NCIS s19e08 Episode Script
Peacekeeper
[GUNSHOTS.]
MAN: Uhp! Okay! Okay, okay! Hold your fire! Hold your fire.
Hey.
Ned.
Go reset that mannequin.
Why? They're just gonna fall again.
And then you'll pick it up again.
That's how this works.
Okay, why not keep 'em on the ground, then, Dad? They're still targets, whether they're standing or not.
For the hundredth time, boy, you don't shoot someone that's laying down.
It's against nature.
Fine.
Okay.
Whatever.
Okay.
Today.
"Against nature.
" [CHUCKLES.]
Yeah, your face is against nature.
This place is a damn junkyard.
I am so out of here, I swear.
[SCOFFS.]
How many mannequins are trying to get out of this place? What the hell? Dad.
Dad! Come here, quick! It is so nice not to have to eat on the run for a change.
Yeah, rare.
If I got to eat another sandwich in a car Or over a dead body.
What about you over there another bento box? Oh, you bento betcha.
Got some hummus, chicken, a little tabbouleh.
Oh, yeah, and look, you got each item in its own very little, uh, compartment there.
Okay.
Go ahead and say it.
I'm not saying a word.
Uh, I'll say it.
Even her lunch likes its personal space.
[LAUGHS.]
And there it is.
There goes Kasie the gym rat.
Uh, with the lab report you requested, and I will be back in about an hour.
So, uh, how many weeks in a row is that, now? Mm, about nine.
But, uh, you know, [SHARP INHALE.]
who's counting? Hey, I could use a training partner.
If you're ready, let me know.
Ready for you, Nick? [LAUGHS.]
Never.
No.
Plus, my gym is women's only, so unless you want to work out in drag Don't dare me.
I'll do it, man.
You keep doing what you're doing, girl.
Looks good on you.
Feels good.
Thanks.
You enjoy your bento any which way you like.
Leave her lunch alone, boys.
For the record, Nick, I would pay a lot to see you work out in drag.
Mm.
Says more about you than it does me.
Good for Kasie, huh? I mean, talk about an extra spring in her step.
Seriously.
Good for her.
And good for us.
Enjoying our lunch together.
Too bad we'll have to take it to go.
Somehow I knew that was coming.
- Where to? - Outdoor shooting range, Falls Church Got a dead Navy reservist.
Well, "bento to go" has a good ring to it.
You heard Kasie.
Lay off my lunch.
Our victim is Lieutenant Victor Bateson.
Former active duty, now a reservist.
Should I bother asking cause of death, Jimmy? Obvious call would be a gunshot wound, but I can't even begin to count all of them.
Be easier to tell you where he wasn't shot.
Hey, guys.
Victor Bateson.
Ring any bells? Not a one.
And no idea how in the hell he got in there, either.
- What about the car? - What about it? How long has it been here? Uh, this one, about a week.
So, for a whole week you've been using this nice old car as target practice? It's a old junker.
But it wasn't always, now, was it? You got any security cameras, Mr.
Gorton? Nope.
Pretty old-school here.
Yeah, I had a feeling.
But I can guarantee that that guy was not in there when we closed up last night.
And what time was that? Right at dark.
Around 7:00? Opened up again at first light.
All right, so we're looking at about a 12-hour window.
Hey, guys, for what it's worth, I'm smelling alcohol here.
I don't drink a whole lot, but, uh, maybe tequila? So perhaps the lieutenant drunkenly wandered out here in the middle of the night, climbed in the back seat to sleep it off? Until the firing started in the morning? I-I Anything's possible.
How many shooters have you had here this morning? Uh, 20, maybe 30 so far.
We keep sign-in books at the front desk.
Got every name and weapon listed.
We're gonna need those.
What, I have to go get 'em? [CHUCKLES.]
Hell with it.
- Okay, fine.
- No, no, no, you stay here.
- I'll go, okay? - No, I'm going.
Look, no, I'm going.
- I'm going.
Dad - Yup, you're going.
How close are we, Jimmy? I'm ready.
But body's so large and, frankly, perforated, i-it might be easier to-to cut out the back seat, use as a gurney of sorts.
What? Is that really necessary? I mean, why don't we take the whole car? With the body and whatever evidence is in there.
Can't argue with that.
All right, I'll call in a tow.
Hey, Agent Parker? Yeah, here's our sign-in books.
Not even a floppy disk? It's too high-tech for my old man.
JIMMY: Well, we can forget the drunken wandering part.
Post-mortem lividity and the lack of blood in the back seat says that Lieutenant here was killed and then dumped here.
Ah, so we've got ourselves an old-school coverup attempt.
JIMMY: Isolating the bullet that killed him that's gonna be like finding a needle in a haystack.
A grain of sand at the beach.
A black cat in a coal mine.
Yeah, yeah, these are all good.
Whatever metaphor we go with, I imagine that's precisely what the killer was counting on.
MCGEE: Lieutenant Victor Bateson, 35 years old, former active duty, joined the Reserves two years ago.
No next of kin listed.
Okay, thank you.
And that was Bateson's C.
O.
She said he was a model officer - and something of a gentle giant.
- Any employment records? Apparently, Bateson hadn't nailed down a permanent career since retirement, so between Reserve duties he worked a bunch of part-time jobs.
Such as? The last the C.
O.
spoke to him was two days ago, as he headed to work at a Lionheart Bar and Grill in Old Town.
Okay, great.
Why don't you and Torres take the Lionheart and we'll, uh, visit the C.
O.
Actually, I was thinking that maybe I can help Kasie search the car.
Since it's still in the evidence garage.
Sure.
McGee? Oh, no need.
I can see if I can get the Lionheart to come to us.
Too soon for a progress report? Never.
This is, uh, eight bullets down.
142 to go.
Really? 150 bullets? I can confirm that one of these slugs, uh, nicked the lieutenant's pulmonary artery, causing him to bleed out in just a matter of minutes.
And when I say "one of these slugs," I mean all of those.
His chest cavity alone is so chock-full of lead, it's gonna be quite a while before we figure out which bullet actually killed him.
Well, compare them all against the guns listed in Gorton's books and process of elimination Should give us our killer bullet.
Hopefully lead us to whoever fired it, huh? [LAUGHS.]
Oh, sorry.
Was that out loud? Kind of.
What was that? Inappropriate.
- We do that around here sometimes.
- It's kind of a nervous tick autopsies sometimes flash me back to that Operation game I had as a kid.
You know, with the - annoying buzzer? - Yeah, yeah, that's still around.
It's actually Victoria's favorite.
What, your daughter? Yeah, she's also discovered, uh, Mouse Trap, - Remember that one? - Oh, yeah, hell yeah.
With the, uh, the, the, - the marble and the mouse - Yeah - and the trap coming down.
- Little plastic pieces that kids can choke on? - Timeless classic, right? - Yeah.
And still inappropriate.
- Mm.
- Uh, how long till we have the fatal bullets? Uh, not sure, but I will keep pulling all night long until I find them.
No.
No? I mean, sure, you can work late if you want, but you got a kid be home before bedtime.
The lieutenant will still be here in the morning.
Okay, I get it, I get it.
A little reverse psychology.
Let me assure you, completely unnecessary.
If I come back here at midnight and you're still here, you're fired.
Really? No, not really, but you know.
Got it.
Double reverse psychology.
Not bad.
Not bad.
I can't believe it.
I just left him a message an hour ago, wondering where he was.
Peacekeeper is never late for work, but I I never for once thought that Peacekeeper? Best bouncer I ever had.
Victor has this gift for dealing with people, for for keeping the peace.
Still, being a bouncer, he must have made a few enemies.
Rarely had to raise his voice, let alone a fist.
You said he left work last night at around 2:00 a.
m.
Any chance he'd been drinking? He usually had a few around closing time.
He didn't seem drunk, if that's what you're asking.
Do you know if he owned any firearms? He was found at Gorton's shooting range, not too far from here.
I mean, I couldn't say for sure.
Uh And how about you? O-Oh I-I'm I'm more of a "Louisville Slugger behind the bar" kind of guy.
