Til Dex Do Us Part

Dex gets a tattoo to remember Benny

**Til Dex Do Us Part** is the fourteenth episode of the first season and the 14th overall episode of **Stumptown**.

## Short Summary

Dex is hired to investigate a bride's fiancé after suspicions arise regarding the motives behind the hurried nuptials. Dex asks Hoffman for help with the case and discovers there's more to this couple than meets the eye. Meanwhile, Hoffman goes head-to-head with his father when he learns that he will be representing a suspect in Hoffman's case. Back at The Bad Alibi, Tookie and Ansel propose a new business idea to a reluctant Grey.

## Full Summary

A wedding starts.

Dex is fighting with someone.

Jenna Marshall, the bride, arrives at the altar.

Dex continues to fight.

The priest asks the couple if they're ready to get married, but Dex bursts in and tells them not to do it.

**One Week Earlier**

Grey takes off his blindfold to find that Tookie has parked his truck in the alley behind Bad Alibi. He's proposing that he cook in his truck for the customers at Bad Alibi. Grey's not convinced it's a good idea. Ansel thinks he hates it and starts to pout until he agrees to try it for a week.

Grey's upset that Dex didn't warn him about Tookie. She says it's a no-brainer. Now she gets free tacos with her free beer. He compares it to him trading in her car. The phone rings and it's a call for Dex, a potential client. She starts to tell them to come to the bar, but then Tookie comes in saying there's a fire and drops the fire extinguisher Grey tosses at him, so Dex decides to go to the client.

Jenna and Claire Chesterfield argue over the cake. Jenna wants to use the bakery that gives jobs to formerly incarcerated people. Claire says it's her wedding and she'll get Jenna a convict cake if she wants one. Dex approaches and starts to introduce herself until Claire interrupts and says Dex is a security consultant. Jenna says that's a little over the top, but Claire reminds Jenna that she asked her to plan her big day. Once she walks away, Claire explains that she's worried about her sister's fiancé, whom she's marrying so he can get a green card. She won't even ask for a prenup and because of that, the board is voiding her shares in the company if the wedding goes on, worth $125 million. She wants Dex to look into the groom, whom she knows only by his alias, Zack Knight, who fancies himself an artist.

Zack Knight finishes a tattoo. He wraps it and gives care instructions to the client. His phone rings and it's Dex, who has made an appointment with him.

Zack greets Dex at the elevator. She pretends she's considering a tattoo of a blackbird on her shoulder. He asks why a blackbird, but she counters by asking him if Zack Knight is his real name. He asks how she found him. Dex sees that there's a $2,000 minimum, which means he's doing well. She notices a helmet nearby, which he confirms is his. He asks again why the blackbird. She makes an excuse to leave. He says if she walks out, she won't come back.

Dex finds Zack's bike outside and takes a picture of his license plate.

Miles and his father disagree while cooking. Miles wins and his father reluctantly agrees that it's better. Then they start to argue over Chaz. Miles thinks it's a conflict of interest, but Lionel says he won't personally be arguing the case. He says Chaz's father is a friend from the club, so he feels obligated. Lionel also reminds Miles of when he bailed Miles out. Miles says he was 17. Miles says there's a difference between selling a little weed and stealing cars and dealing heroin. Miles' mom tells them not to let their conflict ruing family brunch.

Tookie delivers food to the customers. He sees Dex and he's delighted at the success. Grey is less pleased. Dex uses her computer to find Zack's real name: Scott Thompson. She googles his name and finds a web page that says "Scott Thompson Murdered My Daughter!" with a large picture of him.

Miles knows of the Dahlia Montgomery case, where her mother believed Scott Thompson, Dahlia's fiancé, killed her daughter in a hit and run. They brought him in for questioning at the time, but the treads matches a Mercedes G-wagen and he rides a motorcycle. If he hired someone to do it, he covered his tracks. Miles says he had motive, since her family was loaded and her mother said he was furious when Dahlia rejected his proposal, but most of the time, hit-and-runs are total strangers. Valerie Kasra comes by and Miles introduces her and Dex. Valerie is familiar with Dex and asks if she has a card. She pulls it out, but tells Valerie she only has the one. She gives her a coaster from Bad Alibi instead. She leaves and Valerie tells Miles the judge ruled against them on conflict of interest, so Lionel's firm can represent Chaz as long as he doesn't speak in court. Miles know he'll still call the shots, so they need to practice.

Tookie and Ansel talk about the supplies they need to keep up with the demand at the bar created by his truck being there. He's shocked to learn they use a mix to make margaritas. Grey comes by and they disagree over what they should do.

