Episode 8 of the second season of "Poker Face" kicks off with Regina, a woman of modest circumstances employed by a non-profit dedicated to orphans, stepping into a hotel bar and requesting a steaming cup of coffee. Fresh from a fundraiser that successfully raised $20,000 for her foundation, she finds herself killing time in the hotel's ambiance until the banks reopen their doors.
As she leisurely sips her coffee, her eyes catch sight of Alec, a man sitting at a nearby table with a satchel by his side.Regina notices several other individuals discreetly handing him packages, sparking her curiosity. With a mix of reluctance and intrigue, Alec opens up about his work in the glamorous world of luxury travel, which led him to a client of unique distinction – a former ruler of Georgia (the country), now living in exile in the United States. This exiled dignitary seeks to convert his Georgian lira into dollars without raising any suspicion, and Alec has been facilitating this process, doubling his own fortune in the clandestine transactions.
Regina, fascinated by the thrill of such high-stakes dealings, finds herself drawn to Alec and soon finds herself ascending to his hotel room. There, he reveals that the Georgian despot will arrive within the hour to collect the converted funds. Driven by the allure of doubling her hard-earned $20,000, Regina adds her money to Alec's stash.
Alec tries to warn her of the inherent dangers, but it's a message that arrives too late. The knock on the door heralds the arrival of the Georgian, who, without preamble, guns down Alec the moment the door swings open. Panic ensues as the assailant begins to search the room. In a moment of instinctual bravery, Regina seizes Alec's gun and fires back, bringing the Georgian's reign of terror to an abrupt end. With quick thinking and daring actions, she secures Alec's money and flees the scene, her heart pounding with the adrenaline of survival.
We then pivot our focus to Charlie, who enters the same hotel bar and places an order for breakfast. As she scans the room, her eyes fall upon Alec, prompting her to strike up a conversation. He attempts to elucidate his dealings with the so-called Georgian, but Charlie calls him out on his lies. When she unveils her own skill set, he concedes that his real name is Guy and admits he's a con artist. He introduces her to his gang of scammers and recounts "The Sleazy Georgian" con, which we had witnessed earlier in the episode. It dawns on us that the entire sequence involving Regina has already transpired by this juncture!
Guy elucidates that his colleague Manny assumes the guise of the Georgian and faux-shoots "Alec," while Guy's gun is loaded with blanks. Thus, Regina was led to believe that both men were deceased. Guy further confesses that he swapped the money bags, retaining Regina's cash while she fled with a sack filled with scrap paper.
As Charlie observes Guy's harsh treatment towards Manny, she's permitted to select an item from their discard pile of props before departing. She chooses Regina's green satchel and discovers a receipt for a $20,000 donation to the National Orphan Fund.
The following morning, Charlie confronts Guy, who justifies their actions by claiming they only swindle those who deserve it. He contends that Regina was willing to sacrifice the orphans' money for her own gain, making her a despicable individual. Charlie then reveals that she researched Regina and learned of her untimely suicide. She warns Guy to return the orphans' money or she'll summon the authorities.
Just then, Manny enters and informs Guy of a new mark at the hotel. Guy proposes that Charlie assist them with this con, allowing her to take her share of $20,000 and donate it to the orphanage herself. Reluctantly, she agrees. The new mark turns out to be a gambler named Sketch, who falls prey to their deception and even agrees to add an additional $400,000 of his own funds.
An hour later, Sketch arrives at the hotel room with the money, but Charlie realizes that he possesses a genuine firearm, potentially placing Manny in grave danger! She implores Guy to abort the plan, but he's captivated by the money and allows Manny to storm in without any warning. Consequently, Sketch shoots Manny.
Charlie grapples with Sketch until the confrontation escalates, culminating in Charlie shooting him. In the meantime, Guy seizes the opportunity, snatching the bag of money and bolting, indifferent to both Charlie's fate and Manny's well-being. He hastens back to his gang, eagerly displaying the sack, only to be met with disappointment when he discovers it is brimming with food coupons rather than cold, hard cash.
It then transpires that Charlie and Manny had orchestrated this entire scenario to deceive Guy. Charlie's motive was to prove beyond doubt that Guy would abandon Manny in her hour of need. The revelation that Sketch was actually Robin, Manny's beloved husband, adds an unexpected twist to the tale. With a heartfelt promise to refrain from harming anyone ever again, Manny hands Charlie the money intended for the orphans.