But if you're looking for somebody who knows the shooting ranges you should talk to Annie Oakley.
Annie Oakley? Uh, yeah, it's-it's Victor's ex-wife.
I mean, at least that's what he called her.
And I am in no way pointing fingers, but I-I do recall him telling me that they had a pretty messy divorce.
Like, real bad.
KASIE: Bullet hole 189.
Ooh.
It's like an art installation.
Swiss Cheese in Rusted Metal.
Well, I guess it's true what they say: art is in the eye of the beholder.
Pretty sure that's beauty.
Well, tomato, "potahto," right? Hmm.
Well, look at the time.
Got to go.
Can't do much until Jimmy pulls bullets anyway, - so [CHUCKLES.]
- Night.
- Yes? - What? Oh, I get it.
Knight.
Night, Knight.
- Night.
- Good night.
So what's with the clunker? It really isn't a clunker.
Not to you, it isn't.
What's the deal? Okay, so my very first car was the same make, model and year.
Here it is.
I guess I was a tad sentimental.
Maybe a really big tad.
You know, I do have a mechanic friend that maybe maybe he could restore it or at least give it a proper burial.
[PHONE CHIMES, VIBRATES.]
Well, my sympathies, but Parker just got an address on the ex-wife.
- You need me? - No, no, no.
You stay, it's cool.
You go ahead and, uh, make the funeral arrangements.
Night.
Night, Knight.
Night-Knight.
Now, I just, I figured it was something like that.
You-you never forget your first car.
[CHUCKLES.]
First anything, really.
Torres had the look in his eyes like I still get when I watch the original King Kong.
My favorite old movie as a kid.
Oh, whoa.
And that is my second childhood reminiscence of the day.
So So isn't that like a sign of impending doom? Like a, uh, like a heart attack or something? Well, are you smelling any burnt toast? 'Cause it could be a stroke.
Whole wheat or rye? Does it matter? Not if you're just being paranoid, but if I start talking about Malibu Barbie, then we're gonna know it's contagious.
Oh [INDISTINCT CHATTER IN DISTANCE.]
Kasie? Uh, you guys.
What are you doing here? What are you doing here? We're here to see the ex-wife of our victim.
Ex-wife of our victim? I would've gotten it, Kasie.
Friends of yours? We're looking for Lexi Davis.
Uh, sure.
Lexi's in here.
Zaneta Firearms has taken all the qualities of your standard revolver and given it a grip that will fit your hand just right.
[CHUCKLES.]
Now, who would like to try? Lexi, we have some new guests.
Hi.
Welcome.
What can I do for you? NCIS, Ms.
Davis.
Any chance for a private word? We, uh, have a few questions.
[WHISPERS.]
: I have a few questions of my own.
First of all, if I had known this woman was ex-wife of our victim, I wouldn't even be here.
Well, we didn't find out ourselves till about an hour ago.
But why are you here? Uh, for pretty much the reasons you might guess.
You're in the market for a gun and you didn't tell me? You know I can hook you up.
Well, see, that's why I didn't tell anyone.
I don't need hooking up.
I don't definitely know that I'm in the market.
Mm.
Kind of seems like you're in the market.
I can't believe it, you know? Everyone loved Victor.
Who would do such a thing? I don't know.
Maybe, uh, ex-wife with a grudge, possibly? Wait, so the grapevine tells you that we have a messy divorce, and, just like that, I'm a suspect? No, we're just talking.
But also yeah? It was awful.
But we worked through it the last two years.
- So you still spoke to him? - All the time.
You know, Victor and I were Oh, my God, I mean, how did how did it even happen? He was found with multiple gunshot wounds.
At Gorton's shooting range.
Any chance this photo was taken there? That hellhole? No, I would-I would never set foot in there, and neither would Victor.
But you do know the place.
Only by reputation.
I represent responsible gun ownership, Agents.
Unlike Gorton, who let some idiot throw a grenade there last year.
Where were you last night? I was preparing for this.
Hosting private gun salons in your living room is a hobby? No, it's my livelihood.
I'm marketing director for Zaneta.
My sales rep, Doris she holds these events to help expand our female-focused market.
Neither of which implicate me, either, by the way.
You have any idea who we can implicate? None.
You know, V Victor was like a big teddy bear.
I I doubt it was anyone at the bar.
You know, he loved that job.
Unlike his new gig.
And what gig is that? The Fairfax Expo Center.
He'd only been there a month or two, but said it was a lot less dangerous dealing with the drunks than the trade show crazies and the beauty pageant stage moms, you know? Who knows what to think? She seem credible to you? So far.
Let's, uh, look for some potential enemies at this Expo Center first thing.
Go get some sleep.
- Good night.
- Night.
And you How did you end up at the ladies' night - gun salon? - Real spur-of-the-moment thing this woman at my Krav Maga class Wait, Israeli martial arts is that how you've been spending your lunchtime workouts? [EXHALES.]
Pretty much since my brush with mortality in the squad room.
I thought it didn't affect me, but, um - TORRES: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! - Come here! - Whoa - KASIE: No! [GUNFIRE.]
- Aah! - Kasie! It affected you.
But the workouts help enough that when the instructor mentioned this gun salon, I got curious.
Though you're still on the fence? Pretty big step for me.
Is it, though? I mean, you shoot guns at work all the time.
Mm, into a ballistics chamber.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- It's a little different having one on my nightstand.
I mean, it's there to keep me safe.
But maybe it just reminds me what I'm afraid of.
Yeah, I get it.
So no pressure.
But if you need to talk.
You're the one I talk to.
Hmm.
You're telling me that the ex-wife was hosting a Tupperware party? Oh, no, no, I said it was like a Tupperware party Yo, my dude.
Uh, yeah, Nick here.
Uh, that's three messages now, but, uh, I wouldn't be calling you if I didn't have a special mission for you, so give me a call me back.
My car guy.
He's playing hard to get.
Anything new on the case? So, "like" a Tupperware party, you were saying? But with handguns for women.
Apparently the female market is booming.
Not for anybody we know, per se, but, you know, still booming.
Booming.
Well, well, well.
Look who's the early bird.
- You pull an all-nighter? - PARKER: Perish the thought.
All-nighters are for missing children.
And term papers and honeymoons.
But I did get in early enough to find this, uh, Fairfax Expo Center the ex-wife was telling us about.
Where Bateson worked security.
Yeah.
They did actually host a Little Miss Fairfax pageant two weeks ago.
Please don't tell me we're actually thinking killer dance moms.
Oh, no, I was sure hoping so, until I saw what they were hosting this week.
Tri-State Home Security Expo.
You ever been to one of those? Spy-cams, mace, stun guns and a lot of wannabe Dirty Harrys.
Maybe our Peacekeeper failed to keep the peace somehow.
And actually did get killed.
Okay, Expo Center it is.
I'll meet you guys at the car.
152 slugs, to be exact.
I pulled these little devils from right around the pulmonary artery.
So we start with those, hopefully we find our culprit sooner rather than later.
I admire your optimism.
KNIGHT: Hey Kase, you want to check out a - Hey, Jimmy.
- Hey, Jess.
So, we are heading over to a security expo.
If you want to tag along, maybe you'll see something that you like.
Oh, wow, gosh, I-I'd really love to, but I got so much work to do here.
- Oh, wow, you sure do.
- [CHUCKLES.]
Okay, so next time.
Rain check? - Yeah.
Bye, Jess.
- All right.
Bye.
Bye, Jimmy.
That is exactly the type of pressure from friends I was hoping to avoid.
You're calling that pressure? I mean, what are the chances they walk in on the one night I was shopping for a gun? - So you're officially shopping now.
- No.
Yes.
- I don't know.
- I get it, I get it, I do.
W.
W.
G.
S.
, right? That's exactly what I want to know.
What would Gibbs say? I think he would say take a breath.
You can be conflicted while still shopping.
And why aren't you conflicted again? Because of all these.
I don't own a gun because of all of the bullets I've pulled from way too many people over the years.
My nana did had a 12-gauge though.
[CHUCKLES.]
