Episode 7 of Reacher's first season commences with Stevenson and Emma, his partner, engulfed in turmoil and discussing the possibility of fleeing their hometown. Emma, pregnant with child, advocates for a new beginning, a clean slate far from their current turmoil. However, their hopes are dashed when the ominous black car from their previous encounter returns, its occupants — four men dressed in latex suits and armed with a menacing crowbar.
Meanwhile, Reacher lands in Atlanta and is greeted by Finlay at the airport. His white shirt stained with blood, Reacher sports a mischievous tee and casually reveals to his partner that he had indulged in a game of Hangman with a professional assassin. He further adds that there may be another corrupt official lurking in the shadows, undetected by them.
After a fleeting appearance at Kliner Sr.'s funeral and retrieving Hubble's car from the shop, they are led to the gruesome sight at Stevenson's residence. Emma and Stevenson are found dead, tied to chairs facing each other. This murder holds a sinister twist, with mirrors strategically positioned around them, suggesting that someone believed Stevenson possessed crucial information. However, given their demise, it's evident neither possessed any valuable knowledge.
Teale escorts the pair outside, brandishing his diamond cane, and abruptly dismisses Finlay from his position. This leaves Reacher with no choice but to confront Officer Baker, the sole remaining officer in the station who Reacher suspects may be the elusive corrupt cop.
Reacher expounds on his theory and, with an alibi in hand, casts suspicion on Finlay. Finlay's story seems fishy, as he has been present in Margrave throughout these tumultuous events. Reacher believes he may be responsible for the murders.
Once again, Hubble emerges as a loose thread, prompting Reacher to break into his house that night, armed with military-grade camouflage gear and face paint, determined to uncover the truth. As Finlay offers condolences to Stevenson's family, Reacher ambushes the four latex-suited assailants who arrive at Hubble's residence. Dawson is amongst them. Reacher is knocked unconscious with a crowbar and narrowly escapes drowning after eliminating three of them. Regaining consciousness, he grabs his gun and unleashes a barrage of shots at his assailant.
After the brief skirmish, Reacher promptly dialed Roscoe, revealing his deductions. The revelation was striking: all US dollar bills are of uniform size, and coupled with Paul's financial wizardry, he had been sustaining Kliner's happiness with a steady flow of fresh one-dollar bills sourced from cash-heavy industries such as payday loans and casinos. These bills, originating from various corners of the country, were then transported to Margrave.
It seemed that Kliner Chemicals had concocted a method to remove the ink from these bills, transforming them into... animal feed. Yes, animal feed was the key ingredient in this elaborate scheme. Once the ink was washed away, the bills underwent a stripping process, were battered, and reprinted to resemble genuine hundred-dollar bills. This elaborate counterfeiting operation culminated in shipping the notes overseas to Venezuela.
A hunch told Reacher that Joe's garage might hold some clues, and so he headed there next. Along the way, he called Roscoe but also notified Finlay, albeit briefly. However, Finlay, alert as a hawk, spotted several figures approaching his motel room. They had tracked him down, revealing that Finlay was not, in fact, a corrupt officer.
Following Reacher's cues, Finlay deftly evaded the men and sped off in his car, seeking safety. As he fled, he punctured the assailants' tires with several bullets, ensuring that he wouldn't be followed.
When Reacher and Finlay reached Joe's abode, they found it reduced to a smoldering ruin. Yet, a stray apostrophe from Joe's note led them to Jobling's alternate address—the one owned by his parents. Inside the garage, amidst the debris, they stumbled upon the same air-conditioning boxes, but these were jam-packed with hundred-dollar bills.
It seemed that Finlay was innocent, yet another member of their clan was not. When Reacher called Neagley, she confirmed that The Viking had been deceased for some time, but his partner was still active. And what was his name? Picard.
Just as Reacher caught up with Finlay, he was confronted by KJ, Teale, and Picard, all pointing guns at him and Finlay. He had unwittingly walked into a well-laid trap.
