NCIS: Origins (2024) s02e17 Episode Script
Rule 13
1
- Jason!
- What is wrong with you?
Jason didn't just get fired
by the FBI. He got arrested.
Westmont is helping me
get the charges dropped.
Was that not the same
Doug Westmont who keeps
going on TV talking
about Pruitt's compound,
claiming he got nothing to do
with the theater bombing?
And Abe Pruitt should never
have been arrested.
What's a rule box?
Stuff I used to write down,
- reminders.
- JACKSON: Your wife,
she left in tears.
You need to be a man and end it.
♪
["WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD"
BY LOUIS ARMSTRONG PLAYING]
OLDER GIBBS: The guy's name
was Linus Eckles.
None of us had
ever heard of him before.
His neighbor said he was quiet,
didn't make much noise.
Linus was good with details.
He liked exact measurements,
calculations.
Not many people
appreciated that about him.
Not many people
appreciated him at all.
What a wonderful world ♪
But that all changed when he
started believing in a higher power,
- something bigger than himself.
- [BUZZING]
He started using his skills
to take care of
things that
needed taking care of.
And clouds of white ♪
And today was the day
that he would use those skills
to take care of something
much bigger than himself.
Today was the day
that quiet Linus Eckles
would make a big bang.
Yes, I think to myself ♪
What a wonderful world. ♪
♪
[TOILET FLUSHES]
What do you got, paint stains there?
Yeah. Varnish. I was testing it
out for the boat this morning.
You don't have any paint thinner
in the shed?
Ran out.
But olive oil's working
good enough for this job.
You didn't feel like doing any
actual building this morning?
I wasn't focused. I
Diane and I ended things, so
Ah, I'm sorry.
It was the right thing for both of us.
Yeah.
I'm more worried about
how I'm gonna tell everyone.
I just want to move on, you know?
- I can let folks know.
- Yeah?
Yeah, if that'll
make things easier for you.
Oh
- Thanks, Kowalski.
- Sure.
Hey, but I'd clean this bottle off
and put it back in the kitchen.
Otherwise, Mary Jo's gonna have
a justifiable reason
to be pissed off at you.
[GIBBS CHUCKLES]
- Thanks again, Kowalski.
- You bet.
Kowalski, hold up.
Dalton Basement just said
that bloodsucking lawyer's
up there talking to Wheeler again.
- Who?
- Doug Westmont,
Abe Pruitt's lawyer.
- He up there?
- No idea.
Hey, have you seen Gail?
I gotta tell her something for Gibbs.
Hey, y'all talking Doug Westmont?
That is a large cup of joe
you got there, Rando.
Yeah, it's my second one
this morning. Lot of caffeine.
I pulled an all-nighter
to finish inputting all
the case files on the computer
because HQ asked me to
start making a computer database
for all the evidence logs
across the agency now.
Yeah, I heard about
those computer databases.
And, boss, to answer your question, yes,
the bloodsucking lawyer
Doug Westmont is 100%
up in Wheeler's office, but it's got
nothing to do with Abe Pruitt.
Hey, sorry to cut you off there, K-Dog.
- No.
- Anyway,
Wheeler's son,
he got arrested for shooting
paintballs at cars on an access road
and lost his internship at the FBI.
So, Wheeler called in Doug Westmont
to help get the charges dropped.
Fingers crossed all the way.
Yeah, I know all that already, Rando.
Wheeler told me last week.
Gotcha. Man, this caffeine
is really pumping hard.
Where's Gail?
I believe she's servicing the
copier with some fresh toner.
Thank you.
FRANKS: Guaranteed Westmont's
up there spinning the truth.
That's what all them lawyers do.
Oh, darn it all.
KOWALSKI: That toner got you, huh?
Why don't you try some olive oil?
Gibbs just brought
the bottle into the kitchen.
Thanks, Kowalski.
Hey, speaking of Gibbs,
I have some news.
It's very unfortunate, very sensitive.
[WHISPERING]: What is it?
This probably shouldn't be
spread around.
Oh, I wouldn't. I'm a vault.
Gibbs and Diane called it quits.
Their marriage is over.
No
That's
- Will you excuse me a minute?
- Sure thing.
Mary Jo, I gotta tell you something.
Very unfortunate and very sensitive.
Gibbs and Diane are getting a divorce.
WESTMONT: So, a nolo contendere
plea acknowledges that
there's enough to convict.
But you will not be pleading guilty.
So you'll get probation,
some community service.
But you'll escape doing
any time in juvie.
What about his permanent record?
Clean slate once he turns 18.
Thank God he's a terrible shot.
I wouldn't have been able
to help him if he
actually hit any of the cars.
The paint gun wasn't calibrated right.
Sign the papers, Jason.
All right. Well, don't you worry, kid.
Uncle Dougie has got you covered.
Here, take it.
It's for the shooting range
off Fifth Street.
Oh, I don't think that's a good idea.
Well, it's better than
having him shoot paintballs
50 yards off FBI property.
Take him for a little
target practice, Cliff.
Let him work out some aggression.
- Okay, Doug.
- No, I'm serious. Look,
they're a prickly bunch of
bastards that run the place.
But you show them that card, I
mean, they'll give you 15% off.
- Doug.
- What?
Can I speak to you in private, please?
Oh, yeah, sure.
Look, this paintball thing isn't just
about him getting arrested.
I told you, the FBI is firing him
from his internship in the mailroom.
I understand this is a lot to ask,
but could you get him
an internship at your firm?
Absolutely not.
Yeah, I figured.
Shelly and I, we just don't
know what to do anymore.
We'll get him to a good place.
We're playing piano together.
Next thing you know,
I'm getting another call
from the local authorities.
I mean, he's really good
at social studies, but what
does that even mean? How do you
turn that into a career?
I don't know, man. That's
why Holly and I never had kids.
I got the snip years ago.
So, look, just give my office
a ring when the kid signs
- and you're ready to file.
- Yeah, okay. Thanks.
You let that bloodsucking
lawyer take my spot.
Well, I've been letting guests use it
since you weren't driving.
Yeah, well, I'm driving now,
so if you could, please, sir,
- just let
- [ENGINE STARTS]
[GRUNTS]
♪
[MUFFLED CAR ALARM BLARING]
[MUFFLED FRANTIC CHATTER]
♪
FRANKS: Cliff!
- Cliff, are you okay?
- Jason. Where's Jason?
I don't know. Was he still inside?
- Jason!
- GIBBS: What the hell happened?
- Get back!
- LALA: Car bomb.
[GRUNTS]
Westmont's dead.
- Move, move!
- Did you see my son? Is he inside?
I don't know! Everyone's evacuating!
- Sir, you can't go in there.
- My son is inside.
GUARD: Sir, we need everyone
to clear the area.
WHEELER: No, this is my office!
You get the hell out of my way!
My son's inside.
- Dad!
- Jason! Jason!
[PANTING]
- Oh. Oh.
- I thought you were dead.
- I'm okay. I'm okay.
- Are you okay?
- Is everybody okay?
- Doug Westmont was in the car.
- [GUNFIRE]
- [SCREAMING]
WHEELER: Down, down, down!
[CLAMORING]
- [SCREAMING]
- Mary Jo! Dalton!
Get him out of here!
Get these two out of here.
- Go! Take whoever you can!
- Come on, come on.
- Dad!
- Go! I'm all right!
- Go! Go! Go! Go!
- The Jeep!
Stay with Kowalski! Get in there!
Head down! Head down!
[GUNFIRE CONTINUES]
- Randolf, what's the source?
- Came from the car, sir.
He probably had ammo in there,
it's cooking off.
Everyone hold your fire!
There's ammo burning off in the car!
There is no gunman! There is no gunman!
Gibbs, set up a 500-foot perimeter.
Franks, radio the fire department.
Strickland, Randolf,
Dominguez, make sure
the buildings are empty. I want
the whole area cleared now!
Go, go, go!
Dominguez, you in there?
LALA: Uh, yeah. I'll be up in a minute.
- Did Gail find you?
- Yeah. She left a note.
- What's going on?
- Bomb squad lets us back in.
30 minutes later, she got everybody
and their mama knowing.
Knowing what?
Gibbs and Diane split up.
Sounds like it's
really gonna take this time.
Anyhow, I just thought
you should know so you don't
accidentally say something dumb to him.
[SCOFFS SOFTLY]
Thanks.
Hey, is Lala in here? Lala?
LALA: What?
Gibbs and Diane are ending their
marriage. So don't say anything dumb.
Copy.
Let's go, Rando. What do we know?
We got a bomb planted in Westmont's car.
That's right, we do. So, yeah,
it's like, you know how
I stayed up all night to finish
the computer job so I could
start the new computer job?
It's kind of like my brain
is just like this human computer,
just [STAMMERS] fueled by caffeine.
And in other news, Doc Tango confirmed
cause of death was Westmont
getting blown up by the bomb.
Wow, I was gonna try to come down slow.
But you just poured it into the
GIBBS: Hey, Vera's
notifying Westmont's wife.
What?
- Nothing.
- We heard about you and Diane.
