NCIS s23e09 Episode Script
Heaven and Nature
1
LILY (ECHOES): Aldie.
PARKER: Careful, Lily.
Parker, you have to talk to somebody.
Especially if you're seeing ghosts.
Her name is Lily.
Who is she?
That's the problem. I have no idea.
I'm ready, I guess, to to talk
about how your mom really died.
She drove off in a rage
with me hollering
to never come back.
PARKER:
Turns out, Lily is not a ghost.
She's real.
So, I found his mother's
original death certificate.
Jess,
something doesn't add up.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
MAN: Please, I just want to talk.
- (POUNDING ON DOOR)
- I knew you were in there.
Open this door or I'll open it for you!
(WOMAN WHIMPERS)
You think I wouldn't find you?
You're too late. She's long gone.
- Where is she?
- Somewhere you'll never find her.
- Yeah, we'll see about that.
- (SCREAMS)
(BOTH STRUGGLING)
MAN: Where is she?
I'll teach you to stick
your nose in my business.
WOMAN: You don't scare me.
MAN: Where the hell is she?!
(WOMAN GASPING)
♪
Good morning, Santa's helpers.
Uh, yeah, that's us.
- TORRES: Ho ho ho.
- Oh, come on,
Nick, this toy drive is your baby.
So let's get in the spirit because
I just scored the hottest, hard-to-find,
must-have gift of the season
for one lucky kid.
Give a guess what it is.
BOTH: Blaze the Dragon.
Triangle box gave it away?
That, and apparently
the must-have gift of the year
is not that hard to find after all.
We have three Blazes?
Make that four.
And I was so proud
that I found this, too.
Oh, more the merrier, I guess.
I am also here to see if your
ears are burning, Agent Knight.
Or, or is that tingling?
Is someone talking about me?
Your CO at NCIS: ELITE
just called to update me
on your training,
which she claims that you were
how did she put it?
"crushing"?
Really?
You sound surprised.
No. No, I'm not I just
Thank you. I love training.
I'm just really kind of starting
to chomp at the bit
- for that first assignment.
- Well,
just be patient,
because like these Blazes,
you'll wish for one,
you'll end up with four.
Well, actually, Director, I believe
that Blaze makes, uh, number five.
Yeah, great minds think alike.
Well, maybe next year our great minds
can make a plan and coordinate.
So, where is Agent Parker anyway?
Autopsy. With Jimmy.
Kind of why we're not
in such a jolly mood.
That's right. Parker's mother.
They exhumed her remains.
MCGEE: And Jimmy's getting
back the autopsy results now.
Talk about a Christmas buzzkill.
Well, let's just all hope that Parker
gets the closure that he needs.
Amen to that.
I assumed you didn't want
to see the actual
No. No, Jimmy, I don't.
Good, because, 50 years, huh?
Is she wearing any rings
or anything resembling
a-an heirloom?
She's wearing a dress.
Kind of blue. Why?
I don't know.
I'm just looking for some
connection,
Um Yeah.
I just, uh
spent most of my life thinking of her
running out on me and my sister,
and then here we are,
all of a sudden
in the same room. It's
You know, this may be your
mother's body, Agent Parker,
but it's not her, this is not
her spirit.
Her spirit lives on in your memory.
I-I, I know, this sounds like
standard grief-speak,
but I believe it.
I appreciate that, Jimmy. I do.
It's just that, uh
the few memories I have of my mother
aren't exactly
Norman Rockwell material.
Hmm.
Onto the findings.
Yeah, sure. What do we got?
JIMMY: We've got a broken clavicle,
bruised sternum, severe burns.
Most everything consistent
with a car crash
- and the resulting fire.
- Most everything?
Yes, the anomaly being
these two crush injuries
to the occipital bone.
Caused by a cylindrical object
such as bat or a pipe.
The original coroner's report
Was accurate.
Yeah, the depth of these injuries
would've been immediately fatal.
Your mother was most likely murdered.
Murdered.
(DOOR OPENS)
Kase? You okay?
Yeah, I just didn't want to interrupt.
No, no, please. Interrupt.
(KASIE CLEARS THROAT)
PARKER: Unless, uh,
you've got worse news.
Worse? No, i-it
It honestly might not even be that bad,
- depending on
- PARKER: Just
just say it.
That's not your mother.
- Say that again?
- Her tissue sample
came back inconclusive for alcohol.
And since drunk driving
was listed as the cause for the crash,
I ran her DNA
and it wasn't a match to you
or to the sample
provided by your sister.
Okay, so
the cemetery sent over
the wrong remains.
I mean, that does happen.
KASIE: It does, but it didn't.
I checked.
With the cemetery and the local ME.
Everybody did everything right.
It's the right grave,
it's the right casket,
it's just the wrong occupant.
(SIGHS) So,
this is not my mother.
No.
Who is this?
I don't know, but I'm hoping that after
- some further DNA testing
- Further testing?
If I mean, if some maniac
crushed this woman's skull
whoever the hell she is
what did they do with my mother?
Where the hell is she?
The delivery truck has
a few more stops to make,
- so I won't be long.
- What do you mean?
- I'm coming with you.
- No, no, you're not.
Not when someone else
needs your help more than I do.
KNIGHT: He's been staring
at his mother's accident report
all morning.
I hardly know what to say anymore.
Well, you'll think of something.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Hey, Parker.
You doing okay?
No, Jess, I'm a pretty long way
from okay.
Have you told Harriet?
My sister's on a carrier in Guam.
But thanks.
So, unfortunately, the funeral home
that handled your mother's
burial closed in 1983.
I was able, though, to dig up
the old accident report from the crash.
Signed by Illinois State Trooper
first initial: L, last name: Burm.
PARKER: Uh,
there's a trooper in the photo,
but even if it's him,
what are the chances
this guy's still alive?
Pretty good, actually.
Illinois State Police database has
a "Sergeant Lester Burm"
listed as retired in '06,
and nothing here about him being dead.
Well, it might be a long shot,
but nothing else to go on.
Maybe the old trooper could
at least fill in some blanks?
(PHONE RINGING)
Yeah, Kase.
Okay. I'm on my way.
(SIGHS)
Long shot. Sure.
Why the hell not?
What's up? You said it was urgent.
Uh, no, I didn't say it was
urgent, I said it was exciting.
Which sounds urgent, so what's up?
What's up is we are building a face
off the skull of our mystery woman.
KASIE: 50 years later,
it still provides a blueprint.
Tissue depth gives us
some general features
While I get to add details
like skin tone and expression.
Wow, that is, uh exciting.
Uh, look, it I mean,
it's a long shot, we know.
Which now makes two
that I'm counting on.
It's not that long a shot.
I mean, this combined
with the DNA search
from you and your sister
could help us locate your mother.
Plus, third long shot's the charm.
Don't dismiss a long shot, Jimmy.
You didn't find
the trooper already, did you?
Not only did we find him,
we found that he is currently
enjoying his retirement
by driving a Winnebago
around the East Coast.
And you're not gonna guess
how close he is.
- The Navy Yard.
- Not that close.
Sandy Point, the Maryland coast.
And, uh, McGee is currently reaching out
for an exact location.
See? That is great.
And who is this?
The trooper who filed the
accident report on Parker's mom.
I'm pinning my hopes on an octogenarian.
Oh, no, his file says he's only 79.
"Where there's life, there's hope."
- Lord of the Rings.
- It worked on Samwise.
Well, if it's good enough for Tolkien,
it's better than nothing.
- (SOFT CLATTERING)
- BURM: I got to say, uh,
once I heard from your Agent McGee,
I just would've gladly come to you.
I mean, uh
retirement's okay, but I
sure do miss the action.
That's a great-looking photo.
Looking snappy.
I was, uh, making sergeant.
A proud day.
Pretty wife.
Yeah, she sure was. Uh
Lost her a few years ago, but
Prettiest green eyes you've ever seen.
Did Agent McGee mention why we were
coming to see you, Mr. Burm?
Call me Les. No, he didn't say, but
at my age, I assume
it's not about some new case.
No, Les, this is one of your old cases.
Oh.
(LAUGHS): 1972. That's
That's not old, that's ancient.
PARKER: It was a
fatal drunk-driving crash
off Route 9 in Deerfield.
