Yes! Now this is what this show is all about!
After the scare with Lila at Rita's house, Dexter unintentionally spends the night outside, dreaming about his anxiety about getting caught. He wakes up and has a heart-to-heart with Rita, telling her he knows he fucked up. She thanks him, and tells him it means a lot. On his way home, he notices Feds in a car, watching him. Creepy.
LaGuerta is pissed at Doakes for blowing off the meeting with her security friend, and tells him so on a voicemail. Doakes isn't answering his phone, however, because he's too busy meeting with an old Haitian friend (read: a "fixer" from his days in Black Ops), hoping to export Dexter's blood-slides for DNA matches. More on this in a sec.
There's a big break in the BHB case, yet again, but Lundy won't tell Deb what it is (even though they're totally boning and she's practically living with him). We're led to believe Dex is their main man, until they ominously drag him in from his apartment to reveal that Doakes is actually the prime suspect, seeing as they seized some blood-slides from his car at the airport (!), which they need Dexter to analyze.
This whole time, Dexter is really distracted by the fact that he hasn't disposed of Jimenez's body yet. Unfortunately, Lundy has saddled him with a four-person security detail in the event that Doakes shows up again, so he has to sneak out of his apartment in order to get back to the Everglades to finish up. Hoping to get done before daybreak, Dexter does so hurriedly, and as he's loading up the last of the body bags, he hears, "That's right, muthafucka!" Doakes trains his gun on Dex, and a struggle eventually ensues, ending with Dex shot in the leg and Doakes passed out in Jimenez's coke locker. What to do, Dex? Can't kill him, because he's innocent, but isn't the first rule to not get caught? I thought for sure Dexter would be able to send Doakes up shit's creek on this one, but now things are looking a little murkier.
Also, Lila is still getting in Dexter's face and trying to convince him that he needs her. Angel's really hoping to grab himself a piece, and is totally okay with catching Dexter's runoff. This isn't good. I foresee another stabbing in Angel's future. Or maybe a burning? Either way, shit ain't cool. I hate Lila's stupid face.
Previously: Lundy put the entire department under investigation, and got on Dexter's case about his "sloppy blood-work." Deb discovered that the BHB is indeed in the department. Rita explained to the kids that she and Dexter broke up. Deb and Lundy had a dinner party where they could barely keep their hands off each other. Dex provoked Doakes into a situation where he was put on leave, and the Doakes left during an inquisition with Lundy. Lila and Dex got close. Too close. Dex, after realizing that she called Jimenez to tell him his whereabouts, told her to take a hike. Then he went and killed Jimenez. Doakes snooped around Dex's apartment, and found his blood slides. Rita called for Dexter's help, distracting him from his more unsavory work.
The elevators at the station open up, and Dexter starts pulling something really heavy behind him, with Debra in tow. "That's what I said." "That I'm always right?" replies Deb. "You were right about Lila, she was bad for me." "And that I'm always right! Hurry the fuck up!" Dexter keeps pulling whatever he's pulling, and says, "I didn't realize how bad until last night. She had me fighting with myself the whole time. All that self-reflection is unhealthy." "Stop reflecting, and move," says Deb, now sitting on the edge of her desk. A uniformed cop walks by and slips in the trail of whatever Dex is dragging. He apologizes, and starts pulling it again. "The fact is, I already know who I am, and I'm done fighting it. So, the battle's over. Lila's over." He backs up to LaGuerta, who's just standing there, and we hear, "Morgan!" It's Lundy. "Clean this mess up, it's a goddamned safety hazard!" A wide shot reveals that Dexter's been lugging Jimenez's corpse behind him, leaving a trail of blood. Guess we're looking at a dream sequence here. Duh. Angel comes in holding a foot, and says, "You can't leave this shit lyin' around, bro!"
Dexter wakes up, and he's still at Rita's. Seems he spent the night on a lounger outside while keeping watch. Aw, he still loves her. "Nice," he VOs. "My subconscious isn't even bothering with symbolism." Hee! "That's what I get for leaving the remains of Jimenez up in that cabin. Bad time to get sloppy with Special Agent Lundy putting everyone in law enforcement under a microscope." Dexter gets up and is making to leave when he hears the front door open. It's Rita. "Dexter? What are you doing here?" "Uh, I, uh," he stumbles, and he grabs the morning paper and hands it to her. "I just wanted to give you that." "You're in the same clothes as last night. You slept here?" "Not intentionally. I just wanted to make sure whoever broke in stayed away. Guess I kind of fell asleep on the job. Sorry." She looks at him with a half-smile on her face. "Don't be." The kids run out, and are super-psyched to see him. Apparently, Cody made a killer robot that eats airplanes, which is awesome, and he wants Dexter to see it. Before Dexter can even reply, Astor asks him if he wants bananas in his pancakes. "Actually, guys, there's something I gotta go deal with, so..." "Then why'd you come?" asks Astor. "'Cause I needed one of these!" he says, and gives them a big bear hug. Rita looks on, obviously thinking she should just forgive the fucking guy and take him back. After a moment, Rita says, "All right, guys, Dexter's got work to do, so go eat your pancakes." The kids run inside, and Dex says, "I didn't mean for them to find me here." "I know. It's okay. I think they needed a hug, too. Take care, Dexter." She heads inside, but Dexter stops her: "Wait, I wanna say something." Dex waits a moment, collecting his thoughts, and says, "I'm sorry." "All right." "I feel...such regret, which is rare for me. Not that I don't mess up, I do, just...never so stupendously. I had you, and them, and...I had us. So much to have. And, to just demolish it...I honestly thought I was smarter than that. Rude awakening. Lila was one of the biggest mistakes of my life." "That means a lot to me, Dexter. But it doesn't change the fact that you slept with another woman. I can't forget that." "I don't expect you to, I just wanted to say it."
