Some guy (Jim True-Frost, who was in Singles as the guy who got a lot of phone numbers, and was also more recently in The Wire) is in a shack, counterfeiting money and listening to "For the Love of Money" (not the O-Jays version) on some headphones. He's wearing a giant apron and some huge rubber gloves over his regular clothes. Meanwhile, Karen is standing in one of those swamp boats, accompanied by other cops, racing across the swamp. Karen, as usual, looks cool as a cucumber, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses and chewing gum, but not in that "cow chewing cud" way that is so tacky. The swamp boats pull up to a shack. Inside the shack, Jim True-Frost continues printing money. The cops break down the door and enter the shack, guns drawn. Jim True-Frost doesn't even hear them, due to the headphone situation. He starts dancing around. Karen scoffs at how dumb he is. Finally, he notices the dozen or so cops standing there with their guns pointing at him. He asks how they got in. Karen says that there was a key under the flowerpot. Jim True-Frost raises his goggles and goes, "Karen Sisco. It's Lester. Lester Porter. We went to high school together!" Karen shows no signs of recognition.
Karen slaps the cuffs on Lester Porter while he tries to remind her how they know each other. He says that she hasn't changed at all. She backstories that he's currently on parole after doing time for insurance fraud. Lester says that he met a guy on his first day out of prison who asked him if he wanted to make some money, har har. I'm always amazed at how criminals on television don't understand the Miranda warning and just talk about everyone. Although I guess since more than a dozen witnesses caught Lester in the act, it's a moot point. Karen tells him that he's got five million dollars in his shack, which seems like a lot of money for one guy. Lester says his mother needs an operation, and Karen tells him that she knows his mother died in 1992. Lester says he's still looking for a second opinion, and starts back in with the high school stuff. Another cop comes over and comments on how good the counterfeit money is. Lester asks who that guy is; Karen says he's Garrison Kick, from the Treasury department, and that he's "running the show." Kick compliments Lester's operation, and Karen asks Lester whom he is working for. Lester gestures to Kick and says, "His mother." Kick pushes Lester into the swamp. Karen tells him to get Lester out of there. Kick asks Karen to go out to dinner. Karen refuses, but Kick insists that it's strictly business, and shows her his wedding ring, claiming that he's happily married. Karen agrees to meet him for dinner and leaves, calling back, "Nice meeting you, Lester." Some cops haul Lester out of the swamp as he reminds Karen that she should have added "again" to her parting remarks.
A guy gets released from prison and receives his personal effects. The guard on duty hands over some clothes and such, commenting on each item, and then hands over a photograph of a little girl that looks like it's been taped back together a few times. The guy studies it for a moment and then walks out without a word.
Later, the guy strolls out of the prison and boards a bus. He walks all the way to the back and takes a seat, whereupon he takes out the photograph and looks at it again. I just figured out where I know that guy from, I think. He played the not-all-there ham-curing son of a guy Mark Greene worked on in ER. The dad was terminally ill and Mark wanted the son to sign a DNR, but the son didn't really understand what was going on.
Marshall talks to a client while Mordecai sits nearby and reads the newspaper. The client wants Marshall to find out if his wife is cheating on him. Marshall indicates that he's performed this service for this particular client before, and that the wife was cheating. Marshall is interrupted when his cell phone rings. It's Karen. She tells Marshall that she busted a counterfeiter who claims they went to high school together, and relays Lester's name. Marshall doesn't recognize it. Karen admits that she doesn't remember him either. Marshall says that there was a kid who used to cut the lawn that fits the description, and says that "it's nice to see people from the neighborhood make a name for themselves." He compliments Karen on her real successes, and they hang up.
The ex-con gets off the bus in a downtown location. He surveys his surroundings and spots an armored truck parked nearby. He goes into a sporting-goods store and buys a baseball bat, a duffel bag, and some duct tape. He uses the tape to cover up a peephole in the back of the truck.