God, I never saw this shot.
Man, look at that
strapping young trooper.
Still cocky and full of himself.
(CHUCKLES)
The truth is, I didn't know crap.
The victim that was killed
in that crash was my mother.
Eleanor Parker.
Oh
G-Gosh, s-son, um,
I didn't know this was personal.
I'm so sorry.
No need to be sorry, just-just
try to remember, please.
I mean, uh
I wrote up hundreds of crashes
like this over the years,
but, I mean, this is so long ago
How about this little girl here?
You don't remember seeing her?
Mm, no, I don't remember anything.
But look, that's my youthful
ineptitude right there.
I mean, what the hell was I doing,
letting a kid like that stand around
with all the other lookie-loos?
Any chance your ineptitude
caused you to misidentify the victim?
What?
Parker.
Uh, w-what are you saying?
I mean, I'd never
make a mistake like that.
Well, someone did.
(SIGHS)
It's a long story, but basically,
a murdered woman's body
was found in the wrong grave.
Us coming to visit is a Hail Mary.
Wh I don't understand.
She was murdered?
Who was she?
We were hoping you could tell us.
Well, again, I
I wish I could, but
I lose more of my memory every day.
You know, I
That's why I wanted to hit the road,
just see some country
before I lose my last marble.
Thanks anyway, Les.
BURM: Agent Parker, isn't it? Uh
I sure hope it wasn't me.
If I somehow messed up
your mom's report in any way,
I'd never forgive myself.
You didn't do anything wrong.
BURM: Agent, please,
keep me in the loop, would you?
I mean, I won't be able
to sleep until I
know you got some answers.
Will do.
Thanks.
No luck with Parker's old trooper.
Guy could not remember a thing.
Well, who didn't see that coming?
- (PHONE CHIMING)
- Uh
- (GROANS)
- (EXHALES SHARPLY)
"Military truck stolen
outside Joint Base Andrews."
Andrews?
Yeah, what about it?
Well, the truck that was
picking up for the toy drive,
I'm pretty sure that was its next stop.
What are the chances?
I'll call the driver.
JIMMY: (SIGHS) Oh,
I tell you what, McGee,
facial reconstruction is not easy.
That intense focus?
I mean, that really takes it out of you.
Well, if it helps Parker, it's worth it.
(SIGHS) I sure hope so.
I can't handle giving any more bad news.
- Unbelievable.
- Hmm?
Who would steal Christmas toys?
The Grinch.
- Same truck?
- Yeah, same truck.
Full of toys.
Two guys just took off with it.
Man, is this shaping up to be
the worst Christmas ever?
TORRES: Not yet, Jimmy.
If the Grinch stole Christmas,
we're gonna have to steal it back.
MCGEE: What happened with the trooper?
Uh, the old trooper was
very sweet, and well-meaning
(WHISPERS): but not much help.
Inept. He said it himself.
I have more details on the stolen truck.
Maryland PD just sent you some, uh,
- security footage.
- (SNIFFLES)
(KEYBOARD CLICKING)
MCGEE: Yep, got it.
TORRES: The truck picked up
gifts from us and four other bases, uh,
before double-parking
to get some fast food.
More ineptitude.
Look at that.
In broad daylight.
Well, the driver was careless,
but I doubt he thought
anyone was gonna steal a bunch of toys.
Yeah, well, they're not
just toys to these kids.
Yeah, and they shouldn't
have to know that
someone stole their holiday.
Believe me, I know
what it's like to not have toys
at Christmastime.
Look, Nick, it's okay.
We'll, uh, we'll find them.
We will. I mean, we have
BOLOs out all over the place,
so truck's bound to show up somewhere.
Hey, I'm not waiting for a BOLO.
What do you have in mind?
Well, McGee and I have
an old friend of ours who has
all kinds of criminal connections.
We can pay him a visit
and see what he knows.
You know what? That's a good idea.
Tell you what, though,
we don't have to go anywhere,
because Sammy delivers.
SAMMY: Are you guys kidding me?
One little gambling/ racketeering
conviction ten years ago
and you guys still consider
me some kind of Batman villain.
Sammy, you were a murder suspect
not once but twice.
And you were wrong both times.
Okay, right here.
Sammy, we're not accusing you here.
Okay? In fact, Nick referred to you
as an old friend before we called you.
Nice to see how you treat old friends.
Come on, do you know anything
about this stolen truck or not?
Not. Look, I am way too busy
eking out a living
to follow around truck thieves.
And what does NCIS care
so much for anyway?
Were they delivering your paychecks?
- Toys.
- What?
Hundreds of toys were stolen, Sammy.
Ruining the holiday for, uh,
a whole lot of TAPS kids.
TAPS kids? What's TAPS?
Tragedy Assistance Program
for Survivors.
It's a charity that helps
families dealing with the loss
of a service member.
All right, look, I don't know nothing,
but if it's for the kids,
maybe I make a few calls
to some former associates.
That's all we ask.
MCGEE: Yeah, and you tell them
these are not just average toys, either.
Okay? We have five Blaze the Dragons
donated from NCIS alone.
Blaze? I have been looking for weeks
for that little red lizard.
My niece would kill for it.
I'm kidding. She's eight.
Uh, y-you know, we can't make
any promises, but
Hey, maybe we can.
Sammy, you help us find this truck,
I'll let you have my dragon.
I promise.
I, uh
get a pinky swear on that?
Come on, man, just call your associates.
Okay, fine. Enjoy your lunch.
JIMMY: Got a face of the mystery
body from your mother's grave.
Not bad at all, you guys.
JIMMY: Well, you know,
it lacks a little bit of detail,
but it might be enough
to start running through
facial recognition.
Mind you, finding a match
among the faces from 50 years ago
won't be easy, but it's worth a shot.
I got to say, Jimmy,
this is almost as good
as that sketch
you made for me last year.
Well, we're not finished yet.
I-I just wish I knew
her eye color.
You know, if we had that,
it would really help
with facial rec.
Try green.
Why green? Do you know her?
No, but call me crazy,
she kind of reminds me
of the retired trooper's wife.
You know, the one in the photo.
"The prettiest green eyes."
- They could be related.
- Similar face, same features?
Eh, you never know. Anything's possible.
We've all learned that today.
All right, we need to take a closer look
at the old trooper and his wife.
You never know.
- Did you see that?
- I saw that.
- Hope.
- Mm-hmm.
Tell you what, man, this is good.
I could eat another one
of these. Very tasty.
Oh, yeah.
Right? Who knew, right? That Sammy, uh,
who was a crook,
could be such a good cook?
SAMMY: I heard that.
Frankly, I'm a little more insulted
that you would doubt my culinary skills.
And I'm beginning to think you're, uh,
a bit too easily offended there, Sammy.
Any luck with your calls?
Yeah. I might even have a lead for you.
But it's, uh, it's complicated.
- How complicated?
- Word on the street is,
my associates may know a guy
who might know
a couple of other guys that
maybe were looking to
steal a truckload of military equipment.
So, any word on, uh, who these
guys are or where they might be?
Eh, you see, that's where
it gets complicated.
Again, how complicated?
Okay. One of the thieves
might be the son
of a very scary man who has the ability
to hurt any law-abiding sloppy joe maker
who happens to help the feds
put his kid away.
We can protect you from this
"very scary man," if necessary.
You're adorable, you know that?
I tell you what, Sammy,
you call your people back
and you tell them you have two buyers
that are willing to pay
good cash for that truck.
Two buyer you two?
Just make the call, all right?
All right, don't forget,
I want that dragon.
- Come on.
- Would you please call? Come on.
All right, all right. Fine.
He said "please."
The hostility doesn't help.
Okay, so, Illinois State Police
records confirm
that Trooper Burm's wife Donna
did indeed pass away
from cancer three years ago.
And nothing about Donna having a secret
look-alike cousin or sister
that died 50 years earlier?
Oh, give me a break.
This is practically microfilm
we're dealing with here.
Yeah, I'm kind of glad we are.
Check out this shot I just found.
Burm's retirement party from 2006.
Still a cute couple.
Yeah, but does she look anything like
the photo in Lester's RV?
Look at the eye color.
KNIGHT: They're definitely not green.
Maybe he got remarried?
Hey, guys.
