The Damage a Man Can Do
Updated 2008-11-17 09:19:16
Previously: Miguel wanted to make Ellen Wolf his and Dexter's next target, but Dex explained that she'd never killed anyone, thus didn't fit the Code. Ellen told Maria all of the dastardly deeds that Miguel had committed as ADA, yet didn't have any real evidence to back up her claims. Rita's not having fun being pregnant. Angel and Barbara hooked up. Anton was used as bait for The Skinner. Deb formulated a theory that a tree trimmer is The Skinner. She and Anton made cop/CI love. Yuki told Deb that Quinn's laziness was the cause of another cop's death.
Oh God, it's another scene of Dexter and Miguel acting like DUDES . There's pizza and beer and they're scrambling to eat it as fast as they can because they are DUDES . The scene is in slo-mo as Dexter VO's that he has heard that everything is connected. The butterfly effect. A pebble was dropped into the ocean, causing ripples, until eventually a fish grew arms and legs. It climbed out of the water, picked up a rock, and bashed two fish over the heads. The first serial killer was born. Justify much? That's like me saying that man walked on the moon and now I can't stop drinking Diet Coke. I guess I can see how Dexter's trying to find his connection with the world around him, but it makes you worry about the strength of his Code (i.e. Why not just kill Deb or Rita? That might be fun!) when he uses reasoning like that to explain his urges. Also, they're eating pizza that was delivered, yet Miguel is cutting the slices. Now, maybe someone can point out an exception, but as far as I know -- and I take a certain amount of pride in the fact that I've had pizza in many, many places -- when do you get a pizza delivered that's not already sliced? And, it's apparently really hot. It's not impossible, but it's unlikely. Right? I just find the artificialities in their friendship clichéd and grating. Like now -- Miguel runs to the TV and asks Dexter what channel ESPN is on his cable provider. Dex says he thinks it's a high number. (It was the running to the TV and desperate need to see THE GAME that I found annoying. Whatever, I'll stop now.)
Miguel screams at the TV screen with a mouth full of pizza, "No way that's not a foul, man!" Dexter responds that, yes, the basketball player indeed did something wrong to the other basketball player. Dexter has revealed to Miguel that he's not a sports fan. He says that he is more of a National Geographic guy. "Sharks, bears, the occasional penguin." That's the name of Dexter's next children's book. The Occasional Penguin . Miguel says that Dexter does "have other interests." Dexter cautiously agrees. So, Miguel RUNS (He's got to stop it with the running) to Dexter's computer, prompting a Dex VO -- "Boundaries." That's pretty good. You can feel his tension as Miguel sits down at his desk. Somebody doesn't like to share. Does like to shank people. No worries, because the computer is password protected. Miguel responds, "Oh yeah, trust issues." Dex wordlessly agrees and enters the password while Miguel respectfully covers his eyes.
Miguel pulls up a sports website and starts playing a video. Dexter recognizes that it's a football game and Miguel compliments him for knowing his sports. He stops the video and the stats for a player, Billy Fleeter, cover the action on the field. OK, if that's a functionality of that website -- where you can click on a player on the field and their stats show up? That's amazing. Dexter asks if he should know who Billy Fleeter is. He shouldn't, "but hopefully you will," replies Miguel. I think I know where this is going. The video is from five years ago, when Billy was in college. He never went pro because he developed problems with drugs and gambling. Does that stop you from being a pro football player? Anyway, he was deep in the hole with his gambling and had to pay off some of his debts by being an enforcer. We're not talking broken fingers here -- he bashed skulls with a baseball bat. Miguel tried to prosecute him a few years earlier, but they couldn't get the proper evidence. Miguel had to tell the children of a 70-year old man killed by Fleeter that there was nothing he could do. Dexter VO's, "Miguel wants me to kill him." Miguel says, "I don't want you to kill him." Heh. No, Miguel wants to do it himself.
