Fargo S1E2 - "The Rooster Prince" Recap

Strangers arrive at Hess & Sons to meet with Max Gold, the man who is overseeing the shady business following Hess' death. The men want to determine whether or not Hess' death was connected to "the business" and are pointed in the direction of a man with a cut on his head who wanted to take a look at Sam. The men make it clear that they intend to kill the man who killed Sam once they determine who it is.

Lester is at the wake for his wife and still worrying about his hand injury from the shot that killed Chief Thurman. Lester is approached by his brother Chaz who enquires as to whether he will be selling his home and offers that he stay with him and his wife instead. Lester returns to his home, which is still in a state of disarray and flashes back to the crime.

Deputy officer Molly Solverson visits Chief Thurman's grave, and appears intent on finding his killer. She tells the new chief, Bill, that they should talk to Lester about Thurman's death. Bill went to high school with Lester and recounts tales of his propensity for fainting and doesn't believe he is capable of murdering anyone. His theory is that it was a home invasion, possibly drug-related.

Lester becomes emotional when going through his wife's clothes. The doorbell rings and it's Bill and Molly who have come to question him. Bill greets him with friendliness and asks after him while Molly grows increasingly persistent in getting Lester's statement and pointing out that Thurman had come to visit him to enquire after Sam Hess. She also points out his meeting a man in the hospital emergency room. Molly becomes even more suspicious when Bill talks about the fact that Hess loved to bully Lester in high school. Bill shares his drifter theory and Lester tells them that he has a concussion and things are still rather fuzzy.

Malvo intimidates a mailroom clerk to get a package without showing ID. He has received a new identity from whomever it is that he has been working for. He will now be known as Frank Peterson, a minister, and his new client is Stavros Milos, the so-called Supermarket King of Minnestota. Malvo visits Milos, who shows him a blackmail letter that reads, "I know about the money pay me 43,613 or I tell the world." He tells Malvo that he believes his soon to be ex-wife, who is suing him, is the one who is blackmailing him. Malvo heads out and steals the car of some random person who left it running.

Gus Grimly, the police officer who pulled over Malvo and let him go, learns at work about the murders in Bemidji (Grimly works in Duluth). Grimly looks over the ticket that he never finished filling out, but does have the license plate number from the car. He returns home and has dinner with his daughter, who speaks to him about bullies. They have a discussion where he says that his job as her father comes before his job as a police officer.

The mystery men from the episode's beginning take a man named Lenny captive after he insults them at the strip club at which Hess was killed. They toss him in the boot of their car and bring him to Gold, who says he is not the man who had visited Hess. Meanwhile, Malvo is visiting Milos' ex and her trainer Don. Malvo pretends to be a colleague of her lawyer and learns that Milos is worth more money than he had admitted to.

Malvo is back in his motel room and listens to an interview recording of a man admitting he threatened a woman. He then notes that the blackmail letter has the same bronzer that Milos' ex's trainer had on his hand. A man comes to visit Malvo and attempt to intimidate him but Malvo responds by dropping his trousers, sitting on the toilet, and taking a sh*t with the door wide open for the man to see.

Lester is shown to have stashed the murder weapon behind a back panel behind the washing machine before moving in with his brother and sister-in-law. He tells them he intends to sell his home and get a fresh start. His sister-in-law bumps his hand so he heads to the pharmacy in search of something to prevent infection. Unfortunately for him, he runs into Molly who wants to continue her questioning. He finally tells her he is feeling harassed and leaves the pharmacy without taking the ointment he had requested. Molly tells him in the parking lot that he might not be getting in the right car but he says it is his wife's car as his is in the shop. She continues to say she doesn't believe this is all a coincidence but Lester tells her to talk to Bill, her boss, and stop harassing him.

Molly tells her father at his restaurant about the case, as he used to be a cop. He expresses concern for her, talking about the evils cops see, saying that what she's currently dealing with is especially bad. Bill comes in and reprimands Molly after receiving a call from Lester to report her harassment. She disobeyed his orders and he is the new chief, so as punishment, she gets pulled off the case. As a consolation, she is put in charge of the investigation of the dead naked man instead.

Fargon's goons pull Lenny out of their trunk while out on the middle of a frozen lake. While one drags Lenny, the other drills a hole in the ice. Lenny's hands are bound and he is dropped into the hole in the ice.

Fargo airs on Tuesdays on FX at 10PM.