[SIGHS] We know it must have been hard
to watch her walk out the door.
But we're all here for you, man.
Marriages end every second.
One just ended right now
in Cleveland. I'm sure.
[CURTAIN SLIDES OPEN]
Let's go. What do we know?
Did we hear from Woody?
Yep. Bomb forensics
should be ready shortly.
I also made contact
with Westmont's office.
Told them we'd be stopping by
to discuss timelines, enemies.
Guy's a lawyer, Rando,
we should block out
the whole damn day to talk enemies.
Where are we with the investigation?
Sir, if you don't mind me saying,
your "take charge" performance
after that bomb went off,
I mean, that was awesome.
It was like, uh,
it was like Joe Average
turns Commando Cliff.
[CHUCKLES]
Dalton took Jason home to Shelly's.
Until things calm down,
I'm keeping an agent posted there.
Jason's pretty shaken up.
When you talked to Westmont,
did he seem off?
- He say anything?
- No. Nothing.
All right, let's find
ourselves some leads then.
Probie, you and me will
head to Westmont's office.
You two got forensics.
Can we stop for a soda on the way?
I really think it's safer
if I come down slowly.
[SIGHS, GRUNTS]
- Holy hell.
- Yeah,
that is a mammoth amount
of caffeine, buddy.
It's okay. Don't worry about it.
- He's coming down slowly.
- PHIL: You know what?
Forget we brought it up. We have
bigger things to discuss.
Oh, should we start with this fax
we got from Gail about
Gibbs being back on the market?
Or do you guys want
to talk about bomb parts first?
- Gibbs being back on the
- Bomb parts.
Bomb parts. Bomb parts for sure.
Right.
Okay, I'll just set this right over here
and we can refer to it later.
So, the, uh, shots following
the car bomb were definitely
ammo cooking off from the heat.
WOODY: Yeah, looks like
Westmont had a couple boxes
in his glove compartment,
along with this 9mm handgun.
What about this?
Is this it? This is the bomb?
Yes, Randolf, you're looking at a brick
of C4 and a detonator,
a pretty simple bomb design.
Well, detonator was a different story.
Yes, the detonator
was quite sophisticated,
but I managed to piece it
back together thanks to
my undisputed mechanical prowess.
You fixed the copier one time,
Philip, so, come on.
The detonator was not on a timer.
It was wired to the car's ignition.
But it was designed to go off
on the second turn of the key.
WOODY: Mm-hmm. Key turn one,
prime the bomb.
Key turn two
[IMITATES EXPLOSION]
- Bomb goes boom.
- So someone planted the bomb
at one location and wanted it to go off
- at Westmont's next location?
- [SLURPING]
Wait, are you guys saying
the bomber was targeting NIS?
I think we are. We're just
scientists. You guys are the
PHIL: I mean, I just know
how the bomb worked.
WOODY: You tell us, I guess.
Mr. Westmont wasn't scheduled
to be at NIS this morning.
- I'm sure of it.
- Can we see his schedule?
Yes. Sorry,
I'm looking at the wrong one.
That was Mr. Keller's.
This is Mr. Westmont's.
[CRYING]: Sorry.
I just can't believe
what happened to him.
It's okay.
- Take your time.
- MAN: Ashley,
cancel my lunch, will you?
Gentlemen, Carter Dodd.
And our third partner, Perry Keller.
Pleasure. You're with NIS?
- Sorry for your loss.
- I wouldn't believe it,
except the news
just started reporting it.
Doug was
It doesn't seem real.
ASHLEY: Excuse me, Agent Franks.
I found Mr. Westmont's schedule.
Hold on there, Ashley.
What are you giving them?
We need to know where Westmont
should have been this morning.
I'm afraid you'll need a court order.
- You yanking my chain right now?
- Attorney-client privilege
still applies, even post mortem.
I'm trying to find out
who killed your damn partner,
and y'all are gonna play lawyer games?
The attorney-client privilege is sacred.
Sacred, my ass. You want to
know who killed him or not?
Uh
Pardon me, I have an amendment
to discovery for Mr. Westmont.
Uh, Monica, Doug was
[CLEARS THROAT] He was killed
this morning, ma'am.
Oh, my God.
Uh, what happened?
You work here?
You mind telling us where he
was meant to be this morning?
No, I-I'm with
the U.S. attorney's office.
But do you have a warrant
for his schedule?
- Y'all are unbelievable.
- Look,
once you have a warrant,
swing back around. We'll be
Ah, just give us the damn schedule.
ASHLEY: The Abe Pruitt appeal.
His schedule says he
was supposed to be working on
the Pruitt appeal this morning.
I don't know where, but it wasn't NIS.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
You hear that, probie?
We got a barn full of ashes.
And now Abe Pruitt's trottin'
in from pasture.
You think Abe's involved in this?
Hell, I wouldn't put it past him.
I'm telling you, them lawyers,
they talk and they talk until one day,
you wake up and
they're stealing your ranch
right out from under you.
- You mean your place in Texas?
- Yeah, my place.
Whatever place. It don't matter.
With that many bloodsuckers
spinning the truth,
including the dead guy,
and you add in Abe Pruitt?
That bastard used to be a lawyer, too.
Now he thinks he's
some kind of compound god.
You mark my words, probie.
With that many lawyers spinning,
ain't no way in hell
this case is ever getting solved.
- [APPLAUSE]
- Who amongst us
hasn't felt small?
- [LOCK BUZZES]
- Who hasn't felt judged?
- Amen!
- That's right.
- [DOOR OPENS]
- MAN: Yep!
[DOOR CLOSES]
Look at me. We are small.
But that is only because
there is something bigger,
something more powerful
than the bars that imprison us.
Look at me.
- I am free.
- [OTHERS MURMURING]
GIBBS: Hmm.
- How'd it happen?
- Car bomb.
At his home?
- His wife okay?
- Happened at our office.
- At Pendleton.
- Listen, Abe,
I'd rather not BS you
in the house of God.
We know you got a thing for bombs,
and the lawyer who couldn't
get you out of here
just got blown up by one.
I had nothing to do with
that movie theater bombing.
And nothing to do with
Stanley taking his own life.
That's not why we're here.
Agent Gibbs,
let me tell you why I'm here.
I'm here because you
exposed me for bigamy.
I'm here because I married Beth
to get her health insurance
for her chemotherapy.
I did that. And I'm prepared
to serve my time.
I would do it again.
FRANKS: Seems like you're
making good use of your time in here.
Replacing your flock.
My people aren't being replaced.
Wilson & Barnes
kicked them off our land.
So, yes, they are scattered.
But they can never be replaced.
What we built will always be with us.
Your brother felt the same.
Spoke to Mason last week on the phone.
He didn't tell you?
Spoke to him and said what?
That I was sorry how things ended.
That I was praying for him.
And that I was trying to reach
all my people to tell them as much.
GIBBS: Mr. Pruitt, if you made peace
with serving your time,
why'd you file an appeal?
- I didn't.
- Westmont was scheduled
to work on his argument
for it this morning.
[SIGHS]
- The reporter.
- The what?
A reporter came to
see me a couple months ago.
He was doing a story on
the movie theater bombing
and my conviction.
Told me Westmont filed an appeal.
I said he was mistaken. But
There were no grounds for an appeal.
I told Westmont that.
So why would he file anyway?
Who's the reporter who came to see you?
Reporter's name is Freddie Riles.
Prison's records show he visited
Abe Pruitt three months ago.
Confirmed with
the Chronicle that Riles was
writing a piece on the theater bombing.
He likely made contact
with Westmont while he
- was researching.
- Well, bring him in here, then.
We can't. He died
of a heart attack last month.
Asking too many questions. Could
have gotten himself killed.
I went down that road, too, Gibbs.
But then I did a little more digging.
Riles had a heart condition since birth.
- Heart attack was legit.
- What about the article he wrote?
LALA: He didn't finish it.
Family says he left behind
a huge amount of notes.
But his family lawyered up.
They want a court order
before they hand over his writings.
What the hell'd they lawyer up for?
They said there's too many
notes to go through,
but I just think they got too
scared of what might be in them.
Last thing we need is another
damn lawyer on this thing, Rando.
- I didn't tell him to get one.
- I ain't yelling at you!
I'm yelling at the amount
of truth-spinning bloodsuckers
we got on this thing!
Okay, well, it just feels like a really
high decibel just blasting in my face.
And I just cut myself off
from caffeine now,
so I'm feeling a little light-headed.
Sit your ass down, then.
I'll get to work on the warrant.
LALA: Don't bother. Wheeler's on it.
- Cliff?
- LALA: Yeah,
he said he's gonna throw
some weight around
and get the warrant expedited.
He's still riding high from
that Commando Cliff performance
after the bomb went off.
Rando, do what you gotta do
to get right.
Probie, Dominguez,
call in Westmont's wife.
Let's see if she'll
give us a list of enemies
without a damn court order.
RANDY: Hey, boss, how was
Pruitt when you talked to him?
Gibbs said Westmont filed
an appeal without him knowing.
[LINE RINGING]
MASON: Silver State Ranch.
- Mason.