This could be sticky. Well, they're killing people; of course it's sticky. It could be complicated . It wouldn't be the carefree killing that Dexter loves so much. Miguel explains that he has let Dexter do all of the heavy lifting so far -- he's ready to get his hands dirty. Dexter grows (relatively) cold. He closes his laptop. As he walks to his kitchen, he VO's that it's one thing to let Miguel provide some back-up, it's another to let him take the reigns. Miguel says that he will need Dexter's help. Dexter says it's not a good idea and Miguel, smirking and pointing at his own head with two fingers, says, "Think about it." I love it when Smits does that shit. It's so baroque and interesting. Harry's ghost pipes in and tells Dexter that he shouldn't think about letting Miguel kill Billy Fleeter. I wonder if Miguel notices the lighting change.
The next morning, Dexter is making waffles for Cody and Astor. He tells them that a waffle is like a pancake, but square. Astor asks why it's square and he says that the waffle was invented by Simon P. Waffle who liked to stack his waffles in boxes, which is easier to do with something that's square. Cody, perplexed, decides that Dexter made that up. Shit, I bought the whole thing. I wonder if anyone I know is a serial killer, cause I'm gullible. Dexter tells Cody that he is hurt that he would even think that he would tell an untruth.
Here comes Rita and she's on the pregnancy warpath. She shrills that he's making a mess and he says that he will clean it up. She says that isn't the point and he leans over to Astor and says through his teeth, "What is the point?" "I don't know," she responds. Well, let Rita tell you. She says the point is to not make a mess in the first place. He VO's that Rita's "pregnancy hormones" are ganging up on them this morning. She freaks out that there are no English muffins in the place, so Dexter offers her a waffle. Waffles disgust her. She rubs Cody's head then tells him that he needs a haircut. Dexter VO's that it will be "4, 5, 6 months until she delivers." Seriously, there are 9 months in the gestation period -- how long does it take you to remember a due date, obsessive forensics expert? He asks Rita if she is OK and she says that she isn't -- she's starting a new job and she's planning a wedding by herself . In our current economy, maybe she should just be glad that she has a job at all.
So, Dexter asks what he can do to help. This doesn't make things better. She says that he can't pick the DJ, because the last time she got into his car, the radio was tuned to marching music. Hmm. Makes him seem a little like a traditional fascist, no? He says that the music helps him think. She says he also can't pick out the florist, the caterer, or the wedding bands. Please tell me what wedding needs both a DJ and a wedding band. Holy shit, I swear that I was not kidding about that. I seriously heard "wedding bands" as musical groups who play at weddings, not rings. And, how big an affair is this going to be? You're already knocked up. Order some hot wings from down the street, lay down a table cloth in the back yard, put your boom box in the window -- wedding. Not that you can't be pregnant and still care a lot about your wedding. I mean, there's Ashlee Simpson. Congrats, Ash. It just seems like a confusing priority for her to suddenly have. Dexter says that he can indeed get the wedding bands and she's like, "Right. Like the engagement ring you never got me?" Ouch. He reminds her that she said she didn't want one and she replies, "I don't want one. Who drank all of the orange juice?" Dexter, Astor, and Cody all slowly turn away from her.
It's still morning at Anton's place. Deb is in a t-shirt and underwear and her hair is wet. She's shivering and tells him that he has no hot water. He's reading the newspaper and reminds her that he told her to wait (Not sure why -- the neighbors use all the hot water in the morning? She just needed to let it run for a while? We'll never know.), but she says she has a job and couldn't wait. He says that he's a musician and works at night, so she asks him what he does all day --Takes a nap? Watches cartoons? Jacks off? He replies that he rarely watches cartoons. Well played, Anton. "Fucking hilarious," she responds. He comes from behind her and embraces her. She says that he'd better not be writing any more songs about her. He says that most "ladies" would be flattered, but she reminds him that most ladies aren't cops. He concedes and walks away as she tries to pour herself some cereal. Unfortunately, she finds a big bag of weed in the box instead. OK, there has been some discussion on the forums about Deb's ethics/smarts in pursuing this thing with Anton. I have to say, with all of the shenanigans she's surrounded by at the station most of the time, I don't personally have that much of a problem with her involvement with a CI. I mean, Angel sleeps with hookers. I realize she doesn't know that, but it makes me feel better about her choices. And, she and Anton are sexy together. It seems that my ethical guidebook might be missing a few pages, but I can't help it. That's all to preface that Deb doesn't do anything about the drugs. She grabs her coat and quickly leaves. She tells him to lock up after her. He seems a little confused about her change in attitude.
