It has been 66 days since the deadly shoot-out, and honestly, the consequences have been slim. Ani is working the evidence lockup room, but it sounds like this is just temporary and has more to do with the sexual harassment complaint against her than the shoot-out. Paul was “promoted” to detective, investigating insurance fraud, and he hates it. Ray, though cleared of any wrong-doing, resigned from the force and is now doing private security for Frank. One of his side projects for Frank is following Blake, who Frank thinks has a side business. Turns out Blake is trafficking hookers to Osep. Frank, meanwhile, has continued his backslide. He is running girls and drugs out of his club, but it’s not enough and he and Jordan have moved into a smaller, more modest house.
Frank works out a deal with the rail authority. He will hunt down this mythical hard drive that was taken from Caspere’s house, and in return he will “gift” to Frank five parcels of rail-adjacent land. This helps him set his head straight, as he and Jordan are on the verge of being estranged. She admits that she had not one but three abortions, and it left her barren. But she also doesn’t want Frank to go back to his gangster ways. She doesn’t care about him losing the money; she doesn’t want him to lose who he has become. She also points out that the reason he said no to adoption was because he was saying no to the boy he once was. By the end of the episode, they have mended their relationship and even agreed to adopt once he gets his parcels.
Ani meets up with Vera, the woman she served a foreclosure notice to. She got a package of photos that was meant for her sister, and Ani takes them. Among them are several photos of the blue diamonds they found in Caspere’s safe deposit box – diamonds which are missing from the evidence room. There are several other photos that appear to be undercover photos of powerful men with escorts at a so-called “hooker party.”
Unsurprisingly, there seems to be some question as to whether or not Ledo was actually behind Caspere’s murder. However, the city seems happy to button up the case, and the detectives accept this, until Davis comes to them with her suspicions. Geldof is now running for governor, and Davis believes he colluded with Chessani and others to cover up the real murder of Caspere. She wants them all on a special investigation. Ani and Paul are in; Ray needs a little more convincing. Davis promises the attorney general’s office can help in his custody battle, which is not going well (the judge insisted on a paternity test). When they are alone, Davis off-handedly mentions to Ray that the “rumors” she heard about Ray killing his wife’s attacker were just that. The real perp was arrested a few weeks ago on an unrelated case and his sample matched that taken from Alicia and six other victims. Ray is trembling when he hears this. Frank set him up.
Before he confronts Frank, Ray has business with the shrink. After being presented with the photo from Ani’s dad’s album, the one with Caspere and Chessani, Ray gives him a severe beating, and the shrink finally admits that he does plastic surgery on the girls, but that is all. More violence, and he admits Caspere and Tony Chessani are running the girls. Tony’s father supposedly doesn’t know, but the shrink suspects they are blackmailing the guests for political gain.
Paul takes photos of the blue diamonds to jewelers and pawn shops until he finds one who recognizes the gems. He said a few months ago, another cop came in looking for the same gems. He hands Paul his card – it was Dixon. He had to have come in looking for the diamonds before Paul and Ani knew they existed. While Paul is investigating the diamonds, Ani visits her sister and convinces her to contact some of her old escort friends and get her an invite to the next hooker party. Paul and Ani then head up north to follow a lead on Vera’s missing sister. This is Ani’s “home town.” The commune used to be up here, and she still has a lot of misgivings about visiting. They arrive at the house and find it closed up for the season. Ani follows carrion birds through the forest and they discover a tiny shack. Inside is a chair that had obviously held someone captive. The shack is covered with blood.
Ray goes to Frank’s house and pounds impatiently on the door. An irate Frank gets out of bed and goes to the door with a gun, which he pockets when he sees it is only Ray. When asked, Frank tells Ray he is home alone. “We need to talk,” Ray says. Those words have never sounded so ominous.
It took five episodes, but it finally feels like this season is going somewhere. It’s frustrating, because the detectives seem so passive. Why has it taken more than half a season to finally investigate the escort parties? Clearly that is an important link, and I get that Ani was abused, but there are other cops who could take on the parties. Ray or Paul could easily go undercover as businessmen, or another cop could be brought in to go undercover as a hooker. It just seems like lazy police work. Vinci PD may be corrupt, as well as the entire city, but Paul and Ani both work for different agencies that are, presumably, not corrupt (or not as corrupt). Why is this show like pulling teeth?
You can check out the promo for episode 2.06 of “True Detective” in the player below. Titled “Church in Ruins,” the episode will air Sunday, July 26 at 9 P.M. on HBO.
