elvis's shoes. However, Izzy poses a condition: Jim must babysit Luna (Adriana Aluna Martinez) in her absence. She reluctantly agrees to sketch a layout of the house, provided Jim fulfills his end of the bargain.
Elsewhere, Awan and Nina confront Wesson to discuss the police report he filed on Joey. Contrary to their expectations, Wesson veers the conversation away from the case, expressing a keen interest in Jim instead. Nina inquires about the report's details, which state that Joey perished in a propane accident. Wesson clarifies that this narrative was dictated by Leland Breen, suggesting a deeper layer of deception intertwined within the official documentation.As they deliberated on the heist, Jim casually mentioned acquiring the glass cutter from his father. Luna's curiosity piqued, she inquired whether he had known her dad. Jim acknowledged the acquaintance but steered the conversation towards what Izzy had shared about him with Luna. Luna recounted the tale as narrated by Izzy.
Meanwhile, Nina approached her superior regarding the missing Breen files, but he was only intent on discussing the presidency. When she requested a meeting with Breen, he informed her that the ASAC insisted on keeping Breen out of the loop.
As Jim made his way to Palm Springs, Nina encountered Evelyn Breen (Adrienne Barbeau). Evelyn, however, brushed her off abruptly and hurried away. Disheartened, Nina and Awan formulated a plan to visit the police impound yard.
Upon arriving at Elvis's residence, Jim found it abuzz with a lively party. He managed to sneak into the office, where he located the blue suede shoes, but was interrupted by Elvis's manager, who was engrossed on a phone call. After a brief exchange, the manager hastily ushered Jim out. In the kitchen, Jim bumped into Genesis, and both agreed it was prudent to keep their presence a secret from Sax. Jim devised a clever plan with one of the partygoers, an actress, to lure the Colonel away from Elvis's office.
Elsewhere, Sunglasses and his accomplice arrived to confront Wesson, bringing along some child pornography they had stolen from his home. They threatened to expose him to his superiors if he didn't agree to cease his pursuit of Jim. Wesson, drawing his weapon, attempted to fire, but Sunglasses and his associate were quicker on the draw. Though they spared Wesson's life, it afforded him a fleeting chance to shoot Sunglasses' accomplice in the head. In retaliation, Sunglasses ended Wesson's life.
Jim, having successfully acquired the blue suede shoes, slipped away from the party. Simultaneously, Nina and Awan embarked on their mission to infiltrate the police impound lot. Before breaking in, Awan confessed to Nina that he needed to understand her background if he were to go to any lengths for her. She unveiled her past, revealing how her father had worked for Saxton during her childhood. Moved by her narrative, Awan unlocked the gate for them.
Jim returns to the bowling alley, clutching the bowling shoes, only to discover Sunglasses drowning his sorrows in alcohol, a dark cloud hanging over him. Sunglasses confides in Jim about the heart-wrenching loss of Charlie, before dropping the bombshell—the price has soared. An ensuing haggle ensues, but it takes a dangerous turn when Sunglasses brandishes a gun at Jim. In a moment of quick thinking, Jim hurls the shoes at Sunglasses, diverting his attention long enough to lunge at him. They tumble to the ground in a fierce grapple, eventually spilling near the bowling pins, where Sunglasses's head suffers a fatal crush beneath the heavy pin setter.
Elsewhere, Awan and Nina stumble upon Joey's van, uncovering crucial evidence from the explosion. Meanwhile, a fleeting scene reveals that Wesson, remarkably still alive, manages to reach his radio and issues a desperate call for assistance, reporting an officer down.
As Jim laboriously digs a grave for Sunglasses's body, a car pulls up unexpectedly. It's Wade, who conveniently has an extra shovel in the trunk. While Jim continues his grueling task, Wade recounts his visit to the bowling alley and witnessing Jim's Duster speeding away. Wade senses a shift in Jim's fortune and expresses his desire to stand by him, just as he did for Joey. On a scale of 10, I'd rate this episode a solid 5.7.
An ambulance arrives to whisk Wesson away to safety. Evelyn engages in a phone conversation, informing someone about Nina's visit. The individual on the other end reassures her that he will protect her, and with these words, the episode draws to a close.
