The Firm Episode 1.19 Chapter Nineteen

Joey Morolto explains why he wants to hire Mitch: an old college buddy, Patrick Walker, has been framed with murder and needs representation. Mitch tries to beg off - organized crime isn't his specialty. Furthermore, Mitch didn't do anything to take down Joey's father - he never even met him! But Joey knows what he wants and will do whatever he needs to do to get it. Economist Patrick isn't part of the Morolto family, and he didn't murder that woman... So Mitch has a choice: he can handle Patrick's case - and win - and everything between the McDeeres and the Moroltos will be square. Or he can wait until Joey leaves, call Louis Coleman and run. Maybe Joey won't be able to find Mitch - but he'll never stop looking.

Mitch and Ray weigh the pros and cons of the situation. Mitch insists they have to make a decision right away: are they going to call Louis or not? Ray finally agrees to take one meeting with Patrick. Meanwhile, Abby takes an awkward but still flirtatious call from Dr. Wilson. Regardless of the kiss they shared, Abby agrees to schedule another appointment - or is it a date? Abby's other line rings. It's Mitch. Even though he promised to give Abby some space, he wanted to say he misses her. When Joey walks into his office, Mitch hangs up, not bothering to mention the whole Morolto business to Abby. Mitch demands to meet Patrick, so Joey orders his consigliere Antonio to bring the car around.

In the prison interview room, Patrick immediately lays into Mitch, criticizing his suit - what does it say about Mitch's lawyering style? Mitch gives it right back, earning Patrick's respect and more information about the case. Patrick swears he didn't know the murder victim, Charlotte Hudson. On the night in question, he went out for a few drinks after work at Balthazar, a club owned by the Moroltos. Then he went home to change and went out to a poker game. A cop pulled him over, gave him a breathalyzer test and impounded his car. Later, the cops found Charlotte naked, strangled and stuffed into a suitcase in the trunk of the car. After this dissertation, Joey demands to know one thing: is Mitch in, or is he out?

Back at the office, Mitch updates Ray: they're in, since opting out of Patrick's case didn't seem workable in the moment. Mitch promises at the first sign of trouble, they'll turn tail and run. For now, Ray should verify that Patrick was actually on his way to a poker game on the night of the murder. Mitch heads out to meet with Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Rutlidge, the lawyer for the prosecution, who has bad news. Rutlidge has surveillance video from Patrick's building on the night of the murder, showing Patrick rolling a heavy suitcase into a freight elevator. Charlotte's clothes were found bundled into Patrick's sheets in the trash chute. Rutlidge figures it was a case of rough sex gone wrong.

Feeling trepidatious, Abby accepts her mother's invitation for lunch. As usual, Maxine has an agenda. She wants Abby to take a look at the books for the Community Center - their state funding seems to be coming up short. Their accountant Martin Gorman used to keep the records by hand, but since he died, new accountant Charles Finley claims he can't find Martin's ledger. Meanwhile, Ray meets with Morolto lieutenant Sal at Balthazar before a scheduled meeting with Joey. After Ray and Sal bond over prison time, Sal divulges that Patrick is now the crazy smart guy Joey trusts the most out of anyone in the family.

Fuming, Mitch shows up for his meeting with Joey with news that everything Patrick said was a lie. Joey's disappointed, but continues to insist that Patrick was framed. When he went back to his apartment, the girl was dead in his bed. Mitch tells Joey that he wants out, so Joey mentions Abby and Claire - there's no backing out. Afterwards, Ray tells Mitch about the fruit of his conversation with Joey: Patrick isn't just Joey's college buddy... he's Joey's new consigliere.

It's not long before an irate Louis busts into Mitch's office to berate him for getting involved with Joey Morolto. When Mitch asks how Louis knows about the case - is Louis watching him? - Louis explains that his office is watching the Moroltos. How could Mitch endanger his family by taking this case?! Mitch insists he had to take the case to protect his family, so Louis hauls him down to FBI headquarters to review the case. It's the wrong time to get involved with the Moroltos: Patrick is becoming the new de facto consigliere as Joey is trying to move the Morolto connections into legitimate business. Unfortunately, the old-time mobsters like Joey's present consigliere Antonio don't care about legitimate business, they don't like being pushed aside, and they really don't like Patrick. Afterwards, Mitch presents his latest theory to Ray: Antonio is framing Patrick for murder. Ray insists it's time to talk to Joey. They can't go after Antonio without clearing it with Joey first.

