Fortunately for Red Pines and rest of the world, Agent Gabe Clements has not vacated either just yet.
Ive never been so happy to have eulogized a supposedly dead character way too soon.
Next season, maybe.
Credit: Giovanni Rufino/ABC
The reveal of his condition comes late in the episode, when Jane brings the bloodied man a sandwich.
And maybe thats what Doug wanted to talk to Ben about.
But he enjoys this too much.
He likes seeing Claires face plastered on billboards, knowing exactly where her missing progeny is.
Hell, hell probably vote for her.
The first rule of Criminal Club?
Never return to the scene of the crime.
And dont talk about Criminal Club.
Hey Ben, he says, softly.
Time to have a talk.
As far as we can tell, talking is what they did.
Ben is visibly agitated when Willa, John, and Claire come home from the debate.
But hes there, and hes outwardly in one piece.
What did Doug want from him?
Whatever it was, it took precedence over taking Ben again.
Before Doug arrived, Ben watched on an iPad while Claire outed him to the entire state.
But every single thing that she says is true in the present situation as well.
Shes raising a stranger, and its pretty weird for her.
Its a claim that supports both the public lie and the private truth.
NEXT: Spy games
Claire nails the debate, and Willa is walking on air.
Every time her mother has a victory, Willa believes her actions more justified.
Willa tries to talk Claire down before the debate (Tell me who he is!
), and its almost sickening.
Claires frustrations with Willa compound because Willa frankly doesnt care who Ben is.
His personality, his identity theyre simply not relevant to her.
Ben is Ben Murphy, born in freezing cold Minnesota with a little Irish blood.
He doesnt like the spicy food that Adam did, and hes a pro at sniffing out surveillance devices.
Claire is satisfied and almost sheepish about taking that step.
The Familyhas to remind us every so often that Ben isnt an evil genius.
Hes just a child.
We had school, he says before correcting himself.
And hes persona non grata.
(I never want to see him again.)
Meyer cant wait for Clements to reappear to follow up on a hunch.
Do not exploit children on Detective Meyers watch, sir.
Shes so close, and both Claire and Willa know it.
Meyers progress is interrupted, however, when Clements husband Jonah shows up to ask after him.
Everything feels wrong; Clements is as reliable a cop as he is a spouse.
All police resources are rerouted to finding him.
(That happened!)
Clements is one of their own, and it reminds them that Meyer is as well.
(Friends should want whats best for each other, right?)
He buys something to soothe himself; something that he thinks Adam probably would have liked.
Its a birdhouse from Dougs woodworking booth, though Hank pays his booth neighbor for it in Dougs absence.
Its not possible to watch this show without comparing Hank and Doug: two very different kinds of deviants.
When Hank sees the seal, hes already put the evidence together.
It comes easily to him because he subconsciously recognized something in Doug.
The goalposts keep moving on this show.
With one answered question comes a dozen more that are unresolved.
The next one is a doozy: Did Ben kill Adam?
Certainly its an option were supposed to be considering.
Willa hasnt met the fish, but shes going down that terrible road as well.
She notes an inconsistency in Bens story about Adams death and storms over to him to demand the truth.
He didnt lie, Ben promises.
Adam hit his head andthengot sick.
Theres a lot of room for details in that thin sketch, including details that could incriminate Ben.
Regardless of his guilt, this isnt a conversation he enjoys.
