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Due to Savino's men's idiotic policy of burying hit jobs about two inches deep in farmland (i.e. ground that is dug up many times over), Cornaro and his bodyguard are found, sending the law and the mob into a tizzy. Milwaukee's not at all pleased, and they dispatch Jones to quirkily assassinate as many people as possible, while Johnny Rizzo and Angelo pay a visit from Chicago to sort the mess out. Their solution involves getting rid of Savino. Not that they're going to tell him that. They are going to tell him, however, that he's done fantasizing about the Tumbleweed.
Jones takes out Borelli and a witness, making Mayor Bennett apoplectic, because how can a law-and-order mayor win the looming election when bodies are cropping up all over the place? Not my problem, says Lamb.
What is his problem, is keeping more bodies from piling up. Savino naturally is no help with information as to exactly who is getting revenge from Cornaro, so Lamb stations his men all over the casino emptying it of its customers and sending Jack back a few spaces on the Sleep With Mia Rizzo board game. And after Jones still almost gets to Savino, Ralph decides to look after Savino personally, and takes him out to his ranch for some good ol' fashioned physical labor and male bonding. But all Jones has to do is place a phone call to the sheriff's office to find out where Savino is stashed, and he gets reinforcements and heads out to the ranch to take Savino down.
Lamb and Savino fight off the invasion, which each saving the other's life at one point, and Lamb manages to arrest Jones. With their best guy taken out, Milwaukee's talking truce. Angelo says he has to give up the Tumbleweed — and Savino himself, so he's driven to a deserted area and given a shovel to dig his own grave.
Not that I thought Savino was ever going to die, but I was still surprised when Johnny Rizzo shoots Angelo in the head and informing Savino that he works for Johnny Rizzo now. The Tumbleweed is still a go. As for Milwaukee? Johnny Rizzo is basically, "Fuck ‘em. I mean, it's Milwaukee."
The election, such an important plot last week, is reduced to bookends this week. Grady — suddenly the idealistic naïf again — is concerned that their "Bennett = dirty commie"ad campaign is a little less than above-board. But he wins, because of course he does.
Daniel is a writer in Newfoundland with a wife and a daughter. Pretty soon Jack and Savino are going to be playing golf together. Follow him on Twitter (@DanMacEachern) or email him at danieljdaniel@gmail.com.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Yes, it's Vegas in the '60s, but does that mean we need to hear lounge music all the time? Even here, when a farmer and his son are trundling through the cornfield on a tractor? They stop at a barren patch, with Pa knowledgably chalking it up to a "diseased prairie dog den," and he tells his son to go dig it up. And of course, two scoops with the shovel and Farmer Junior has uncovered a hand. Like anyone in that situation would do, they turn to glare at the Vegas skyline in the distance. Damn you, Vegas! How many lives will you ruin with your gaudy march into degradation and sin?
Over at the Savoy, Savino's having dinner with Laura and Red. Actually, it seems like breakfast, what with the newspaper and all, but there's wine on the table. Well, maybe Savino likes a nice Barolo with breakfast. He's not happy with the polls that suggest Grady and Bennett are neck and neck for mayor. Fortunately, Red has spoken to their "friend" bringing in the voting machines. Laura arches an eyebrow and Savino explains things are a little touchy in Cook County.
Speaking of touchy, Grady comes in, unhappy with the Bennett-equals-Stalin pamphlet being distributed. "I didn't agree to this type of campaign," he says, apparently shocked that the mobster is resorting to underhanded methods to win. Plus voters like Bennett's tough-on-crime stance. Wait, is his problem that the Red Scare pamphlet will sway people in Bennett's favor? Laura takes about a boxing match that Vincent took her to in which the underdog came out swinging and ... look, whatever, Grady is mollified. "The election's in two days. Let's try to keep this above-board," he warns the MAJOR FIGURE IN THE CHICAGO MOB, before leaving, and we learn that Laura's got skillz, because Vincent never took her any bout.
Over at the cornfield, our heroes are examining the bodies of Davey Cornaro and his bodyguard. "If Milwaukee hears about this, every thug in Wisconsin's going to be on the plane to get his pound of flesh," says Lamb, and then the farmer stomps into the crime scene to complain about the corpses throwing off his ph balance or whatever.
