Rip City Dicks

Dex introduces Artie and Grey

**Rip City Dicks** is the third episode of the first season and the 3rd overall episode of **Stumptown**.

## Short Summary

In hopes of becoming a certified private investigator, Dex seeks mentorship from veteran PI Artie Banks. Meanwhile, Hoffman grows suspicious of Grey after evidence proves that he has a connection to a victim in his case.

## Full Summary

Dex waits in the office of Arthur Banks. The assistant tells her he's on his way up. Dex imagines herself and Artie in a buddy cop show from the '70s called Rip City Dicks. She snaps out of her daydream when Artie comes in. He ignores her and goes into his office.

Over the assistant's objections, Dex comes into the office and tells Artie it's a bad business model to yell at potential clients. He knows she's not a potential client. She's actually Dexadrine Parios, a combat Marine on disability. He also knows she doesn't have any money. She asks him to apprentice under him. She also reveals that she knows quite a lot about him. His first case as a PI involved a veteran. She looks a vase in his office and he says he's not sure what it is, but it was expensive. It cost $14,000. She says he's the best and that's why she wants to work under him. To get him to agree, she agrees to give him a cut of all her jobs for a year. He agrees to do it.

Grey calls Jack and doesn't get an answer. He wants to check in with how Jack is doing.

Miles looks over the crime scene photos as he listens to Grey's message. Bobby tells Miles she just got off the phone with the mayor and he wants to know what they're doing about the body that was found. Miles tells her about the phone call and Grey's connection to Dex. Bobby tells Miles the story of a dog that waited every day at a train station for his owner, for years after his owner died while at work. Miles says he gets it. Dex is everywhere. Bobby says Dex isn't the dog.

Artie explains that Candace Tapper in the middle of a bitter divorce battle with Randall Tapper, a real-estate developer. He does everything he can to maintain a good public image. They need to convince Candace they can flip the script.

Candace opens the door and Artie introduces himself. She tells them the final custody hearing is in a week and the deck is stacked against her. Artie says he'll take the case for 10% of the divorce settlement, capped at $200,000. She says she's been burned a lot, by people who said they wanted to help, but backed out because of Randall's influence. Artie says they can help. Dex tells Candace about her brother, saying she wouldn't make it if someone tried to take him away from her. She agrees to let them help and suggests they start with his business. Candace says she just wants a fresh start for her and her daughter.

As they leave, Artie gives Dex some cash, a finder's fee, then goes to leave. He says rule one is that manipulation is your best weapon. He's not good at mentoring, so he says this is her first and last lesson. She says Candace will be upset if she just disappears, so she says she's staying on the case, he'll sign her hours, and she gets 2% of whatever they get from Candace. She's in it mostly for the cash, but partially because of the girl. Next they need to bug Tapper's office. It's highly illegal for him, but only vaguely unethical for her.

Dex struggles to walk in heels as she pushes the mail cart. She tells Raji she has mail for Tapper and he sends her in to put them in his office while Raji makes negotiations over the phone. In the office, Dex puts in the tap as she hears Tapper start to come in. Raji stops him to tell him the Miro he wants is no longer for sale. Tapper says everything is for sale and enters the office just as Dex is putting the mail in the tray. He introduces himself to Dex and pulls the leftover tag on her suit off, saying it was bothering him. He tells her his door is open if she ever has a problem and welcomes her.

Dex tells Artie she needs a beer and new feet. The wire is working. Artie tells her she could be good at PI work. Just then, the start starts to rumble. The tire comes off and Artie struggles to control the vehicle. Eventually, they crash into a car parked on the side of the road.

Artie says they were sabotaged. Tires don't just come off cars. Someone's trying to warn them off. It was either Randall or some activist upset that he drives an SUV. He says being in danger is part of the game. He tells Dex her car is really just a gold cart with doors. She says it's not totaled like his. They go over a bump and the cassette starts playing. He claims to know Chaka Khan, the singer. He starts to sing along.

Grey tells Miles that Dex isn't there, but Miles is actually there for a drink. Miles questions Grey about his history and coming to open the bar and then about Jack Feeney. Grey dodges all his questions, denying that he knows Jack Feeney. Miles then tells Grey that Jack is dead.

