Previous recap: Ambush (November 9)
Emily brutally beat her captive, and she demanded to know who had hired him to attack David. "Screw you," the man hissed, and she snarled that she was starting to lose patience. She picked up the red-hot fireplace poker and warned that it would only get worse, but she was distracted by a notification that someone had rung the main doorbell.
Emily retreated downstairs in a robe, and she greeted Ben at the door. Ben explained that he'd wanted to see her outside a moment of crisis, and she pointed out that it was after midnight. He noted that it had seemed like a better idea when he'd left the bar in Montauk, and he requested two minutes of time. Ben revealed that he hadn't asked before out of respect, but he wanted to take Emily out because she was gorgeous and smart, and she didn't drive the speed limit. He worried that he was bombing, and she hesitantly informed him that she wasn't dating. He sheepishly stated that at least he hadn't taken up the entire two minutes, and she wished him a good night.
Emily returned to the hidden room and declared that it was a new game with the same rules, and she opened a briefcase with torture equipment. She pulled out a sword and held it to the man's throat, and she again insisted that he tell her who had hired him. The man swore he didn't know, and Emily wrapped a chain around his throat. The man divulged that his partner, Pete, had handled everything, and the man who'd hired them had seemed to have major connections. Emily threw down the chain.
In a hotel hallway, Kate and Jack bantered over baseball statistics, and they agreed to disagree. They reached her room, and she thanked him for helping to close the case, despite the tension with his partner. Kate mentioned that Jack had already checked in on Carl, and she added that she had ice in her room in case he had bruises from the bar fight. They started to lean in close to kiss, but her phone rang, and she groaned about the terrible timing. She answered the call and told someone to pull the security tapes, and she announced that David had been attacked.
At the police station, an officer informed Jack and Kate that they'd picked up a suspect named Pete Dunn, who had remained quiet because he'd seemed scared of someone, and they had him under high security. Kate bragged that she'd make Pete talk within ten minutes, but Jack yelled for help when they discovered that Pete had hanged himself.
David thanked Chief Alvarez for escorting him and Victoria home, and Alvarez asked if Victoria remembered anything, but she replied that she'd been unconscious the whole time. Alvarez remarked that he was impressed David had fended off two assailants, and David chalked it up to learning how to fight in prison. Alvarez reported that the police had arrested one attacker, and they had roadblocks posted to find the other man. After Alvarez left, Victoria insisted that David tell her what was going on, and David said he wanted to find out. Victoria asserted that she wanted the life they deserved with Amanda in it, and she asserted that she couldn't hold on to her anger anymore. David said it was the life he wanted, too, and he promised they would get through it.
Jack met with Emily outside the police station, and he informed her that the police had arrested one suspect who had committed suicide in the interrogation room. Emily was surprised that the story hadn't made the news, and Jack explained that Alvarez had been clamping down on the media surrounding David's case. Emily questioned whether Jack was sure the suspect had killed himself, since thugs for hire wouldn't usually commit suicide over a job, and Jack realized she'd been present during the attack. Jack warned her that Alvarez was keeping close tabs on the investigation. Emily assured him that the police wouldn't find her on the security tapes, but there was someone she needed to talk to.
Later, Kate told Jack that the attackers had disabled the security cameras, but Alvarez had sent over some guys to interview employees and patients at the hospital. Jack imagined that Ben had volunteered to question Emily, and Kate recognized that Emily and Victoria didn't get along and that grudges could make people do crazy things. Jack said that he'd spoken with Emily, but she didn't know anything more than they did, and Kate remarked that it was too bad for Ben, who obviously liked Emily.
Kate pounded on a vending machine in frustration, and Jack rocked the machine until her bag of chips fell out. He theorized that whoever was responsible for the attack was cleaning up as they went along, and he mentioned that the medical examiner's report had indicated self-defense wounds on Pete's neck, but Kate argued that it was more likely Pete had experienced second thoughts. She said that with nothing to warrant further investigation, she had to leave in the morning, but there was ice in her room that would go to waste unless Jack had a drink with her. Jack awkwardly said that he had to finish up work, and Kate wondered what had happened to the guy who'd wanted to take a risk by sailing off to Haiti. She advised that work would be there in morning, but she wouldn't be, and she left.