Dexter is at the station looking out from his office. He VO's that Freebo is dead and now there is a tree trimmers convention at the station. They might seem like unrelated events, but it's the butterfly effect at work again. He continues that it's an odd feeling when you happen to be the butterfly. If he helps Miguel kill Billy Fleeter, he wonders what effect that will have on the world. He's looking at an article online with the headline, "Suspect Found In School Teacher Murder Case." Billy Fleeter's picture accompanies. I love how this show always qualifies someone deserving to get whacked by Dex. Because Billy would be less deserving if it had been a blackjack dealer that he'd killed? Like the dead girl from the last episode who was COLLEGE VALEDICTORIAN. If she'd been a high school dropout working in a shitty job, perhaps it wouldn't have been so sad. Dex wonders if killing Billy would be the beginning of a whole new level of friendship with Miguel, or it would be the end of life as he knows it.
We see Deb greet George Washington King . She reminds him that they met. And I will remind you, gentle reader, that I called this shit the moment I saw this guy. Meet The Skinner. She asks him if he has worked any jobs on a list that she shows him. He smiles and tells her that those are city jobs and he is a private contractor. I mean, they're not trying to hide it, right? I hope they have something else up their sleeves, because I think it's been pretty obvious that he was the killer. Anyhoo, Deb tells him that she will need contact information for all of his employees and he tells her that he will get her his payroll record as soon as possible. She thanks The Skinner and releases him. He calls the elevator and it opens to reveal Angel and Barbara kissing. That's just not professional, right? They do both work there, right? That's what I'm saying. Sleep it up with the CI, Deb.
Angel exits the elevator and Barbara stays in it. Quinn sees the PDA and approaches Angel and congratulates him for getting lucky. Angel says that he and Barbara "have taken it to the next level." Quinn warns that, now that he and Barbara have "done the deed," she's going to be taking notes to see if he's relationship material. Angel asks Deb if that's true and she says it's not like women write stuff down, it's just more of a mental process. This makes Angel nervous and he walks away.
Maria catches Angel and asks him for a favor. She's going to a Peace Officers' Association event the following evening and needs a date. He thanks her for the invite but tells her that he has plans. He doesn't think it would go over well if he cancelled. She gets what's going on and says "Good for you." She seems a little embarrassed. It's a nicely played little moment.
Dexter, still watching from his office, VO's that relationships are complicated. Letting Miguel kill Billy Fleeter will be a big gamble. And, Fleeter was a big gambler and look where it got him. Continuing with the gambling motif, Dexter and Miguel will be trailing Fleeter at a casino that evening. And, here we are at the casino. Miguel and Dexter are sitting at slot machines watching Billy Fleeter play poker from afar. Miguel asks Dex how he learned about that casino and he replies that it was research. Miguel thinks that they should get a little bit closer, but Dexter explains that this night is only for watching. They will learn his routine now and meet him later. They don't want him to notice them now though. Dexter says that the number one rule of the Code is to not get caught. This is the first that Miguel has heard of the Code and asks what he means. Dex VO's that he's not sure how much to tell Miguel. If I were him, I'd stop just shy of letting him know that my dad trained me to be an efficient killing machine. He says that the Code is just a series of precautions dictated mostly by common sense. They're walking away from the slot machines now. Miguel says that the Code seems a little more complicated than common sense and Dex says that his dad was a cop. "He taught you?" asks Miguel. Dexter explains that he knows what cops look for in an investigation -- so he's essentially working backwards from the crime. Also, Dexter spends all day looking at other people's mistakes at a crime scene.
