Written by: Tom Sawyer
Directed by: Anthony Pullen Shaw
A reluctant Jessica is once again drawn into Michael Hagarty's spy world when a retiring KGB agent hides a coded list of undercover MI6 agents in her book at a Trade Reception
Tropes:
- Black-Tie Infiltration: Michael claims to have charmed Bonnie Hartman to use her to infiltrate the party Yuri Lermentov was in. Turns out, she knew exactly who he was and was actually using him to find out more information about his operation.
- Celibate Hero: Michael points out to Jessica that Congressman Arthur Prouty is hopelessly smitten with her. And, judging by his jealousy, so is Michael. But Jessica only views either of them as friends.
- Continuity Nod: Jessica's new novel, "Messengers of Midnight" is based on the events of a recent murder Jessica helped solve. It becomes a plot point in this episode, as well as a future one.
- Idiot Ball: After evading arrest by punching Lt. Blaisdell and running off, Michael chooses to not only go back to Jessica's room later that evening, but to also have a long chat about the case (instead of a neutral and hidden location). Since Jessica was a known associate of Michael and is a person of interest herself, the police predictably show up and catch Michael there.
- Improvised Weapon: Yuri Lermentov was killed by a fixture in Jessica's hotel room.
- Leave No Witnesses: The motive for the murder. Harry Neville came into Jessica's room to steal the list hidden in her book by Yuri. When Yuri himself unexpectedly shows up to retrieve the list, Harry had no choice but to kill him to conceal his presence there.
- Mistaken for Murderer: As what happens with alarming regularity, Michael is accused by the police of murder. And since Yuri Lermentov was found dead in her room, Jessica becomes a suspect as well.
- Poor Communication Kills: Michael visits Jessica after the murder while the police and Congressman Arthur Prouty were there. When asked several times by an increasingly annoyed Lt. Blaisdell what he's doing there, Michael adamantly refuses to give an answer. He ends up becoming the prime suspect in the murder.
- Saying Too Much: When Harry Neville talks to Jessica again after the murder, he makes a point to mention plot details from the advanced copy of her book that 1) isn't out in public yet and 2) only 1 other person had a copy of. This clues Jessica in on what he's been up to.
- Schmuck Bait: Harry Neville has been reading Congressman Arthur Prouty's mail in order to steal information he can sell to interested parties. Jessica uses this fact to set a trap for him.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: When Sergei Onyegin goes to the police to complain that Michael had supposedly killed a normal Russian citizen, Jessica points out that Yuri Lermentov was a former member of the KGB. Onyegin clumsily attempts to deny this by saying that Yuri Lermentov is "no longer" with the KGB, then adds that he's not saying that he ever was KGB.
- Useful Book: Jessica's novel proved useful thrice in the episode. First, it becomes an improvised hiding place for the list that Lermentov was carrying when it looks like he's about to be cornered by elements of his own government and he needed the list to be hidden. Next, the number of book copies Jessica had, as well as the killer knowing the plot contained in the book, gives vital clues to the killer's identity.
- Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?: When Harry Neville reveals himself to Jessica as the murderer, he barges into her room and declares that he wants to murder her. When Jessica presents him with the clues he's gathered, he tries to argue against them (despite already admitting to be the perp). The exchange continues until Arthur and the police show up to ruin his plans.
