TVSquad

(S05E02) How could a gruesome, blood-splattered murder scene in a Lincoln Town Car leave no trail of blood outside the vehicle? Why would a kidnapper ask for the unlikely sum of $1,190,476.19 as a ransom? Who was putting the zip in Provenza's step after his hound dog attitude about love last week? All that and more was covered in the episode, and after a rather worrisome venture into the random plot devices in the Season Premiere, The Closer was back on track with a nifty mystery.

In the midst of solving the crime, which alternated between being an abduction/kidnapping or a murder, Brenda was also caring for Kitty. If you've wondered if Brenda had a nurturing side, wonder no more. Brenda's ministering to her pussycat involved an IV drip and injections for kidney troubles. Brenda also enlisted Will as her helper in treating the pet. When it comes to Brenda, Pope still has a soft spot and she can get him to do just about anything -- and Brenda knows it, too.

There were also good bits throughout the episode for the team, especially Gabriel. There was definitely some residual tension between he and Brenda, perhaps over Daniels' exit. Gabriel had to step in for Daniels and take a shot at forensic accounting. He blew it with the protected access account, but he did decipher why the ransom was such a strange amount; it was 1/16th of the amount of damages litigants would receive if Alan Summers ever had to pay for his financial chicanery.

The coolest revelation, however, was reserved for Tao. His analysis of the blood splatter proved that the driver, Mario Gomez, had faked his death. He was also a fake illegal, a guy who had worked for Summers and blamed the man for the death of his wife from pancreatic cancer (when their health insurance was canceled). Gomez was really Vargas and he had abducted Summers to exact revenge more than collect the million bucks.

When Plan A to capture Vargas was thwarted by his coming home too soon, Brenda called for Plan B. It was funny that she had a Plan B ready, but employing it meant getting Vargas to drive directly into a car crash. Fortunately for the L.A.P.D., Vargas wasn't hurt in the accident. (It might have been difficult to explain that one to Pope.)

Brenda switched into closer mode and learned why Vargas did what he did to Summers. But she also made him see that his actions had turned Summers into a victim. Vargas said that Summers was in a hell of his own making, leading Brenda to realize he was telling her to go to the failed Summers housing development. That's where Summers murdered body was found. This was an episode with no happy ending.

Other points of interest

-- Provenza was all frisky, wearing a new tie, and Flynn guessed that he's seeing someone new.

-- I liked Mendoza. Gabriel seemed to take a shine to her, too. Hopefully, she'll be around for more episodes.

-- Did you pick up on how Fritz bristled when he saw Brenda and Will alone in her office? Those old jealousies die-hard.