NCIS s17e05 Episode Script
Wide Awake
1 No.
No way.
(SIGHS) Dr.
Pershing, hi.
You're not gonna believe this.
I don't know if I even believe it, but maybe you'll believe it, 'cause you did it.
I don't know how you did it, but you did.
I slept through the night.
Kind of freaking out a little bit right now.
I feel I don't really know how I feel.
I guess this is what it's like to feel rested, so I just wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you.
Bye.
Bye.
(GLASS SHATTERS) Hey, kid.
Kid, hold up.
Lose something? - What's your name? - Phineas.
Hey, Phineas.
How are you? I'm Jethro Gibbs.
You just move in across the street? PHINEAS: Mm-hmm.
You on your way to school? Don't be late.
It's for my job.
(PHONE RINGS) Yeah, McGee.
I'm really sorry, Jethro Gibbs.
I'll buy you a new window.
Don't worry about it.
Yeah, give me an address.
I take it that's not yours.
Corporal Alimonte? Um, Laney.
Did you touch it? Nine millimeter with suppressor.
Possible one round expended.
Blood on the barrel.
This is not happening.
I know this is stressful, but we have a few more questions to ask you.
Well, no sign of a break-in.
Security cameras outside aren't hooked up to anything.
The apartment manager never got around to 'em, apparently.
All right.
Run the serial number.
Got it.
Hey, Laney, we're gonna need your help to figure out how that gun got in there.
I don't know about the weapon.
I don't know how it got in my fridge, I don't know anything! TORRES: Drugs.
Lots and lots of drugs.
Wow.
Depression, anxiety, insomnia.
Well, you got one for everything.
Who are you talking to? You.
You.
Come on, man.
Heard you come in.
Uh-huh.
Dude, she's got, like, four prescriptions just to help her go to sleep.
Bro, I hit the bed, and I'm actually (CLEARS THROAT) Got a hit on the nine millimeter.
It's registered to a Joe Cortez.
Hey.
You know Joe Cortez? MCGEE: Lives about two miles from here, just up Route 87.
- Bishop, go.
Nick - Okay.
go with her.
(KNOCKING) NCIS! Anyone home? - (DOORBELL RINGING) - Yo, Mr.
Cortez! We have something that belongs to - (LOUD CAWING) - Ooh, what was that? Birds? I'm gonna go with crows.
Who has crows for pets? How do you know that? "Crowtez.
" TORRES: Oh, so he's clearly single.
And home and ignoring us.
Yo, Cortez?! - It's actually unlocked.
- Good enough for me.
Time's up! Coming in! TORRES: Yeah, he's definitely single.
BISHOP: A lot of peanut shells.
Doesn't own a vacuum? - (CROWS CAWING) - (SIGHS) Polly want a cracker? Ask 'em if they know where their owner is.
I don't have to.
I'm guessing this is Mr.
Cortez? TORRES: A very dead Mr.
Cortez.
Must have been laying here for hours.
Narrow entry wound, small-caliber weapon.
Nine millimeter? Now where have I seen one of those before? Marines are sending over her file now, but I already got this.
The corporal's being discharged? More like kicked out.
Paperwork was filed last week.
Official reason given is, "Failing to meet all expectations of conduct.
" - What's the unofficial reason? - Don't know.
Her C.
O.
is out at a funeral today.
But it's an "other than honorable" discharge, so, clearly, there's more to the story.
Kasie's running ballistics on the gun that we found next to the Cool Whip.
Pretty soon, we'll find out if it's the gun - that killed our victim.
- Got a time of death? Between midnight and 3:00 a.
m.
Same time Corporal Alimonte claims to be sleeping.
All right, our victim what do we know? Well, Joe Cortez, 38 years old.
Hosted a social media channel called I am not kidding The Low Joe Crow Show.
Any record? - Nada.
- Any connection to the corporal? - None that we can find.
- Bishop tracked down a half sister.
- She lives in Maryland.
- Well, then have Bishop bring her in.
Got it.
Listen, boss, I got one other thing, came in about an hour ago, but it's, uh it's not related to the case.
- Yeah? About what? - Fornell's daughter.
How's she doing, by the way? - She's making progress.
- Well, I think I found a lead on the counterfeit opioids that you mentioned were coming in from Canada.
On a whim, I put in a BOLO on the NCIC.
It was flagged Tim, give it to the DEA.
Are you sure, boss? You you don't want to check with Fornell? He wants to move on.
Give it to the DEA.
It's theirs, anyway.
Who is she? Some rando who Joe met on that dating app? Which dating app is that? All of 'em.
He struck out with pretty much the whole Internet.
We found your brother's gun at her house.
My half brother.
Your dead half brother's gun.
(PHONE WHOOSHES) So did she kill him? She says she didn't, and as far as we can tell, her and Joe didn't even know each other.
Well, he didn't have many friends, - except for those damned birds.
- (PHONE CHIMES) Can you think of anyone who may have wanted to see him dead? You mean besides himself? He tried suicide once.
Of course, he failed at that, too.
Okay, so I take it you two weren't close? How'd you guess? The only reason I drove all the way out here is so dear old Dad can get his ring back.
- What ring would that be? - Dad's signet ring.
Joe never took it off; they were both all sentimental like that.
Joe wasn't wearing a ring when we found him.
(SCOFFS SOFTLY) Even in death, he finds a way to screw me.
- (RINGTONE PLAYING) - I need to take this.
Hey, baby.
Oh, I missed your voice.
(GIGGLES) You know, you don't have to test it again.
This is the last time.
That is what you said last time.
And the last time before that.
Come on, Kase.
Trust your results.
If I'm boring you, you're free to leave.
- To be honest, yes, I'm a little bored.
- Yeah, I picked up on that by the way you're totally annoying me.
Whoa.
What are you doing? Running ballistics on the fridge gun.
Yeah, I see that, but who taught you how to fire a gun? People, back off and let me do my thing.
(GUNSHOT) Okay.
I did my thing.
So, the bullet on the right is from our victim.
The one on the left is the one I just fired into the tank.
The striations are identical.
Which means our fridge gun is the murder weapon.
All we need now is the murderer.
Well, I found some fingerprints on the nine millimeter's grip.
Whose? Someone's I didn't want to find.
Corporal Alimonte.
That makes no sense.
SLOANE: Why on earth would she kill someone, stash the murder weapon in her fridge and then call the cops on herself? Why you asking me? Nuts is your department.
I have a theory, actually.
The corporal may be suffering from some sort of mental illness.
She's suffering from something.
Her file lists erratic behavior, breaches in protocol.
Tack on severe insomnia, and all signs point to a psychological disorder that the Marines may not even be aware of.
A disorder that makes you kill people? I don't know.
But it's a reason to tread carefully in there.
Jack, like I said, your department.
Why am I here? Why am I here? I didn't do anything.
Hi, Laney.
I'm Special Agent Jack Sloane, and you already know Sp I shouldn't be here.
There's been a mistake.
So tell him.
Tell him there's been a mistake.
Who's that? SLOANE: That is Joe Cortez.
He owned the gun you found in your fridge.
Did you ask him how it got there? - No.
- Why not? Because he was killed with it five hours before you found it.
SLOANE: Laney, your fingerprints were on the murder weapon.
That's impossible.
I never touched it.
And we found the victim's signet ring in your car.
GIBBS: Suppose you never touched that either? (BREATHING HEAVILY) (SNIFFLES) Laney? (CRYING SOFTLY) Hey, Laney? - Corporal! - Yes, sir.
Did you kill Joe Cortez? Maybe.