As Miles leaves, he runs into Dex and Artie. He says he was just checking out the bar on his day off. He knows of Artie and says no one knows why he left the force. Artie implies that it was a monetary decision and excuses himself. Dex tells Miles she's apprenticing with Artie. Miles is glad she's making it official, or trying to. She asks about Artie's deal and Miles says he's weird, but he's great at what he does.

Dex introduces Artie and Grey. Artie says Dex told him they drink there for free.

Dex asks Grey what's wrong and he mentions her telling Artie he can drink for free. She offers to pay, but he knows that's a lie. He says he's good, even though she knows he's off. Artie calls her over and tells her about a transfer he just made at the bank. It's unusual.

They go see Stephanie Houston, who received the wire transfer. She's not thrilled to see Artie. He asks why Randall sent her money. He's been sending her money for months. He threatens to sink her, so she admits that he's paying her hush money, because she sent him one girl years ago and he married her.

Artie's upset with Candace for lying to them. She denies being a prostitute. Dex asks her to explain. She says she was broke in college and wanted to live on her own. She met a woman at a bar who said she knew men who were willing to help with things like that. She went on a date with Randall. 48 hours later, she was having dinner with him in Rome. It was an arrangement until she fell in love with him. He won't use that against her because it would be bad for his image, which would be bad for his business, the only thing he cares about more than punishing her. She's worried about losing her kid, so she asks if they're going to judge her or do what they promised.

Dex opens the door to Sue Lynn. Sue Lynn tells Dex that Randall Tapper is a friend of hers. He's a supporter of the Confederated Tribes. She offers money to Dex to back off Randall. Dex says he's trying to ruin his wife's life. Sue Lynn says Randall is off limits and warns Dex to be careful.

Bobby asks Miles for an update on Grey. Miles says he was evasive. He's not sure if Grey is a witness or suspect. His alibi was being at his bar, but Miles can't confirm that. Miles doesn't want to bring Dex in on it, but Bobby says she could confirm or deny Grey's alibi. Miles says she's too smart to give anything up like that. Bobby hopes Miels thinks he's smarter than Dex.

Dex and Artie watch Randall golf. He keeps a strict routine and nothing that will help Candace. Artie shows her a paper with Randall and Sue Lynn on the cover and Dex tells him about Sue Lynn coming to see her. Dex gets a call from Miles inviting her to dinner. He's cooking for her. If she doesn't come, he'll bring the food to her car, so she reluctantly agrees. When she hangs up, Artie tells her she should have asked Miles about Tapper because the first rule of PI is exploit your contacts. Dex asks what if it doesn't lead them anywhere. Artie tells her the first rule of life is that people don't change. If he liked being a sugar daddy, he hasn't changed. There's a new Candace out there. The second rule of life is the same as the first. People always go back to who they are. Dex says Tapper won't lead them anywhere. He knows they're watching him. They're following the wrong guy.

They start following Raji instead. Artie gives Dex a GPS tracker to put on Raji's car so they can follow him. The next time he parks, she slips under her car to place the tracker. Before she can leave, he comes back out to the car and leaves, pulling out over her body without noticing.

Dex arrives at Miles' place. He has dinner ready and jazz playing. Dex looks at the case he has laid out and he asks if she knew Jack Feeney, which raises some suspicion with her. She asks him what he knows about Randall Tapper. He's a friend of the police department because he bought them new body armor. Miles asks her about Grey and if he's at the bar every night. They dance around each other, each trying to get information out of the other. Dex tells him she knows what he's doing. Miles knows what Dex is doing as well. Dex goes to leave, but he says he doesn't care if she only came to get intel on Tapper. He doesn't want her to go. She says Grey had nothing to do with whatever happened to Jack. Miles starts kissing Dex. She says it's not working, but then she starts to kiss him back, saying it's just because she wants to get out.

Miles offers to heat up food for her, but she says she's good. Her phone rings. It's Artie, who followed Raji to a building where he picked up a woman and dropped her off at a hotel. Dex goes to meet him there.

