"Just walk with me.."

It’s back to the Estoccian embassy to find out –shock- NotLanni isn’t dead (or is that…. NotDead?).
…Why that nasty little trickster…Seems the whole time she was also faking that she had good taste in clothes too from the looks of it!

So Rashidi gives her an envelope stuffed with cash and tells her Kimambo is going to get her out of the country.
NotLanni : And what do you want me to tell your buyers?
Rashidi : The Kalahari List will be on the market in 24 hours.
[So, let’s see if I’ve got this.. Turns out RealLanni was Rashidi’s secretary.. and the Kalahari list is information about the entire American intelligence community in Africa.
Yep, we needed a whole scene to tell us that. Yawn. They should have had the dog deliver the envelope with a cute bow and wuff. would have been much more entertaining..]

Moving on..[ I hope..] and we find Lee, Amanda and Billy back at IFF researching..
Amanda : The Zebra List was an FBI operation during prohibition. [Okay, I can’t let that pass!!!! The Zebra List??!!! whaaaahahahahahahaha!!! Go SMK, I love that they go for it with the cheese! I bet the Zebra list is in black and white. No colour.
I want to see the Giraffe list – you know the list of good agents who have really stuck their necks out!
Come on guys  – you got a list you can come up with?! tee hee ]
Billy : We’ve tried every variation of Kalahari List on the books and still can’t get anywhere.
[Everyone seems tired and a bit down. I know the feeling guys..]
Lee : Well, what about the street?
Billy : No, nothing. No word!
[Billy loses his temper again. Just a little.. ]
Lee : Billy, you need some sleep. You’ve been going at this for 48 hours straight. [Let’s not delay this.. let’s keep going! This whole you are working yourself into exhaustion thing is such an overused trope in smk I just kinda groan at it now – and lament that the trope’s overuse is exhausting me now! Oh the irony.]
Billy : Well, so have you. Go ahead, knock off. You’ve done everything I could ask.
Amanda : No sir, we haven’t. We haven’t found the Kalahari List.
Billy : I’ll put on another pot of coffee.
Lee : I’ll second that.  [I wonder why they are not doing this research in the Q bureau?? seems strange to be doing it in the bullpen even during the night, isn’t Billy on lockout or something?!]

Billy : Oh, before I forget. I want you both to know that your relationship, whatever it is, is fine with me…

[Lee and Amanda ummm don’t react. They are quite stunned!]
… We all look for something and when we find it I think we should hang on with everything we’ve got.
[AWH!!! What a big softie!]
(He walks off to make that pot of coffee..
Lee and Amanda share a look.) [thoughts everyone??!!
Sara, was this what you were waiting for before sharing your thoughts about Billy’s quiet little smile earlier? -in post 3?]
(We follow Billy into the room to make a pot of coffee…)
[yes.. it is that riveting…

…let’s watch him make coffee while his memory is triggered… again… but what he remembers who knows.. LOL.]
(The coffee room phone rings… and it’s Monroe, Jack Monroe – he needs Billy’s help!)
Monroe : I had to call you. Meet me at D and 3^rd streets in half an hour.
(Billy heads back into the bullpen to update Lee and Amanda.)
Billy : They’re at it again. They just called. They helped me remember a phone call from that agent.
(Billy brings up on the computer Jack Monroe’s details.)
Billy : I talked to him Friday. He was running. He was running and he needed help…. he was working on a blind trust operation. No records, no reports, no questions…
(Lee nods)
(Billy finally remembers)
…The Kalahari List! Only 3 people know about that. Monroe, Lanni and myself. It’s a list of our African operatives. Lanni tipped Munroe that someone working in the Estoccian Embassy had it on the market.
[I know this is likely nitpicky but I can’t resist… and it hasn’t stopped me before so why would it stop me now? haaaa..
Billy can’t say only 3 people know about the Kalahari list, when Rashidi and his gang are trying to get it…. and probably sell it – and to sell it you need to market it to buyers. Sorry Billy the lion is out of the bag.]
Lee : And he couldn’t get it.
Billy : Right. Right! He was made. Which means someone had to go into the Embassy and get it out of the safe. I went in his place. I didn’t make a clean break.
[more standing around talking.]
Amanda : Does that mean that you hid it somewhere before the Police picked you up?
Billy : There were over 100 names on that list. That’s a lot of telegrams to the next of kin. All right, the phone call said to meet on D Street on the corner of 3^rd.
Lee : Let’s go.
Billy : Hold it, hold it. It’s 6am. The streets are practically empty at this time of morning. If you try to trail me they’ll spot you like that.
Lee : No, they’re not completely empty.
Lee looks pretty pleased with his idea. Do tell Lee!