- Mikey.
Damn, I was just
about to call you.
I saw on the news
about Abe's lawyer.
You know who done it?
Listen, I went to see Abe.
He said he talked to you
on the phone.
Yeah, he tracked me down
through a lady that
lived with us on the compound.
He didn't want nothing,
just to tell me
he was sorry
he couldn't save the land.
Didn't say nothing else?
Nothing about his lawyer?
No.
Honestly, Mikey, I know you told me
all that bad stuff he done,
but I don't know,
when I talk to him, he doesn't
seem like that kind of guy.
Mikey?
Listen, Mason, let's catch up later.
- I gotta run.
- Sure thing.
Shelly, listen to me.
Tell him that he is safe,
that I am safe.
The bomb was supposed
to go off somewhere else.
If if you need anything,
just call me and I will handle it.
Okay.
[HANGS UP PHONE]
Jason is pretty shaken up.
Well, I'm sure he is, but you
sound like you're handling it.
Just make sure you don't
take things too far.
- What?
- The Commando Cliff routine
was great outside, but now
I've got a scared courier
saying I gotta get
8 million boxes
off of his truck immediately,
because you were too pushy when
you expedited that warrant.
- Are these the reporter's notes?
- You can sit that right there.
What are you putting them in here for?
Because you requested it, Cliff.
I swear,
that bomb went off, and now
everything is out of whack.
- Mm-hmm.
- Do you know how things
run smooth around here, Cliff?
I intervene.
Well, things happened so fast,
when we got back in the building,
I didn't have time to intervene.
Now Gail's got the whole
office running around talking
about Gibbs's divorce,
Randy is about to have
the biggest caffeine
crash-out known to man,
and you are walking around here
with your chest puffed out
so far, you going to tip over, Cliff.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Get this stuff out of here.
Just Have Vera and Kowalski
- go through it all with you.
- [PHONE RINGING]
Wheeler.
Wait. Shelly. No, no, no. Hold on.
Calm down. I-I can't understand you.
He-he did what?
Okay, I'll handle it.
I said I'll handle it.
Jason snuck out. He's on
the loose doing god-knows-what.
[SIGHS]
My husband wasn't a perfect man,
but he was a good one.
Mrs. Westmont, can you think of anyone
that would want to hurt your husband?
Being a defense attorney,
Doug always says
making enemies is
a part of the job description.
- You got any names?
- Sure.
I-I can write them down if you'd like.
Ma'am, do you know why
your husband filed an appeal
for Abe Pruitt when Abe didn't want one?
No, but
LALA: What?
He bought a gun recently,
joined a shooting range.
He said it was for fun,
but then he also said
the guys who worked there were awful.
I asked him why he kept going.
He just changed the subject.
You know which shooting range?
It's called Oceanside Arms.
Do you think Wheeler's gonna
put a BOLO out for his son?
- [YAWNS]
- You good?
Yeah, just a bit of a crash
from the caffeine stoppage.
But it was worth it to start
that new computerized evidence log.
[GROANS]
Why am I even talking about this, dude?
- Your marriage is fricking over.
- Ah, I'm fine.
[GROANS]
Let's discuss this after. Promise?
Oh, just so you know,
Lala said Westmont's wife said
the guys that work here, real jerks.
We told you what we know.
Now get the hell out of here.
- Hey, listen, buddy
- [OVERLAPPING SHOUTING]
Hey, guys, how about you
run us through it again
with a little less feeling,
and one at a time, please?
[YAWNING]
- What, are we boring you?
- What is wrong with you, man?
Why would you open your mouth
up that big in front of me?
We told you, okay? Westmont was learning
to shoot because he was being stalked.
He was being tailed
by a dude in a Pinto.
Yeah, some dude in a Pinto
was following him.
- The guy was bald.
- Dude tailing him had no hair.
- [YAWNING]
- Are you serious right now, dude?
Sir, what are you doing here?
[GUNSHOTS]
Hey, dumbass, you gotta check in!
Hey. What the hell were
you thinking, sneaking off
- and coming here?
- Dad, what are you
I had to pay off the taxi driver
to tell me where he took you.
Do you know how humiliating that is?
- I was just
- You let a child
into a shooting range
without a legal guardian?
Is Jason old enough to be here?
- I doubt it.
- He had cash and an ID.
What? Oh, come on.
Does that look like
a 16-year-old to you?
Are you blind? He must
have stolen it from my wallet.
You need to watch yourself.
You're standing in my domain.
You see my kid?
He's my domain. And you do
not want to test me today.
- Step off, man.
- Hey!
Okay, second wind. Here we go.
[GRUNTING]
Thank you.
For not leaving me hanging back there.
Never seen you throw a punch.
It was impressive.
The way you took control
this morning, too.
Yeah, I've always been scrappy.
You start wearing a suit every
day, people forget who you are.
You forget who you are.
Well, at least you got a description
of the guy following Westmont.
And no broken bones.
- I would call that a win-win.
- Mm.
What are you gonna do with Jason?
Ah, I put him in the conference room.
Told him he's grounded for
an open-ended period of time.
Yeah.
I meant after that.
I don't know.
We're in this vicious cycle where things
get better and then
they go back to being worse.
Worst part about being a dad.
When you don't know how to help him.
Never goes away.
Hey,
I'm sorry to hear about you and Diane.
Divorce is complicated.
For her and me, maybe not.
She'll file the paperwork. I'll sign it.
[DOOR OPENS]
MARY JO: Are you two kidding me?
You're gonna go out there on the clock
and get into a brawl at a gun club?
What the hell were you thinking?
- BOTH: They started it.
- Cliff,
you are busting heads
in a suit, for God's sakes.
They riled me up about Jason.
Look, I know you're
on the edge about Jason,
and I know you've been feeling yourself
since your Commando Cliff
routine, but, honey,
we need you to represent
this office properly.
Now tell me you understand that.
- I understand that.
- Gibbs.
Are you going to
represent the office properly,
even though you all
broken up about Diane?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Okay.
[SIGHS] I need your help on this.
What does that say?
Uh
Are these the reporter's notes?
He has horrible handwriting.
We think this page is
talking about Westmont,
but we can't make
heads or tails out of it.
Vera and Kowalski
have been staring at it
- for the last two hours.
- Uh
"In the trash.
There are far too many octopuses."
- [GIBBS MUTTERS]
- "Octopi."
- Octopi.
- Yeah.
Never mind.
Gibbs, I need you to
tell Randy what I said about
properly representing
the office when he wakes up.
I had to force him to take a nap.
The whole dang office is out of whack.
[DOOR CLOSES]
[SNORING SOFTLY]
[WHISPERING]: Bernard Randolf,
you've always been my hero.
I am? That's
That's not funny. You know
I'm sensitive about heroics.
Come on, let's go.
Time to get up. MJ says
the caffeine should be fully cycled out.
Yeah, I'm good.
I don't need help. I got it.
- This is the car we're looking for.
- What?
It's the car
that was following Westmont.
1977 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon
in bright red.
How do we know that?
Because the guys
from the shooting range.
No, they just said it was a red Pinto.
They didn't give us a model or anything.
Yeah, but once y'all
were done wailing on each other,
I called them up, got the details.
After dealing with all them lawyers,
I found these guys
to be very reasonable.
They gave you a picture of the car, too?
No. Clearly, I just
pulled this as a reference
from one of Kowalski's
Car & Driver magazines.
What's the matter, Rando?
Your brain ain't working yet?
Mary Jo said all the caffeine
would be fully cycled out.
No, I'm good. Look at me go.
What else do we got? Description
of the stalker, right?
Guy in the Pinto was tall and bald.
Hundred percent bald head.
Six-foot to six-foot-two,
white, mid-40s.
And Westmont figured he was
hired by some disgruntled client.
And the guys at the shooting
range told you all this?
They were very reasonable.
Rando, call up the DMV.
Get all the red Pinto
registrations in the county.
See if any of the drivers
match our description.
- Copy.
- Dominguez, tell probie to quit
licking his wounds with Wheeler
and get his ass back up here.
Where we at with those reporter's notes?
VERA: Okay. I think
I figured out his W's.
See how they all do this swoopy thing,
like a pair of boobs?
JASON: Can I see?
What? I just want to help.
Yeah, I bet you do.
MARY JO:
How much writing can one man do?
I'm getting carpal tunnel
just looking at all this stuff.
VERA: Maybe he had that, uh, that thing.
You know, that thing where-where
you can't stop writing.
What's it called?
- It's called, uh
- JASON: Hey.
- Your name's Richard, right?
- What about it?
Why would you have people
call you Dick instead of Rick?
It's kind of like you're asking for it.
Okay. Your dad said
sit here quietly. Remember?
KOWALSKI: The compulsive writing
thing you're talking about
is called hypergraphia.
Edgar Allan Poe had it.
Edgar Allan Poe was a Richard.
Hey, look, kid,
I know you had a rough day,
but the only Richard in here is you.
You want to help? Here, have at it.
And shut your damn trap.
Hey, Mary Jo,
you want to have a look here?
You see what Vera
was saying about the W's?