Dexter wheels around and heads to his car, VOing, "All I can do now is pick up the pieces...of Jimenez. He's one big pile of evidence. Not that anyone will easily break into that cabin. Thing's a bunker. Still, I can't leave a kill lying around. I'll have to call in sick at work." Dexter's reached his van, and looks back to see a car with a few Fed-looking folk in it. Acting naturally, he gets in the van and starts her up. The Fed car starts up and follows him. "It's not Doakes," he VOs. "FBI. My feeble interview with Lundy may have put me on his short list of suspects." He's reached an intersection. "Left turn to the cabin, right turn to a change of clothes and work." Obviously, he takes a right. "Glad I'm at peace with Harry's code again. Makes decisions easier. Caution first, Jimenez later." The Feds are still right on his ass, Harry's code notwithstanding. Shit, what's this all about? Has Doakes already given them the slides? Wouldn't they be inadmissible, considering how he got them?
Down at the docks, LaGuerta's getting a snack and calling Doakes. He sees her call, and chooses to ignore it. Now, I'd like to nitpick about the sound design in this scene if I may. We hear a female announcer saying that there's a flight arriving from the Dominican Republic, and it sounds like Doakes is actually in the terminal, judging from the amount of reverb and the clarity with which we can hear the announcement. However, after Doakes hangs up, he opens up the door to his car and steps out. Now, if his car window were open, I could maybe accept that there are outdoor speakers and the reverb was caused by slap-back on other buildings, but there's no way it would sound like that inside his car. I understand they needed to get across that Doakes is at the airport, because there's nothing in his surroundings that would give that away, but I think a boarding pass would've done the trick instead of the producers trying to fix it in post. That's just lazy television, Showtime, and I've come to expect better. Sorry, that's the end of my rant. Anyway, LaGuerta's pissed that Doakes isn't answering, so she leaves him an irate message as we see him grab his bags and cover something up in his trunk: "You know what? Fuck you, James! Fuck you and your disappearing act. You know, you didn't just stand me up last night, you screwed yourself out of a six-figure security job, which means that being a cop is one of the few options you have left! So, stop pissing off the people who can help you! Lundy's people have been trying to reach you. They just want a hand with the Bay Harbor Butcher case. James, give it to them. Show Lundy that you're a team player. Fake it! And...pick up when I call again." She looks weird, like she's done something different with her hair. I think she's still in love with Doakes and all this stuff is breaking her heart, that's what I think.
Deb and Lundy are naked in bed. So much for taking it slow. They're staring into each other's eyes. "Your right eye's a little darker than your left eye," observes Deb. "And you weigh about fifty pounds," replies Lundy. "I'm gonna have to fatten you up." "Didn't seem to bother you last night...or this morning." Hey-o! "So much for takin' it slow, huh?" he asks. "Slow part was nice." Yeah, it was. All five seconds of it. "I guess that's the perk of dating a man that's experienced." "Read: old guy." Deb insists that she means what she said, that his "experience" and "technique" are what...you know what? I don't really care, and neither should you. While I don't have any problems, necessarily, with them as a couple, they're not really what this show is about. All you need to know is they're having cuddle-time pillow-talk, and "dating someone so young" is new to Lundy. The gist is that he wants Deb to be honest with her coworkers about their involvement, and she's resistant. In Lundy's experience, "full disclosure is the best option," but Deb is worried about stirring up resentment. Lundy's forced to drop it, however, when his phone rings with news of a development in the BHB case. Lundy jumps out of bed, and we're treated to a view of the back of his ball-sack, which is just lovely. He barks orders into the phone as Deb looks on, and when he hangs up she asks what's going on. "Not sure," he replies, heading into the shower. "Something break on the Butcher?" "I gotta go," he says, avoiding the query. "There's quiche. Eat it." "Wait, shouldn't we finish talking about this whole full disclosure thing?" He's already in the shower and doesn't hear this, leaving Deb looking worried.