How's everything?
Fine. Why?
PARKER: I know that look.
Are you really about
to give us more bad news?
(LAUGHS): No! No.
- It's not bad. Per se.
- No. No.
- It's more like Uh
- It's weird.
- It is, it is weird.
- It is weird. Yeah, yeah.
No, it's not weird.
It's a no, it's, uh,
it's more of a
it's like a breakthrough.
Please just say it.
Well, remember the lipstick
that was on the wine glass we retrieved
from your place the night
that your father was killed?
Still no DNA match?
We did actually find a match, finally.
Finally. Exactly.
Who is it?
- We do not have a name. But
- But
But she appears to be
a 48% genetic match
to the mystery woman down in autopsy.
(SCOFFS)
One more time. Slowly.
Whoever had wine with your dad
the night that he was murdered
is closely related
to the woman we exhumed
from your mother's grave.
(PARKER EXHALES)
Who is she?
Do you know?
Oh
How long's he been here?
Since before I got here.
He's not moving much, just muttering.
Lots of muttering.
Let me get this straight.
The mystery woman
in Parker's mother's grave
is related to our lipstick woman?
Yeah, and we think Parker's dad
may have known both.
Along with a lot of other stuff
that Parker's dad isn't here to explain.
I can hear you.
Uh, hey.
Morning, Parker.
MCGEE: You, uh,
you been here all night or?
Nope, nope. I, uh,
I couldn't sleep at home,
so I, uh, came in to wait for a miracle.
Isn't that what's supposed to happen
this time of year? A little
holiday magic in the air?
Silver bells and joy
to the world and all of that?
(PHONE CHIMING)
It's Nick. Sloppy Joe Sammy
wants to meet us in Baltimore.
Hmm. Maybe he found the toy thieves.
Um, hate to leave you
like this, Parker, but
What, are you kidding?
I mean, if I can't get
a Christmas miracle,
maybe you can. Hell, go ahead.
Go. Go and find the truck. Go ahead.
This is unbelievable.
Uh, you know what? I'll watch facial rec
for you, Parker. I promise.
And how about you and I,
we go get some coffee?
- Mm-hmm.
- (SIGHS)
- Thank you.
- Okay. (CLEARS THROAT)
- I'm sorry, Jess.
- Sorry for what?
For losing it down at Kasie's.
Oh, are you serious?
After all the curveballs that
have been thrown at you? I'm
surprised you're still standing.
You know, the one thing that I
haven't allowed myself to think,
much less say out loud, until now,
is the possibility that my mother
- might somehow still be alive.
- Mm.
Yeah, I was wondering
if all of this, uh,
had you wondering.
And if she is,
I'd be
happy, I guess?
Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't you be?
Because first, I would need to hear
a really good reason
why she ran out on her family,
her own kids, and never came back.
(PHONE CHIMES)
- Oh, wow. That was quick.
- What is that?
I emailed the Illinois State
Police Archives
late last night,
and they just got back to me.
What were you looking for?
Trooper Burm's record had Donna
listed as his one and only wife,
so I wanted to get another look
at that photo from his house
to make sure it was the same Donna.
And the archives had it?
"We believe we found
the exact photo you described
from Trooper Burm's
1971 promotion ceremony."
Oh, my God.
Don't tell me, another curveball?
More like a fastball to the head.
It's the girl from the crash.
Hey, there, Agents. Come on in.
Hoping this means you got some answers.
No, just a few follow-up questions.
Uh-oh. Whenever I said that on the job,
it was more than that.
Oh, not this. If anything,
we're actually embarrassed,
we still need help.
Oh, well, d-don't be.
I mean, I'm your man.
Oh, but as a bonus
I get to look at this lovely
photo of you and Donna again.
- (BURM CHUCKLES)
- What year was this?
Ah, that was the fall of '71,
and I don't recall telling you her name.
Bad memory. Yeah, we know.
Is this not Donna?
Since you clearly done a
complete background check on me,
for whatever reason, you already
know that's my first wife.
So why leave that detail out yesterday?
Well, yesterday, I didn't know
I was being questioned under oath.
It's just that there's no mention
of a first wife in your records.
Judy and I married way too young, and
one day, she up and left me, and I
couldn't track her, which is not to say
I don't miss her and Donna.
Any kids with Judy?
We're on the same side. What's
with all the questions here?
Well, you said, uh
you didn't know this little girl.
KNIGHT: But according to that,
and the, uh, part
that you cropped out
You knew Lily very well.
Okay.
"Okay" what?
Her name's not Lily anymore. It's Nelly.
Least it was the last I heard,
but she, uh
(SIGHS)
she's probably changed it
again by now.
Your daughter?
Judy took her with her when she left,
and I looked for her for years,
till I met Donna and I moved on.
- Or tried to.
- Do you know where she is?
(SIGHS) No.
The older I get, the more I want to.
I mean, I wasn't much of a father or
a husband, but there are things
that I would love to clear up.
Fences I'd love to mend.
Anything else that you lied about?
I didn't lie to you.
Just didn't offer it up.
It's nobody else's business.
Did you know my mother?
Eleanor Parker?
I wish I did, son, believe me.
I would love to be able
to help you, I really would.
(BURM SIGHS)
KNIGHT: And no memory of the car crash?
Even with Lily standing there?
Well, that was nothing special.
Taking Lily on my calls was one
of the reasons Judy left me.
Do you know what last name
Lily or Nelly might be using?
Well, if I did,
I would've found her by now,
and if you people find her,
please let me tag along.
Why don't you come back
to NCIS with us now,
and we'll, uh,
we'll run a fresh search
with this new name.
You did mention how much
you missed the action, Les.
I've dreamed of this day.
In fact, I could drive us all
back in this baby right now.
Don't lose your spot. We'll drive.
Okay. Okay.
Uh, 35th and Chestnut.
Right alley, but no Sammy.
Did you try calling him again?
Well, I got his voicemail, like,
five times on the way here.
Maybe he flaked.
Or maybe not.
TORRES: That's the
truck I loaded yesterday.
TORRES: Oh, my God, Sammy.
MCGEE: All right, hold on. We got you.
TORRES: Sammy!
- (SAMMY COUGHS)
- Oh, man.
We're here, we're here,
we're here. We got you.
Okay. Torres and McGee will head back
as soon as their informant's
out of the hospital.
He's banged up, but okay.
When did toy thieves get so dangerous?
- (COMPUTER BEEPS)
- Got a hit
on maybe our longest shot ever,
but "Never, never give in."
We're quoting Churchill now?
Whatever works.
Um, so I added the names Nell and Nelly
to our DNA search for both our
lipstick and our mystery woman,
and got a 48% match to a
Delaware school teacher,
who took a home ancestry test
two years ago.
Nelly is that teacher?
No, not her. Her mother.
Penelope Johnson of Wilmington.
Nelly, as in "Pe-NEL-ope."
Get it? Nelly?
Wow, that is a very long shot.
Except for one thing.
My mother's maiden name was Johnson.
- Got to be a connection.
- Oh, I just got chills.
And you think that's worth the
two-hour drive to Wilmington?
Well, if you're too tired, I understand.
Oh, no, I'm not saying that.
I'm just saying, we have
an old state trooper on ice
in the conference room.
We're not really gonna
bring him with us.
You trust him?
I don't know how I feel about him.
Neither do I. Let him wait.
Besides, this is my white whale,
not his.
I'll send you the address, Ahab.
This better get me two Blazes.
Sammy, we are so sorry.
Yeah, man, we shouldn't have pushed you.
MCGEE: Who did this?
Was it the very scary man
that you were worried about?
No, it was his creepy kid
and some other guy.
I'll tell you, though, mentioning NCIS
might've been
the only thing that saved me.
Well, NCIS is done playing.
Tell us how to find this guy.
Why? So he can kill me next time?
Oh, he needs to know what his son did.
He won't care.
Well, we'll make him care, believe me.
No, you won't. I'm done. No more.
- I'm done.
- Sammy
- Sammy, come on.
- SAMMY: No more. I'm done.
I'll get my own ride home.
(SIGHS)
Probably should've asked before we left,
but, uh, why didn't we just call her?
Uh, to ask her what? "Uh, by any chance
"are you related to the, uh,
dead lady buried in my mother's grave?"