- Mm-hmm.
- "Westmont's
"work on the Pruitt appeal
does not match
the time spent to billing."
You just gotta squint your eyes
and let your brain fill it in.
How-how the hell did you
learn how to do that?
The day before we take a test,
my social studies teacher
writes out the answer key
and she leaves it on her desk.
So I taught myself to read
her horrible handwriting, and
I'm getting an A in the class.
- Please don't tell my dad.
- Here, can you read this?
Um
"She ensures favorable rulings
for Westmont's clients."
"He pays her kickbacks in return."
Uh
"They meet doing trades"?
No, "they meet during times"
"billed to the Pruitt appeal."
Westmont was colluding illegally.
With who?
Hey, with who? Kid, come on.
Oh, uh
Someone named
"Ausa."
Ausa? You mean AUSA?
What does that stand for?
Assistant U.S. attorney.
I'll call Franks.
Monica Adams, NIS.
Mrs. Adams, we spoke to you
at Westmont's office this morning.
- We need to talk to you.
- [GLASS SHATTERS]
Hit it.
GIBBS: Couch. Hands!
Let me see your hands!
FRANKS: Got her. Clear it.
Your wine fell?
Yes.
Anyone else in here with you?
My husband's away.
Did you find out who killed Doug?
You and Doug had an agreement.
Y'all were trading favors.
MONICA: What?
No.
We were having an affair.
I loved him. I'm sorry.
I should have told you earlier, but
I was scared.
I knew it would end my career,
my marriage
- My life.
- GIBBS: So when Westmont
scheduled time to work
on the Pruitt appeal,
he was seeing you,
which means you were supposed
to be with him this morning.
Yes. He got
called away for a meeting at NIS.
I made up some excuse
to go see him afterwards.
So when you told me what happened,
Doug and I were supposed to be together
when the bomb went off.
We were supposed to die together.
[SNIFFLES]
- Know who would have done this?
- Doug was being followed.
It was a red car.
One night, Doug grabbed his gun
to try and confront him, but
the car sped off so fast,
the curb ripped the bumper off.
It was a red car.
Red car, red.
[BREATHING SHAKILY]
Mrs. Adams,
did you take anything tonight?
- Any medication?
- Yeah.
- I'm sorry.
- FRANKS: Hey. Hey.
- Let me see your hands.
- No, hands!
FRANKS: Put your hands up.
- Stay back.
- Ma'am, keep your hands up.
Where I can see them, please.
She took a bunch of pills.
[MUTTERING]:
The curb, it took the bumper.
- Oh, geez.
- Damn it, probie, call it in.
- Yeah, I got it.
- Mrs. Adams.
Look at me. Look at me!
Monica Adams is in
the hospital. What do we know?
- Is she gonna make it?
- They pumped her stomach,
said that we got her there just in time.
She was another lawyer
spinning the truth till
we busted down her door, dragged
it out of her, Dominguez.
What do we know?
GIBBS: Adams and Westmont
weren't colluding.
They were having an affair.
She knew about
the guy who was following him.
- She said that there was
- Red Pinto hit a curb,
lost a bumper. Yeah,
Mary Jo gave us the message.
Well, you doing anything about it?
Yes, Franks.
And don't speak to me like that.
I don't practice law.
You're displacing your anger again.
I apologize.
Randy and I have been calling
all the body shops in the area.
We're looking to see
if any of them have repaired
a bumper on a red Pinto for
a guy matching our description.
- Nothing so far?
- RANDY: Okay, thanks.
Waldo's Auto Body Shop, baby.
Owner is appropriately named Waldo.
He replaced the front bumper
on a bright red
'77 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon
two weeks ago.
- Driver matches our description?
- Yep.
White, 40s, bald as a mother.
His name is Linus Eckles.
And Waldo gave us
his freaking home address!
Let's go! I got my third wind.
FRANKS: Giddyap!
- [POUNDING ON DOOR]
- GIBBS: Linus Eckles! NIS!
[BEES BUZZING]
Son of a bitch. Clear it!
Let's go.
LALA: Clear!
[CLATTERING NEARBY]
[THUMP NEARBY]
[RATTLING]
[BEES BUZZING]
[RATTLING]
Mr. Eckles, show me your hands.
God said you were coming,
so I set them free.
FRANKS: Hands!
Show me your hands!
- Probie, cuff him.
- Stay down!
Stay down. Give me your hands.
- [HANDCUFFS CLICKING]
- [GRUNTING]
Fly. Go free.
[HANDCUFFS CLICKING]
Fly.
Fly. Fly.
I can get you some calamine lotion
- after we're done talking.
- Did you all get stung?
They didn't mean it.
C-4 detonator parts at your apartment.
They're matched to the bomb
that killed Doug Westmont.
FRANKS: Your phone, too.
Be great if we could skip
the part where you deny it,
seeing as you, me, or we
all three know you done it.
I followed Doug Westmont.
I found out he was having an affair with
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Adams.
I built the bomb.
I planted it in his car.
She was supposed to be nearby
when it went off.
- Why'd you do it?
- Westmont's clients.
A lot of them went to prison.
They didn't know that he was
sleeping with the prosecutor.
It was unfair.
It needed to be brought into the light.
What made you start following
Westmont in the first place?
The idea just came in my head,
I guess. From God.
You saying you got yourself
in here facing a murder charge,
'cause some folks you never
even met were being done wrong?
That's right.
Can I get the lotion now?
You think he's crazy
or he's hiding something?
- Both.
- GIBBS: Boss.
He say anything about Abe Pruitt?
- What?
- RANDY: We looked into Eckles' record.
He did a month for
attempted pipe bombing.
- Same prison as Abe Pruitt?
- GIBBS: Yeah.
Eckles was released two months ago.
Warden said that he was a
regular at Pruitt's chapel services.
JASON:
I think it happened like this.
Abe Pruitt realized
Westmont was up to something
when that reporter
asked about his appeal.
Abe brainwashed Linus Eckles
in his prison church
and told him about
a dirty lawyer named Westmont.
When Eckles was released,
he followed Westmont
in his red Pinto,
found out about the affair,
and reported it back to Abe.
Abe told him to do the bombing,
but Eckles refused to admit
Abe was involved.
So the team
tried to prove that after
Eckles was released from prison,
he made contact with Abe.
No phone call from
Eckles to Abe in prison.
Nothing in the visitation logs either.
We got no way to prove
Abe was behind this.
Told y'all! With this many
lawyers spinning,
this case ain't ever getting solved!
JASON: There's no proof that
Abe was behind all this, but
he probably did it to expose the affair.
Because that could get
a lot of mistrials declared.
I wrote some other things down,
but it's just more notes.
Seems like you got pretty invested.
After the bomb went off
I was scared.
But then I saw how you were.
And I'd never seen you like that before.
It was like everything
I thought I knew, I didn't.
So you snuck out to a shooting range.
To see if I could be a good shot.
To see if maybe I could be
an agent someday, like you.
Seems like all I've
ever done is screw things up.
But today I helped solve the case.
And maybe I could
turn into something good.
Jason [SIGHS]
You are something good.
But we just can't keep going backwards.
I won't.
I have something now.
I have something to go for.
And I thought maybe
I could do an internship here.
Two months. You stay
out of trouble for two months,
and then we'll talk about it.
Deal.
I see trees of green ♪
Red roses, too ♪
OLDER GIBBS:
A lot of people believe
in something bigger
than themselves.
I always wanted to be like that.
The kind of person that
believes in something bigger.
[DOOR OPENS]
What a wonderful world ♪
Thought you might be here.
No, don't get up.
For the bee stings.
Ah.
And for everything else.
Ah.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
Thanks.
What you writing?
Franks inspired a new rule.
"Rule number 13:
Never involve a lawyer."
After all this, it should be,
"Never ever involve a lawyer."
Maybe I'll rewrite it later.
I figured you usually talked
to Diane after a day like this.
I completely bought that you
were fine all day, by the way.
I am.
I think I can see myself living alone.
Big house with a fireplace,
basement maybe.
Focus on work, build a few boats.
I think that'd be enough.
You're just gonna go cold turkey
on relationships then, huh?
Lala, I don't think I can do it again.
So I think I'm done.
I'm done.
The colors of the rainbow ♪
So pretty in the sky ♪
Are also on the faces ♪
Are you leaving?
Yeah, I just came to
drop that stuff off.
- It's been a long day.
- Yeah.
They're really saying ♪
I love you ♪
I hear babies cry ♪
OLDER GIBBS: I tried to
hang on to something bigger,
but in the end,
reality always won out.
They'll learn much more
than I'll ever know ♪
Two weeks after Doug Westmont
was killed by a car bomb
[DOOR OPENS]
and his affair
with AUSA Monica Adams
was exposed, Abe Pruitt
was granted a mistrial.
[BUZZING]
The judge threw out
his conviction.
He told his followers
he walked out a free man
'cause there was something
bigger than themselves.
But he was
about to show the world
- what he really believed.
- [BEE BUZZING]
In Abe Pruitt's mind,
there was nothing bigger
than Abe Pruitt.