At the station, Dex steps out of the elevators, for real this time. "Lundy's bees are buzzing," he VOs, noticing the new faces on the floor. "Something's agitated the hive." Angel and LaGuerta and a few other cops whose names we don't know are placing bets on who they think it might be. "Looks like much ado about somethin' in there," offers Dex, hoping to catch some of the scuttlebutt. Yeah, I said it. "Lundy's got a suspect for the Butcher, and bro, it's one of us, here," says Angel. "That's...disturbing," replies Dexter, distracted by two Feds who are giving him the stink-eye. LaGuerta protests that she's sure it can't be one of her own, but Angel insists that he confirmed it himself last night: "Everything points to someone in this house." "Who in this house?" asks Dex, playing dumb. "I don't know, but something must have broke this morning, 'cause Lundy shoved us PD out of his task force, brought more Feds in. He definitely has someone in his cross-hairs." The other officers start speculating again: "What about Steinbauer in Impound? Dude's a freak." "Or it could be that murderous Morgan in blood spatter," VOs Dex. "Maybe I was being watched this morning. But they'd be doing more than watching if they had proof." Deb comes in and wonders aloud what's going on. "You tell us," says LaGuerta bitchily. "Why would I know?" asks Deb, insulted. "Come on, you're his pet," says Angel. "Fuck you!" "Seriously, what's Lundy got? Or is he just blowing smoke?" asks one of the random cops. Deb insists she doesn't know, but "if he's got something, it isn't smoke." "Man, no wonder you're his pet," jokes Angel. "Fuck you twice!" LaGuerta puts an end to the bickering: "If you're not on the task force for the day, you're clearing cases for the day, let's go." Okay, that's that, then. Everyone breaks up, and Masuka calls Dexter over for a little clandestine meeting. Dexter follows him to the lab as he watches Lundy make a phone call. "We've got company," says Masuka. "I've noticed," says Dexter, still eyeballing Lundy. "Not there. In there," says Vince, motioning towards Dexter's room with his head. "Waiting for you. Lundy brought in his own forensic techs." "What are they looking for?" Dex asks nervously. "You think they'd tell me? I'm just the LFI." Blank expression from Dexter. "Lead Forensics Investigator? Well, at least I used to be. Fuck 'em. They can have the fucking title and the acronym that goes with it. Fucking Indian givers!" Vince, put down the energy drink. Seriously, that thing's bigger than his head, which isn't saying much, but still. Dexter cautiously enters his lab room, and is met with three techs wearing white lab coats. "Dexter Morgan?" asks the sizable guy sitting at the computer. "In the flesh." They all require things from Dexter: "Please give me your access code for the forensic database." "I'd like you to walk me through your filing system." "I'll need a breakdown of evidentiary procedure and protocol." Yikes! Dexter looks freaked. "Is there something particular I can help you with?" "We just need your help navigating the lab. Your code please?" "May I?" asks Dexter, implying that he'd rather not just give out his code, and the guy wordlessly allows it. As he types in the password, Dex VOs, "If they're looking for proof, they won't find it. Not here, at least. I may have briefly rebelled against Harry, but I learned my lessons well." Oh, dude! It's flashback time! It's been a while...
Harry and teen Dex are walking down a hall, wearing suits. "Come on, Dex, tell me!" "Um, make sure they deserve it," Dexter says half-assedly. Harry waits for a couple of guys to pass, then whispers, "Dexter, this is life-or-death stuff, it's that important. Why do you think I pulled all those strings to arrange this? Now, come on, tell me! What is the number one rule?" "Don't get caught." "And what are all the other rules for?" "So I don't get caught." Harry puts his hand on Dexter's shoulder, and says, "You ready for this?" "Ready," he replies, and they head towards the room at the end of the hall, where a handful of people are sitting and looking solemn. Harry and Dexter take seats, and share awkward glances with the people around them. "Why are they looking at us like that?" "They don't know why you're here, why you need to see this. But I want this seared into your mind, son." Everyone faces forward as a curtain is drawn to reveal a man who is clearly about to be executed. "The chair?" says a voice.
"The chair?" says one of the FBI techs behind Dexter's back. Dexter wordlessly gives up the seat and looks on helplessly as they tuck into his files.
Back outside, Deb approaches Lundy, who's on the phone telling someone to "cross-check with Interpol, see where it leads." He hangs up, and they say hi to one another. "So, bats out of hell move slower than you did this morning," says Deb. "I know, I'm sorry. But as you can see --" "Something's up." "Something's up," he confirms. "I wondered if you were also cheesed about my whole 'not disclosing' thing. I don't want you to think I'm unsure or...embarrassed, or anything." "Why would you be embarrassed? I'm hot!" Hee! Deb giggles, and says, "You got that right!" Lundy explains that it had nothing to do with her, and if it made her feel bad, that wasn't his intention. "It's just --" "Something's up." "Something's up." "What?" she asks. He can't tell her, naturally, and she wants to know why not. "Honestly? You don't want to know." Some doom-y music creeps into the score, and Deb leaves without another word. Man, what the hell is going on?
