The Finder Episode 1.12 Voodoo Undo

Isabel and Detective Gillespie are conducting surveillance on a Russian gangster's funeral, noting that local mob kingpin Xavier Obispo--who's been keeping the peace between rival gangs--is losing his grip due to a rumored illness. Then Puerto Rican gangbangers arrive and start shooting. As police swarm the cemetery, Isabel and Gillespie get shot, and Isabel kills one of the gangbangers.

Back at Leo's bar, Isabel, whose bulletproof vest saved her life, says that she feels no remorse for the killing. Xavier enters and shows Walter a photo of a voodoo doll, which he believes is the cause of his recent health problems; then he asks Walter to find it.

Walter doesn't believe in voodoo, so he refuses. When Isabel explains that keeping Xavier alive is a "lesser evil," Walter changes his mind. Leo, however, doesn't buy Isabel's lesser evil argument, and he refuses to help Walter.

Walter meets Xavier as well as his bodyguard, Benny, and Xavier's wheelchair-bound brother, Luis, at Xavier's bar, where he gets the photograph of the doll. Willa says that only a couple of local witches can make a real voodoo doll; she tells them about a "good witch" named La Bruja who knows them all.

La Bruja agrees to help Willa because "gypsies are people of the spirit world," saying that the Scorpion Witch made the doll. Walter, however, must buy something if he wants to be given the doll maker's location. Willa tells Walter to buy a particular medallion, which she places around his neck. La Bruja then says that the Scorpion Witch is behind the gate to hell, preying on unbelievers.

Walter and Willa head for a tourist trap voodoo shop with a gate to hell painted on a canvas wall. They cut through it, find a photo of Xavier, and a coffin with the Scorpion Witch inside--with an icepick in her head. Isabel arrives, noting that the icepick is the signature weapon (and name) of a hit man who works for Xavier.

When Walter finds Icepick at Xavier's bar, Xavier denies hiring Icepick to kill the Scorpion Witch because they always dump bodies where the smell would be masked. Icepick tells Xavier that his ex-wife, Eliana, ordered the murder. When questioned, Eliana explains that she did this so everyone would know the Scorpion Witch is dead, and Xavier can put these superstitions to rest. But then a nearby candle starts a fire on Xavier's arm . . .

Walter and Xavier return to his bar. Walter shows Benny and Luis a boxful of things used to make the doll, noting that only someone Xavier trusts could have gotten them. When Benny's loyalty is questioned, he shoots Walter.

Isabel finds Walter in the hospital. The bullet hit the medallion he got from La Bruja, saving his life. Leo arrives, upset he wasn't there to protect Walter, and agrees to help him.

Back at Xavier's bar, Benny apologizes for the shooting. Luis explains that his being in a wheelchair stems from getting shot on a job for Xavier. When Benny and Luis argue, Benny pulls a gun, and Walter passes out, bleeding from the chest.

At the hospital, Walter learns that the bleeding was caused by his previous wounding. Willa puts the medallion back on Walter, theorizing that the Scorpion Witch is still alive and has made a voodoo doll of Walter.

Walter then returns to Leo's bar and builds an elaborate, Rube Goldberg-like contraption that he calls a "motive machine," which eventually identifies La Bruja.

Walter and Isabel question La Bruja about her teenage son, a gang member who was killed last year. She doesn't want to help gang lord Xavier, but when Isabel cites the recent trail of dead bodies as part of her "lesser evil" argument, La Bruja admits that a man in a wheelchair paid her to make the Xavier voodoo doll.

Walter--remembering his earlier conversation with Xavier and Icepick--believes that this doll was buried at Xavier's real estate holdings downwind of a local sewage plant.

Leo and Walter arrive at an empty warehouse, where Walter sits in a wheelchair for six hours, trying to see the scene from Luis' perspective. Walter realizes that a wheelchair-bound man would look up. He finds Xavier's voodoo doll and a photo of Xavier stashed inside an elevated circuit box. Just then, Luis and Icepick arrive. Luis explains that he wanted to take over Xavier's business, but he didn't want to kill Xavier himself. He demands the doll at gunpoint.

Leo tosses it toward Luis, who reaches for the doll, allowing Walter to knock the gun from Luis' hand. Icepick throws his trademark weapon at Walter, who blocks it with Luis' arm. Leo threatens Icepick, who says he helped Luis because Xavier's peacekeeping efforts are bad for a paid killer's business. He's also wearing a belt full of icepicks, and he starts throwing them. Leo grabs a slab of wood and blocks these, advancing until he's close enough to deck Icepick. Walter then knocks Icepick unconscious.

When Walter gives Xavier the doll and the photo, Xavier and Benny vow revenge.

Back at Leo's bar, Isabel notes that Luis is missing. Walter suggests Luis and Icepick will be found at the empty warehouse.

Although Walter is concerned that Icepick might hold a grudge--and he's right outside their window!--Leo disagrees, saying that Icepick's a professional. Icepick salutes Leo and disappears, as Leo quotes Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, saying, "The world is won by those who let it go."