Dexter Season 5 Episode 4 'Beauty and the Beast' Recap & Spoilers

Dexter season 5 episode 4 'Beauty and the Beast' comes fresh off the messy Boyd Fowler killing and has Dexter Morgan dealing with the complicated problem of an unwanted hostage. Miami's most ethical serial killer has to decide what to do with his captive. Remember, it would go against Harry's code for Dexter to kill an innocent.

Dexter Nurses His Captive

Season 5 episode 4 opens with Dexter (Michael C. Hall) cleaning the gruesome wounds of his, and previously Fowler's hostage (Julia Stiles). The young woman's back is marked by several deep slashes, obviously mementos of her previous captor's torturing.

Harry, Dexter's dead adoptive father, is present and scolding Dex on following the code. In Harry's opinion, the public bathroom murder, hasty Fowler killing and now a kidnapped murder witness from a trend that doesn't bode well for Dexter. He suggests that this girl isn't his son's responsibility. The first rule of the code? Don't get caught.

The woman awakes to Dexter's reassurances that everything will be okay, but freaks like a wounded wild animal. Dexter sedates her and has a rare moment of cursing. Debra calls to ask for his help at a crime scene, causing Dexter to recall that he forgot Harrison was with the babysitter--all night. Deb insists that the blood doesn't speak to Masuka the way it does to him. Figuring it will be his chance to slip into his police lab and identify the kidnapped woman, he agrees.

Sometimes a Serial Killer Has to Do Double Duty

At the crime scene, a beheading of a Venezuelan Santa Muerte crime witness, Dex impressively zips through the crime scenario, from first machete cut to head placement to eye removal. He has another genius moment by discovering ash in a pool of blood and identifying it as cigar ash, down to the brand. He manages to slip DNA from his captive in with the crime evidence.

Going home, Dexter discovers his perfect babysitter has had enough and quits. Meanwhile, detective Quinn's request to speak with the Trinity killer's family is denied by his FBI contact. Spurred on by his belief that Dexter is murder suspect Kyle Butler, Quinn resorts to following the FBI to their safe house.

Dexter takes baby Harrison to the station and uses him as a decoy to get into his lab. While everyone is fawning over the baby, he manages to get an ID on his captive: Lumen Pierce. While stealing meds from Masuka, he is observed by a too curious Quinn. Dexter manages to con an exhausted Deb into taking Harrison home for a nap, freeing him to deal with Lumen.

Angel is ordered by his wife and boss Maria to visit the officer he beat down in a bar fight, protecting her honor, in the hospital. She is worried about Internal Affairs looking into the issue and wants him to apologize.

Dexter Soothes (Most) of His Women

Lumen wakes up from her drug-induced nap and once again Dexter tries to convince her he means no harm. He attempts to give her aspirin and antibiotics, but all she wants is answers. He tells her she is in a safe place, far from Boyd, but Lumen has no trust for the man she watched butcher her previous captor. She tells him her name is Rachel and tries to convince him she won't tell. Strangely enough, she wants to know if he is going to sell her.

Dexter doesn't have calming enough answers and she breaks down as he leaves. Sobbing that she can't go through this again and begging to be killed. Dexter realizes Harry is right, he is in desperate need of a plan.

Angel visits a bitter officer Lopez in the hospital. Lopez finally begrudgingly agrees not to press charges.

Arriving home, Dex encounters his harried sister Deb, who has had enough of the crowded apartment. To give her space and time to rest, Dexter takes the baby with him to a motel he discovered Lumen still owes a bill at. Convincing the receptionist that he is Lumen's husband, he pays the bill and retrieves her luggage.

Going through her bags, he discovers a letter from her mother. It begs her daughter to come home, saying her dad regretted the things he had said.

After some sleep, Debra tells her brother that him and Harrison can stay as long as they want. They're all she has.

Dexter tracks down his ex-babysitter and convinces her to trust him and take her job back.