Suddenly, we're in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and this is where Doakes was headed. How do I know? Because I have eyes, and there he is. He makes his way to a small house that's dimly lit, and some old man is yelling something that I don't understand, because I don't speak Creole. Another man inside the house yells something back from behind a beaded curtain as Doakes continues inside. The man, who looks like Seal if Seal played football, turns around and sees Doakes, and stops in his tracks. "It's a ghost from my past," he says. "I wasn't sure I'd be able to find you," says Doakes. "I'm in the phone book now. Last place you'd look, right?" "It's good to see you, Leonis," says Doakes, and they shake hands. "My father-in-law will be happy we have a customer with American dollars!" "Looks like you're in the travel business, now, huh?" The guy groans, and explains that despite Haiti's reputation as a war-torn country, they still do a decent business arranging tours between the islands. Doakes wonders aloud if he's not still sneaking people over the border under the cover of night, and Leonis says contemptuously that his wife would castrate him if that were the case: "I work only for her father, now. I hope his dog will bite him." He waves to the old man with a fake smile to keep up appearances. "So, what can I arrange for you?" He suggests a resort, but Doakes was "thinkin' more like, the hospital in Dom. Rep." The guy's face falls a bit, and he says, "You are sick?" "No, but I need a discreet lab." "A relaxing cruise is better. There's a shuffleboard tournament on the Jewel of the Seas. Big stakes." "Leonis, you were always the one to say 'no questions asked' whenever we needed shit." "I am not a fixer anymore, and you are not in Black Operations. I'm a travel agent, and I like it! No one tries to kill me or torture me." "Listen, this isn't dangerous, man. I just need some blood slides analyzed. Leonis, I need your help." "This is all you want? The slides analyzed?" "And your most expensive tour package of the islands!" Leonis agrees to do it: "Give me the slides, I'll see what I can do." Doakes shakes his head: "Make the arrangements first. I'll bring them over by boat." "Avoiding customs?" "Don't want to risk it. Biological materials." Leonis wants to know if Doakes is in trouble. "No," he says. "But someone else is gonna be." Oh, shit, dude. I'm sorry, but I still feel like this is fishy. Even if Doakes can secure DNA matches, will any of it be admissible in court?
Back at the lab, Dexter is wearing a tortured expression, clearly displeased with how slowly the FBI techs are working. The main tech announces that they've cleared 1995's notes, and Dex says, "How far back are you looking?" Ignoring him, the tech says, "Let's start with knife wounds." Dexter sighs, and stands up, hoping to lend a hand to make this go faster. He approaches the computer, and the tech says, "It's okay, I'm good." "They're wasting their time, here," he VOs as he sits back down. "Now, if they had a warrant for my apartment, they'd find blood-slides and killing tools. Gotta move those. Gotta dispose of Jimenez, instead I'm waiting for the fat man to sing." He stands up again and tries once more to help the guy navigate the computer, but the tech gets irritated, telling him once again that he's "got it! In fact, I think we can get along on our own from here." "And he sings." Dexter leaves the lab, having gotten the message loud and clear.
As he's heading towards the elevators, Dexter hears a familiar voice laughing behind him. He stops dead in his tracks and wheels around to see Lila chatting it up with Angel and Masuka and a few other cops. Oh, that goddamn fucking bitch-ass donkey-raping twat! Bravo, Lila, well played! Not! Dexter's clearly none too psyched to see her lemony face, and he wears a strained smile as he approaches Angel's desk. "Ah, look who's come out of his cave!" she says, pointing right at Dexter's face. "Lila, what are you doing here?" he asks genially. "She came to see me, bro," offers Angel. "Angel mentioned that he needed a decorator, and, well, a slot just came up, so I gave him a call!" Oh, boy, this is trouble! "I've always wanted a decorator," says Angel, and Dex grabs him by the shoulder and leads him away for a quick word. "She's not really a decorator," says Dex. "It's not really my apartment that I want decorated," says Angel with a wink. Lila comes up and puts her arms around the pair, and says, "So, hey, the boys here have persuaded me to go for a drink." "Or ten," says Angel. "Should I be worried?" she says with a laugh. "Yes, you should," says Dex, beaming hatred right into her stupid face. She laughs, unfazed, and says, "Then maybe you should come with us! Because who knows what secrets will start pouring out of me once the drinks start flowing!" Dexter follows everyone into the elevator, knowing full well that if he doesn't keep a close eye on Lila, she may reveal some things about him that he'd probably rather the boys not know. "I have to get to Jimenez," he VOs. "But a dead man tells no tales. A drunk, unstable woman very well may." Good call, bro.
Out at the bar, Lila's telling some filthy joke, but since we're thrown into it in medias res, I have no idea what the punchline is supposed to mean. Regardless, everyone laughs, except for Dexter, who's eyeing her purposefully. Masuka starts to tell a joke himself, but Angel stops him. "What? It's a good one!" "Knowing you, it'll be inappropriate in front of a lady." "She just did a goat-fucker joke!" Awkward. After a pause, Lila pinches Angel's face, saying, "Aw, you're such a protector, Angel!" "I do my best," he replies, doing his best to pointedly flirt with her. "Mmm, like that time you came to Dexter's rescue at the bowling alley." Oh, fuck! "You just ran right towards that mugger with no thought for your own personal safety!" "It's my job," says Angel. Dexter's shooting darts with his eyes. "It's mine, too," says Vince. "No it's not." Heh. "Don't do it, Lila," VOs Dex, his hatred palpable. "Don't bring Jimenez up." "Did they, uh, ever catch that guy?" she asks, as though she read his mind. Angel wonders if Dex ever filed a report: "I'm sure I could look into it." "I'm sure he's long gone by now," says Dex, hinting to Lila that if she doesn't shut her fucking yapper, he'll dispose of her as he did Jimenez. Getting the hint, Lila heads to the "loo." "'The loo.' How cute is that?" says Angel.
