Adios

Season	Episode
7	6

Air date

August 15, 2023

Directed by

Sylvain White

Written by

Taylor Elmore and V.J. Boyd

Episode guide

← Previous

"You Good?"

Next →

"The Smoking Gun"

"Adios" is the sixth episode of Justified: City Primeval, a limited series followup to the series Justified. It was written by Taylor Elmore and V.J. Boyd and directed by Sylvain White. It first aired on August 15, 2023.

Plot[]

Summary[]

A botched kerfuffle sends Raylan's pursuit of Mansell into chaos.

Recap[]

Raylan Givens lies in bed a night, staring at the smoke alarm on the ceiling. There is a knock on the door. He goes to the door and finds Carolyn outside. "You good?" he asks her and she tells him she has something he wants. "That's fair to say" he quips and she asks if he still wants to see how Judge Guy's book puts the pieces of the Clement Mansell case together. He tells her he wants her to be careful and she says the question is if she trusts him with what she knows. He says that if in his experience if you have to ask, then you probably don't. "Yet here I am," she says, telling him it cuts both ways. She tells him the story of the Montgomery bus boycott and the people held without trial. She says it's a question of not what was legal but just and that there are things she wants to do with the book that aren't legal but just. She asks if he understands what it means to trust him. He tells her he does, suggesting she come inside to make sure he gets it.

Burt Dickey pays a visit to man named Lonnie. The two discuss Lonnie's shabby living arrangements, Lonnie implying that it's Burt's fault, but Burt telling him he has only himself to blame. They cut to the heart of the matter: Burt telling Lonnie that he's an art collector and that he had a painting he was particularly fond of that was taken from him. He says he wants it back, but Lonnie says he isn't looking to hurt anymore. Lonnie tells him nobody has to get hurt or killed, that he just wants his painting back. "Who's got it?" asks Lonnie and Burt shows him camera footage of Clement Mansell. Lonnie says he was supposed to get a severance package and Burt says to tell him what he's thinking and he'll see. Meanwhile, Clement and Sweety sit in a classic car, Clement telling him that the new ones don't even have a spot for a CD. He continues that he wouldn't want one, but you have to go pre-90s for an operating tape deck. Sweety asks him why he doesn't just buy a tape deck and carry it around with him, but Clement says he can't just carry it around like Fat Albert. "You get the dude's page?" asks Clement as a car pulls up and Sweety tells him he did. "Well, then," says Clement, starting to get out, but Sweety tells him they talked about it, that he handles the face-to-face. So Clement watches as Sweety collects money from the man. Sweety returns to the car and Clement curses, asking Sweety why he only got $12,000 when it was supposed to be $15,000. Sweety tells him he said it's all he's got and he told him he had to consult with his partner. Clement calls the man cocky, saying that nobody has 12 grand that doesn't have 15. Sweety asks him what he plans on doing about and he backs up their car, slamming into the mark's car. "Wait here," Clement tells Sweety and gets out, chasing the guy until he jumps over a ledge, falling dead on the ground below. As Sweety comes out to look in shock, he tells him that he knows he had the rest in his wallet. Cursing, Sweety asks if he wants to get them out of there.

At the Detroit Police Department, Detective Maureen Downey tells Raylan that what he's saying is a lot to take in, that Clement and Sweety are using Judge Guy's book to shake down the people they find inside. "If we can get Mansell with this book physically on his person..." she says and he continues that it'll be something like having him dead to rights. "What time is the parade?" she quips and she asks if the plan is to somehow dredge up a name from the book and then set a trap. He tells her that he already has a name, someone maximimally leveraged to aid their cause. She asks how they even know that Clement will show up and not Sweety, if they even know they'll be interested. Raylan tells her he's not saying there aren't variables. She asks where he's even getting this. She asks if they're talking about a sting and he says the deal is that if they don't do this, they're just waiting for them to make another move, and every moment they wait is one in which someone else could get killed. He says they have a chance to do this the right way. "Jesus Christ, you're sleeping with Mansell's lawyer, aren't you?" realizes Maureen. He just stares and she asks just who he's proposing they do this with?