Dexter looks at an old man, who morphs into a vision of Harry. He's pissed. He asks Dexter if he forgot the part where he told Dexter to go teach the Code to other people. Nothing pisses me off like a sarcastic ghost. Dexter pops out of his reverie. I don't recall him seeing Harry in other people before. Usually, he just pops out of the woodwork. Hmm, changes.
The next day, at the station, Deb is walking down the hall and talking to Quinn. She asks him what he busted Anton for, before he was a CI. Pot, he "thinks." Deb's relieved -- it couldn't have been anything too serious or he wouldn't have made him a CI. "I guess," he replies. Deb congratulates him for being full of answers today. He says that he busted guys like Anton all of the time, but it's all written down somewhere. Deb says that yes, there are the CI files. Quinn looks nervous. She goes to her desk and calls Anton. "Hey Lazy, Hope I'm waking you up." He says that he hasn't even been to bed yet. She tells him that she needs his CI number, for a status report. He doesn't know what she's talking about and she clarifies -- it's his assigned Confidential Informant number. She says that the number should be on his paychecks. He says that he doesn't get checks -- Quinn pays him under the table. Oh my. Deb looks at Quinn and calmly tells Anton that she will get the number from him.
Ellen and Maria are having coffee. She says that her client was supposed to be sent to county today, but after he got there he was put on the next bus back to where they are. Ellen wonders if maybe Miguel is fucking with her. Ever since she has been looking into him, he's been making her job harder. Maria points out that she knew that was going to happen, but Ellen responds that it doesn't mean that she can't bitch about it. She's about to be late for a meeting with her client, where she will ask him what perfectly logical reason he has for setting his ex-wife's house on fire. Then, Maria asks her if she'll attend the event the following night. It's a date!
At the station, Quinn and Deb are going through the payroll list with George Washington Carver (heh). He says that his work with one Santiago Ramirez didn't end well because a car hit Santiago. I actually knew a girl whose ex-boyfriend trimmed palm trees. Apparently, the pay is really good because it's such a dangerous job. Cut to -- that guy got electrocuted. How horrible, right? The next person on the list is Mario Astorga. He was the guy that Deb talked to when she met George. He reminds Deb that Mario found the body of the victim at that scene. George says that Mario is one of his best foremen, but he has a bad temper. He knew him when they both lived in Nicaragua, but Mario fled the country because the police were looking for him -- he was suspected of killing a man with a knife. Way to have your best foreman's back. George says that he doesn't know where Mario lives, but he knows where he'll be the next day.
Dexter is doing research. He VO's that Fleeter pays off his gambling debts by eliminating people for his bookie. "A school teacher here, a mother of two there." He definitely deserves to die if he killed a mother of two. To have children makes you essentially blameless in all other parts of your life. Someone without children who had a lot of gambling debt? Well, they might deserve to die. Fleeter's hits would make an example to the other people who owed the bookie money. He's not sure if he should help Miguel do this or shut the operation down. He gets a phone call from Rita. She's still pissed. She says that she heard a love song on the radio that reminded her of him, and it made her really angry. She wants to know if he's gotten the wedding bands yet. He tells her that he's still doing research, which provokes a sigh from her. She says she has to go and hangs up without a reply from him. He walks out to Deb's desk and asks her if she knows anything about wedding rings. She replies, "Yeah. Wedding rings and nuclear fission are like my specialties." Awesome. Dexter's not in the mood and just says "thanks" and walks away.