Dex goes back to Zack's shop. He's surprised to see her. He goes to sketch the blackbird and they talk about her military background. She explains how she would approach people when looking for information. She's a fan of putting people on the spot. She then asks him if he killed Dahlia Montgomery. He asks what she's saying. He says he did kill her. They'd had a fight that just spiraled. He said terrible things about her family and how wealth ruins people. She was mad and left. He regrets letting her get into a car. If she hadn't been on the road that night, she'd be alive. He's the reason she's dead. He pulls out a bottle and pours himself a drink. Dex asks about him moving on and he says he didn't mean to. He and Jenna were just both vulnerable. He wanted to take things slow. When his green card issue came up, he wanted to go back to Ireland, but Jenna wanted to start their lives together, so she proposed and he said yes. Maybe he shouldn't have. Dex admits that she works for Jenna's family. He asks if she's going to tell them about him.

Miles, Valerie, and Kara watch Lionel on television, talking about police corruption in Chaz's case. Miles says he's trying the case in the media.

Zack asks again why the blackbird. Dex claims it was just part of her ruse. He realizes that's not entirely true. Dex says she got thrown out of a punk show and he caught her. He would meet a stranger and within minutes they'd be laughing hysterically. Everyone wanted to be Benjamin Blackbird's friend. And she got him. And now he's gone. Dex says she could have stopped it. She had a choice, but she didn't. Zack opens his shirt and shows Dex a tattoo of a dahlia on his chest. He thinks she should get a tattoo and says the pain is cathartic. Dex isn't sure. She asks how you move on to try again. He says it helps to meet someone who gets it. Jenna lost her husband a few months before he lost Dahlia. She knows how hard it is. Just then, Jenna comes in, worried about him. She sees Dex and recognizes her as the security consultant. Dex says it's a security thing. She just had to ask him a few questions. Dex invites Jenna to join them with their drinks, but she says she's one year sober. Dex then gets up to leave herself.

Miles joins his father for dinner. He says it's his case and when he says things about the investigation, he's saying those things about Miles. Lionel then offers Miles a job that would put them on the same side. Lionel says his techniques work. The DA is looking to make a deal for Chaz now.

Ansel and Dex have finished a driving lesson. Dex asks Tookie where Grey is and Tookie says he's in his office, pretending to work, but they can hear the sound of video games. Tookie thinks he's regretting the partnership and Dex wonders why Tookie isn't, why he's happy settling down. He says it's time he does something steadier, which Dex knows is coming from his wife. Dex says he doesn't have to change for her, but he says that Laura did. He loves her and doesn't want to get left behind. They're interrupted when Claire comes in and tells Dex that Jenna knows.

Claire explains that Jenna put it together after seeing Dex with Zack. She caved when Jenna questioned her about it. She's determined to marry him no matter what. Claire pays Dex, who says that she didn't find anything and thinks they'll be really happy together. Claire hopes so, because she always dreamed of Jenna's. She wants her to get the day she deserves. Dex says especially after the last one. Claire's confused. Jenna hasn't been married before. Dex realizes that Jenna lied.

Miles talks to Adam Rodriguez, who says that Lionel made him sign an NDA and he could get his license pulled if Lionel finds out he talked. Adam says he wasn't the only one who was unhappy, but he was the only one to file a report. He got fired the next day. He says Lionel once chucked a stapler at an assistant's head. Adam can get her to talk if they keep her name out of it.

Tookie finds Grey playing video games and says they need to talk. They start to argue and Grey shows his irritation at Tookie. Tookie says he was trying to do Grey a favor, but Grey doesn't see it that way. Grey just wants to finish the week and have a conversation then. Tookie says he'll just leave now.

Grey tries to convince Ansel that it's better to have a quiet, peaceful bar. Ansel questions Grey hiring him. Ansel shows him the financial records, which show that they were selling more when Tookie was there. A nearby patron, Denny, asks when Grey's bringing the tacos back.

Miles' mother comes to the door, confusing her son, who thought she had Bridge on Thursday nights. She's upset with him for telling the press his father was violent and hostile. She says he ran to the press with unfounded accusations. Adam was fired for drinking on the job and has a vendetta. Miles tries to defend himself. She says he and his father are two sides of the same coin. Miles says he should never have taken the case. Octavia says he's a hero to everyone who works with him, everyone but his sons. She says his father loves him and just wants his respect.

Grey comes to Dex's house and they talk over beers about Tookie. He's afraid he's not running the bar very well and he thinks he used the drug case as an excuse to step away from it. Dex says he can just talk to Tookie if he wants him back, but Grey says Tookie's weird, a sentiment Dex agrees with. Grey notices Dex poking into something and she explains how Jenna lied about being married before. She then sees something that makes her pause for a second.

