In the third installment of The Horror of Dolores Roach, Dolores' haunting tale unfolds as she engages Flora in a poignant conversation about her inaugural act of murder, painting a vivid picture of its unimaginable weight and the irrevocable shift it wrought in her life's course. The narrative shifts seamlessly to the past, where Dolores's hand tightens around the throat of Gideon Pearlman, Luis' landlord, on her pristine massage table, turning a moment of retribution into a macabre fascination that devours her senses.
As the life in Gideon's eyes fades, Dolores snaps out of her grim reverie, confronted with the harsh reality of her deed. Struggling to comprehend the magnitude of her actions, she attempts to relocate the lifeless body, only to find it an immovable weight, ultimately crashing to the floor. With trembling hands, she shrouds the corpse and pilfers the cash from his pockets, her escape a flurry of anxiety as she flees towards the neighboring shops.
Amidst her flight, Dolores warns Luis of the treacherous state of the basement, where the landlord's spirit seemed to linger and the stairs lay in ruins. Her mind racing, she gathers her supplies from the hardware store—a shovel, a blade, garbage bags, tape, and corrosive liquid lye—only to realize, with a jolt, that her every move was being captured on camera. In a desperate bid to cover her tracks, she adds balloons and snacks to her cart, concocting a party ruse to sow confusion.
Returning to the basement, Dolores's heart races as she discovers the body's disappearance, paranoia creeping in. Fearful that Luis might have betrayed her trust or that her mind had played tricks, she stumbles upon a letter from him, a vow to handle the mess. In a daze, she smokes a joint and succumbs to sleep, the weight of her deeds crushing her beneath their gravity.
Awakened by the dawn's light, Dolores confronts Luis about the missing corpse, but he remains tight-lipped, a veil of secrecy shrouding his face. Outside, Nellie distributes free samples of Luis' innovative empanadas, their tantalizing aroma masking a sinister secret—meat sourced from a fateful encounter. Dolores's suspicions flare, querying Luis about the origin of these mysterious cuts. With a glint of pride in his eyes, he confesses to a culinary breakthrough, his words a veil over the truth they both knew too well.
As the workday draws to a close, Luis descends into the confines of his basement apartment, where he indulges in yet another joint, his excitement palpable from the overwhelmingly positive feedback of his clients. His carefree demeanor, however, strikes terror into Dolores' heart as she confronts him about his macabre business tactics.
Luis, undeterred, spins his gruesome trade into a culinary art, defending the empanadas crafted from forbidden flesh as a rare delicacy. He insists on secrecy, his freezer concealing the remnants of a human tragedy. To divert suspicion, he cunningly relocates Mr. Pearlman's phone to the bustling streets of Soho.
Amidst this sinister undercurrent, Luis professes his love for Dolores, convinced of mutual feelings, yet her silence speaks volumes. She retreats into the haze of her own joint, trying vainly to drown out the mounting concerns that threaten to engulf her.
Days pass in a semblance of normalcy, with the new empanadas flying off the shelves and Dolores' massage parlour thriving. Contentment lingers, yet the specter of resource depletion haunts her thoughts.
As the episode draws to a close, Luis surprises Dolores with a gift – a spurious massage therapist certificate, a token designed to bolster the legitimacy of her enterprise. The veil of normalcy provides temporary solace for both, but the tranquility is destined to be shattered.
Moments later, Jonah, the landowner's son, storms in accompanied by a posse of police officers, demanding answers about his missing father. The calm facade cracks, revealing the dark secrets lurking beneath the surface.
