Reality Checks Don't Bounce

The bailiff tells Dex the judge wants to see her

**Reality Checks Don't Bounce** is the tenth episode of the first season and the 10th overall episode of **Stumptown**.

## Short Summary

Dex is hired by a famous TV judge to help find his prodigal brother but soon finds that she is not the only one looking for him. Elsewhere, after a carjacking under his watch, Hoffman enlists Grey's help in tracking down the carjackers. Back at home, Dex isn't prepared for Ansel’s unexpected news.

## Full Summary

The bailiff has everyone in the courtroom rise as Antonio Price enters the courtroom. Lotti Whitmore, the defendant, is accused of failure to pay for services rendered. She says falsely. Dex, the plaintiff, was hired to find her best friend, Harry. Suddenly, the judge calls for a cut, because Dex is supposed to address only him. She was looking at the camera. Price then has her put on her coat so they can both look like cat ladies. They go again. Harry is a cat. Dex found him. She was supposed to pay, but she didn't. Price asks Lotti if Dex returned her cat and Lotti says that she returned *a* cat, but not *her* cat. Dex shows a picture provided by Lotti and one she took right after finding him. He is missing a leg, a distinct feature. Lotti tries to defend herself, saying she never agreed to pay everything. Dex says she's lying and the audience says "He'll be the judge of that." He tells her to provide the contract between them and the judgment is hers, but Dex doesn't have a contract. In Oregon, a verbal agreement is sufficient. He rules in her favor. And leads the audience to say, "Reality checks don't bounce."

Dex is loading up on food on the set when the bailiff tells her the judge wants to see her in his chambers.

When she arrives, she finds that the judge wants to hire her to find someone, his brother. He bought his brother and mother a house in his hometown and his brother sold the house, took the money, and disappeared. He gives her pictures and the papers to serve him. He hopes Lataurus won't show up in court and he can throw him in jail. Dex thinks that's harsh for his brother, but he says his brother doesn't respond to anything less. Dex agrees to take the case.

Dex tells Ansel about being on television and getting a job from the judge. Ansel says he's proud of her. Then he says they need to talk about him moving out. He's serious and he's ready to be a man. Dex tries to put it off until tomorrow and Ansel leaves the room.

Miles goes into Cosgrove's office. Captain White is in there to see him. He offers Miles Matchbox Twenty tickets in exchange for escorting White's wife to and from the concert safely. After he leaves, Miles confronts Cosgrove for setting him up. It's payback for him pranking her.

Dex starts to ask Miles for help. He's evasive with her. He says she has access to the same databases as he does. She explains the case to him and shows him the picture. He says he has a nice taper, hard to come by in Portland. He might have a lead. She tries to ask him to get drinks as friends, but he doesn't want to.

Clint finishes cutting Miles' hair as they talk about sports with Alvin. Miles then shows Clint the picture and asks where he can find that guy. Clint says he's where all scumbags hang out.

Dex enters a strip club. She gives some money to one of the dancers. She finds Lataurus watching a football game. He gets angry when he loses a bet. When the bookie comes around to collect, Lataurus leads Dex out of the building.

Outside, Dex starts her car with difficulty, then serves him the papers before they drive away.

Dex comes out of the bathroom to find Lataurus grabbing stuff to leave. He says they're trying to kill him. She reminds him he stiffed a bookie. He says he's not talking about that. He explains that he's in the Kopi luwak game. The cages are supposed to be filled with civet cats from Indonesia. They eat coffee cherries and poop them out. The coffee is very expensive. The cats are held up in customs. He's not good with paperwork. His partner, Dwaddle Chen, wants some money and the game was supposed to get him the money for that. Dex tells him that if doesn't show up for the summons, he'll go to jail. Lataurus doesn't care about jail. Chen is trying to kill him. He asks for Dex's help, but Dex says she already has a client, his brother. Lataurus knows his brother doesn't have good things to say about him. Dex thinks they just need to sit down and talk, but Lataurus just wants to get out of town. Dex leaves.

Price tells Dex she did a great job and her money's on the table. Dex tells him Lataurus was genuinely afraid. Dex explains the business Lataurus is in and says she could look into it for him. Price says he's being honored by his fraternity, his real brothers, but his mother would be sick if Lataurus is in trouble, so he tells her to go ahead and waste her time.

Miles, wearing a Matchbox Twenty shirt, is pumping gas as Daisy White sings along to a song. They talk about the show briefly and she flirts with him. He finishes pumping gas and wants to leave, but she asks him to go buy her gum first. He goes into the shop, but hears squealing tires and Daisy calling for help. He runs out to find Daisy on the ground and someone driving away in her car. He helps her up and she starts smacking him, asking where he was.

