This week's episode contains lots of mother-y references. While sleeping during a particularly boring NA meeting, Dexter dreams that he's actually the "Dark Defender," a comic book character by the same name based on himself that he recently discovered at a crime scene. In the dream, he's able to save Laura Moser, his biological mother, from being slain in the shipping container. The dream inspires Dexter to look deeper into what really happened with her, and he discovers that she was actually a police informant, and that she and Harry actually knew each other. Interesting. He also discovers that one of the three men who killed her is still alive and working in Naples, only a couple hours away. Also interesting.
Rita's mom essentially tells Dexter to fuck off, because after Paul, she doesn't really trust anyone who's in NA with her daughter. Dexter takes the opportunity to take a trip to Naples...with Lila, who's inspired Dexter to confront his mother's killer, because she thinks it will help with his recovery. Dex does indeed confront the guy, but doesn't kill him because Lila talks him out of it, thinking, of course, that she's talking him out of using again. Dexter returns to the motel room where he left Lila, and she's happy she helped him avert a crisis. She confides that she actually killed her ex-boyfriend/smack dealer via arson, and Dexter buries his chin securely in her vagina as he passes out for the evening. It's like she's the mother he never had. Very Oedipal. When he gets back, Rita has told her mother to back off, and she in turn announces she's moving to Miami, into Rita's house. Yikes.
On other fronts, Doakes tells LaGuerta what he thinks of her boinking Pascal's fiancé to get her job back (he's not that cool with it), and Deb and Lundy are getting closer, to each other and to discovering who the BHB is. Things with Deb and Gabe are going well, until Deb reads his email "sent" folder, which reveals that he is shopping around a book called "The Ice Princess," which Deb immediately thinks is about her. She flips out on him and takes off. Lundy, being the good buddy that he is, shows Deb a background check he ran on the guy, and it turns out that Gabe aspires to be a children's writer, and Deb feels like an asshole. Which she is.
It was a totally Masuka-free episode, which make Baby Jesus cry, but what are you gonna do?
Previously: Masuka had a "big break" in the BHB case: algae. On rocks. From the body bags. October 3, 1973 was an important day, because that's the day Laura Moser, Dexter's bio-mom, got chopped to bits in a drug deal gone bad. Dexter met Rita's mother, who expressed her belief that he was hiding something, but not to Dexter, of course. Doakes blasted some ex-special-ops guy after he killed his wife and refused to come downtown. Deb took home her boxing buddy, and boinked him after tying him up to the headboard. Dexter pointed out Lila (new spelling, y'all! Thanks, IMDb!) to Rita, who instantly hated her for how hot she was. Lila took Dexter on a soul-searching adventure, and Dexter showed her his work. "This woman sees me. She doesn't know it, but she's looking behind the mask and she's not turning away."
Dexter's on line at a coffee shop, VOing, "Most people hate long lines. The bank, grocery store, coffee bar. Not me." He looks around at the other patrons, some of whom are reading the paper with BHB headlines. The woman in front of him shifts forward, and the guy behind Dexter says, "Buddy, you mind?" implying that he'd like Dexter to take a step forward. "Want a real glimpse of human nature? Stand in the way of someone's mocha latté. It also reminds me that the good people of Miami and I aren't so different. They have no more idea of what I am than I do." A couple of guys are discussing Dexter's work. "All I'm saying is these guys had it coming." "So what, just chop them all up?" "As far as I'm concerned, whoever's doing this shit deserves a goddamned medal." Dexter has a "whaddya know?" look on his face as the woman at the counter realizes she doesn't have enough cash to pay for her stuff. Dexter insists that he's got it covered, and the woman thanks him. "You're a godsend." Oh, brother. He just smiles.
Dexter takes two café con leches out to the veranda, where Deb is sitting. She takes a sip and says, "Oh, sweet Mary mother of fuck, that's good," and something about the way she says it really rubs me the wrong way. Dexter observes that she's been working a lot recently: "Burning the midnight oil with the task force?" "Hardly. Until we get the report back on the algae, it's just one big reach-around." "The rocks I used to submerge my victims may eventually sink me, too," he VOs. "But if I'm learning anything in recovery, it's one day at a time." He watches another woman pass by holding a paper with his victims on the cover. "Bay Harbor Butcher," says Deb. "Gimme one shot, I'll put a bullet in the fucker's head." Yeah, okay. "You really feel that way?" asks Dex. "He's killing people, Dex," she replies, as if there's no other answer. "If Dad taught us one thing, it's the value of human life." "Yeah, but I think we had different homework assignments," he VOs. Heh, true. Dex's phone rings, and it's dispatch. "See you tonight?" he asks, and Deb says she might be staying at Gabe's. Dex thought they were taking it slow, and Deb confirms that they are: "No sex, just cuddling." Dexter makes fun of her, and she threatens him with her "scalding hot beverage," so he takes off.