That was plenty of gun for the family Palmer.
I'm actually leaning towards your side of the line, if not for, um being so damn afraid.
After the diner last year? Made worse by LeMere in the squad room.
And both times, I was saved by Gibbs.
Meaning it's on me when strike three happens.
Oh, come on, you cannot be worried about that.
I didn't used to be.
My whole life not a care in the world, then all of a sudden [SIGHS.]
Man, I would give anything to go back and just not feel this way.
Look, you don't have to go back in time.
Kase, what you are feeling is a normal reaction.
All you need right now is more time.
- Just to heal.
- Oh.
There's that optimism.
You'll get that back again, too.
Okay.
Could use a new alarm system.
Mine goes off so often, I'm more in danger from my neighbors.
Oh, this is what I'm talking about right here.
[GRUNTING.]
Oh.
Easy there, Bruce Lee.
Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself.
You know, just a little hand-eye coordination.
[GRUNTING.]
- Sir, please put that down.
- Uh, you you folks will have to wait outside.
Doors don't open till 10:00.
Uh, we're with NCIS, miss I'm so sorry.
Sonia Bell.
Event coordinator.
Oh, we've all just been so scattered here this morning.
I take it you're here about Victor? You already know? [SIGHS.]
I still can't believe it.
He was kind, professional.
A real godsend.
Everyone loved him.
Yeah, we've been hearing that a lot.
How'd you find out? Oh, um, from Doris, over there in booth six.
Found her crying in the bathroom this morning.
[PHONE RINGS.]
Oh.
I'm so sorry, I have to take this.
Hello? This is she.
Familiar face.
Last night's Tupperware lady.
Let's divide and conquer.
Doris.
How you doing? Remember us? You were you were at Lexi's last night.
So were you.
She called me right after you left her.
[CHUCKLES.]
I still can't quite believe it.
When was the last time you saw Victor? Um he helped set up my booth just two days ago.
KNIGHT: It's an even bigger spread than last night.
We can hardly keep up with demand.
Inventory just flies off the shelves.
And, uh, which one do you use? Well, personally, I Why-why do you ask? Seems like a harmless question.
She uses the fancy pink one.
What do you think? Or maybe she likes the leopard.
There a problem, buddy? Hell yeah, there's a problem.
My inventory would be flying, too, if that glorified bouncer gave me the prime real estate she got.
Instead he sticks me way the hell back here in this bum spot.
Damn bouncer's playing favorites.
Victor got me this spot.
That's what friends do.
It's not my fault no one's buying his old carbines.
MAN: He puts her right by the front door while I'm dying over here by the bathroom.
Some might argue that that's actually the better place to do business.
Plus, what she's got going on over there it's a travesty.
Painting perfectly good firearms all the different colors of the rainbow.
So is your problem with her product? - Or with the bouncer? - I gave him an earful for sticking me over here.
But he wouldn't bite.
Kept it friendly, so took all the fun out of it, so I stopped.
Yeah, you like that one? Well, my dad had one just like this.
Yeah, your dad had a beauty.
- Civil War era? - Yeah, you bet.
Colt 1862 Pocket Navy.
.
36 caliber, seven-and-a- half-inch octagon barrel.
1,300 bucks.
At least make me an offer.
Um I will, uh, I'll think about it.
And you carry ammo for a gun like that? At home.
No point in selling it here.
Oh, let me guess uh, pink bullets - scooped up your market? - No.
That dirtbag out in the parking lot I can't compete with.
What dirtbag? The one selling ammo out the back of his truck.
DORIS: I think his name was Roy.
He's the only guy I ever saw Victor get rough with.
For selling bootleg ammo? How rough? Threw him out of the parking lot.
And I mean literally threw him.
I don't think he's coming back.
PETE: Ah, I'm sure he's back.
You can only get rid of cockroaches for so long.
[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING.]
Excuse me.
You wouldn't be Roy, by chance? Depends who you are, pretty lady.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- What can I do you for? Well, you can start by showing me your dealer's license.
For dealing what now? Whatever's in your van.
Mm, keep guessing.
I got nothing.
Nowhere to run, Roy.
And he's running.
He said nowhere to run.
PARKER: And he's running.
Nope.
[GRUNTING.]
Get off! Easy, easy.
They never listen.
[VAN DOORS OPEN.]
This is a violation of my rights.
And selling bootleg ammo's a violation of the law.
It's a lot more than ammo.
Looks more like an armory.
You guys got nothing on me.
This baby would beg to differ.
None of that's mine.
- Never seen that before.
- But it is your van.
Maybe.
Another genius.
All right, ATF's on the way.
All right.
I'll forward these photos.
Okay, hang on, hang on.
A buddy of mine makes a lot of this stuff in his basement.
We go halves on profits.
I-I can give him to you.
Give him to ATF, Roy.
We're more interested in the Navy lieutenant you may have known.
Me? I-I don't know any Navy.
The security guard who kicked you out the other day.
Oh, that guy? You saying it was rent-a-cop that turned me in? - No, he couldn't do that.
- Hey, let me tell you, he's who got rough with me.
Anyone needs to be hassled right now, it's him.
Can't hassle a dead guy.
Wait.
He's dead? Now, you obviously have the means.
Plus the motive.
Which makes you our guy.
But I'm not.
I-I swear.
You can ask that girlfriend of his.
She saw the whole thing.
What girlfriend? The-the hottie selling pink guns.
They were all over each other in his truck when he threw me out.
Doris? He was just trying to impress her, if you ask me.
She'll tell you.
So why the big secret? I guess we kept it low-key for so long, I didn't think it mattered.
It sure does now.
We didn't want anyone knowing.
Least of all Lexi.
Dating the boss's ex is not quite the career move.
Lexi's also my friend.
Though sneaking around didn't make me feel like a very good one.
She was already upset with Victor over the whole alimony thing.
What alimony thing? How much was he paying her? Well, that's just it he wasn't.
Deadbeat.
No.
She was paying him.
It wasn't much, but Wait, she was paying him alimony? - It happens.
- But Victor struggled with that, too.
That's why he was working two jobs to get out from under it.
Look, if it was just about our friendship, I'd have told Lexi from the start.
But throw in job and money If Lexi found out about us, it might have meant the end of both.
Or worse.
You okay? Jimmy, I'm sorry, I thought you - were with Kasie.
- I was, I just came down for one last X-ray for the lieutenant.
And you? I Just, um catching my breath before we go off and scoop up the ex-wife.
[CHUCKLES.]
- It's nothing.
- This shallow breathing of yours? This is this is not nothing.
Not after the year that you've had.
What is it about this case that's getting to you? I can fight and and shoot and interrogate, negotiate, but As soon as one of these cases start turning into a soap opera, I just get this Must all seem pretty petty, right? Compared to losing your team.
Okay.
Enough of this.
All I'm saying is that involuntary physical reactions are usually rooted in traumatic experience.
Which you and I have both had plenty of.
How we doing, Kasie? Amazing thing about gunpowder.
Amaze me, please.
In ancient China it was called the elixir of life and ingested in a quest for immortality.
That is, until they discovered its flammability and started attaching it to spears used for battle.
In essence, the first bullets, which led us to this.
An accidental invention of epic proportions.
Just like chocolate chip cookies.
- Though they never killed anyone.
- And much as I'd love to hear that story, let's talk bullets.
Jimmy and I started with the ones pulled from Lieutenant Bateson's upper chest, uh, but unfortunately, they were all fired from guns listed in Gorton's sign-in books.
So all were shot postmortem.
Same with most every other bullet you see here except for these three, which I am just about to test right now.
Oof.
Okay.
Once I compare ballistics on these slugs and cross-reference Gorton's books, we might finally know our murder weapon.
Which will take how long? Just a few more hours, tops.
Any ideas what weapons might have been used? Oh, ideas we got, just no definitives yet.
- Here's the list.
- Ideas will have to do.
Torres and Knight are bringing in the ex-wife.
I really hope Lexi's not our killer.
She was super nice and not at all who I expected to be hosting - a gun salon.
- Who were you expecting? - Kind of a female Rambo type.
