This episode features Jordana Brewster as a guest star, playing Chloe. It begins with Chloe and Nathan Jordan (played by Larry Pine) dining at a luxurious restaurant in Manhattan on Billionaires Row. Nathan is in high spirits, proclaiming his love for Chloe. As they enjoy their meal, Chloe discreetly slips a capsule into Nathan’s drink. After finishing his drink, Nathan appears a little wobbly, and they leave together. Chloe later disposes of one of two Tomahawk Steak orders in the trash and prepares Nathan for bed, ensuring he falls asleep. She takes care of some of his medication, stores it in the fridge, and discards the second steak in the trash chute. Unknowingly, she leaves the balcony doors open, which wakes Deborah Jordan (Victoria Clark) and Jason Yamamoto (Phil Nee) in the adjacent bedroom. When Deborah goes to check on Nathan, she discovers he has died.
At the police station, CPT Wagner and CPT Kershaw discuss the reopening of the Mertens case. CPT Kershaw suggests Detective Rivers shadow their team, and Wagner agrees. Meanwhile, Officer Blanke and Elsbeth arrive at Nathan’s apartment, where they encounter Detective Rivers. They search the apartment and find some suspicious details, including Nathan’s pajamas having mismatched buttons, which leads to questions about the people involved in his death. Deborah, Nathan’s wife, explains that she had Nathan declared medically incompetent due to his condition. When a bottle of pentobarbital is found in the kitchen, Deborah claims not to recognize it, prompting Detective Rivers to arrest her. Elsbeth disagrees with the arrest, sensing a lack of evidence.
Later, Elsbeth and Officer Blanke dig into Nathan’s financial records and uncover payments to a consultant named “C,” leading them to investigate the Above the Sky restaurant, where Chloe is known to dine. They discover Chloe's connections to wealthy men and her role as a high-class escort. Elsbeth then visits Chloe’s office, where she is taken aback by Chloe’s beauty and mysterious demeanor. Chloe reveals she helps clients improve their lives but avoids giving specifics. Elsbeth starts to suspect that Chloe had a deeper involvement in Nathan’s death.
The investigation leads to more discoveries, such as Chloe’s connection to Nathan, and the reveal that Deborah had tried to stop Nathan’s reckless spending habits. Meanwhile, Elsbeth gets more information about a rare Cezanne painting that Nathan had purchased before his death. It’s later revealed that Chloe had a background in art history, which could explain her connection to Nathan's art collection.
Rivers, in his pursuit of Deborah, antagonizes Dr. Yamamoto, who eventually admits to his affair with Chloe. However, Yamamoto denies any involvement in Nathan’s death. Elsbeth uncovers the truth: Nathan and Chloe had planned his death and framed Deborah and Dr. Yamamoto to cover it up. The small inconsistencies, like the buttoned pajamas and the upside-down pill cap, ultimately expose Chloe's role in the plot. Chloe’s motive was not malicious, but rather driven by kindness, as she had a deep emotional connection to Nathan. DNA evidence confirms this, and Chloe asks Elsbeth to donate the Cezanne painting to a museum in Nathan's honor.
In the aftermath, Deborah faces legal challenges as the lawsuit against her progresses. Rivers, upset over being outmaneuvered by Elsbeth, is reprimanded and sent for mandatory counseling. Elsbeth and Officer Blanke also discuss their roles in the case, with Elsbeth recognizing the importance of her distinctive approach to solving complex cases.
The episode wraps up with Officer Blanke receiving a heart emoji from Cameron and a conversation with Rivers, who continues to express bitterness. As the team moves forward, the tone is set for further developments in both their personal and professional lives. This episode once again highlights Elsbeth’s signature investigative style, paired with her ever-present bags, which remain a stylish trademark throughout.
This was a good episode. Elsbeth’s trademark bags were ever present.
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I'm confused. Why would Chloe have to sneak the drug into Nathan's drink if this was his plan? I mean, I understand that we needed to see that, because we were supposed to think she was murdering Nathan, but since she wasn't murdering him, it doesn't make sense to me.