Episode 3 of "Interior Chinatown" unfolds with Willis finally stepping foot inside the precinct building, an achievement noted by Lana with a wry, "Finally made it in," to which Willis responds with a self-deprecating chuckle, "Guess I look the part." Lana then unfolds a file brimming with images of painted visages and hands him a cassette marked with the date his brother vanished. Her dedication to aiding Willis leads her to miss a crucial briefing, earning her a stern rebuke from a superior who warns of a transfer if she continues to neglect her responsibilities.
Pocketing the cassette, Willis retreats to the sanctuary of his home. Upon pressing play, he discovers it harbors a haunting record of his brother's final phone call, where he mentions painted faces, a shadowy follower, and cameras omnipresent. Convincing himself it's a surveillance tape, Willis rushes back to the office, charming officers with culinary bribes to secure access to the labyrinthine evidence room.
Yet, instead of uncovering a simple answer, Willis is confronted by a mountain of boxes, each one a potential treasure trove of clues about his brother's mysterious disappearance. Undeterred, he resolves to return daily at lunchtime, armed with edibles, to continue his relentless pursuit. Meanwhile, Lana finds herself entwined in another case alongside Green and Turner.
The twist in the tale arrives when the evidence boxes are mysteriously obliterated, leaving Willis with an empty void where his search once thrived. He learns that digital records now reign supreme, managed by the precinct's "tech guy," a cliched, overshadowed figure whose invisibility speaks volumes. The officers, now warmly aligned with Willis, devise a scheme to elevate him to the position of the new "tech guy" by acquiring the original tech guy's distinctive glasses. Upon donning these glasses, Willis undergoes a remarkable transformation, embodying the very essence of the tech guy.
Elsewhere, Fatty's bellowing echoes as he confronts white patrons who dare to order "orange chicken," while Willis' mother achieves a personal milestone by earning her real estate license. She orchestrates the successful sale of the laundromat property, garnering the accolades of a seasoned realtor, Betty, in the process.
