- Drew Thompson slips through the fingers of Raylan, Boyd, and the Detroit mob, and sets off a breakneck race to find him.
- Boyd is handcuffed on the floor of Drew's house, claiming he came looking for Drew Thompson -- just as Raylan and his crew had. Raylan, Tim and Rachel search the premises and find some women's clothing which, Raylan notes, "Well, he was married... she left him 25 years ago." Boyd, this whole time, has just been running his mouth. "You know what your problem is, Raylan?" Boyd asks rhetorically. "You should've been an outlaw. This job has too much paperwork for a man like you. Too many rules and regulations. You should have been on the other side with me and your daddy. O, you'd still be able to shoot people and be an asshole -- your two favorite activities. Except you'd be a rich asshole!" "More like dead or in jail," Raylan says, disinterestedly. Tim and Rachel return as she tells the detained outlaw; "Shut up." He does, but it's apparent that he is unaware that Arlo is now deceased. When Tim reports "We got nothing," Raylan offers "We got roadblocks and suspicious women's underwear." Boyd is led away by deputy sheriffs. "So, if you're Shelby wanting to skip town, what's your next move?" Rachel asks and Raylan corrects her" "We ain't looking for Shelby. We're looking for Drew Thompson." Raylan sits and starts spitballing. "So... if you shot Theo Tonin and threw Waldo Truth out of an airplane, what's your...." He stops as a light bulb clicks on above his head. "What?" Tim prompts. Raylan doesn't say a word, just gets a "how'd-I-miss-this?!" look on his face and stands up to take that next step as Rachel and Tim follow.
At his sheriff's office, Drew packs some necessities (cash and ammunition) and tells Ellen May that when the authorities show up, she should cooperate and tell them what she knows. "If it's enough for Boyd to want you dead," he explains, "it's enough to get you WitSec." But Ellen May wants to know why she can't come with him. "That's not one of the options," Drew tells her, "You don't want to be part of what I've got to do." She's unnerved, and wants to know "What's the other option?" Drew instructs her to get on a bus, ride until she reaches a coast, then find someone to make her new ID and then make a new life for herself... far away from Boyd. He stuffs a wad of bills in her hand, and despite her pitiful entreaties to accompany him, drives off forever... until he spots a stray dog on the road.
He and the canine look at one another for a moment, then Drew checks his watch, mutters "Oh balls!" and makes a U-turn to go back to get Ellen May. He pulls up along side her walking down the road and tells her that if she comes with him, they're never coming back. "Well, where you going?" she asks. "Mexico, to start," Drew replies. "Had a beach town in mind, but could be swayed to the mountains, if you prefer." It's not a tough decision for the sweet little whore who knows her most recent "family" tried to kill her. "I ain't never seen the ocean before," she says. "Well. now's your chance," Drew replies as she gets into the passenger's seat. "How long is it gonna take to get there?" she wants to know. "Well, if we're lucky, we should be across the border before sun up" Drew tells her. "How fast is this car?" she asks, wide-eyed. "We ain't driving, Ellen May," Drew informs her, "I'm gonna to fly us."
With Drew lying low in the rear seat, Ellen May heads for the town's tiny airport... "couple of hangers and an air strip," Drew tells her.. where his airplane is hangered. As they drive past, she reports that there's an outside light on. Drew immediately orders her to keep driving.
Inside the darkened office of airport manager Marion Kopf (Don Creech), Deputy Nick Mooney (William Gregory Lee) notices the passing vehicle and tells Raylan and Rachel that the lookout says it's only a single woman. As the law enforcers talk it over, Mooney lets slip that Drew keeps an airplane there, which Marion says the sheriff comes out to fly every two weeks or so. "And you never thought to tell me this when we arrived here?" an incredulous and sorely vexed Raylan asks. "We're looking for a criminal," Marion, clearly not up to speed on current events, responds, "why would I mention the sheriff!" "Then why ain't he here?" Raylan asks angrily. "Did you warn him?" Marion and Raylan argue, with the manager continuing his "I don't know nuthin', I didn't do nuthin'" routine as the suspicious Raylan wonders about the outside light, and wants to know "is that usually on this time of night?" He's thinking creatively again.