Over at the airport, sheriff's deputies are already screening incoming travelers against pictures of known gangsters. It's hard to imagine how such a crack system could fail to thwart gangsters. Oh, here's a way -- with an easily forged ID that says "Lyle Plimpton" of Las Vegas. Weirdly, we don't get to see his face, so the big reveal can be that it is of course Jones returning to the city. I mean, we hear his voice, and any viewer who would know who Jones is would recognize his distinct voice and manner of speaking. The deputy asks what his occupation is. "Wholesale butchery," says Jones, grimly, and he's on his way. The deputy does not say, "Wait, why are you saying it all weird? Is it a euphemism? Are you going to kill a bunch of people?"
Savino's mad as hell that his idiot men put Cornaro in ground that's constantly being dug up. "We put him deep," says Cota, which isn't even close to being true, from what we saw. Shit's hitting the fan -- now, where did we put Borelli?
Borelli's doing that thing people do on television where they buy a newspaper and immediately read the back page so we can read the front-page headline -- MOB BODIES FOUND ON FARM -- and he's strolling out of the shop and onto a side street, where Jones is waiting for him. "Jonesy. Back in Vegas so soon?" says Borelli, trying not to look too surprised, and/or worried. After tense small talk, Borelli goes for his gun, but Jones gets to his first, and plugs Borelli.
Then a woman comes out a nearby grocery store -- into what his basically an alley; don't these shops face a proper street? She takes in the scene. Then we hear a bang, and her apples roll down the steps of the store.
Our heroes examine the crime scene, and the innocent victim, Marjorie Dobbs. Ralph tells Dixon to find out what kind of gun and ammo was used -- you know, something that would be done anyway but specified here because it'll be a plot point later. Bennett stomps up, demanding to know why bodies are cropping up all over the place (literally in the case of the cornfield). "I'm trying to win an election today on a law and order ticket," he points out. I really wish they could figure out if this guy is more righteous crusader for law and order or political opportunist. But this offers the moral high ground to Ralph, who snaps that he doesn't want to fret over Bennet's election chances over Mrs. Hobbes' dead body.
Red and Savino are lamenting the loss of Borelli when Ralph and O'Connell come in, Ralph laying the blame at Savino's feet since the killer is after him. Savino hotly denies it was his fault and points out that Borelli was a friend of his.
Red and Savino are discussing the problem when Ralph and O'Connel come in. Ralph says an innocent woman got killed because of him. "I'm sure Borelli had it coming," says Ralph, and says the retaliation is because of Cornaro, and he's sure whoever killed Cornaro was either somebody in this room or someone ordered to do it by somebody in this room. Obviously, Savino isn't going to open up to Ralph about this, so the sheriff gets on his radio and gives the order for his men to stomp in at the Savoy and take over the place, sending the customers scurrying for the exits.
Mia freezes out Jack, who probably ought to know better than to go for anything other than detached professionalism in a situation like this. "I'm can't believe you're doing this to me," she says to him, icily. "I wouldn't expect something like this from you," she adds. I have zero idea what that even means.
Over in Chicago. Johnny Rizzo enters a dimly lit diner (to talk to Angelo, who says things have been going downhill ever since they put Savino in at the Savoy. Rizzo eggs him on: "If Red's ready to take another shot at heading the Savoy, what in the hell do we need Savino for?"
Police work being done! We find out that the killer worked with a rare weapon used mainly by the Czechoslovakian military, and that the same weapon was used to kill Cornaro's secretary and boyfriend. Also! A jeweler a block and a half from the crime scene has reported a car that's been parked outside for hours, with no sign of anyone coming back for it. Ralph sends Dixon to check out the car, and Dixon is pleased at the outdoors assignment. That kid's got a head for this work, says Jack, in the obligatory reference to how well Dixon's taking to the work that gets made every episode. "That makes one of you," jokes Ralph, who then needs Jack's help to speak like a human being to a grieving Mr. Dobbs when he comes in.
