- The police commissioner's wife tries to claim that her car was stolen to cover up for her drunken vehicular homicide, but Brenda sees right through her lies.
- Major Crimes investigates after a car belonging to Police Commissioner Jay Meyers kills 19 year-old college freshman Gracie Ann Gates in a hit and run accident. Detective Flynn witnessed the accident - with the car driving in the wrong lane - but the commissioner's wife Gail, driving while drunk, claims her car was stolen while she was at dinner with her daughter and some of her friends. Brenda suspects her from the outset, but Chief Pope wants her to go slow (until he learns of her near arrest the previous summer for drunk driving ). She could now be charged with murder rather than manslaughter - and that's exactly want Brenda wants to do to get her firmly off the streets.—garykmcd
- A hit-and-run accident leaves a 19-year-old student dead on the street. The matter would be pretty cut-and-dried and beneath Major Crimes' level of interest except for two factors: (1) Lt. Flynn eye-witnessed the whole thing, and (2) the drunk behind the wheel is the police commissioner's alcoholic wife. With a new lawsuit pending, Will advises Brenda to tread very, very, VERY careful in pursuit of this repeat offender hiding both behind a claim of car theft and in the shadow of her influential husband.—statmanjeff
- Lieutenant Flynn is travelling in his car talking to Provenza at the office when he witnesses a head on collision between a Mercedes sedan and a small motorbike. The female driver of the bike hits the car, her helmet comes off from the collision, she is catapulted over the vehicle, falling to the pavement. Lt. Flynn comes to her side telling Provenza to call an ambulance while Andy comforts the girl, telling her to stay, saying help is on the way, explaining she has been in an accident; she tells Flynn all she saw was headlights. The Mercedes was coming straight at her in the wrong lane when they collided. Flynn watches her blood run out onto the pavement, but she did tell him her name was Gracie Ann Gates before she passed. Now standing over the girl, the look in Flynn's eyes speaks shock and sorrow, simultaneously.
The Mercedes driver realized what she did as she weaves side streets, abandons the car, tosses her phone, leaves her purse in the unlocked vehicle. She returns to the restaurant where she was drinking, the bar manager gets her a drink and calls the police. She sits with her two girlfriends explaining she cannot find her car, it must have been stolen. The driver turns out to be Gail Meyers.
Flynn and Provenza go to the home of Police Commissioner Meyers to request Gail Meyers come downtown to possibly identify the person who could have stolen her car by looking at pictures of likely suspects. While in the murder room, she is introduced to the officers by Commander Taylor prior to having a sit-down with Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson. Brenda asks why she didn't cancel all her credit cards immediately, since identity theft is more common than car theft. She tells Brenda I never thought about it. She leaves the restaurant, found her car was gone and her purse was probably left in the car, but her story got turned around when she said she was in the restaurant again with her purse, contradicting herself. Brenda promises her they will do their best to locate her vehicle, in addition, Brenda tells Mrs. Meyers a fatal accident nearby occurred involving a Mercedes where your car went missing. Gail thanks her for helping, and after the elevator closes, Brenda turns to Pope saying what a liar.
Pope cautions Brenda from calling a commissioner's wife a liar. Brenda and Pope talk in his office about the look in Gail Meyers' eyes when told a nineteen-year-old girl was killed by a hit-and-run driver of a Mercedes like the one she was driving. Brenda says I'd come up with a better excuse than oh, someone stole my purse. Brenda tells Pope the officers who drove her home said Mrs. Meyers reeked of alcohol, but that fact was not in the report because she is the police commissioner's wife. Pope quotes facts to Brenda that the driver of the car was going in the opposite direction of Meyers' residence.
Brenda tells Flynn to check all accident reports of anyone missing a mirror off their new Mercedes. She gives Flynn a heads up to offer assistance with Gracie's parents flying in from Colorado to identify the body and provide the police with pictures of their daughter. Brenda also tells Flynn the parents would like to see the spot where their daughter was killed, providing he is all right mentally to conduct the task. He says he has already contacted his sponsor and is okay with showing Mr. and Mrs. Gates the sight. Brenda also requests Flynn to quietly look into Gail Meyers' record outside of California, since she had no record in the state. Flynn already checked California records; Meyers has no record.
