Proximity | Escalate Ep. 5: Assumptions

In last week’s episode of Escalate, we went inside Everett Shaw’s head for the first time since the mysterious email and images surfaced. Penelope, the crisis comms professional shared new tactics for unmasking the email’s sender, while Ben and Everett both gave their word they’d follow her rules. Then, on the drive out to Long Island, Everett spills everything he's been holding back: his anger at Ben, the reason for crying on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, a discovery hidden within the email itself. And of course there are still all the things Everett hasn’t said out loud yet.

BEN POV

Outside the tall windows East 45th Street is brightening into Friday. Delivery trucks grind through the intersection below and a horn sounds, then another answers it.

Inside the Whitmore Club, the solid oak door to one of the private dining rooms clicks shut and Ben Langley now stands staring at it six seconds after Everett Shaw had closed it behind him.

“He’s a good man,” Kane says, not looking up from the newspaper he’s folded down to a little square.

“Yeah,” Ben says, turning away from the door. “He is.” This is one of those moments when Ben truly appreciates Kane’s observational control and complete lack of posturing.

“Keegan’s here at nine-forty-five,” Kane says. “In roughly fifteen minutes.”

“Ok, I need five to hit the men’s room,” says Ben. And he goes back down the wide stairs to the lower level and through the paneled corridor to the men’s locker room.

It’s entirely empty now and devoid of wet towels and other detritus that earlier had littered the floor around the dark wooden benches. He’s not entirely sure why he came back down here until he’s standing at the sinks, and then he is sure, because this is where Everett stood an hour ago with his palms on the marble, saying things into the mirror that Ben has had in his head ever since.