Miles and Cosgrove review the security footage. She tells him he had one job. Everyone there plays practical jokes. The one time she gets in on the action and this happens. Miles gives his word that the guys in auto theft will not drop the ball on this. Cosgrove says he made the mess and he needs to clean it up. He has no contacts in auto theft, but Cosgrove doesn't care. A call comes in from Captain White and she tells him Miles is on it.

Grey tells Dex he saw the video and he knows there's two sides to the story. He and Liz are done. She tries to apologize and so does he. Then Grey pulls out two shot glasses and says they're going to drink and and move on. Dex then tells Grey about her new case and how it made her realize how she's avoiding her own brother. She tells Grey that Ansel wants to move out. Grey thinks it's great. He tells her she can't avoid him forever. Dex leaves to go work on her case. On her way out, she passes Miles, who is in to see Grey. Miles lies to Grey and says he and Dex are good. Then he tells Grey he's looking for a car and shows him the pictures. Miles asks for Grey's help tracking it down. When Grey tries to beg off, Miles reminds him of his recent brush with crime. Miles wants Grey to go undercover to the chop shop.

Dex goes to Lataurus's place and finds the door open and a red stain on a pillow.

Dex tells Price about Lataurus. He knew already because he got a ransom note. They want $5 million in 48 hours or Lataurus loses an ear. Dex thinks they asked for more money than he can manage, but he made $31 million this year. Dex is confused as to why. Price thinks Lataurus is faking his own kidnapping. He's not going to pay the ransom because he says his brother isn't worth it. Dex wants to check out Chen anyway. Price says his brother screws everyone over and warns Dex to be careful.

Grey walks into a chop shop and talks to Zev. He explains that he's looking for the Audi and that it belongs to a cop's wife. Zev has a guy pat Grey down to look for a wire. Grey spots the Audi in the shop. Zev promises to tell Grey if he hears anything and Grey invites him down to the bar.

Grey tells Miles he spotted the car, so he told Zev who it belonged to. He's sure Zev will tear the carjacker a new one, then kick the car back to him. So now they wait.

Ansel is playing video games when Dex comes in and offers Ansel a deal to extend his curfew and give him more space, but he says again that he wants to move out. She says she can't afford that right now. When he says he has the money, she says it's not about the money. She doesn't think he's ready. He says he is. He found a place for people like him, but she doesn't want him living with strangers. She doesn't want to talk about it anymore, so Ansel goes to his room and slams the door.

Dex sits down with a beer and searches for Chen. She finds a pet shop that he owns.

Dex finds Dwaddle Chen in his shop. He checks in with his grandson, Mo Chen, and then asks Dex if he can help her with anything. She mentions she's looking for Lataurus. Mo locks the door and Chen grabs a bat and asks who's asking. Dex says she is.

Chen talks about taking a dog in when he was a child. He talks to her about a deadly snake that he has in a cage behind her. She explains that she's a private investigator hired by Lataurus's brother. Chen is surprised to learn who his brother is. He says he didn't kidnap Lataurus, but wouldn't mind introducing him to some snakes. Dex leaves as Chen tells her to tell Lataurus that old Chen hasn't forgotten.

Price calls Dex and tells her there's something she needs to see.

Dex looks down at an ear in a box. It has a Dude earring, which Price recognizes as Lataurus's. Price thinks he cut his own ear off, but Dex says the kidnappers are mutilating his bother. He says the ear was delivered with a note saying they needed the money within 24 hours. Dex says he either needs to go to the cops or get the money and let her facilitate a drop. She says Chen doesn't have Lataurus. Price wonders if he protected his brother too much. He wants her to save his brother. She asks who drops off his packages.

Dex approaches Bob, who is working security for Black Justice. She asks him about the package and learns a man dropped it off and insisted that Bob deliver it. He doesn't remember the person who dropped it off. The only thing he really remembers was that the guy smelled really bad, like animal mess.

Miles and Grey wait. They start talking about Dex. Miles says he took his shot and now it's done. Grey says sometimes with Dex, it's best to move on. They finally spot their guy and Miles leaves the car. Miles goes to arrest the guy, but he starts a fight. Miles subdues him and then cuffs him and takes him out to where Grey is waiting.

The carjacker, Sean, asks when he gets out of here. Miles says he'll get out of county in about 18 months. He's surprised because he gave up his friends. Miles says he didn't give up El Chapo. Sean says he's been to jail and can't go back. He says the people he works for don't just steal cars. They're into something way bigger. Miles tells him to speak.