Apparently, there's been a murder at a comic-book shop, and there are some action figures with blood spatter on them. As Dexter processes the evidence, he VOs, "I never really understood the whole superhero thing, but lately, it does seem we have a lot in common: tragic beginnings, secret identities, part human, part mutant" -- and, sharing a moment with Doakes, "arch-enemies." LaGuerta comes up, and says, "Great way to start the day, huh?" "Shouldn't you be movin' back into your office, boss?" Dex replies with a mock salute. Heh. LaGuerta asserts that she'd "rather be here. What can you tell me?" Dexter thinks it was a blunt-force trauma, and explains the blood patterns. None of this really matters, trust me. This is all just a big thematic setup. They ascertain that there was no robbery, and the murder was probably personal, because of the brutality of it. It seems the guy, Denny Foster, was bludgeoned with an Aquaman snow-globe. Dexter looks up and sees a poster for The Dark Defender, a comic that features a ninja-dressed guy holding a bloody blade, standing in front of the moon and some palm trees on top of a pile of bodies. The only visible feature of the guy is his chin, which looks a lot like Dexter's. Dex asks a guy that Doakes is interviewing where the poster came from. "Denny had this great idea to put a spin on that vigilante serial killer we got running around." "Definitely has a nicer ring to it than the 'Bay Harbor Butcher,'" opines Dex. Doakes gets pissy at Dexter for interrupting his interview, but the guy, apparently another employee at the comic place, doesn't seem to mind: "Denny was trying to set up The Dark Defender as a graphic novel. 'Stalker of the night, his blade of vengeance turns wrong into right.' I need some air." The guy goes outside, and Doakes gives Dex a sarcastic "Thanks a lot," and follows the guy. Dexter goes back to look at the poster, and behind him we see Doakes talking to the guy again. See, Doakes? He's right there! No need to be so pissed. "The Dark Defender," VOs Dex. "Nah, Miami's too hot for all that leather." Word. You'd get caught in a second just from sweating all over the crime scene.
NA meeting, where some dude is going on and on trying to remember the first time he used. Everyone is blazing hot and fanning themselves, and Dexter is falling asleep because this guy really is so fucking boring. Great casting. "Don't you hurt my baby!" cries Laura Moser, now slowly working her way into Dexter's dreams. "Don't look! Close your eyes! Mommy loves you!" she says, now fully visible. Dexter is recalling his first-person point-of-view, and he looks around the inside of the shipping container, where three thugs have just entered, one of them holding a chainsaw that he's revving. He has a scar on his left eye. As the three men approach, the doors on the unit swing wide open, and there's adult Dexter, as The Dark Defender. He immediately starts kicking all kinds of ass, and takes down the two side-thugs in a matter of seconds. The last guy, with the chainsaw approaches Dexter and tries to slice his head off, but Dexter ducks adeptly and kicks the dude in the ribs, then grabs his head and cracks his neck. As some Elfman-esque French horns blare on the score, Laura Moser realizes her arms are empty where little Dexter was just a moment , and looks at Dexter in disbelief. "It's okay, Mom. You're safe." He goes to her and grabs her by the hand, and people clap. The clapping gets louder, and Dexter wakes up to find himself drooling, back at his NA meeting. "Mmm, that's hot," says Lila.
Now over coffee, she asks, "Where'd you drift off to, anyway?" He explains he was having a dream about his mom, and she replies, "Say no more. Oedipus complex. Explains a lot." First of all, not really. Second of all, ew. "So, what were you doing to your mother in this dream?" "Saving her life. She was murdered, when I was a boy. I was there, I saw it happen. I've never told anyone that before." Lila looks amazed, and says, "Come on." Dex follows her out of the meeting. "Have you thought maybe you weren't saving your mother in this dream? Maybe, you were saving yourself?" "That's not what happened." "Don't be so sure. When I got clean, all the seriously fucked-up reasons I used in the first place began to surface. This could be where your addiction started." Uh duh. "I hope whoever did it got the bloody chair." "There were three men," says Dex, entranced. "I don't know what happened to them!" Well, then, you've got some research and murderin' to do! Lila tells him he needs to confront them, if they're alive and behind bars. Then she uses the word "closure," which makes me want to shit. "How else do you expect to get better?" "I never expected to get better." Well, there you go.
