‘Justified’ Review: “Loose Ends”

‘Justified’ Season 3 draws out its ninth episode of the year, as Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) follows a lead toward a man who might lead him to Robert Quarles, while Ava protects a young woman and Boyd Crowder works to ensure Shelby (Jim Beaver) takes over the sheriff's office.

Last week’s ‘Justified’ “Watching the Detectives” saw Raylan under investigation for the murder of poor Gary Hawkins, while Boyd found himself behind bars once more, so what will the latest episode bring?

Read on for your in-depth recap of everything you need to know about ‘Justified’ “Loose Ends!”

After stashing the gun that Quarles used to kill Gary in his upstairs digs (that won't come back to haunt anyone, at all!), Raylan heads into work to find Art ready to question him about his investigation into Quarles.  With nothing of substance yet, Art demands they back off the investigation.  Meanwhile, at the other end of town, Delroy (William Mapother)  feeds everyone’s favorite prostitute Ella Mae and two others drugs, preparing them for a heist of a check-cashing joint.  Unfortunately, things quickly go south, and Crystal winds up shot and killed in the getaway.  Delroy takes the girls to the local slurry pit to dispose of the body, before “covering his tracks” and shooting Brenda, while Ella Mae flees into the woods

The next day Ava Crowder stops by Raylan’s bar to ask a favor, and the two share a brief kiss before Ava reveals that the jailed Boyd can help Raylan get to Quarles, in spite of Raylan’s assurances she’s wasting her time with Boyd.  In jail, Boyd puts Raylan on the path of Tanner Dodd, and Raylan lies to Art about the source of the tip.  Meanwhile, Mr. Quarles shows up to address some of Mr. Limehouse concerns about the upcoming sheriff election, providing him with an experienced campaign manager as insurance.  Later, Miss Ella Mae shows up to Boyd and Ava’s bar, desperate for asylum.

Raylan finds himself turned away by Tanner Dodd’s mother, while Tanner himself overlooks Boyd's meeting with the campaign manager.  Tanner’s mother alerts him to Raylan sniffing around, but when Errol tells Mr. Limehouse of Tanner’s possible flight, Limehouse reminds him to make sure Tanner has no loose ends, less they need to revisit some of Errol’s and his.  Meanwhile, Raylan pays a visit to Sheriff Napier to inform him they believe Boyd Crowder acted with Tanner in the car bomb last week, though it’s all a ruse to get the sheriff nervous, and allow Raylan to follow him to a meeting with Tanner.  Oh so clever, Raylan.

Tanner has problems of his own however, as he and Errol go to the bomb makers to demand their money back, only for him to trick Tanner into standing on a land mine only he can disarm.  Rather than leave any loose ends, Errol shoots the bomb-maker through the chest, and leaves Tanner in the lurch atop the mine, promising to deliver the money to his mother.  Across town, Ava tells Johnny Crowder about the situation with Delroy, calling his bluff that they need to return the girl to Delroy so long as Delroy pays them protection.  Ava agrees to turn Ella Mae over, but when Delroy arrives, Ava instead shoots him point blank through the chest with a shotgun!  Boy, he really flew.

When word of Tanner's predicament gets out, Raylan tips his hat to Sheriff Napier by acknowledging his suspicious attempted meeting with Tanner.  Raylan does his best to get information on Quarles and Limehouse from the still-captive Tanner, while the bomb squad attempts to disarm the device.  Unfortunately, one of Tanner’s fears turns darkly true, and dropping his gun changes the weight enough that the bomb arms itself.  They clear the room, and the device explodes before Raylan gets anything useful out of Tanner.

The town holds a public debate between Sheriff Napier and Shelby for the Sheriff’s election, and all sees to be going Napier’s way until Boyd Crowder crashes the meeting, and rallies the townspeople that Shelby is an honest working man screwed over by the Black Pike mining corporation, while Napier’s department has always been corrupt and Napier himself fed from the public trough for too long.  Later, they celebrate Shelby’s apparent victory at Boyd’s bar, where Ava tells him what she did with Delroy, something Boyd tacitly accepts.  However, Ava proposes to take over as Madam herself, to protect the women from future abuses.

Errol shows up to Tanner’s grieving mother to deliver the money as promised, though he doesn’t realize Raylan Givens to be inside.  After Raylan sets up the woman’s TV like her son never did (aww), he leaves to confront Mr. Limehouse for information on Quarles.  Mr. Limehouse denies any involvement with Quarles, in spite of Errol having been present, though he does mention that he lied to Raylan about not remembering him from being up Arlo in Raylan’s youth.  Just when Limehouse starts pushing Raylan’s buttons by talking about his mother, Raylan leaves defeated that Limehouse is willing to bring down war on Noble’s Holler.

Sheesh, you'd think one person in Harlan County would be against all the warring factions that seem to cause havoc for Raylan and the police!  The board is set, and the pieces are moving, and we've only a few more weeks to find out how Quarles attempts to enact his plans for domination, or at least how he gets his hair so blonde!  And how will the duplicitous Mr. Limehouse figure into all of this?  Where's Arlo these days?

Give us your thoughts on the latest ‘Justified’ or just what you think is next after “Loose Ends” in the comments section below, and keep checking back for the latest gun-slinging action of ‘Justified’!