Miles watches his father walk through the police department and Valerie says the exposé tipped the scales back in their favor. Valerie enters the room to negotiate a deal. Dex comes up after she's gone and asks Miles about the Dahlia Montgomery case. She has a picture of Jenna in the same kind of car that matches the tread marks. The car registration has lapsed and no one has seen it since, but she did buy a brand new car just a few days after Dahlia's death. It's not much, but she used to party every night and document and then Dahlia died and she just stopped and got sober. Miles says it's circumstantial. They need a confession. Dex isn't a cop though. She doesn't have to read rights.

Kara gets Dex prepared to go out. Miles says they have about 20 minutes before the wedding starts. They need not to tip her off, but do it in front of witnesses. After final checks, Dex leaves truck.

Dex is stopped by security on her way in. She tosses him down the stairs and runs to the bridal suite. She's stopped by more security and fights them. She gets to the bridal suite, but it's empty. They missed their window. Over Miles' objections, Dex then goes down to the wedding.

Dex interrupts. Claire tries to lead her outside, but Dex talks about how the program encourages making amends. She says Zack thinks he's the reason Dahlia is dead. Zack orders the security guards to let Dex stay. Zack then questions Jenna. Jenna finally breaks down. She tells Zack she should never have gotten in the car. Her memories are a jumble. She remembers glass and smoke and then she saw Dahlia. She couldn't eat or sleep. Then she met Zack. She never meant to fall in love with him. Dex says he needs to hear her say it. She asks Zack if he could ever forgive her. Zack says that could never happen and walks out of the building. Jenna starts sobbing and Claire goes to hold her.

Jenna is led out of the venue in handcuffs. Dex says she didn't get a confession, but Miles says she got enough. He knows her fancy lawyers will angle for a plea deal. Dex asks if he wants to talk about the fight with his father. She says booze helps. Miles isn't sure his father's the bad guy in the story. Dex says he can learn from that mistake.

Lionel sits down to dinner with Miles. Miles confirms that, as painful as it was, he got his father's steak well-done. He apologizes for talking to the press. Lionel isn't mad. He's proud of Miles for standing up when he perceived something was unjust. Lionel says he does 50 hours of pro bono work a month when he's only required to do 50 a year. He can afford that by taking money from people like Chaz's father. Lionel says the job offer is always open.

Tookie takes a customer's order. Then Grey comes to the window to talk to him. Tookie puts out a sign saying he reserves the right to refuse service to anyone. Grey says he thought about doing a grand gesture, but his idea guy left. Victor is pleased that Grey called Tookie his idea guy. Grey asks if he can talk.

At a table, Tookie stands up for himself. He says he won't come crawling back. There has to be some changes. Grey says he needs Tookie. He needs someone with ideas, someone he can trust. They shake on it and then Tookie kisses Grey's cheek, which weirds him out. Grey says goodbye and leaves.

Zack finishes tattooing a blackbird under Dex's left breast. He tells her it's on the house because of what she did for him. She found Dahlia's killer and stopped him from making a huge mistake. She saved him twice in one day. She thanks him and says she wishes they'd met under different circumstances. He says maybe someday they will.

Grey gives Tookie a drink. He and Ansel also have one each. Grey says he squeezed the lime himself. They toast to Ansel, the new assistant manager of Bad Alibi. Grey says he's earned it. Dex comes up to the bar and Ansel gives her a beer. She joins their toast.

## Cast

* Dex Parios
* Grey McConnell
* Ansel Parios
* Tookie Alvarez
* Miles Hoffman
* Scott Thompson/Zack Knight
* Jenna Marshall
* Claire Chesterfield
* Lionel Hoffman
* Octavia Hoffman
* Valerie Kasra
* Kara Lee
* Charles "Chaz" Wyatt
* Assistant Chef Victor
* Adam Rodriguez
* Denny
* Priest
* Security Guard
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### 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
* Camryn Manheim as Lieutenant Bobby Cosgrove (credit only)
* Michael Ealy as Detective Miles Hoffman

### Guest Stars

* Eoin Macken as Scott Thompson/Zack Knight
* Troian Bellisario as Jenna Marshall
* Christine Woods as Claire Chesterfield
* Steven Williams as Lionel Hoffman
* Denise Dowse as Octavia Hoffman
* Seana Kofoed as Valerie Kasra

### Co-Starring

* Fiona Rene as Kara Lee
* Tommy O'Brien as Chaz
* Selwyn Huqueriza as Assistant Chef Victor
* Carlos Arellano as Adam Rodriguez
* Chris Grace as Denny
* Carlos E. Campos as Priest
* Jay Hieron as Security Guard