Lupo and Bernard investigate the death of Alex Boone, a journalist. The deceased had two shots to the head, and busted knuckles and a shoulder strap with no bag attached. His autopsy show signs that he had had multiple fractures in his hands and big scar on his back. A napkin leads the detectives to the Sino-American institute, where a Miss Kang tells the detectives about seeing Alex argue with another man who threw a drink in his face. Apparently Boone had been in China and wrote an article that the Chinese government did not like, and he was imprisoned officially for espionage. The detectives also learn that the Ms. Kang they spoke to was Alex's wife (they were separated). She thinks it was the Chinese government who wanted him dead. Eventually they track down the shooter but he ends up pointing a gun at Lupo and Bernard. They are cleared in the shooting. The shooter leads them to a David Sutton, whose name used to be David Garvik, and whose father (Keith Carradine) is serving a life sentence for espionage. The shooter also had a record of assault for trying to take pictures of David and his sister as children. David believed in his father's innocence. His sister Tracey did not. David is suspected of having arranged for the murder. In a meeting with the terminally ill Martin Garvik, his son David and his daughter Tracey, it comes out that Martin did not pass documents to the Chinese, it had been his wife. It also comes out that it was Tracey who had Alex shot because he knew about their mother.
Tropes present in this episode.
- Driven to Suicide: Mrs. Garvik after her husband was sent to prison for espionage.
- He Knows Too Much: Alex Boone found out that it was Martin Garvik's wife who passed on documents to the Chinese, not him. Tracey, however, was not willing to let him destroy the memory of his mother.
- Hidden Depths: Ms. Kang says something in Mandarin and Lupo reassures her that they are not going to kill her. So add "Mandarin" to his list of skills.
- Taking the Heat: Martin Garvik. His wife took files from his computer and passed them to the Chinese. After his arrest and with two children, they decided that it was better for him to take the rap. But he was sentenced to life without parole and she eventually was Driven to Suicide.
