Episode 5 of *The Law According to Lidia Poet* Season 2 opens with a desperate prisoner attempting a daring escape. His plans are abruptly foiled when a vigilant prison guard catches him, sparking a fierce scuffle. Meanwhile, The Whip delves into the intricacies of the upcoming election, uncovering a generational divide: the children are eager to cast their votes for Juvara, while their parents intend to support Enrico. Adding to the political tapestry, Costa's socialist faction has chosen to abstain from voting altogether.
Lidia arrives to inspect the progress of the Nitti development project. However, Jacopo keeps her in the dark about Marta's presence, instead choosing to push her away with the claim that he is better off without her. Seeking solace, Lidia pays a visit to Fourneau to extend an apology. He, sensing the tension between her and Jacopo, harbors a twinge of bitterness over his own prolonged life.
The narrative then shifts to a new case as Fourneau introduces Lidia to Bruno Corsi, the prisoner at the center of the storm. Corsi had attempted to break free, resulting in the tragic death of guard Francesco Maselli, for which he now faces a life sentence. The pantry, a scene of chaos, bears the marks of a prolonged struggle. Fourneau finds it perplexing that no alarm was raised, noting Maselli's dislocated arm, signs of strangulation, and ink stains on his wrist.
The minister, eager for a swift guilty verdict before Sunday's election, exerts pressure. Yet, Fourneau stands firm, advocating for a fair defense akin to that provided by the Poets, as he suspects Corsi has been framed and the guards may be complicit. Enter Orazio Talarico, the commander of the guards and a family friend of Fourneau. With a mouthful of gold and rotten teeth, and a jovial demeanor, Talarico pledges his assistance but vehemently insists on his men's innocence.
When questioned, Corsi maintains that he was alone in the pantry, armed only with a shiv which he chose not to use. His motive for escape was rooted in a desperate need to attend his mother's funeral, a request the prison had denied. Lidia probes further into the guards' conduct, and Corsi reveals a dark underbelly: some bullies in Maselli's shift are known to kill and isolate prisoners without cause.
The Poets turn their attention to the alleged bullies, Salvemini and Ambrosio, who deflect blame and express resentment at Lidia's willingness to believe a prisoner over them. The fourth guard on the shift, Lorenzo, remains bitter about the Marianna incident, steadfastly defending his colleagues as good people. Lidia, wise in her approach, refrains from pressing further, instead leaving them with her address should they uncover any pertinent information.
Enrico was taken aback by her reply, and she proceeded to share her hypothesis: Maselli must have had a falling-out with Ambrosio and Salvemini. They had killed him and, by sheer luck, managed to pin the blame on Corsi when he attempted to flee.
Back at home, Lidia attempted to broach the subject of Lorenzo with Marianna, but Marianna was uninterested. Instead, she was eager to discuss the idea of sleeping with Paolo before their wedding and sought Lidia's opinion. Yet, Lidia's mind was preoccupied with Marianna's decision to marry at such a tender age.
Meanwhile, Jacopo's courtship of Marta had reached a standstill due to his lack of sincerity, which Marta had keenly perceived. He inadvertently revealed his plan to move to Rome to launch a socialist newspaper, which enraged Marta as it seemed he was just using her for one last fling. In a fit of exasperation, he confessed the truth about Nitti, prompting Marta to storm off in a huff. Jacopo hurried to her shop to apologize, but Marta acted evasively. Suddenly, he heard a noise and dashed to her basement, where he found Nitti had been hiding. Nitti knocked Jacopo unconscious and fled the scene.
That night, the guards sent Lorenzo away and escorted a prisoner to the attic. Lorenzo, undetected, trailed them silently. By morning, the city's guards had risen in revolt against Enrico for defending a guard-killer. Anna was consumed with worry about the upcoming elections, but hope flickered when Lorenzo returned with news. He informed Lidia about the attic and the prisoner—Amilcare Rolli, who was imprisoned for printing counterfeit money.
Lidia surmised that Maselli had discovered the guards' involvement in printing fake money with Rolli, explaining the ink stains on his wrist. He must have attempted to report them and was subsequently killed. She persuaded Fourneau to search the prison, much to Talarico's chagrin. Their search proved fruitless, yielding no evidence. Desperate for answers, the Poets approached Rolli, attempting to entice him with the promise of a reduced sentence. He merely laughed, insisting that the guards were not responsible for Maselli's death. Before the siblings departed, he played with Enrico's coat, leaving them with more questions than answers.
Elsewhere, Juvara is engaged in a tense conversation with the committee of the Turin bank, insisting that they will be powerless to print money should Enrico emerge victorious. The bank director is racked with anxiety over the potential chaos Lidia might unleash if they interfere with the elections, but Juvara reassures him, instructing him to leave the matter in his capable hands.
Meanwhile, Enrico discovers a gold tooth in his pocket, prompting Lidia to deduce that Rolli must have found and inadvertently dropped it after Maselli's violent encounter with Talarico, whom she now suspects to be the mastermind behind the schemes. She hands the tooth over to Lorenzo, who is left in disbelief. The Poets observe Lorenzo's character, noting his goodness, and believe that Marianna would have only served to ruin him. In a parallel scene, Marianna and Paolo have managed to drug Albertina, who is chaperoning them, and are on the verge of engaging in a tryst. However, Albertina suddenly has a change of heart and departs, leaving them behind.
In prison, Lorenzo confronts Talarico, who urges him to take the teeth to the prosecutor. Accompanied by Salvemini, Lorenzo soon finds himself lost in the middle of the woods. Talarico, seizing the opportunity, pulls out his gun and shoots Lorenzo in the leg. The Poets, who have been tracking them with armed officers, intervene and order Talarico to surrender. He threatens to kill Lorenzo, but Lidia points out the futility of such an act, as he would then have to eliminate Salvemini, the Poets, and the officers to silence all witnesses. Annoyed by Lidia's logic, Talarico ultimately surrenders.
Teresa and Marianna visit an injured Lorenzo in the hospital, offering their apologies for the turmoil. However, Marianna assumes Lorenzo acted heroically for her sake, a notion he finds presumptuous. He believes Teresa was right in her assessment and acknowledges that he cannot keep up with Marianna's extravagant desires. Elsewhere, the election finally draws to a close.
As for Fourneau, he expresses his gratitude to Lidia, acknowledging that he would not have seen Talarico's true colors without her intervention. He kisses her, looking hurt as she steps back. Yet, she simply locks the door and engages in an intimate moment with him. Later, he visits a doctor who informs him that surgery could put an end to his seizures and grant him a long, fulfilling life.
Meanwhile, Nitti contacts Jacopo, feeling remorseful for knocking him out. He is aware of the contents of the books, and they arrange a meeting. Jacopo, overjoyed, informs Costa that he will soon be heading to Rome after solving the Atilla case. However, upon seeing the first book, he decides to involve Lidia. He calls to inform her, and she is pleased that he did.
Unfortunately, the gunman is eavesdropping on their conversation. At the climax of The Law According to Lidia Poet Season 2 Episode 5, he kills Nitti just as Lidia and Jacopo arrive at the meeting point. The gunman escapes, but Lidia discovers his cigarette stub, a clue that might lead to his capture.