At the yacht club, Nolan and Louise playfully greeted one another as "Lucy" and "Ethel," and Louise teased him about having a hangover. He briefly turned away to leave a message for Emily about her security system resetting itself, and he asked her to call him back to make sure everything was okay. Louise noted that he took care of his friends like they were family, and Nolan stressed that his friends were family. He handed Louise a Bloody Mary, and she affectionately scolded that he was a bad influence.
Nolan guessed that Louise had been wild in her younger days, and Louise confided that her mom had called her an unstable slut before sending Louise away. Louise confessed that she'd self-medicated with hot boys, but her father had written her letters. Nolan mentioned that he'd read Louise's father had drunk himself to death, and Louise grew quiet and murmured that it had been the story they'd told. Louise suddenly said she was late for a facial, and she asked Nolan to call her later.
Over the phone, Nolan informed Margaux that he'd had an interesting chat with Louise, and he advised Margaux to look into Louise's father's death. Margaux ordered him to get Louise's sealed records, or their deal would be off, and she walked into her office, where Daniel had set up an elaborate breakfast. Daniel asked if she'd heard his voicemail, but she maintained that it would be best if they ended things, and he admitted he'd messed up. Margaux compared Daniel to both of their fathers, who'd acted first and asked for forgiveness later, but she wanted a man who didn't make rash decisions. Daniel argued that it hadn't been enough for her with Jack, but she flatly told Daniel goodbye.
Daniel found Victoria in his hotel suite, and she huffed that Daniel had been wrong, since David was still with her even after reuniting with Emily. Victoria swore she would do anything to make David happy, even if it meant being a doting stepmother, and all she wanted was peace and a new life with David. Victoria added that she wanted Daniel in her life, too, but Daniel warned that a relationship built on a lie couldn't last, and he thought David would eventually choose Emily. Daniel disclosed that Emily had told him that she'd destroy Victoria before Emily let her become part of David's life, and Victoria was offended that Daniel was even speaking to Emily. Victoria recognized that she'd lost Patrick and Daniel, and she refused to lose David, too.
David approached Nolan with an apology, but Nolan contended that David owed him a reputation. Nolan divulged that he knew that Emily had fought for David in the hospital, and David reiterated that the situation was too dangerous for Emily to reveal her true identity. Nolan promised that he would always watch out for Emily, and David asked if Nolan had heard from her that day. Nolan reported that things had been really quiet, but they had to trust her to stay out of it, and David admitted that Nolan knew her better than David did. Nolan checked the security footage at the manor, and he found that some cameras had been disabled.
Later, Emily found a red rag outside on the patio, and she rushed to the secret room, where she found that her prisoner was gone. Emily confronted Nolan, who admitted that he'd set the man free, and he wondered how far she would have gone. Emily ranted that the man had attacked David, so it would be on Nolan's head if David were hurt again. Nolan said he was worried about her, and he told her that David had apologized to him. Emily said that the men might have made amends, but she was still fighting for her relationship with her father. Nolan insisted that David was trying to protect her, but Emily speculated that Alvarez or someone else had murdered the suspect who had been in custody.
At the yacht club bar, Louise asked if Nolan was ready for the next round, and she toasted to his ability to lie. She questioned why Lemarchal had called her brother to inquire about their father, and she accused Nolan of working with Margaux to dig up dirt on her, but she couldn't understand why. Nolan stammered that the publication company was helping him to save his reputation, and Louise snapped that he was willing to sacrifice her family's good name in return. She confided that it had taken years of therapy for her to stop having nightmares about the past, but her progress would be destroyed with one story. She repeated her previous comment that Nolan protected his friends like family, and she barked that she knew where she stood before she stormed out.
