Numb3rs Episode 2-2, Bettor or Worse
A woman comes into a jewellery store. Nervously, she asks to speak to the owner. When she does, she shows him a note and a photo, and tells him to do what it says or his wife and child die. She still looks very nervous. The owner then starts giving her diamonds, as demanded on the paper, at which point an employee motions to the security guard to be ready. As the woman leaves, the guard tells her to stop, she turns, and he shoots her dead.
Later, Don and Colby arrive on the scene, where David is already investigating. They determine that the kidnapping is real, and hope that the guard’s shot didn’t kill the wife and child.
Opening Credits
FBI-Los Angeles HQ. Don wants the kidnapping treated as top priority, and the woman wasn’t carrying any ID on her. They’re assuming that the wife and child are alive, because it’s positive thinking. Anyways, they’re trying to trace the woman via her car keys, when who should walk in but Charlie. He explains to us exactly how keyless remote entry works, and refers Don to Larry for help.
Jewellery store, David and Colby ask the owner, Martin Rausch, the usual questions about kidnapping, but doesn’t want any type of FBI help. So as they leave, David tells Colby that they’re gonna tap his phone line anyway. Gotta love the FBI.
University. Larry is talking to Charlie about Amita, and how he shouldn’t waste opportunities with her. Although really, he’s been doing that since the show started, so nothing new there. Lucky for us, Don comes in, and they start trying to determine the remote code, but it turns out to be a rolling code, and now they need to determine the algorithm that creates the rolling code. No problem, except it’s maybe a 32-digit hexidecimal number. No problem for Charlie and Larry.
FBI. Megan’s trying to figure out what makes the would-be theif tick, and doesn’t think she’s really a full-time crook at all.
Meanwhile, Charlie’s trying to determine the algorithm. Amita comes in, and manages to put him in the right direction. After which, he FINALLY asks her out.
FBI. David is able to narrow down the time of abduction, and Charlie sends Don the remote key info, which should help track down the car.
Later… Don and Co. are doing a stakeout, and David is sent in as a delivery man to get the door opened. Hey, why send the black guy? Colby’s the newbie. As it turns out, only one person, Steven Logan, is there. He’s the father of the dead girl, Erica Logan. Who turns out to be a kindergarten teacher.
Ad Break
Steven’s still trying to make sense of things. Erica was the one who held her family together after her mother died. He thinks there’s more to it. David gets a call, saying they found the wife’s car. At the scene, it looks like the kidnapping was accomplished by causing an accident, then using that to facilitate the kidnapping.
FBI. Megan thinks that Erica tried to rob things due to a trigger, which could be the brother. Don decides to follow up on things.
Meanwhile, Charlie and Amita are on their date, but they seem to be unable to talk about anything about work and physics. Which seems reasonable, since they’re both physics PhDs who work together. Anyways, it’s one of those “stellar” first dates that most of us have had to suffer through at one point or another,
FBI. Colby finds a record on the brother, Remy Logan, and they pick him up at what looks to be Melrose Place. Remy tries to escape, but David and Colby catch him by threatening to shoot him – because Colby didn’t really feel like running.
Ad Break
Remy looked like he was ready to leave town, and Colby’s wondering why. As it turns out, Remy runs a book operation out of his apartment, and they’re wondering who his backers are, since there’s no way he could be financing an independent book on his own. Since it’s probably also illegal and all.
Eppes house, chere Charlie relates to his dad how badly his date bombed. Don figures that it’s a family curse. Anyways, Don tells Charlie that they’re looking for the backers, but they can’t figure out the numbers. Dad figures out that the numbers are actually the point spread. And with that information, Charlie manages to determine who’s betting on what, and where the money’s going.
FBI. Charlie explains the process of setting the spread, and how bookies make money. And he tracks the backers to an account at Pacific World Bank. But David also finds out that Martin Rausch owes $180,000 to Remy Logan. Which puts him right in the middle of things.
Ad Break
It turns out that Rausch has given his FBI trackers the slip, but good news – they found the backers – Brian and Chris Reynolds, who cleaned out the account an hour after the robbery went decidedly sour. Both guys have a bit of a rap sheet. The address traces to a P.O. Box in San Pedro.
Don and Megan interrogate Remy, who is of no real help other than his sister helped him to save his life. Colby finds out that the kidnappers called Rausch from his wife’s cellphone, and Don then finds out that Rausch took all the repair jewellry to try and alleviate his debt.
The jewellery store tapes show Rausch leaving on the 101 South. And based on that and the PIMS system, Charlie manages to determine an approximate area where Rasuch was headed – a parking lot where the robbery drop was supposed to be made. Don and David drive there, and find Rausch there, with a new photo of his wife and kids. And then he lets slip that the robbery was planned by Rausch to free him from his debt.
Ad Break
At FBI HQ, Megan’s pissed at Rausch for playing them, but Don remembers that he used credit cards to gamble, and Charlie and Amita manage to find the Reynolds’ “base” from that data – San Pedro. And things wind up rather swiftly from there, as the Reynolds boys are captured, and Rausch’s wife and child are rescued.
Back at FBI HQ, the Rausches enjoy a happy reunion, until Mrs. Rausch sees the handcuffs and Martin explains things to her. The slap pretty much says it all.
Finally, Larry and Charlie talk about love over a fun game of air hockey.
