Episode 511: Hop a Freighter

Hop a Freighter is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of Dexter, and the 59th overall episode of the series. It first aired 5 December 2010 on Showtime.

Dexter is forced to do damage control after he concedes that someone outside of Miami Metro has taken an interest in him and Lumen.

Summary
Deb and Quinn arrive at Jordan Chase's office to thank him for his tip about Tilden. They mention that he has disappeared like Boyd Fowler and Cole Harmon. Deb points out that all three have a connection to Chase himself. Chase is outraged, saying that he was cleared by DNA. Chase tries to psychoanalyze Deb while she warns him that he is likely next because a barrel girl got away.

Dexter and Lumen try to plan Chase's murder, but there is too much security. Lumen suggests they lure him out using her as bait. Dexter says no because too many people are watching, including his sister. Lumen apologizes for putting Dexter in this situation but he says that it's not the first time he's lied to Deb. Lumen asks him if Deb has ever suspected anything about what he does, but Dexter concludes that she may have a blind spot for him. He decides it is for the best because she is not like them.

As they kiss, Dexter notices out the corner of his eye surveillance footage of himself and Lumen on a baby monitor. He whispers to Lumen that there is a camera in the room and someone is watching them. He thinks it's Jordan. Dexter runs outside and spots many vans in the area and decides the perpetrator could be anywhere.

Deb and Quinn return to the station where Liddy is waiting outside for Quinn. He tells Quinn that he's officially terminated and he needs his help to bust Dexter so he can get his job back. Quinn refuses and Liddy calls him a wimp. Before he leaves, Liddy orders Quinn to come running when he calls.

Dexter and Lumen keep an eye on the baby monitor, which is still picking up from the surveillance camera. Dexter finds a recording device in a lamp that's labeled Property of "Miami Metro Police" and he tells Lumen that it's not Jordan. It's worse because someone in his department is watching them. Lumen asks how they could be onto them, but Dexter says they must not have much to go on yet since they haven't been arrested. Lumen insists that it can't end this way, and Dexter promises that it isn't going to. He advises that they just pretend like everything is okay.

Sonya calls Dexter about Harrison's birthday party and he says it would be easier to have it in Orlando. In reality, he knows it would be safer.

At the station, Dexter is in a hurry to find out who planted the cameras but Deb insists that he attend the briefing on the Barrel Girls Case. Batista wonders why Jordan is running a rape club. Masuka has found a second footprint to match the partial one outside Tilden's home. When he went inside the vacant house next door, Masuka discovered that the dining room was recently cleaned with bleach, He suggests that the vigilante killed Tilden there. This piques LaGuerta's curiosity, and Deb explains her vigilante concept of a woman and man working together. LaGuerta is skeptical.

To find out who checked out the surveillance equipment, Dexter waits until the Requisitions Officer takes her break. Then he pulls up info on her computer and discovers that Quinn checked out three cameras, two microphones, and a recorder three days ago. Since there was no court order for his apartment and it was under a false case number, Dexter realizes that Quinn is doing this off the books.

Dexter and Lumen break into Quinn's apartment, hoping to find out what he knows. Lumen checks the computer files, but there's nothing relevant. In a bedroom drawer, Dexter discovers the photos of when they were at the marina disposing of Harmon's body. Lumen wants to take them, but Dexter says it will tip Quinn off and he'll just print more. Instead, he says they need to find the digital source.

At Dan Mendell's dental office, Deb and Quinn question Dan's wife. Due to how her husband was found dead, Laura assumes that he led a closeted gay life. She mentions his week-long fishing trips, which he called his "man time." The detectives inform her that new evidence implies that Dan wasn't gay, but he was linked to a series of rapes and murders. Laura is completely shocked. Deb and Quinn tell her the names of the other suspects, but she only recognizes Jordan's name and points to a sailing team trophy on the desk with Dan's name and the name "Eugene Greer." Laura explains that Jordan used to be Eugene Greer and that Dan and Jordan were childhood friends. Afterward, Quinn asks Deb how Laura didn't have a clue about her husband, and Deb says that he was probably a really good liar.

Batista informs Deb and Quinn that Chase lied about knowing Tilden, and they tell him that Chase's real name is Eugene Greer. This ties Chase to each of the Barrel Girl rapists, though it's still circumstantial. Dexter overhears them and decides that he needs to act fast.

To learn about Quinn, he asks Deb if she and Quinn want to join him in Orlando for Harrison's birthday. However, Deb says she's too busy with the case and reveals that she had a fight with Quinn because he thought Dexter was connected to Rita's murder. Deb says she didn't tell Dexter because he has been through enough. She admits to really caring about Quinn, but can't accept that he lied to her. Deb states that she needs someone she can fully trust and points to the boot print. She believes that the vigilante has a person in her life that would do anything for her, which she describes as "love."