At the Crestland Pass roadblock, Raylan paces anxiously in the drizzly weather, and exchanges flirtatious banter with Rachel who insists that if he get out of the rain and in the marshals' SUV with her. "Listen, I can deal with your aloofness... it's annoying," she tells Raylan, "but I let it slide because you get your job done and you're easy on the eyes. I can even deal with the fact that if you catch Drew Thompson, you might even be my boss. But if you don't get in the car right now, I swear to God I'm gonna to start singing show tunes!" Raylan takes a beat, lowers his voice an octave and says, "Promise?" She responds, softly, 'Don't mess with me right now, Raylan." He looks at her a moment, then moves to get in the car just as Art drives up and delivers the bad news to Raylan that Boyd's lawyer has secured his release with a court order.
There's some banter between Raylan and Art who casually informs his barely manageable deputy that he's going to suspend him "after we catch Drew."
After some more discussion, another light bulb goes off over Raylan's head as he connects the ladies underwear with the missing Ellen May. "He's got whore's underwear," Raylan exclaims. "We find her, we find Drew." "By the way, I have the same pair of panties," Rachel says to no one in particular. When Raylan heads off to share his deduction with "the staties," Art stops him flat. "O hell no! Hell no! First thing we're gonna do is acknowledge that this guy's awesome. I mean he shoots Theo Tonin, fakes his own death in a spectacular fashion, pushes a guy out of an airplane while he's flying it, parachutes into Harlan County with enough coke and cash to jump-start the economy of a small country, then he has the balls to get a job in law enforcement not once but two times. He spends a couple of days with you..." declaiming with a finger in Raylan's chest, "while you're looking for him, and now he's run off with a hooker that's half his age. That's some bad-ass sh-t!" Given those terms, Raylan has to agree. "That's pretty bad-ass." "Yes, it is!" Art says, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You gonna let those guys..." he motions over his shoulder to the group of KSP gather around their vehicles "...be the ones, or are we gonna be the ones to take that bad-ass?" "You're right," Raylan acknowledges, "we're on it." "Let's go find a whore!" Art orders.
From a nearby overlook of the roadblock, Drew and Ellen May discuss other options now that Crestland Pass is no longer a viable option. Drew makes a good case that they turn themselves in, outlining the life they have a head of them, and while surrendering to the authorities isn't all that appealing, he sees it as the best option available. "We've got no place left to hide," he tells her emphatically. Ellen May, though, doesn't want to go that route, and after a moment says, "I got an idea."
Newly released Boyd gets on the 'phone with Ava and discuss how they can find Ellen May, and where she might go with Drew to lie low. "Nicky Cush, maybe?" Ava suggests, recalling the name of the man who ran Audry's before Delroy. They express their love and concern for one another's well-being and ring off.
Boyd turns to his cohorts in Johnny's bar and directs his cousin to get hold of Jimmy, then has a heart-to-heart with Colton. "I'm gona need you tonight, Colt," Boyd tells his old service chum. "I'm need you to be that MP I knew back in Kuwait. Do you still think you can be that man?" Colton looks squarely at Boyd and says with great conviction, "Boyd, I'm going to make this right."
Boyd directs Johnny to stay at the bar to await his call, then repairs with Colton to Audry's to start planning their next moves.
Ellen May, again behind the wheel with Drew lying low in the backseat, discuss the Mexican town of Huatulco which the former Sheriff fell in love with many years ago. "It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen." There's more discussion about a possible life there, then Ellen May says "Thank you, Shelby, for coming back for me, for looking out for me. Not that many people ever cared enough to look out for me before. I know we're on the run and all, but I ain't never felt so free." Johnny slips away to call Wynn in the middle of the night and has Mike awaken him. The Dixie Mafia honcho is not pleased but removes his sleep mask to take the call and learn that Sheriff Shelby Parlow is the resurrected Drew Thompson. "Find Shelby before anyone else does or you can say goodbye to that dream of yours of displacing your cousin," Wynn tells Johnny, then hangs up and replaces his sleep mask.