Ooh, yes. ♪
- Jason!
- What is wrong with you?
Jason didn't just get fired
by the FBI. He got arrested.
Westmont is helping me
get the charges dropped.
Was that not the same
Doug Westmont who keeps
going on TV talking
about Pruitt's compound,
claiming he got nothing to do
with the theater bombing?
And Abe Pruitt should never
have been arrested.
What's a rule box?
Stuff I used to write down,
- reminders.
- JACKSON: Your wife,
she left in tears.
You need to be a man and end it.
♪
["WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD"
BY LOUIS ARMSTRONG PLAYING]
OLDER GIBBS: The guy's name
was Linus Eckles.
None of us had
ever heard of him before.
His neighbor said he was quiet,
didn't make much noise.
Linus was good with details.
He liked exact measurements,
calculations.
Not many people
appreciated that about him.
Not many people
appreciated him at all.
What a wonderful world ♪
But that all changed when he
started believing in a higher power,
- something bigger than himself.
- [BUZZING]
He started using his skills
to take care of
things that
needed taking care of.
And clouds of white ♪
And today was the day
that he would use those skills
to take care of something
much bigger than himself.
Today was the day
that quiet Linus Eckles
would make a big bang.
Yes, I think to myself ♪
What a wonderful world. ♪
♪
[TOILET FLUSHES]
What do you got, paint stains there?
Yeah. Varnish. I was testing it
out for the boat this morning.
You don't have any paint thinner
in the shed?
Ran out.
But olive oil's working
good enough for this job.
You didn't feel like doing any
actual building this morning?
I wasn't focused. I
Diane and I ended things, so
Ah, I'm sorry.
It was the right thing for both of us.
Yeah.
I'm more worried about
how I'm gonna tell everyone.
I just want to move on, you know?
- I can let folks know.
- Yeah?
Yeah, if that'll
make things easier for you.
Oh
- Thanks, Kowalski.
- Sure.
Hey, but I'd clean this bottle off
and put it back in the kitchen.
Otherwise, Mary Jo's gonna have
a justifiable reason
to be pissed off at you.
[GIBBS CHUCKLES]
- Thanks again, Kowalski.
- You bet.
Kowalski, hold up.
Dalton Basement just said
that bloodsucking lawyer's
up there talking to Wheeler again.
- Who?
- Doug Westmont,
Abe Pruitt's lawyer.
- He up there?
- No idea.
Hey, have you seen Gail?
I gotta tell her something for Gibbs.
Hey, y'all talking Doug Westmont?
That is a large cup of joe
you got there, Rando.
Yeah, it's my second one
this morning. Lot of caffeine.
I pulled an all-nighter
to finish inputting all
the case files on the computer
because HQ asked me to
start making a computer database
for all the evidence logs
across the agency now.
Yeah, I heard about
those computer databases.
And, boss, to answer your question, yes,
the bloodsucking lawyer
Doug Westmont is 100%
up in Wheeler's office, but it's got
nothing to do with Abe Pruitt.
Hey, sorry to cut you off there, K-Dog.
- No.
- Anyway,
Wheeler's son,
he got arrested for shooting
paintballs at cars on an access road
and lost his internship at the FBI.
So, Wheeler called in Doug Westmont
to help get the charges dropped.
Fingers crossed all the way.
Yeah, I know all that already, Rando.
Wheeler told me last week.
Gotcha. Man, this caffeine
is really pumping hard.
Where's Gail?
I believe she's servicing the
copier with some fresh toner.
Thank you.
FRANKS: Guaranteed Westmont's
up there spinning the truth.
That's what all them lawyers do.
Oh, darn it all.
KOWALSKI: That toner got you, huh?
Why don't you try some olive oil?
Gibbs just brought
the bottle into the kitchen.
Thanks, Kowalski.
Hey, speaking of Gibbs,
I have some news.
It's very unfortunate, very sensitive.
[WHISPERING]: What is it?
This probably shouldn't be
spread around.
Oh, I wouldn't. I'm a vault.
Gibbs and Diane called it quits.
Their marriage is over.
No
That's
- Will you excuse me a minute?
- Sure thing.
Mary Jo, I gotta tell you something.
Very unfortunate and very sensitive.
Gibbs and Diane are getting a divorce.
WESTMONT: So, a nolo contendere
plea acknowledges that
there's enough to convict.
But you will not be pleading guilty.
So you'll get probation,
some community service.
But you'll escape doing
any time in juvie.
What about his permanent record?
Clean slate once he turns 18.
Thank God he's a terrible shot.
I wouldn't have been able
to help him if he
actually hit any of the cars.
The paint gun wasn't calibrated right.
Sign the papers, Jason.
All right. Well, don't you worry, kid.
Uncle Dougie has got you covered.
Here, take it.
It's for the shooting range
off Fifth Street.
Oh, I don't think that's a good idea.
Well, it's better than
having him shoot paintballs
50 yards off FBI property.
Take him for a little
target practice, Cliff.
Let him work out some aggression.
- Okay, Doug.
- No, I'm serious. Look,
they're a prickly bunch of
bastards that run the place.
But you show them that card, I
mean, they'll give you 15% off.
- Doug.
- What?
Can I speak to you in private, please?
Oh, yeah, sure.
Look, this paintball thing isn't just
about him getting arrested.
I told you, the FBI is firing him
from his internship in the mailroom.
I understand this is a lot to ask,
but could you get him
an internship at your firm?
Absolutely not.
Yeah, I figured.
Shelly and I, we just don't
know what to do anymore.
We'll get him to a good place.
We're playing piano together.
Next thing you know,
I'm getting another call
from the local authorities.
I mean, he's really good
at social studies, but what
does that even mean? How do you
turn that into a career?
I don't know, man. That's
why Holly and I never had kids.
I got the snip years ago.
So, look, just give my office
a ring when the kid signs
- and you're ready to file.
- Yeah, okay. Thanks.
You let that bloodsucking
lawyer take my spot.
Well, I've been letting guests use it
since you weren't driving.
Yeah, well, I'm driving now,
so if you could, please, sir,
- just let
- [ENGINE STARTS]
[GRUNTS]
♪
[MUFFLED CAR ALARM BLARING]
[MUFFLED FRANTIC CHATTER]
♪
FRANKS: Cliff!
- Cliff, are you okay?
- Jason. Where's Jason?
I don't know. Was he still inside?
- Jason!
- GIBBS: What the hell happened?
- Get back!
- LALA: Car bomb.
[GRUNTS]
Westmont's dead.
- Move, move!
- Did you see my son? Is he inside?
I don't know! Everyone's evacuating!
- Sir, you can't go in there.
- My son is inside.
GUARD: Sir, we need everyone
to clear the area.
WHEELER: No, this is my office!
You get the hell out of my way!
My son's inside.
- Dad!
- Jason! Jason!
[PANTING]
- Oh. Oh.
- I thought you were dead.
- I'm okay. I'm okay.
- Are you okay?
- Is everybody okay?
- Doug Westmont was in the car.
- [GUNFIRE]
- [SCREAMING]
WHEELER: Down, down, down!
[CLAMORING]
- [SCREAMING]
- Mary Jo! Dalton!
Get him out of here!
Get these two out of here.
- Go! Take whoever you can!
- Come on, come on.
- Dad!
- Go! I'm all right!
- Go! Go! Go! Go!
- The Jeep!
Stay with Kowalski! Get in there!
Head down! Head down!
[GUNFIRE CONTINUES]
- Randolf, what's the source?
- Came from the car, sir.
He probably had ammo in there,
it's cooking off.
Everyone hold your fire!
There's ammo burning off in the car!
There is no gunman! There is no gunman!
Gibbs, set up a 500-foot perimeter.
Franks, radio the fire department.
Strickland, Randolf,
Dominguez, make sure
the buildings are empty. I want
the whole area cleared now!
Go, go, go!
Dominguez, you in there?
LALA: Uh, yeah. I'll be up in a minute.
- Did Gail find you?
- Yeah. She left a note.
- What's going on?
- Bomb squad lets us back in.
30 minutes later, she got everybody
and their mama knowing.
Knowing what?
Gibbs and Diane split up.
Sounds like it's
really gonna take this time.
Anyhow, I just thought
you should know so you don't
accidentally say something dumb to him.
[SCOFFS SOFTLY]
Thanks.
Hey, is Lala in here? Lala?
LALA: What?
Gibbs and Diane are ending their
marriage. So don't say anything dumb.
Copy.
Let's go, Rando. What do we know?
We got a bomb planted in Westmont's car.
That's right, we do. So, yeah,
it's like, you know how
I stayed up all night to finish
the computer job so I could
start the new computer job?
It's kind of like my brain
is just like this human computer,
just [STAMMERS] fueled by caffeine.
And in other news, Doc Tango confirmed
cause of death was Westmont
getting blown up by the bomb.
Wow, I was gonna try to come down slow.
But you just poured it into the
GIBBS: Hey, Vera's
notifying Westmont's wife.
What?
- Nothing.
- We heard about you and Diane.
[SIGHS] We know it must have been hard
to watch her walk out the door.