At Sweety's tavern, Trennell is holding down the bar when Lonnie enters the place. He stares around, then asks if Sweety is there. "Nope," Trennell tells him and he asks when he's coming back. "Wish I knew," replies Trennell. Lonnie presents him with some money, suggesting he call him and find out. Trennell suggests that he call him himself and he says he doesn't have his number. Trennell just shrugs. Lonnie sits down, saying that he'll wait. At Del Weems's place, Sandy sits across from Sweety. Studying the money from the recent haul, she asks why Clement is so mad when they have $12,000 there. "Yeah, Sweety, why you so mad?" asks Clement, saying that he can't let two guys rip them off in a row and be taken serious. Sweety's phone buzzes. Sweety tells him that the first guy didn't rip them off, that Clement changed the price at the last minute. Clement tells him he's been thinking about it and he still thinks it was the smart play, like buying a car. Sweety asks if he's ever actually done that. Clement tells him his father sold cars. Sandy asks Clement why she's not packing her bags for Aruba with what they already have and Clement tells her that Sweety gets half. "You goddman didn't," Sweety comments as he notices that Burt's painting is now hanging on the wall. He asks if Clement really went back there. His phone buzzes again and this time he takes the call. He tells Trennell it's a bad time, but he says that he'd better be dead the next time he sends him to voicemail. He tells him there's a white man there to see him. "He from the bank?" asks Sweety and Trennell tells him he's not from the bank, nor a cop, but looks like he's done time. "Name's Lonnie" the man tells him. Trennell tells him he needs to head back and Sweety agrees he's on his way. He asks Clement if he knows anyone named Lonnie, and he says he doesn't. Sandy asks him just how much more before they can go. "20 more," he tells her. She says she needs to believe it and he tells her that he's not going to let anything happen to her, that there'll be a mai tai in her hands before she knows it. He leaves, saying they're going to need another car.

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" asks Maureen and she says that she's just wondering what other surprises he has in store. She tells him she calls the ball no matter how things go down. She tells him the plan is thin no matter how he goes about it. "If the prosecutor says no..." she tells him, but he assures her she'll fold. They greet Diane, who is immediately dismissive of Maureen, telling her to give whatever it is to one of the other prosecutors, or call her tomorrow. "Day from hell?" asks Maureen and Diane says hell would have called the day overcooked. They meet with her and she says that they have no proof, just words on a piece of paper. Maureen tells her that they have documentation that she and Judge Guy both took bribes to let cops off for bad shootings. She continues that there's no burden to prove it in a court of law, that enough people hear something like it and her career is over. Diane tells her it could be hers that's over, coming in and trying to blackmail a county prosecutor. "Into what, exactly?" she asks and Raylan tells her it's nothing they wouldn't ask of any other CI. Diane asks if they have the paperwork for this and Raylan asks if she really wants it on the record. He tells her that when the time comes, they'll do what they can to minimize the effect on her. She says it's not much of an offer, given that they don't have the book. They outline one of the cases she covered up, how the case was almost front page news and how she somehow made it disappear. Maureen tells her she knows that she wouldn't put herself on the line if she couldn't make it stick.