Dexter follows Lila to the bathroom, and once inside, he creeps up behind her and bludgeons her with a shoe. I wish! Instead, he says, "What the hell do you want?" "I'm concerned. Usually, when someone quits their sponsor, it means they're using again." "You can quit the sponsor bullshit, I'm done with it. And you. Did I not make that clear last night?" A woman tries to come in to the bathroom, but Dexter shuts the door in her face, saying, "It's out of order." Lila turns to face him, and says, "There's still work we can do together." "No, there isn't. I am who I am, and I don't want you coming anywhere near me or my addiction, do you understand?" "Oh, I understand...how lonely you are." "Stop --" "Those friends of yours out there, they don't even know you. They just see the mask, but I see it all. I can see how upset you are." Dex, who's had his hands over his face, drops them, revealing a stony glare. "Oh, really?" "No, there's more than just me that's eating at you. There's something else. You don't have to handle it alone! I can help!" She tries touching his face, but he shoves her hands away. "I know how heavy that mask is, how tiring. I'm the only one who can see behind it, and it doesn't scare me. It's like looking in the mirror. It's why we belong together." No way, bitch. Just then, the door opens and a bouncer comes in. "Hey, asshole! It's ladies only." "My mistake," says Dex. "He giving you trouble?" the bouncer asks Lila. "A little, but I know he'll see I'm right." Yeah, whatever. Bye!
Later, as everyone's getting into their cars, Dexter watches Angel escort Lila into his car and VOs, "Can't live with her, can't kill her." Isn't that what he said about Deb? And why can't he kill Lila? That'd be so sweet. "She's not going away." Then, viewing the FBI vehicle that's been tracking him all day: "Neither is that undercover car." Jesus, dude, what do they know? "So much for paranoia. Those Feds are real." Dex pulls out, and so does the undercover car.
Dex gets back to his apartment, and makes a beeline for the air conditioner. He quickly rips off the face, and sees that the slides are gone. "Lundy found my slides. It's over." Damn, dude. That must feel really crappy. Dexter hears a shuffling noise and quickly replaces the air conditioner's face as Deb steps out and says, "You're out of shampoo." "What are you doing here?" asks Dexter, somewhat frantically. "My new place isn't set up, yet. I don't want to make a habit of staying at Lundy's, I mean, what if people find out? It'd be a whole new reason to disrespect me. Maybe they already know, they keep assuming I have some sort of inside intel. They're always asking me what Lundy knows." "What does he know?! Tell me." "Fuck, Dex, I'm talking about my feelings here. What the fuck is your problem?" Classic Deb. She continues to babble about her "complicated" situation, and Dexter starts pacing. "I feel like he's someone I can, you know, count on." "That's good, Deb. You should have that," says Dexter absently. "I won't always be --" He's interrupted by a knock at the door. "Who the fuck is that at this hour?" says Deb, heading towards the door. Oh, shit. Could this be it? No way, they still have three episodes left. Dexter in jail is certainly no fun. Although I can't say he's been much "fun" lately, anyway. "Deb, don't --" But it's too late. She's already opened the door to reveal a couple of Feds wearing earpieces. "Dexter Morgan?" says the main guy. A close-up on Dex's face reveals how freaked he is. "Special Agent Lundy wants to see you. Please come with us." "Wait, Lundy didn't say anything about this to me," says Deb, once again making it all about her. Listen, Deb. Is this show called Debra? No, it's called Dexter, so cram it with walnuts, butthole. "I'm sorry, Deb," says Dexter, moving to go with the suited men. "I'm on the fucking task force, I demand to know what --" She's interrupted by her phone ringing, and she answers as Dex heads out with the Feds. As they start walking, Deb tells Dex she's right behind him. "I should be panicked," VOs Dexter as we see him sitting in a dark car, heading to the station. "Terrified. But Lila was right. The mask has been heavy. I won't need it in surrender. I can let it go." A quick flash to the electric chair twenty years ago. "The pain will come when Deb finally understands who her brother really is. Rita's horror. The kids' tears." Teen Dex's face reflects in the window, revealing his horror and fascination as the current pulses through the man's body.
