The seventh episode of Prime’s Neagley – following the trend set by this season – wastes no time in jumping into the action, with the tension rising both on Echo Canyon Farm and in Neagley’s personal life.
Fed up with excuses and desperate for answers, the episode begins with Neagley confronting her father, seeking an answer to the question that has plagued her entire life, but she only recently was able to put into words – why doesn’t she let anybody touch her, and who was the man he killed? Neagley’s father finally admits to the murder, but claims the victim was a pedophile and that he had proof of his crimes. When Neagley presses on why he didn’t go to the police, the intense line of questioning sends her father into cardiac arrest, leaving Neagley guilty and her father suffering.
Meanwhile, Hudson – at the behest of Neagley – reluctantly visits his father in jail, hoping to get answers regarding why a photo of his boat was in Dottie’s possessions and if he had anything to do with the cryptic “Hamilton” incident Pierce’s boss mentioned on the phone. After some questioning, Hudson’s father admits he was involved in a situation in Hamilton, but he is unaware as to who hired him. Frustrated, Hudson pleads for the account number he was paid through, but his father – insulted that he has never visited before – cryptically informs him that he will have to go to an unnamed “her” to retrieve it. Hudson complains that she (still unnamed, though they both seem to know who they are speaking about) will not listen to him, but his father says she will if he gives her the password.
To Hudson’s chagrin, though, his father will only provide the password should Hudson make evidence disappear for a man currently incarcerated. Angry that he’s now falling down the expected path, he calls Neagley, who advises him to take the deal, as the accused only faces a gambling charge.
Hudson, now tasked with hiding evidence, gives Neagley the password – “Lebron’s no Jordan” – and sends her in his place to talk to her aforementioned, mysteriously unnamed woman. Neagley arrives at a cluttered, sheltered house, and the woman reveals that she and Hudson used to be lovers before she realized she preferred to stay socially isolated.
Though she gives Neagley the account number, Neagley is offended, as she believes her being sent is Hudson’s way of showing her her future should she continue to live the life she does. She calls Hudson, accusing him of doing so, and it is a notable backstep in their trust for one another.
Hudson doesn’t pick up, however, as he is busy tampering with evidence for his father’s friend. As he leaves the evidence room Murphy – the Chief Deputy’s god son – follows him, and ends up confronting him in a junkyard where he burns the evidence. They begin to fight and, in self defense, Hudson kills him. Panicked, Hudson hides the body and confesses to Neagley, who tells him to return to the police station and pretend he never left. He does, only to find a search party already forming in pursuit of Officer Murphy.
All the while, Keno has been taken into custody within the Echo Canyon bunker. He insists that he is innocent and was merely curious but – evidently – they do not believe him, and continue to beat him in pursuit of the truth. In a moment of reprieve, Mandy comes into his room to comfort him. She admits that she now understands why he was attempting to rescue her, and is now adamant on escaping. However, Keno can spot a con, and insults her, pointing out the fact she is sleeping with Lawrence and insinuating she is no longer a person. Mandy drops the facade, spits in his face, and leaves.
Renee and Neagley – having gotten the account number – go to the bank that held Hudson’s father’s money, posing as accountants and insisting that their client never got paid. The con works and, upon being given access, they learn that the payment came from a company by the name of Rawlings Corp, based in Scandinavia. Neagley remembers that Pierce’s boss – the one who put them onto the Hamilton lead in the first place – had a Swedish accent, and knows they’re on the right track. Neagley discovers that Pierce’s boss is Arvid Rawlings, a prominent Swedish businessman connected to many political enterprises.
As she discovers this, Rawlings enters Pierce’s office, and Pierce – who is surprised to see him in the United States – tentatively greets him. Pierce updates him on recent work and expresses his concerns regarding Lawrence, sharing that he believed they need “new and sober” management. In that moment, Lawrence appears from the shadows. As realization dawns, both Lawrence and Rawlings agree that new management is in order, and shoot Pierce in the head. Rawlings agrees to give Lawrence fifteen million dollars in cryptocurrency, and says he and his team will come to the farm the next day to take all the research regarding the psychedelic drugs.
Neagley sees that the tracker she put on Pierce’s car is now in the middle of a lake, and realizes that Rawlings had begun to clean up, and that soon all trace of him – much like in Hamilton – will be gone.
Surprisingly, this episode is possibly the most action packed of the series so far, tipping slowly into the explosive climax expected from the season finale. While the action is not only immersive, it is well choreographed, and the characters – even the villains – are multifaceted and layered. Though Mandy sparks a betrayal, it is distinctly hard to dislike her, and unfortunately hard to wish her ill. This episode is uniquely well written and provides the perfect amount of tension to prepare before the final episode of the season.
Rating: 9/10