Beyond the Gates: Bill plays hardball

On Beyond the Gates, Bill Hamilton is a well-known lawyer who got his start from Vernon Dupree, but Bill knows all of the Dupree family's dirty secrets, it would appear, and he may use them.

Beyond the Gates: Bill makes a quiet threat

Bill (Timon Kyle Durett) is getting married to Hayley (Marquita Goings) who was a friend of the Dupree family and a legal aid at Bill’s law firm. Bill had an affair with Hayley, which resulted in the breakdown of his marriage to Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley). Now, to add salt to the wound, not only is Bill and Hayley's wedding to be held at the country club where everyone hangs out, but they have just purchased a house on Marigold Drive in the exclusive gated community where Dani now lives alone, and the whole Dupree family reside and rule the roost.

Bill goes Beyond the Gates

Bill's wife-to-be, Hayley, after being punched by Dani publicly at the country club, tried to make peace with the Dupree family by first going to Nicole's (Daphnée Duplaix) house. This was a non-starter.

After Hayley explained to Bill that she had been humiliated, punched, and tried to make peace, Bill thought he knew how to handle it. Bill took himself to the Dupree family home where the door was answered by Vernon (Clifton Davis). Vernon wanted nothing to do with Bill at first but then said they could talk.

Read between the lines Vernon

Bill said he wanted good representation at his and Hayley's wedding and wanted Vernon to use his considerable influence in the family and community to make that happen. When Vernon showed resistance on behalf of his scorned daughter, Bill responded with a coy smile and said that he had done favors for the Dupree family, and all he was asking was for one of those favors to be returned. He then wished Vernon a good day and said that he appreciated being heard, with emphasis on the word “heard.”

Vernon talked with his wife Anita about the visit from Bill. While Bill sounded non-threatening, they knew it was an implied threat. Vernon agreed with his wife that Bill could not be trusted and would use what he had on them if needed.

Vernon and Anita both decided that they needed to protect Martin “no matter what.” And this is where the show is going to get really interesting. The Dupree family is portrayed as being an upstanding pillar of the community and the reason we even have Fairmont Crest. The name Dupree opens doors almost anywhere, but like all rich, powerful families, there have been hard choices and hurt feelings along the way — and more than a few questionable skeletons in those large oak-doored closets.

Big closets equal even bigger skeletons

We are now left wondering what it is that Bill has on the Dupree family and how that pertains to Martin. Martin is, of course, a congressman now, and likely, he got there by Bill burying something from Martins's past or maybe his father's. Martin’s dad, Ted Richardson (Maurice Johnson), is described as sleeping well at night, knowing his past won't disrupt his perfect life.

Ted may not have noticed her today, but fans saw Dana “Leslie” Thomas stop dead in her tracks upon seeing Ted at the hospital. It was quite something as she appeared quite shaken up, and her daughter Eva asked if she was okay. Later, Dana and Eva were at their apartment, and the conversation was about Eva saying she would support her mom, knowing what happened to her “all those years ago.” Is this related to Bill’s veiled threat?

My working theory on this is that respected Dr. Ted Richardson has had “issues” with past patients and that Dana is one of them. Bill was used in his capacity as a lawyer who can make things disappear, and the guy who said “connections and favors make the world go ‘round” took care of the matter, thus allowing Ted to sleep easy at night, as mentioned. This type of scandal would have buried Martins's chance of becoming a congressman or attaining a higher office like the presidency.

Now that Bill is asking for a favor from Vernon on behalf of his fiancee if he doesn't get what he wants, he has the ability to throw some rather serious shade. Oh yes, Beyond the Gates just got a whole lot more interesting.

Watch Beyond the Gates weekdays on CBS or stream on Paramount Plus.