But we're all here for you, man.
Marriages end every second.
One just ended right now
in Cleveland. I'm sure.
[CURTAIN SLIDES OPEN]
Let's go. What do we know?
Did we hear from Woody?
Yep. Bomb forensics
should be ready shortly.
I also made contact
with Westmont's office.
Told them we'd be stopping by
to discuss timelines, enemies.
Guy's a lawyer, Rando,
we should block out
the whole damn day to talk enemies.
Where are we with the investigation?
Sir, if you don't mind me saying,
your "take charge" performance
after that bomb went off,
I mean, that was awesome.
It was like, uh,
it was like Joe Average
turns Commando Cliff.
[CHUCKLES]
Dalton took Jason home to Shelly's.
Until things calm down,
I'm keeping an agent posted there.
Jason's pretty shaken up.
When you talked to Westmont,
did he seem off?
- He say anything?
- No. Nothing.
All right, let's find
ourselves some leads then.
Probie, you and me will
head to Westmont's office.
You two got forensics.
Can we stop for a soda on the way?
I really think it's safer
if I come down slowly.
[SIGHS, GRUNTS]
- Holy hell.
- Yeah,
that is a mammoth amount
of caffeine, buddy.
It's okay. Don't worry about it.
- He's coming down slowly.
- PHIL: You know what?
Forget we brought it up. We have
bigger things to discuss.
Oh, should we start with this fax
we got from Gail about
Gibbs being back on the market?
Or do you guys want
to talk about bomb parts first?
- Gibbs being back on the
- Bomb parts.
Bomb parts. Bomb parts for sure.
Right.
Okay, I'll just set this right over here
and we can refer to it later.
So, the, uh, shots following
the car bomb were definitely
ammo cooking off from the heat.
WOODY: Yeah, looks like
Westmont had a couple boxes
in his glove compartment,
along with this 9mm handgun.
What about this?
Is this it? This is the bomb?
Yes, Randolf, you're looking at a brick
of C4 and a detonator,
a pretty simple bomb design.
Well, detonator was a different story.
Yes, the detonator
was quite sophisticated,
but I managed to piece it
back together thanks to
my undisputed mechanical prowess.
You fixed the copier one time,
Philip, so, come on.
The detonator was not on a timer.
It was wired to the car's ignition.
But it was designed to go off
on the second turn of the key.
WOODY: Mm-hmm. Key turn one,
prime the bomb.
Key turn two
[IMITATES EXPLOSION]
- Bomb goes boom.
- So someone planted the bomb
at one location and wanted it to go off
- at Westmont's next location?
- [SLURPING]
Wait, are you guys saying
the bomber was targeting NIS?
I think we are. We're just
scientists. You guys are the
PHIL: I mean, I just know
how the bomb worked.
WOODY: You tell us, I guess.
Mr. Westmont wasn't scheduled
to be at NIS this morning.
- I'm sure of it.
- Can we see his schedule?
Yes. Sorry,
I'm looking at the wrong one.
That was Mr. Keller's.
This is Mr. Westmont's.
[CRYING]: Sorry.
I just can't believe
what happened to him.
It's okay.
- Take your time.
- MAN: Ashley,
cancel my lunch, will you?
Gentlemen, Carter Dodd.
And our third partner, Perry Keller.
Pleasure. You're with NIS?
- Sorry for your loss.
- I wouldn't believe it,
except the news
just started reporting it.
Doug was
It doesn't seem real.
ASHLEY: Excuse me, Agent Franks.
I found Mr. Westmont's schedule.
Hold on there, Ashley.
What are you giving them?
We need to know where Westmont
should have been this morning.
I'm afraid you'll need a court order.
- You yanking my chain right now?
- Attorney-client privilege
still applies, even post mortem.
I'm trying to find out
who killed your damn partner,
and y'all are gonna play lawyer games?
The attorney-client privilege is sacred.
Sacred, my ass. You want to
know who killed him or not?
Uh
Pardon me, I have an amendment
to discovery for Mr. Westmont.
Uh, Monica, Doug was
[CLEARS THROAT] He was killed
this morning, ma'am.
Oh, my God.
Uh, what happened?
You work here?
You mind telling us where he
was meant to be this morning?
No, I-I'm with
the U.S. attorney's office.
But do you have a warrant
for his schedule?
- Y'all are unbelievable.
- Look,
once you have a warrant,
swing back around. We'll be
Ah, just give us the damn schedule.
ASHLEY: The Abe Pruitt appeal.
His schedule says he
was supposed to be working on
the Pruitt appeal this morning.
I don't know where, but it wasn't NIS.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
You hear that, probie?
We got a barn full of ashes.
And now Abe Pruitt's trottin'
in from pasture.
You think Abe's involved in this?
Hell, I wouldn't put it past him.
I'm telling you, them lawyers,
they talk and they talk until one day,
you wake up and
they're stealing your ranch
right out from under you.
- You mean your place in Texas?
- Yeah, my place.
Whatever place. It don't matter.
With that many bloodsuckers
spinning the truth,
including the dead guy,
and you add in Abe Pruitt?
That bastard used to be a lawyer, too.
Now he thinks he's
some kind of compound god.
You mark my words, probie.
With that many lawyers spinning,
ain't no way in hell
this case is ever getting solved.
- [APPLAUSE]
- Who amongst us
hasn't felt small?
- [LOCK BUZZES]
- Who hasn't felt judged?
- Amen!
- That's right.
- [DOOR OPENS]
- MAN: Yep!
[DOOR CLOSES]
Look at me. We are small.
But that is only because
there is something bigger,
something more powerful
than the bars that imprison us.
Look at me.
- I am free.
- [OTHERS MURMURING]
GIBBS: Hmm.
- How'd it happen?
- Car bomb.
At his home?
- His wife okay?
- Happened at our office.
- At Pendleton.
- Listen, Abe,
I'd rather not BS you
in the house of God.
We know you got a thing for bombs,
and the lawyer who couldn't
get you out of here
just got blown up by one.
I had nothing to do with
that movie theater bombing.
And nothing to do with
Stanley taking his own life.
That's not why we're here.
Agent Gibbs,
let me tell you why I'm here.
I'm here because you
exposed me for bigamy.
I'm here because I married Beth
to get her health insurance
for her chemotherapy.
I did that. And I'm prepared
to serve my time.
I would do it again.
FRANKS: Seems like you're
making good use of your time in here.
Replacing your flock.
My people aren't being replaced.
Wilson & Barnes
kicked them off our land.
So, yes, they are scattered.
But they can never be replaced.
What we built will always be with us.
Your brother felt the same.
Spoke to Mason last week on the phone.
He didn't tell you?
Spoke to him and said what?
That I was sorry how things ended.
That I was praying for him.
And that I was trying to reach
all my people to tell them as much.
GIBBS: Mr. Pruitt, if you made peace
with serving your time,
why'd you file an appeal?
- I didn't.
- Westmont was scheduled
to work on his argument
for it this morning.
[SIGHS]
- The reporter.
- The what?
A reporter came to
see me a couple months ago.
He was doing a story on
the movie theater bombing
and my conviction.
Told me Westmont filed an appeal.
I said he was mistaken. But
There were no grounds for an appeal.
I told Westmont that.
So why would he file anyway?
Who's the reporter who came to see you?
Reporter's name is Freddie Riles.
Prison's records show he visited
Abe Pruitt three months ago.
Confirmed with
the Chronicle that Riles was
writing a piece on the theater bombing.
He likely made contact
with Westmont while he
- was researching.
- Well, bring him in here, then.
We can't. He died
of a heart attack last month.
Asking too many questions. Could
have gotten himself killed.
I went down that road, too, Gibbs.
But then I did a little more digging.
Riles had a heart condition since birth.
- Heart attack was legit.
- What about the article he wrote?
LALA: He didn't finish it.
Family says he left behind
a huge amount of notes.
But his family lawyered up.
They want a court order
before they hand over his writings.
What the hell'd they lawyer up for?
They said there's too many
notes to go through,
but I just think they got too
scared of what might be in them.
Last thing we need is another
damn lawyer on this thing, Rando.
- I didn't tell him to get one.
- I ain't yelling at you!
I'm yelling at the amount
of truth-spinning bloodsuckers
we got on this thing!
Okay, well, it just feels like a really
high decibel just blasting in my face.
And I just cut myself off
from caffeine now,
so I'm feeling a little light-headed.
Sit your ass down, then.
I'll get to work on the warrant.
LALA: Don't bother. Wheeler's on it.
- Cliff?
- LALA: Yeah,
he said he's gonna throw
some weight around
and get the warrant expedited.
He's still riding high from
that Commando Cliff performance
after the bomb went off.
Rando, do what you gotta do
to get right.
Probie, Dominguez,
call in Westmont's wife.
Let's see if she'll
give us a list of enemies
without a damn court order.
RANDY: Hey, boss, how was
Pruitt when you talked to him?
Gibbs said Westmont filed
an appeal without him knowing.
[LINE RINGING]
MASON: Silver State Ranch.
- Mason.
- Mikey.
Damn, I was just
about to call you.