- Hmm.
Who's to say she's not? Mind if I ask you something? Shoot.
I mean - go for it.
- Uh, it's about last night.
I'm kind of collecting perspectives - on - Whether you should buy a gun? Oh.
So you know.
Well, why else would you be there? I have to say, you, uh, seem pretty comfortable shooting into that chamber.
You didn't see my eyes close? So, what do you want to ask? Well, how you feel about yours.
Do you ever wish you didn't have one? No.
I mean, as a cop, absolutely not.
But there are people out there I sure wish didn't have one.
Criminals, for one.
And two and three.
And also people who can't handle not knowing whether to use it or not.
Or whether to use it at all.
If some people walk around with a hammer long enough, pretty soon, everything starts to look like a nail.
That's what I'm worried about.
Yeah, do I grab it every time somebody knocks on the door? I mean, my Uncle Reggie shot an intruder once.
As one might do to an intruder.
And it haunted him the rest of his life.
And I don't see how any of that helps me get back to normal.
I can't speak to that, Kasie, but I do appreciate that you're wrestling with the decision.
That's more than a lot of people do.
[PHONE CHIMES.]
Ah.
Ms.
Rambo has arrived.
Don't let her draw first blood.
[IMITATES RAMBO.]
: We'll give her a war she won't believe.
Yeah, I own two of these guns.
Or, as we call them, potential murder weapons.
You still don't have an alibi.
Or a motive.
KNIGHT: Funny thing about that.
We just found out that you were paying alimony to Victor.
Pretty important detail to leave out.
I didn't see how it was relevant.
But, obviously, as the primary breadwinner I was rising fast in my company, and he was struggling to find his footing.
And you were happy to help him out.
I wouldn't say happy, but Still pretty generous.
Which would only make any sort of betrayal sting that much more.
Betrayal? I Doris.
Wait.
Really? What, you didn't know? No.
I mean, how the hell did I not see that? And why wouldn't they tell me? We were all friends.
Doris was also your employee.
That's easy to forget sometimes.
I If they would have told me, I would have given them champagne.
The two of them get hitched, no more payments for me, and they can live happily ever after.
And now we're back to me not having a motive.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
KASIE: Parker sent us.
Didn't think you want Rambo to hear.
- What is it? - So, we found our killer bullet.
This needle in the haystack? It's a big one.
MCGEE: So, is that our cause of death? Yes.
This .
32 ACP, which, based on its trajectory, must have nicked the pulmonary artery, causing him to bleed out in a matter of minutes.
You didn't find it until now? Because this big daddy bullet was fired postmortem at the shooting range, it actually pushed the little guy away from the artery and into the bone of the vertebra.
Basically obscuring it from our view until I ran one last X-ray.
So little guy's our culprit.
- What do we know about it? - KASIE: Well, just 'cause it's little doesn't mean it's weak.
It's actually famous or rather infamous on two fronts.
First as the self-inflicted bullet that Hitler used to kill himself.
KASIE: And second, as the bullet of choice in James Bond's old Walther PPK.
So that's the kind of gun our killer used.
Yeah, or a gun like it.
Can't say for sure, but something old, circa early 1900s.
Nick, who do we know who has old guns? Not old, McGee.
Classics.
Hey.
My heroes are back.
Heroes? You got rid of our dirtbag.
- I might go back to selling ammo.
- Oh, happy day.
Between us, he killed that bouncer, didn't he? - Wouldn't surprise me.
- Actually, no.
No, we, uh, we haven't found the killer yet.
Which is why we're here.
Yeah, I don't like the sound of that.
I play by the rules.
Keep immaculate records.
I never sell to minors, and I sure as hell never killed anybody.
Relax, Pete.
We're looking for a gun.
Familiar with the Walther PPK? Typical cops wanting the James Bond special.
They're hard to come by, and they cost a pretty penny, too.
Where do you keep yours? I don't keep mine anywhere.
Sold it a few days ago.
- Is that a crime? - Who'd you sell it to? Oh, I forget his name.
But he bought it here.
Like I said You keep immaculate records.
Right, right.
It was that bar owner.
Careful, Harry.
KNIGHT: You heard him, Harry.
He said be careful.
Well, don't sneak up on a guy like that.
Now you got me all jumpy.
You I know.
Who's this? This is Agent Torres.
He's here to be the bad cop.
Well, in my defense, uh, how bad is really up to you.
Look familiar? Should it? This is the sales receipt for the Walther PPK that you bought with cash three days ago.
Oh.
That's-that's right.
I, uh, I forgot.
I met Peacekeeper at that trade show.
I ended up buying that as a wall decoration for my office.
Oh, so we'll find it hanging on your wall? No.
No, I mean, uh, y-you know, not-not yet.
Uh, it's still at the framer being mounted.
Harry.
The best bouncer you ever had? [VOICE BREAKING.]
: And my friend.
So what happened? It was closing time.
We had a few too many.
And I-I I tripped a wire in him or something.
Over what? Money? Or a woman? Over 300 bucks.
The cover charge was short, and I made the mistake of-of asking him about it, and I [EXHALES.]
He was-he was so angry.
I got-I got scared.
And I-I pulled the gun out to try to snap him out of it.
But it went off by itself.
It seems like it.
I We-we were so drunk.
How did he end up at Gorton's? I was trying to save him.
I was racing to the hospital, begging him, "Hang in there, big guy.
" But he-he didn't.
And the-the the shooting range was, like, a-a mile away or so, and So you left him there to get shot full of bullets.
And you pointed us in the direction of his gun-toting ex-wife.
I panicked.
I'm so sorry.
I panicked.
I just I'm so sorry.
And to add insult to injury, Harry found the missing $300 underneath his desk the next morning.
Which didn't help his hangover.
I can now add Harry to the list of people I wish didn't have a gun.
Yeah, I bet Harry wishes that now, too.
That's funny.
I was just talking to someone about people like that.
Someone? MCGEE: Hey, Nick, did you ever, uh, get a hold of your car guy? That old car's still on borrowed time.
No, I did not, but it's all good.
I decided to take matters into my own hands.
Stella's coming home with me.
Stella.
You name your cars? Okay, let me guess.
Old sweetheart? My very first.
First girlfriend, first car.
Yeah, I saved for, like, two years to buy that car, and, uh, on my way to Stella's, I get T-boned by a pizza delivery truck.
Why don't you just name the car Domino? Did you get free pizzas after that? - [LAUGHS.]
- Okay, all right, you guys laugh now, but it was a tragic day which I can now make good by giving Stella her groove back.
Mm, but all those bullet holes.
You weren't sure you were gonna be able fix it.
Now I'm thinking maybe I can.
I could really use a project like that right now.
Like Gibbs and his boat.
No, no, not like Gibbs and his boat, okay? His boat was in a basement.
I think I'm gonna fix Stella in my garage.
More like Chitty Bang Bang.
Yeah, Parker, that's what I'm talking about.
Stella is like my Chitty Bang Bang.
That's my third childhood reference in two days.
- I better go for a checkup.
- Huh.
Oh, I almost forgot.
I'm gonna be late tomorrow if that's okay.
PARKER: Sure.
No worries.
[CHUCKLES.]
Chitty Bang Bang.
- [WHOOPS.]
- Sheesh! [CHUCKLES.]
- All right, you ready? - Yeah.
Hell, yeah.
- Okay.
Here we go.
- Okay.
Watch that grip.
Make sure the master grip Finger off the trigger while I'm lining up the shot.
- Until you're ready to shoot.
- Okay.
And forward-leaning stance for more stability, and then breathe through the trigger pull.
- Ooh! [EXCLAIMS.]
- [CHUCKLES.]
: Oh! - You are a natural! - Sheesh! - Ah! - How does that feel? Uh, it [EXHALES.]
Feels better than I thought it would.
[LAUGHS.]
So, which one of these is gonna go home with you? Uh None of 'em.
Really? You sure? Yeah.
Yeah, I-I'm cool.
I mean, I wouldn't mind coming back to blow off steam every now and then, though, if that's cool with you.
