R.J. Decker

Previously on R.J. Decker...

You wanted to see me?

You can stay here one week, and then you go.

I don't need some pretend PI looking over my shoulder,

let alone one flopping in my pool house.

Need I remind you, you're on conditional release.

You get caught breaking into a car, they'll violate you back to prison.

- I was just in the neighborhood-- - You want something.

Where would the FLPD be without the help of low-rent PIs?

Well, technically I'm a no-rent PI.

None of the neighbors saw anything?

2:00 a.m. You're lucky the car alarm woke you before it melted.

Molly wanted to get one of those doorbell cameras last Christmas.

Might have been a good idea.

You sure you don't know what this is all about?

I'm sorry, we have no idea.

What do you mean, your house rolled into a sinkhole?

Uh, well, Officer Penmar, I mean exactly that. I was actually home at the time.

If you've ever wondered what the spin cycle feels like, it hurts.

Well, under "reason for parolee's change of address,"

we'll just write "act of God."

Yes. Oh, my new address for now.

- This is your ex-wife's place, right? - Mm-hmm, her and her wife's.

- "Detective Mel Abreu, FLPD." A cop? - Yep.

- And Sofia, age 11, is... - Mel's daughter.

Y'all need to go on Family Feud.

Okay. So, they excited to meet me tomorrow night?

I mean, who wouldn't be excited to meet their houseguest's parole officer?

Well, here in Florida, it is "conditional release officer."

- Right. - And you're the one

- who decided to change their address. - That's true.

A home visit is just procedure.

Hey, you! Off of the dolphin!

This is a golf course, not a jungle gym!

So this place, it's, uh...

it's all yours now, huh?

Yeah. Divorce is final as of a week ago.

He got the boat, and I got this headache.

So, how's your side hustle going?

Well, Decker Investigations is not a hustle, side or otherwise.

I even got a website.

Take a look.

"Covert surveillance," "asset recovery," and "wrongful death investigations."

This is where I remind you

that you're required to avoid contact with criminals.

If you don't keep your nose clean, you're going right back to Apalachee.

Cleanest in Fort Laud, I promise.

Are you sure it wouldn't be easier if I just gave you a job here?

You could be, I don't know, my snow-cone guy.

That is tempting.

Actually, I'm supposed to meet some clients in 30 minutes,

- so if we're done here... - Yeah.

Thank you.

- Uh, R.J.! - Yeah?

Behave yourself.

Uh, okay, Bryce, Molly, forgive me, but "you can't hide" from who?

From Goose. We're pretty sure it was Goose.

This guy I dated a few times years ago.

His real name is Jared Tapp.

Everyone just called him Goose 'cause he loved Top Gun so much.

- He was also a big fan of meth. - Ah.

But it was a long time ago. It's not your fault.

Uh, yeah, Goose has been in and out of prison, in and out of rehab.

Every couple of years, he shows up wanting something.

Hmm.

The other night after the cops left, back in the house, I found this.

"Your past is coming back to haunt you.

10K under the green bench at Loggerhead Park tomorrow by noon.

Or next time I light up your house."

And the reason you didn't wanna take this to the police is...

Goose has a cousin who's a cop.

He's made things go away for Goose before.

We were afraid if we told them...

Yeah, no, I get it. I get it. I get it.

Um, and I think I-I know what to do.

Can you get the 10K together before noon?

Yeah, but the whole reason we came to you was so we wouldn't...

No, I... I'm not recommending you pay him. Well, I am. But only temporarily.

I'm gonna put the money under the bench,

and then I'll watch from a distance until he comes for it.

I'll take pictures we can take to the police.

It won't matter who Goose's cousin is if we have photographic evidence.

That sound like a plan?

Ugh. You know, this is like finding out about Santa Claus.

- It's devastating, honestly. - What are you talking about?

Learning your job is this boring hurts my soul.

Well, I didn't invite you, remember? You asked to come.

Yeah, 'cause I assumed that a stakeout would be awesome,

not a damn, I don't know, sleep aid.

How'd it go with your CRO today?

Still not such a fan of the whole, uh, PI thing.

She offered me a job making snow cones.

Benefits?

You tell me it's not more exciting than what we're doing right now.

Come on.

- You got eyes on the target? - Yeah, it could be Goose.

He's headed straight for the money.

