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Warning: Post contains spoiler
When street performer Fiona Devlin witnesses the murder of Navy therapist Lt. Commander Amanda Gregson, the NCIS New Orleans team is called in to investigate. Top-notch detective work reveals that Gregson was looking into sexual assault allegations against by a military officer. Lt. Commander Gregson was collaborating with the Belle Chasse Master-at-Arms to find back-channel means of punishing predators. As such, it appears as though Gregson was killed by the rapist.
After discovering the identity of one of Gregson’s sexual assault victims, Emily Tascioni, Special Agents Quentin Carter (Charles Michael Davis) and Hannah Khoury (Necar Zadegan) arrive at her house only to discover the Tascioni missing and Master-at-Arms Ted in her house. Khoury questions Ted who claims that Tascioni’s CO called him to perform a wellness check when Emily didn’t show up to work. Hannah finds a hidden flash drive with a recorded video message on it. Special Agent Sebastian Lund (Rob Kerkovich) performs a forensics sweep while Special Agents Khoury and Tammy Gregorio (Vanessa Ferlito) view Tascioni’s video recounting the details of her rape. Hannah briefs NCIS Special Agent Dwayne “King” Pride (Scott Bakula) speculating that whoever killed Amanda Gregson went after Emily Tascioni next. Since Gregson was Tascioni’s therapist, she was likely the only other person who knew about Emily’s assault.
The team finds several leads by cross-referencing soldiers out the night Amanda was killed: Petty Officers Liam McCall, Angelo Coleman, Theo Desmond, and Jaxson Freeh. Gregorio and Pride interrogate the petty officers while Khoury and Carter visit the strip club where the POs partied. Reviewing the surveillance tape and interviewing dancers leads to a break in the case: Petty Officer McCall is a regular at the club and has been 86’d multiple times. Nevertheless, McCall is a big spender so he’s let back in. Investigative computer specialist (translation: ethical hacker) Patton “Triple P” Plame (Daryl “Chill” Mitchell) pulls McCall’s records which show mostly short-term assignments. This suggests a history of unreported bad behavior, back-channel justice. More digging by Patton links a Bitcoin transaction paying for quaaludes which all but confirms McCall as the rapist and murderer.
Quentin Carter’s mother Lynette pays a visit in the midst of her confirmation under Secretary of the Navy. Carter is required to submit to a background check by the FBI. However, as a teenager Quentin took the blame for a DUI by his older brother so that his sibling wouldn’t have his offer from Annapolis revoked. As such, Quentin attempts to avoid the FBI and eventually comes clean to his mother. Realizing that her family is more important than a Secretary of the Navy confirmation, Lynette takes her name out of the running and instead opts for a career in the private sector.
Street performer Fiona Devlin was homeless and separated from her daughter when she witnessed the murder of Amanda Gregson. But Sebastian helped Devlin find a job, hire a lawyer, Rita Devereaux (Chelsea Field, and Scott Bakula’s real-life wife), and ultimately get custody of her daughter back. What’s more, Pride lines up a gig singing at a concert in the park that he’s organizing on behalf of the city. While at dinner with Fiona and Jefferson Parrish Coroner Loretta Wade (CCH Pounder), Doc Wade encourages Lund to ask Devlin out. Sebastian and Fiona enjoy a geeky date night in and have instant chemistry. Unfortunately, Fiona announces that, after Lund urged her to reconnect with her mother, she’s moving back to Nashville. But Fiona hints that it’s just about a 7 and a half hour drive between New Orleans and Nashville, so hopefully distance won’t doom their romance.
Following up “Leda and the Swan, Part I,” NCIS New Orleans season 7 episode 8 “Leda and the Swan, Part II” is an excellent conclusion to its predecessor. The prime suspect, Petty Officer McCall, is revealed early on which makes much of the case a taut police procedural. The subplot involving Carter’s faux DUI features an unexpected twist wherein his mother, Lynette, sacrifices a major career move for her sons’ careers. Likewise, Fiona’s announced move to Nashville seeks to disrupt her newfound romance with Sebastian. While I hope their relationship continues to thrive, it could signal Lund’s departure from the show.
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