Dex gets into Artie's car and says she got nothing from Miles. He says he hasn't seen Tapper yet and realizes she smells like sex and salmon. She says he sounds like her dad. He asks her about her dad, but she says she doesn't talk about him. Artie tells her he has a daughter. She lives in Chicago and is a teacher. They didn't talk for ten years because she had problems, but he never gave up on her. They're finally in a good place again. He says Dex reminds him of his daughter. He tells her she should call her dad. She might regret it if she doesn't. Dex reminds him that he said people don't change. They watch as the woman comes out of the building. They want to get her to flip on him. They watch Raji leave with Bree and then Tapper exits shortly afterward. As they go to follow, gunshots ring out and break the windshield.

Dex gets flashbacks to combat as the gunshots continue. Finally, they stop and Artie watches the shooter drive away. He says it's a former client, Danny Dongelberg. The guy hired him and didn't pay him, so he had to garnish his wages. He laughs about it, but Dex doesn't think it's funny. She insists she's fine. Artie says this is private investigating. You're not doing your job right if there isn't someone who wants to kill you.

Grey gets some money out of an envelope in his safe. On his way out, he passes Dex, who tries to tell him about her night. She tells him a client of Artie's shot at them, but Grey is rushed to leave. Dex stops him to ask why Miles is asking about Grey and Jack, but Grey brushes it off and leaves.

Grey goes to a bar to see Frank. He asks to have a word with him. Frank says Grey was his next visit. Grey pulls out the money and gives it to him. It's $8,000. It's all the cash he has. The rest is tied in the bar. It's a little gesture for the big man, for Kane. Grey says he's not like Jack. He's not running. Frank says he heard about that and it sounds like Jack finally cross the wrong person. Grey says he can pay. He just needs time and Kane's in jail for life. Grey's life is here, so he's not going anywhere. He has people who depend on him and he doesn't want them in any sort of danger. Frank says it's $500,000. He owes that because Jack was an idiot. Frank tells him to make sure his bar stays profitable.

Artie and Dex talk to Bree about Tapper. Bree says it's more than what it started as between them now, so she won't help them take down her boyfriend to help the psycho he's divorcing. Dex says she should talk to someone who knows the real Randall.

Bree sits down with Candace, who tells her that their relationship went exactly the same way. Then she got pregnant. He wanted her to have an abortion. He insisted. She wouldn't, so he choked and slapped her. He made her life a living hell in the hopes she'd change her mind. She didn't. Having her daughter is the only thing she doesn't regret about Randall. Bree says she has something that might help.

Dex and Artie watch video of Randall hitting Bree in an elevator. Artie says he won't be fighting Candace for custody now and he'll be paying big time. Artie says he'll handle it from there. He tells her she did good work. They make a good duo. She tells him he's a strange man and gets out of his car. After he has driven off, she sees Danny Dongelberg, the former client who has been following them. She stands in front of his car to stop him. She says he's a maniac and he tells her she's working for a manic. She pushes him onto the hood of his car and goes to call the cops. Danny says Artie Banks ruined his life. He hired Artie to do a job. He got proof that his business partner was stealing from him and then sold the evidence to the business partner. That's his game. Dex realizes what's happened.

Dex races to find Artie and calls his phone. He doesn't answer.

Dex barges into Artie's office and confronts him. She knows he sold the tape to Tapper. He got more than he would have gotten from Candace. He doesn't care that Candace is going to lose her kid. He goes where the money goes. She says she's going to report him, but he reminds he that she bugged and office and put a tracker on a car. He didn't. The fact that she cares is holding her back. She's incredulous and goes to leave. He tells her he never met Chaka Khan and he doesn't have a daughter as he claimed. She takes the expensive vase, picks it up, and smashes it before leaving.

Miles plays the voicemail Grey left for him. He says he lied to an off-duty cop. Miles says right now, Grey's the only suspect. Grey says he didn't kill Jack. Miles knows Grey is hiding something and says he'll find something to stick to him if he doesn't cooperate. Miles brings up Dex and Grey thinks that's what it's all about. Someone brings in a file and Miles looks at Grey. He knows Grey didn't kill Jack. They got CCTV feeds from nearby that show him going to the bar late that night and coming out early in the morning. Miles still thinks Grey knows who killed him. Grey says he's going to go, because that's his right. Miles thinks they got into something with the prison crew. Feeney went left and took a couple bullets. Now he's left holding the bag. Miles says he put Wallace Kane away. He knows him well. Kane killed one of his CIs a few years back. He'd be afraid if he were under Kane's thumb, whether he's in jail or not. He'd want help and protection. Grey knows Miles is trying to make a deal. He wants Grey's help to find Feeney's killer before he kills Grey. The offer is only for right now. Tomorrow, Miles comes after Grey. Grey tells him to leave Dex out of whatever he's doing. Grey leaves the room.