- It is an open invitation.
- Hell yeah.
MAN: Uhp! Okay! Okay, okay! Hold your fire! Hold your fire.
Hey.
Ned.
Go reset that mannequin.
Why? They're just gonna fall again.
And then you'll pick it up again.
That's how this works.
Okay, why not keep 'em on the ground, then, Dad? They're still targets, whether they're standing or not.
For the hundredth time, boy, you don't shoot someone that's laying down.
It's against nature.
Fine.
Okay.
Whatever.
Okay.
Today.
"Against nature.
" [CHUCKLES.]
Yeah, your face is against nature.
This place is a damn junkyard.
I am so out of here, I swear.
[SCOFFS.]
How many mannequins are trying to get out of this place? What the hell? Dad.
Dad! Come here, quick! It is so nice not to have to eat on the run for a change.
Yeah, rare.
If I got to eat another sandwich in a car Or over a dead body.
What about you over there another bento box? Oh, you bento betcha.
Got some hummus, chicken, a little tabbouleh.
Oh, yeah, and look, you got each item in its own very little, uh, compartment there.
Okay.
Go ahead and say it.
I'm not saying a word.
Uh, I'll say it.
Even her lunch likes its personal space.
[LAUGHS.]
And there it is.
There goes Kasie the gym rat.
Uh, with the lab report you requested, and I will be back in about an hour.
So, uh, how many weeks in a row is that, now? Mm, about nine.
But, uh, you know, [SHARP INHALE.]
who's counting? Hey, I could use a training partner.
If you're ready, let me know.
Ready for you, Nick? [LAUGHS.]
Never.
No.
Plus, my gym is women's only, so unless you want to work out in drag Don't dare me.
I'll do it, man.
You keep doing what you're doing, girl.
Looks good on you.
Feels good.
Thanks.
You enjoy your bento any which way you like.
Leave her lunch alone, boys.
For the record, Nick, I would pay a lot to see you work out in drag.
Mm.
Says more about you than it does me.
Good for Kasie, huh? I mean, talk about an extra spring in her step.
Seriously.
Good for her.
And good for us.
Enjoying our lunch together.
Too bad we'll have to take it to go.
Somehow I knew that was coming.
- Where to? - Outdoor shooting range, Falls Church Got a dead Navy reservist.
Well, "bento to go" has a good ring to it.
You heard Kasie.
Lay off my lunch.
Our victim is Lieutenant Victor Bateson.
Former active duty, now a reservist.
Should I bother asking cause of death, Jimmy? Obvious call would be a gunshot wound, but I can't even begin to count all of them.
Be easier to tell you where he wasn't shot.
Hey, guys.
Victor Bateson.
Ring any bells? Not a one.
And no idea how in the hell he got in there, either.
- What about the car? - What about it? How long has it been here? Uh, this one, about a week.
So, for a whole week you've been using this nice old car as target practice? It's a old junker.
But it wasn't always, now, was it? You got any security cameras, Mr.
Gorton? Nope.
Pretty old-school here.
Yeah, I had a feeling.
But I can guarantee that that guy was not in there when we closed up last night.
And what time was that? Right at dark.
Around 7:00? Opened up again at first light.
All right, so we're looking at about a 12-hour window.
Hey, guys, for what it's worth, I'm smelling alcohol here.
I don't drink a whole lot, but, uh, maybe tequila? So perhaps the lieutenant drunkenly wandered out here in the middle of the night, climbed in the back seat to sleep it off? Until the firing started in the morning? I-I Anything's possible.
How many shooters have you had here this morning? Uh, 20, maybe 30 so far.
We keep sign-in books at the front desk.
Got every name and weapon listed.
We're gonna need those.
What, I have to go get 'em? [CHUCKLES.]
Hell with it.
- Okay, fine.
- No, no, no, you stay here.
- I'll go, okay? - No, I'm going.
Look, no, I'm going.
- I'm going.
Dad - Yup, you're going.
How close are we, Jimmy? I'm ready.
But body's so large and, frankly, perforated, i-it might be easier to-to cut out the back seat, use as a gurney of sorts.
What? Is that really necessary? I mean, why don't we take the whole car? With the body and whatever evidence is in there.
Can't argue with that.
All right, I'll call in a tow.
Hey, Agent Parker? Yeah, here's our sign-in books.
Not even a floppy disk? It's too high-tech for my old man.
JIMMY: Well, we can forget the drunken wandering part.
Post-mortem lividity and the lack of blood in the back seat says that Lieutenant here was killed and then dumped here.
Ah, so we've got ourselves an old-school coverup attempt.
JIMMY: Isolating the bullet that killed him that's gonna be like finding a needle in a haystack.
A grain of sand at the beach.
A black cat in a coal mine.
Yeah, yeah, these are all good.
Whatever metaphor we go with, I imagine that's precisely what the killer was counting on.
MCGEE: Lieutenant Victor Bateson, 35 years old, former active duty, joined the Reserves two years ago.
No next of kin listed.
Okay, thank you.
And that was Bateson's C.
O.
She said he was a model officer - and something of a gentle giant.
- Any employment records? Apparently, Bateson hadn't nailed down a permanent career since retirement, so between Reserve duties he worked a bunch of part-time jobs.
Such as? The last the C.
O.
spoke to him was two days ago, as he headed to work at a Lionheart Bar and Grill in Old Town.
Okay, great.
Why don't you and Torres take the Lionheart and we'll, uh, visit the C.
O.
Actually, I was thinking that maybe I can help Kasie search the car.
Since it's still in the evidence garage.
Sure.
McGee? Oh, no need.
I can see if I can get the Lionheart to come to us.
Too soon for a progress report? Never.
This is, uh, eight bullets down.
142 to go.
Really? 150 bullets? I can confirm that one of these slugs, uh, nicked the lieutenant's pulmonary artery, causing him to bleed out in just a matter of minutes.
And when I say "one of these slugs," I mean all of those.
His chest cavity alone is so chock-full of lead, it's gonna be quite a while before we figure out which bullet actually killed him.
Well, compare them all against the guns listed in Gorton's books and process of elimination Should give us our killer bullet.
Hopefully lead us to whoever fired it, huh? [LAUGHS.]
Oh, sorry.
Was that out loud? Kind of.
What was that? Inappropriate.
- We do that around here sometimes.
- It's kind of a nervous tick autopsies sometimes flash me back to that Operation game I had as a kid.
You know, with the - annoying buzzer? - Yeah, yeah, that's still around.
It's actually Victoria's favorite.
What, your daughter? Yeah, she's also discovered, uh, Mouse Trap, - Remember that one? - Oh, yeah, hell yeah.
With the, uh, the, the, - the marble and the mouse - Yeah - and the trap coming down.
- Little plastic pieces that kids can choke on? - Timeless classic, right? - Yeah.
And still inappropriate.
- Mm.
- Uh, how long till we have the fatal bullets? Uh, not sure, but I will keep pulling all night long until I find them.
No.
No? I mean, sure, you can work late if you want, but you got a kid be home before bedtime.
The lieutenant will still be here in the morning.
Okay, I get it, I get it.
A little reverse psychology.
Let me assure you, completely unnecessary.
If I come back here at midnight and you're still here, you're fired.
Really? No, not really, but you know.
Got it.
Double reverse psychology.
Not bad.
Not bad.
I can't believe it.
I just left him a message an hour ago, wondering where he was.
Peacekeeper is never late for work, but I I never for once thought that Peacekeeper? Best bouncer I ever had.
Victor has this gift for dealing with people, for for keeping the peace.
Still, being a bouncer, he must have made a few enemies.
Rarely had to raise his voice, let alone a fist.
You said he left work last night at around 2:00 a.
m.
Any chance he'd been drinking? He usually had a few around closing time.
He didn't seem drunk, if that's what you're asking.
Do you know if he owned any firearms? He was found at Gorton's shooting range, not too far from here.
I mean, I couldn't say for sure.
Uh And how about you? O-Oh I-I'm I'm more of a "Louisville Slugger behind the bar" kind of guy.