- What, the guy in the dorky hat? - Yep.

What is that, a bandage on his hand?

Yeah, could be from that flamethrower you mentioned.

Hey, wait. Where you going?

I don't have his face. I need a better look.

- Hey-- - Stay here, watch the car.

Damn it.

No!

Man, what the hell is wrong with you?

It's okay, Officer. I'm okay.

All right, roll over, show me your wrists.

Are you serious?

Come on. Let's go.

Nice.

Damn.

Thanks. Bye.

Say "never."

Uh...

- Never. - Again.

Never.

- No, stupid. Say "never again." - Right.

- Uh, never again. - Uh-huh.

Uh, you know this is, like, a terrible place to stab someone, right?

You want the good news first or the bad?

I take it the...

...good news is that the hot dog vendor's not going to press charges?

The bad is you're about to buy him a new cart and all the hot dogs you spilled.

- Done. And thank you. - Mm-hmm.

If you're looking for missed calls from your CRO, there shouldn't be any.

This went into the system as an incident report and not an arrest.

- She wasn't notified. - Thank you.

But it would make an interesting story to tell

at dinner tomorrow night, don't you think?

It would, but if you don't, there might be 100 hot dogs in it for you.

- Get out. - Okay.

What about this one here? A little less blurry?

I don't know. If it is Goose,

- he's a little thicker these days. - Yeah.

Then again, his weight was always kind of yo-yoing up and down.

You know, when money's tight, less meth, more carbs.

Is that something on his hand, or is that, like, a smudge?

Nah, it's a Band-Aid. It's really the only identifiable feature I got.

I'm sorry. But if you want, we can still take it to the police.

- We can share your suspicions. - No. No, that's okay.

If I know Goose, this is over now.

I don't want to put Bryce through any more craziness.

Yesterday, you made it sound like you and Goose,

you weren't all that serious.

Yeah, I try to give people that impression,

especially in front of my husband.

- You two had a real history, huh? - We were a thing for over a year.

This was before he put the "career" in "career criminal."

But Bryce doesn't know it was serious, so if you could not mention...

Thing is, I feel responsible for the money you lost.

If you'll let me, I'd like to try to get it back.

- How? - You know where he lives?

Any old friends still in touch?

I mean, I may have a few old numbers somewhere.

A couple buddies of his, an aunt, an uncle.

But I'd be surprised if he's still on speaking terms with any of them.

Send them to me. I'll see if I can get a bead on him.

- What? - I learned my lesson, you know.

I really didn't need another reminder

that I made a huge mistake a long time ago.

You ever have five minutes of your life you'd do anything to have back?

I know exactly what that's like.

Yeah, that's right, Miss Picquand. It was your nephew's car I hit.

I was towing this Nissan Z. Repo job...

Well, it don't matter. But there was this dog, eh?

I up and swerved and...

No, ma'am. No, no, no, ma'am.

No, I won't feel right till I get a check in his hand.

- $1,400. - Hey. Just one more? Yeah?

Okay, try to limit yourself to 40 or 50, please. Thank you.

You say he's there most afternoons, do you? All right.

Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. I'll send him your love. Absolutely.

That was Remy Tremblay.

Big old tub from Cell Block D, used to take my pudding cup at lunch.

What are you talking about? That was my client's ex-boyfriend's aunt.

No, the voice you were doing.

Remy. Wish, eh?

- I wish you'd give me that pudding. - Chills.

- Yeah. - The aunt tell you where to find Goose?

Yeah, he's staying with a buddy at the Las Olas trailer parks.

This time of day, he's pretty deep into a six-pack or three.

All right. So what's the plan?

You go over there and ask him nicely for 10K?

Nicely, not so nicely.

I guess it depends how drunk he is.

There he is. Looks like I'm just in time.

I know you?

Yep, I'm the ghost of beer future. I'm here from the year 2034.

Huh? No? You don't recognize me from this morning?

The hot dogs, the running.

You know what? Forget it. The sixer is a peace offering.

You give me the ten grand, I give you the beer. No one calls the cops.

- We both go home happy. What do you say? - Ten grand?

Yeah, Goose, ten grand. Ten grand. You give it to me or you give it to the cops.

- That's up to you. - You know what?

How about instead I just kick your ass?

Whoa! Whoa.

You have a prosthetic foot?

- Yeah. - Since when?