I saw on the news
about Abe's lawyer.
You know who done it?
Listen, I went to see Abe.
He said he talked to you
on the phone.
Yeah, he tracked me down
through a lady that
lived with us on the compound.
He didn't want nothing,
just to tell me
he was sorry
he couldn't save the land.
Didn't say nothing else?
Nothing about his lawyer?
No.
Honestly, Mikey, I know you told me
all that bad stuff he done,
but I don't know,
when I talk to him, he doesn't
seem like that kind of guy.
Mikey?
Listen, Mason, let's catch up later.
- I gotta run.
- Sure thing.
Shelly, listen to me.
Tell him that he is safe,
that I am safe.
The bomb was supposed
to go off somewhere else.
If if you need anything,
just call me and I will handle it.
Okay.
[HANGS UP PHONE]
Jason is pretty shaken up.
Well, I'm sure he is, but you
sound like you're handling it.
Just make sure you don't
take things too far.
- What?
- The Commando Cliff routine
was great outside, but now
I've got a scared courier
saying I gotta get
8 million boxes
off of his truck immediately,
because you were too pushy when
you expedited that warrant.
- Are these the reporter's notes?
- You can sit that right there.
What are you putting them in here for?
Because you requested it, Cliff.
I swear,
that bomb went off, and now
everything is out of whack.
- Mm-hmm.
- Do you know how things
run smooth around here, Cliff?
I intervene.
Well, things happened so fast,
when we got back in the building,
I didn't have time to intervene.
Now Gail's got the whole
office running around talking
about Gibbs's divorce,
Randy is about to have
the biggest caffeine
crash-out known to man,
and you are walking around here
with your chest puffed out
so far, you going to tip over, Cliff.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Get this stuff out of here.
Just Have Vera and Kowalski
- go through it all with you.
- [PHONE RINGING]
Wheeler.
Wait. Shelly. No, no, no. Hold on.
Calm down. I-I can't understand you.
He-he did what?
Okay, I'll handle it.
I said I'll handle it.
Jason snuck out. He's on
the loose doing god-knows-what.
[SIGHS]
My husband wasn't a perfect man,
but he was a good one.
Mrs. Westmont, can you think of anyone
that would want to hurt your husband?
Being a defense attorney,
Doug always says
making enemies is
a part of the job description.
- You got any names?
- Sure.
I-I can write them down if you'd like.
Ma'am, do you know why
your husband filed an appeal
for Abe Pruitt when Abe didn't want one?
No, but
LALA: What?
He bought a gun recently,
joined a shooting range.
He said it was for fun,
but then he also said
the guys who worked there were awful.
I asked him why he kept going.
He just changed the subject.
You know which shooting range?
It's called Oceanside Arms.
Do you think Wheeler's gonna
put a BOLO out for his son?
- [YAWNS]
- You good?
Yeah, just a bit of a crash
from the caffeine stoppage.
But it was worth it to start
that new computerized evidence log.
[GROANS]
Why am I even talking about this, dude?
- Your marriage is fricking over.
- Ah, I'm fine.
[GROANS]
Let's discuss this after. Promise?
Oh, just so you know,
Lala said Westmont's wife said
the guys that work here, real jerks.
We told you what we know.
Now get the hell out of here.
- Hey, listen, buddy
- [OVERLAPPING SHOUTING]
Hey, guys, how about you
run us through it again
with a little less feeling,
and one at a time, please?
[YAWNING]
- What, are we boring you?
- What is wrong with you, man?
Why would you open your mouth
up that big in front of me?
We told you, okay? Westmont was learning
to shoot because he was being stalked.
He was being tailed
by a dude in a Pinto.
Yeah, some dude in a Pinto
was following him.
- The guy was bald.
- Dude tailing him had no hair.
- [YAWNING]
- Are you serious right now, dude?
Sir, what are you doing here?
[GUNSHOTS]
Hey, dumbass, you gotta check in!
Hey. What the hell were
you thinking, sneaking off
- and coming here?
- Dad, what are you
I had to pay off the taxi driver
to tell me where he took you.
Do you know how humiliating that is?
- I was just
- You let a child
into a shooting range
without a legal guardian?
Is Jason old enough to be here?
- I doubt it.
- He had cash and an ID.
What? Oh, come on.
Does that look like
a 16-year-old to you?
Are you blind? He must
have stolen it from my wallet.
You need to watch yourself.
You're standing in my domain.
You see my kid?
He's my domain. And you do
not want to test me today.
- Step off, man.
- Hey!
Okay, second wind. Here we go.
[GRUNTING]
Thank you.
For not leaving me hanging back there.
Never seen you throw a punch.
It was impressive.
The way you took control
this morning, too.
Yeah, I've always been scrappy.
You start wearing a suit every
day, people forget who you are.
You forget who you are.
Well, at least you got a description
of the guy following Westmont.
And no broken bones.
- I would call that a win-win.
- Mm.
What are you gonna do with Jason?
Ah, I put him in the conference room.
Told him he's grounded for
an open-ended period of time.
Yeah.
I meant after that.
I don't know.
We're in this vicious cycle where things
get better and then
they go back to being worse.
Worst part about being a dad.
When you don't know how to help him.
Never goes away.
Hey,
I'm sorry to hear about you and Diane.
Divorce is complicated.
For her and me, maybe not.
She'll file the paperwork. I'll sign it.
[DOOR OPENS]
MARY JO: Are you two kidding me?
You're gonna go out there on the clock
and get into a brawl at a gun club?
What the hell were you thinking?
- BOTH: They started it.
- Cliff,
you are busting heads
in a suit, for God's sakes.
They riled me up about Jason.
Look, I know you're
on the edge about Jason,
and I know you've been feeling yourself
since your Commando Cliff
routine, but, honey,
we need you to represent
this office properly.
Now tell me you understand that.
- I understand that.
- Gibbs.
Are you going to
represent the office properly,
even though you all
broken up about Diane?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Okay.
[SIGHS] I need your help on this.
What does that say?
Uh
Are these the reporter's notes?
He has horrible handwriting.
We think this page is
talking about Westmont,
but we can't make
heads or tails out of it.
Vera and Kowalski
have been staring at it
- for the last two hours.
- Uh
"In the trash.
There are far too many octopuses."
- [GIBBS MUTTERS]
- "Octopi."
- Octopi.
- Yeah.
Never mind.
Gibbs, I need you to
tell Randy what I said about
properly representing
the office when he wakes up.
I had to force him to take a nap.
The whole dang office is out of whack.
[DOOR CLOSES]
[SNORING SOFTLY]
[WHISPERING]: Bernard Randolf,
you've always been my hero.
I am? That's
That's not funny. You know
I'm sensitive about heroics.
Come on, let's go.
Time to get up. MJ says
the caffeine should be fully cycled out.
Yeah, I'm good.
I don't need help. I got it.
- This is the car we're looking for.
- What?
It's the car
that was following Westmont.
1977 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon
in bright red.
How do we know that?
Because the guys
from the shooting range.
No, they just said it was a red Pinto.
They didn't give us a model or anything.
Yeah, but once y'all
were done wailing on each other,
I called them up, got the details.
After dealing with all them lawyers,
I found these guys
to be very reasonable.
They gave you a picture of the car, too?
No. Clearly, I just
pulled this as a reference
from one of Kowalski's
Car & Driver magazines.
What's the matter, Rando?
Your brain ain't working yet?
Mary Jo said all the caffeine
would be fully cycled out.
No, I'm good. Look at me go.
What else do we got? Description
of the stalker, right?
Guy in the Pinto was tall and bald.
Hundred percent bald head.
Six-foot to six-foot-two,
white, mid-40s.
And Westmont figured he was
hired by some disgruntled client.
And the guys at the shooting
range told you all this?
They were very reasonable.
Rando, call up the DMV.
Get all the red Pinto
registrations in the county.
See if any of the drivers
match our description.
- Copy.
- Dominguez, tell probie to quit
licking his wounds with Wheeler
and get his ass back up here.
Where we at with those reporter's notes?
VERA: Okay. I think
I figured out his W's.
See how they all do this swoopy thing,
like a pair of boobs?
JASON: Can I see?
What? I just want to help.
Yeah, I bet you do.
MARY JO:
How much writing can one man do?
I'm getting carpal tunnel
just looking at all this stuff.
VERA: Maybe he had that, uh, that thing.
You know, that thing where-where
you can't stop writing.
What's it called?
- It's called, uh
- JASON: Hey.
- Your name's Richard, right?
- What about it?
Why would you have people
call you Dick instead of Rick?
It's kind of like you're asking for it.
Okay. Your dad said
sit here quietly. Remember?
KOWALSKI: The compulsive writing
thing you're talking about
is called hypergraphia.
Edgar Allan Poe had it.
Edgar Allan Poe was a Richard.
Hey, look, kid,
I know you had a rough day,
but the only Richard in here is you.
You want to help? Here, have at it.
And shut your damn trap.
Hey, Mary Jo,
you want to have a look here?
You see what Vera
was saying about the W's?
- Mm-hmm.