But if you're looking for somebody who knows the shooting ranges you should talk to Annie Oakley.
Annie Oakley? Uh, yeah, it's-it's Victor's ex-wife.
I mean, at least that's what he called her.
And I am in no way pointing fingers, but I-I do recall him telling me that they had a pretty messy divorce.
Like, real bad.
KASIE: Bullet hole 189.
Ooh.
It's like an art installation.
Swiss Cheese in Rusted Metal.
Well, I guess it's true what they say: art is in the eye of the beholder.
Pretty sure that's beauty.
Well, tomato, "potahto," right? Hmm.
Well, look at the time.
Got to go.
Can't do much until Jimmy pulls bullets anyway, - so [CHUCKLES.]
- Night.
- Yes? - What? Oh, I get it.
Knight.
Night, Knight.
- Night.
- Good night.
So what's with the clunker? It really isn't a clunker.
Not to you, it isn't.
What's the deal? Okay, so my very first car was the same make, model and year.
Here it is.
I guess I was a tad sentimental.
Maybe a really big tad.
You know, I do have a mechanic friend that maybe maybe he could restore it or at least give it a proper burial.
[PHONE CHIMES, VIBRATES.]
Well, my sympathies, but Parker just got an address on the ex-wife.
- You need me? - No, no, no.
You stay, it's cool.
You go ahead and, uh, make the funeral arrangements.
Night.
Night, Knight.
Night-Knight.
Now, I just, I figured it was something like that.
You-you never forget your first car.
[CHUCKLES.]
First anything, really.
Torres had the look in his eyes like I still get when I watch the original King Kong.
My favorite old movie as a kid.
Oh, whoa.
And that is my second childhood reminiscence of the day.
So So isn't that like a sign of impending doom? Like a, uh, like a heart attack or something? Well, are you smelling any burnt toast? 'Cause it could be a stroke.
Whole wheat or rye? Does it matter? Not if you're just being paranoid, but if I start talking about Malibu Barbie, then we're gonna know it's contagious.
Oh [INDISTINCT CHATTER IN DISTANCE.]
Kasie? Uh, you guys.
What are you doing here? What are you doing here? We're here to see the ex-wife of our victim.
Ex-wife of our victim? I would've gotten it, Kasie.
Friends of yours? We're looking for Lexi Davis.
Uh, sure.
Lexi's in here.
Zaneta Firearms has taken all the qualities of your standard revolver and given it a grip that will fit your hand just right.
[CHUCKLES.]
Now, who would like to try? Lexi, we have some new guests.
Hi.
Welcome.
What can I do for you? NCIS, Ms.
Davis.
Any chance for a private word? We, uh, have a few questions.
[WHISPERS.]
: I have a few questions of my own.
First of all, if I had known this woman was ex-wife of our victim, I wouldn't even be here.
Well, we didn't find out ourselves till about an hour ago.
But why are you here? Uh, for pretty much the reasons you might guess.
You're in the market for a gun and you didn't tell me? You know I can hook you up.
Well, see, that's why I didn't tell anyone.
I don't need hooking up.
I don't definitely know that I'm in the market.
Mm.
Kind of seems like you're in the market.
I can't believe it, you know? Everyone loved Victor.
Who would do such a thing? I don't know.
Maybe, uh, ex-wife with a grudge, possibly? Wait, so the grapevine tells you that we have a messy divorce, and, just like that, I'm a suspect? No, we're just talking.
But also yeah? It was awful.
But we worked through it the last two years.
- So you still spoke to him? - All the time.
You know, Victor and I were Oh, my God, I mean, how did how did it even happen? He was found with multiple gunshot wounds.
At Gorton's shooting range.
Any chance this photo was taken there? That hellhole? No, I would-I would never set foot in there, and neither would Victor.
But you do know the place.
Only by reputation.
I represent responsible gun ownership, Agents.
Unlike Gorton, who let some idiot throw a grenade there last year.
Where were you last night? I was preparing for this.
Hosting private gun salons in your living room is a hobby? No, it's my livelihood.
I'm marketing director for Zaneta.
My sales rep, Doris she holds these events to help expand our female-focused market.
Neither of which implicate me, either, by the way.
You have any idea who we can implicate? None.
You know, V Victor was like a big teddy bear.
I I doubt it was anyone at the bar.
You know, he loved that job.
Unlike his new gig.
And what gig is that? The Fairfax Expo Center.
He'd only been there a month or two, but said it was a lot less dangerous dealing with the drunks than the trade show crazies and the beauty pageant stage moms, you know? Who knows what to think? She seem credible to you? So far.
Let's, uh, look for some potential enemies at this Expo Center first thing.
Go get some sleep.
- Good night.
- Night.
And you How did you end up at the ladies' night - gun salon? - Real spur-of-the-moment thing this woman at my Krav Maga class Wait, Israeli martial arts is that how you've been spending your lunchtime workouts? [EXHALES.]
Pretty much since my brush with mortality in the squad room.
I thought it didn't affect me, but, um - TORRES: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! - Come here! - Whoa - KASIE: No! [GUNFIRE.]
- Aah! - Kasie! It affected you.
But the workouts help enough that when the instructor mentioned this gun salon, I got curious.
Though you're still on the fence? Pretty big step for me.
Is it, though? I mean, you shoot guns at work all the time.
Mm, into a ballistics chamber.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- It's a little different having one on my nightstand.
I mean, it's there to keep me safe.
But maybe it just reminds me what I'm afraid of.
Yeah, I get it.
So no pressure.
But if you need to talk.
You're the one I talk to.
Hmm.
You're telling me that the ex-wife was hosting a Tupperware party? Oh, no, no, I said it was like a Tupperware party Yo, my dude.
Uh, yeah, Nick here.
Uh, that's three messages now, but, uh, I wouldn't be calling you if I didn't have a special mission for you, so give me a call me back.
My car guy.
He's playing hard to get.
Anything new on the case? So, "like" a Tupperware party, you were saying? But with handguns for women.
Apparently the female market is booming.
Not for anybody we know, per se, but, you know, still booming.
Booming.
Well, well, well.
Look who's the early bird.
- You pull an all-nighter? - PARKER: Perish the thought.
All-nighters are for missing children.
And term papers and honeymoons.
But I did get in early enough to find this, uh, Fairfax Expo Center the ex-wife was telling us about.
Where Bateson worked security.
Yeah.
They did actually host a Little Miss Fairfax pageant two weeks ago.
Please don't tell me we're actually thinking killer dance moms.
Oh, no, I was sure hoping so, until I saw what they were hosting this week.
Tri-State Home Security Expo.
You ever been to one of those? Spy-cams, mace, stun guns and a lot of wannabe Dirty Harrys.
Maybe our Peacekeeper failed to keep the peace somehow.
And actually did get killed.
Okay, Expo Center it is.
I'll meet you guys at the car.
152 slugs, to be exact.
I pulled these little devils from right around the pulmonary artery.
So we start with those, hopefully we find our culprit sooner rather than later.
I admire your optimism.
KNIGHT: Hey Kase, you want to check out a - Hey, Jimmy.
- Hey, Jess.
So, we are heading over to a security expo.
If you want to tag along, maybe you'll see something that you like.
Oh, wow, gosh, I-I'd really love to, but I got so much work to do here.
- Oh, wow, you sure do.
- [CHUCKLES.]
Okay, so next time.
Rain check? - Yeah.
Bye, Jess.
- All right.
Bye.
Bye, Jimmy.
That is exactly the type of pressure from friends I was hoping to avoid.
You're calling that pressure? I mean, what are the chances they walk in on the one night I was shopping for a gun? - So you're officially shopping now.
- No.
Yes.
- I don't know.
- I get it, I get it, I do.
W.
W.
G.
S.
, right? That's exactly what I want to know.
What would Gibbs say? I think he would say take a breath.
You can be conflicted while still shopping.
And why aren't you conflicted again? Because of all these.
I don't own a gun because of all of the bullets I've pulled from way too many people over the years.
My nana did had a 12-gauge though.
[CHUCKLES.]
That was plenty of gun for the family Palmer.