At Sweety's, Trennell serves Lonnie a drink. Lonnie comments that he guesses he's worked there a long time. Trennell tells him that he doesn't work there, that he helps out from time to time. He asks if he and Sweety are together. "Seven years," agrees Trennell. "And he still don't tell you where he's going?" wonders Lonnie. He chuckles at this. The door opens and Sweety enters. They sit and Lonnie tells him that people have been singing the song of Sweety for a long time, how he helps people. "Who's the white boy?" he asks Sweety, but Trennell interrupts them, telling Sweety there's a phone call. "Take a message," Sweety tells him. "All this about some painting?" he asks Lonnie and he says that you never know what someone's going to care about. Lonnie asks him what business he had with Burt and Sweety says that perhaps he's tired of loaning his car to people only for them to bring it back swearing that the scratch was already there. Or people saying that he used to be something. Lonnie tells him he has to get paid. Sweety asks what he's proposing and he says if he tells him where the white boy is, he'll go get the painting and that's all. Trennell pleads with Sweety to come get the phone. "Don't run off," Sweety tells Lonnie.

"Want to tell me about this book?" asks Trennell, saying that the lady on the phone should tell him it's about the book. He takes the phone and it's Diane on the other end of the line. She tells him there's a rumor that he has Judge Guy's book and that her name is in it. She asks what it would cost her to get the page with her name destroyed. He says it depends on her and she says she's good up to $30,000. He tells her he's good with that. Maureen hands her a note and she tells him that she'll have money later today at 5:00 at Waltham Park, east side, by the fountain. He says he never got her name and that it might be helpful if he's going to bring the page she needs. She tells him it's Diane Rogers. "5:00 it is," he agrees and hangs up. He turns to look at Lonnie and Trennell asks him if he wants to talk about it. He tells him he may have just found a way out, but he might have to engage in stuff he isn't normally inclined to. Trennell tells him to get it done if it means seeing the back of Clement. He goes to Lonnie, telling him a woman just called him and she's going to be meeting the man he's after at 5:00 today. Sweety asks him if he plans to kill the man and he says he will if that's what it takes to get paid. Sweety tells him that the man is Clement Mansell. He says that if he tells him where he's going to be, he has to go. "Not getting paid enough for that," replies Lonnie. Sweety says that he had said he'd kill him, but he tells him said he would if that's what it takes to get paid. Sweety pulls out $6,000, saying that Diane will have $30,000 more. He tells him that if he kills Clement Mansell, he can take the rest. "What about the painting?" he asks and Swety asks what he cares, if Bulldozer Burt is paying him that much for it. Lonnie stares and Sweety tells him he'll get the painting too, but that it doesn't happen unless Clement dies.

Clement enters Sweety's tavern and Sweety tells him it's about time, saying he thought he was going to have to send out a search party. Clement tells him he had to go all the out to Flat Rock looking for a Chevelle. "Why a Chevelle?" asks Sweety and Clement says his even asking makes him not want to get into it. "Stereo?" asks Sweety and Clement says that the sound is cherry, , that he should take a ride with him. Sweety tells him he has to be someplace, to do a thing about the book. "Without me?" asks Clement and Sweety tells him that he threw someone off the roof of a parking garage. He says he's too easy to provoke and that he's looking to get paid. He tells him it's better if he does it on his own, but Clement says it's not what they agreed to. He asks if he's saying he can't handle himself, telling him to give him the page and he'll find this person. He tells him he won't have him casting aspersions, saying he's way calmer than him most of the time. Sweety finally "gives in," saying he can have it, and telling him the details of the meeting in the park. Meanwhile, Sandy visits an art gallery with the painting in tow. The man at the counter tells her that the framer isn't in and she can bring it in Tuesday. She tells him that she has some questions about art and shows him the painting, saying she's hoping to secure a buyer. She claims it breaks her heart to part with it, but needs to pay her mother's medical bills.

Sweety takes a call from Carolyn Wilder. He asks her if she forgets how text messages work and she says it's not a conversation she wants memorialized. She asks if he's alone and he tells her he's "alone enough." She tells him that some things are happening today, things that could put an end to the whole drama. He tells her he's been working on some plays of his own and she says it would be a great day for him to put as much distance as possible between him and her client. She tells him to steer clear, that it is about to come down. He says he wasn't planning on being there, but that her stuff could get in the way of his. She tells him he needs to rein it in. He tells her he needs to make a phone call and she tells him to be careful. He dials Lonnie, leaving him a message telling him he needs to call him back before he does what they talked about, that it's important. At the park, Diane is put in place. Lonnie enters the park and Raylan comments that Diane looks a little squirrelly. Wendell Robinson gets on the comm, advising Diane to stop touching her earpiece. She complains it doesn't fit right and he tells her to let it, that otherwise she'll look like she's wearing an earpiece.