Maybe? I'm looking at the same evidence you are.
And, to be honest, I don't remember anything after I spoke to Dr.
Pershing.
Is that who prescribed you all those sleeping pills? No, he's my therapist.
My hypnotherapist.
Uh He says he can help me go to sleep without all the drugs.
He says I'm a great subject.
SLOANE: Did he, by any chance, hypnotize you last night? Yes.
We had a video chat session.
One second, I'm counting back, and next thing I know, it's morning.
I thought that I slept through the night.
But what if I didn't? SLOANE: Are you suggesting you might have shot Joe Cortez while under hypnosis? I need you to believe me.
I would never murder anyone.
But if I did, Dr.
Pershing must have made me do it.
Hypno-homicide? Hard to believe that you could hypnotize someone to commit a murder.
But Sloane seems pretty adamant that you meet this new expert she found.
Oh, hi, Popeye.
Dr.
Grace.
Nice to see you.
Good to see you, too, Tim.
Imagine my surprise when Jack called, asking if I knew any certified hypnotherapists.
Turns out I do.
SLOANE: Just hear her out, Gibbs.
Hypnosis has been a grossly misrepresented phenomenon, so Grace is here to help you, - you know, understand.
- Understand what? - I should get back.
- No, no, no, no.
Tim, please, stay.
You're the only one on the team who's been hypnotized before.
I need you.
Well, that was that was a long time ago.
I was trying to remember the details of a murder I witnessed.
And as I understand it, it worked and you caught the guy? - Oh, come on, Doc.
- Gibbs, hypnosis is nothing more than a state of focused attention, where a subject is highly suggestible.
That's why hypnotherapists can help people quit smoking, conquer phobias, beat insomnia.
We're not talking about insomnia, Doc.
Look, I get it.
You don't believe that anyone could convince a law-abiding person to shoot someone.
But a hypnotist can change a subject's perception of reality.
SLOANE: That's right.
For example, one could create an imaginative scene where that same law-abiding person must shoot a bear that is attacking to save their child.
You know what I mean? No? Okay, Grace, - maybe it would be helpful - A bear? If you could demonstrate hypnosis for us.
What a great idea.
All I need is a subject.
Hey, McGee.
Sorry, what? Ah.
Hey, Gibbs.
Uh, we tracked down Laney's hypnotherapist.
Took two of you to tell me that? Well, maybe we heard that someone was being hypnotized in here.
Did we miss it? - McGee, come on.
- Wait.
I wish he could've stayed for the demo.
(ALL) Mm.
- Mm.
- Oh! Oh.
No.
(CHUCKLES) No, no, no.
I'm not gonna play somebody's voodoo doll.
What about you, Ellie? Come on, Jack.
I mean, you really believe Corporal Alimonte was hypnotized to kill? I don't know what to believe.
That's why I need to see with my own eyes - what a hypnotist can and cannot do.
- Mm.
And you know what, Ellie? Skeptics make the best subjects.
Okay.
Fine.
I'm in.
Yay! Maybe you can suggest I stop biting my nails while you're in my head.
Okay.
Yeah, buddy.
Hmm.
Excuse me! I'm next.
- NCIS.
- Uh-huh.
You still can't go in.
You have to activate the red light.
To let Dr.
Pershing know you're here.
Got it, boss.
(WOMAN SCREAMS) Excuse me, you can't just barge in here - NCIS.
- Ma'am.
- Ma'am, are you okay? - She's fine.
It's part of her primal therapy session.
- What? - Is she hypnotized? Yes.
Session's over.
We need to talk.
(EXHALES) Okay, one moment.
All right, Audrey, we're going to stop now.
When I count to three, you're going to wake up.
Primal therapy, my ass.
I've actually heard of it, boss.
Big empty chair represents a person that has wronged them.
So they yell at it over - You don't care about this.
- No, I do not.
Okay.
and three.
You're awake.
What's going on, Doctor? Audrey, if you could just give me a few moments with these gentlemen, all right? There better be a fire Corporal Alimonte.
- Are you treating her? - I'm sorry.
I can't discuss patient histories without a signed HIPAA release form.
Signed and notarized.
(SCOFFS) Okay.
I What do you want to know? Did you hypnotize her last night? - Yes.
- Why? In addition to several other serious issues, she's been dealing with crippling insomnia.
I was trying to help her sleep.
You suggest anything to her other than sleep? Plant a posthypnotic suggestion? Actually, yes.
I told she should call me the minute she woke up.
Which she did.
What is going on here? - Is Laney okay? - MCGEE: Not really.
But she is doing better than Joe Cortez.
Okay, I give up.
Who is that? That's the guy she killed this morning.
Wh Uh, uh, no.
Uh, Laney is a lot of things, but she's no killer.
MCGEE: That's what she said.
Right before she accused you of forcing her to do it.
(LAUGHING) Gentlemen, hypnosis doesn't work like that.
It's not some magic spell that sends subjects into a robotic trance, blindly following orders.
It's hard enough to get a person to quit smoking, for God's sake.
I certainly can't force someone to commit a crime.
- Did you ever try? - No.
And unless you have any evidence to the contrary, I have patients to see.
Don't let the door hit you on your way out.
GRACE: And you're falling deeper and deeper into a state of calm and focus and deeper into a state of relaxation.
(EXHALES) (CHUCKLES) I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I just I don't know.
I was tingly, and then - It's okay, Ellie.
- Yeah, well, I'm just bummed it didn't work, because my manicure bill is off the charts.
Actually, it worked perfectly.
No way.
Nick? (GASPS) Is he really hypnotized? (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) Nick.
Hey, McGee is stealing your protein powder.
GRACE: It's actually not uncommon for observers to go under without knowing it.
Oh, this day just got way more interesting.
So, what happens now? - Well - No, no.
Please don't tell us.
Show us.
Huh.
(PHONE RINGS) Yeah, Bishop.
What's up? Hey, Gibbs.
I'm starting to think the hypno-homicide theory may be a little bit more legit than it seems.
- Ha.
- I know.
I know.
I was a skeptic, too.
But then Dr.
Grace hypnotized Torres and got him to do all kinds of weird stuff.
Oh, yeah? He commit any felonies? Well, only if you consider butchering a Beyoncé song a felony.
So, unless you have any other theories Yeah.
Well, how 'bout that Laney's playing us? What if she's not? Well, then prove it.
How? When we can't even get a warrant for the hypnotherapist.
Bishop, you do not need a warrant to dig up dirt on people.
Check his Facegram page.
Or his Instachat.
I got to go.
"Facegram"? Okay.
(ENVELOPE SLIPS UNDER DOOR) Can I help you? You Phineas's mom? What'd he do now? Nothing.
Just wanted to return this.
Sorry, I don't understand.
What's this about? Jethro Gibbs! I said not to tell her.
She gets mad.
(CHUCKLES): Oh, love.
Wait.
Uh Phineas? Phineas, get back here and apologize right now! My ex had custody for the first half of his life, and well, let's just say manners weren't a big part of it.
Sorry.
Yeah.
Have a nice night.
Uh, wait.
Who are you? Uh Jethro Gibbs.
I live across the street.
- Ah.
- Phineas introduced himself to me this morning.
He broke your window, didn't he? - It's already fixed.
- This is his second one this week.
Boys at his new school, they all play baseball during recess and he's decided he wants to learn.
Yeah, well, we can all use - a little practice.
- I wish I could help him, but with my two jobs and his dad out of the picture This is $3.
50.
His lunch money.
Well, um, thank you for I don't know, not being a jerk.
It's tough being the new kid.