Inside the truck, a guard finishes his lunch and radios his partner to determine that he's on his way back to the truck. The guard goes up to the door and tries to look out the peephole, which is blocked. He opens the door and promptly gets clocked in the head with the baseball bat. His partner shortly suffers the same fate. The ex-con picks up the bag of money the partner was carrying and sticks it in his duffel bag, and then walks off.
Lester is being questioned by a group of cops. Kick walks in and excuses all of the other cops. He asks Lester for the name of the guy for whom he was making the money. Kick stares Lester down. Lester says that if he gives up the name, he's going to need to be placed in witness protection. Kick agrees, and Lester says that he wants one other thing.
Before we find out what that is, we cut to Karen at the shooting range, taking target practice. Jesse from walks up and drops a packet of information in front of her, claiming that she won't be happy.
Cut to Karen in Amos's office going, "I'm not happy." Amos says, "Didn't you read the sign?" He points to a sign behind him that says, "I don't care." He has underlined each word and added three exclamation points at the end. Hee! I love Amos. Also, I'm making one of those signs tomorrow. Not that anyone ever comes into my office, but if I could use that line once in my life, it would be totally worth it. Amos says that his hands are tied, and that Lester asked for her personally, because he trusts her, since they are old friends. Karen asks if he's kidding and Amos goes, "Does it look like I'm kidding?" I know they used a similar joke last week, but Bill Duke's facial expressions are awesome. It turns out that Karen is unhappy about having to serve as Lester's bodyguard until he spills the information he's promised and can be placed in witness protection. As Karen leaves, Amos compliments her work on bringing Lester in.
The ex-con tries to rent a motel room. The desk clerk says that he'll need a credit card. The ex-con pulls out two big stacks of bills and plops them onto the desk. The clerk notes that the problem is solved.
Karen and Jesse escort Lester into a hotel. Lester babbles that he worked at that hotel when he was in high school. He starts trying to head down memory lane with Karen once again, but she doesn't remember anything he's talking about. Karen reminds him that he's a felon and she's there to protect him, and that's the extent of their relationship. She starts to leave, and Lester says he thought she would be guarding him. Karen says that her shift doesn't start until morning. Lester begs her to stay. Karen tells Jesse to call her if there's an emergency. Across the street, we see the ex-con taking photos of the whole exchange with a telephoto lens.
Karen goes out to dinner with Kick, who is telling the old "photocopier as lie detector" story. God, even I know that one. Mostly because it was in both the Homicide book and television show. Karen interrupts the story to fill in the ending, indicating that she's heard it. Kick looks appropriately embarrassed. Karen asks if that story ever actually works on women, and says that they're supposed to be wrapping up the case. She asks how he knows that Lester isn't taking him for a ride to get a stay at a nice hotel. Kick asks about Karen's connection with Lester. Karen demurs. Kick says that he can see how a guy would remember Karen for a very long time. He tries to take her hand. Karen thanks him for dinner and walks away. She finds her father sitting at a nearby booth and joins him. He seems surprised to see her, so I don't know if he was keeping an eye on her now. He claims he's watching "a lecherous spouse." Karen says that sounds familiar, since she was just dealing with one herself. Karen notes Mordecai sitting in the booth behind Marshall, reading a newspaper. Marshall asks about Karen's high-school friend. Karen says there's a lot she doesn’t remember. Marshall says that they had their hands full during that time period. Kick walks up and introduces himself to Marshall. He wants to talk to Karen, but she gets up and leaves. Marshall pauses and then asks, "How 'bout them Cubs?" Kick gives him a smirk.