Yeah, it's, uh, it's better in person.
And here we are.
(SIGHS) You ready?
Are you ready?
Hell no.
Hello.
KNIGHT: Hi.
Uh, we are here looking for
Nell or Nelly Johnson?
Grandma, it's somebody
selling something.
Don't make assumptions, Eleanor.
Eleanor?
NELL: Old-school name for an old soul.
Now, what can I help you with?
We're sorry to bother you so late,
but I'm Agent Knight
and this is Agent Parker.
And we're here to ask you a few, uh
questions.
Lily?
Aldie?
It was just a few months, Aldie.
We would play outside while your mother,
Eleanor, gave piano lessons
to my mom, Judy.
Why do I have no memory of that?
I'm no psychologist, but the reason
we stopped having play dates
might have something to do with it.
No more piano lessons?
NELL: Well, let's see
It started the day
that I told you a secret.
That my mother was being abused
by my father.
Trooper Sergeant Lester Burm.
Yeah, Lester.
I made you promise me, Aldie.
I remember practically begging,
"Please, you can't tell anyone."
And you didn't.
You didn't have to, because
my mom told yours herself,
which started them on a mission.
And you couldn't go to the police?
Lester was the police.
Times were different then.
And your mom never
told your dad, either,
'cause she didn't want him
to talk her out of it.
Talk her out of what?
Their plan was to hide us in Pittsburgh,
at the home of your mom's
second cousin, Connie.
But then came that day.
That one day when they were
finalizing their plans
over a bottle of wine,
and Lester walked in.
He just lost it.
Like always.
Your mom drove you home,
but then she came back to help us,
only to find that Lester
had taken me to his job.
So, our mothers hopped in your mom's car
and took off to come and get me.
- But they didn't get far.
- The crash.
Lester forced them off the road.
Your mom somehow got away,
but not mine.
She was hurt.
Lester finished the job.
And after that, he just came
back to me at the station
like nothing ever happened,
waiting for someone to call in
about the "tragic accident."
KNIGHT: This accident?
NELL: Oh
Oh, my God. That's the night.
I didn't know it made the papers.
I was terrified of Lester before,
but watching him cover his tracks
He let everyone think that
Eleanor was drunk driving,
but it was him.
He killed your mother.
And then, he went after yours.
While Lester took my mom's body
to the morgue,
your mom somehow circled back for me,
and we took off for Pittsburgh.
Obviously, you made it.
We nearly both did.
Made it all the way
to a motel in Toledo.
Your mom couldn't bear
to let her family think she was dead.
She couldn't wait
to get back to you, Aldie.
Not till she knew
that I was safe.
Then he found us.
You know those things
you wish you could unsee?
For me, that was him
dragging her out.
That was the last time
I ever saw your mom.
He killed her.
I'm so sorry, Aldie.
Cousin Connie found me
the next day, and I have been
hiding from that man ever since.
Aldie
your mother sacrificed
everything for me.
Helping others was just in her nature,
which, according to Roman,
is the nature that she passed onto you.
Roman. You went to see him.
Somehow, he found Connie's
number in an old phone book.
Called out of the blue and said,
"Do you know any Lilys?"
Connie said no.
But that's when I knew
it was way past time
to pay Roman a visit.
In fact, I'm surprised
you don't already know this,
because when I told him
the whole story that night,
he couldn't wait to tell you.
He never got the chance.
I hope my visit didn't draw
Lester's attention.
He may be old, but if he is out there,
I still wouldn't put anything past him.
Eh, I hate to complain, Agent Parker,
but I would've preferred
sitting in the conference room.
(CHUCKLES)
(PARKER SIGHS)
Still no memory of this?
BURM: What's the matter?
I mean, I already told you,
this was such a long time ago.
That's a mighty big flashlight.
Big enough to crush Judy's skull
after you ran her off the road.
(LAUGHING) What? That's crazy. You
You found Lily.
What we found is your first wife's body
in my mother's grave.
Now, you promised me
that if you found her
Is that flashlight the way
you killed my mother, too?
After you dragged her out of the motel?
Just talking nonsense now. Just
That's why you're driving around.
You're not seeing the country,
you are looking for her.
I've been looking all my life.
Well, too late, Lester. We found her.
Lily's doing just fine.
She's just great without you,
thanks to my mother,
Eleanor Parker.
You know that name. So where is she?
You put Lily's mother
in Eleanor's grave,
so where did you put Eleanor?
Where?
Son, I wish I knew what you were
talking about, but I swear
(SIGHS)
Let's go.
You say that you have a bad memory.
We're gonna correct that, right now.
TORRES: Oh, man,
the TAPS Christmas party
- Kids are already here.
- Yeah.
As if breaking bad news
isn't hard enough.
Hey, Tiny Tim, Saint Nick,
hold up a minute.
Sam, what are you doing here?
Hey, uh, again, Sammy,
we're-we're sorry about yesterday.
Don't be.
You had the happiness
of so many kids at stake.
Plus, gentlemen,
it is the season of forgiveness.
- It sure is.
- DIANA: Excuse me?
- Are you guys with NCIS?
- Two out of three.
Special Agents McGee
and Torres. We're, uh
We're afraid that, uh, we have some news
- on the stolen toys that's, uh
- Wonderful?
- What?
- DIANA: It's wonderful.
It's a miracle. Come.
Come see for yourself. Come.
Show them. Show them. (LAUGHS)
Ah.
All of this was just delivered
in what must've been five SUVs
by these men
who were in quite a hurry,
but they insisted that I make
sure that this card got to NCIS.
"Sorry for the mix-up.
Apologies to Sammy.
"The boys want no trouble from NCIS.
Happy Holidays, T."
TORRES: Even bad guys love Christmas.
MCGEE: Wait a second, is "T"
your very scary man?
And "the boys" are his boys?
You know what? I'm gonna
plead the Fifth on that.
- Well, then, you know what?
- We're gonna let you.
Hey, guys, would it be too much to ask
if you could possibly help
bring the gifts over?
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
- Sure, sure.
- Good.
Oh, and actually, come to think of it,
um, our Santa called in sick,
but we still have the red suit, so?
(DIANA LAUGHS)
- Ho ho ho!
- Who wants to see Santa?
- Merry Christmas.
- Who wants to see Santa?
- (CHILDREN CHEERING)
- SAMMY: Santa's here!
Come here.
♪
Sammy. As promised.
Here you go, boss.
Yeah. Least we could do.
Very true.
Thanks, guys.
My niece is gonna think
I am the greatest uncle
Merry Christmas, kid.
Enjoy your Blaze the Dragon.
- Hey.
- Aww.
(TORRES CHUCKLES)
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Parker. Come on in.
- I just need a minute.
- Of course.
Sorry, I've, uh
been slammed a bit here with work.
Any luck with the old state trooper?
Luck?
Guess you could call it that.
(SIGHS)
What is it?
Is there anything I can do?
Yeah, you can secure me a dive team
to dredge a small pond
outside of Toledo, Ohio.
Looking for a submerged
1969 Dodge Coronet.
You got it.
Oh, and I think the, uh,
interrogation room camera
might be on the fritz.
(SIGHS)
Any words from your sister?
Uh, lots of them.
Spoke for three hours last night.
She's still at sea till next week,
but I might take some lost time
to go and see her.
No "might" about that. You go.
(PARKER SIGHS)
♪
You good?
Yeah, I'm great.
(SIGHS)
Jess, you've been a real friend
through all of this,
so thank you.
Nothing you wouldn't have done.
Just like your mother.
Well, she's finally home.
Barring any more curveballs.
Oh, bite your tongue.
(PHONE RINGING)
I did it, didn't I?
- I spoke too soon.
- Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Oh, it's just Director Vance.
Excuse me.
Director?
VANCE: Hope I'm not
interrupting the service.
Uh, no, but it's just about to start.
All right, then, I'll be quick.
You got your wish, Agent Knight.
NCIS: ELITE just got orders.
There's a wanted fugitive
you'll be tracking.
Finally.
Yes, sir. What's the target?
Well, that's why I'm calling,
since this one hits
a little close to home.
(PHONE CHIMES)
That's the target?
Details to follow from your CO.
Until then,
this stays between us.