He's a southpaw, huh? - Left hand? - Oh, uh, no, he's, um, right-handed.
Why? Hmm.
Nothing.
Uh, nice meeting you.
Phineas.
See you.
BISHOP: This is the lamest social media profile I have ever seen.
Yeah.
But look how many leads we got.
That therapist lived in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina.
And Kasie even tracked him down in Missouri 12 years ago.
- Hmm - What? Nothing.
We've just been doing this for hours, and we've got zilch.
I mean, I am frustrated, hungry and cross-eyed.
Aren't you tired? Nope.
I'm ready to go.
Grace said I would wake up, uh you know, energized and refreshed, and I did.
Hypnosis is the bomb, baby.
What the hell? I lost my blade.
No, you didn't lose it.
- (OPENS DRAWER) - You gave it to me while you were under.
Nobody touches my blade.
And that is why Sloane had Grace ask you to give it to me.
- To demonstrate.
- Demonstrate what? That you could be influenced to do something that you wouldn't normally do.
That's so not cool.
(LAUGHS) - Wait.
What what else did I do that I normally wouldn't do? Okay, hold on, wait, wait, wait.
Wait a minute.
Time out.
Did I do something else? Got something! Somebody give me the clicker.
I'm ready to click.
Missouri came through.
St.
Louis.
2007.
College kid steals a case of beer from a convenience store.
He tells cops his roommate "hypnotically" forced him to do it.
Cops don't believe him.
Charge him with a misdemeanor.
He pays a fine.
Hey Bob's your uncle.
My uncle's name is Jeffrey.
Francisco Javier.
It's an expression.
Look.
The police report contained a surveillance image of the robbery.
That's the thief with the beer getting into the car, but look who's driving.
Is that Dr.
Pershing? 12 years younger, but yeah.
Wait, he told Gibbs that hypnotizing someone to commit a crime was impossible.
He lied.
What else did he lie about? You're taking lead in the interrogation, yeah? Yeah, you're taking lead.
You got a problem, Torres? Uh, wha No.
What? No problem, no.
He's not gonna hypnotize you.
(HIGH-PITCHED): What? No.
(STAMMERS) Oh, you think I'm worried that this guy's gonna hyp hypno (CLEARS THROAT) No.
No, I'm cool.
Cool.
Cool.
All right, let's do this.
Whoa, whoa, what what the hell is this? It's an interrogation.
For what? I didn't do anything.
Well, you lied to federal agents.
No, I most definitely did not do that.
You said you can't hypnotize someone to commit a crime.
- You can't.
- Well, your college roommate says you did exactly that.
- What? - You want to change your story, Doctor? Okay, you can't really think that This was 12 years ago.
(EXHALES) Okay, I I was just learning hypnosis.
I needed to practice, so I tried it out on my willing roommate.
You told him to rob a liquor store.
Well, he just used me as an excuse once the cops busted him.
Would he have robbed that liquor store - if you didn't hypnotize him? - All this proves is that my roommate really wanted some beer.
It was easy to influence him to steal it.
Corporal Alimonte.
Was she easy to influence, too? Okay, if Laney killed someone, that was her idea, not mine.
Yeah, but you said she wasn't homicidal.
Yes, but she doesn't sleep, she loses time maybe she snapped and repressed the memory.
Well, maybe you hypnotized her into thinking she had to shoot a bear - to protect herself.
- And by "bear," he means Joe Cortez.
I still don't know who that is.
Um I want a lawyer.
(VOICE CRACKS): Now.
Whoa, what are you doing? You're-you're gonna stay here? (CLEARS THROAT) You, um Okay, you're leaving.
(SIGHS) Well? - What do you think? - I think we are not going to turn 200 years of murder statute upside down by charging a hypnotist with homicide.
Last time I checked, The Manchurian Candidate was just a movie, right? Right? Sometimes life imitates art, Director.
The evidence says Corporal Alimonte pulled the trigger.
Yes, but what if he convinced her to do it? Come on, Jack.
Look.
We already have him on record hypnotizing one person to commit a crime.
Yeah, but stealing beer is not the same as committing murder.
Help me out here, Dr.
Grace.
Do you believe in mind-control murder? Here's what I'll say.
If a corrupt hypnotist spent months building trust with the right patient, used multilayered suggestions and embedded commands over the course of many sessions, there's a greater- than-zero chance that someone ends up dead.
If this happened and that is a gigantic if how would we even prove it? I don't know.
It's literally the perfect murder.
Dr.
Pershing's lawyer? Yep.
And the way this is going, he's gonna need one.
What? You, too? I-I thought you were in Camp Skeptics with me.
I was, until yesterday, when I saw Torres eat an entire apple fritter.
What? Grace hypnotized him, told him it was a protein bar.
And he believed it? That is what I'm saying, McGee if a hypnotist can alter someone's perception of reality that much, who knows how far it could go? Okay, you're telling me that-that Mr.
Muscle Boy took a doughnut, put it in his mouth and chewed it? I would have loved to have seen that.
That is why I took a picture.
Picture of what? A picture of motive, boss.
We-we still can't find any.
I mean, even if we assume that Dr.
Pershing was able to hypnotize Corporal Alimonte into committing a murder for him, - we still don't have a motive.
- That cuts both ways.
As far as we know, Corporal Alimonte and our victim are complete strangers.
There's no connection so no motive, either.
She shot him in the heart.
There's a connection.
McGee, does she really seem capable of murder? Without being hypnotized? Enough! You talk to her C.
O.
yet? He, uh, returned to Quantico about an hour ago.
Go! Both of you.
Go fight in the car.
Uh, did you go shopping? Like, a shopping mall? Did Dr.
Grace hypnotize you? Quantico! On my way.
Corporal Alimonte worked by my side through two duty stations.
She was an invaluable asset to the Corps.
So invaluable you're discharging her? Wasn't my decision, ma'am.
But it was the right one.
So, what happened? (SIGHS) You know about her insomnia? So I tried to be accommodating.
Little mistakes, I'd overlook, but they got bigger.
So you recommended a medical exam.
Yes, sir.
But she got worse, not better.
And last week I found her catatonic, shoving scissors into that wall.
I intervened, and she threatened me.
So you wrote her up for office hours.
Correct.
When the captain heard what happened he put her on limited duty and recommended the OTH discharge.
Back to the threat.
What what exactly did she say to you? Didn't say anything.
She came after me with those scissors.
(LULLABY PLAYING SOFTLY) SLOANE (DISTORTED, ECHOING): Laney? Laney? Laney.
Hey, Laney? Can you hear me? Agent Sloane.
Are you okay? I don't know.
Did you get any sleep at all last night? (INHALES SHARPLY) I kept thinking about Tracey's orchid.
Tracey's my neighbor; she's on vacation.
I told her I would water it.
It's beautiful.
Purple flowers but it's very delicate and I have to remember to water it tonight.
I don't think you're gonna be going home tonight, Laney.
Maybe you could water it? I know that you have insomnia.
But I think there's something else going on with you.
Something only a medical doctor can diagnose, not a hypnotherapist.
Speaking of Dr.
Pershing, he claims, unsurprisingly, that he did not ask you to kill anyone.
But without evidence to the contrary, and your fingerprints on the gun Have you thought any more about that night he hypnotized you? Did he do or say anything unusual? The man who died Did he have a family? Uh, yeah.
Can you tell them that I'm sorry? I don't remember what happened but that I'm sorry.
You believe me, right? Yeah, I do.
We've got a ginormous problem, which is why I called you right away, so you can see it right away, so that you can do something right away.
