"Previously on The Grinder..." "You're not gonna believe this." "This punk is suing me for malpractice." "This Cory Manler is really prepared." "The statute of limitations is tolled..." "What does "tolled" mean?" "It means we're screwed." "Manler is a puppet." "Someone's pulling the strings." "Who are you working with?" "!" "What are you hiding, Pop?" "Maybe I screwed up." "She looks great." "You're home." "Didn't you hear?" "The war's over." "Hey... you know what?" "I think it's moments like this we need to cherish, Dad." "I just want you to know, I've always looked up to you." "The war made me realize this." "I just want to make you proud, Pop." "Because you've always been my..." "Pop." "Pop, can you hear me?" ""S"..." "Inkspot." "Sink... spot, sink spot!" "That's it." "What's it?" "The spot I saw in the sink." "It wasn't hair dye." "It was blood." "Take care of yourself, son." "The name of the boat was the SS Inkspot?" " I noticed that, too." " You noticed what?" "I mean, you think that's a normal thing to name a boat if you're not trying to lead someone to a blood spot in your sink?" "You know, I don't like the tone of this." "What are you now, the logic police?" "I-It doesn't matter." "I mean, it-it worked, you know?" "Leave it alone." "I have another question." "Ugh." "Yes, Officer?" "Sorry." "Um, I just was wondering..." "So he just leaves his son right after he gets home from the war?" "Oh, yeah." "What war?" "Nobody cares about the war." "The case got solved." "That's what you care about." "The whole kid nonsense is just a side story to help me solve the conflict of the main story." " Well, that seems like a whole other thing." " Why doesn't he just" " solve the main story, then?" " Why-why take that detour?" "Go straight for it." "Can't you just solve the case by, yeah, working on that?" "I'll ask you, Sheriff." " Have you?" " Have I what?" "Solved our big case just by working on it?" "Oh... that is a very good point." "Thank you, Debbie." "I think... it's time we start doing things a little differently around here." "I'm not getting involved in a side story with you, Dean." "I'm not doing it." "I'm telling you that right now." "Well?" "What do you think?" "So you want to stop working on the case entirely so that we can join you on a side story that will enable you to figure out... what now?" "The answer to who's behind the whole case." "Come on, Claire." "He just laid it out for us." " Sorry." " I'm in." "Well, I'm only gonna need one or two of you." "Because, uh, the main case has to continue." " It's a simultaneous approach." " Yeah." " You guys talking side story?" " Oh, yeah." "How about this?" "How about you two keep things flowing here and Stew and I will chase something down?" "Oh, I'm not gonna chase anything down with you, Dean." " I told you that." " Good, 'cause I'd like to throw my hat in the side story ring." "Yeah, I-I mean, if..." "if it works." "You know." "But we don't even know what the side story is yet." "Is that maybe 'cause it's nothing?" " It's gonna be something." " Oh, Dean." "Look, Dad screwed up." "Okay?" "We don't have a case." "We need to settle." "So we're gonna admit defeat?" "You okay with that, Deano?" "What do you think?" "What's the plan?" "Well, Dean wants to get involved in a side story." "Oh." "So he can see if it sparks something in the real case?" " That makes sense to you?" " Hell yes it does." " Have we found the side thing yet?" " Still looking for it." "I have some ideas that I think..." "Todd!" "What did I tell you?" "You said, "If it works."" "And do we know if it works yet?" "Claire?" "Oh." "No, we don't." "But keep your heads up, guys, because something tells me we're gonna find something." "Oh, good." "We just got to not look in all the right places." "Mm-hmm." " Mm-hmm." " Mm-hmm." "30 dollars?" "What do you need $30 for?" "I can't say, but just trust me that it's important." "Okay, well, until you can say," " you're not getting it." " Mm-hmm." "What happened to the hundo I gave you?" " What?" " You gave him $100?" "What is going on?" "Was it... what, a field trip or something?" "A field trip?" "Ethan, you do not have a field trip coming up." "Okay." "I'm in pretty deep to Zack Landsman." "I lost a few bets that I thought were a sure thing." " What are you betting on?" " When did you start gambling, Ethan?" "Is this our side deal?" "I'm not sure yet." "I'd like to know what's going on down there." "Lizzie... you seem really quiet." "You don't have any reaction to your brother's addiction problem?" "No, not really." "I kind of got my own stuff going on." "What kind of stuff?" "Guys... that is not this, okay?" "One thing at a time, please." "But that's the mistake you keep making." "It's never one thing at a time, because the second it is, you're dead." "We're dead?" "Look, I'm