On the beach, Victoria noticed that David had shaved, and he called it a new start. She mentioned that Daniel was having a hard time accepting their relationship, and she noted that David hadn't mentioned Emily since the prior night. David disclosed that he'd asked Emily to stay away.Victoria asked if Emily had been there during the attack, but David lied that Emily hadn't been present. David requested that Victoria leave what had happened the night before alone, and she agreed to do so if that was what he wanted. He silently walked away.
On a park bench, Alvarez informed Victoria that he was trying to find a connection between the attackers and the man who'd killed Conrad, and he divulged that Vince Walsh had been found with the murder weapon and had also tried to run down David. Alvarez was surprised David hadn't mentioned it, and he placed his hand on Victoria's knee and suggested she stay away from David until it was safe. Victoria insisted that she was where she belonged, and Alvarez commented that he'd hate for her to be in the wrong place at the wrong time again. After Alvarez walked away, Victoria made a call and asked someone to find out who had hired Vince.
Victoria asked David why he hadn't told her that the man who'd tried to run him down had been responsible for Conrad's murder. She inquired whether David had planted the knife, and David asked her to trust him. He reminded her that she'd kept his daughter from him for weeks, and she questioned whether he expected her to prove herself again and again. She accused him of throwing trust issues in her face, and he countered that he'd spent 20 years in jail when she'd known he'd been innocent.
Victoria declared that she had September 1, 1993, etched in her memory, since it had been the day she and David had planned to leave with Amanda and Daniel to start a new life together. Victoria continued that she'd remembered the date every time she had looked into Charlotte's eyes and had seen David's, and she'd never stopped trusting him. She offered to go with him that night if he'd just ask, but David coldly stated that he wasn't going anywhere without his daughter. He walked out.
David used a flashlight to navigate his way back to his former hideout. He flashed back to Victoria telling him that Conrad had been unaware she'd taken five million dollars out of their account, and she and David had decided to leave on September 1. They had agreed to lock the money in a safe, with Victoria choosing the security code and David selecting a place to hide the safe. David retrieved the safe from its hiding spot, and he entered the date he and Victoria had arranged to leave as the code. He placed a flash drive next to the stacks of money inside.
Nolan researched Lyman Ellis online, and David stopped by to see him. David said he was heading out of town, and he instructed Nolan to make sure the contents of the safe got sent to news outlets if he didn't return. Nolan implored David to tell him what was really going on, and David divulged that Malcolm Black, who ran an illegal arms operation in Canada, had smuggled him up there after he'd been stabbed. David continued that Malcolm had forced him to launder money by threatening Amanda's life, and he was going to find Malcolm.
Nolan admitted that Emily hadn't been able to stay out of it, since she'd hogtied and tortured David's second attacker, but Nolan had released him. Nolan added that he'd given the man a glass of water with a substance that would allow Nolan to track him, and he offered David the use of his helicopter. David called him a good friend, and Nolan replied that he didn't have many of those, so he didn't take them for granted.
On the ferry, David sat down next to his attacker, and he said he needed to get a message to Malcolm Black. The man protested, but David said that he knew the guy had been doing Malcolm's dirty work by attacking David, and he handed the man a slip of paper. David ordered him to give the message to Malcolm, or David would keep finding him.
Victoria learned Malcolm had hired Vince, and she asked the investigator why Malcolm had wanted David dead. The investigator reported that the assignment had been to deliver David unharmed, since David owed a lot of money. Victoria vowed not to let anyone hurt David, and she scribbled a note on a photo of Emily and asked her minion to get it into the right hands.
David returned to the beach house and apologized for walking out on Victoria. He said that he couldn't ask her to stay when he'd kept secrets from her, and she asked him to tell her what he could. He started with where he'd been for the past ten years, and it hadn't been in the reclusive room. He confessed that he'd been held by a man more dangerous than Conrad.