Drew and Ellen May walk into the Noble's Holler compound run by Ellstin Limehouse (Mykelti Williamson). Ellen May tries to connect with the powerful Ellstin, and drops the name of her former fellow whore Trixie ("When the Guns Come Out (2012)") but he quickly disabuses her of any facile introduction. "She had information for me," Ellstin thunders, as he has both visitors escorted into "custody" by Bernard (Cleavon McClendon). Drew pays the butcher $15,000 to shelter Ellen May, figuring Boyd wouldn't dare come there. But Limehouse quickly reveals that he knows Drew's true identity -- and what that's worth. A new sum will be demanded.
Boyd, Colton and Jimmy (Jesse Luken, recovered from his snake bites in "Truth and Consequences (2013)"), pay a visit to an old friend of Ellen May's, Nicky Cush (Dan Buran), whose teeth are soon being threatened with a standard-size drill. "Whenever she got in trouble, she threatened to go to Limehouse!" a fear-crazed Nicky blurts out as Boyd calls Ava.
Ava heads to Noble's Holler and finds Ellen May. The poor girl rushes to give Ava a hug even as the woman who wants her dead reflexively raises her arms in a defensive posture. Ellen May says she understands Ava had to do what she did, but all is forgiven. This makes Ava sad, but she quickly offers to buy both Ellen May and Drew. Ava calls Boyd with Ellstin's new price: $150,00... each. That's everything Boyd has saved, but if he can deliver Drew to the Tonin crew, it will be worth it. Boyd instructs Ava to tell Limehouse they have a deal.
Boyd immediately calls Nicky Augustine (Mike O'Malley) with his price for delivering Drew: $500,000... "and a large piece of the heroin trade." Nicky tells Boyd he'll take it under consideration. They ring off, and Boyd expresses confidence to Colton and Jimmy that he's pulled it off with Tonin.
Johnny interrogates Teri in his trailer, hoping to obtain some clue as to where Ellen May has gone. He takes a call from Boyd who tells him that Drew and Ellen May have been found, and that it's going to cost him everything he has to ransom them from Limehouse, but it'll be worth it when he delivers them to Tonin. Johnny warns his cousin that Limehouse cannot be trusted. The call is ended as Raylan and Rachel know and don't wait to enter.
Johnny tries to send Teri off, but Rachel says that it's "the ladies of you establishment wish to speak to, figure they can help us find someone." Teri throws her hands up. "O my God, not Ellen May again." After some quick colloquy, Johnny decides to get down to brass tacks with the marshals, and sends Teri on her way. Johnny pours himself a drinks and is only too happy to spell out his litany of beefs with his cousin dating back to their shared childhood, right up to the present with Boyd wanting to by a house out in the suburbs of Clover Hill because "he is in loooove." Rachel notes, "You sound like he stole your girlfriend," but Johnny quickly and vehemently counters, "Ha! No! He stole Raylan's girlfriend. He stole my job!" Raylan winces slightly at this, then Johnny pulls up his shirt to display the still healing wounds in his side. Raylan calmly tells him, "The thing is, Johnny, you didn't get cut in half by Bo's shotgun because of Boyd. You got shot because that's the sh-t that happens when you choose the live a life as a small time asshole," adding that Johnny's biggest concern is probably spending the rest of his days "playing second fiddle" to Boyd. The only problem: for once, the marshals aren't after Boyd. They want Drew Thompson, and Raylan explains that if Johnny can help with that, then perhaps he can help Johnny rid himself of his overbearing cousin. He pours Johnny another drink as Boyd's cousin considers the marshals' proposition.
Boyd is escorted into Noble's Holler with a briefcase full of money and an attitude about Ellstin's way of doing business. But Limehouse launches into a discursive tale about a recurring nightmare as a preamble "for doing what I'm about to do." "Ellstin!" a suddenly comprehending Ava interjects. "We had a deal!" "And now I'm changing it," he replies,"that ain't enough money to purchase two lives." Shelby and Ellen May are no longer both for sale at the original agreed upon price... Boyd must choose one. The engaged couple withdraw to discuss the choice. Boyd prevails, and tells Ellstin, "Shelby." A distraught Ellen May moans and pleads for them to take her instead, even knowing they mean to kill her. When Ava tries to rationalize their choice, one which she opposed, a near-hysterical Ellen May spits in Ava's face. Drew tries to calm the girl, telling her "It's okay, it's my time." Ellstin tells Boyd and Ava that his boys "will take y'all back down the hill to your car, and when you get another 300 grand together, you give me a little call and we'll talk about getting your little ho back."