telling you... there's something going on down there." "Well, Joel's in a lot of trouble at school and it looks like he might get expelled." "Oh, honey, I thought you guys broke up." "Yeah, we did, but he's really vulnerable and I've just never seen him like that, so..." "Yeah." "Yeah." "It's real." "It's emotional, it's timely." "It's compelling." "What do you say?" "You take the boy, I take the girl." " Guys..." " Sounds good." "All right." "Hello?" "Hey, are you there yet?" "Uh-huh." "Oh, good." "Okay." "Well, I'm about five minutes away, so I'll see you in just a second." "Okay, yes." "No, I mean, I'm on my way, too." "I'm not there yet..." "It does not sound like you're in your car, honey." "No, 'cause it's a very quiet interior." "You forgot, didn't you?" "I forgot." "I cannot believe that you forgot." "I totally forgot." "I'm so sorry." "Can you just tell me what we're doing and I'll get there in two seconds, I promise you." "Ethan's parent/teacher conference, honey." "I reminded you last night." "You did." "Oh, man, that's a big one." "I'm so sorry, honey, but I-I scheduled this settlement meeting for now." "Well, move it, honey, because we have moved this three times already." "You've got to be here." "I will, I will show up." "I will be there." "Okay." "Are you even walking yet or are you just sitting behind your desk?" "You know I don't like to walk and talk!" "I think that's rude to the person listening." "It's the point of a mobile phone." "All right, then just.. can you...." "You know this is my thing..." "I did it." "I trashed the principal's office, 'cause I felt like it, and I'm willing to accept whatever punishment." "No, okay?" "Uncle Dean can help, right?" "I mean, we can't just give up." "Nothing is ever that simple, Lizzie." "I wish... it were." "Kind of is." "I mean, it's just gonna be a slap on the wrist." "Nothing... is ever... a slap on the wrist." "Okay." "So wait." "Why did you pull me out of class?" "You know," " I used to have a gambling problem myself." " Yeah?" "The ponies." "Almost lost your dad's college tuition." "What did you do?" "Did you get help?" "Nope." "I put it all on the line." "I borrowed everything I could from everyone I knew, and I laid it on Miss Makkos in the fifth." " And did you win?" " Not even close." "That was a rough year for all of us." "So what if I lose and bring down everyone with me?" "That's a very real possibility." "I think it feels easier just to lie to my parents, make up some reason why I need to switch schools, and never see Zack Landsman again." "You want to run." "Yeah." "Maybe I do." "Joel, there's something that you're not telling us." "What is it?" "I told you everything, bro." "That's it." " I'm out of here." " Uncle Dean, he's not ly..." "Get your head out of the clouds, Lizzie." "He's lying to us." " What?" " Wait." "Okay, it wasn't me." "You're protecting someone." "Protection." "Security." "Insecurity." "Ugh." "Thought I had something." "Thought you had what?" "Nothing." "I know..." "I'm just saying." "We had it scheduled for a month, and I-I..." "I just think it's weird." "I know, it's weird." "I usually write it down, and I don't know what happened." "So you're talking, what, you're talking how you rescheduled the settlement?" "Uh, yeah, we just had this other thing at Ethan's school, so..." " Interesting." " Why is that interesting?" " You tell me." " I don't know." "That's why I asked you." "You are familiar with my position on settling, right?" "Oh, I am." "You don't like to do it." "That's an understatement." "Have you ever considered that maybe deep down inside," "Stewbie doesn't want to settle either?" "Oh, my gosh, you think that I purposefully scheduled this other thing to get in the way of the settlement." "Most likely, yes, on a subconscious level." "And that maybe your big brother rubbed off on you." "Oh, got a little Grinder in you, hon." "I think we all have a little Grinder in us." "It's just a question of..." "what are you gonna do with it?" "Probably just have it reschedule the settlement meeting." "Well, that'll work for a little bit, but then something else... will keep you... from doing that." "How long is this gonna go on?" "Just a little bit longer." "And s..." " ...stop." "Okay, good." " Oh, my God." " I need a glass of wine." " Right?" " That was intense." " He's really committed to that thing." "Ugh." "Todd, are you okay?" "No, I wanted to get into something with Dean." "I was up all night;" "I just can't figure out how to hook him." "You don't say." "Help me, Claire." "What do I do?" " Just maybe back up." " Yeah." "On it." " Maybe a little further." " Further?" "Always." "Um, I don't know." "Uh, maybe stop thinking about it?" "Think about something else for a while?" " Like what?" " Um..." "Maybe you could finish all of this, and, you