The episode opens with Aaron Morris (Jack Greenlees) and Lexie Noble (Morven Christie) joking about tracking his girlfriend as he drives her to her vehicle. She says she’s surprised he hasn’t put a tracker on her. He explains that he doesn’t need to thanks to the vehicle’s satnav. Inspired by his admission, she checks the satnav history on her own vehicle, which leads her to the house of Kathleen (Rebecca Benson) and Michael. After accusing Kathleen of an affair, she learns that Michael is the man behind the fake banking portal. Kathleen also shares a small locked metal box that Jared (Thoren Ferguson) gave them for “safekeeping.” Lexie assures them no one knows of their involvement before returning home to attempt to open the box.

DC Jibran Khan (Prasanna Puwanarajah) monitors the listening device while Lexie struggles to open the box until Doris Szabo (Eileen Duffy) cleverly snaps the lock by leveraging two wrenches.  Several credit cards with usernames and passwords attached on post-it notes come spilling out. Lexie tries to explain them away as client accounts before Rob Livingston (Steven Miller) and DI Jean Royce (Andi Osho) show up and drag her down to the station. Once there with her solicitor, Rufus Hayes (Henry Pettigrew), Royce attempts to anger Lexie by sharing surveillance footage of Jared and the woman using the alias “Sarah Blaine.” When that fails, Royce brings up the beating of her father. Rufus quickly puts an end to the interrogation.

Back home, Doris asks if Lexie is okay and mentions hiding the box. Lexie claims she’s having trouble finding something for one of Jared’s clients. Later Lexie learns that the balances on the cards are zeroed out, but explains her interest to Doris in the big deposits to a company named, Previte Holding. However, she can’t find any information on the company.

PC Sarah Naylor (Rori Hawthorn) shares her progress of identifying Jared’s attackers with Royce while Jibran brings DCI Adam Guthrie (Derek Riddell) up to speed on Previte Holdings. Jibran was also unable to uncover any information about the company.

Lexie explains to Cal Morris (Peter Mullan) why it’s more beneficial to use a separate company to pull island planning permits when they are interrupted by Malky Roberts (Steven Mackintosh). In private, Malky shares his concerns with Cal about a shipment. Cal calls Aaron over and questions him about the shipment. He assures them everything is under control, with the first shipment due in China next week and the next one scheduled for two weeks after that. Malky claims he hasn’t received the paperwork while also pointing out that they don’t need any problems with their new friends. Aaron assures them everything is under control.

Connie (Julie Graham) and Bianca Morris (Lindsey Campbell) discuss Cal’s new island purchase and accountant (Lexie). Connie appears unhappy with the mention of Lexie while Bianca claims to be happy Cal isn’t planning a new build because it’s something they can’t afford with occupancy down. Connie encourages her to speak with Cal about the deficit, but Bianca claims it’s her job to handle as CEO.

Livingston and Royce question the young man from Naylor’s earlier CCTV footage when he’s brought in for shoplifting and possession of marijuana. Royce questions him about the young man he’s talking to on the CCTV footage. He claims he’s a friendly guy and speaks to a lot of people. It takes Royce pointing out his charges and the fact that he’s already out on license to get him to reveal the boy’s name as Connor Ridley (Paddy Towers).

Lexie visits and questions Rufus about Jared’s business in Eastern Europe. He claims the two of them only spoke about Eastern Europe when they organized a stag party in Vilnius for Ben. Rufus adds that he didn’t get to see much of the place though because they spent most of the time looking for vodka bars. As he admits that, he does recall a time when Jared ducked out for a couple of hours to supposedly meet with another lawyer. Lexie rushes out after hearing this while he calls after her.

Royce and Livingston pay a visit to Moira Ridley’s (Christina Strachan) apartment where she claims not to have heard from Connor. That’s proven to be a lie when Livingston hears stirring inside and shoulders his way in to find Connor going out the window. Back at the station, Connor vows he’s done nothing wrong until Livingston says they’ll just blame him for the stabbing. Connor admits to being asked by someone named Tab to participate in an attack, although he didn’t know there would be a stabbing. Later after the interrogation, Naylor shares Michael “Tab” Moray’s (Mark Sweeney) background with Royce and Livingston. Livingston appears unbelieving that Lexie paid Tab to stab her husband while Royce points out the job got done.

