Buying a business is a costly endeavor, from the initial purchase to the building renovation, hiring of employees, commercial lease, insurance, taxes, and so on.



We know Ezra bought The Brew, but he hasn’t mentioned how he made that happen. So where did Ezra’s mystery money come from?

Maybe it’s not such a mystery. Maybe the answer has been right in front of us since last season.



Ezra: And for what it’s worth, I was in New York returning my publisher’s advance. I thought if I’d pull the plug-

Aria: It’s too late, Ezra. (4x22)

Theory



After the book fiasco blew up, Ezra went to New York to meet with his publisher. He told Aria he went there to return his advance check and to pull the plug on the book.

Perhaps that’s not exactly what happened.



Perhaps Ezra met with the publisher not to cancel the book, but to postpone the publication date. With Alison alive and now on his radar, he must have realized there is so much more to this story. The book is not finished yet. It can’t be. So he got an extension from the publisher and kept the advance, which would be a decent size chunk of money. He cashed the check and used the money to purchase The Brew, which is not only a means to earn a living, but also an investment in terms of doing more research for the book.



Think about it.



The Brew is an ideal place to listen in to conversations. People are comfortable, and they get to talking. It feels like a safe and cozy environment, so people are more likely to say things they might not say elsewhere.



Secrets are shared.



But now Ezra is listening. He interrogates Mike regarding Mona’s death. He listens to Hanna blab about her college issues. He overhears Emily’s romantic conflict with Talia in the kitchen. He even hires Jonny to build a whisper machine that encourages people to tell secrets! I wouldn’t be surprised if that machine is recording everything!



Everybody loves a good mystery, and Fitz just can’t put this one down. Not until he solves it. He’s still writing the book.



Ezra, you’re one sly hotdog.

