Bad Company

Nelson Crowe is hired by Vic Grimes for his company nicknamed The Toolshed, a firm that uses ex-intelligence operatives for extortion and corporate espionage. Margaret Wells begins working with Crowe and seduces him, hinting at a plot to murder Grimes so they can take over the firm. The arrangement sets Crowe on a path that blurs loyalty and law.

Grimes provides Crowe with $1 million to bribe a Washington State Supreme Court justice, Justin Beach, in a class-action against Curl Industries. Crowe and Todd Stapp plan to steer the verdict in Curl's favor by manipulating Beach. The bribery scheme ties money directly to judicial influence.

Crowe and Stapp purchase Beach's $25,000 gambling debt and hire a source to dig into Beach's personal life through his friend Les Goodwin. The goal is to create leverage over Beach and stabilize the bribery arrangement. Information gathering becomes a critical tool in their pursuit of Curl Industries' victory.

During a secret progress report, Crowe is revealed to be a CIA mole acting against his will. He is reminded of his past dismissal for stealing a $50,000 bribe meant for an Iraqi colonel, a detail the CIA uses to justify his involvement. The disclosure deepens Crowe's precarious position within The Toolshed.

Smitty uses Crowe's covert status to pressure him, explaining that the CIA intends to acquire The Toolshed and run it as a black-ops hub with Smitty in charge. Stapp extorts a payoff from Smitty to keep Crowe's secret safe. The plan reframes the conflict as a power struggle beyond Curl Industries.

Beach accepts the $1 million bribe and signs a receipt with his mistress Julie Ames, ensuring his cooperation. He buys tickets for a flight to the Caribbean and tells Julie he intends to abandon his wife and join her. The bribery pact seems to be moving toward completion.

Despite accepting the money and signing the receipt, Beach reneges on his agreement and votes against Curl Industries. He then commits suicide, dramatically complicating the conspiracy and triggering a new round of calculations for all involved. The loss exposes the fragility of their manipulation.

Wells spends a romantic weekend with Grimes at his fishing cabin while Crowe sneaks in to shoot Grimes, then beats Wells to make the murder look like a robbery gone wrong. The fatal act removes Grimes from the equation and paves the way for The Toolshed to seize control. The deception solidifies the alliance between Wells and Crowe.

With Grimes dead, Wells and Crowe take over The Toolshed. Wells begins distancing herself from Crowe's romantic advances as she asserts dominance in the operation. The takeover marks a turning point in the power dynamics within the organization.

Julie Ames travels to Europe and sends postcards to Goodwin to signal that she is spending the money. Goodwin sells this information to Crowe, who brings it to Wells, feeding the ongoing chess game of deceit. The money trail continues to influence decisions back in Seattle.

Smitty confronts Wells in her office and informs her of the CIA's plan to take over and of Crowe's involvement. The revelation heightens tension and forces Wells to assess her position within the conspiracy. The stakes are raised as the government’s fingerprints become more visible.

Julie buys a gun and goes to Crowe's apartment to kill him in revenge for Beach's death. She arrives as Wells also comes to kill Crowe, triggering a chaotic shootout where both Crowe and Wells are killed. Julie is left alive, silently entangled in a broader scheme.

Julie discovers Crowe's incriminating evidence, including the tape of his Smitty conversations and the signed receipt. She burns the receipt and mails the tape to the U.S. Attorney to expose the CIA and Toolshed corruption, then leaves town alone with the truth in hand. The conspiracy begins to unravel as actions speak louder than the lies.