Understood, sir.
(EXHALES)
LILY (ECHOES): Aldie.
PARKER: Careful, Lily.
Parker, you have to talk to somebody.
Especially if you're seeing ghosts.
Her name is Lily.
Who is she?
That's the problem. I have no idea.
I'm ready, I guess, to to talk
about how your mom really died.
She drove off in a rage
with me hollering
to never come back.
PARKER:
Turns out, Lily is not a ghost.
She's real.
So, I found his mother's
original death certificate.
Jess,
something doesn't add up.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
MAN: Please, I just want to talk.
- (POUNDING ON DOOR)
- I knew you were in there.
Open this door or I'll open it for you!
(WOMAN WHIMPERS)
You think I wouldn't find you?
You're too late. She's long gone.
- Where is she?
- Somewhere you'll never find her.
- Yeah, we'll see about that.
- (SCREAMS)
(BOTH STRUGGLING)
MAN: Where is she?
I'll teach you to stick
your nose in my business.
WOMAN: You don't scare me.
MAN: Where the hell is she?!
(WOMAN GASPING)
♪
Good morning, Santa's helpers.
Uh, yeah, that's us.
- TORRES: Ho ho ho.
- Oh, come on,
Nick, this toy drive is your baby.
So let's get in the spirit because
I just scored the hottest, hard-to-find,
must-have gift of the season
for one lucky kid.
Give a guess what it is.
BOTH: Blaze the Dragon.
Triangle box gave it away?
That, and apparently
the must-have gift of the year
is not that hard to find after all.
We have three Blazes?
Make that four.
And I was so proud
that I found this, too.
Oh, more the merrier, I guess.
I am also here to see if your
ears are burning, Agent Knight.
Or, or is that tingling?
Is someone talking about me?
Your CO at NCIS: ELITE
just called to update me
on your training,
which she claims that you were
how did she put it?
"crushing"?
Really?
You sound surprised.
No. No, I'm not I just
Thank you. I love training.
I'm just really kind of starting
to chomp at the bit
- for that first assignment.
- Well,
just be patient,
because like these Blazes,
you'll wish for one,
you'll end up with four.
Well, actually, Director, I believe
that Blaze makes, uh, number five.
Yeah, great minds think alike.
Well, maybe next year our great minds
can make a plan and coordinate.
So, where is Agent Parker anyway?
Autopsy. With Jimmy.
Kind of why we're not
in such a jolly mood.
That's right. Parker's mother.
They exhumed her remains.
MCGEE: And Jimmy's getting
back the autopsy results now.
Talk about a Christmas buzzkill.
Well, let's just all hope that Parker
gets the closure that he needs.
Amen to that.
I assumed you didn't want
to see the actual
No. No, Jimmy, I don't.
Good, because, 50 years, huh?
Is she wearing any rings
or anything resembling
a-an heirloom?
She's wearing a dress.
Kind of blue. Why?
I don't know.
I'm just looking for some
connection,
Um Yeah.
I just, uh
spent most of my life thinking of her
running out on me and my sister,
and then here we are,
all of a sudden
in the same room. It's
You know, this may be your
mother's body, Agent Parker,
but it's not her, this is not
her spirit.
Her spirit lives on in your memory.
I-I, I know, this sounds like
standard grief-speak,
but I believe it.
I appreciate that, Jimmy. I do.
It's just that, uh
the few memories I have of my mother
aren't exactly
Norman Rockwell material.
Hmm.
Onto the findings.
Yeah, sure. What do we got?
JIMMY: We've got a broken clavicle,
bruised sternum, severe burns.
Most everything consistent
with a car crash
- and the resulting fire.
- Most everything?
Yes, the anomaly being
these two crush injuries
to the occipital bone.
Caused by a cylindrical object
such as bat or a pipe.
The original coroner's report
Was accurate.
Yeah, the depth of these injuries
would've been immediately fatal.
Your mother was most likely murdered.
Murdered.
(DOOR OPENS)
Kase? You okay?
Yeah, I just didn't want to interrupt.
No, no, please. Interrupt.
(KASIE CLEARS THROAT)
PARKER: Unless, uh,
you've got worse news.
Worse? No, i-it
It honestly might not even be that bad,
- depending on
- PARKER: Just
just say it.
That's not your mother.
- Say that again?
- Her tissue sample
came back inconclusive for alcohol.
And since drunk driving
was listed as the cause for the crash,
I ran her DNA
and it wasn't a match to you
or to the sample
provided by your sister.
Okay, so
the cemetery sent over
the wrong remains.
I mean, that does happen.
KASIE: It does, but it didn't.
I checked.
With the cemetery and the local ME.
Everybody did everything right.
It's the right grave,
it's the right casket,
it's just the wrong occupant.
(SIGHS) So,
this is not my mother.
No.
Who is this?
I don't know, but I'm hoping that after
- some further DNA testing
- Further testing?
If I mean, if some maniac
crushed this woman's skull
whoever the hell she is
what did they do with my mother?
Where the hell is she?
The delivery truck has
a few more stops to make,
- so I won't be long.
- What do you mean?
- I'm coming with you.
- No, no, you're not.
Not when someone else
needs your help more than I do.
KNIGHT: He's been staring
at his mother's accident report
all morning.
I hardly know what to say anymore.
Well, you'll think of something.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Hey, Parker.
You doing okay?
No, Jess, I'm a pretty long way
from okay.
Have you told Harriet?
My sister's on a carrier in Guam.
But thanks.
So, unfortunately, the funeral home
that handled your mother's
burial closed in 1983.
I was able, though, to dig up
the old accident report from the crash.
Signed by Illinois State Trooper
first initial: L, last name: Burm.
PARKER: Uh,
there's a trooper in the photo,
but even if it's him,
what are the chances
this guy's still alive?
Pretty good, actually.
Illinois State Police database has
a "Sergeant Lester Burm"
listed as retired in '06,
and nothing here about him being dead.
Well, it might be a long shot,
but nothing else to go on.
Maybe the old trooper could
at least fill in some blanks?
(PHONE RINGING)
Yeah, Kase.
Okay. I'm on my way.
(SIGHS)
Long shot. Sure.
Why the hell not?
What's up? You said it was urgent.
Uh, no, I didn't say it was
urgent, I said it was exciting.
Which sounds urgent, so what's up?
What's up is we are building a face
off the skull of our mystery woman.
KASIE: 50 years later,
it still provides a blueprint.
Tissue depth gives us
some general features
While I get to add details
like skin tone and expression.
Wow, that is, uh exciting.
Uh, look, it I mean,
it's a long shot, we know.
Which now makes two
that I'm counting on.
It's not that long a shot.
I mean, this combined
with the DNA search
from you and your sister
could help us locate your mother.
Plus, third long shot's the charm.
Don't dismiss a long shot, Jimmy.
You didn't find
the trooper already, did you?
Not only did we find him,
we found that he is currently
enjoying his retirement
by driving a Winnebago
around the East Coast.
And you're not gonna guess
how close he is.
- The Navy Yard.
- Not that close.
Sandy Point, the Maryland coast.
And, uh, McGee is currently reaching out
for an exact location.
See? That is great.
And who is this?
The trooper who filed the
accident report on Parker's mom.
I'm pinning my hopes on an octogenarian.
Oh, no, his file says he's only 79.
"Where there's life, there's hope."
- Lord of the Rings.
- It worked on Samwise.
Well, if it's good enough for Tolkien,
it's better than nothing.
- (SOFT CLATTERING)
- BURM: I got to say, uh,
once I heard from your Agent McGee,
I just would've gladly come to you.
I mean, uh
retirement's okay, but I
sure do miss the action.
That's a great-looking photo.
Looking snappy.
I was, uh, making sergeant.
A proud day.
Pretty wife.
Yeah, she sure was. Uh
Lost her a few years ago, but
Prettiest green eyes you've ever seen.
Did Agent McGee mention why we were
coming to see you, Mr. Burm?
Call me Les. No, he didn't say, but
at my age, I assume
it's not about some new case.
No, Les, this is one of your old cases.
Oh.
(LAUGHS): 1972. That's
That's not old, that's ancient.
PARKER: It was a
fatal drunk-driving crash
off Route 9 in Deerfield.
God, I never saw this shot.
