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NCIS recap: A murder mystery turns deadly

By Alexandria Ingham

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Photo Credit: NCIS/CBS, Patrick Wymore Image Acquired from CBS Press Express

When a murder mystery turns more deadly than planned, NCIS is called out to solve the case. Only the sailor isn’t the only one involved.

It’s a case of a deadly murder mystery tonight. NCIS is called out to a case of a stabbed sailor, Ethan, but it’s difficult to get information that actually links to the case. The screams were mostly party of the murder mystery night and the guests were wearing masks.

Speaking of masks, Torres shares how the idea of pretending to be someone you’re not is creepy. It’s ironic considering his love for undercover missions and that irony isn’t lost on Bishop and McGee. Of course, Torres tries to explain the differences between undercover operations and masquerade balls.

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Ethan wakes in the hospital to tell NCIS that his wife has been taken and the team find out she’s been taken to a shop in the middle of the sea in the middle of Hurricane Molly. As for the wife, it turns out she comes from money and her mom (who doesn’t like Ethan) is willing to pay any ransom that’s suggested to get her daughter back safe.

Abby worries about the coming zombie apocalypse

Meanwhile, Abby has a major worry. Everyone is ready for Hurricane Molly but nobody is ready for the zombie apocalypse. Oh, I’m going to miss her when she leaves, but savoring every moment of her awesome geeky nature. Abby isn’t taking any risks and makes sure her friends have zombie kits in their go-bags, just in case. And yes, the kits are packed in mini coffins and include old-school beepers.

Elsewhere at NCIS, Palmer is panicking about his first day on the job without Ducky around. He even goes as far as wearing one of Ducky’s bowties. Abby managed to convince him to take it off and then shares the information she has about a potential killer—and the weapon. A social media video shows a hooded figure following the Navy couple, holding a knife that is the size of the blade used in Ethan’s attack.

When lights at NCIS go out because of the storm, all non-essential personnel are sent home. With Bishop and Torres off to Helen’s ship, Gibbs and McGee stay behind to follow-up on a lead. Before her disappearance, Helen made calls to Mich Grayson. It’s not much of a lead, as Mich shares that he worked with Helen because she handled the ship’s bank accounts and he was just the financial liaison. Helen never showed to pick up some checks that morning, but he didn’t think much of it.

The answer to why is soon shared. Helen’s car is found abandoned with her body inside the truck. She was killed by blunt force trauma to the head.

Bishop has to face the past

NCIS Season 14 finally introduced us to Bishop’s brothers. This season we get to learn a little more about her time at high school. It wasn’t great and she has to relive her high school nickname “Scarecrow,” when she finds out one of the guys that taunted her is the captain of the ship.

Why “Scarecrow,” Torres wants to know. Tommy explains that Bishop used to wear baggy, patchy overalls and had straw-like blonde hair. It was an easy nickname. But Bishop is angry that he was the worst of the teasers and only gave up because her brothers broke two of his fingers. She just wants to forget it all.

Meet Special Agent Jack Sloan

At the very start, Gibbs lets in a woman whose car broke down. After getting a call, he lets her stick around until the tow truck arrives, leaving her with his house keys. She’s shocked, but not as much as he is when she turns up at NCIS. She’s Special Agent Jack Sloan (Maria Bello) and she’s the new forensic psychologist here for a favor for Vance. There’s certainly history between them and it may have something to do with those scars on her back.

While Gibbs doesn’t like Jack at all, she is useful to have on side. When Palmer shares that there is some red nylon fibers under Helen’s nails, Jack realizes that murder may not have been the first instinct. This was someone who wanted to kidnap Helen, but then later panicked. There is, of course, one suspect NCIS turn to.

Solving the murder mystery

It’s finally time to unwrap the case. The first suspect has to be the husband. After all, Helen had divorce papers drawn up and Ethan signed himself out of the hospital so has no alibi. That is until Ethan shares that they were getting back together and there’s a jilted lover out there. While he doesn’t know who, he suspects Tommy.

Tommy didn’t know Helen was dead, though. The only thing he did was offer some advice to Helen, after going through his own divorce a year earlier. He’s hurt that Bishop would think him capable of murder and apologizes for whatever he did in high school.

While Tommy may not be the murderer, the murderer is onboard the ship. Abby manages to get the fingerprints of Joe Smitty from Helen’s car key. The problem is there’s no way of letting Bishop and Torres know since the sat phones are out due to the storm. There is a potential line though: the old-school beepers Abby gave them, of course! Luckily Torres has his beeper on.

Bishop realizes that Smitty likely wanted access to the safe and having a skeleton crew onboard would be the perfect timing. Bishop and Torres catch him red-handed, but he didn’t murder anyone. He was just the thief in the operation, and there was a friend on the other side holding her.

It all rolls back to Mich, who was the friend on the outside. Smitty is more than happy to confess to all.

In the end, Bishop is able to put the past behind her and Jack continues her stalking of Gibbs. Jack realizes that Gibbs knew who she was the night at the house and Gibbs decided not to say anything until he could check the type of person she was.

Next: NCIS S15E3 recap: The Supernatural crossover you never knew you wanted

NCIS Season 15 continues on Tuesdays at 8/7c on CBS.

Did you see the outcome? Are you happy Abby’s beepers became the most useful piece of tech that night? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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