Over at Gabe's place, Deb is rifling through his drawers as he sleeps. Nice one, Deb. You couldn't just wait until he was in the shower? Of course, he wakes up and says, "My meth lab's in the sock drawer." Hee! Nice, dude! I would never be able to say something clever on the spot like that. "This looks bad, doesn't it?" Deb asks. "Yeah. Think your panties help." "Would you believe I'm trying to get to know you better?" No, I'd believe you were a snooping little conniver, though. "You know how I told you the last guy I had sex with tried to kill me? Well, that was kind of true. He was the Ice Truck Killer." "Who is he?" Gabe asks earnestly. "Not fuckin' funny," Deb says seriously. He tries to convince her he's never heard of him, but Deb thinks he fucking with her. "Deb, I've been in El Salvador visiting family for six months. I just got back." Deb says, "So unlike every other jackass out there who thinks I'm a trophy fuck, you had no idea who I was when you hit on me at the gym?" He replies that when he did that, it was because he thought she was hot. "Good answer." Heh. He motions for her to get back in bed, and they snuggle up under the covers. Of course, she has to ruin the moment by asking, "So, what's hot about me?"
Armadillo time! When isn't it, really? No, but seriously, the kids, Rita, and her mother are all freaking out about this armadillo that somehow got into the house, which is really random because it's not like it's a spider or a cockroach, or even a mouse that can just sneak in through a crack. An armadillo really needs a nice open door to get in. Maybe Rita's house is just a piece of shit, and has armadillo-sized holes everywhere. Sorry, I just really like to type "armadillo." Armadillo. See? I'm great. Anyhow, Dexter grabs a broom and sweeps that fucker out of there as it hisses pissedly. Everyone claps, and Rita hugs him, calling him her hero. Rita then grabs the kids and tells them it's time to get ready for school. After they're all gone, Dexter small-talks with Mama: "So, any armadillos in Michigan?" "No." He tries to joke more about armadillos, which I'm fine with, but she's not biting: "You think you're charming, don't you? I'm sure that works for you most of the time. It did for Paul." Ouch, lady! Dang. "I know what you are." "Confused?" he offers. Mama pulls out some NA literature, and wonders aloud why Rita would be printing the stuff out with Paul dead. "Recently, I entered the program." "I knew it." "I would never hurt Rita like Paul did." "Because I'm not going to give you that chance." Kill her, dude. She continues, "It's just a matter of time until you pull her under just like he did." Dexter asks if she's discussed any of this with Rita, and she says no. "But I will if you don't do the right thing here. If you truly care about this family like you say you do, you will let my daughter and those sweet children go." That's some weak sauce, Mama. You've got some nerve.
At the station, Lundy and Angel are talking algae to the task force. Apparently, the algae from the rocks have high levels of zinc and lead, and there are only three marinas that have the kind of restricted water flow that would lead to such high levels of those specific pollutants. "Turkey Creek, Sunset Keys, and Corral Cove," says Angel. "Anyone familiar with these marinas?" asks the Lundster. Deb mentions that Corral Cove is where Harry kept the family boat, and where Dex keeps his now. Angel mentions that it's one of the few marinas left "that's still affordable on a cop's salary." Lundy announces that he and Deb are going to work the Corral Cove, and assigns the other marinas to other cops.
"Sorry it took so long," says the file clerk to Dexter. "I couldn't seem to find any of the crime scene files. Probably lost in storage somewhere. Anyway, that's what I was able to dig up." Dexter asks if she's sure it's just one file: "There were three men arrested for those murders." "Well, one's deceased, one's doing life without possibility...that's the only one that's still an open case. Santos Jimenez." Dexter asks why the case is still open, and the clerk tells him it's because Jimenez went into witness protection. "There's a business address in there for him. I guess after thirty-four years, he figures all the people who want him dead are long gone." "He figured wrong," Dex VOs. The clerk mentions that there are also some audio tapes cross-referenced with the file, if Dexter wants those, too. "Tapes?" "Yeah, there was a criminal informant working the cocaine bust from the inside."
As the reels begin to spin, Dex VOs, "Harry always said to never make things personal, it clouds your judgment. But I've been living in a fog way too long." The tape begins: "Today is Friday, September 28, 1973. This is Detective Harry Morgan." "Dad," breathes Dexter. "This is case file --" "...Can't fucking do this anymore," says a woman's voice, presumably Laura Moser. "I have to know when the shipment is coming in, Laura." "Laura Moser, my mother." As the audio continues, it gives way to a flashback.
"Harry, I'm so scared." "Everything's going to be okay," Harry comforts her as the reel-to-reel spins. "You just need to calm down." "I already took the cocaine as evidence, just like you asked. Why isn't that enough?" Little Dexter is sitting on her lap, looking fidgety, and present-day Dexter is sitting in with them as he imagines the scene we're watching. "If we want Estrada and his men behind bars, we have to catch them in the act at the shipping yard." Laura is convinced that she's going to be found out and killed, because she thinks someone followed them to one of their secret meetings. Harry tries to convince her that he would have noticed someone following them. "I won't let anything happen to you, or your boys." He pats little Dexter's head. "You have my word." Dexter stops the tape, and VOs, "Harry broke his word. He wasn't called to that crime scene by chance. It was his case. Laura Moser was his informant." "Harry knew my mother," Dex says aloud.