know, while you're making the copies, you'll figure something else out?" "So this could be my side thing to figure out that side thing?" "But is this enough?" "It'll only take me a couple hours." "Oh, I have a bunch more in my office." "Okay." "Thank you." " Thank you." " No problem." "Lifesaver." "I told you," "I'm not protecting anyone." "So it's not that, but what else is it?" "Say some other things." "Well, he doesn't think they're gonna believe him over Chad Oseroff, because Oseroff's dad is tight" " with Principal Davis." " Oseroff." "Oseroff... the beaten path?" "Nah." " What?" " Cross-er-off?" "Cross her... cross who off?" "Of what?" "Dude, are you thinking about something else?" "What?" "!" "No, I'm thinking about this." "And..." "_ ...that." "Whatever." "It-it doesn't matter." "They already think I did it." " What's the point?" " The point is that you have to keep this going." "We have to keep this going." "Keep it going why?" "For what?" "Well, for you, pal." "And-and your school record or whatever." "He wants to help, Joel." "I mean, just let him help." "Don't you have more important things to do?" "I have this." "And only... this." "Okay." "Now take me to Chad Oseroff." "Hey, honey." "How was the settlement..." "Oh!" "What happened to you?" " I got a flat tire." " Ugh!" "And I spent 45 minutes on the phone with roadside assist, only to I find out that our membership expired." "Ooh." "Fortunately, my cell phone completely died after that," " so I had to change a tire all by myself." " How fun for you." " And then I missed the settlement." " Again?" "Yes!" "And Dean thinks I did it on purpose." "You know, like I'm..." "like I'm intentionally blowing off the settlement." " Are you?" " No!" " You think I'm doing that, too?" " Maybe subconsciously?" " Oh, my gosh, you're worse than him." " Okay." "What, you think I'm trying to avoid settling because, deep down inside," "I don't want to settle?" "And don't... don't say "okay"" "with your voice real high and your eyebrows up." " Okay." " Okay." "That's a better one." "Thank you." "Okay." " Grandpa?" " Shh." "Go back to sleep." "I'm just leaving these for you." " What are they?" " They're nothing." "They're just envelopes for you to open on the most important days of your life." ""Your high school graduation."" ""Congrats on the birth of your first child."" "Grandpa, what is all this?" "Take care, Ethan." "You're a good kid." "I'm sorry, Bones." "I really am." "If I wasn't there, the prosecution's..." " Okay, did all these." " And?" "Didn't spark anything." "Oh, damn." "Hmm." "Do you want to maybe try those?" "Yeah." " You got it?" " Yes." "Okay." "Thanks, Claire." "Chad Oseroff." " We finally put a face to the name." " What's this about, Zadak?" "You trashed Principal Davis's office, and you know it." " Okay." " Dean's defending me." "He arranged a disciplinary hearing." "Oh." "Okay." "He's not gonna be able to prove anything." "Excuse me?" "What are you gonna do, Grind it out of me?" "Yeah, if I want to." "But you don't, do you?" "Because that's not why you're really here." "Wait." "What's he talking about?" "Nothing." "He's... grasping at straws." "Think about it, Joel." "He doesn't really care about this." "Yeah, of course he does." "Right, Uncle Dean?" " It's not as simple as that." " What does that mean?" " It means he's using you." " That is not true!" "I knew it!" "Look, I can explain this." "Don't bother." "Uncle Dean, do something!" "Joel, wait!" "Yes, maybe at first" "I got involved for the wrong reasons." "I needed to focus on a side story to help me solve my father's case." "Yeah, well, this little side story is my main story." "It's called my life!" "Joel." "Stewart should be here any minute, Mr. Manler." "That's cool." "It's not like I have anything better to do." "Th-That sounded sarcastic." "I-I really have nothing better." "Man-ler." "Luring a man." "Luring men." "Luring men somewhere?" "But where?" "!" "No, that's not it." " Todd, it's okay." "We'll find it." " Find what?" "Mr. Manler, sorry I'm late." "I was..." "looking for my keys for 20 minutes." "Um, ready to wrap this thing up?" "Uh, yeah, I guess." "Okay." "Uh... hold on." "I don't seem to have the agreement." "Oh, it was just here." "It's okay." "Todd, do you want to type up a new one?" "Yes." "Sorry about that." "Shouldn't be very long." "All right, Joel, you wanted this hearing about what again?" "He thinks" "I trashed your office, sir." "Which obviously I didn't." "What?" "!" "You think Oseroff did it?" "Okay, you know, I don't believe that." "What is your defense?" "I thought I had one." "But I guess I'm alone in this." "You're not alone;" "I'm right here." "And so am I." "Principal Davis..." "let's get this thing started." "Well, we've already started, so..." "All right, so let's..." "continue this