With Dexter gone, Quinn turns to Deb and says that Dex is a kind of a dweeb. She tells him that if he says another word about her brother, she will kick his balls down his throat. He points out that she's not making sense, so she changes the subject. Um, so Anton doesn't have any prior arrests on record. And, he's paid in cash and is not in the CI database. She asks Quinn what he's hiding. Apparently, he didn't want to fill out the paperwork to process Anton, so he just pays him out of pocket. He pulls her to the side to tell her the story. She's incensed. She points out that he has put his life at risk for them and he had no legal obligation to do so. And, since there's no record, there's no end date for his service. They can string him along forever. He wonders why she's so upset and her face reveals to him that they're involved. He tells her it's really stupid to get involved with an informant, but she says it's also stupid to make the department liable for the tons of damages that Anton could claim in a lawsuit. Anton will never know if Deb doesn't tell him, but she says that "of course" she's going to tell him. He asks if she would sell out a cop for some dope she was fucking. His tactics are odd. Yeah, insult her; that will get you what you want. She says that what she's doing is no worse than your laziness being responsible for another cop's death. She tells him that Yuki told her, then walks away. He is stunned, but barks back, "You don't know what the FUCK you're talking about!"
Dex and Miguel are parked in a car across the street from Billy Fleeter's house. We see Billy get into his car and drive away. They're sneaking in the back as Dexter VO's that if he's going to stop this, he's going to have to do it soon. He reminds Miguel that they are committing a breaking and entering. He doesn't care. Dex gives Miguel latex gloves to put on. Miguel chuckles and says that no one would ever question why a forensics expert is carrying latex gloves. Dexter breaks into the back door of Billy's home, but makes it look like it was hard for him to do. Once in, Dexter says that they are looking for proof that Billy is guilty. Dexter says that they know that Billy bludgeons people to death, so they should look for something "bludgeony." How Pee-Wee Herman. So, Miguel looks in the front closet and immediately pulls out a baseball bat. He notes that it looks like it has been knocked around. Dexter has some handy-dandy chemical strips, which he brushes across the bat. The strip turns purple, which tells them that blood is present on the bat. He could have saved some child from an attacking dog, but we're just going to assume that he killed people. Miguel remarks that this sort of investigation is much more efficient than the bureaucracy he faces at work. Really though, it was in his front closet. The cops couldn't find it? Dexter says that they also need to find proof that he will kill again, because that's part of the Code. Miguel asks that Dexter write down this code for him (DON'T do that, Dex), but then he says that Billy kills when he needs to pay off debts. So, they should look for a ledger, because all of the gamblers that he tried kept really extensive records. There's a Confederate flag on his wall, which I guess is supposed to make us feel that he really should die.
After a short amount of looking, Dex finds a small notebook. Suddenly, Harry is there telling him to put it back, end this. Dexter asks why and he says that he didn't teach Dex the Code so that he could teach his friends. He taught him so he could stay alive. He says that Dexter doesn't get to have friends -- nothing good can come from this. From the other room, Miguel says that he doesn't think that anything good could come from this. So, Dexter shows him the notebook. Take that, dead dickalicous dad. I'm sorry, sometimes I can't stop thinking of him as that guy. Dex VO's that it's his life. He and Miguel decide that they'll go forward, if the blood on the bat matches the blood of the victims.
Rita and Syl are working on invitations for the wedding. Rita is freaked that she's sending them out so late. She's annoyed that she asked Dexter for menu suggestions and he said, "Steak." She took his suggestion to mean that they should have steak for every course, ending with a "steak fucking cake." Meanwhile, she destroys the envelope that she's addressing. Syl suggests, with fear in her eyes, that she handle the envelopes for a while.
At Anton's place, she tells him that he's free. He says, "Yeah, ever since Abe Lincoln." Nice. But, no, she's saying he's free from the police department. He's confused -- Quinn told him that if he worked hard enough, his charges would disappear. Well, they have. She explains that the necessary papers were never filed, so there was no charge to work off. He is just a little (and I mean that, just a little) annoyed that he's been working for them for nothing. She reminds him to be glad that he doesn't have to do it anymore, so he thanks her. She tells him that she wants to put protective detail on him, but he declines. He wants to celebrate and she suggests dinner that night. He's working. He suggests now. She has to go back to work. They settle on breakfast the next day.