Dex tells Price that Chen has Lataurus in his shop. To get him back, they're going to have to lure Chen out, with snakes.

Price talks to Chen over the phone, making a deal to give him some snakes. Then they watch Chen leave his shop to go to the meeting.

They enter his shop and find Lataurus tied up in a cage in the back. Price notes that he still has both ears. They get him out of the cage. Price and Lataurus argue as they walk out. They're stopped by Chen, who is holding a gun on them. He says it's easy to acquire an ear, but don't worry, they were already dead. Dex says it's over and they're walking out, but Chen says they can't go until he gets his civet cats or $5 million. Dex tells him the cops will be there any second. The brothers start arguing again, which upsets Chen, who wants his money. Lataurus starts to taunt Chen. Dex tells him to stop, but he won't. Chen gets aggravated and fires, but Price jumps in front of Lataurus and gets shot instead. Dex tries to take the gun from Chen. Mo is shot in the struggle. Dex gets the gun away, but the fight continues. She's able to subdue him and then helps tend to Price.

Dex brings Price some food to his hospital room. Lataurus tells Price he always was the lucky one. Two inches over and he'd be dead. He thanks Price and shares a memory of their childhood of him getting beat up for trying to get Price's bike back. They're even now. Price says he loves Lataurus and says all the reasons why. He wants Lataurus to come to LA to live with him and get his life back together. Or he could give him the $250,000 to get his cats out of customs and never see him again. Lataurus asks how fast he could wire the money. Price says tomorrow. He says he has to be him. He doesn't want to be living in his younger brother's shadow. Lataurus leaves. Dex tells Price he's a good brother.

Dex tells Grey she has to let Ansel go. She doesn't know why he wants to move out, but he needs to become his own person. Grey offers to let Ansel crash with him for a bit.

Grey leads Ansel into his place and tells him where he's cleared space for his stuff. Dex gives Grey a few notes she wrote down. Ansel bounces on the bed and Grey tells him nice try, but no. He's on the couch. And if he comes home to a sock on the door, that means he needs to wait downstairs. Dex says it's like they're co-parenting now. Grey doesn't think so because they're all grown-ups. Dex says she's alone. It's weird and good. It's putting her on the right track. Grey asks if she's happy and she says she is. He's happy, too. He leaves them to go back down to the bar. Ansel gives Dex a box. Inside is a keychain that says Adult. He says she's ready to be on her own. She says she's always going to need him though. They hug.

Miles tells Grey the carjacker flipped. Miles thinks they're just scratching the surface. There's something bigger. He wants Grey to go undercover. Grey doesn't want to, but Miles says he doesn't have a choice. That half-mil from Kane never was found, so that case could re-open if he doesn't have something else to focus on.

Dex drives around alone as she remembers Miles coming to her house.

Miles drinks at the bar.

Dex remembers telling Miles she wants to do it alone.

Dex has added the keychain from Ansel to her keys.

Ansel sees Dex on television and calls Grey over to watch. They both have beers.

Dex watches the show at her own place. She turns it off and goes into Ansel's room. She sits on his bed and holds his soccer ball.

## Cast

* Dex Parios
* Grey McConnell
* Ansel Parios
* Bobby Cosgrove
* Miles Hoffman
* Antonio Price
* Dwaddle Chen
* Captain White
* Clint
* Lataurus Price, Jr.
* Lotti Whitmore
* Daisy White
* Mo Chen
* Alvin
* Zev
* Bob
* Bailiff
* Producer
* Carjacker Sean
* Thuggish Dude
1/20
### Main Cast

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

### Guest Stars

* T.K. Carter as Judge Antonio Price
* Keone Young as Dwaddle Chen
* John Posey as Captain White
* Aaron Jennings as Clint
* Mike Epps as Lataurus Price, Jr.

### Co-Starring

* Jill Basey as Lotti Whitmore
* Tina Arning as Daisy White
* Romel De Silva as Mo Chen
* Tahir Moore as Alvin
* Douglas Bennett as Zev
* Chris Reed as Bob
* Marcus Brown as Bailiff
* Hope Shapiro as Producer
* Ramon Camacho as Carjacker
* Dave Reaves as Thuggish Dude

## Notes and Trivia

* This episode scored 2.72 million viewers.
* Daisy White's van has a sticker declaring her the proud parent of a New Season honor student. New Season is the school where Dex went undercover in Dex Education.