5.4 Diamond Seeker

Summary and Spoilers

The team finds themselves mistakenly gifted with a priceless diamond, accidentally given to them by Frank, their swindler friend. When Frank and his son are beaten mercilessly by the man who hired them to steal that diamond, Mickey decides to punish the man behind the brutality. This presents a difficult challenge, as the mark is Mr. Baxter, a 220 IQ ‘love diamond’ lover and recluse who never leaves his house. Baxter has hired a psycho private eye slash killer to track down the necklace. Mickey decides the plan is to convince Baxter that they no longer have the necklace; the best way to accomplish that is to sell it to Hauptmann, a rival collector. Meanwhile, Emma is purposely sacrificed and has to confront Baxter alone and convince him that the necklace was stolen by Hauptmann’s ‘tracer’. Inside Baxter’s secure vault, and surrounded by his treasured jewelry, her plan appears to be working until she accidentally mentions the location of Hauptmann, something that she should not know. Now Baxter knows that she is lying. Soon, the whole team is in the vault. Mickey agrees to hand over the necklace, but asks a favor – can he have Baxter’s replica of the necklace to sell to Hauptmann? Baxter agrees, but is not aware that Emma has switched the necklaces already. So when Baxter hands over the replica, he is actually giving away the real one. The team sells the genuine necklace to Hauptmann and split the big bag of money with Frank.

Comments

There’s nothing lighthearted about this episode. It’s a welcome change of pace. The team is in real danger of getting beaten or worse. Emma in particular is in real peril – sent in to convince Baxter that the diamond is gone. Sean is extremely angry that Mickey is putting her at risk.

I wonder why Frank the Fence didn’t just call Mickey up and ask him to give the diamond back before he got beaten up. I assume that option wasn’t available, yet it would have been beneficial to all parties.

There’s another huge plot hole, too. How did Mickey know that Baxter would allow Emma into the vault? If he hadn’t, Emma could not have switched the necklaces, and the whole thing falls apart. It is rather irrational for Baxter to allow Emma (and later, an entire team of grifters) into his vault, where the items of value are no longer secure.

Hustle Quotes

Cyclops: Much as I’d like to help you, you being an elder statesman and all, bearing in mind those two very powerful objections, there’s nothing this side of 200 quid that could convince me to tell you where his hotel is.
Albert: Make it 150, and I’ll pick up the lunch tab.
Cyclops: I want pudding.
Albert: Naturally.
Cyclops: Strand Hotel, third floor, superior double.

"…and he never goes out. He’s like that mad bloke, Howard Hughes – I mean, everything comes to him: food, books, antiques. I mean, how can you grift someone that doesn’t leave the house?"
- Sean