Abby heads to the Community Center for a meeting with Dr. Wilson. When she spies accountant Charles leaving his office, she decides to sneak in and look for Gorman's ledger - which she discovers in a secret desk compartment. She's just looking through the ledger when Charles enters to demand, "What are you doing?" Abby tries to leave with the ledger, but Charles wrestles her for it and wins. Abby calls for Dr. Wilson as Charles secures the ledger in his desk. Abby explains the situation to Wilson, who turns to Charles and apologizes for her behavior. Abby is his patient, and she had no business breaking into Charles' office. Stunned, Abby huffs into the hallway - all Wilson had to do was open Charles' desk. And furthermore, she's not his patient!

At another meeting, Joey explains that he inherited the legacy of his family, and his people mostly underestimate him. Nevertheless, he won't allow Mitch and Ray to go after Antonio. They're going to have to find another way to win Patrick's freedom. Late that night, Mitch returns to his office, surprised to find Antonio waiting for him. If it were up to him, Mitch would be dead. But if he's one thing, he's loyal to his boss. So the next time Mitch questions Antonio's loyalty, he should remember that loyalty is the only reason Mitch is still alive. Thoroughly scared, Mitch is relieved when Rutlidge enters, prompting Antonio to leave. Rutlidge has new evidence to share: apparently, the cops were responding to an anonymous tip of a drunk driver on the night of the murder - Mitch thinks this supports the defense that Patrick was framed and tells Rutlidge that he'll move to suppress this evidence at tomorrow's hearing.

Later that night, Dr. Wilson meets Abby at the Community Center to apologize. Abby still can't believe that rather than hold Charles accountable for stealing, Wilson discredited her. When Wilson insists any guy would have done the same thing in that situation, Abby realizes she knows one guy who wouldn't have... Back in D.C., Joey meets with Antonio to discuss what he learned from the McDeere brothers. Is it possible there's a rift in the family? He can understand how Antonio might be upset with Patrick's plan to move into legitimate business. When Antonio asks whether he has to declare his loyalty after 40 years of service, Joey says no. He assumes Antonio's loyalty. Now he wants his advice. Antonio insists there's no rift in the family.

Ray stops by Mitch's house with a recording of the 911 call targeting Patrick, which couldn't have been from a moving vehicle. Mitch concludes that whoever made the call is the guy who set up Patrick. The next day, Ray and Mitch meet with Patrick before court. Patrick confesses the truth - he found Charlotte dead in his apartment. Nevertheless, he didn't kill her; he was framed. Mitch agrees, floating his theory that someone in the family is trying to set up Joey. In the upcoming hearing, Mitch will try to suppress the 911 call. Although it could prove Patrick was set up, if it's suppressed, then the body in the suitcase found in the trunk of Patrick's car is inadmissible, and the victim's clothes won't be enough for a murder charge. If they win the hearing, this nightmarish situation will end for everyone involved.

Abby spends time with her father, telling him she's decided it's time to go home. Harold says Maxine mentioned Abby's botched "investigation" of the ledger. Abby was always brave, always after the truth... just like Mitch. Abby realizes she's been blaming Mitch for everything that's happened to them, but now she knows she has the same instincts as her husband. Maxine isn't happy to hear Abby's heading home to her life of terrible choices, but she has decided to finally explain why she's been so against Mitch all these years. What Abby did in Charles' office was reckless, and Mitch is the same way. Maxine and Harold wanted Abby to marry someone who would restrain those impulses, not reinforce them. Nevertheless, her marriage has led to a lot of love, and now Maxine is hoping to make room for the McDeeres in her life.

Mitch questions Officer Payton, the cop who pulled over Patrick, on the stand, getting into the nitty gritty of the traffic stop. Apparently, Payton made the stop because of what the 911 caller implied (drunkenness) rather than what he actually observed - Patrick slowed down when he realized the cop was behind him. While waiting for the judge's decision in the hallway, Mitch stuns Joey, telling him about Antonio's late night visit. Joey is particularly upset Antonio acted without his permission. Back in court, the judge presents a lengthy speech on the close call in ruling on the 911 call. This time, he's going to rule in favor of the prosecution, and Mitch's motion to suppress is denied. Louis rushes out of the courtroom to report to the scene of a crime. Antonio has been found shot in the head and tossed in a garbage dumpster.

Louis rushes to Mitch's office with photos of Antonio's corpse, hoping to drive home the point of what working for the Moroltos could lead to. In turn, Mitch rushes to Balthazar to show Joey the photos and accuse him of killing Antonio. Joey warns Mitch to show some respect; his family is in mourning. He didn't kill Antonio, but that doesn't mean he's not capable of it. Seems to Joey that Mitch got what he wanted. Now he can argue that Antonio framed Patrick. Back in the McDeere kitchen, Ray and Mitch try to sort out what happened. Just as Mitch wonders if he's going mad, the front door opens. Abby and Claire have returned home!