The ex-con (Junior) goes to visit a gun dealer (Bobby Gorgeous), who asks how the Paradise Motel is treating him. Bobby says that Konner (that Konner?) phoned and said that Junior was looking for an M-14, and Bobby thought it couldn't be right, but Konner said that Junior used one in Vietnam. Bobby thought that couldn't be right, because they used M-16s in Vietnam. (Note: I may have totally screwed up all this talk of weaponry because I know nothing about guns, so I'm just trying to transcribe the dialogue. Please don't email me if I'm wrong because seriously, it's such a minor point in this episode that it's not worth it.) Bobby says that he discovered Junior was over there in 1963. Junior doesn't say a word. He checks the gun, puts it back in its case, and walks out.
Karen's phone rings in the middle of the night. It's Lester. He wants to wax nostalgic about the time that Karen hit some football player in the middle of the cafeteria. It's like Old Joey Potter! Lester keeps babbling about how Karen lives in her own little world in high school, and asks what was going on with her back then. Karen hangs up the phone, disgusted.
It's all very Identity at the Paradise Motel, as rain pours down in the parking lot. Inside a room, Junior tapes up the photographs he took earlier of Lester and Karen outside the hotel. He lays his gun down on top of them. A guitar screams.
The day, Lester gives his testimony in his hotel room, accompanied by some cops, his lawyer, and a court reporter. Lester claims that his backer was a guy named Salvatore Gigliani, known as Sally Giggles. He claims the guy is an immigrant who owns a shoe store in Miami, which is just a front for his real business. Karen walks in and yells at Jesse for letting Lester call her. Lester enjoys his room-service meal while giving his testimony. Jesse fills Karen in on what Lester has said so far, and Karen is surprised, because she's never heard of this Sally Giggles character. Jesse identifies Lester's attorney as Mo Swinton. Kick walks over and greets Karen, who implies that Lester is feeding them a line of bullshit. Kick leaves, and Karen asks Jesse why Lester doesn't seem scared, since he claims that he's ratting out some "dangerous guys." Lester does seem pretty proud of his story.
Junior sits in a diner, staring at the photograph of a little girl. The waitress walks up and asks if that's his daughter. Junior doesn't answer, and places an order for coffee and a slice of pie. The waitress brings back the pie, and goes on and on about it. Junior just stares at her, so she walks away. Junior softens and says that the girl in the pictures is his daughter, Bonnie. He apologizes for his behavior and offers to buy the waitress a cup of coffee. She sits down in the booth. Junior glances at the clock on the wall, which says that it's 1:03 PM.
Lester's room has cleared out. Karen tells Lester that she checked up on Sally Giggles, and that he's got a clean record. Lester says that's because he's good, like Hyman Roth in Godfather II. Karen says that she thinks Lester is making the whole thing up, and she wonders why. Lester ignores the question and asks how Karen would call someone a good person in one word. Karen says it depends on who you are talking about. Lester says he's talking about himself, and Karen suggests, "Ignoble." Lester writes it down and explains that he's writing his own obituary, since the Feds are going to fake his death. He reads what he has so far, which includes that he failed out of high school and turned to a life of crime. He concludes, "His great loves were the Ramones, muscle cars, and GLOW." Karen knows that stands for "glamorous ladies of wrestling." I always thought the first word was "gorgeous." Karen tells Lester that they don't let you write your own obituary. Lester wants to play catch-up with Karen. He says that he's engaged to a woman named Harmony, and that before he met her, no beautiful girl ever noticed him. And one day, she fell into his lap. Lester can't believe that Karen's never been married, although he says that she never knew how beautiful she was. Karen is silent. Lester remembers that Bobby Capperelli was the name of the guy that Karen punched, and adds that Bobby had a black eye for his yearbook photo. Karen interrupts and says that he must be confusing her with someone else. Lester says he could never do that, because they had lockers to each other. Lester asks if he's really that forgettable. Karen doesn't answer, and tells him to get back to his obituary.