(Next thing we see a taxi driving down the road from a distance. The camera pans across to another taxi as we hear Lee speak.)
Lee : Amanda, stand-by. I’m dropping Billy off at the end of the block…
[Amanda’s a taxi driver!! Cool call back!!]

…Stay in Amanda’s view. I’ll circle around.
(We see a blue and white taxi pull up, and Billy gets out. Lee is his taxi driver. Woot Woot! Billy gets out his wallet to pay)
Billy : Lee, I don’t know what I’m walking into, and I don’t know if I’m walking back out but –
Lee : Hey, save it will ya. You’ll come out of there.
Billy : Yeah, beer and steaks at Randy’s.
Lee : You got a deal.
[Oh nooo that sounds like a punishment to me!!!]

It’s show time! Wwe see Amanda taxi driver reading the paper waiting for a customer
Lee: (to Amanda) …I’m coming back your way. Keep your eyes open. I’m going to the end of the block and then turning around.
(we watching a taxi drive down a road. Riveting.
Then, we see a white limo pull up next to where Billy is standing,
this is opposite where Amanda is parked reading the newspaper. She takes note.)

Oh rofl. look who is riding shotgun in the white limo!!!

whahahahaa.. this dog needs a name.
Come on guys – what’s a good name? Bones?]
(Kimambo gets out, and motions to Billy to get in the back. He opens the back door for Billy. Such a polite baddie. haaaa..)

Rashidi : Won’t you join us Mr Melrose.

[Billy is met with a very scary sight indeed…No, not the gun aimed at Billy – that matching tie and handkerchief combo is positively terrifying.

My eyeballs are in agony. Please don’t hurt my eyeballs!!!!]
(Billy gets in the limo, Lee and Amanda monitor his movements.
Lee watches someone approach Amanda’s taxi.)
Lee : …Amanda, that’s the shooter from the park. Get out of there!……..
..Stay with the limo.
[cue the action music!!! drama!!! The guy touched her door handle! gah!! she drives off.. Lee drives up.. Guy pulls a gun but does nothing with it. Honestly. this is kind of hilarious! It’s like a parody or something it’s really bad!
Is it just me or is that jacket the baddie is wearing familiar?]
(The gunman doesn’t even shoot at Lee. he takes off on foot, Lee follows him..
Lee parks the taxi, and gets out.
Gun drawn. wearing jeans. In the great outdoors..)
[Oh my.. Lee is looking good. I love this episode. Best. Episode. Ever! oh wait. what am I saying??!!!]
Lee heads down a driveway…. but we can’t see where he goes. We see this:
and hear bang bang bang. a gun going off…  and then.. we see this man emerge:
Uh oh…
We can hear Amanda trying to reach Lee over the radio.
[It’s kinda a relief to see this episode try and do something interesting here with the plot! I should give kudos where kudos are owed!! Kudos I like this little bit of suspense! ]
Amanda (over radio): Lee the limo’s pulling up by the Smithsonian Gardens…
(We see the baddie continue to slowly approach the taxi, the radio with Amanda’s voice sitting on the taxi seat)
…Are you there?…
(We see Lee emerge too…)
[well that suspense lasted all of 2 seconds! oh well. cool 2 seconds!]
(Lee approaches the baddie, who seems to be clutching his chest and injured or something but no blood.)
[I’m pretty confused about how the bad guy went from this:
to this:
But whatev. Hey, stealthy Lee, stealthy bullet wound.]
… Lee, I’m by the Smithsonian Gardens, are you all right?…

…Come in, Lee.
Lee (over radio): Amanda, stick with the limo. Right now you’re all that Billy’s got.
Amanda : Will do.
[Love how calm and confident Amanda is here! Go Amanda!]
Back to the white limo of doom…
[Ummm I don’t know why but this looks hilarious!
It’s like Turner and Hooch or something!
Needle phobia alert
If this is you.. you might want to look away!! ]
Billy is unconscious in the back seat. Poor Billy!
Rashidi : This is where we lost Melrose last week.
Kimambo : The streets will be filled within the half hour.
Rashidi : All the pieces are in place. This is the last ride Mr Melrose.
(We see Billy start to rouse)
[Looks like this is where there was a commercial break- so I’m going to pause here too.]