Man, look at that
strapping young trooper.
Still cocky and full of himself.
(CHUCKLES)
The truth is, I didn't know crap.
The victim that was killed
in that crash was my mother.
Eleanor Parker.
Oh
G-Gosh, s-son, um,
I didn't know this was personal.
I'm so sorry.
No need to be sorry, just-just
try to remember, please.
I mean, uh
I wrote up hundreds of crashes
like this over the years,
but, I mean, this is so long ago
How about this little girl here?
You don't remember seeing her?
Mm, no, I don't remember anything.
But look, that's my youthful
ineptitude right there.
I mean, what the hell was I doing,
letting a kid like that stand around
with all the other lookie-loos?
Any chance your ineptitude
caused you to misidentify the victim?
What?
Parker.
Uh, w-what are you saying?
I mean, I'd never
make a mistake like that.
Well, someone did.
(SIGHS)
It's a long story, but basically,
a murdered woman's body
was found in the wrong grave.
Us coming to visit is a Hail Mary.
Wh I don't understand.
She was murdered?
Who was she?
We were hoping you could tell us.
Well, again, I
I wish I could, but
I lose more of my memory every day.
You know, I
That's why I wanted to hit the road,
just see some country
before I lose my last marble.
Thanks anyway, Les.
BURM: Agent Parker, isn't it? Uh
I sure hope it wasn't me.
If I somehow messed up
your mom's report in any way,
I'd never forgive myself.
You didn't do anything wrong.
BURM: Agent, please,
keep me in the loop, would you?
I mean, I won't be able
to sleep until I
know you got some answers.
Will do.
Thanks.
No luck with Parker's old trooper.
Guy could not remember a thing.
Well, who didn't see that coming?
- (PHONE CHIMING)
- Uh
- (GROANS)
- (EXHALES SHARPLY)
"Military truck stolen
outside Joint Base Andrews."
Andrews?
Yeah, what about it?
Well, the truck that was
picking up for the toy drive,
I'm pretty sure that was its next stop.
What are the chances?
I'll call the driver.
JIMMY: (SIGHS) Oh,
I tell you what, McGee,
facial reconstruction is not easy.
That intense focus?
I mean, that really takes it out of you.
Well, if it helps Parker, it's worth it.
(SIGHS) I sure hope so.
I can't handle giving any more bad news.
- Unbelievable.
- Hmm?
Who would steal Christmas toys?
The Grinch.
- Same truck?
- Yeah, same truck.
Full of toys.
Two guys just took off with it.
Man, is this shaping up to be
the worst Christmas ever?
TORRES: Not yet, Jimmy.
If the Grinch stole Christmas,
we're gonna have to steal it back.
MCGEE: What happened with the trooper?
Uh, the old trooper was
very sweet, and well-meaning
(WHISPERS): but not much help.
Inept. He said it himself.
I have more details on the stolen truck.
Maryland PD just sent you some, uh,
- security footage.
- (SNIFFLES)
(KEYBOARD CLICKING)
MCGEE: Yep, got it.
TORRES: The truck picked up
gifts from us and four other bases, uh,
before double-parking
to get some fast food.
More ineptitude.
Look at that.
In broad daylight.
Well, the driver was careless,
but I doubt he thought
anyone was gonna steal a bunch of toys.
Yeah, well, they're not
just toys to these kids.
Yeah, and they shouldn't
have to know that
someone stole their holiday.
Believe me, I know
what it's like to not have toys
at Christmastime.
Look, Nick, it's okay.
We'll, uh, we'll find them.
We will. I mean, we have
BOLOs out all over the place,
so truck's bound to show up somewhere.
Hey, I'm not waiting for a BOLO.
What do you have in mind?
Well, McGee and I have
an old friend of ours who has
all kinds of criminal connections.
We can pay him a visit
and see what he knows.
You know what? That's a good idea.
Tell you what, though,
we don't have to go anywhere,
because Sammy delivers.
SAMMY: Are you guys kidding me?
One little gambling/ racketeering
conviction ten years ago
and you guys still consider
me some kind of Batman villain.
Sammy, you were a murder suspect
not once but twice.
And you were wrong both times.
Okay, right here.
Sammy, we're not accusing you here.
Okay? In fact, Nick referred to you
as an old friend before we called you.
Nice to see how you treat old friends.
Come on, do you know anything
about this stolen truck or not?
Not. Look, I am way too busy
eking out a living
to follow around truck thieves.
And what does NCIS care
so much for anyway?
Were they delivering your paychecks?
- Toys.
- What?
Hundreds of toys were stolen, Sammy.
Ruining the holiday for, uh,
a whole lot of TAPS kids.
TAPS kids? What's TAPS?
Tragedy Assistance Program
for Survivors.
It's a charity that helps
families dealing with the loss
of a service member.
All right, look, I don't know nothing,
but if it's for the kids,
maybe I make a few calls
to some former associates.
That's all we ask.
MCGEE: Yeah, and you tell them
these are not just average toys, either.
Okay? We have five Blaze the Dragons
donated from NCIS alone.
Blaze? I have been looking for weeks
for that little red lizard.
My niece would kill for it.
I'm kidding. She's eight.
Uh, y-you know, we can't make
any promises, but
Hey, maybe we can.
Sammy, you help us find this truck,
I'll let you have my dragon.
I promise.
I, uh
get a pinky swear on that?
Come on, man, just call your associates.
Okay, fine. Enjoy your lunch.
JIMMY: Got a face of the mystery
body from your mother's grave.
Not bad at all, you guys.
JIMMY: Well, you know,
it lacks a little bit of detail,
but it might be enough
to start running through
facial recognition.
Mind you, finding a match
among the faces from 50 years ago
won't be easy, but it's worth a shot.
I got to say, Jimmy,
this is almost as good
as that sketch
you made for me last year.
Well, we're not finished yet.
I-I just wish I knew
her eye color.
You know, if we had that,
it would really help
with facial rec.
Try green.
Why green? Do you know her?
No, but call me crazy,
she kind of reminds me
of the retired trooper's wife.
You know, the one in the photo.
"The prettiest green eyes."
- They could be related.
- Similar face, same features?
Eh, you never know. Anything's possible.
We've all learned that today.
All right, we need to take a closer look
at the old trooper and his wife.
You never know.
- Did you see that?
- I saw that.
- Hope.
- Mm-hmm.
Tell you what, man, this is good.
I could eat another one
of these. Very tasty.
Oh, yeah.
Right? Who knew, right? That Sammy, uh,
who was a crook,
could be such a good cook?
SAMMY: I heard that.
Frankly, I'm a little more insulted
that you would doubt my culinary skills.
And I'm beginning to think you're, uh,
a bit too easily offended there, Sammy.
Any luck with your calls?
Yeah. I might even have a lead for you.
But it's, uh, it's complicated.
- How complicated?
- Word on the street is,
my associates may know a guy
who might know
a couple of other guys that
maybe were looking to
steal a truckload of military equipment.
So, any word on, uh, who these
guys are or where they might be?
Eh, you see, that's where
it gets complicated.
Again, how complicated?
Okay. One of the thieves
might be the son
of a very scary man who has the ability
to hurt any law-abiding sloppy joe maker
who happens to help the feds
put his kid away.
We can protect you from this
"very scary man," if necessary.
You're adorable, you know that?
I tell you what, Sammy,
you call your people back
and you tell them you have two buyers
that are willing to pay
good cash for that truck.
Two buyer you two?
Just make the call, all right?
All right, don't forget,
I want that dragon.
- Come on.
- Would you please call? Come on.
All right, all right. Fine.
He said "please."
The hostility doesn't help.
Okay, so, Illinois State Police
records confirm
that Trooper Burm's wife Donna
did indeed pass away
from cancer three years ago.
And nothing about Donna having a secret
look-alike cousin or sister
that died 50 years earlier?
Oh, give me a break.
This is practically microfilm
we're dealing with here.
Yeah, I'm kind of glad we are.
Check out this shot I just found.
Burm's retirement party from 2006.
Still a cute couple.
Yeah, but does she look anything like
the photo in Lester's RV?
Look at the eye color.
KNIGHT: They're definitely not green.
Maybe he got remarried?
Hey, guys.
How's everything?