They arrive at the station, and walk in slow-motion as Dex looks into the main office to see Angel, Masuka, and LaGuerta watching him come in. Strangely, they don't look shocked at all. In Lundy's office, Dexter walks slowly towards Lundy and Matthews, who are standing behind a desk, on top of which lie the blood-slides, sitting in a sterile evidence bag. "My old friends, here to betray me." "Please sit down," says Matthews, and he does as he's instructed. "I'm sure that you heard we have a suspect in the Bay Harbor Butcher case," says Matthews, thrusting a box of latex gloves in his face. "Put 'em on." He does. "We now have the evidence to back it up. We need answers. Now." Wait, what the...? "Open it," says Lundy, looking intense. Dexter takes the box out of the evidence bag, and opens it, revealing the slides within. He runs his fingers over them as he has so many times before. I'm sorry, but there are way more than eighteen slides in that thing, just sayin'. I'd say at least thirty. "Explain it to us," says Lundy. "Trophies," says Dexter guardedly. "That's what I thought." "What happens now?" asks Dexter, still not sure what's going on. "I know this will come as a shock to you, Morgan," says Lundy, "but our primary suspect is someone you know well. Sergeant James Doakes." "Sergeant...Doakes?" he says, disbelievingly. "He was the lead case investigator on four of the butcher victims, which put him on my radar. We looked into his background. Turns out his father was a butcher, and abusive. Doakes was also a trained assassin in Special Forces. That, along with his on the job shootings and excessive force citations --" "He fits the profile," finishes Dexter. "Yes. He has a need to...dole out personal justice. Yesterday, Doakes walked out of an interview and disappeared. This morning, we were alerted that he boarded a plane out of the country. That enabled me to get warrants on his apartment and car." Dexter still looks confused: "He had the slides?" "Carefully hidden in the trunk of his car at the airport." Dexter sighs and says, "It all makes so much sense." Matthews jumps in: "Everyone else in the precinct was beyond shocked when I told them." "What, exactly, is Sergeant Doakes's problem with you, Morgan?" asks Lundy. "I kill people, for one," VOs Dex. "But what was it that Sergeant Doakes said about me?" "I've always sensed there was something...off about him," he explains, taking the opportunity to dig Doakes's grave a little deeper. "Like he's hiding in plain sight. I never concealed my doubts." "So he attacked you," says Matthews. "Well, he might try it again, particularly when he finds out he's our prime suspect." "Yeah, that should piss him off," whispers Dex. "We've tried to keep an eye on you from a distance," says Lundy. "The undercover cars?" "Not undercover enough, obviously," says Lundy, with an annoyed glance at the entourage that brought Dexter in. Lundy apologizes for the "abrupt pickup," and explains that they're going to be putting an around-the-clock protective detail on Dexter. "That could...complicate my life." "Dexter, it will keep Doakes at bay." "Good point." "What happens now," says Matthews, answering Dex's question, "is we need you to analyze and match these slides, immediately." "Me?" "I'm keeping the forensics in-house. The public needs to see our strengths now. Their trust in us is about to take a major ass-fucking. Now, I'm making you first forensic tech in the chain of custody with these slides. I figure you have more motivation than most to see Doakes brought to justice, so I know you'll be thorough." Dexter silently gathers up the slides and heads to his lab.
On his way, he passes Angel, Masuka, and LaGuerta, VOing, "Sergeant Doakes. He peeked behind the curtain, he saw who I am, but it only put him in the line of fire." Angel is holding one of the bulletins with Doakes's picture on it, and says, "I still don't believe it." "Because it's not true," says LaGuerta. "I don't know --" starts Vince, and Angel just says, "Don't, Vince." LaGuerta can't take it, and heads to her office.
In the lab, Dexter takes out the slides to begin work, and Deb comes in. "I didn't know. I swear, Lundy didn't tell me." "I believe you," he says, earnestly. "Big fucking manhunt mobilizing out there. We'll get him, Dex." "And when you do, my story has to be stronger than his," Dex VOs. "Don't worry," continues Deb, "I'm gonna be with you every step of the way. Me, and this." She moves her hands to her sidearm. "I have an even bigger favor," says Dex. "Name it." "Move into that new apartment of yours." Deb gives him a look. "Deb, if you got in the middle of this, and you got hurt --" "Hurt? I'm a fucking cop!" "You're my sister first, and I'm gonna worry like a brother, not a coworker." "Well, don't, goddammit! You have enough to worry about." "I can't help it. Deb, the best thing you can do for me is to give me and my protective detail a wide berth." "Fucker," she says, disappointed. "Fine. I fucking hate it, but I get it," she says, hugging him. Aw, that was nice. "One less pair of eyes to worry about," VOs Dex, before getting down to business with the slides. Looking down at the open box, he says, "Just can't get rid of me, can you?"
LaGuerta's Boost Mobile phone rings, and the caller ID displays the intimate name "James." "LaGuerta," she answers. "You know I didn't do this," says Doakes. The shot switches to Doakes, who's outside somewhere, and I'm assuming that since he has cell service, he's not in Haiti anymore. "You know me, Maria. That's not me." "Yeah, but they don't," she says quietly. "What do they have on me?" "They found something in your car." "Oh, shit." She explains to him that the longer he stays out, the worse it's going to get, and the only way she can help him is if he turns himself in. "No one will listen without proof," he says. "Of what?" He says he doesn't want to pull her into this: "Look, the time you see me, there will be no doubt. Until then, you won't be able to contact me." "Don't you disappear on me, James," she says on the verge of tears. "Maria, I have to do this." "Goddammit!" "Listen to me. I just want you to know that you've meant a lot to me, more than you know, and I...I just want to thank you for that." "What does that mean?!" It's too late, because Doakes has already taken the battery and SIM card out of his phone. Maria looks less than thrilled with the situation.
Back in the lab, Dexter starts processing the slides. First things first: he wipes the box down, getting rid of any fingerprints. "Looks like I won't find any prints or DNA on this box," he VOs. "I can chalk it up to how careful Doakes is. Harry had strict rules about not hurting the innocent, and for all his fury, Doakes is innocent. But there's also the number one rule: don't get caught." Dexter begins swabbing the slides. "Still, he'll fight this, and I'll have to disprove him." Dexter starts filling the test tube rack. "He could win, or he could end up paying for my crimes." Dexter's now finished prepping all of the evidence, and there's a knock on his lab door. It's the lab techs from before, now with a much cheerier disposition. "Mr. Morgan? Special Agent Lundy thought you might need our help." "Please come in," he says. The head tech apologizes for all the secrecy: "We were reviewing Sergeant Doakes's cases, and, uh...well, you understand." Dexter gives him a somewhat condescending half-smile, and says, "I need you to do the liquid extractions and centrifuging on these samples. The cells just started digesting." "Then, we'll come back in twelve hours." "No, the samples should be watched at all times. Don't let anyone in or out of the lab, and don't let the incubator dip below thirty-seven Celsius. And please don't touch anything. You understand." Heh, nice one. You take that dick down a peg, Dex. As he leaves the lab, he VOs, "That was satisfying."