How are we all doing with this episode so far?? anyone not finding this terribly riveting? Anyone like to share with us what you love??!!!!

Back for more? I’m ready to find out what the heck Billy got up to over his lost weekend!
Back at IFF the next day..
Time to up the stakes!
Lee : Claudia he is starting to remember. Billy is getting close.
Dr Joyce : Yeah, close to the edge. Boy what a witch’s brew. Thiapentol, alcohol, methaqualine. Boy they really did a number on him.
Lee : Did they break him? [how could she even determine that.. you can’t be certain unless he snaps.]
Dr Joyce : Well they used a big enough hammer but, I don’t know. I got a better question for you.
Lee : What?
Dr Joyce : Is he stable?
Lee : Uh… (Lee looks down at his shoes) [Define stable. Doc, you’re talking to a man who tried to kill Billy because a duck told him to. Haaa]
Dr Joyce : Yeah, I got to pull his badge.
Amanda : Retire him? [ lol Terminate him?!]
Dr Joyce : That’s what I did with 12 of the last 15 men who had Thornton’s repression.
[Hmm maybe they need to rethink that technique?! And lol women seem to be much better at utilising Thornton’s repression?]
Amanda : One lost weekend and you’re going to destroy his whole career?
[Yeah hardly seems fair, should take at least two weekends lost.. third lost weekend and your out? ]
Dr Joyce : Max Bateman couldn’t remember 15 minutes of his life.
Lee : Claudia, we don’t know what made Bateman snap. [‘Atta Boy Lee! Details are important! Success comes one step at a time!’ Haaaaaaa.. hey does anyone else ever wonder if they managed to reverse Lee’s brainwashing?! I guess it’s never a good sign I’m into an episode when I keep being more interested in previous smk episodes. ]
Dr Joyce : But we know he killed 7 men he was on stake-out with. [Maybe they consumed too much bean dip in a confined space? that would explain it! ]
Lee : Look, don’t pull him, huh? We’re getting close to something. I can see it in his eyes.
Dr Joyce : Do you want another Max Bateman out there?
Lee : We will stay with him every step of the way.
Dr Joyce : Stetson, you know you can’t have friends in this business.
[I’m thinking you can’t stay in it without them. At least not for long.. especially if you’ve been taught Thornton’s repression!]
Lee : He’s more than just a friend. You know that as well as I do. [this is starting to sound like a broken record. we know how this plays out, we’ve seen it so many times.. same plot, different episode.. At least they tried to throw in a little something new with Billy’s being led on a path by evil dimples.. And.. Oh well.. I guess at least this is another excuse to see loyal and determined Lee stand by his friends! ]
Dr Joyce : And I know I got a job to do.
(the doctor walks off.. )
Lee: Five years ago she made the decision to keep Bateman in the field…
…We better find Billy.
The scene ends here.
[Are you feeling the suspense here guys?
I have no idea what happens next, but there’s really no suspense. not really. Not for me. Maybe it’s the mood I’m in, but I think I’m a bit over the whole: The agency drops you like a hot potato when you are in need of help, sees you as disposable, and whoooaaaa hang on – maybe the good guy really is actually dangerous after all?.. yawn. Let’s get back to Lee and Amanda’s indoor tennis. Ugh. I’m terrible! ]

We cut to a wall of TVs showing different women fitting the mystery woman’s description. Billy’s looking at them, accompanied by Francine. Lee joins them.
Francine : He’s been at it all night. He needs sleep.
Billy : I need to ID that girl I saw outside of Randy’s.
(Billy demands to see a seventh year’s worth of photos.. Francine goes to get it.)
Lee : Amanda’s pulling another generation of your case files. Is there anything else you want us to do?
Billy : Stay with the files. The girl was at the Embassy with me. We ran, just like you and I did the other night. Now she’s out there somewhere scared and I’ve got–
(Billy notices something in an image..) [LOL Billy does an Ernie impression. remember him? I wonder if Billy will reward himself with cartoons!]
Lee : What is it?
Billy : It’s that same dress. She wore that dress at the party.
Francine : Coroner’s office has this woman listed as Jane Doe number 421.
Billy : Well, it’s not the same woman as I saw yesterday but the resemblance is pretty damn coincidental.
Francine : It sure is. This Jane Doe was found dead Friday night. [Is it just me or is this dull as dull can be?]