I'm actually leaning towards your side of the line, if not for, um being so damn afraid.
After the diner last year? Made worse by LeMere in the squad room.
And both times, I was saved by Gibbs.
Meaning it's on me when strike three happens.
Oh, come on, you cannot be worried about that.
I didn't used to be.
My whole life not a care in the world, then all of a sudden [SIGHS.]
Man, I would give anything to go back and just not feel this way.
Look, you don't have to go back in time.
Kase, what you are feeling is a normal reaction.
All you need right now is more time.
- Just to heal.
- Oh.
There's that optimism.
You'll get that back again, too.
Okay.
Could use a new alarm system.
Mine goes off so often, I'm more in danger from my neighbors.
Oh, this is what I'm talking about right here.
[GRUNTING.]
Oh.
Easy there, Bruce Lee.
Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself.
You know, just a little hand-eye coordination.
[GRUNTING.]
- Sir, please put that down.
- Uh, you you folks will have to wait outside.
Doors don't open till 10:00.
Uh, we're with NCIS, miss I'm so sorry.
Sonia Bell.
Event coordinator.
Oh, we've all just been so scattered here this morning.
I take it you're here about Victor? You already know? [SIGHS.]
I still can't believe it.
He was kind, professional.
A real godsend.
Everyone loved him.
Yeah, we've been hearing that a lot.
How'd you find out? Oh, um, from Doris, over there in booth six.
Found her crying in the bathroom this morning.
[PHONE RINGS.]
Oh.
I'm so sorry, I have to take this.
Hello? This is she.
Familiar face.
Last night's Tupperware lady.
Let's divide and conquer.
Doris.
How you doing? Remember us? You were you were at Lexi's last night.
So were you.
She called me right after you left her.
[CHUCKLES.]
I still can't quite believe it.
When was the last time you saw Victor? Um he helped set up my booth just two days ago.
KNIGHT: It's an even bigger spread than last night.
We can hardly keep up with demand.
Inventory just flies off the shelves.
And, uh, which one do you use? Well, personally, I Why-why do you ask? Seems like a harmless question.
She uses the fancy pink one.
What do you think? Or maybe she likes the leopard.
There a problem, buddy? Hell yeah, there's a problem.
My inventory would be flying, too, if that glorified bouncer gave me the prime real estate she got.
Instead he sticks me way the hell back here in this bum spot.
Damn bouncer's playing favorites.
Victor got me this spot.
That's what friends do.
It's not my fault no one's buying his old carbines.
MAN: He puts her right by the front door while I'm dying over here by the bathroom.
Some might argue that that's actually the better place to do business.
Plus, what she's got going on over there it's a travesty.
Painting perfectly good firearms all the different colors of the rainbow.
So is your problem with her product? - Or with the bouncer? - I gave him an earful for sticking me over here.
But he wouldn't bite.
Kept it friendly, so took all the fun out of it, so I stopped.
Yeah, you like that one? Well, my dad had one just like this.
Yeah, your dad had a beauty.
- Civil War era? - Yeah, you bet.
Colt 1862 Pocket Navy.
.
36 caliber, seven-and-a- half-inch octagon barrel.
1,300 bucks.
At least make me an offer.
Um I will, uh, I'll think about it.
And you carry ammo for a gun like that? At home.
No point in selling it here.
Oh, let me guess uh, pink bullets - scooped up your market? - No.
That dirtbag out in the parking lot I can't compete with.
What dirtbag? The one selling ammo out the back of his truck.
DORIS: I think his name was Roy.
He's the only guy I ever saw Victor get rough with.
For selling bootleg ammo? How rough? Threw him out of the parking lot.
And I mean literally threw him.
I don't think he's coming back.
PETE: Ah, I'm sure he's back.
You can only get rid of cockroaches for so long.
[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING.]
Excuse me.
You wouldn't be Roy, by chance? Depends who you are, pretty lady.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- What can I do you for? Well, you can start by showing me your dealer's license.
For dealing what now? Whatever's in your van.
Mm, keep guessing.
I got nothing.
Nowhere to run, Roy.
And he's running.
He said nowhere to run.
PARKER: And he's running.
Nope.
[GRUNTING.]
Get off! Easy, easy.
They never listen.
[VAN DOORS OPEN.]
This is a violation of my rights.
And selling bootleg ammo's a violation of the law.
It's a lot more than ammo.
Looks more like an armory.
You guys got nothing on me.
This baby would beg to differ.
None of that's mine.
- Never seen that before.
- But it is your van.
Maybe.
Another genius.
All right, ATF's on the way.
All right.
I'll forward these photos.
Okay, hang on, hang on.
A buddy of mine makes a lot of this stuff in his basement.
We go halves on profits.
I-I can give him to you.
Give him to ATF, Roy.
We're more interested in the Navy lieutenant you may have known.
Me? I-I don't know any Navy.
The security guard who kicked you out the other day.
Oh, that guy? You saying it was rent-a-cop that turned me in? - No, he couldn't do that.
- Hey, let me tell you, he's who got rough with me.
Anyone needs to be hassled right now, it's him.
Can't hassle a dead guy.
Wait.
He's dead? Now, you obviously have the means.
Plus the motive.
Which makes you our guy.
But I'm not.
I-I swear.
You can ask that girlfriend of his.
She saw the whole thing.
What girlfriend? The-the hottie selling pink guns.
They were all over each other in his truck when he threw me out.
Doris? He was just trying to impress her, if you ask me.
She'll tell you.
So why the big secret? I guess we kept it low-key for so long, I didn't think it mattered.
It sure does now.
We didn't want anyone knowing.
Least of all Lexi.
Dating the boss's ex is not quite the career move.
Lexi's also my friend.
Though sneaking around didn't make me feel like a very good one.
She was already upset with Victor over the whole alimony thing.
What alimony thing? How much was he paying her? Well, that's just it he wasn't.
Deadbeat.
No.
She was paying him.
It wasn't much, but Wait, she was paying him alimony? - It happens.
- But Victor struggled with that, too.
That's why he was working two jobs to get out from under it.
Look, if it was just about our friendship, I'd have told Lexi from the start.
But throw in job and money If Lexi found out about us, it might have meant the end of both.
Or worse.
You okay? Jimmy, I'm sorry, I thought you - were with Kasie.
- I was, I just came down for one last X-ray for the lieutenant.
And you? I Just, um catching my breath before we go off and scoop up the ex-wife.
[CHUCKLES.]
- It's nothing.
- This shallow breathing of yours? This is this is not nothing.
Not after the year that you've had.
What is it about this case that's getting to you? I can fight and and shoot and interrogate, negotiate, but As soon as one of these cases start turning into a soap opera, I just get this Must all seem pretty petty, right? Compared to losing your team.
Okay.
Enough of this.
All I'm saying is that involuntary physical reactions are usually rooted in traumatic experience.
Which you and I have both had plenty of.
How we doing, Kasie? Amazing thing about gunpowder.
Amaze me, please.
In ancient China it was called the elixir of life and ingested in a quest for immortality.
That is, until they discovered its flammability and started attaching it to spears used for battle.
In essence, the first bullets, which led us to this.
An accidental invention of epic proportions.
Just like chocolate chip cookies.
- Though they never killed anyone.
- And much as I'd love to hear that story, let's talk bullets.
Jimmy and I started with the ones pulled from Lieutenant Bateson's upper chest, uh, but unfortunately, they were all fired from guns listed in Gorton's sign-in books.
So all were shot postmortem.
Same with most every other bullet you see here except for these three, which I am just about to test right now.
Oof.
Okay.
Once I compare ballistics on these slugs and cross-reference Gorton's books, we might finally know our murder weapon.
Which will take how long? Just a few more hours, tops.
Any ideas what weapons might have been used? Oh, ideas we got, just no definitives yet.
- Here's the list.
- Ideas will have to do.
Torres and Knight are bringing in the ex-wife.
I really hope Lexi's not our killer.
She was super nice and not at all who I expected to be hosting - a gun salon.
- Who were you expecting? - Kind of a female Rambo type.
- Hmm.