Back at the comic-book store, Doakes is breaking down the suspect to some uniform cops, and when they're gone, LaGuerta comes up to Doakes. "Hey, I've got some good news." "Me too. Turns out our vic, Foster, had a blog. He was in some online geek flame-war with a guy calling himself 'Corndude.'" Ignoring this, because she reads TWoP and is used to that kind of thing, she says, "The DA signed off on your review. There won't be any charges." Doakes ignores her back: "This Corndude's real name is Benjamin Alvaro." LaGuerta asks Doakes if anyone has talked to him about counseling, and he says, "Why the fuck would I need counseling?" "Because you shot a man last week, James. That's two shootings in less than six months. Come on, it's gotta take its toll?" "I'm fine, but thanks anyway. The sushi place door has a camera that covers the parking lot," he says, getting back to the case. LaGuerta mentions the department chaplain, but Doakes isn't biting: "Maria, can we stay on the goddamn point?" He mentions that the camera caught Alvaro's license after closing last night, so the case is basically a done deal. LaGuerta wants to work with Doakes on the rest of the case: "It'll be like old times." He looks skeptical, but she's Lieutenant again, so it's not like he can argue.
At the station, Angel's on the phone with Nina because they need to "work out this visitation bullshit." He passes Lila, who's at the front desk asking after Dexter. Angel hangs up the phone, and asks, "Excuse me, are you a friend of Dexter's?" "I'm his, uh, decorator. Love the hat!" Finally! Someone gives Angel props for his styles! His hats are pretty sweet, y'all. "Terrence, give her a visitor's badge, I'll take her up. Angel Batista, I'm Dexter's best friend," he says, extending his hand. "Nice to meet you, Angel Batista!" she says with a smile.
Upstairs, Dexter's fucking around with some blood spatter reenactments, and he's smashing a fake head with a snow-globe. "My work requires me to be an expert in analyzing patterns. Now a pattern keeps emerging from my past that's all too familiar. Harry lying to me. No wonder he destroyed the file on my mother's death. It wasn't to protect me, it was to bury his own guilt." Harsh, dude. "Look who I found," says Angel, bringing Lila into the room. Lila and Dexter look at each other for a second, not sure what to do or say. "Listen, when you're done with him, maybe you can come over to my place," Angel says, handing her a card. "It's a mess, and needs a woman's touch, yeah?" He starts to leave, but turns to Dex and puts his hand to his mouth in a Damn, Dude! She's Smoking Hot! What The Fuck? I Don't Even Care If You're Cheating On Rita, Cuz That Shit's Worth It expression. Dexter gets it, and gives him a nod. After Angel leaves, Dexter asks, "What'd you say to Angel?" She ignores him, totally into the blood spatter. "Dexter, these are amazing!" "Lila, you can't be in here." Ignoring him again, she asks him if he found out about the guys who killed his mom. "Dead or in prison, except for one," he responds. "He cut a deal, and now he lives in Naples, Florida and runs a tavern." "And what are you going to do about it?" Instead of using his words, Dexter slams the test head again, shooting blood all around. "Not sure, yet." She asks if he's not pissed that the guy got away with murder. "No," he says. "You sure?" Lila asks, pointing at the blood spatter. "Maybe a little." "Then go and tell him. Healing's all about focusing your rage on the person that's hurt you. Naples is, what, two hours away? We could go tonight!" ..."We"? Dexter agrees. "Pick you up after work?" she asks excitedly. "All right." "Can I have one of these?" she asks, about his blood spatter paper. "Sure." He walks over and rips her off one the papers. "What is this stuff?" she asks. "Corn syrup and dye. It's my own recipe." She takes a bit on her finger and licks it off seductively, and says, "Not bad." "Thank you." Thank you, indeed.
Down at Corral Cove, Deb trips on a loose deck board. "God, who doesn't fix something like that!" Lundy asks if she's okay, but she's obviously frustrated, no matter what she says. She starts to present a thesis, but Lundy's already on the dock, taking his shoes off. "How do you stand this Miami heat? Makes my toes swell up." "Oh...so...anyway, I was thinking, what if the killer's been renting a boat? I could cross-reference the names --" "Do you like cucumber sandwiches, Officer Morgan? It's all about the cream cheese." Deb is unrelenting in her pursuit of Lundy's approval, but he clearly has no interest in talking about the case right now as he digs into his cucumber sandwich. "Did you hear anything I just said?" asks Deb, noticing that Lundy's ignoring her. "Not one word. It's one o'clock. I always eat lunch at one o'clock. You'll learn that about me. Why don't you sit down?" Deb laughs all "yeah right." "You're welcome to consider that an order, if that helps." He's awesome, man. Deb saunters over and crouches him, wearing a This Is Stupid face. "Shouldn't we be...I don't know, investigating the area?" "You're very fidgety, anyone ever tell you that?" "Yes, my father. You applying for the job?" Heh, okay, that's kind of funny. "Just an observation." "I'm sorry, are you criticizing me for wanting to do my job?" "Yes. It's one o'clock." After a pause, she says, "Look, the last time I was around boats, a killer was kidnapping me, which might explain why I'm living with my brother and snooping on my new boyfriend, so...forgive me for being a little fidgety, but if it's lunch we're talkin', I'm gonna eat a fat pork sandwich, and I'm sure as shit not gonna eat it here." She stands up to leave, and Lundy says, "Debra, this isn't a commercial marina. I haven't seen a single rental ID on any of these hulls. But I can see the upkeep on this place is dismal. Unsecure perimeter, poor lighting. Come out here at night, nobody'd know what the hell you're doing. That's why I'm going to order twenty-four-hour surveillance on this marina, and the two others. Soon as I finish my lunch." He tucks back into his cucumber sandwich, and Deb sits back down to him, smiling. She even takes off her shoes and dips them in the water. Aw, does somebody have a new father figure? That's sweet.