Ben met Emily at a bar, and he said he was surprised she'd called him, since he hadn't made the best impression the night before. She explained that it had been a long day, but she'd wanted to congratulate him on solving Conrad's murder. Ben expressed disdain that Alvarez had assigned Jack to work with the Feds, but he didn't want to talk about work, and he changed the topic to finding out more about "the mysterious Emily Thorne." She replied that she'd no longer be mysterious if she told him all about herself, and he guessed that she didn't date much. She suggested that they battle it out over a game of darts, and the high scorer got to ask the questions. Ben crowed that he was the dart-throwing king, but Emily impressed him by hitting a bull's-eye on her first attempt.
Emily won a game of pool, and Ben said that she reminded him of his ex-wife, who'd never let him win anything. He explained that he'd gotten married way too young, and he'd thought his ex had been the only person in the world who'd understood him, but she'd suddenly left. Emily inquired how he'd managed to move on, and he recalled that he'd buried himself in work and had graduated at the top of his class. Emily gently pressed for details about how Alvarez had helped him, and Ben mentioned that he'd met Alvarez in Essex County, but Alvarez had left after there had been suspicions about the way he'd handled a case. Ben jokingly inquired whether Emily had a deadline to submit an exposé on Alvarez, and Emily insisted she was just curious, but she defensively grabbed Ben's hand when he reached to touch her face. He realized that they weren't on a date, and he suggested that they call it a night.
Emily looked for Nolan at the yacht club, and the manager said he expected Nolan to be back by last call. Daniel approached Emily, and he said he was drinking to his sad life and to their parents, who he believed were in love. He remarked that Emily looked good, and he asked if she was out on a date, but she said she wasn't in the mood. He commented that it was the first honest conversation they'd had, and he realized things hadn't worked between them because they were too much alike -- stubborn people who used and hurt others. He divulged that Margaux wanted nothing to do with him, and Emily lectured that he hadn't ever fought for anything. He observed that Emily looked pretty, and he hoped whoever Emily was after wasn't wearing his heart on his sleeve.
Margaux griped to Nolan that she was getting impatient, and she asked if he'd been able to get into Louise's records. Nolan relayed that one of Margaux's reporters had called Louise's brother, and Louise was freaked out. He refused to do to Louise what Margaux had done to him during David's interview, and Margaux complained that Nolan only cared about what his friends thought of him. Nolan replied that he was in the process of figuring out who his friends were, and Margaux hung up on him and testily ordered her editorial department to run the Ellis story.
Daniel appeared and announced that someone had told him he'd never fought for anything, but he loved Margaux, and there was nothing she could say that would convince him she didn't love him, too. She asked if he'd shown up drunk to fight, and she groused that he always did the bare minimum. She reminded him that she'd asked him to stay away, and she was adamant that she wouldn't make the same mistake their families had. He asked what she meant, and she blurted out that she was pregnant.
Emily joined Ben on the basketball court, and she confirmed that she'd used him to get information on Alvarez. She added that she'd lost someone, too, and Ben wondered if there was anything she wasn't good at doing. He threw her the basketball, and she sunk the shot. She quipped that she wasn't good at dating, and she conceded that she still owed him one. He suggested that they get the interview out of the way before their real date, and he asked what else she wanted to know.
Emily said she'd been looking into the attack on David, and she knew one suspect had supposedly killed himself, but she speculated that someone else had killed him. Ben questioned what her attachment to David was, and Emily claimed that David's daughter had meant a lot to her, so she needed to find out if Alvarez was working for the people who were trying to hurt David. Ben insisted Alvarez wasn't dirty, but Emily argued that the police chief had been the only person with access and the power to cover it up. Ben revealed that he'd run into Alvarez leaving David's beach house at the time of the suspect's death, and the only people who had access to the attacker's high-security room had been Alvarez and the Feds.
A towel-clad Kate called out for room service to leave a delivery on the desk, and she lifted a lid and found Victoria's picture of Emily on a plate. Kate covered it when there was a knock at the door, and she found Jack there. He caressed her face and kissed her, and she closed the door and led him to the bed. Her towel dropped to the floor.
Previous recap: Ambush (November 9)