Dex sits in her car and agonizes. She hits the steering wheel, which makes the cassette start playing again. She starts her car to leave.

Dex goes to Candace and tells her they lost today. Artie sold her out and it pisses her off that her mistake could cost Candace her child. They have the power, but Dex says those men are arrogant. Women like them have fought their entire lives for everything. Randall and Artie are going to pay for what they did. Dex says she won't lose again.

## Cast

* Dex Parios
* Grey McConnell
* Sue Lynn Blackbird
* Bobby Cosgrove
* Miles Hoffman
* Arthur Banks
* Frank
* Candace Tapper
* Randal Tapper
* Raji
* Stephanie Houston
* Danny Dongelberg
* Bree
* Assistant
1/14
### Main Cast

* Cobie Smulders as Dex Parios
* Jake Johnson as Grey McConnell
* Tantoo Cardinal as Sue Lynn Blackbird
* Cole Sibus as Ansel Parios (credit only)
* Adrian Martinez as Tookie Alvarez (credit only)
* Camryn Manheim as Lieutenant Bobby Cosgrove
* Michael Ealy as Detective Miles Hoffman

### Guest Stars

* Donal Logue as Arthur Banks
* Jason Manuel Olazábal as Frank
* Shoshana Bush as Candace Tapper
* Robb Derringer as Randall Tapper

### Co-Starring

* Ray Reynaga as Raji
* Azura Skye as Stephanie Houston
* Matthew Siegan as Danny Dongelberg
* Katie Powers as Bree
* Sherry Weston as Assistant

## Cases

### Tapper Divorce

Artie went to Candace Tapper, the wife of a real estate developer, to work with them to take him down to she could get full custody of her daughter in their divorce. Artie said he'd take the case for 10% of the divorce settlement, capped at $200,000. She told them to start with his business, because he'd do anything to make a buck. Artie had Dex put a wire on his phone and they heard him make a wire transfer in a small amount for him to Stephanie Houston. They talked to her and learned that it was hush money because she was a madam who introduced him to a girl and he ended up married to her. They confronted Candace, who said she wasn't a prostitute. She was just looking to make some money as a sugar baby and she ended up falling in love with Randall. She knew he wouldn't use that against her in the battle because it would look bad for him, which would damage his business. Sue Lynn tried to warn Dex to stay away from Randall, a friend of hers, but she persisted. They continued to follow Randall, but then realized they should follow his assistant instead. That led them to his new sugar baby, Bree. They took Bree to talk to Candace, who told her that her relationship with Randall started the same way as Bree's. Bree showed them a video she had of Randall hitting her. Artie took the video, but instead of using it to help Candace, he sold it to Randall to get more money. When Dex found out, she went to Candace and promise to help her, saying she wouldn't lose again.

### Jack Feeney

After Jack Feeney was found dead, Miles looked into the death to find the killer. He learned that Jack new Grey as Grey had left a message on Jack's voicemail. He questioned Grey at his bar, but Grey told him nothing useful. Miles then talked to Dex, hoping to get information, but she figured out what he wanted and refused to give him anything. He later brought Grey into the station to question him further, because he was the only suspect. He was eliminated as a suspect when CCTV footage showed him entering the bar late at night and leaving in the morning. Miles then offered Grey a one-time deal to get protection in exchange for helping Miles find the murderer. Grey didn't take the deal.

## Music

 "I Wanna Be Your Drug"
* Miles asks how much it costs to get a bar off the ground, then about Feeney.
* Grey is reluctant to answer his questions, so Miles leaves after telling Grey that Feeney is dead.
* As Miles leaves, he meets Dex and Artie.
 "Il B.S."
* He tries to be subtle asking her about Jack Feeney, but she catches on and gives him nothing.
* They start to dance around each other to get information.
 "I Was Made For Lovin' You"
 "The Power"
* Dex goes to Candace and tells her what happened.
* She promises Candace that Artie will pay and so will Randall.

## Notes and Trivia

* This episode scored 3.43 million viewers.
* This episode was produced as the fourth, but aired as the third.