Ugly Police Business

Masuka accuses Quinn of taking his aspirin and antibiotics. Quinn tells him it was Dexter, but Masuka doesn't believe it. He figures if Quinn is sleeping with Deb, then he took the meds for a little STD relief--he doesn't mind sharing, but Quinn needs to ask.

Angel confronts the IA investigator in the station hall and has trouble holding his temper. IA says an apology isn't enough to stop the investigation. Maria swoops in and intercepts, taking the investigator to her office. The investigator seems oddly preoccupied with the fight starting over Maria giving "the best blow job in Miami." In a creepy way. Wouldn't be surprised if that's what it takes to sweep the whole situation under the rug. Also guessing that Maria will do it, to save her husband's badge and career.

Deb has tracked down a suspect on the beheadings, but they have to roll without Quinn. The squad enters an apartment building and takes a battering ram to the door. Once inside, they are greeted by an apartment packed with inhabitants, beds everywhere. Deb is separated from everyone, having gone through a hole in the closet to another room.

The suspect comes out with a huge knife at a man's throat. Reporting the room clear doesn't keep the guy's throat from being slit. Deb is sprayed with blood while the suspect jumps out the window and gets away. The wounded man is still barely alive and taken away by ambulance.

Lumen Escapes Dexter

Dexter goes back to where he stashed Lumen and discovers her lying next to a pool of blood. Thinking she has hurt herself, he leans over and gets hit in the head. Lumen manages to escape through the door and Dexter pursues her through a marsh to a road.

She stops a car full of boys while he hides, but won't get in with them. Dexter grabs her when they take off and wrestles her to the ground.

Quinn is back to stalking the Trinity Killer's family and follows the son, Jonah, inside a gas station. He shows him a picture of Dexter and asks if it is Kyle Butler. Before Jonah can respond, and officer grabs and arrests Quinn.

Dexter takes Lumen to Boyd Fowler's body dumping ground and forces her to look at a formaldehyde soaked woman stuffed in a drum. Emphasizing that she would have faced a similar fate, if he hadn't murdered Fowler, Dexter insists he saved her life.

Lumen points out that she doesn't know that Dexter didn't kill those girls and he says she has to trust him. He tells her how his wife Rita was brutally murdered by someone similar and he doesn't like to see innocent people die.

To give Lumen a reason to trust him, he gives her his knife. She rewards him with a quick stab in the arm. Asking if she is done, Dexter watches as she breaks down crying.

Quinn Gets More Free Time to Stalk Dexter

Maria is livid over Quinn taking it upon himself to investigate Dexter. She puts him on an unpaid suspension, letting him know the only reason he isn't fired is because it would make the accusation a matter of record.

Deb stops him in the parking lot and doesn't want to spend the night alone. Quinn tries to tell her that he isn't good for her (perhaps a way to ease his conscience and still get her in bed), but Deb says she isn't looking for good.

Obviously having a change of heart after her meltdown, Lumen patches up Dexter's arm. Asking about Rita's death, Dexter tells her it was a painful and cruel one. She apologizes for cutting him, saying she thought he was a monster.

When Lumen was locked up, she didn't know where she was. Dexter tells her Fowler is dead and she can go home to Minnesota. She insists she can't, despite her mother's letter. Fowler wasn't the only one to hold her captive. There were others.

Dexter Season 5 Episode 5 Previews & Spoilers

The next episode of Dexter continues with Lumen wanting him to hunt down--and kill--the other men who hurt her. Dexter refuses and wants her to get on with her life. But Lumen has unfinished business to attend to. Previews show her shooting a gun at a man and Harry wondering what Dexter has gotten himself into.

Looks like Dexter might have a Miguel Prada-like issue on his hands.

Season 5 of Dexter continues Monday, Oct. 25, 8 p.m. central on Showtime.

Sources:

'Dexter', 10/17/2010 air date, Showtime
'Dexter Season 5 Episode 4 Episode Guide' Sho.com