Dexter's heading out of the office with a small grin on his mug, VO-ing, "I finished my spatter report, put in for a personal day, left word with Rita. Naples, here I come. I can't really focus my rage on the man who killed my mother, not with Lila along for the ride. But I can prepare for the day when I do." He steps into the elevator, and just as the doors are about to slam shut, a hand pries them back open. The hand belongs to Deb (shocker), who says, "Where are you off to so early?" "Um, gettin' out of town for the night. Don't wait up for me." "In the middle of the week?" "Thought I'd, you know, take the minivan out on the open road." "Who are you?" Dexter: "Good news is you've got the place to yourself, if you wanna tie up Gabriel again." "Yeah, that one never gets old. Call me when you get back, I wanna talk to you about Corral Cove." Now Dexter's the one to stop the elevator, because he wants to know what she's talking about. She says the algae led them there. "You might want to seriously consider moving your boat. The security out there sucks ass!" "That's kind of the point," he VOs, looking defeated. "This little green algae may as well be kryptonite. If it's ever traced back to me, I'll be helpless." He looks sad.
On the road, Lila asks Dexter if the van is a rental. "Nope, she's all mine." Lila finds it amusing that Dex calls the van a "she." "Your girlfriend must be jealous." Damn straight, but not of his car, you minx, you. "Is she cool with you doing this?" "I didn't tell her. Rita's mom found out I'm in recovery. She wants me to leave Rita and the kids." Lila, seeing an in, says, "She could be right." "I can't abandon them," he says. Lila changes the subject, and asks Dexter what he's going to say to Jimenez when they get there. Dexter says he's sure he'll come up with something, and Lila tells him to practice on her. At first he demurs, but she insists. "I feel like...you stole my life. I'm not the person I'm supposed to be. It's like I'm hollow. I hide in plain sight, unable to reach out to people close to me, afraid I'll hurt them. Like I've hurt so many others. This is what you've made me become." After a pause, Lila says, "That's what you should tell him. What do you remember most about your mother?" Dexter reminisces, and flashes back to a tableau of his toddler self and Laura Moser, bathed in amber light. "She had long hair, soft like her hands. That's all."
Doakes and LaGuerta have their coffee for the evening. "Just like old times," says Doakes sarcastically. "You live for this, and you know it," she says. "We could always...get in the back of the car, and pass the time like we used to." What? Scandalous! They laugh for a second, and LaGuerta says no: "Not going down that road again." Doakes's radio squeaks, and an officer says the suspect's vehicle has been spotted, and it's headed their way. "I'll take lead," says LaGuerta. "I got it," says Doakes. "We don't want this guy to do anything stupid in a crowd of people," she says. "Goddamn, that's what you out here for? To baby-sit me?" LaGuerta says she's worried about him, that's why she's there. He tells her he's fine, and doesn't know how else to say it. "That's what worries me. You're fine? With killing two men, you're fine?" He says he's killed more than two men in his life. "This isn't the Army, James. This is my department. I need to know that you're fit for duty. That's my job as Lieutenant!" He says all she cares about is her job, "even if it meant doing Pascal's man to get it back." Oh, snap! That was cold as ice, son! The gloves are off now. LaGuerta, shocked, asks, "How did you know about Bertrand?" "I didn't for sure until just now. I know you, Maria. We rode together for two years. When you want something, you get it! Pascal was in your way..." LaGuerta doesn't want to talk about it, and Doakes says, "Oh, I see. You're all up in everybody's shit as long as it's not yours." The conversation is cut short when the suspect rolls up in his truck. I think they said all they needed to, don't you?