Marshall watches the subject of his investigation through binoculars. Karen sits to him as they discuss the Godfather movies. Marshall hasn't heard of Sally Giggles either, and asks if the FBI has the guy under surveillance. Karen confirms it. Marshall says that Karen's job is to protect Lester, so she should stick to that and let the FBI worry about the rest. He offers Karen some Chinese food, which she turns down. He asks about her "high-school reunion" with Lester. Karen can't believe that Lester remembers everything like it was yesterday, and asks her father if she was actually there. Marshall says she was, as far as he knows, unless she was playing hooky. He says that he has a box in his closet containing her high-school yearbook. Karen asks why he has it. Marshall says she gave it to him after she graduated, and said she'd look at it some other time. He adds that if she waits for the FBI to figure out Lester's story, it's going to be a long time. Karen says she can always use some new shoes, and takes off. Marshall does a Brando impersonation and Karen laughs at him, then gives him a hug before taking off. Marshall takes photos of his client's cheating wife.
Karen walks up to the surveillance van outside Sally Giggles's shoe store. She asks the guys inside how it's going. They say that no one has been in or out, and that there haven't been any phone calls either. Karen goes into the shoe store and tries on a pair. Sally says he's never seen her in his store before. Karen says that her friend Lester Porter sent her. Sally says that Lester owes him money, to the tune of $6.95. Karen nods.
In his room at the Paradise Motel, Junior assembles his weapon and puts it into a case. He walks out. Meanwhile, Karen approaches Lester's room. She hears what sounds like Lester begging for his life inside, so she slips out her gun before entering to find Lester with a lady friend sitting on top of him. Lester introduces his friend as his fiancée, Harmony. Karen asks what she's doing there, and Lester says that Jesse said it was okay. Lester says that Harmony is a fitting model, and she claims to be a "perfect size four." Her boobs are way too big to belong to a fitting model. Harmony tells Karen that the rise in her pants is all wrong for her. Karen says that Harmony has to leave. Harmony asks if it's because of what she said about Karen's pants. Karen asks Harmony to leave, and she does. Karen tells Lester that they need to have a serious talk about Sally Giggles. Karen knows he's not the guy. Lester considers this, and then stands up in front of the window. He starts talking about a stink bomb in the principal's desk in high school, but before he can get the rest of the sentence out, someone outside shoots him through the shoulder. Karen tosses Lester to the floor and pulls out her gun. Across the street, on a rooftop, Junior puts his gun back into the case and starts walking down the stairs. His image is caught on a security camera as he exits.
Lester gets his bullet wound cleaned at the hospital. The doctor says that it was a clean shot, and didn't hit anything important. Harmony is right there by his side. Karen walks up and asks who tried to kill him. Lester says he already told her, but Karen says that she knows it wasn't Sally Giggles, and the FBI knows it, too. Lester realizes that he's not going into witness protection. Karen says Lester's going to jail unless he comes clean, and asks him again whom he's protecting. Lester's lawyer, Swinton, walks in and says that Lester has said enough. Karen says that his client is in trouble. Swinton says that his client was shot while in federal custody, and that's his main concern right now. Karen's phone rings. She answers it and walks out into the hall, telling Jesse to watch Lester. Amos is on the phone, and tells Karen that he and Kick have the shooter on film. They identified him as Junior McCloud, who was released from prison two days ago, and has already robbed an armored truck and bought a gun.
Back in the hospital room, Lester complains that he has to go to the bathroom. Jesse says he'll get a bedpan, but Lester doesn't want to go in front of Harmony. If you're getting married, get over it. Jesse buys it, and offers to escort Lester to the bathroom. Karen watches the whole thing, and asks Amos why Junior is going after Lester. Amos says that Lester was only fifteen when Junior went to prison, and adds that if Junior could print money, he wouldn't have to rob banks. Karen tells them to call her when they figure it out, and hangs up. She finds Jesse, the idiot, standing outside the bathroom door. He admits that Lester has been in there for a few minutes. Karen tells him to try the door. Jesse does, and it's locked. He kicks in the door, only to find the room empty and a ceiling panel gone. Cut to Jesse telling Karen that Harmony is also gone. Swinton pops up and says that he bears responsibility for his client's actions. Karen ignores him and tells Jesse to put the hospital on lockdown.
