Episode 3 of Season 1 of "The Bondsman" commences with a high school cheerleader engaging in a live stream on her social media platform. She masterfully frames a girl named Kayla for bullying her, her voice dripping with false innocence. Once the live broadcast concludes, a compatriot calls to commend her on her Oscar-worthy performance.
As they exchange pleasantries, the cheerleader notices the shower running unexpectedly. She dashes to turn it off, only for it to mysteriously reactivate, joined by every other faucet in the bathroom. The bathtub quickly fills to the brim with water, its surface rippling ominously. Suddenly, a demon materializes, its presence both menacing and surreal, and hurls the cheerleader into the tub, submerging her beneath the relentless flow.
Elsewhere, Kitty grapples with comprehending Pastor Ron's motives behind the sacrifice, clinging to the belief that there must be some redeeming value to Hub's line of work. Hub, determined to play an active role in his son's life, decides to drop Cade off at school that morning. His unannounced arrival startles Maryanne, Lucky, and Cade, who are caught off guard by his sudden desire to participate. Maryanne reluctantly agrees, hoping to avoid another contentious confrontation between Hub and Lucky.
Hub allows Cade to take the wheel, using the journey as an opportunity to cast aspersions on Lucky's character. He claims that Lucky's past is tarnished by ties to the mafia and a history of violence. Cade, hurt and offended, bridles at his father's attempts to undermine his mother's happiness. Their argument is interrupted by a call from Hub's client, informing him of a new demon order. She cautions him to keep the demon far from any bodies of water.
Hub insists that Cade skip school and serve as his lookout. They speed to the cheerleader's house, where Cade recognizes her as Deidre. Hub sneaks inside to find water cascading down from the second floor, creating a chaotic scene of flooding. However, Deidre is nowhere to be found. He contacts Kitty to update her, and together they deduce that the demon may be making its way to a larger water source.
Meanwhile, Tater presents Lucky with photographs from the previous night, convincing him that Hub and Kitty are practicing witchcraft. Lucky's patience wears thin, and he demands to take over Tater's role in the matter. The tension builds as the narrative weaves through these intertwined threads, each character grappling with their own demons, both literal and metaphorical.
Hub conceals the truth from Cade yet instructs him to proceed with their journey. Along the way, Cade notices that Deidre has subtly left trails by turning on public water hoses, guiding them like breadcrumbs to the county pool. Amidst this revelation, Cade casually mentions his upcoming performance with his mother, Maryanne, which irritates Hub, who had firmly established a rule that Cade could only pursue music after turning 18. However, with a demon loose and causing havoc, Hub chooses to postpone confronting Maryanne for the time being.
Upon reaching the county pool, Hub discovers a corpse submerged in the water, realizing it's a sacrifice bearing the same ritualistic hallmarks as Pastor Ron's victim. Suddenly, Deidre strikes, aiming to drown Hub in the chilly depths. In swift response, Hub fires a shot, felling her instantly. Her body catches fire upon impact, consumed by flames as mysteriously as she appeared.
As Hub prepares to depart, Cade signals a looming presence. To their surprise, it's the sheriff, arriving to investigate the deceased individual. Quick-thinking, Hub directs Cade to steer towards Kitty’s place, staging a reckless driving spectacle to distract and displace the deputy from the crime scene.
Across the town, Lucky pays a visit to Kitty, dangling the threat of exposing their deeds to Pastor Ron. He sternly warns her and Hub to steer clear of Maryanne and Cade. When Maryanne eventually learns of Hub's actions, she swiftly secures their son's release from any trouble. The scene escalates further as Hub brings up their tour performances, stirring up more drama. Maryanne counterattacks, accusing Hub of being envious of her talent and deliberately sabotaging her progress, claiming he's bitter about abandoning his own musical career. Cade, too, lays the blame on his father, asserting that Hub's own unresolved trauma has ruined his life.
After enduring a long, fraught day, Hub makes his way back home, but his mind keeps replaying the dark deeds of his past. A month ago, Hub had interred Cheryl's body in the secluded woods, a haunting memory that refuses to fade. The episode concludes with Hub revisiting that grim location, his mind tormented by the ghost of his past actions.