The murder weapon with Laney's fingerprints on the grip.
I've highlighted them so you can see.
Yeah, I see.
KASIE: Three fingerprints on the left side of the grip, a partial thumbprint above them, which leaves one finger for the trigger.
It's a normal pattern.
With one abnormal distinction, which I noticed when I was scanning the prints for evidence archives.
The print of her ring finger is backwards, as if she's holding the murder weapon like this.
Which is physiologically impossible.
So either she's got a really weird fingerprint birth defect or Someone planted her fingerprints on the weapon.
Gibbs, we've got a problem.
Yeah, we do.
Laney is at risk for anaphylaxis.
Right, you're not a doctor.
Uh, I-I was just, uh, reviewing Laney's medical records, and Actually, Kasie, your thoroughness with the ballistics test really inspired me.
Palmer! Sorry.
Uh, anaphylaxis is a very serious allergic reaction - that sometimes results in - Skip to the end.
Corporal Alimonte is allergic to peanuts.
But they were all over the crime scene.
Exactly.
And her condition is so severe, that if she'd even walked into that house She wouldn't have walked out.
Laney didn't kill Joe Cortez.
She was framed.
TORRES: Well, we still have a murder victim.
But we lost our murderer.
MCGEE: Actually, we've got two victims now.
Someone tried to frame Laney.
Can't arrest a "someone.
" Well, you can narrow it down to "someone" that knew her well.
Yeah, someone who knew she was taking sleeping pills, knew her routine.
And since Laney didn't do it, we can rule out Dr.
Pershing, too.
Well, enough ruling out.
Anybody we can rule in? I got someone.
Our victim had a girlfriend.
- So? - A married girlfriend.
- Ooh.
- Jealous husband, anyone? I like it already.
Well, I finally got administrator access to Cortez's bird channel, and I found hundreds of private messages from this woman - and they are steamy.
- She got a name? BISHOP: Just a screen name, for now.
"HiHoBirdie.
" So, according to these messages, she and Cortez would meet up at his place.
Nothing, like, unusual, but take a look at this message from last week.
MCGEE: "Gotta be discreet, he almost caught us tonight.
" Yeah, so "he" is the husband.
Presumably the jealous husband.
What does "gnsdily" mean? TORRES/BISHOP: Good night, sweet dreams, I love you.
- Um - It's, um Everyone knows that.
It's a common texting shorthand.
- Very common, yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
Um, anyway, check out this message a day later.
TORRES: "If he knew about us, he'd kill you.
" Yeah, that sounds like a suspect.
And this time with motive.
What is the last message she sent? GIBBS: What-what is that? Is that even English? Uh, "Where are you? Text me back.
" That was three hours ago.
She doesn't know he's dead.
Well, so let's text her back.
- Uh - No, whoa, whoa, boss, no.
No.
Maybe-maybe we-we should do it.
Yeah.
Uh, you sort of have to know the lingo.
Well, then somebody lingo.
Okay.
Um, "Need 2CU.
Come over.
" What do you think? No, it needs this.
Oh, you are a real Casanova.
Yeah.
Every Thursdays, I teach a class.
BISHOP: Oh, she already texted back.
- "Okay, be right there.
" - GIBBS: McGee, Torres.
Get there first.
(CAR DOOR CLOSES) WOMAN: Joey! Joey, baby! I don't have a lot of time.
Okay? Roger's gonna be back pretty soon.
HiHo, Birdie.
Who, uh, who are you? Funny, I was just about to ask you the same question.
I am NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee.
I'm sorry, I I must have the wrong house.
Special Agent Nick Torres.
Well, you've seen our I.
D.
s.
So let's see yours.
Um (SCOFFS) What-What's going on? Well, Mrs.
Ponziak, does your husband know where you are? We know about you and Joe Cortez.
Yeah, so? I'm having an affair.
Okay? It's not a crime.
Actually, in the state of Virginia, it is.
And so is murder.
Murder? Where's Joe? He's dead.
Shot dead, actually.
(EXHALES) He did it.
He really did it.
Your husband? He threatened to, but I didn't take him seriously.
Where's Mr.
Ponziak now? At his OCD therapy session.
With Dr.
Pershing? PERSHING: Yes, take a deep, cleansing breath.
NCIS! Oh, please, not again.
Mr.
Ponziak, hands where we can see 'em.
- He hypnotized? - Yeah.
It's what I do.
- Wake him up.
- And, apparently, what you do is arrest all my patients.
Wake him up! Now.
Okay.
On the count of three, Roger, we're going to W-W-Wait.
Actually, before you bring him out of it, can you ask him a few questions? Wait, you left him hypnotized? No, of course not.
Gibbs wouldn't let me.
Maybe you should have.
He's not talking.
MCGEE: You found out about your wife's affair.
You went to Cortez's house and confronted him.
Then you shot him with his own gun.
Or maybe you just wanted to talk, but he pulled a gun.
There was a struggle, and it went off.
Roger, you could have a case for self-defense here.
(SIGHS) Roger.
Oh! Sorry.
What a mess.
Look what I did.
Sorry.
You know who else is dirty? Joe Cortez.
Oh, yeah.
His house was a disaster.
Peanuts and seeds all over the floor.
Your wife probably tracked it into your house.
All ground up into your carpet.
Look at this.
It was disgusting! It was like an infestation of-of husks and shells.
So you took care of it.
No more Cortez, no more dirty house.
Exactly.
Y-You understand me.
I do.
I completely understand that you couldn't take the blame.
And you had an exceptional patsy in Corporal Laney Alimonte.
The two of you had back-to-back therapy sessions.
You overheard everything through those thin walls.
How did you know she was gonna be hypnotized that night? How'd you get her house keys? I mean, how'd you get her fingerprints? She left her purse in the waiting room.
(CHUCKLES) Who does that? (LAUGHS) And-and then I, I took the (LAUGHS) Write it down.
Write it down.
Great.
Gotta give it to Gibbs.
He makes 'em confess and write it down.
Hey, speaking of writing, you wrote some very touching things in your little note to me yesterday.
What? I didn't write you a note.
Oh, really? Because this sure looks like your handwriting.
What the hell? Oh, I'm never getting hypnotized again.
- Hmm.
- What did I write? Personal stuff.
It was actually very touching.
Seriously, give it back.
Seriously, no.
Okay, fine.
Keep it.
Read it every day.
Think about me.
- Tell me what it says.
- Mm-mm.
Hey.
- Hey.
- Hey.
I just finished Laney's release paperwork.
But, before she goes, she wanted to say thank you.
For accusing you of murder? No.
Uh, because of you guys, the Corps is reviewing my discharge.
Looks like they're gonna upgrade it from OTH to general.
- Well, that's great.
- SECNAV recently issued a directive for Marines with mental health issues, so that the system will give them a fair shake.
A general discharge means I get VA health benefits, no questions asked.
And can see a medical doctor to get the help that you deserve.
She wants to tell Gibbs.
Where is he? Oh, he just left.
Uh, he raced out of interrogation.
GIBBS: That's for you.
Okay, now this one should fit you better.
Glove goes on your left, so you can throw with your right.
This is awesome.
Yeah.
Let's see how it works.
Oops.
Squeeze it.
All right, hit me in the chest.
Aim for my chest.
Right here.
Aim for my chest.
Whoa! - Sorry, Jethro Gibbs.
- Phineas.
Okay.
Yeah, whoa.
We got a little work to do.
Right here.
That's it.
Step, throw.
Follow through.
Ah, no.
You're good.
You're good.
All right.
Yeah, man.
You're a natural.