Angel stops him on the way to the elevators: "Dex, bro, you okay, man? This shit with Doakes is crazy, man." "Yeah, I have to go, Angel." "Hold on. Are you pissed, or something? About Lila and me?" "Oh, yeah, that." "Dex, I don't wanna get in between us. If you still want her..." "Oh, God, no. Lila's insane. Destructive. A naturally occurring disaster." "So, you don't mind if I go for her, then?" "What? No. Look, Angel, here's the real truth: Lila's just using you to get at me." "So what?" "So what?" "Look, Dex, no one's used me for good or bad reasons since my wife divorced me. Damn sure no one as hot as Lila." Dexter tries to tell Angel that he's missing his point, but Angel isn't hearing it: "Look, first it was the divorce, then getting stabbed was no picnic." Yeah, and now you're going for a severe burning? Have fun, Angel. Nice knowin' ya. "Now this thing with Doakes? Dark days, my friend. Too dark. I mean, I need a light at the end of the tunnel, man, and Lila's it." Oh, brother. This can't end well. Before Dexter can protest any further, Angel gives him a hug and heads back inside. "Angel just doesn't get it. Lila's no solution. She's a problem..." The elevator doors open, and Dexter motions with his hand to his entourage, saying, "Shall we?" They all join him. "Just like my little groupies."
Deb is making some coffee in the breakroom, and Lundy comes up and apologetically says, "I couldn't tell you." "Even with my brother at risk?" she says, clearly irritated. "We had him covered. It would have forced you to divide your loyalties, plus, I didn't want to appear to favor you." Deb explains that everyone thinks he does anyway. "Maybe because I do." "Do you think they know?" "Not until you tell them." LaGuerta storms in, and Deb quickly peaces out. "Agent Lundy?" says Maria. "You're giving Doakes to the press?" "Best way to bring him in." "If you publicly accuse him --" "I'm not accusing anyone. Doakes is wanted for questioning, and that's what my press release says." "It'll still destroy him!" Lundy says Doakes is taking care of that aspect just fine without any of his assistance. "He's not your man!" "He is, however, my prime suspect," says Lundy as he moves to leave. "Look," says Maria, stopping him. "I'm willing to work with you on this, but only if you let me take lead with the media." Lundy explains in no uncertain terms that he has no intention of letting LaGuerta anywhere near the press: "He may be your ex-partner. He may be your best friend. What he is to me is a suspect, so you deal with that, however you need to. And you will give me your complete cooperation, or you may find yourself out of a job." Jesus, that was harsh. This situation is crazy.
In the car, surrounded by his crew, Dexter's phone rings. It's Rita. "Hello?" "I wasn't sure I should call." "I'm glad you did." "It's probably best I move on, but the kids were so happy to see you yesterday, and I wasn't...you know, un-happy." "That's good, right?" Dexter looks sheepish having this conversation in front of his boys. "I just...I need to know one thing," says Rita. "Is it over with Lila?" "Yes. Absolutely. Completely over. If I never see her again, it'll be too soon." Ditto, bro. Rita steels herself on the other end of the line, but remains silent. Dexter checks his phone to make sure the call wasn't dropped, and says, "Hello?" "I have feelings for you," Rita says abruptly. "I have feelings for you, too." The main Fed shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "I'm not going to fight them anymore," she says. "I think we should get together and talk. Tonight?" Dexter explains that despite his complete willingness, tonight's probably not going to work out so well. Rita, instantly insecure, says that it was a bad idea. "No, Rita, it's the best idea you've ever had, it's just, we've got a big break in the Bay Harbor Butcher case. Things are...kind of intense around here." Rita asks if they caught the guy, and Dex replies, "Well, someone's gonna go down for it. But, tomorrow would be really great." Rita agrees happily. God, she's cute. After they hang up, Dexter tells the guys, "We're getting together tomorrow." Aw, he's so happy! "Communication's the key," says the main Fed guy, who we'll call A-Fed. Dexter nods, and says, "Light at the end of the tunnel." Yeah, we'll see. Try not to fuck it up, dude. You're going to have to eat shit to make that work out.
At his apartment, Dexter waits outside with B-Fed and C-Fed while A-Fed and D-Fed do a sweep of the place. A-Fed comes out and announces the all-clear, and tells Dex that he'll have two men stationed out front, and two in the parking lot. "Just give us a call if anything arises." "Nothing's gonna arise. Certainly not me, not 'til tomorrow morning, I'm exhausted!" With a smile, Dex jokes that they shouldn't let anyone near the door: "Shoot 'em if you have to!" The Feds all smile and take their leave, satisfied that Dexter's just a nice, normal guy caught up in a crazy situation. Dexter shuts the door and falls against it, looking relieved. "Sleep would be nice, but there's too much to do. The good news is my new friends will keep Doakes away. The bad news is they make getting to Jimenez difficult...but not impossible." He changes into his murderin' outfit, and heads to the bathroom, where he removes the glass slides that comprise his window. "Fortunately, a car isn't the only way to reach the Everglades, and my new marina's only a twenty-minute walk." Ah, so he did move his boat. Smart thinkin', but I wonder why that didn't raise any suspicions. Dexter slips out of the now-open window. "I'm on my way, Jimenez. Don't decompose just yet." Well, it's been a couple days, so I'm sure he's pretty ripe by now.