Who's to say she's not? Mind if I ask you something? Shoot.
I mean - go for it.
- Uh, it's about last night.
I'm kind of collecting perspectives - on - Whether you should buy a gun? Oh.
So you know.
Well, why else would you be there? I have to say, you, uh, seem pretty comfortable shooting into that chamber.
You didn't see my eyes close? So, what do you want to ask? Well, how you feel about yours.
Do you ever wish you didn't have one? No.
I mean, as a cop, absolutely not.
But there are people out there I sure wish didn't have one.
Criminals, for one.
And two and three.
And also people who can't handle not knowing whether to use it or not.
Or whether to use it at all.
If some people walk around with a hammer long enough, pretty soon, everything starts to look like a nail.
That's what I'm worried about.
Yeah, do I grab it every time somebody knocks on the door? I mean, my Uncle Reggie shot an intruder once.
As one might do to an intruder.
And it haunted him the rest of his life.
And I don't see how any of that helps me get back to normal.
I can't speak to that, Kasie, but I do appreciate that you're wrestling with the decision.
That's more than a lot of people do.
[PHONE CHIMES.]
Ah.
Ms.
Rambo has arrived.
Don't let her draw first blood.
[IMITATES RAMBO.]
: We'll give her a war she won't believe.
Yeah, I own two of these guns.
Or, as we call them, potential murder weapons.
You still don't have an alibi.
Or a motive.
KNIGHT: Funny thing about that.
We just found out that you were paying alimony to Victor.
Pretty important detail to leave out.
I didn't see how it was relevant.
But, obviously, as the primary breadwinner I was rising fast in my company, and he was struggling to find his footing.
And you were happy to help him out.
I wouldn't say happy, but Still pretty generous.
Which would only make any sort of betrayal sting that much more.
Betrayal? I Doris.
Wait.
Really? What, you didn't know? No.
I mean, how the hell did I not see that? And why wouldn't they tell me? We were all friends.
Doris was also your employee.
That's easy to forget sometimes.
I If they would have told me, I would have given them champagne.
The two of them get hitched, no more payments for me, and they can live happily ever after.
And now we're back to me not having a motive.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
KASIE: Parker sent us.
Didn't think you want Rambo to hear.
- What is it? - So, we found our killer bullet.
This needle in the haystack? It's a big one.
MCGEE: So, is that our cause of death? Yes.
This .
32 ACP, which, based on its trajectory, must have nicked the pulmonary artery, causing him to bleed out in a matter of minutes.
You didn't find it until now? Because this big daddy bullet was fired postmortem at the shooting range, it actually pushed the little guy away from the artery and into the bone of the vertebra.
Basically obscuring it from our view until I ran one last X-ray.
So little guy's our culprit.
- What do we know about it? - KASIE: Well, just 'cause it's little doesn't mean it's weak.
It's actually famous or rather infamous on two fronts.
First as the self-inflicted bullet that Hitler used to kill himself.
KASIE: And second, as the bullet of choice in James Bond's old Walther PPK.
So that's the kind of gun our killer used.
Yeah, or a gun like it.
Can't say for sure, but something old, circa early 1900s.
Nick, who do we know who has old guns? Not old, McGee.
Classics.
Hey.
My heroes are back.
Heroes? You got rid of our dirtbag.
- I might go back to selling ammo.
- Oh, happy day.
Between us, he killed that bouncer, didn't he? - Wouldn't surprise me.
- Actually, no.
No, we, uh, we haven't found the killer yet.
Which is why we're here.
Yeah, I don't like the sound of that.
I play by the rules.
Keep immaculate records.
I never sell to minors, and I sure as hell never killed anybody.
Relax, Pete.
We're looking for a gun.
Familiar with the Walther PPK? Typical cops wanting the James Bond special.
They're hard to come by, and they cost a pretty penny, too.
Where do you keep yours? I don't keep mine anywhere.
Sold it a few days ago.
- Is that a crime? - Who'd you sell it to? Oh, I forget his name.
But he bought it here.
Like I said You keep immaculate records.
Right, right.
It was that bar owner.
Careful, Harry.
KNIGHT: You heard him, Harry.
He said be careful.
Well, don't sneak up on a guy like that.
Now you got me all jumpy.
You I know.
Who's this? This is Agent Torres.
He's here to be the bad cop.
Well, in my defense, uh, how bad is really up to you.
Look familiar? Should it? This is the sales receipt for the Walther PPK that you bought with cash three days ago.
Oh.
That's-that's right.
I, uh, I forgot.
I met Peacekeeper at that trade show.
I ended up buying that as a wall decoration for my office.
Oh, so we'll find it hanging on your wall? No.
No, I mean, uh, y-you know, not-not yet.
Uh, it's still at the framer being mounted.
Harry.
The best bouncer you ever had? [VOICE BREAKING.]
: And my friend.
So what happened? It was closing time.
We had a few too many.
And I-I I tripped a wire in him or something.
Over what? Money? Or a woman? Over 300 bucks.
The cover charge was short, and I made the mistake of-of asking him about it, and I [EXHALES.]
He was-he was so angry.
I got-I got scared.
And I-I pulled the gun out to try to snap him out of it.
But it went off by itself.
It seems like it.
I We-we were so drunk.
How did he end up at Gorton's? I was trying to save him.
I was racing to the hospital, begging him, "Hang in there, big guy.
" But he-he didn't.
And the-the the shooting range was, like, a-a mile away or so, and So you left him there to get shot full of bullets.
And you pointed us in the direction of his gun-toting ex-wife.
I panicked.
I'm so sorry.
I panicked.
I just I'm so sorry.
And to add insult to injury, Harry found the missing $300 underneath his desk the next morning.
Which didn't help his hangover.
I can now add Harry to the list of people I wish didn't have a gun.
Yeah, I bet Harry wishes that now, too.
That's funny.
I was just talking to someone about people like that.
Someone? MCGEE: Hey, Nick, did you ever, uh, get a hold of your car guy? That old car's still on borrowed time.
No, I did not, but it's all good.
I decided to take matters into my own hands.
Stella's coming home with me.
Stella.
You name your cars? Okay, let me guess.
Old sweetheart? My very first.
First girlfriend, first car.
Yeah, I saved for, like, two years to buy that car, and, uh, on my way to Stella's, I get T-boned by a pizza delivery truck.
Why don't you just name the car Domino? Did you get free pizzas after that? - [LAUGHS.]
- Okay, all right, you guys laugh now, but it was a tragic day which I can now make good by giving Stella her groove back.
Mm, but all those bullet holes.
You weren't sure you were gonna be able fix it.
Now I'm thinking maybe I can.
I could really use a project like that right now.
Like Gibbs and his boat.
No, no, not like Gibbs and his boat, okay? His boat was in a basement.
I think I'm gonna fix Stella in my garage.
More like Chitty Bang Bang.
Yeah, Parker, that's what I'm talking about.
Stella is like my Chitty Bang Bang.
That's my third childhood reference in two days.
- I better go for a checkup.
- Huh.
Oh, I almost forgot.
I'm gonna be late tomorrow if that's okay.
PARKER: Sure.
No worries.
[CHUCKLES.]
Chitty Bang Bang.
- [WHOOPS.]
- Sheesh! [CHUCKLES.]
- All right, you ready? - Yeah.
Hell, yeah.
- Okay.
Here we go.
- Okay.
Watch that grip.
Make sure the master grip Finger off the trigger while I'm lining up the shot.
- Until you're ready to shoot.
- Okay.
And forward-leaning stance for more stability, and then breathe through the trigger pull.
- Ooh! [EXCLAIMS.]
- [CHUCKLES.]
: Oh! - You are a natural! - Sheesh! - Ah! - How does that feel? Uh, it [EXHALES.]
Feels better than I thought it would.
[LAUGHS.]
So, which one of these is gonna go home with you? Uh None of 'em.
Really? You sure? Yeah.
Yeah, I-I'm cool.
I mean, I wouldn't mind coming back to blow off steam every now and then, though, if that's cool with you.
- It is an open invitation.
- Hell yeah.