When a severed hand is found on a road within feet of the Nevada state line the CBI are called in; as it is on the Californian side it is their case. It turns out the hand, which was severed post mortem, belonged to the manager of a hotel/casino near the border. When they get to the casino Jane borrows $100 off Lisbon, promising to pay her back $300. The others are sceptical but by the time the casino tell him it is time for him to stop because he is card counting he is several thousand up and buys the team expensive gifts. During his gambling he spots that the croupier has been defrauding the casino; it soon emerges that the manager had fired her the night he died but hadn't got round to telling others so she clearly had a motive. She isn't the only one though; the casinos head of security was involved with his wife, a high roller had slept with his daughter and his son in law had a gambling problem.
This was a fun episode; largely because it was so enjoyable watching Jane beat the casino then using some 'unconventional' methods (i.e. cheating) to ultimately expose the killer. There are a good number of suspects to keep the viewer guessing even if the final identity of the killer isn't a huge surprise. There is also a sly dig at the gaming industry as Jane is told he must stop playing because he can count the cards not cheating but shifting the odds against the casino. We also get a nice insight into the team as the girls return their expensive gifts while the boys keep theirs we also see Jane's quiet generosity with his winnings; perhaps atonement for his fraudulent past. Overall another really good character led episode.
This was a fun episode; largely because it was so enjoyable watching Jane beat the casino then using some 'unconventional' methods (i.e. cheating) to ultimately expose the killer. There are a good number of suspects to keep the viewer guessing even if the final identity of the killer isn't a huge surprise. There is also a sly dig at the gaming industry as Jane is told he must stop playing because he can count the cards not cheating but shifting the odds against the casino. We also get a nice insight into the team as the girls return their expensive gifts while the boys keep theirs we also see Jane's quiet generosity with his winnings; perhaps atonement for his fraudulent past. Overall another really good character led episode.