(Cue the angsty, confused musings over the photo back in Billy’s office.
Billy’s buzzer rings and he answers.)

Billy : Melrose. [hey! at least he remembers his own name right? that’s winning?!]
Voice : I must talk to you.
(The voice tells Billy to go somewhere, we don’t hear where, and be there in ten minutes.)

[How would anyone have known what number to call to reach Billy? me confused. I really shouldn’t think this much! Hmm I wonder if I could learn to use some Thornton’s repression?!]

(Billy grabs his gun and leaves, exiting the bullpen Lee catches up to him.)
Lee : Billy! Billy, I’m going with you.
Billy : Tapping my phones now?  [Yep!]
[There’s a lot of walking and talking going on in this episode. lots of talking.. I guess the activity is to give the impression that stuff is going on – but lol there’s a lot of conversation!]
Lee : Don’t you know what is going on? Dr Joyce has you on an open surveillance package. You’re about one heartbeat away from early retirement.
Billy : So why waste my time? You heard the woman on the phone – she wants to meet me alone.
Lee : We did a background on the body of the woman in the park. No ID’s, no labels on the clothing, no witnesses! She was erased by a pro.
Billy : So now they’re playing with me.
Lee : What?
(Together they make their way to the elevator)
Billy : What else can I do? They’re my only window. They’re holding all the cards. [and mixing metaphors is never a good sign haaa] 

Lee : That doesn’t mean you have to play by their rules, does it?
Billy : Why can’t we get a decent elevator around here?.. [lol]
(finally the elevator arrives)
…Look, I know that Dr Joyce is getting ready to pull me in. I also know that you can prevent me from getting on this elevator.
Lee : I want to help you through this.
Billy : The door wouldn’t be open if I didn’t already know that.
[LOL I thought it was a window that was open haaaa aie!] 
(They share a bit of a chuckle and get into the coat elevator together. the scene ends)
[Huh?? then what are you two arguing about?! Aie.. seems to me like conflict that wasn’t really a conflict.]

(Out in a park, Billy wanders around.. Lanni sees him and gestures for him to join her. Lee follows Billy -sticking to Billy like a ten week tan!
Rashidi and his puppy dog are in the park too.
He watches on, as usual, and signals to the two men working in the garden. They take off.
Billy shows Lanni the picture of the dead woman.)
Lanni : I swear, I don’t know who she is. Why are you showing me this?
[Interesting reaction. Dead woman? why show me this?
no: – gahhh how awful look how she is dressed like me!!
Hey are we supposed to be wondering if Lanni is on Billy’s side? Or we always know she is working with Rashidi? I’m thinking we always knew? anyone? it would have been more interesting if we were wondering, or even believing she is innocent. heck maybe she is and I’m really wrong haaaa. see I really don’t remember this ep!!  ]
Billy : This woman was found dead Friday. Why are you dressed like her?
Lanni : She must be from my region in Africa. It is a traditional gown.
Billy : I was with a woman Friday who was dressed like this.
Lanni : Yes, you were with me.
Billy : No, no, it wasn’t you.[blahhh blahahhh]
Lanni : I’m Lanni, don’t you remember? I was the only other person who knew about the Kalahari List.
Billy : The what?
Lanni : Mr Melrose, please, we are running out of time. Is Kalahari safe?
(Lee sees the two gardeners with machine guns.)

[Machine guns? Billy run!!!!]
(Lee pulls his gun out.)
[The man always looks good in the great outdoors doesn’t he!]

Lee : Billy, it’s a trap. Run!
(Lee runs off in one direction gun drawn.)
[Ummm if a stranger yelled that to someone I was talking to, I’d at least kinda look around. This Lanni but maybe not Lanni just stands there!]
(Billy grabs Lanni by the arm to bring her with him in another direction).
Billy : We’re not through talking, Lanni.
Lanni : What are you doing?!