Good.
Step with your leg.
No way.
(SIGHS) Dr.
Pershing, hi.
You're not gonna believe this.
I don't know if I even believe it, but maybe you'll believe it, 'cause you did it.
I don't know how you did it, but you did.
I slept through the night.
Kind of freaking out a little bit right now.
I feel I don't really know how I feel.
I guess this is what it's like to feel rested, so I just wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you.
Bye.
Bye.
(GLASS SHATTERS) Hey, kid.
Kid, hold up.
Lose something? - What's your name? - Phineas.
Hey, Phineas.
How are you? I'm Jethro Gibbs.
You just move in across the street? PHINEAS: Mm-hmm.
You on your way to school? Don't be late.
It's for my job.
(PHONE RINGS) Yeah, McGee.
I'm really sorry, Jethro Gibbs.
I'll buy you a new window.
Don't worry about it.
Yeah, give me an address.
I take it that's not yours.
Corporal Alimonte? Um, Laney.
Did you touch it? Nine millimeter with suppressor.
Possible one round expended.
Blood on the barrel.
This is not happening.
I know this is stressful, but we have a few more questions to ask you.
Well, no sign of a break-in.
Security cameras outside aren't hooked up to anything.
The apartment manager never got around to 'em, apparently.
All right.
Run the serial number.
Got it.
Hey, Laney, we're gonna need your help to figure out how that gun got in there.
I don't know about the weapon.
I don't know how it got in my fridge, I don't know anything! TORRES: Drugs.
Lots and lots of drugs.
Wow.
Depression, anxiety, insomnia.
Well, you got one for everything.
Who are you talking to? You.
You.
Come on, man.
Heard you come in.
Uh-huh.
Dude, she's got, like, four prescriptions just to help her go to sleep.
Bro, I hit the bed, and I'm actually (CLEARS THROAT) Got a hit on the nine millimeter.
It's registered to a Joe Cortez.
Hey.
You know Joe Cortez? MCGEE: Lives about two miles from here, just up Route 87.
- Bishop, go.
Nick - Okay.
go with her.
(KNOCKING) NCIS! Anyone home? - (DOORBELL RINGING) - Yo, Mr.
Cortez! We have something that belongs to - (LOUD CAWING) - Ooh, what was that? Birds? I'm gonna go with crows.
Who has crows for pets? How do you know that? "Crowtez.
" TORRES: Oh, so he's clearly single.
And home and ignoring us.
Yo, Cortez?! - It's actually unlocked.
- Good enough for me.
Time's up! Coming in! TORRES: Yeah, he's definitely single.
BISHOP: A lot of peanut shells.
Doesn't own a vacuum? - (CROWS CAWING) - (SIGHS) Polly want a cracker? Ask 'em if they know where their owner is.
I don't have to.
I'm guessing this is Mr.
Cortez? TORRES: A very dead Mr.
Cortez.
Must have been laying here for hours.
Narrow entry wound, small-caliber weapon.
Nine millimeter? Now where have I seen one of those before? Marines are sending over her file now, but I already got this.
The corporal's being discharged? More like kicked out.
Paperwork was filed last week.
Official reason given is, "Failing to meet all expectations of conduct.
" - What's the unofficial reason? - Don't know.
Her C.
O.
is out at a funeral today.
But it's an "other than honorable" discharge, so, clearly, there's more to the story.
Kasie's running ballistics on the gun that we found next to the Cool Whip.
Pretty soon, we'll find out if it's the gun - that killed our victim.
- Got a time of death? Between midnight and 3:00 a.
m.
Same time Corporal Alimonte claims to be sleeping.
All right, our victim what do we know? Well, Joe Cortez, 38 years old.
Hosted a social media channel called I am not kidding The Low Joe Crow Show.
Any record? - Nada.
- Any connection to the corporal? - None that we can find.
- Bishop tracked down a half sister.
- She lives in Maryland.
- Well, then have Bishop bring her in.
Got it.
Listen, boss, I got one other thing, came in about an hour ago, but it's, uh it's not related to the case.
- Yeah? About what? - Fornell's daughter.
How's she doing, by the way? - She's making progress.
- Well, I think I found a lead on the counterfeit opioids that you mentioned were coming in from Canada.
On a whim, I put in a BOLO on the NCIC.
It was flagged Tim, give it to the DEA.
Are you sure, boss? You you don't want to check with Fornell? He wants to move on.
Give it to the DEA.
It's theirs, anyway.
Who is she? Some rando who Joe met on that dating app? Which dating app is that? All of 'em.
He struck out with pretty much the whole Internet.
We found your brother's gun at her house.
My half brother.
Your dead half brother's gun.
(PHONE WHOOSHES) So did she kill him? She says she didn't, and as far as we can tell, her and Joe didn't even know each other.
Well, he didn't have many friends, - except for those damned birds.
- (PHONE CHIMES) Can you think of anyone who may have wanted to see him dead? You mean besides himself? He tried suicide once.
Of course, he failed at that, too.
Okay, so I take it you two weren't close? How'd you guess? The only reason I drove all the way out here is so dear old Dad can get his ring back.
- What ring would that be? - Dad's signet ring.
Joe never took it off; they were both all sentimental like that.
Joe wasn't wearing a ring when we found him.
(SCOFFS SOFTLY) Even in death, he finds a way to screw me.
- (RINGTONE PLAYING) - I need to take this.
Hey, baby.
Oh, I missed your voice.
(GIGGLES) You know, you don't have to test it again.
This is the last time.
That is what you said last time.
And the last time before that.
Come on, Kase.
Trust your results.
If I'm boring you, you're free to leave.
- To be honest, yes, I'm a little bored.
- Yeah, I picked up on that by the way you're totally annoying me.
Whoa.
What are you doing? Running ballistics on the fridge gun.
Yeah, I see that, but who taught you how to fire a gun? People, back off and let me do my thing.
(GUNSHOT) Okay.
I did my thing.
So, the bullet on the right is from our victim.
The one on the left is the one I just fired into the tank.
The striations are identical.
Which means our fridge gun is the murder weapon.
All we need now is the murderer.
Well, I found some fingerprints on the nine millimeter's grip.
Whose? Someone's I didn't want to find.
Corporal Alimonte.
That makes no sense.
SLOANE: Why on earth would she kill someone, stash the murder weapon in her fridge and then call the cops on herself? Why you asking me? Nuts is your department.
I have a theory, actually.
The corporal may be suffering from some sort of mental illness.
She's suffering from something.
Her file lists erratic behavior, breaches in protocol.
Tack on severe insomnia, and all signs point to a psychological disorder that the Marines may not even be aware of.
A disorder that makes you kill people? I don't know.
But it's a reason to tread carefully in there.
Jack, like I said, your department.
Why am I here? Why am I here? I didn't do anything.
Hi, Laney.
I'm Special Agent Jack Sloane, and you already know Sp I shouldn't be here.
There's been a mistake.
So tell him.
Tell him there's been a mistake.
Who's that? SLOANE: That is Joe Cortez.
He owned the gun you found in your fridge.
Did you ask him how it got there? - No.
- Why not? Because he was killed with it five hours before you found it.
SLOANE: Laney, your fingerprints were on the murder weapon.
That's impossible.
I never touched it.
And we found the victim's signet ring in your car.
GIBBS: Suppose you never touched that either? (BREATHING HEAVILY) (SNIFFLES) Laney? (CRYING SOFTLY) Hey, Laney? - Corporal! - Yes, sir.
Did you kill Joe Cortez? Maybe.
Maybe? I'm looking at the same evidence you are.