"Remember, this is about you," says Lila, as the camera is trained on Dexter's face in mega-close-up. "Not about him," says Dexter dogmatically. "It's all right if we get there and you can't go through with this." "I know." "Because we can come back another time." "No, I want to meet him tonight." She looks proud of him, and I have to say, she's annoying me a lot less than she did last week, but I couldn't say why. Dexter's cell phone rings, and as Lila hands him the phone, she observes about a painting on the wall, "This isn't art, this is cottage porn." I actually kind of like the motel art. It's kitsch, but also kind of fun in an unironic way, too. It's almost cartoonish. Shut up, Lila. You're so cool and above it all with your "found" "art." Whatever, you're annoying me again. Anyway, Dex looks at the caller ID, and says, "It's Rita." "Say no more. I have to take a shower anyway," says Lila, heading to the bathroom. "Don't leave without saying goodbye!" Dex picks up. "Hi." "Hey, it's so good to hear your voice. We were starting to get worried. You still on the road?" "No, I just got in." "Oh, you said you'd call. Where are you?" "I decided to look someone up from my past," he says, noticing that Lila is getting naked right in front of him. "That's what suddenly came up?" "Yup." "Dexter, what's going on?" Oh, you don't wanna know, honey. "Well, after this morning, I figured it'd be better if I kept my distance." Rita wonders what that means, so Dexter tells her about the convo he had with Mama. "Shit. Look, this means nothing, all right? I'm going to take care of this. Now, when are you coming back?" "Uh, tomorrow morning?" He promises to stop by the house first thing, and Rita apologizes for her mother. Dex hangs up, and watches Lila shower for a moment.
Gabe's on his computer when Deb comes in and harasses him for not being in the shower. "I'm just checking some emails," he says, and she says they have to be at the restaurant in half an hour. He gets up and asks her if she wants to join, but she says he stinks, so he goes in alone. As soon as he's out of sight, Deb goes to his computer to snoop some more, like the asshole that she is. She sees a bunch of emails in his outbox that have titles like "My book" and "The Ice Princess." It seems Gabe is an aspiring author, and "The Ice Princess" is the name of his new book. Deb immediately assumes the worst, and I have to say it would be rather coincidental if this book isn't about her, considering the title. When Gabe gets out of the shower, Deb naturally flips out on him for lying to her and writing a book about her. "All you wanted to do was close to me so you could write a book about me and the Ice Truck Killer!" "That's crazy, Deb --" "Fuck you! Fuck you!" She's out, and clearly not listening to reason. I don't think that's what he was up to, but we'll see.
Dex walks into a bar, and I'm assuming it's the same one Jimenez works in. "Gimme Shelter" by the Stones is playing on the score, and Dexter sits down and gives the fuzzy eyeball pretty heavy to the bartender, who's clearly Jimenez. Jimenez asks him what he wants, and Dex doesn't respond, so he snaps his fingers in his face, turning the Stones song into source music (it's playing on the juke, I guess), and Dex immediately says, "Beer, whatever's on tap." Dexter grabs his cell phone and calls Lila, who's in the motel room "fixing" the kitsch art she commented on earlier. "Way to ditch me," she says. "You were in the shower." "Are you there? Do you see him?" "He's staring at me." It's true, he is. "You going to say something?" "I don't know what I'm going to do, yet. I should go." "Well, call me when you figure it out, right?" She hangs up, and admires the work she's done. She's made the mountain in the background into a volcano that's erupting and covering the cottage in lava. Very edgy. Back at the bar, Dexter, bathed in red light, pays for his beer.
"You had no right!" "He's an addict, Rita. He is no good for you!" Mama opens a drawer and pulls out a pack of butts. "He's even got you smoking again!" "You turned your back on me, and your grandchildren." "That was not my fault. I tried to warn you about Paul, but you ran away with him anyway." Not that you're going to point fingers or anything, Mom. Rita says she wasn't running away with Paul, but instead running away from Mama. Ouch. Mama says it hurts her to watch Rita make the same mistakes again. "I've had my fair share of mistakes," says Rita. "And guess what? You were right about Paul. He was a terrible man. But, for the first time, I feel safe and loved, and that's because of Dexter." "I can't talk to you when you're like this, I'm going to bed." "Like" what? Honest? Fuck off, lady. Rita gets in her way, saying, "This is my life, Mother, and if you can't be happy for me, then maybe you shouldn't be here. If you want to abandon me and the kids again, fine. That's your choice. But Dexter isn't going anywhere." Well, except into the loving embrace of his NA sponsor. His hot NA sponsor. Mama goes to bed without another word.