At a sporting goods store, Dexter tells Miguel that the blood sample matched the blood of the victims. They're getting supplies for killing Billy. Dex asks Miguel if he has thought about how they would do it. Miguel thinks a gunshot to the head would work -- it happens all of the time. Dex says that guns make noise. Also, there's a lot of forensic evidence from guns. He says they don't want to leave a crime scene. Dex suggests that they do it with, I don't know, A KNIFE. Dex also says that he's going to put together a starter kit for Miguel. Crafty!
Next, they break into a storage room at the casino. This time, Dexter has a much easier time with the lock and Miguel remarks that he has improved. Inside, there are old slot machines and other games. Dex VO's that what better place to gamble on Miguel than in a room with games of chance. Miguel says that this is where slot machines go to die. "And one gambler," says Dexter. Then, they put the kill room together. When they are finished with the room, Dex reminds Miguel that this won't be pretty and there's no shame in backing out. Miguel replies that, after 14 years of bureaucracy, this will be nice and neat in comparison. Very well.
At a bar, Maria and Ellen are having a drink. The party was terrible and there was no bar there. Maria compliments a ring of Ellen's and she says it was a gift from her first husband. It's also easily displayed on her middle finger, explaining how she felt about that husband. Ellen calls over the bartender and, while flirting, tells him that they need drinks desperately. Maria says that, sadly, the bad party was the first social event she'd attended in 6 months. Ellen flirts a little more with the bartender (she asks him for a foot massage and tells him that he's hot) and tells Maria that, after a couple of empty marriages, she's discovered that the secret to a long life is chocolates and "flirting with young, hopefully hung men." I don't seem so crass for my dickalicous link earlier, do I? She tells Maria that she needs to live it up, for soon she will be old and "in the way." Ouch. And, really?
At the casino bar, Dexter is sitting beside Billy Fleeter. A basketball game is holding Billy's attention. Dex VO's that he told Miguel to dress inconspicuously and he came dressed as the Unabomber. He's wearing all black -- including a black baseball cap and dark sunglasses. Dex says "good game" to Fleeter and he replies that it's a good game when they don't beat the point spread. I don't know what he's talking about. He has money on the game, and it doesn't seem like he likes Dexter very much. The game over, Dexter says "sorry" to Billy. He mumbles transparently, "Not half as sorry as someone else is going to be." They really couldn't get this guy? Maybe Miguel just really sucks at his job.
They follow Billy away from the bar and Miguel greets some guy. Dexter stops him and asks who it was and he says he doesn't know -- sometimes people recognize him. Dexter says the killing is off and they need to take down the kill room. Miguel says that no one uses that room, so they can decide tomorrow. Dexter looks like he's growing cold to this whole idea.
The next day, Deb is calling Anton. She leaves a message. She has left him several and she's getting annoyed. She accuses him of being an adolescent and sleeping until noon. This doesn't look good to me. He didn't show up for breakfast.
Dexter is having coffee and thinking how the butterfly effect created the coffee industry. He's very good at that. He gets a phone call. It's Deb -- she invites him to breakfast, but he's already had some. He tells her that he's buying wedding bands, but she asks him what he knows about women's jewelry. Uh, nothing. She agrees to meet him for the shopping.