Dexter docks his boat in the everglades, and VOs, "I'll be against the current on the way back. With bagging, cleanup, and detour to the Gulf Stream...tight, but I should be home by daybreak." Once the boat's all tied up, Dexter sprints to the cabin. Once inside, he sees bugs crawling around, so decomp has definitely started. "It's time to get you out of my life, once and for all," he says aloud, and sets to work.
At the station, Deb puts away some files and is instantly accosted by LaGuerta. "You've gotta talk to Lundy," says Maria urgently. "About what?" "Get him to hold off on putting Doakes on the news." "Maybe you should talk to Lundy." "Morgan, you're one of us," says Maria, grabbing Deb's hand. "Doakes is one of us. He deserves a benefit of the doubt." "Look, Lieutenant, I know he's your friend, and we're all pretty fucked up about this, but it is Lundy's ballgame." "But he listens to you. You're his right hand!" Deb exasps. "'Right hand,' just say it! Fuck the euphemisms! And, okay, I may be sleeping with him, but that doesn't mean he tells me shit, or listens to me about anything, so stop asking!" LaGuerta looks shocked. As Angel and Lundy walk past, LaGuerta asks, "You're sleeping with Lundy?" Angel and Lundy stop in their tracks and watch. Deb looks at them for a long moment, and says, "I'm sleeping at your place again tonight." He gives a satisfied nod, and Angel rubs his hands together while giving him a look. Hee! LaGuerta storms off.
Back in the Everglades, it's now dark, and Dexter's bringing the last of his body bags out to the boat. He flings a couple of the bags aboard, and VOs, "Just one more trip." He looks at his watch: "Ahead of schedule."
Dexter looks down and sees that one of the bags has been ripped open, and he gasps. "That's right, muthafucka! It's over!" Dex wheels around to find Doakes, his pistol drawn and aimed right at him. Doakes quickly approaches. "How'd you find me?" asks Dexter. "GPS tap on your boat. Jesus Christ, Morgan. Jesus fucking Christ, you're the Bay Harbor Butcher!" "I really hate that name." "Jesus Christ, man." "You said that." Heh. "I always knew there was something with you, but this shit?" "What can I say? You were right about me. I never held it against you. I don't now." "My buddies thought I was crazy for becoming a cop. I had skills. I could have written my own ticket. And lately, I thought they might have been right, but this? Heh, this makes it all worth it." Really, dude? Because I don't think you know what you're in for. Remember last season, when you and Dex fought in the season finale? He would have ripped your throat out if that shipping yard worker hadn't shown up. That gun means nothing, duder. "I'm happy for you," says Dex, sarcastically. "Shut the fuck up," replies Doakes, tossing a pair of handcuffs at Dexter. "Let's get this over with. Put 'em on." Dexter looks down at the cuffs, then back at Doakes. "Morgan, you're done. Give it up." "Would you? In my position?" Doakes explains that he wouldn't be in his position. "You sure about that? You might want to check with Lundy." Doakes cocks his pistol, and Dexter reminds him that if Doakes kills him, nobody will be able to prove his innocence. "Maybe I'll just kneecap you." Not liking the sound of that, Dexter leans down and grabs the cuffs. He puts them on, and with a defeated look, stands back up. "All right, nice and slow," says Doakes, backing up the dock towards land. Dexter stars walking a little faster, and Doakes tells him to "back the fuck off." "Just following your lead," says Dex. Doakes, unsure of his footing, looks down and sees a missing board, and Dexter takes the opportunity to lurch forward and grabs Doakes's wrists. They begin tussling, and Dexter gets a good elbow into Doakes's face. The gun swings around, and Doakes shoots Dexter in the thigh, making him recoil. They both fall into the water, and Dexter gets him into a sleeper hold. After some writhing, Doakes passes out, and Dexter drags him to the shore, crying out because of his new wound.
A while later, Doakes awakens inside the cocaine cage in the cabin. He slowly realizes where he is, and he yells out, "You're gonna have to kill me, Morgan!" Dexter shuts the front door, and collapses against it. How the fuck is he going to get out of this one? "You're gonna have to fucking kill me, Morgan! Mooorgaaan!"
Okay, so now he's got Doakes locked up. He has time to get rid of Jimenez and get his head right, but what about that gunshot wound? I know he's medically trained, so he can probably treat it himself, but he's still going to have to explain his limp. Does he have the supplies in his house? Will he be limber enough to climb back through the window without alerting the Feds? And what the hell is he going to do with Doakes? He can't kill him, because he's innocent (sort of), but what about Harry's first rule? Man, this is a mess. I hope he can figure it out. He's certainly not out of the woods with Lundy, either. I mean, Lundy himself said that he's not accusing Doakes, he's just his primary witness. Dude, crazy. But I'm sure our man will think of something...