"Last call was thirty minutes ago," says Jimenez, his patience wearing thin with Dexter, who looks at his watch. Dexter drains his beer and says sorry. "I'm avoiding going back to my motel room. I'm visiting from Miami. You ever been there?" "Can't say that I have." Dexter stands up and moves to the end of the bar where Jimenez is standing and cleaning up. "How long you lived in Naples?" he asks. "A few years now." "Like it?" "All right, conyo. Go," he says, pointing at the door. Dexter stands up and says, "Okay, this is going to be awkward, but I need to tell you how I feel." "No, what you need to do is leave, because you've been eyeballing me all night." Jimenez reaches under the bar and produces a baseball bat. "You really shouldn't do that," says Dexter, and I for one agree with him. Jimenez makes a threatening gesture, and Dexter says, "Let me just say what I need to say, and I'll go." Jimenez holds the bat threateningly, but doesn't move. "You stole my life." "Heh, what the fuck? You are really beginning to piss me off!" "I'm not the person I'm supposed to be, because you took someone from me." "I will beat your fucking head in if you don't walk out that fucking door right now!" "I tried Lila's way," says Dex before opening up a couple vats of kick-nuts on the guy. Seriously, he punches the guy so hard it sounds like what I imagine whales fucking sounds like, you know, right in the middle there where the meat of their torso just pounds together. Needless to say, I would never want to be on the receiving end of one of Dex's punches. After dropping the guy, Dex runs to front door and locks it. He returns holding the bat, and says, "1973!" while sinking the bat into Jimenez's ribs. Now, I thought the punching sound was a bit much, but this one tops it easily, because the Foley artists obviously thought it appropriate to add one of those splattery sounds that you hear in Dead Alive, when that guy's respiratory system starts walking around on its own. I digress. Dexter continues to bludgeon the guy, while reminding him of the particular misdeed he's there to see him about. "The Port of Miami? A shipping container? A chainsaw? Laura Moser?" At this, he spits in the guy's face, and I hope he's not trying to avoid being caught, because he's already made quite a mess without spitting his DNA on the guy. "You remember now? You remember now?" Dude, he's kind of losing it. Dex goes to the bar and grabs a knife, which he puts in his mouth before grabbing Jimenez by his feet and dragging him to the back, where he plops him on a pool table.
"You've got me confused with someone else," Jimenez says, and Dexter punches him really fucking hard on the collar bone. "I know exactly who you are! You made me into what I am!" "Okay, okay! I killed her!" Another brutal, brain-shaking punch, and Dexter climbs on top of him. "I had to!" Jimenez shouts. "Did you? Did you have to? Did you have to saw her into little pieces? Did you have to leave two little boys soaking in a pool of their mother's blood?" Jimenez says he would have been killed if he didn't follow orders. "You slaughtered her like an animal because she stole his precious cocaine?" "No, we found out she was a snitch for a cop. She was fucking him!" Whoa. Whoa, dude. If that's true, do you think Dexter might be Harry's biological son, after all? That's fucking crazy. What about Brian? Was he someone else's, and that's why Harry didn't take him too? We'll see. Dexter asks how he knows, and Jimenez says he followed them to a park. "My mother and Harry? That's what got her killed?" Dexter's phone rings, and he says, "I'm not done with you yet," before delivering a knock-out blow. "Isn't this what heroes do? Avenge lost loved ones?" he VOs, before screaming aloud, and then answering his phone. "What?" "Everything okay?" asks Lila, hearing Dexter's heavy breathing. "Dexter, what's wrong?" "Thought I could resist," he says. "Jesus, are you using?" "No, but I'm about to." "Tell me where you are, and I'll get in a taxi, and I'll come get you." "I have to do this." "No, you don't!" Yes, he does! Quit gettin' in the way! "Just tell me where you are!" she implores. "You'll be too late." "Don't you bloody do this. You are stronger than that!" "I'm not!" he screams, now holding the knife to Jimenez's passed-out face. "If you turn back now, you'll go right back to the way you were: hollow, angry, alone. I will get you through this, I swear. Just come back to me, okay?" Dexter hangs up, and hovers for a moment before leaving Jimenez on the pool table.
Back at the motel, the door swings open, and Dexter walks in. Lila notices his bruised up hand (you know, from all the insane punching) and asks if he's all right. He goes over to the bed where she's sitting, and says, "I didn't --" "Shh, it's okay. I don't care what you did." Dexter collapses with her onto the bed, his face nestled firmly in her crotch. She caresses his head and comforts him. Man, I'm curious where this things of theirs is going.
