Dirty Laundry

"Dirty Laundry" is the fifth episode of the second season of *Privates,* a segment of *It's All Been Done Radio Hour*. It was the second segment of Show LXXII. It was performed on June 12th, 2021. It was released as podcast episode 362.

**Written by** Jerome Wetzel

**Directed by** Kristin Green

**Previous episode**: "Round in Circles"

**Next episode**: "Their Story"

## **The Story**

As this episode begins, Jake Cotton is musing on how he can't trust Frank Berry or Judy Bench. He decides to follow up on his hunch that one or both of them are hindering his work on the case.

Jake heads back to the prison, where he brings a steak hoagie from Sammy's to his informant there, prison guard Gwen Anderson right before her lunch break. He wants to catch up with her, and doesn't need to go inside, but admits he does want to look at the visitor logs. He gives her $20, as usual, for the privilege. She does say he needs to be quick because there's a new warden cracking down on the rules. Jake sees something he doesn't like in the logs and leaves, not taking her hoagie, and tells Gwen to say hi to Stacey for him. Outside, Jake monologues that Frank has been there to visit Johan, which he finds suspicious, even though Jake didn't tell Frank about his own visit to the same man.

Jake decides to go see Stacey Anderson next, bringing her a brownie from Dinello's, even though she's trying to watch her figure. Jake compliments her and asks for some phone records. She is trying to be a better woman since she and Gwen found a donor and are expecting and she's now less willing to risk her job. Jake promises this will be the last time. Stacey is hesitant to pull Judy's records, but relents when Jake also asks for Frank's, Cordelia Bench's, and a few others going back a couple of months, proving he isn't just being a stalker. He assures her this won't be dangerous, it's not mob stuff, and promises to shred the evidence without ever mentioning her involvement to anyone. She says fine, but he'd better bring her a heck of a gift to the shower for her impending son. He agrees, and will meet her when she gets off at 5PM.

The records end up making Jake even more suspicious, seeming to confirm that Frank, Judy, and Cordelia are all working together to sabotage his investigation. But then why hire him in the first place? He decides to follow Frank, the weak link. After a few days, seeing plenty he can't unsee, but nothing illegal or indicating Frank is cheating on Cordelia, Frank leads Jake to a laundromat in the bad part of town and slips upstairs.

Jake catches up as Frank is coming down, having figured out who the building belongs to. Confronted, Frank claims to be defending Cordelia, she being all he cares about, but Jake doesn't believe him. Frank says Cordelia knows he's here and wants Jake to drop the whole thing. Frank admits he figured out the case first and is protecting his family. Jake still can't quite figure everything out, and so insists on going upstairs to see the 'him' Frank has been dealing with, a man Frank wants to leave the Benches alone. Frank insists Jake does not go up, deciding that will only makes things worse. They get into a physical altercation, which is stopped by Louie Gomo. Louie says the boss wants to see them upstairs. Frank begs Jake to leave instead, asking if there's anything he can do to stop Jake. Jake says no and goes up, though later realizes he should have listened to Frank.

## **Guest Starring**

* Ashley Collins as Gwen Anderson
* Megan Overholt as Stacey Anderson
* Nathan Haley as Louie Gomo

## **Trivia**

* The narrator says there are three episodes left in the season at the end of this installment. The ending hadn't been written yet, and there ended up only being two more episodes.