- "Westmont's
"work on the Pruitt appeal
does not match
the time spent to billing."
You just gotta squint your eyes
and let your brain fill it in.
How-how the hell did you
learn how to do that?
The day before we take a test,
my social studies teacher
writes out the answer key
and she leaves it on her desk.
So I taught myself to read
her horrible handwriting, and
I'm getting an A in the class.
- Please don't tell my dad.
- Here, can you read this?
Um
"She ensures favorable rulings
for Westmont's clients."
"He pays her kickbacks in return."
Uh
"They meet doing trades"?
No, "they meet during times"
"billed to the Pruitt appeal."
Westmont was colluding illegally.
With who?
Hey, with who? Kid, come on.
Oh, uh
Someone named
"Ausa."
Ausa? You mean AUSA?
What does that stand for?
Assistant U.S. attorney.
I'll call Franks.
Monica Adams, NIS.
Mrs. Adams, we spoke to you
at Westmont's office this morning.
- We need to talk to you.
- [GLASS SHATTERS]
Hit it.
GIBBS: Couch. Hands!
Let me see your hands!
FRANKS: Got her. Clear it.
Your wine fell?
Yes.
Anyone else in here with you?
My husband's away.
Did you find out who killed Doug?
You and Doug had an agreement.
Y'all were trading favors.
MONICA: What?
No.
We were having an affair.
I loved him. I'm sorry.
I should have told you earlier, but
I was scared.
I knew it would end my career,
my marriage
- My life.
- GIBBS: So when Westmont
scheduled time to work
on the Pruitt appeal,
he was seeing you,
which means you were supposed
to be with him this morning.
Yes. He got
called away for a meeting at NIS.
I made up some excuse
to go see him afterwards.
So when you told me what happened,
Doug and I were supposed to be together
when the bomb went off.
We were supposed to die together.
[SNIFFLES]
- Know who would have done this?
- Doug was being followed.
It was a red car.
One night, Doug grabbed his gun
to try and confront him, but
the car sped off so fast,
the curb ripped the bumper off.
It was a red car.
Red car, red.
[BREATHING SHAKILY]
Mrs. Adams,
did you take anything tonight?
- Any medication?
- Yeah.
- I'm sorry.
- FRANKS: Hey. Hey.
- Let me see your hands.
- No, hands!
FRANKS: Put your hands up.
- Stay back.
- Ma'am, keep your hands up.
Where I can see them, please.
She took a bunch of pills.
[MUTTERING]:
The curb, it took the bumper.
- Oh, geez.
- Damn it, probie, call it in.
- Yeah, I got it.
- Mrs. Adams.
Look at me. Look at me!
Monica Adams is in
the hospital. What do we know?
- Is she gonna make it?
- They pumped her stomach,
said that we got her there just in time.
She was another lawyer
spinning the truth till
we busted down her door, dragged
it out of her, Dominguez.
What do we know?
GIBBS: Adams and Westmont
weren't colluding.
They were having an affair.
She knew about
the guy who was following him.
- She said that there was
- Red Pinto hit a curb,
lost a bumper. Yeah,
Mary Jo gave us the message.
Well, you doing anything about it?
Yes, Franks.
And don't speak to me like that.
I don't practice law.
You're displacing your anger again.
I apologize.
Randy and I have been calling
all the body shops in the area.
We're looking to see
if any of them have repaired
a bumper on a red Pinto for
a guy matching our description.
- Nothing so far?
- RANDY: Okay, thanks.
Waldo's Auto Body Shop, baby.
Owner is appropriately named Waldo.
He replaced the front bumper
on a bright red
'77 Ford Pinto Cruising Wagon
two weeks ago.
- Driver matches our description?
- Yep.
White, 40s, bald as a mother.
His name is Linus Eckles.
And Waldo gave us
his freaking home address!
Let's go! I got my third wind.
FRANKS: Giddyap!
- [POUNDING ON DOOR]
- GIBBS: Linus Eckles! NIS!
[BEES BUZZING]
Son of a bitch. Clear it!
Let's go.
LALA: Clear!
[CLATTERING NEARBY]
[THUMP NEARBY]
[RATTLING]
[BEES BUZZING]
[RATTLING]
Mr. Eckles, show me your hands.
God said you were coming,
so I set them free.
FRANKS: Hands!
Show me your hands!
- Probie, cuff him.
- Stay down!
Stay down. Give me your hands.
- [HANDCUFFS CLICKING]
- [GRUNTING]
Fly. Go free.
[HANDCUFFS CLICKING]
Fly.
Fly. Fly.
I can get you some calamine lotion
- after we're done talking.
- Did you all get stung?
They didn't mean it.
C-4 detonator parts at your apartment.
They're matched to the bomb
that killed Doug Westmont.
FRANKS: Your phone, too.
Be great if we could skip
the part where you deny it,
seeing as you, me, or we
all three know you done it.
I followed Doug Westmont.
I found out he was having an affair with
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Adams.
I built the bomb.
I planted it in his car.
She was supposed to be nearby
when it went off.
- Why'd you do it?
- Westmont's clients.
A lot of them went to prison.
They didn't know that he was
sleeping with the prosecutor.
It was unfair.
It needed to be brought into the light.
What made you start following
Westmont in the first place?
The idea just came in my head,
I guess. From God.
You saying you got yourself
in here facing a murder charge,
'cause some folks you never
even met were being done wrong?
That's right.
Can I get the lotion now?
You think he's crazy
or he's hiding something?
- Both.
- GIBBS: Boss.
He say anything about Abe Pruitt?
- What?
- RANDY: We looked into Eckles' record.
He did a month for
attempted pipe bombing.
- Same prison as Abe Pruitt?
- GIBBS: Yeah.
Eckles was released two months ago.
Warden said that he was a
regular at Pruitt's chapel services.
JASON:
I think it happened like this.
Abe Pruitt realized
Westmont was up to something
when that reporter
asked about his appeal.
Abe brainwashed Linus Eckles
in his prison church
and told him about
a dirty lawyer named Westmont.
When Eckles was released,
he followed Westmont
in his red Pinto,
found out about the affair,
and reported it back to Abe.
Abe told him to do the bombing,
but Eckles refused to admit
Abe was involved.
So the team
tried to prove that after
Eckles was released from prison,
he made contact with Abe.
No phone call from
Eckles to Abe in prison.
Nothing in the visitation logs either.
We got no way to prove
Abe was behind this.
Told y'all! With this many
lawyers spinning,
this case ain't ever getting solved!
JASON: There's no proof that
Abe was behind all this, but
he probably did it to expose the affair.
Because that could get
a lot of mistrials declared.
I wrote some other things down,
but it's just more notes.
Seems like you got pretty invested.
After the bomb went off
I was scared.
But then I saw how you were.
And I'd never seen you like that before.
It was like everything
I thought I knew, I didn't.
So you snuck out to a shooting range.
To see if I could be a good shot.
To see if maybe I could be
an agent someday, like you.
Seems like all I've
ever done is screw things up.
But today I helped solve the case.
And maybe I could
turn into something good.
Jason [SIGHS]
You are something good.
But we just can't keep going backwards.
I won't.
I have something now.
I have something to go for.
And I thought maybe
I could do an internship here.
Two months. You stay
out of trouble for two months,
and then we'll talk about it.
Deal.
I see trees of green ♪
Red roses, too ♪
OLDER GIBBS:
A lot of people believe
in something bigger
than themselves.
I always wanted to be like that.
The kind of person that
believes in something bigger.
[DOOR OPENS]
What a wonderful world ♪
Thought you might be here.
No, don't get up.
For the bee stings.
Ah.
And for everything else.
Ah.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
Thanks.
What you writing?
Franks inspired a new rule.
"Rule number 13:
Never involve a lawyer."
After all this, it should be,
"Never ever involve a lawyer."
Maybe I'll rewrite it later.
I figured you usually talked
to Diane after a day like this.
I completely bought that you
were fine all day, by the way.
I am.
I think I can see myself living alone.
Big house with a fireplace,
basement maybe.
Focus on work, build a few boats.
I think that'd be enough.
You're just gonna go cold turkey
on relationships then, huh?
Lala, I don't think I can do it again.
So I think I'm done.
I'm done.
The colors of the rainbow ♪
So pretty in the sky ♪
Are also on the faces ♪
Are you leaving?
Yeah, I just came to
drop that stuff off.
- It's been a long day.
- Yeah.
They're really saying ♪
I love you ♪
I hear babies cry ♪
OLDER GIBBS: I tried to
hang on to something bigger,
but in the end,
reality always won out.
They'll learn much more
than I'll ever know ♪
Two weeks after Doug Westmont
was killed by a car bomb
[DOOR OPENS]
and his affair
with AUSA Monica Adams
was exposed, Abe Pruitt
was granted a mistrial.
[BUZZING]
The judge threw out
his conviction.
He told his followers
he walked out a free man
'cause there was something
bigger than themselves.
But he was
about to show the world
- what he really believed.
- [BEE BUZZING]
In Abe Pruitt's mind,
there was nothing bigger
than Abe Pruitt.
Ooh, yes. ♪