thing?" "Is... is that what you're looking for?" " Uh, yeah." " Well, then let's just go with that" "What's with the cooler?" "Nothing." "I'm going fishing." "You're not going fishing, are you?" "You're running." "Because of the case." "Yeah?" "Okay, so what if I am?" "You gonna try and stop me?" "Take me with you." "Absolutely not." "You got your school, you got soccer." "You have a life here." "Yeah, well, not if Zack Landsman has anything to say about it." "Grab the other end." "So, settling... it's just... it's where we're at." "Uh, it's just... it's-it's what we have to do at this point." "Yeah, sometimes you got to know when to give up." "Well, I-I wouldn't call it giving up, Mr. Manler." " I would." " Okay, new document, ready to sign." "Let's, uh... put this baby to bed, huh?" "Get this show on the road." "And sign." "What is that?" "I think it's the fire alarm." "He's right!" "Fire!" "Get out of the way!" "Everybody run out!" "The latch is broken." "I can't..." "Yeah, I think we need to open the whole door, don't you think?" " Come on." " Well, that's what I'm trying to do." " Get it... put that thing in there." "No." " Why is this..." "It's the latch." " Well, because..." " I can't get out." "What you guys doing?" " Oh." "We're going fishing." " Right now?" " Mom... stay out of this." " Excuse me?" "All right, she got us." "We're not going fishing." "That was easy." "All right, what are you guys actually doing?" "We're heading out of town for a bit." "Let things cool off around here." "Uh, no." "No, you're not doing that." "Mom, we've been all around this." "We don't have time to catch you up." "You're not running, either of you." "Put it down." "Right now." "Come on." "Put it down." "Okay." "You are gonna stay here, you're gonna pay Zack Landsman back, and you are never going to gamble again." "What?" "!" "That was not an unreasonable thing to say." "And you, sir, are gonna stay here and you're gonna fight this thing." "I buy that." "All right, we'll stay." "Great." "This time." "Excuse me?" "What are you doing here, Dean?" "Yeah, what are you doing here?" "It's over." "Zadak." "What?" "I screwed up." "I used you." "And you didn't deserve that." " What?" " I thought this was all so unimportant that I could just phone it in, do the bare minimum while I figured out my main story, but I didn't count on becoming invested." "Now I know that... this is my main story." "It is?" "Yeah." " What's happening?" " Okay, really, dude?" "You're gonna make everyone sit through this?" "Just admit it, bro." "You're gonna let this guy off the hook?" " He's been after me since day one." " Get over it." "That's not what happened." "Dude, every time something comes up..." "Oser-off... the hook." "Day one." "Off... the hook." "After me from day one." "That's it." "Sorry, uh, are you talking to yourself there?" "I got it." "I told you he'd figure it out." "He always does." " I got to go." " Wait, what?" "Zadak, um, uh, I believe in you." " You got this." " I don't at all." "Wait, so, what, this wasn't your main story?" "I was hoping it was." "We all were." "Maybe the takeaway from today is that sometimes the side story is as important as the main story." "Then why are you leaving?" "Ugh!" "All right!" "It's not as important as the main story." "But it's close." "God!" "I'm sorry about that, Mr. Manler" "I'm not sure, uh, what happened." "I think I might have an idea." "It was the toaster." "Someone left an onion bagel in there" " for way too long." " Wasn't me." " Mr. Manler?" " I didn't even know you had bagels." "It was me." "That was my onion bagel." "Okay. it's not that big of a deal." "I never leave things in toasters for too long." " Stewart?" " I usually sync my watch with the timer so that when I'm in the office..." " You do?" " ...nothing burns." "Maybe Dean was right." "Maybe he did rub off on me." "That's it." "That's my side thing with Dean." "I got it." " You got it from "rubbed off on me"?" " What?" "Mr. Manler... we'll see you in court." "Everyone, stop!" "Put those pens down." "No one's holding a pen." "Good, 'cause it's gonna make this easier, because we are not settling today." "I know that." "I-I just said that, just now." "Yeah, like, literally right before you walked in." " Really?" " You were right." "So, you do have a little Grinder in you." "I think we got to find a better way to say that." "But... yeah?" "And, Dean, get ready to get even more excited, because I figured out our side thing, and you're gonna love it." "Todd, you are so far behind on this." "I figured out my side thing days ago." " But I..." " And..." " ...it worked." " Worked how?" "Mr. Manler, would you give us the room?" "Oh." "Now." "Okay." "Yeah." "Did you crack it?" "Do you know who's behind this?" "Brother... it all comes... full circle." "Okay, so do you know?"