‘True Detective’ recap: Chance for redemption after the ‘Vinci Massacre’

It’s been more than more than two months since the catastrophic “Vinci Massacre,” one of the deadliest police shootouts in California history. Now all the key law enforcement players have been knocked down a few pegs on “Other Lives,” Episode 205 of HBO’s “True Detective.”

Ray Velcoro (Colin Farrell) resigned as a detective with the Vinci Police Department, maintaining that it is “better to walk before they make you run.” Consequently, Ray works security for the Vinci Gardens Casino and continues performing dirty jobs on the side.

Ani Bezzerides (Rachel McAdams) has been suspended from her detective duties with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. She’s relegated to overseeing the department’s evidence room and unfairly forced to attend group therapy sessions for sexual-harassment offenders.

And Paul Woodrugh (Taylor Kitsch) still isn’t back on his motorcycle with the California Highway Patrol. Paul is bored with his new assignment as an insurance fraud detective, and struggling with his sexual identity as he prepares to wed his pregnant fiancee Emily (Adria Arjona).

Moreover, Woodrugh’s boozy mother, Cynthia (Lolita Davidovich), stole $20,000 he earned as a mercenary in Afghanistan.

Velcoro, Bezzerides and Woodrugh suddenly have a chance for redemption, however, when State Atty. Katherine Davis (Michael Hyatt) forms a special unit to solve the torture-murder of Vinci City Manager Ben Caspere. Davis also wants to uncover evidence of collusion between Vinci City Hall and powerful state officials.

Prompting this hush-hush investigation is the “massive war chest” of Atty. Gen. Richard Geldof (C.S. Lee) as he mounts his gubernatorial campaign.

Geldof has suspiciously dropped a probe into alleged criminal activity by Vinci Mayor Austin Chessani (Ritchie Coster) and his cronies, Davis points out. And Geldof contends that Caspere was murdered by gangbangers rather than in connection with a multibillion-dollar rail project about to break ground.

Bezzerides and Woodrugh are eager to join the special unit, but Velcoro holds back, asking “Why me?”

“I need people who aren’t going to ping on our radar,” Davis explains. “Word gets out what we’re looking for, they could shut it down like last time.”

What seals the deal for Velcoro is Davis’ promise to help him prevail in a child custody battle with his ex-wife (Abigail Spencer). She’s about to obtain sole custody of her son Chad (Trevor Larcom) because a judge ordered a paternity test and mandated drug abuse monitoring for Ray.

“You let me keep my kid,” Velcoro tells Davis, “I’m in.”

The question of who killed Caspere and why increasingly leads to the rail project and to secret parties involving wealthy power-brokers and high-priced prostitutes.

A young woman who disappeared after participating in one of those lurid gatherings may have been killed, as Bezzerides and Woodrugh discover when they check out a former commune in Sonoma County and find circling vultures and a blood-stained chair.

Velcoro makes progress of his own when he violently confronts a psychiatrist, Dr. Irving Pitlor (Rick Springfield), who once treated Caspere.

After a severe beating, Pitlor confesses that Caspere and Tony Chessani (Vinicius Machado), son of the Vinci’s mayor, covertly photographed and videotaped the hooker parties so they could blackmail attendees, including a U.S. senator.

Velcoro also learns the truth about a personal incident that changed his life forever. After his wife was raped, he killed a methamphetamine addict identified by mobster Frank Semyon (Vince Vaughn) as the culprit. But the real attacker was a serial rapist who was recently arrested in Venice.

In other words, Velcoro was set up and later coerced into doing Semyon’s bidding. That’s why Velcoro knocks on Semyon’s door and demands answers.

“You and me need to talk,” Velcoro angrily insists.