Deb walks into the task force room, and asks Lundy what he's still doing there. "Making sure our marina surveillance is in place. You forget something?" "I'm working on rental logs." I thought you guys didn't see any commercial...you know what? Forget it. "On the other two marinas," she says, making me an asshole. "You never give up, do you?" "Do you? I'm wide awake, anyway. Dexter's out of town, and I don't really sleep when I'm there by myself." "What about the new boyfriend?" asks Lundy, and Deb tells him they broke up. "Guess you won't be needing this, then," he says, holding up a file folder. "What's that?" "Background check," he replies, matter-of-factly. "You said you were snooping. I just thought I'd help." Ha! This guy's awesome. I kind of want him to sleep with Deb. Oh, whatever, you were thinking it, too. Deb's kind of astonished: "What's it say?" "Gabriel's clean. Well, except for those parking tickets." "Just because he's not a criminal doesn't mean he's not an asshole. I went through his email." Lundy makes a You Gotta Be Kidding Me face, and Deb says, "I know, but it was worth it, I mean...he was using me to shop around a book about the Ice Truck Killer." Lundy asks Deb if she knows what kind of writer Gabriel is, and after being met with a blank stare, he points at a portion of the file. "Children's books?" says Deb, crestfallen. Lundy looks at her paternally. "The Ice Princess is a children's book?" Lundy tells her, "When my wife met me, she was convinced I was a spy. Connie didn't know it, but she was actually right!" "You run a background check on her?" "No need." "Must be nice, to just know like that." "She died. Two years ago. Cancer." "I'm sorry. That's how I lost my mom." Aw, they're becoming buddies. Lundy tells Deb to give Gabe another chance, and Deb's not sure if that's possible: "I went insane on him." "Any broken bones involved? Facial contusions?" "No." "You'll be fine." Aw, he cares, you guys.
morning, Dexter wakes up with the sun on his face and a vagina on his cheek. Gonna be a good day! Lila says, "Do you want to know how I got into the program? I'd used for years. Binge, crash. Thought I had it under control. Then I met Marco." Yeah, that should have been a red flag in and of itself. "What a shit. Thought he was my boyfriend, but he turned out to be my dealer. Bastard had me so strung out by the time he left, nothing mattered. Nothing was left but rage. One night, I was so fucked up, I went to his house and I burned it to the ground. What I didn't know was that Marco was passed out inside. They blamed the fire on his drugs, but it was me. He died because of me. That night I went to my first meeting. Seeing that side of myself was terrifying, that I could possibly do that to another person." "Did he deserve it?" asks Dex. "Yes," she answers. Dexter takes his face out of her vadge and turns to look at her. They share a moment. "Then you didn't do anything wrong."
Over at Rita's, Dexter walks in as she's serving breakfast. "Hey, you!" "I wasn't expecting you this early!" she says, clearly happy to see him. "I didn't hit any traffic." She hands him a plate with some eggs and toast on it. "Where's your mom?" he asks guardedly. "I doubt she'll be joining us," she says. "She's been in her room all morning. My guess is she's packing." Reading her loud and clear, Dexter offers to leave, but Rita tells him to sit down and eat. "You're staying right here because you're a part of this family," she insists. Dex pauses, then says, "Are you sure? I've put you through so much lately." Rita just kisses him, and tells him she's there for him, no matter what. As she nuzzles him, Dex notices something on the top of her boob. "What's this?" he asks. "The patch," she says sheepishly. "I have some quitting of my own to do. Now, sit!" Dexter does as he's told, and he gets a text message just as Mama enters the kitchen. "Anything important?" asks Rita. The text is from Lila, and it reads, "When's the road trip?" Couldn't help but notice his phone is from Boost Mobile, which is also what they use on Weeds. Guess Showtime's got a deal with them or some shit. Anyway, Mama comes in with her coffee, and cheerily says "Morning!" to Rita and Dexter. "Hi," says Dexter, not knowing how to act. "So, Rita assures me that you're committed to getting better." "I am," he says with a smile. "Then I want to be here to help. In fact, I've decided to stay in Miami. I emailed the school board my letter of resignation this morning." Dude, you really didn't have to... "What about your house?" asks Rita, unsure how she should feel about this. Mama says she'll put it on the market. "Sweetie, I thought about what you said last night. I haven't been here for you, and I want to change that." Dexter and Rita share a glance, and Dexter offers to help her look for an apartment, since looking on Deb's behalf has practically made him an expert. "Oh, don't be silly, I'll be living here!" says Mama. Oh, boy. She asks Dex to pass the cream without a second's hesitation, and he does so.
"Harry taught me to lie, and keep my darkest secrets from those around me, which is why I need to make sure there's not a trace of blood left on my boat." Naturally, Dexter's on his boat now, scrubbing her down carefully. "He also taught me not to rush to judgment," he continues, as we see Deb and Gabe reading a Kinko's copy of The Ice Princess together and smiling. "Things aren't always what they appear to be, including Harry. And what about me? Am I the twisted Bay Harbor Butcher, or the valiant Dark Defender? Only time will tell. Funny thing is, I've met someone who doesn't care what I am," and here's Lila, finishing up what I'm sure is another piece of disturbing, welded found art. "I suppose every hero needs a sidekick. Every villain or partner-in-crime. All my relationships have been built on not knowing, but that may be changing. Imagine that! A life with no more secrets." As Dexter walks off the pier, the shot pans upward to reveal a surveillance camera that you know leads right back to Lundy's computer. The noose is tightening.