And, to be honest, I don't remember anything after I spoke to Dr.
Pershing.
Is that who prescribed you all those sleeping pills? No, he's my therapist.
My hypnotherapist.
Uh He says he can help me go to sleep without all the drugs.
He says I'm a great subject.
SLOANE: Did he, by any chance, hypnotize you last night? Yes.
We had a video chat session.
One second, I'm counting back, and next thing I know, it's morning.
I thought that I slept through the night.
But what if I didn't? SLOANE: Are you suggesting you might have shot Joe Cortez while under hypnosis? I need you to believe me.
I would never murder anyone.
But if I did, Dr.
Pershing must have made me do it.
Hypno-homicide? Hard to believe that you could hypnotize someone to commit a murder.
But Sloane seems pretty adamant that you meet this new expert she found.
Oh, hi, Popeye.
Dr.
Grace.
Nice to see you.
Good to see you, too, Tim.
Imagine my surprise when Jack called, asking if I knew any certified hypnotherapists.
Turns out I do.
SLOANE: Just hear her out, Gibbs.
Hypnosis has been a grossly misrepresented phenomenon, so Grace is here to help you, - you know, understand.
- Understand what? - I should get back.
- No, no, no, no.
Tim, please, stay.
You're the only one on the team who's been hypnotized before.
I need you.
Well, that was that was a long time ago.
I was trying to remember the details of a murder I witnessed.
And as I understand it, it worked and you caught the guy? - Oh, come on, Doc.
- Gibbs, hypnosis is nothing more than a state of focused attention, where a subject is highly suggestible.
That's why hypnotherapists can help people quit smoking, conquer phobias, beat insomnia.
We're not talking about insomnia, Doc.
Look, I get it.
You don't believe that anyone could convince a law-abiding person to shoot someone.
But a hypnotist can change a subject's perception of reality.
SLOANE: That's right.
For example, one could create an imaginative scene where that same law-abiding person must shoot a bear that is attacking to save their child.
You know what I mean? No? Okay, Grace, - maybe it would be helpful - A bear? If you could demonstrate hypnosis for us.
What a great idea.
All I need is a subject.
Hey, McGee.
Sorry, what? Ah.
Hey, Gibbs.
Uh, we tracked down Laney's hypnotherapist.
Took two of you to tell me that? Well, maybe we heard that someone was being hypnotized in here.
Did we miss it? - McGee, come on.
- Wait.
I wish he could've stayed for the demo.
(ALL) Mm.
- Mm.
- Oh! Oh.
No.
(CHUCKLES) No, no, no.
I'm not gonna play somebody's voodoo doll.
What about you, Ellie? Come on, Jack.
I mean, you really believe Corporal Alimonte was hypnotized to kill? I don't know what to believe.
That's why I need to see with my own eyes - what a hypnotist can and cannot do.
- Mm.
And you know what, Ellie? Skeptics make the best subjects.
Okay.
Fine.
I'm in.
Yay! Maybe you can suggest I stop biting my nails while you're in my head.
Okay.
Yeah, buddy.
Hmm.
Excuse me! I'm next.
- NCIS.
- Uh-huh.
You still can't go in.
You have to activate the red light.
To let Dr.
Pershing know you're here.
Got it, boss.
(WOMAN SCREAMS) Excuse me, you can't just barge in here - NCIS.
- Ma'am.
- Ma'am, are you okay? - She's fine.
It's part of her primal therapy session.
- What? - Is she hypnotized? Yes.
Session's over.
We need to talk.
(EXHALES) Okay, one moment.
All right, Audrey, we're going to stop now.
When I count to three, you're going to wake up.
Primal therapy, my ass.
I've actually heard of it, boss.
Big empty chair represents a person that has wronged them.
So they yell at it over - You don't care about this.
- No, I do not.
Okay.
and three.
You're awake.
What's going on, Doctor? Audrey, if you could just give me a few moments with these gentlemen, all right? There better be a fire Corporal Alimonte.
- Are you treating her? - I'm sorry.
I can't discuss patient histories without a signed HIPAA release form.
Signed and notarized.
(SCOFFS) Okay.
I What do you want to know? Did you hypnotize her last night? - Yes.
- Why? In addition to several other serious issues, she's been dealing with crippling insomnia.
I was trying to help her sleep.
You suggest anything to her other than sleep? Plant a posthypnotic suggestion? Actually, yes.
I told she should call me the minute she woke up.
Which she did.
What is going on here? - Is Laney okay? - MCGEE: Not really.
But she is doing better than Joe Cortez.
Okay, I give up.
Who is that? That's the guy she killed this morning.
Wh Uh, uh, no.
Uh, Laney is a lot of things, but she's no killer.
MCGEE: That's what she said.
Right before she accused you of forcing her to do it.
(LAUGHING) Gentlemen, hypnosis doesn't work like that.
It's not some magic spell that sends subjects into a robotic trance, blindly following orders.
It's hard enough to get a person to quit smoking, for God's sake.
I certainly can't force someone to commit a crime.
- Did you ever try? - No.
And unless you have any evidence to the contrary, I have patients to see.
Don't let the door hit you on your way out.
GRACE: And you're falling deeper and deeper into a state of calm and focus and deeper into a state of relaxation.
(EXHALES) (CHUCKLES) I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I just I don't know.
I was tingly, and then - It's okay, Ellie.
- Yeah, well, I'm just bummed it didn't work, because my manicure bill is off the charts.
Actually, it worked perfectly.
No way.
Nick? (GASPS) Is he really hypnotized? (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) Nick.
Hey, McGee is stealing your protein powder.
GRACE: It's actually not uncommon for observers to go under without knowing it.
Oh, this day just got way more interesting.
So, what happens now? - Well - No, no.
Please don't tell us.
Show us.
Huh.
(PHONE RINGS) Yeah, Bishop.
What's up? Hey, Gibbs.
I'm starting to think the hypno-homicide theory may be a little bit more legit than it seems.
- Ha.
- I know.
I know.
I was a skeptic, too.
But then Dr.
Grace hypnotized Torres and got him to do all kinds of weird stuff.
Oh, yeah? He commit any felonies? Well, only if you consider butchering a Beyoncé song a felony.
So, unless you have any other theories Yeah.
Well, how 'bout that Laney's playing us? What if she's not? Well, then prove it.
How? When we can't even get a warrant for the hypnotherapist.
Bishop, you do not need a warrant to dig up dirt on people.
Check his Facegram page.
Or his Instachat.
I got to go.
"Facegram"? Okay.
(ENVELOPE SLIPS UNDER DOOR) Can I help you? You Phineas's mom? What'd he do now? Nothing.
Just wanted to return this.
Sorry, I don't understand.
What's this about? Jethro Gibbs! I said not to tell her.
She gets mad.
(CHUCKLES): Oh, love.
Wait.
Uh Phineas? Phineas, get back here and apologize right now! My ex had custody for the first half of his life, and well, let's just say manners weren't a big part of it.
Sorry.
Yeah.
Have a nice night.
Uh, wait.
Who are you? Uh Jethro Gibbs.
I live across the street.
- Ah.
- Phineas introduced himself to me this morning.
He broke your window, didn't he? - It's already fixed.
- This is his second one this week.
Boys at his new school, they all play baseball during recess and he's decided he wants to learn.
Yeah, well, we can all use - a little practice.
- I wish I could help him, but with my two jobs and his dad out of the picture This is $3.
50.
His lunch money.
Well, um, thank you for I don't know, not being a jerk.
It's tough being the new kid.