Billy : (remembering) Lanni Jeans – that’s who I was with that night!
(we see Rashidi let the dog lose. It runs off at speed. Rashidi does his usual watching casually from a distance thing. Muahahahahaa)
Err warning if you are afraid of dogs!!
(Lee watches the two bad guys from behind a tree, but the dog finds him and lunges, tearing at his jacket.)
[Oh nooo bad dog! Not that jacket I like that jacket]
(The shooters open fire randomly at Billy and Lanni who seems to just stand there and let herself get shot.)
Billy (to NotLanni) : Where are you hit? We gotta get out of here.
(Billy doesn’t see where she was shot, she rolls over so he really cant’ see. He cuts his losses and runs..)
[What do you think- is that a fake dog head or something when the camera is facing Lee?!]
(Rashidi blows a dog whistle and the dog lets go of Lee’s jacket and returns to him.)

[This man must have seen the sound of music!
Interesting use of a dog whistle when this whole scenario is one big dog whistle designed to get Billy to uncover where he hid the Kalahari list!]
(Billy meets up with Lee again.)
Billy : Who were they?
Lee : I don’t know.
Billy : Well, the woman’s back there. She’s the key – come on.
They go back there, and she’s gone.
[Shocked. Absolutely totally not shocked at all. Oh dear, even when there’s a bit of action I find it all a bit dull. At least I spotted Lee’s stunt man in there doing his little cameo. lol.

Amazing. no body, and no blood whatsoever.
Cue the puzzled expressions!]
Billy : Damn!!!

[Does anyone remember the first time they saw this episode? Did it seem obvious? What do you remember? Do tell!] 

(Back at IFF.)
[It’s time for more dialogue stating the obvious. Okay go on.. let me hear it!
Lee : The woman in front of Randy’s. The Embassy. The confrontation in the park. They were all just tricks to try to get you to remember those missing days.
Billy : No, no. Not tricks. Carefully set up flashbacks.
[Yeahhhh, the carefully set up flashbacks trick. what’s your point?!]
Lee : You remember something else?
Billy : Yeah. Francine, inform the coroner that the body they found in the park last Friday was that of one Lanni Jeans.
Francine : Are you sure about that?
Billy : Yes, she took me to the list. My job was to get it out of the safe. She was an Estocian operative in a lot of trouble. I remember her.
Lee : And the Kalahari List?
Billy : I had it – that’s all. I remember I had it!
Lee : Yeah, well they want you to remember what you did with it.
Billy : Well fine, let’s dig into all the files we have and find out what it is because right now I wouldn’t know it if it hit me in the face.
[rofl. I don’t know why but this line makes me laugh. ]
Francine : Billy, you need to slow down.
[oh right. yeah okay I’ll do that. Even though my whole career is on the line, and a woman I met with is dead, and a Kalahari ia possibly going to hit me in the face. Since when does anyone listen in this show when anyone says ‘you need rest! you must slow down!!!’ aie..]
Billy : I can’t.
Francine : You need to.
Billy : I can’t!!!!..

…Listen, try to understand, 29 years ago I was a kid, right out of law school. I had a decision to make. To have a nice law practice in New York or to take a job as a counter-intelligence agent that paid little more than sweat. I don’t know what kind of lawyer I might have been and I really don’t care because I do know that I made a pretty damn good agent,…
…and if there’s someone out there trying to take that away from me,…
…I’m going to fight like hell to make that decision stick.
[Okay I’m a bit narky with this episode, but… I’m happy to see Billy get all passionate and determined about why he does what he does.. and no set of evil dimples is going to take it away from him!]
Lee : Gee Billy, I think you would have made a lousy lawyer.
Francine : The worst.
[Awhhhhh smiles and good feels finish off this scene.]
The scene ends here.
The gang is united! I think I’m supposed to be feeling the feels.. the warm glow of loyalty, inspiration.. and…determination! Billy is on a mission! It’s his life’s work to be in this business, be a great agent (though technically he’s only admin haaa). His back is against the wall! the chips are all down! He’s so driven he won’t listen to his friend’s warnings, and.. ummm… His life his whole career is on the line, he hasn’t slept for days! and and and.. if I see another cliché enter into this plot, I’m going to say- Just please, stop with the clichés or I’ll hit you in the face!

I have a theory, I think Rashidi set the dog on Lee so he could mess up his annoyingly perfect hair (not annoying to us, just to the competition!). Funny to see a Doberman two weeks in a row – maybe they hire out stunt/celebrity Dobermans for a weekly rate. haaaaa..

Sorry for the snark. Hope I’m not being too annoying. I do love this show honestly.. I think this this whole episode is too much cliché! Oh well.. at least we got Lee lookin good in the great outdoors I guess!

What do you all think? Do tell!!