Savino's eating with Angelo and Rizzo (with Rizzo comically attempting to withhold the salt from Angelo on his doctor's orders, almost earning himself a bullet for his trouble). Angelo explains that Milwaukee wants payback and Borelli was just the start. Savino tries to protest, but Angelo knows Savino did Cornaro, and points out that Milwaukee has nothing to lose by burning Vegas to the ground, so it's time to make peace. "In order to iron things out, I gotta let go of the problem that started this whole damn mess in the first place. The Tumbleweed," says Angelo. Savino protests again, but Angelo says he's trying to not only save the casino but save Savino.
Dixon's search of the car turns up a copy of the rental agreement for this "Lyle Plimpton" guy, and Jack and Ralph track to his apartment, where he turns out not to be a thin, pale guy as a witness suggested but a large black man. The Lambs marvel at the killer distracting them on a fool's errand like this, and they figure he's some smart son of a bitch. I'd argue that a smarter assassin wouldn't use such a rare weapon, but then again, I'm not a hitman.
As it turns out, the smart son of a bitch is over at the Savoy, talking his way past a deputy by claiming to be a carpet salesman with an appointment. The deputy wants him to open the case. Jones pretends to be concerned about having to do so -- classic television fakeout, because of course he's got a briefcase full of carpet samples (which go with the business card of "Alvin Lewicki). The deputy lets him past, but Jones has drawn the interest of another, less stupid deputy.
In Savino's office, he and Red are discussing Angelo giving up the Tumbleweed, which neither of them thinks makes much sense. "In the old days, Chicago would retaliate, not negotiate," says Red. That's too far the other way, snaps Savino, who wants to go down the middle.
The suspicious deputy has followed Jones, who's heading up the stairs to Savino's office and pulling a gun from the back of his pants. The deputy yells for him to drop it. Jones turns and fires instead, clipping the deputy. Red and Savino charge out of the office, Savino shooting at a fleeing Jones.
Deputy follows Jones, sees him pull a gun. Tells him to drop it. Jones shoots. Red and Savino charge out, Savino fires, chases Jones off.
After, as the deputy is being rolled away on a stretcher, Savino offers his sympathies. He sounds sincere, but Dixon is having it. "Shut the hell up. You're the one who started all this!" he yells, and has to be physically restrained from taking Savino outside and teaching him a lesson on Freemont Street.
Anyway, Savino gives up Jones: "He's a pro's pro. Been doing hits for Milwaukee since he was a kid." He'll keep coming, he won't quit, says Savino. Ralph's solution is to put Savino in handcuffs and escort him out the door, right past Angelo and Rizzo, who exchange "you be-LIEVE this fuckin' guy?" glances.
So Ralph drives off with Savino in his pickup truck, telling his brother and son to find Jones. And then Jack tells Dixon to go on ahead, because he's got something else to do, and heads back into the casino.
He goes to Mia's room but is surprised to actually find her there, what with the hit out on Savino. And then out strolls Johnny Rizzo to laugh at the earnest cop looking to protect his daughter.
"You're the candy store cop. You can't even keep peace in your town, how you gonna protect my daughter?" Mia sends her father off, assures Jack she'll be fine.
Ralph and Savino are out at the ranch, Ralph splitting wood and stringing barbed wire across the road, Savino mostly complaining and suggesting he go inside and read up some of Ralph's back issues of Field & Stream.
Elsewhere, Jones stoically removes a bullet from his arm -- so Savino did clip him -- and hears on the radio that Savino was taken into custody. So he calls the sheriff's office and pretends to be a court clerk wondering when Savino's showing up. Dingbat deputy explains that Savino wasn't arrested but is under the sheriff's protection, and all but gives him directions to the ranch. Jones calls Milwaukee to say he's going to need a few more men.
At the ranch, Ralph and Savino, now indoors, are bonding and bickering. Savino asks for a phone to call his wife. Cota's watching her, but he wants her to leave town. Reluctantly, she agrees, but asks when she's going to see him. He doesn't know. Yeah, this whole Vegas experiment not really working out, is it?
Over at the sheriff's office, it comes out that the county clerk called. Fortunately, the rest of the gang is a little quicker on the uptake than Deputy Dingleberry, and Jack wants the operator to tell them where all the incoming calls over the last hour have come from.
