You do what you gotta do to get the job done …
Summary: Don’s team assists in the investigation of a long-time con artist
Original air date: October 24, 2008 (US)
Written by: Andrew Dettmann
Directed by: Stephen Gyllenhaal
Opening numbers:
26: Months
14: Identities
10: Million dollars
1: Manhunt
Family Concepts: (character development)
- Nikki is at an anti-terror training, so Liz Warner is filing in.
- Carl McGowan recommends disciplinary action against Don and that Charlie should not regain his clearance. A recommendation that is ignored by the ADIC
- Alan is a Philadelphia 76er’s fan
- Alan is asked to consult on a new mechanical engineering complex at CalSci
Episode Quotes:
- Liz [to Don]: I didn’t realize lip-reading was one of your superpowers.
- Carl McGowan: I’m trying to figure out which side of the line you stand on.
Don: Well, maybe if the line stopped moving, Carl, I could tell you. - Alan: What? Why is the room suddenly filled with people staring at me?
Episode Synopsis:
Don’s team is assisting Agent Bloom, an FBI veteran with thirty-four years on the job, with an arrest of a con-artist Bloom has been chasing for more than two years. They raid the house along with the Secret Service, US Marshal and LAPD. However when they get in, the suspect is nowhere to be found. Don realizes he walks out of the house by impersonating an agent. Don is more surprised to find out Bloom doesn’t have any pictures on file for his suspect.
It turns out “George Bailey”, as the suspect has been nicknamed, has hit 14 businesses over the last two years and stolen close to ten million dollars. His initial take is only a few thousand, then a week or so later he goes back and cleans out any accounts he was able to compromise earlier. David and Liz find out from a neighbor “George” has a girlfriend, non other than Kelly Rand, a rising starlet. They go talk to Kelly’s manager and discover “George” is using the name Ryan Goodwin and was hired by the talent agency two weeks ago. The FBI stakes out the talent agency with the idea Ryan will come back to finish what he started. Susan Stone points out a man wearing Ryan’s jacket however he turns out to be an innocent Ryan paid to go in and out of the building. Liz is able to get a quick photo of Ryan as he gets away in a stolen bus.
Charlie and Don are still waiting to hear from McGowan on a decision regarding Charlie’s clearance. Don asks McGowan to at least offer a time frame on when the investigation would be completed and McGowan tells him the investigation is closed already and that he has recommended disciplinary action against Don and Charlie should not get his clearance back. The ADIC, however does not accept the recommendation and Charlie’s clearance is restored.
Amita and Larry are able to partially correct for distortions in the photo Liz took, Charlie however is able to refine the image more and get a clear image. Ryan’s real name is Kevin Oliver an eighteen year old kid. Colby and David arrest Kevin at a beach after following Kelly. Don offers Kevin a deal if he (Kevin) will tell the FBI who he’s been working with the last two years. Keven states he’s working alone and has only stolen $75,000 at most. He has no idea where the rest of the money went, that he only stole what he needed to survive and he never stole from an individual. Kevin soon escapes form a federal detention facility by impersonating an attorney.
Charlie thinks Kevin is telling the truth. There are no links between Kevin and any known organized crime group. Also looking at the companies again, Charlie discovers all of the businesses had an employee with a certain social security number combination. David figures out Kevin isn’t after money, he’s looking for his birth mother. The FBI is able to track down Kevin’s mother and Kevin is arrested outside the FBI building. Don figures out it was Agent Bloom who stole the large sums of money. Bloom’s sister was one of Kevin’s first victims and in order to make the case mean something to the police and the FBI, Bloom stole the money to make the crime look more important. He also says he had no intention of keeping the money, that it was held in a trust and would be returned. Don turns Bloom over to Carl McGowan for investigation.