At the jewelry store, she tells him that the wedding band needs to match the engagement ring. So, what does that look like? It looks like invisible, Deb. He tells her that she didn't want one. She tells him that he gets dumber every day. "How do you survive in this world?" Heh. She says that Rita does indeed want an engagement ring. "You're such a Y-chromosome cliché. Just buy her a beautiful, romantic, 'I love you with all of my heart' fucking engagement ring. And, Dex, size matters." Seriously, I think she should get an Emmy nomination. I love her. Then, while he's looking at the engagement rings, she asks Dex "hypothetically" if people were in the situation that Anton and Deb are in (though she doesn't say their names) does he think that Anton doesn't like her now that he doesn't have to work with her. He's totally confused. She ends saying, does he think that the Anton person was just passing the time with her or "satisfying primal urges?" He says her theory sounds perfectly reasonable to him. Wrong answer. "What the fuck do you know?" Then, she points at a ring and says, "That one. I gotta go sit in a car and wait for a suspect." Then, she walks away. That was awesome. Definitely best Dex/Deb scene of the season and those have been a highlight already.
Deb calls Anton again later and he still doesn't answer. She's bothered, but it doesn't look like she's worried. Quinn drives up and she gets into his car. She tells him that she can pick up Mario by herself. "Let you get all the credit for catching The Skinner? No fucking way." She says they don't know that Mario is The Skinner, but he says that's all they've got right now. Then, after a moment of silence, he says that what she said to him the day before was really unfair. She asks if it is true that a cop died because of him and he says that it's not that simple. He explains that he and Yuki were partners in Narcotics. Another detective on their team, Stewart, shot an unarmed coke dealer and paralyzed him. Then, Stewart went on a bender and finally killed himself. Deb remembers the story. Quinn knew that Steward had a crystal meth problem and covered for him, instead of busting him. Yeah, that's the kind of judgment we want in our Narcotics detectives. Deb says that it is his fault, but Quinn says that everything's not black and white. Like, how does she sleep at night? She says that he doesn't know that she does sleep at night. And, he was probably right about Anton, because it looks to her like he lost all interest in her once he knew he was free. OR HE'S BEING SKINNED RIGHT NOW. Jesus, POLICE PEOPLE!!
Mario gets out of his truck. They approach him and he runs away. Quinn tackles him and Deb cuffs him. They bring him into the station and he seems really belligerent. Deb tells Angel that he hasn't said anything. Someone brings Angel paperwork and he's annoyed -- he's going to have to cancel his date with Barbara. Quinn jokes that she's not going to like that and Angel says, "I mean it -- it's work!" He calls Barb and gets her voicemail. He leaves the most awkward message ever, canceling dinner plans and just being so weird and apologetic. Then, he hangs up abruptly.
On a pier, Miguel is waiting and Dexter approaches him. Miguel says that he can tell from the look on Dex's face that he's about to tell him something that he doesn't want to hear. Indeed he is. Dexter is calling off the kill. Miguel says that no one is going to connect him to Fleeter's disappearance from seeing one guy in a casino, but Dex says that he's not taking that chance. Miguel wants to know more about Dexter's Code. He says that he guesses that Dexter has been doing this for a while. He asks how many Dexter has killed, but then says that he doesn't need to know. He'll respect Dexter's privacy. He doesn't understand why Dexter won't help him though. Dexter replies that Miguel never should have asked him to help him. Miguel says that it doesn't make sense to call it off after breaking one little rule. The Code is bullshit, he says. This makes Dexter really tense up. He says that it's not bullshit. "It's like wearing a fucking straitjacket," screams Miguel. Dexter says, "No, Miguel, it's just the opposite. If I didn't have the Code, the darkness--" Oh, dangerously close there. Miguel looks at him half knowingly, half frightened. Dexter catches his breath. Miguel says that he could tell another story about his abusive father, but instead he'll tell how he once threw him down the stairs and kicked the shit out of him. And, he really enjoyed it. It was the first time in his life that he felt powerful. Ever since then, he's been trying to get that feeling back. Smits and Carpenter can go to the Emmys together. He's so good in this scene. He tells Dexter that he understands when he talks about the darkness inside of him. Dexter seems to respond. Miguel says he just wants to let some of his darkness out too. This is so freaky.