Maureen says that Clement is late, but Wendell tells her that five minutes isn't late. Wendell says that he doesn't like this being off-book, that there are too many variables. Raylan asks what's not to like, noting the presence of an ice cream truck. Wendell asks what this has to do with anything and Raylan says it's a little treat when they're done. Clement enters the park. "Heads up," Maureen declares, telling them to be ready if they see either a gun or the book. As Lonnie watches from by a tree, Diane asks Clement if he's the one she talked to. He tells her he isn't, but that she's the one he talked about. She asks if he brought the book and he asks if she brought money. She says she wants to see her page first, but he asks to see the money, saying he's had a run of folks trying to rip him off. She holds out a purse. Lonnie steps away from the tree, pulling out a switchblade. Clement tells Diane he's underestimating his willingness to cause pain to her in front of everyone there. Maureen gets on the radio, saying that they have to move. As Clement tells her she needs to show him what he came for, Raylan and the others move in. Seeing Raylan, Clement quips that people are going to think they're in love. He tells Clement to show him his hands. Lonnie walks by, retracting the switchblade and leaving the scene. As Clement is handcuffed, he asks Raylan how many people he has shot lately. "Lately?" asks Raylan and Clement says he thinks he's pretty good with. "I qualify every year," Raylan tells him. Clement suggests they have a shoot-out, but Raylan tells him there's no range where he's headed. He says he's talking about the streets, when Raylan least expects it. Raylan tells him he'll ask the chief if it's okay. He asks him why he killed Judge Guy and Rose Doyle. Clement asks what difference it makes, what it has to do with them. Raylan walks off. "Bye for now," Clement tells him, as Maureen leads him away. Raylan tells Diane they appreciate her help, but she says she still wants her page out of the book. She says that it doesn't really matter, that she's burnt anyway now and will never sit on the bench. Just then, however, Maureen comes back over, telling them that Clement is clean. He doesn't have the book on him and without it, they can't hold him. Raylan asks if he's actually watching Clement walk away right now, seeing Clement do just that. Maureen tells him he wanted to do this the right way and they have to let Clement go. She asks if he wants to give Clement what he wants by going after him. She warns him that he'll bounce. "Chin up, Marshal, we'll get him," she tells him.

Riding back from the encounter, Wendell asks Raylan if there's something on his mind. He tells him that he can't put his finger on it, that there was something fishy about the whole kerfuffle. He says he can't figure out what it was. "Dude outfoxed us again," replies Wendell. Raylan replies that maybe this was so and Wendell tells him it was unless he lived a different version of events than him. "Maybe I did," replies Raylan, telling him that ever since he landed in the town and came across Clement, he's never seen anybody get so lucky so much in his life. They have him dead to rights and every time, he skates clean away. Wendell asks what his point is and he tells he wonders if some combination of the dead judge and the alleged book and this guy is making people act in ways they otherwise wouldn't. He tells him he feels like he's being played for a fool. Wendell asks just what kind of response he's expecting from him and Raylan says that he wants nothing more than his professional opinion. Wendell tells him he might be right, but he really isn't interested, that he might as well change the subject. Raylan drives over the Carolyn's house. She asks him what happened, and he tells her that they had Clement and then they didn't. "Jesus," she curses, asking what now. He says they're revisiting a conversation they had the night before, where he said he wanted more. He says that he doesn't know what she got out of this, but he only got a bruised ego and a monster who now thinks he's untouchable. She tells him she can't imagine a time when Clement hasn't thought that. He tells her that as bad as it's been, it's going to get worse. "So you're saying you want the book?" she asks and he tells her he wants to know what she doesn't want to tell him, that if he can't get it from her, he has no business being there. She tells him to come inside and they'll talk about it. "I want answers," he tells her and she tells him again to come inside. So he does.

