"FOUND MONEY" December 5, 1997

Episode 42       Airdate: 12/5/97      Writer: Shawn Ryan     Director: Julian Chojnacki
Guest Stars: Leslie Hardy, Sharisse Baker, Michael Bowen, Anthony Guzman and Daniel Roebuck as Richard Bettina. Special Guest Star: Richard Brooks.

A hungry and dieting Joe asks Nash to pull over in the 'Cuda. On a restricted diet, Joe wants to sneak in a candy bar. While in the store, Joe spots a man with a gun under his jacket. The man panics and begins shooting, running out to an accomplice waiting in a green sedan. Nash and Joe give chase. The green sedan crashes, killing the man. The driver escapes on foot. Nash and Joe separate, with Nash chasing in the Cuda. Joe is left with the dead man in the wrecked green sedan, along with three million dollars in cash.

The apprehended driver is identified as Axel Muncie, a small time hood. He has maps of Las Vegas in the car, along with a bogus story that the cash is to be used to pay rock bands that Muncie claims to book. The dead man is Haviar Pierson, who along with his wife, own Jungle Autos. Muncie is contacted by the owner of the three million dollars, (Max, a money launderer) asking where the other missing three million dollars is. The green sedan contained six million dollars, and now three million is missing.

Nash and Joe visit Jungle Autos. Nash informs the widow Sandy that her husband has died, and she falls into the arms of her husband's brother Jorge. Nash surmises that the widow is having an affair with the brother Jorge. Meanwhile, a woman from Harvey's past comes calling. Anna Paxton, a marijuana dealer Harvey arrested, then testified on her behalf, has just been released after four years in jail. Anna is not bitter, but romantically interested in Harvey. Anna is about to have a TV movie made of her life, and she's writing the screenplay. Joe is kidnapped and questioned by Max about the missing three million.

An announcement in the newspaper tells of the re-organization of all the special crime units under one commander - that commander turns out to be Rick Bettina, an ex-SIU cop and Nash's nemesis from the past. Bettina has gotten the position of Director of Police Investigations because his mother has married the Chief of Police. Bettina suspects Joe of stealing the three million. Bettina cuts a deal with Muncie in return for a statement implicating Joe.

Nash and Joe visit Jorge to question him about two plane tickets to Brazil Jorge recently purchased, but Jorge knows nothing about the plane tickets. Max visits the widow Sandy and questions her about the missing three million. Jorge calls Sandy during the visit, and she implicates Jorge. With Jorge under surveillance by the SIU, Jorge is about to flee the country. Max's hitmen intercept and kill Jorge. Nash and the SIU kill the two hitmen, but discover Jorge does not have the money.

Nash and Joe discover that Muncie and Haviar ran a load of six million dollars every month to launder in Las Vegas. Nash and Joe have been followed by Max's men, and Nash turns the tables. Arresting Max's men, Nash and Joe raid Max's office. Joe identifies Max's voice as the one that he heard when Joe was kidnapped. Max is arrested.

Bettina forces Joe to take a polygraph test. A nervous Joe fails the test and Bettina seeks a grand jury indictment on Joe. Nash and Joe revisit Jungle Autos. A lot boy was instructed to hide the three million in a roof overhang when the green sedan was left alone. Nash discovers this, just as Bettina appears to arrest Joe. The money falls out of the roof onto an embarrassed Bettina. It appears that Haviar set up his own brother Jorge when he realized Jorge was having an affair with his wife.

Harvey discovers in Anna's screenplay notes detailing their love making. Harvey dumps her when he realizes Anna is using him to further her screenplay. Joe gets even with Bettina at the office by removing his desk and pasting a sign on Bettina's back "DOPI" (meaning Director of Police Investigations).

For more, see commentary for Episode 42

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