Cal becomes impatient and starts an argument with Connie when she suggests he use the island for holiday rentals instead of building a hotel.

Lexie finally learns that Previte Holdings has ties to a legal firm (Melyna Jura Legal Services) when she narrows her search to Vilnius.

Elsewhere, Malky shares what he’s learned about the police investigation with Aaron and Cal. He also informs them about Lexie being questioned. Lexie is called in shortly and admits to being questioned by Royce while also making them aware of the bank cards and Melyna Jura Legal Services. When Malky suggests traveling to Vilnius to visit the firm in person, Lexie says she can’t leave her children. Cal doesn’t put up an argument and lets her leave. Once home, she discovers that Cal has taken the kids and orders her to be at the airport at 7 a.m. with her marriage license and ID. Overhearing the conversation and Lexie’s concern, Jibran dispatches an emergency car but orders them to hang back and approach only at his word. Lexie is shown sending an SOS text to Guthrie who is berating Jibran for dispatching the emergency vehicle.

The next morning, Lexie is followed to the airport while Guthrie and Jibran monitor her movements from the police station. She quickly finds Aaron at departures who gives her a passport and assures the kids will be fine as long as she goes through with the job. As they make their way to their gate, Aaron speaks with someone on the phone about tracking a shipping container. After learning of Lexie and Aaron’s destination, Guthrie and Jibran argue about how to proceed. Guthrie wins out and lets her board, but orders his team to get ahold of Vilnius authorities and have surveillance ready for when they land.

Once in Vilnius, their first stop is the offices of Melyna Jura Legal Services where they meet Tomas Bantius (Vaidotas Martinaitis). After learning of Jared’s death and their reason for the visit, Tomas says she can’t provide any information until refuses to provide any information until Lexie can verify she is who she claims. After Tomas turns down her ID and marriage certificate, she offers the torn cathedral photo that was in the lock box with the credit cards. Tomas produces the bottom half and links the two photos together before retrieving a file and returning it to Lexie. While Lexie’s focus is on all the contracts in the file, Aaron rushes ahead with questions about accessing the bank. Tomas says that’ll have to wait until tomorrow because the banks are currently closed which makes Lexie impatient.

Although they are staying in the same hotel room, Lexie is given strict orders to call no one or do nothing without Aaron’s approval. He gets rude when she asks him to call Cal with inquiries about her kids but later apologizes and talks her into a drink at the bar.

At the prescient, Royce privately questions what Guthrie was thinking by letting Lexie board a plane to another country under a fake name with a known criminal. He tries to explain it away by claiming they are tracking their every move and action would have alerted Cal about their surveillance. Jibran interrupts by announcing that Vilnius Police have reported Lexie and Aaron checking into a hotel and are awaiting word to start further surveillance. Guthrie rejoins the team.

While Aaron orders drinks at the bar, Lexie voices her concern for her children again. He attempts to emphasize before downing his whiskey, ordering another, and retiring to the bathroom. A man, presumably a Vilnius office, is shown entering Lexie and Aaron’s room and planting several listening devices. After several whiskies, Aaron and Lexie return to the room where Lexie spots the man exiting but keeps the information to herself. After going to bed, she locates the listening devices and tells the listeners that Cal has her kids. Aaron overhears her talking, bursts into the room, and demands to know who she’s talking to.

 

Payback Review

Not the worst episode I’ve ever seen. There is something that can be said about the slow-building suspense, but at times, things seem to creep along far too slowly. Although the plot is the furthest thing from original, there are lots of interesting and fresh aspects. The kindest thing I can say about much of the acting is that it is dreadful. In my opinion, the constant zigzagging from scene to scene seems to play in the show’s favor. Despite all the negativity, I would give the episode a 5 out of 10.

Get more Payback recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by donating. Our onsite advertising builds brand awareness, click the link to learn more. Check our new forum to discuss celebrity news, movies, TV shows, wrestling, and more.