Fine. Why?
PARKER: I know that look.
Are you really about
to give us more bad news?
(LAUGHS): No! No.
- It's not bad. Per se.
- No. No.
- It's more like Uh
- It's weird.
- It is, it is weird.
- It is weird. Yeah, yeah.
No, it's not weird.
It's a no, it's, uh,
it's more of a
it's like a breakthrough.
Please just say it.
Well, remember the lipstick
that was on the wine glass we retrieved
from your place the night
that your father was killed?
Still no DNA match?
We did actually find a match, finally.
Finally. Exactly.
Who is it?
- We do not have a name. But
- But
But she appears to be
a 48% genetic match
to the mystery woman down in autopsy.
(SCOFFS)
One more time. Slowly.
Whoever had wine with your dad
the night that he was murdered
is closely related
to the woman we exhumed
from your mother's grave.
(PARKER EXHALES)
Who is she?
Do you know?
Oh
How long's he been here?
Since before I got here.
He's not moving much, just muttering.
Lots of muttering.
Let me get this straight.
The mystery woman
in Parker's mother's grave
is related to our lipstick woman?
Yeah, and we think Parker's dad
may have known both.
Along with a lot of other stuff
that Parker's dad isn't here to explain.
I can hear you.
Uh, hey.
Morning, Parker.
MCGEE: You, uh,
you been here all night or?
Nope, nope. I, uh,
I couldn't sleep at home,
so I, uh, came in to wait for a miracle.
Isn't that what's supposed to happen
this time of year? A little
holiday magic in the air?
Silver bells and joy
to the world and all of that?
(PHONE CHIMING)
It's Nick. Sloppy Joe Sammy
wants to meet us in Baltimore.
Hmm. Maybe he found the toy thieves.
Um, hate to leave you
like this, Parker, but
What, are you kidding?
I mean, if I can't get
a Christmas miracle,
maybe you can. Hell, go ahead.
Go. Go and find the truck. Go ahead.
This is unbelievable.
Uh, you know what? I'll watch facial rec
for you, Parker. I promise.
And how about you and I,
we go get some coffee?
- Mm-hmm.
- (SIGHS)
- Thank you.
- Okay. (CLEARS THROAT)
- I'm sorry, Jess.
- Sorry for what?
For losing it down at Kasie's.
Oh, are you serious?
After all the curveballs that
have been thrown at you? I'm
surprised you're still standing.
You know, the one thing that I
haven't allowed myself to think,
much less say out loud, until now,
is the possibility that my mother
- might somehow still be alive.
- Mm.
Yeah, I was wondering
if all of this, uh,
had you wondering.
And if she is,
I'd be
happy, I guess?
Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't you be?
Because first, I would need to hear
a really good reason
why she ran out on her family,
her own kids, and never came back.
(PHONE CHIMES)
- Oh, wow. That was quick.
- What is that?
I emailed the Illinois State
Police Archives
late last night,
and they just got back to me.
What were you looking for?
Trooper Burm's record had Donna
listed as his one and only wife,
so I wanted to get another look
at that photo from his house
to make sure it was the same Donna.
And the archives had it?
"We believe we found
the exact photo you described
from Trooper Burm's
1971 promotion ceremony."
Oh, my God.
Don't tell me, another curveball?
More like a fastball to the head.
It's the girl from the crash.
Hey, there, Agents. Come on in.
Hoping this means you got some answers.
No, just a few follow-up questions.
Uh-oh. Whenever I said that on the job,
it was more than that.
Oh, not this. If anything,
we're actually embarrassed,
we still need help.
Oh, well, d-don't be.
I mean, I'm your man.
Oh, but as a bonus
I get to look at this lovely
photo of you and Donna again.
- (BURM CHUCKLES)
- What year was this?
Ah, that was the fall of '71,
and I don't recall telling you her name.
Bad memory. Yeah, we know.
Is this not Donna?
Since you clearly done a
complete background check on me,
for whatever reason, you already
know that's my first wife.
So why leave that detail out yesterday?
Well, yesterday, I didn't know
I was being questioned under oath.
It's just that there's no mention
of a first wife in your records.
Judy and I married way too young, and
one day, she up and left me, and I
couldn't track her, which is not to say
I don't miss her and Donna.
Any kids with Judy?
We're on the same side. What's
with all the questions here?
Well, you said, uh
you didn't know this little girl.
KNIGHT: But according to that,
and the, uh, part
that you cropped out
You knew Lily very well.
Okay.
"Okay" what?
Her name's not Lily anymore. It's Nelly.
Least it was the last I heard,
but she, uh
(SIGHS)
she's probably changed it
again by now.
Your daughter?
Judy took her with her when she left,
and I looked for her for years,
till I met Donna and I moved on.
- Or tried to.
- Do you know where she is?
(SIGHS) No.
The older I get, the more I want to.
I mean, I wasn't much of a father or
a husband, but there are things
that I would love to clear up.
Fences I'd love to mend.
Anything else that you lied about?
I didn't lie to you.
Just didn't offer it up.
It's nobody else's business.
Did you know my mother?
Eleanor Parker?
I wish I did, son, believe me.
I would love to be able
to help you, I really would.
(BURM SIGHS)
KNIGHT: And no memory of the car crash?
Even with Lily standing there?
Well, that was nothing special.
Taking Lily on my calls was one
of the reasons Judy left me.
Do you know what last name
Lily or Nelly might be using?
Well, if I did,
I would've found her by now,
and if you people find her,
please let me tag along.
Why don't you come back
to NCIS with us now,
and we'll, uh,
we'll run a fresh search
with this new name.
You did mention how much
you missed the action, Les.
I've dreamed of this day.
In fact, I could drive us all
back in this baby right now.
Don't lose your spot. We'll drive.
Okay. Okay.
Uh, 35th and Chestnut.
Right alley, but no Sammy.
Did you try calling him again?
Well, I got his voicemail, like,
five times on the way here.
Maybe he flaked.
Or maybe not.
TORRES: That's the
truck I loaded yesterday.
TORRES: Oh, my God, Sammy.
MCGEE: All right, hold on. We got you.
TORRES: Sammy!
- (SAMMY COUGHS)
- Oh, man.
We're here, we're here,
we're here. We got you.
Okay. Torres and McGee will head back
as soon as their informant's
out of the hospital.
He's banged up, but okay.
When did toy thieves get so dangerous?
- (COMPUTER BEEPS)
- Got a hit
on maybe our longest shot ever,
but "Never, never give in."
We're quoting Churchill now?
Whatever works.
Um, so I added the names Nell and Nelly
to our DNA search for both our
lipstick and our mystery woman,
and got a 48% match to a
Delaware school teacher,
who took a home ancestry test
two years ago.
Nelly is that teacher?
No, not her. Her mother.
Penelope Johnson of Wilmington.
Nelly, as in "Pe-NEL-ope."
Get it? Nelly?
Wow, that is a very long shot.
Except for one thing.
My mother's maiden name was Johnson.
- Got to be a connection.
- Oh, I just got chills.
And you think that's worth the
two-hour drive to Wilmington?
Well, if you're too tired, I understand.
Oh, no, I'm not saying that.
I'm just saying, we have
an old state trooper on ice
in the conference room.
We're not really gonna
bring him with us.
You trust him?
I don't know how I feel about him.
Neither do I. Let him wait.
Besides, this is my white whale,
not his.
I'll send you the address, Ahab.
This better get me two Blazes.
Sammy, we are so sorry.
Yeah, man, we shouldn't have pushed you.
MCGEE: Who did this?
Was it the very scary man
that you were worried about?
No, it was his creepy kid
and some other guy.
I'll tell you, though, mentioning NCIS
might've been
the only thing that saved me.
Well, NCIS is done playing.
Tell us how to find this guy.
Why? So he can kill me next time?
Oh, he needs to know what his son did.
He won't care.
Well, we'll make him care, believe me.
No, you won't. I'm done. No more.
- I'm done.
- Sammy
- Sammy, come on.
- SAMMY: No more. I'm done.
I'll get my own ride home.
(SIGHS)
Probably should've asked before we left,
but, uh, why didn't we just call her?
Uh, to ask her what? "Uh, by any chance
"are you related to the, uh,
dead lady buried in my mother's grave?"
