After gunshots, a bleeding man walks out of Rock Creek Park, surprising a park ranger. His fingerprints identify the man as Marine Lt. John Mayne, reported MIA in Afghanistan six years earlier. While Mayne is in surgery, two women arrive claiming to be his wife. The second woman identifies Mayne as Christian Wells, millionaire day trader.This episode was full of mysteries to unravel and guest characters flawed enough to be tangled in those mysteries one way or another. NCIS questioned the two men with Mayne on his last mission, who gave uncannily similar descriptions of what happened to Mayne, that he was assumed captured after breaking his leg. Mayne himself died shortly after surgery, before answering NCIS’s questions about where he went after Afghanistan.
Looking into Mayne’s other life, NCIS wondered where he got his money, since–as Mayne–he’d been broke. Private investigator Peter Iger was also investigating Mayne-as-Wells and, when questioned, Iger revealed he’d been hired by one of the men on Mayne’s last mission. That man was presently having an affair with Mayne’s first wife.
Meanwhile, Ducky discovered Mayne’s leg was not broken as previously believed. When confronted with this information, the third man on the mission with Mayne admitted that the three of them found five oil drums full of U.S. currency belonging to an Afghan drug lord. They all wanted to steal it, but while two of them searched for a vehicle, Mayne disappeared with the money. The two others decided to report Mayne missing instead of admitting their roles in the robbery.
Looking back, clues to Mayne’s killer were planted throughout. I wasn’t surprised to learn who it was, but again, the degree to which the characters were tied together is what impressed me most about this episode.
Finally, there was a touching subplot with Ducky acting a bit out of character, wearing neckties instead of his usual bowties. He requested some time off, and Abby followed him while he visited his mother’s cemetary plot. Nina Foch, who previously played Ducky’s mother, died in 2008. Though NCIS took two years to deal with it, I thought this was a fitting send-off for her character and a treat for fans who remember her appearances on the show.
I’ve noticed that at least three episodes of NCIS I’ve seen this week(including this one) involve a crime/death at Rock Creek Park. I wonder if this show has hurt tourism to Rock Creek Park in DC.
He has been the soul of patience with his mother, who was quite a handful before her last year of decline. She lived a long full life, as Ducky said, and now after decades of looking after her needs he can make a life for himself. Go for it, Ducky!
I liked the ep, though it’s not the first time we’ve had multiple spouses/finacees (three the last time around) but it worked.