Out in a clearing in the woods with his "liberators," a wrist-bound Drew clears up the mystery of how he found himself in Harlan County. "I jumped with too much cocaine, came in hot, broke my legs. Never would've stayed in Harlan if I'd landed right." Boyd observes that Drew had had a "pretty good run, considering." The fugitive-turned-lawman-turned-fugitive continues: "Thanks to your daddy and Arlo, may they rest in peace." This is news to Ava and Boyd. "You saying Arlo Givens is dead," Ava asks. When Drew affirms this, Boyd says with some bitterness, "Poetic, I suppose, as you'll soon be joining them in the afterlife. I'm sure the three of you will have a lot to talk about." Drew points out, "That cocaine I brought to Harlan -- that made your people, Boyd. Pulled'em out of trailers, put'em in houses. Put food on your table, presents under your tree. That's why your daddy protected me all of those years no matter what befell him." After failing in an appeal to Boyd's family sense of honor to not turn him over to the Tonin crew, Drews observes, "I think maybe you didn't know your daddy." Boyd acknowledges the track that "Drew... Shelby... whatever your name is... men like us chose, sooner or later we gotto reap what we sow, and this is your six-by-six plot of land."
Just then Colton, Johnny and Jimmy drive up. "Well, amigo, this is where we part ways," Boyd says as he frees Drews hands. "Now, if it's any solace during this difficult moment, know that your sacrifice will be providing for the next generation of the Crowder family." With that he turns Drew over to Colton for delivery to the Tonin delegation. "Colt! Are you ready to make your penance?" Boyd asks. "Don't forget my money!"
Not too far away, Rachel and Raylan await Johnny's signal, wondering if the Crowder cousin had, in Rachel's words, "played us like a pair of first class chumps." The "go" call comes and they take off.
Colton waits in a field with Drew tethered to a tractor. Drew works overtime to anger Colton into killing him by calling him a "junkie" and a "loser." It's touch and go for several moments before Colton breaks out laughing, and taunts the man about how the Tonin's will torture him. "I've seen men die slow, it's a horrible way to go," Colton laughs. Suddenly, the two hear the blades of a helicopter arriving with Nicky Augustine. Colton, with a "Happy trails!" to Drew, leaves. Drew frantically attempts to free himself as the chopper sets down, but Nicky spots Raylan, Art, Tim and Rachel, following the tip from Johnny, arriving in SUVs and orders the pilot to take off again. A greatly relieved Drew says that Colton has headed up the road. Tim gives chase with Rachel as back-up. "Thanks for coming out," Drew says, and Raylan answers "Anything for Drew Thompson." "You get me out of here and I'll give you everything you want," their prisoner says, adding that Ellen May is being held by Limehouse.
Ava, Boyd and Johnny get the news from Colton that the marshals got to Drew before Nicky could. "How is that possible," Ava wonders, "What do we do now?" "We make a case to Theo Tonin," Boyd says, "...or we make a run for it."
Elsewhere, a pensive Wynn gets same news from Nicky Augustine, and tells Mike "The marshals have Drew Thompson." "Sh-t!" Mike says. "Yes." Wynn replies. "That. He wants us down... in Harlan. Do you have a passport?" "You need a passport to get into Harlan?" the incredulous gun thug asks. "No," Wynn answers patiently, "you need a passport to get into Canada. You prefer Mexico?" Mike, who's never said more than five words about anything, expresses his reluctance: "I prefer not running away like a little bitch." Wynn is realistic and with a sigh tells Mike that he can stay. "I don't know how I'll get along without you. But I'll try to get by." Mike tries to process what's going on.
Back in the field Art and Raylan discuss matters. Rachel and Tim return empty-handed. "Theo Tonin knows we got Drew. He's not going to be too happy about that," Art says. "Meaning we just got to figure out how to get out of Harlan alive," Raylan adds with furrowed brow as he scans the landscape.
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