Lumen and Dexter are at a kiosk and he buys her a pocketknife from a vendor. They talk about the surveillance again and Dexter wants her to leave Miami until its safe. Lumen refuses, saying they're a team, and they kiss.

Quinn, Batista, and Deb discuss Chase's transformation from Eugene Greer and look at before-and-after photos. They find more connections and realize the men have been hurting girls for years. Quinn tries to make up with Deb, stating again that he loves her. He tells her that she is "more like a guy" because she doesn't play games and is the first woman to ever call him on his "bullshit." Quinn says it's made him a better person and he doesn't want to lose her. Batista returns to the table and tells them that Chase has booked a multi-city speaking deal in Europe. This means that he will be untouchable unless they can find a way to keep him there. Deb says that she'll try to get a court order.

Dexter notices a man who appears to be Quinn near a white van, and sneaks up to inject him with M99. However, it’s actually Stan Liddy who is lying in wait. He tasers Dexter, throws him into his van, and drives away.

Emily Birch, sounding panicked, calls Lumen and begs that she and Dexter hurry to her house. When Emily hangs up, Chase is shown sitting in her house. He congratulates Emily on her acting and she smiles. Lumen leaves Dexter a voicemail, telling him where she's going.

Liddy continues to drive with Dexter tied up in the back of the van. He tells Dexter that Quinn hired him and to relax or he'll zap him again. Liddy phones Quinn and orders him to meet him at the fuel docks to help with his bust. Annoyed, Quinn reluctantly leaves work. Dexter listening, notes that Quinn no longer seems to support Liddy's investigation. Sonya texts Dexter about Harrison's party and Liddy answers for him. Now parked, Liddy shows Dexter the surveillance footage and says he needs Dexter to confess since he didn't have a search warrant.

Lumen arrives at Emily's house. To Emily's horror, she's alone. She insists that she needs them both for protection and tells Lumen to make Dexter come there now. Lumen senses something is wrong and tries to leave, but Chase shows himself and won't let her.

Liddy tells Dexter that if he confesses, he'll let Lumen walk free. As Liddy begins to record Dexter's confession, Dexter suddenly kicks him in the face and slips out of his bonds. Liddy pulls a knife, but Dexter overpowers him and stabs him in the chest. As he dies, Liddy’s eyes open wide with fear. Just then, Quinn shows up outside the van, expecting to find Liddy. He tries the locked doors, then leaves an angry phone message to Liddy. Dexter quickly turns off Liddy's phone to stop it from ringing. Before Quinn walks away, a drop of Liddy's blood leaks out of the van and lands on his shoe, although Quinn fails to notice. Once Quinn is gone, Dexter gathers up the evidence and throws it into the bay.

Dexter listens to Lumen's voicemail about Jordan and learns that she went to Emily's house. He removes the knife from Liddy's body, tosses the laptop into the water, and takes the rest of the evidence with him.

Deb is told by LaGuerta that her request for a court order to detain Chase has been denied. Deb is upset because Chase is scheduled to fly out of Miami that day. LaGuerta asks Deb why she didn't come to her first, and Deb retorts it's because she never supports her. There is a brief back and forth, in which LaGuerta claims to always trust Deb's instincts as a cop. Deb is about to storm out when LaGuerta hands her a court order signed by a different judge that owed her a favor. Deb feels a bit foolish.

Dexter rushes to his apartment but Lumen isn't there so he doesn't stay.

Chase asks Lumen what Dexter is doing that is so important that he let her come there alone. Lumen maintains that she doesn't know but Chase thinks she's lying. Emily tries to help Chase, but he yells at her to shut up. When Emily insists that it's not her fault, he shouts back that it is her fault. Lumen tries to escape but Jordan captures her and throws her on the floor. After Emily disagrees with Chase about killing Lumen, he beats Emily to death with a poker. Lumen watches, horrified.

Dexter arrives at Emily's house to find blood on the floor. Chase and Lumen are not there, but he finds Emily's beaten body.

With sirens wailing, Debra arrives at the airport, accompanied by a deputy sheriff. As they approach the plane, the pilot disembarks and tells them that Chase never showed up.

From the footprints in the blood, Dexter concludes that Lumen put up a fight. Outside, he finds Lumen's knife on the ground and angrily sets out to rescue her from Jordan.

Quotes

 * Is this the only kind of love I'll ever find... the kind that ends in blood? - Dexter to himself after Chase kidnaps Lumen

Trivia

 * In this episode, Liddy nearly finds out the truth about Dexter, without actually knowing everything.

Related Pages

 * Alex Tilden's House
 * Barrel Girls Case
 * Barrel Girl Gang
 * Dexter's Apartment
 * Jordan Chase Enterprises
 * Old Fuel Docks at Bayfront Park

Videos
Hop a Freighter