He's a southpaw, huh? - Left hand? - Oh, uh, no, he's, um, right-handed.
Why? Hmm.
Nothing.
Uh, nice meeting you.
Phineas.
See you.
BISHOP: This is the lamest social media profile I have ever seen.
Yeah.
But look how many leads we got.
That therapist lived in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina.
And Kasie even tracked him down in Missouri 12 years ago.
- Hmm - What? Nothing.
We've just been doing this for hours, and we've got zilch.
I mean, I am frustrated, hungry and cross-eyed.
Aren't you tired? Nope.
I'm ready to go.
Grace said I would wake up, uh you know, energized and refreshed, and I did.
Hypnosis is the bomb, baby.
What the hell? I lost my blade.
No, you didn't lose it.
- (OPENS DRAWER) - You gave it to me while you were under.
Nobody touches my blade.
And that is why Sloane had Grace ask you to give it to me.
- To demonstrate.
- Demonstrate what? That you could be influenced to do something that you wouldn't normally do.
That's so not cool.
(LAUGHS) - Wait.
What what else did I do that I normally wouldn't do? Okay, hold on, wait, wait, wait.
Wait a minute.
Time out.
Did I do something else? Got something! Somebody give me the clicker.
I'm ready to click.
Missouri came through.
St.
Louis.
2007.
College kid steals a case of beer from a convenience store.
He tells cops his roommate "hypnotically" forced him to do it.
Cops don't believe him.
Charge him with a misdemeanor.
He pays a fine.
Hey Bob's your uncle.
My uncle's name is Jeffrey.
Francisco Javier.
It's an expression.
Look.
The police report contained a surveillance image of the robbery.
That's the thief with the beer getting into the car, but look who's driving.
Is that Dr.
Pershing? 12 years younger, but yeah.
Wait, he told Gibbs that hypnotizing someone to commit a crime was impossible.
He lied.
What else did he lie about? You're taking lead in the interrogation, yeah? Yeah, you're taking lead.
You got a problem, Torres? Uh, wha No.
What? No problem, no.
He's not gonna hypnotize you.
(HIGH-PITCHED): What? No.
(STAMMERS) Oh, you think I'm worried that this guy's gonna hyp hypno (CLEARS THROAT) No.
No, I'm cool.
Cool.
Cool.
All right, let's do this.
Whoa, whoa, what what the hell is this? It's an interrogation.
For what? I didn't do anything.
Well, you lied to federal agents.
No, I most definitely did not do that.
You said you can't hypnotize someone to commit a crime.
- You can't.
- Well, your college roommate says you did exactly that.
- What? - You want to change your story, Doctor? Okay, you can't really think that This was 12 years ago.
(EXHALES) Okay, I I was just learning hypnosis.
I needed to practice, so I tried it out on my willing roommate.
You told him to rob a liquor store.
Well, he just used me as an excuse once the cops busted him.
Would he have robbed that liquor store - if you didn't hypnotize him? - All this proves is that my roommate really wanted some beer.
It was easy to influence him to steal it.
Corporal Alimonte.
Was she easy to influence, too? Okay, if Laney killed someone, that was her idea, not mine.
Yeah, but you said she wasn't homicidal.
Yes, but she doesn't sleep, she loses time maybe she snapped and repressed the memory.
Well, maybe you hypnotized her into thinking she had to shoot a bear - to protect herself.
- And by "bear," he means Joe Cortez.
I still don't know who that is.
Um I want a lawyer.
(VOICE CRACKS): Now.
Whoa, what are you doing? You're-you're gonna stay here? (CLEARS THROAT) You, um Okay, you're leaving.
(SIGHS) Well? - What do you think? - I think we are not going to turn 200 years of murder statute upside down by charging a hypnotist with homicide.
Last time I checked, The Manchurian Candidate was just a movie, right? Right? Sometimes life imitates art, Director.
The evidence says Corporal Alimonte pulled the trigger.
Yes, but what if he convinced her to do it? Come on, Jack.
Look.
We already have him on record hypnotizing one person to commit a crime.
Yeah, but stealing beer is not the same as committing murder.
Help me out here, Dr.
Grace.
Do you believe in mind-control murder? Here's what I'll say.
If a corrupt hypnotist spent months building trust with the right patient, used multilayered suggestions and embedded commands over the course of many sessions, there's a greater- than-zero chance that someone ends up dead.
If this happened and that is a gigantic if how would we even prove it? I don't know.
It's literally the perfect murder.
Dr.
Pershing's lawyer? Yep.
And the way this is going, he's gonna need one.
What? You, too? I-I thought you were in Camp Skeptics with me.
I was, until yesterday, when I saw Torres eat an entire apple fritter.
What? Grace hypnotized him, told him it was a protein bar.
And he believed it? That is what I'm saying, McGee if a hypnotist can alter someone's perception of reality that much, who knows how far it could go? Okay, you're telling me that-that Mr.
Muscle Boy took a doughnut, put it in his mouth and chewed it? I would have loved to have seen that.
That is why I took a picture.
Picture of what? A picture of motive, boss.
We-we still can't find any.
I mean, even if we assume that Dr.
Pershing was able to hypnotize Corporal Alimonte into committing a murder for him, - we still don't have a motive.
- That cuts both ways.
As far as we know, Corporal Alimonte and our victim are complete strangers.
There's no connection so no motive, either.
She shot him in the heart.
There's a connection.
McGee, does she really seem capable of murder? Without being hypnotized? Enough! You talk to her C.
O.
yet? He, uh, returned to Quantico about an hour ago.
Go! Both of you.
Go fight in the car.
Uh, did you go shopping? Like, a shopping mall? Did Dr.
Grace hypnotize you? Quantico! On my way.
Corporal Alimonte worked by my side through two duty stations.
She was an invaluable asset to the Corps.
So invaluable you're discharging her? Wasn't my decision, ma'am.
But it was the right one.
So, what happened? (SIGHS) You know about her insomnia? So I tried to be accommodating.
Little mistakes, I'd overlook, but they got bigger.
So you recommended a medical exam.
Yes, sir.
But she got worse, not better.
And last week I found her catatonic, shoving scissors into that wall.
I intervened, and she threatened me.
So you wrote her up for office hours.
Correct.
When the captain heard what happened he put her on limited duty and recommended the OTH discharge.
Back to the threat.
What what exactly did she say to you? Didn't say anything.
She came after me with those scissors.
(LULLABY PLAYING SOFTLY) SLOANE (DISTORTED, ECHOING): Laney? Laney? Laney.
Hey, Laney? Can you hear me? Agent Sloane.
Are you okay? I don't know.
Did you get any sleep at all last night? (INHALES SHARPLY) I kept thinking about Tracey's orchid.
Tracey's my neighbor; she's on vacation.
I told her I would water it.
It's beautiful.
Purple flowers but it's very delicate and I have to remember to water it tonight.
I don't think you're gonna be going home tonight, Laney.
Maybe you could water it? I know that you have insomnia.
But I think there's something else going on with you.
Something only a medical doctor can diagnose, not a hypnotherapist.
Speaking of Dr.
Pershing, he claims, unsurprisingly, that he did not ask you to kill anyone.
But without evidence to the contrary, and your fingerprints on the gun Have you thought any more about that night he hypnotized you? Did he do or say anything unusual? The man who died Did he have a family? Uh, yeah.
Can you tell them that I'm sorry? I don't remember what happened but that I'm sorry.
You believe me, right? Yeah, I do.
We've got a ginormous problem, which is why I called you right away, so you can see it right away, so that you can do something right away.
The murder weapon with Laney's fingerprints on the grip.