Karen is driving on the highway when her phone rings. It's Marshall. She asks how his case is going. Marshall says, as usual, that he gave his client the photos that proved his wife was cheating, and that his client tore them up and called Marshall a liar. Marshall heard that Lester got shot. Karen says that he then disappeared. Marshall thinks he would do the same if someone were trying to kill him. Karen says that the shooter was Junior McCloud. Karen gets another call and takes it. Marshall hangs up the phone and tells Mordecai that they need to take a drive.
Marshall walks into a prison and sits down to talk to a prisoner. The prisoner doesn’t know Marshall, who says only that he's "an acquaintance of Junior McCloud's." The prisoner was Junior's cellmate, and wants to know what's in it for him. Marshall says he plays poker with the warden and can probably do something if the prisoner is cooperative. Marshall asks about McCloud. The prisoner says he's out, but that "he waited fifteen years for this." Marshall wants to know what "this" is. The prisoner says that Junior talked in his sleep, and that he wanted to kill someone. Marshall asks why Junior wanted to kill Lester Porter. The prisoner is like, "Lester who?"
Lester talks to his backer on the phone and promises that he didn't give him up to the FBI. Lester demands to know who shot him if it wasn't his backer, or someone hired by him. Harmony shows up and says she's scared. Lester promises that he'll take care of everything, and that they'll be in Mexico by tomorrow night. Harmony asks what they're going to do for money. Lester says he has some stashed away. Harmony suggests that she go get it. Lester says he'll take care of it. Harmony says they'll be looking for him, not her, and Lester agrees. He reveals that the money is in Harmony's bedroom closet under the shoe racks. She kisses Lester and runs off. We see that Junior McCloud is watching them from a nearby picnic table, looking all creepy.
Karen is in her office.
Meanwhile, Marshall and Mordecai pay a visit to Bobby Gorgeous, the gun dealer. Bobby knows Marshall, who says that he's looking for Junior McCloud.
Back at the office, Karen looks at Junior McCloud's file. She discovers that her father was the officer who originally arrested him. She calls Marshall and says that they need to talk, right now. Marshall tells her to meet him at the Paradise Motel.
Karen pulls up to the motel. She asks Marshall if Junior is there. Marshall says that the desk clerk says Junior left an hour earlier. Karen asks if Marshall's going to tell her what's up. Marshall says he busted Junior fifteen years ago for robbing banks, but that he didn't know at the time that Junior had a sick daughter. While Junior was in jail, his daughter died, so Junior blames Marshall for his daughter's death. The clerk opens Junior's motel-room door. Karen looks inside and sees tons of photographs of herself with targets on them as Marshall unnecessarily adds, "He's trying to kill you." I thought this show was better than that last line.
Marshall tells Karen that he wants her to go into hiding until they find Junior. Karen refuses. She sees Amos in the parking lot and asks if there's any sign of Lester yet. Amos says there isn't, and that they're going to watch the motel in case Junior comes back. Marshall says he won't be back, and that he left the photos as a message for Marshall. He wants Karen hidden away, and Amos agrees. Karen reminds them that she's a Marshal, and that this is what she does, so they can either help her or stay out of her way. Marshall threatens to handcuff Karen to a radiator, and Karen retorts that she'll chew her own hand off. Father and daughter face off. Amos asks if Karen has always been like this. Marshall says that she has since high school. Karen points out that Junior knows Karen is trying to find Lester, so if they find Lester, Junior will find her. Marshall thinks that makes Karen into a target, which he won't allow. Karen makes a face like, "Can you believe how overprotective he is?" Which is funny, because I don't know many parents that would be happy about their kids being the target of a killer.
Lester takes a cab to an abandoned warehouse. He tells the cabbie that he has an eccentric uncle who lives there, and walks inside. As Lester enters the building, Junior pulls up.
