Dirty Rotten Scoundrel – The episode begins with a man trying to relax in a luxurious hotel bathroom when he is surprised and drowned by someone appearing to be an intruder. Although Morgan Gillory (Kaitlin Olson) is the last of the homicide team to arrive, it takes her little time to learn that the man was drugged and murdered. Thanks to the hotel manager opening the safe, Daphne Forrester (Javicia Leslie) and Detective Lev ‘Oz’ Osman (Deniz Akdeniz) have identified the man as Ernest Lorenzo from Mexico City. Before Morgan shares her theory, Detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) sends Oz and Daphne to view the security footage and begin looking into Ernest’s background.
Surprisingly enough Morgan and Karadec not only agree on the drug theory but have also noticed that the whiskey tumbler likely came from the bar. A quick visit with the Hotel’s Bartender (CK Bolado) confirms their suspicion along with the fact that Ernest was with a woman, but she was blonde, not brunette. Either way, they are soon called to the security station where they learn that the blonde was the last to leave Ernest’s room before the maid found him. In addition to that, the building’s doorman saw her driving a red Kia that they later use to identify the woman as Doctor Iris Bowman (Melinda Page Hamilton).
While updating Lieutenant Selena Soto (Judy Reyes) on the case, she receives a file on Roman that causes her to let out a disgruntled sigh. He’ll ask if she needs help but she only enigmatically claims that she going to be forced to rely on someone she’d rather not. He ironically welcomes her to his word as he steps out to question Iris.
Iris openly admits to being with Ernest, but claims he was nothing more than a fun distraction after her husband’s unexpected passing 9 months prior. As for Ernest’s background, she is unable to offer much more than the fact that he was a curator. Karadec practically has Iris cuffed when Morgan realizes that one of the extinguished candles at the crime scene indicates Iris’ innocence. Karadec is nowhere near as happy with the discovery.
Soto isn’t much happier when a 15-year-old illegible citation issued to Roman Sinquerra sends her in search of Lieutenant Melon (Garret Dillahunt). The situation quickly turns into a bet and a trip downtown when she accuses him of writing down the wrong address. Although the neighborhood has changed drastically over the years, the mural is still there. As for the subject of the mural, that will lead to another double-or-nothing bet.
Things go from bad to worse for Karadec when he not only learns that the real Ernest is alive and well in Mexico City, but the evidence box has suddenly disappeared. He can only suspect that it was Morgan when he finds her sticky note, noting that she’ll be working from home. As outraged and stunned as he is, it is nothing compared to how he feels when he shows up to find Elliot Gillroy (Matthew Lamb) and Morgan going through the box.
Karadec’s unexpected arrival not only leads to a major development in the case but it is a godsend for Ava Gillroy (Amirah J) because Morgan had just learned that she was hosting a boy, Ryder (Hudson Macready), in her room. This, however, only prolongs the lecture until breakfast the following morning.
Morgan carries and projects on Karadec her fears about Ava dating as they run down the major development they uncovered the previous night. Karadec clearly wants nothing to do with it and is saved by Raissa The Tailor (Khamailei Angelil), who actually identifies their victim as Eduardo (Chad Guerrero). Another brief visit to a nearby parking lot will later not only provide Eduardo’s full name as Eduardo Cortez, but it’ll reveal that he is a rideshare driver with a blue-collar criminal background.
It doesn’t take Morgan and Karadec long to track Eduardo’s address to Regina (Michelle C. Bonilla) and Luna (Arya Dormiani). Nothing major is learned from the meeting other than the fact that Eduardo has been married to Regina for 10 years and supposedly spent a lot of time away from home due to his employment. Morgan doesn’t appreciate the harsh way Karadec breaks the truth to Regina. He’ll justify his action by claiming he needed to see her reaction to see if she may have been involved. Luna also briefly mentions a dictionary and a toy named Stanley that Eduardo gave her.
Later that evening, Morgan and Ludo Radovic (Taran Killam) get into an argument over him letting her have Ryder in her room. He’ll attempt to justify his decision as showing trust but this only leads to Morgan harshly pointing out that he isn’t her biological father. She instantly regrets the remark but now has to live with it.
Karadecc doesn’t appear to be in the best of moods when Morgan turns up late at the station the following morning. Soto takes some of the heat off when she informs the team that the official cause of death has been named as drowning, despite the alcohol in his system and the Xanax traces in the whiskey tumbler. Morgan will also note from the evidence photos that one of the window locks is unlatched. Most of the team immediately discounts this as a possible entrance and exit because of the room being located on the fourth floor. Soto makes Oz investigate it anyway and he learns that it is hotel procedure for the maids to lock every window after cleaning the room.
As big as the window discovery is it has to be put on the backburner when Daphne discovers that Eduardo has deposited over $200,000 worth of checks in the last year alone, all from someone named Glenda Walker (Audrey Wasilewski). This discovery leads the team to an assisted living facility where they briefly speak with a stunned Kyle Walker (Graham Rogers) and Glenda. Despite the Dementia prognosis, Glenda remembers Eduardo as Ernesto and claims the more was for her share of a home they were purchasing together as a couple.
Later that evening, Morgan receives another home visit that leads to another major break in the case. This visit is, however, from Soto with news about Roman’s mural citation. As it turns out, the mural was a Phoenix’s wing, but it is Soto’s offhanded remark about Morgan’s hidden cookie stash that leads to the development. The following morning, Morgan discovers that Eduardo has filled Luna’s dictionary with a bundle of cash. In addition, Stanley, the toy camera, reveals Eduardo’s connection to the Hotel’s Bartender.
Once the Bartender realizes Morgan and Karadec are onto him, a brief chase and fight ensues in the kitchen. Although this practically closes the case, Karadec is fuming that Morgan didn’t warn him about what they were running into. This argument is particularly bad and ends with Morgan quitting. The Bartender lawyers up after admitting to being in cahoots with Eduardo but claims he had nothing to do with the murder. Karadec shares the news of Morgan quitting at the same time he tells Soto about Eduardo lawyering up. Soto takes the news well and appears more than confident that Morgan will be back.
Elsewhere, Morgan apologizes to Ludo. Although he accepts the apology, he now appears to be more upset by the fact she quit. Once he leaves, a brief encounter with the baby will cause her to realize that the killer would have had to short nails to scale the hotel wall. She will share her discovery with the team and squash her beef with Karadec. This ultimately causes Karadec to realize that Kyle couldn’t have pulled off the murder alone.
Iris practically confesses to everything before stepping foot in the interrogation room but is adamant that it was Kyle who suggested and pulled off the murder. Kyle attempts a similar approach during his interrogation but Karadec points out that it really doesn’t matter because they are both complicit.
The episode ends with Morgan seeing Karadec in a different light after he lets Kyle video chat with his mother before being arrested.
High Potential Review
Wow, what a needlessly long, drawn-out episode! I felt as if I’d been run through the wringer twice by the time I reached the final few minutes. The story was extremely unoriginal but I felt like they did a decent job there. I was the arrival that destroyed it, and that is unfortunately becoming a common theme with this series. Maybe it’s because they are trying to be different but the constant switchbacks in the story are like taking the scenic route without the perk of the view. I’d have to give the episode a 5 out of 10.
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