I've highlighted them so you can see.
Yeah, I see.
KASIE: Three fingerprints on the left side of the grip, a partial thumbprint above them, which leaves one finger for the trigger.
It's a normal pattern.
With one abnormal distinction, which I noticed when I was scanning the prints for evidence archives.
The print of her ring finger is backwards, as if she's holding the murder weapon like this.
Which is physiologically impossible.
So either she's got a really weird fingerprint birth defect or Someone planted her fingerprints on the weapon.
Gibbs, we've got a problem.
Yeah, we do.
Laney is at risk for anaphylaxis.
Right, you're not a doctor.
Uh, I-I was just, uh, reviewing Laney's medical records, and Actually, Kasie, your thoroughness with the ballistics test really inspired me.
Palmer! Sorry.
Uh, anaphylaxis is a very serious allergic reaction - that sometimes results in - Skip to the end.
Corporal Alimonte is allergic to peanuts.
But they were all over the crime scene.
Exactly.
And her condition is so severe, that if she'd even walked into that house She wouldn't have walked out.
Laney didn't kill Joe Cortez.
She was framed.
TORRES: Well, we still have a murder victim.
But we lost our murderer.
MCGEE: Actually, we've got two victims now.
Someone tried to frame Laney.
Can't arrest a "someone.
" Well, you can narrow it down to "someone" that knew her well.
Yeah, someone who knew she was taking sleeping pills, knew her routine.
And since Laney didn't do it, we can rule out Dr.
Pershing, too.
Well, enough ruling out.
Anybody we can rule in? I got someone.
Our victim had a girlfriend.
- So? - A married girlfriend.
- Ooh.
- Jealous husband, anyone? I like it already.
Well, I finally got administrator access to Cortez's bird channel, and I found hundreds of private messages from this woman - and they are steamy.
- She got a name? BISHOP: Just a screen name, for now.
"HiHoBirdie.
" So, according to these messages, she and Cortez would meet up at his place.
Nothing, like, unusual, but take a look at this message from last week.
MCGEE: "Gotta be discreet, he almost caught us tonight.
" Yeah, so "he" is the husband.
Presumably the jealous husband.
What does "gnsdily" mean? TORRES/BISHOP: Good night, sweet dreams, I love you.
- Um - It's, um Everyone knows that.
It's a common texting shorthand.
- Very common, yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
Um, anyway, check out this message a day later.
TORRES: "If he knew about us, he'd kill you.
" Yeah, that sounds like a suspect.
And this time with motive.
What is the last message she sent? GIBBS: What-what is that? Is that even English? Uh, "Where are you? Text me back.
" That was three hours ago.
She doesn't know he's dead.
Well, so let's text her back.
- Uh - No, whoa, whoa, boss, no.
No.
Maybe-maybe we-we should do it.
Yeah.
Uh, you sort of have to know the lingo.
Well, then somebody lingo.
Okay.
Um, "Need 2CU.
Come over.
" What do you think? No, it needs this.
Oh, you are a real Casanova.
Yeah.
Every Thursdays, I teach a class.
BISHOP: Oh, she already texted back.
- "Okay, be right there.
" - GIBBS: McGee, Torres.
Get there first.
(CAR DOOR CLOSES) WOMAN: Joey! Joey, baby! I don't have a lot of time.
Okay? Roger's gonna be back pretty soon.
HiHo, Birdie.
Who, uh, who are you? Funny, I was just about to ask you the same question.
I am NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee.
I'm sorry, I I must have the wrong house.
Special Agent Nick Torres.
Well, you've seen our I.
D.
s.
So let's see yours.
Um (SCOFFS) What-What's going on? Well, Mrs.
Ponziak, does your husband know where you are? We know about you and Joe Cortez.
Yeah, so? I'm having an affair.
Okay? It's not a crime.
Actually, in the state of Virginia, it is.
And so is murder.
Murder? Where's Joe? He's dead.
Shot dead, actually.
(EXHALES) He did it.
He really did it.
Your husband? He threatened to, but I didn't take him seriously.
Where's Mr.
Ponziak now? At his OCD therapy session.
With Dr.
Pershing? PERSHING: Yes, take a deep, cleansing breath.
NCIS! Oh, please, not again.
Mr.
Ponziak, hands where we can see 'em.
- He hypnotized? - Yeah.
It's what I do.
- Wake him up.
- And, apparently, what you do is arrest all my patients.
Wake him up! Now.
Okay.
On the count of three, Roger, we're going to W-W-Wait.
Actually, before you bring him out of it, can you ask him a few questions? Wait, you left him hypnotized? No, of course not.
Gibbs wouldn't let me.
Maybe you should have.
He's not talking.
MCGEE: You found out about your wife's affair.
You went to Cortez's house and confronted him.
Then you shot him with his own gun.
Or maybe you just wanted to talk, but he pulled a gun.
There was a struggle, and it went off.
Roger, you could have a case for self-defense here.
(SIGHS) Roger.
Oh! Sorry.
What a mess.
Look what I did.
Sorry.
You know who else is dirty? Joe Cortez.
Oh, yeah.
His house was a disaster.
Peanuts and seeds all over the floor.
Your wife probably tracked it into your house.
All ground up into your carpet.
Look at this.
It was disgusting! It was like an infestation of-of husks and shells.
So you took care of it.
No more Cortez, no more dirty house.
Exactly.
Y-You understand me.
I do.
I completely understand that you couldn't take the blame.
And you had an exceptional patsy in Corporal Laney Alimonte.
The two of you had back-to-back therapy sessions.
You overheard everything through those thin walls.
How did you know she was gonna be hypnotized that night? How'd you get her house keys? I mean, how'd you get her fingerprints? She left her purse in the waiting room.
(CHUCKLES) Who does that? (LAUGHS) And-and then I, I took the (LAUGHS) Write it down.
Write it down.
Great.
Gotta give it to Gibbs.
He makes 'em confess and write it down.
Hey, speaking of writing, you wrote some very touching things in your little note to me yesterday.
What? I didn't write you a note.
Oh, really? Because this sure looks like your handwriting.
What the hell? Oh, I'm never getting hypnotized again.
- Hmm.
- What did I write? Personal stuff.
It was actually very touching.
Seriously, give it back.
Seriously, no.
Okay, fine.
Keep it.
Read it every day.
Think about me.
- Tell me what it says.
- Mm-mm.
Hey.
- Hey.
- Hey.
I just finished Laney's release paperwork.
But, before she goes, she wanted to say thank you.
For accusing you of murder? No.
Uh, because of you guys, the Corps is reviewing my discharge.
Looks like they're gonna upgrade it from OTH to general.
- Well, that's great.
- SECNAV recently issued a directive for Marines with mental health issues, so that the system will give them a fair shake.
A general discharge means I get VA health benefits, no questions asked.
And can see a medical doctor to get the help that you deserve.
She wants to tell Gibbs.
Where is he? Oh, he just left.
Uh, he raced out of interrogation.
GIBBS: That's for you.
Okay, now this one should fit you better.
Glove goes on your left, so you can throw with your right.
This is awesome.
Yeah.
Let's see how it works.
Oops.
Squeeze it.
All right, hit me in the chest.
Aim for my chest.
Right here.
Aim for my chest.
Whoa! - Sorry, Jethro Gibbs.
- Phineas.
Okay.
Yeah, whoa.
We got a little work to do.
Right here.
That's it.
Step, throw.
Follow through.
Ah, no.
You're good.
You're good.
All right.
Yeah, man.
You're a natural.
Good.
Step with your leg.