Harmony goes to her apartment and opens the closet. She moves the shoe racks and pulls out a suitcase. She throws it on her bed and opens it to find a ton of money. Swinton, the lawyer, walks in and says that he can't believe Lester hid it in the closet under the shoes. Harmony doesn't seem very surprised to see him as she comments that there must be $3 million there. Swinton says he hates to think she would keep it all, and Harmony asks if she would do a thing like that. And then they start making out! I knew Harmony was no good, but I didn't foresee that she was in league with Swinton. She pushes him down on the bed and they start going at it. Suddenly, Karen shows up with Kick and Amos. Karen comments that the guy isn't Lester. Kick says that Beau Swinton is "the real Sally Giggles." Didn't see that one coming either. Karen asks where Lester is.
Lester stands in the warehouse, antsy. Junior has Lester in his gun's sight. Karen and Marshall pull up outside and agree that they are clear on their plan. Lester hears someone entering the warehouse and asks who's there, and whether it's Harmony. Marshall runs in, hiding behind pillars and such, and says that Harmony's not coming. Lester recognizes Marshall, but says he doesn't get it. Marshall says he's not there for Lester, and calls out to Junior. Lester is confused. Marshall tells him that unless he wants to get shot twice in one day, he should get out of the light. Marshall does. Marshall calls out that Karen isn't there, but that Junior's got him. Junior yells back that he does, but that he's not there for Marshall. Marshall asks if he thinks it'll help to kill his daughter because Junior lost his. Junior wants Marshall to know how it feels. Marshall asks if it'll take Junior's pain away to bring her back. We see a shadow behind Junior. (Well, I only saw it on second viewing.) Junior has Marshall in his sights, and is about to pull the trigger when Karen clocks him from behind. Junior falls down some stairs. Karen picks up his gun and tells her father that it's over. Lester joins Marshall, who asks what he gets for lawn work these days. So he was their lawn boy.
Lester can't believe that Harmony ratted him out, and wasn't coming back. Karen says that Harmony wasn't right for him. Lester says he looked up "ignoble," and that it doesn't mean what Karen said, but that it's a good word. Karen tells Lester that she remembers him from English class. She says he had a muscle car and used to listen to the Ramones. Lester is psyched that she remembers, but clearly Karen is just repeating back the information he's already fed her, in an effort to make him feel better. She puts him in the back of the cop car and says that he gets one phone call per week from prison, and if he wants to call her, she'll be around. Lester says he might take her up on that. Then she thumps the top of the cop car to let them know it's okay to take off. That is such a cop move that I have always wanted to do. I want to be a cop just to do the top thump, and also that move where they protect the criminal's head while shoving him in the back seat. And then I would retire. Marshall tells Karen that was nice of her, and Karen admits that she still doesn't know who he is.
Karen, in her apartment, goes through some boxes of things and finds her high-school yearbook. Roseanne Cash sings "Will You Remember Me?" Karen drinks a bourbon while leafing through the yearbook. She finds her own picture and smiles. She finds Robert Capperelli, and he does in fact have a black eye, as Lester remembered. She searches for Lester's picture, but it says "Photo Not Available," maybe because he flunked out. She comes across a page called "Mother and Daughter Luncheon," which features a very poorly Photoshopped picture of Karen and Marshall attending. Karen laughs.
Karen goes to see Marshall on his boat. Marshall says he's glad that her plan worked. Karen says that alternative was for him to bend down and tie his shoe at just the right moment. He asks where she picks stuff like that up, then says he almost took the boat out for a spin. Karen asks why he didn't, and Marshall says it was due to weather. It's a perfectly nice day. Karen shrugs and says that there's always tomorrow. Marshall says it could be any other day either. They clink beer bottles and drink. Karen asks if Marshall remembers Bobby Capperelli. Marshall says, "The kid whose nose you broke in the cafeteria?" Karen is amazed, and then laughs.