At the station, Deb tells Mario that they know that he's wanted for a stabbing in Nicaragua. Mario says that the guy touched his sister and sadly survived. Not making much of a case for himself there. Quinn says that immigration is on the way. He'll be on the way back to Nicaragua before sun comes up. He pleads with them, saying he has a son. Deb says that, unless he stops stonewalling them regarding The Skinner case, he's out of town. He says the facts aren't changing -- he doesn't know anything. Quinn asks why George King would suggest differently and dude turns into Jell-O. Seriously, he gets all quiver-faced and cry-eyed. Quinn says that George King will be very disappointed to hear that Mario is calling him a liar and he freaks the fuck out. "No!" Deb asks him what he's so afraid of and he asks to be sent back to Nicaragua. He's all crying and hyperventilating. Further proof that I saw this shit from a mile away. Sorry, just need to do that a little bit more. They leave the room and point out that he freaked at the mention of King's name. They're going to bring King back in.
Angel hasn't gotten a call back from Barbara. He thinks he blew it. Deb says she's sorry and that dating sucks. She says that they don't have George King yet, but they put the word out. Then, she leaves. As she's walking towards the elevator, Barbara enters and she turns around to smile at Angel. Barbara approaches Angel and gives him a big long kiss. She also brought him food. She says that she's been listening to his message all day, because it makes her laugh. It was pretty funny. He says that he's glad he amuses her and she says, "Not half as glad as I am."
Deb goes to the club where Anton plays. She finds someone who works there -- Anton never showed up. See, not good.
Someone (Dex?) arrives at his home and drops his keys by the door. Wait, that's Billy Fleeter. And, there's Miguel. Here's Dexter with a needle -- Billy is down. Next, we're in the kill room. Dexter sets up pictures of Billy's victims and Miguel says it's poetic. Dex asks him if he's ready and he says he is. And, he thanks Dexter. So weird. He thanks Dexter for showing him the way. Dex wakes Billy with some smelling salts or something. Miguel tells Billy to look at the pictures of the people whose lives he destroyed. He tells Billy that they are "justice." He's lying on a rotating table, so Dex puts a knife on the table and rotates it towards Miguel. Convenient. He wonders if Miguel will actually do it. He does. They're frozen there afterwards. Miguel's face is either terrified or orgasmic. Dex asks how he feels. "Fantastic." Then, he suggests that they get the body out of there. Dex VO's that some things must remain private. He'll handle the clean up. Miguel tries to take Fleeter's ring before he goes, but Dex stops him. Not a good idea. He just wants a souvenir. Perhaps he should make a little slide with some of the victim's blood next time.
Deb shows up, rather frantic, at Anton's apartment. No answer. It's unlocked, so she pulls her gun and walks in. Everything is as he left it earlier. Then, she runs outside. "Shit. Trimmed trees. The Skinner's been here." No!!!!
As Dexter is completing the clean up, Harry appears at a slot machine. Dexter says that Miguel did well. Harry says that he was only thinking about Dexter. Now Dexter is responsible for everything that Miguel does. It's a heavy burden. In fact, it was too much for him to bear.
Dexter arrives at Rita's place and is about to unlock the door when she opens it. She just walks away though, doesn't greet him. She's still not in a good mood. He sits down and offers her an engagement ring. She's ecstatic. She says it's perfect. She tells him that he's been a saint to put up with her. She says it's the hormones -- she goes crazy when she's pregnant. "Tell me about it," he VO's, then says aloud, "That's not true." She tells him to run for his life, but he says he won't. She says it's like she has a monster living inside of her that she can't control. Interesting. He says that maybe he can help her with that. Please don't teach her to kill.
We see Miguel ring a doorbell. Dexter VO's that it's been said a butterfly can flap its wings in Brazil and cause a storm in Florida. He says he's taking the chance that's not entirely true. But, who opens the door? Ellen! They very cleverly shoot it where you can't tell if she's happy to see him or not. I don't want her to die! What a great episode. And, did you guys see the previews? Lordy.
Jeff Long wants to go to Atlantic City now. He can be reached at jeff.long75@gmail.com
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