Back at the ranch, Ralph has fried up some steak for dinner, not that he trusts Savino, who's still handcuffed to the table, with a knife. They start chatting about restaurants, Savino prodding Ralph quite a little bit, suggesting he and Laura and Ralph and O'Connell go on a double-date, and trying to find out some info about the former Mr.s Lamb, but Ralph isn't biting.
Things then start to happen quickly: The other Lambs trace the call to a motel, while Rizzo, in a phone booth at the casino, gets some sort of OK. It's all going to be over after tonight, he assures whoever it is.
No, wait, let's slow things down again. Savino's wondering about Ralph's military service. Figures that what with the wife, kid and few tours already under his belt, he could have been granted a discharge. Savino figures out Ralph asked to stay, and commends him for being a patriot. (Not for nothing, Savino, but your people were the other team in that war.) Then he thinks he's got it sussed out that Ralph's wife left him and that's why he stayed (or maybe she left him because he stayed).
Ralph is forced to explain she died in a car accident. Savino says it's a shame, and I really don't think he meant it as insincerely as it sounded, but Ralph stands up and stomps off. There's no mistaking Savino's assholishness when he asks if Ralph ever considers that if he'd taken a discharge, she'd be sitting there with Ralph now instead of Savino. For that, he gets a punch to the face, but he can't say he didn't earn it.
Jack calls Ralph from the motel to warn Ralph that it looks like Jones is on his way. Ralph looks outside and sees a car pull up. "He's already here," he says.
So Jack grabs a shotgun and heads outside, leaving an angry Savino handcuffed to the table. In short order, Ralph has pulled the barbed wire taut across the road, stopping the car -- you know, instead of the car plowing through -- and has shot the three men who aren't Jonesy. Jones gets the drop on him, but Savino has freed himself and has acquired a rifle. He shoots and misses, but at least they now outnumber Jones; they split up to try to box him in. Instead, Jones sneaks up behind Savino and is about to kill him when he's jumped by Ralph and winds up with a bullet in his other arm.
Anyway, Occupy The Savoy is over, and is happy enough to be friendly to Jack, asking him, like her father did, why he wants to protect her. "I just feel it's something I"d be good at," he tells her, swaggering away so she can mull this over.
So Jones in custody, Savino tells Laura, and it looks like Angelo has smoothed things over with Milwaukee. But Angelo and Rizzo come in, still saying they need to sort out the Tumbleweed thing, and tell Savino to come with them. Savino knows what's going on, and after he gives Laura a long kiss, she at least suspects, especially when Red can't look her in the eye.
The three of them stop the car outside the city. "We've got the whole place to ourselves," jokes Savino, but Angelo has no time for the small talk. He apologizes to Savino, but this is how it's done: "They buried two of theirs. We have to make amends." Savino desperately calls Milwaukee a bunch of five-cent Al Capones, but Angelo's mind is made up: He's paying them back with the Tumbleweed and paying for Cornaro with Savino. He turns his back on Vincent.
Savino asks to be buried deep: "I don't want my kids to see me in the papers." Rizzo lifts his gun, and then turns and shoots Angelo in the head. Goddamn, Mike from Breaking Bad just can't catch a break! "He was getting soft. The old Angelo would have seen that setup coming," Rizzo tells an extremely surprised Savino. But Rizzo explains that back home they didn't like the idea of him giving the Tumbleweed to Milwaukee. He orders Savino to get digging; Savino does work for Rizzo now.
Back at the ranch, with police mopping up, Bennett drives up to pass along news about a plotline that was important enough to be the focus last week but is now merely bookends. He lost and Grady is in. Oh, and the unopposed sheriff won as well. "They're going to need you as sheriff, whether you like it or not," Bennett says.
Montage: Grady celebrating, Rizzo toasting Vegas and himself, and a surprised Laura relieved to see her husband come in. They hug. But damn, Laura, isn't this shit all the exact reason why you guys have been leading separate lives for years?
Daniel is a writer in Newfoundland with a wife and a daughter. He thinks Canada should follow the U.S.'s lead and turn Thanksgiving into a four-day holiday. Follow him on Twitter (@DanMacEachern) or email him at danieljdaniel@gmail.com.