Yeah, it's, uh, it's better in person.
And here we are.
(SIGHS) You ready?
Are you ready?
Hell no.
Hello.
KNIGHT: Hi.
Uh, we are here looking for
Nell or Nelly Johnson?
Grandma, it's somebody
selling something.
Don't make assumptions, Eleanor.
Eleanor?
NELL: Old-school name for an old soul.
Now, what can I help you with?
We're sorry to bother you so late,
but I'm Agent Knight
and this is Agent Parker.
And we're here to ask you a few, uh
questions.
Lily?
Aldie?
It was just a few months, Aldie.
We would play outside while your mother,
Eleanor, gave piano lessons
to my mom, Judy.
Why do I have no memory of that?
I'm no psychologist, but the reason
we stopped having play dates
might have something to do with it.
No more piano lessons?
NELL: Well, let's see
It started the day
that I told you a secret.
That my mother was being abused
by my father.
Trooper Sergeant Lester Burm.
Yeah, Lester.
I made you promise me, Aldie.
I remember practically begging,
"Please, you can't tell anyone."
And you didn't.
You didn't have to, because
my mom told yours herself,
which started them on a mission.
And you couldn't go to the police?
Lester was the police.
Times were different then.
And your mom never
told your dad, either,
'cause she didn't want him
to talk her out of it.
Talk her out of what?
Their plan was to hide us in Pittsburgh,
at the home of your mom's
second cousin, Connie.
But then came that day.
That one day when they were
finalizing their plans
over a bottle of wine,
and Lester walked in.
He just lost it.
Like always.
Your mom drove you home,
but then she came back to help us,
only to find that Lester
had taken me to his job.
So, our mothers hopped in your mom's car
and took off to come and get me.
- But they didn't get far.
- The crash.
Lester forced them off the road.
Your mom somehow got away,
but not mine.
She was hurt.
Lester finished the job.
And after that, he just came
back to me at the station
like nothing ever happened,
waiting for someone to call in
about the "tragic accident."
KNIGHT: This accident?
NELL: Oh
Oh, my God. That's the night.
I didn't know it made the papers.
I was terrified of Lester before,
but watching him cover his tracks
He let everyone think that
Eleanor was drunk driving,
but it was him.
He killed your mother.
And then, he went after yours.
While Lester took my mom's body
to the morgue,
your mom somehow circled back for me,
and we took off for Pittsburgh.
Obviously, you made it.
We nearly both did.
Made it all the way
to a motel in Toledo.
Your mom couldn't bear
to let her family think she was dead.
She couldn't wait
to get back to you, Aldie.
Not till she knew
that I was safe.
Then he found us.
You know those things
you wish you could unsee?
For me, that was him
dragging her out.
That was the last time
I ever saw your mom.
He killed her.
I'm so sorry, Aldie.
Cousin Connie found me
the next day, and I have been
hiding from that man ever since.
Aldie
your mother sacrificed
everything for me.
Helping others was just in her nature,
which, according to Roman,
is the nature that she passed onto you.
Roman. You went to see him.
Somehow, he found Connie's
number in an old phone book.
Called out of the blue and said,
"Do you know any Lilys?"
Connie said no.
But that's when I knew
it was way past time
to pay Roman a visit.
In fact, I'm surprised
you don't already know this,
because when I told him
the whole story that night,
he couldn't wait to tell you.
He never got the chance.
I hope my visit didn't draw
Lester's attention.
He may be old, but if he is out there,
I still wouldn't put anything past him.
Eh, I hate to complain, Agent Parker,
but I would've preferred
sitting in the conference room.
(CHUCKLES)
(PARKER SIGHS)
Still no memory of this?
BURM: What's the matter?
I mean, I already told you,
this was such a long time ago.
That's a mighty big flashlight.
Big enough to crush Judy's skull
after you ran her off the road.
(LAUGHING) What? That's crazy. You
You found Lily.
What we found is your first wife's body
in my mother's grave.
Now, you promised me
that if you found her
Is that flashlight the way
you killed my mother, too?
After you dragged her out of the motel?
Just talking nonsense now. Just
That's why you're driving around.
You're not seeing the country,
you are looking for her.
I've been looking all my life.
Well, too late, Lester. We found her.
Lily's doing just fine.
She's just great without you,
thanks to my mother,
Eleanor Parker.
You know that name. So where is she?
You put Lily's mother
in Eleanor's grave,
so where did you put Eleanor?
Where?
Son, I wish I knew what you were
talking about, but I swear
(SIGHS)
Let's go.
You say that you have a bad memory.
We're gonna correct that, right now.
TORRES: Oh, man,
the TAPS Christmas party
- Kids are already here.
- Yeah.
As if breaking bad news
isn't hard enough.
Hey, Tiny Tim, Saint Nick,
hold up a minute.
Sam, what are you doing here?
Hey, uh, again, Sammy,
we're-we're sorry about yesterday.
Don't be.
You had the happiness
of so many kids at stake.
Plus, gentlemen,
it is the season of forgiveness.
- It sure is.
- DIANA: Excuse me?
- Are you guys with NCIS?
- Two out of three.
Special Agents McGee
and Torres. We're, uh
We're afraid that, uh, we have some news
- on the stolen toys that's, uh
- Wonderful?
- What?
- DIANA: It's wonderful.
It's a miracle. Come.
Come see for yourself. Come.
Show them. Show them. (LAUGHS)
Ah.
All of this was just delivered
in what must've been five SUVs
by these men
who were in quite a hurry,
but they insisted that I make
sure that this card got to NCIS.
"Sorry for the mix-up.
Apologies to Sammy.
"The boys want no trouble from NCIS.
Happy Holidays, T."
TORRES: Even bad guys love Christmas.
MCGEE: Wait a second, is "T"
your very scary man?
And "the boys" are his boys?
You know what? I'm gonna
plead the Fifth on that.
- Well, then, you know what?
- We're gonna let you.
Hey, guys, would it be too much to ask
if you could possibly help
bring the gifts over?
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
- Sure, sure.
- Good.
Oh, and actually, come to think of it,
um, our Santa called in sick,
but we still have the red suit, so?
(DIANA LAUGHS)
- Ho ho ho!
- Who wants to see Santa?
- Merry Christmas.
- Who wants to see Santa?
- (CHILDREN CHEERING)
- SAMMY: Santa's here!
Come here.
♪
Sammy. As promised.
Here you go, boss.
Yeah. Least we could do.
Very true.
Thanks, guys.
My niece is gonna think
I am the greatest uncle
Merry Christmas, kid.
Enjoy your Blaze the Dragon.
- Hey.
- Aww.
(TORRES CHUCKLES)
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Parker. Come on in.
- I just need a minute.
- Of course.
Sorry, I've, uh
been slammed a bit here with work.
Any luck with the old state trooper?
Luck?
Guess you could call it that.
(SIGHS)
What is it?
Is there anything I can do?
Yeah, you can secure me a dive team
to dredge a small pond
outside of Toledo, Ohio.
Looking for a submerged
1969 Dodge Coronet.
You got it.
Oh, and I think the, uh,
interrogation room camera
might be on the fritz.
(SIGHS)
Any words from your sister?
Uh, lots of them.
Spoke for three hours last night.
She's still at sea till next week,
but I might take some lost time
to go and see her.
No "might" about that. You go.
(PARKER SIGHS)
♪
You good?
Yeah, I'm great.
(SIGHS)
Jess, you've been a real friend
through all of this,
so thank you.
Nothing you wouldn't have done.
Just like your mother.
Well, she's finally home.
Barring any more curveballs.
Oh, bite your tongue.
(PHONE RINGING)
I did it, didn't I?
- I spoke too soon.
- Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Oh, it's just Director Vance.
Excuse me.
Director?
VANCE: Hope I'm not
interrupting the service.
Uh, no, but it's just about to start.
All right, then, I'll be quick.
You got your wish, Agent Knight.
NCIS: ELITE just got orders.
There's a wanted fugitive
you'll be tracking.
Finally.
Yes, sir. What's the target?
Well, that's why I'm calling,
since this one hits
a little close to home.
(PHONE CHIMES)
That's the target?
Details to follow from your CO.
Until then,
this stays between us.
Understood, sir.
(EXHALES)