Sweety is sitting alone in his tavern when the door opens, Lonnie walking in. He tells Sweety that it was a setup and he agrees that he heard. Lonnie continues that there were cops all over the place the second he landed. He tells him he jut walked away. Sweety agrees that he wasn't about to send him into the lion's den and he says he saw his message after. "It looks like maybe they rolled up white boy, though," Lonnie says. "You mean this white boy?" asks Clement, entering the tavern, carrying a tape deck. He asks just what he missed and Sweety tells him he didn't miss anything, that they were just talking. "Well, who's your friend?" Clement asks, and Sweety introduces him as Lonnie. Clement asks him what brings him to Sweety's. Lonnie says nothing and Clement tells Sweety that it's funny because they weren't having any trouble talking before he got there. He tells them to carry on. Then Lonnie's phone rings. Clement suggests that he answer it. He starts to, then Clement pulls a gun, putting a bullet in his head. On the other end of the line, Burt curses, saying that it's time to go to the Bahamas.

At Sweety's, Clement tells Sweety that he got to thinking about what he said about a tape deck. He tells him he was right, that the portability on it is a big plus. He continues that it occurred to him that Sweety never got to hear him sing. He says that he figured "What's it going to hurt now?" Sweety asks him just what this means and he says that he thinks he's ready for him to hear one of his tunes. He says that he thinks one is all they have time for. He asks him to kill the music playing on his jukebox. As Sweety walks over to the jukebox, Clement tells him that it hurts, saying he thought they had a gentleman's agreement. He thought with him of all people, he didn't have to watch his back. He says that he knows it's just lazy, a point of reflection for further on. Sweety asks him to think about what he's saying, that he said himself: he has ends in this too. He asks why he would do something like that to him. "I don't know," Clement tells him, saying that maybe he just isn't thinking straight, but it nags at him that Sweety gets to keep his hands clean while he does the scut work. He says it feels like he's carrying the full load and if he is, it got him to thinking what is he paying him half for? He tells him again to kill the jukebox and he says that maybe he doesn't feel like listening to his "raggedy-ass tune." Clement points the gun at him, demanding he unplug it. Sweety does so. Clement then starts the tape deck, playing his cover of the song "Seven Nation Army." "So?" asks Clement, but Sweety tells him he won't talk to him until he puts the gun away. "No, but what do you think about it?" asks Clement and Sweety asks if he's really asking him this right now. Clement asks him what he hears with big ears, if he has what it takes. He asks if he really can't lie even when has a gun on him. Clement tells him to close his eyes. Sweety curses, saying that if he really has to go out listening to his "honky chicken-fat cover song bullshit," then he has to look him in the eye. Clement shoots him in the heart. As the song finishes playing, he finishes his cigarette. He then grabs a bottle of booze and begins pouring it all over the bar. As Trennell washes dishes in his apartment across the street, a look of concern comes over his face. He goes to the window, seeing flames. Gasping in shock, he races outside, watching the bar going up in smoke. He reels backwards as one of the windows explodes. The sound of flames and glass, followed by sirens, continues over the first set of closing credits.

Trivia[]

Raylan Givens's love of ice cream, a running gag in the series, is mentioned again with the presence of an ice cream truck in the park where the sting against Clement Mansell is conducted. Ultimately, however, Raylan does not get to enjoy any ice cream, as the operation is a failure.
The burning of Sweety's bar is accomplished mostly using visual effects. Although the producers were hoping to use more practical effects, the set for the bar was built on a lot in the south side of Chicago with actual surrounding buildings and city leaders were concerned about the possibility of damage.