Provenza calls in to Brenda, reporting Meyers' wallet and cell phone are found, the cell looks like she ran over it; Buzz announces Mrs. Meyers' daughter's best friend's step-mother is in interview room one. Gail's friend says she always valets her Mercedes, she was surprised Gail didn't valet hers. The friend tells Gabriel and Brenda their daughters had left the restaurant before them. She and Gail stayed, finishing off a bottle of wine; her friend tells of Gail being one of those hollow-leg drinkers, she can really put it away. Gabriel asks her how much time from when Gail left and came back. The friend says a cup of coffee's worth. Brenda informs the friend a nineteen-year-old girl was run over by a Mercedes, presumably the person who stole Gail's car. Provenza calls in again after finding the car, unlocked, with keys in the ignition, cash in the ash tray.
Brenda tells Pope this car was obviously staged, since there is no way it was stolen and left here, both staring at the car, while Provenza tries to fit in the driver's seat and he can't. Brenda easily slips in the seat, the rear-view mirror is already perfectly adjusted, she pushes the audio button and classical music plays. Provenza quips, playing Beethoven, as anyone knows, the favorite composer for nine out of ten car thieves.
Pope is on board with Brenda's thoughts and is convinced Gail Meyers lied, hit and killed the girl, but he tells Brenda there is no evidence Gail was behind that wheel, drunk, and hit Gracie Gates. He asks Brenda how are you going to prove that? Agent Howard responds, one day at a time. Brenda requests Fritz store the vehicle at the FBI lot for now, they don't want it in the LAPD impound lot.
Brenda is at home when Flynn calls with news that last summer Gail Meyers got a ticket at 2:15 AM outside a bar in Southampton, Long Island, NY. Lt. Flynn adds now it would be great if we knew someone who had connections to national law enforcement. Brenda tells Fritz about the ticket that was expunged, saying she would like it opened. Fritz offers his advice on how to handle a police commissioner's wife involvement. Brenda says Gail Meyers needs an intervention and I am going to give her one.
The Meyers are in Pope's office belaboring the fact that the car is insured, they do not need LAPD to continue their search and they really don't like questioning friends about Gail's drinking habits. Pope explains these procedures are necessary because we believe a young woman was run down and killed with your car. You say you don't remember how your purse went missing and determining that is a big part of making our case. The daughters posted pictures of the dinner at the restaurant as the Commissioner shows Pope. Gail Meyers implicates a possible busboy at their table, shown in a picture. Pope qualifies Gail's missing purse quandary one more time. You had your purse in the restaurant, it's in the picture, with keys and billfold in it, but you went out to your car looking for it. Jay Meyers interrupts and Pope cuts him off, wanting to hear Gail's explanation. You split the bill with your friends, your card was in your wallet, your wallet was in your purse, so why did you go out looking for it? Gail answers what does it matter? Pope says when we find this busboy, your explanation is going to make it very hard for a conviction. Both Meyers' exit Pope's office.
Brenda snaps, she was trying to pin this on the busboy? Pope admits he lost his temper, but Brenda says you'll feel better once you see this. Pope watches the Southampton police-car-cam-video and says he has seen enough; how did she get this expunged from her record?
Gracie's parents come to HQ bringing pictures of her requested for the trial. The parents remind Brenda they want to visit the spot where the accident occurred and where their daughter died. Andy takes them to the location where they can see and pay their respect. Flynn talks to the grieving parents near the scene of the accident where he shares their daughter's final words about being warned not to drive her motorcycle. While Lt. Flynn escorts the Gates' to another part of the accident, Lt. Tao pulls Brenda aside showing the text message sent by Kelly Meyers to her mother, having recovered the data from her phone. Kelly was alerting her mother of the sobriety stop on her way home. Brenda states that is why Gail drove in the opposite direction from her home, to avoid being stopped. Provenza adds the fact Gail could have run a red light heading away from home, leaving the restaurant. Gabriel calls in the request for a check on the light from West Hollywood Traffic Division.
We have her in the car thirty-seconds after the accident. Brenda shows Pope the traffic picture, and he retorts, perfect, but it is still manslaughter. We still can't prove she was over the limit without a concurrent blood or urine test. We have her for the hit and run, we have her for filing a false report of the car being stolen. Brenda states to Lt. Flynn, if we are going to make use of the parents, we're going to do it now.
Gail Meyers and her daughter are called to headquarters on the premise Major Crimes caught the busboy-driver. Gail and Kelly get off the elevator listening to Brenda share the busboy's excuse. Brenda says I going to have separate you two in order to iron out the details, if you don't mind. Lt. Flynn directs Kelly to go with Chief Johnson while he shows Gail Meyers to another room. Lt. Provenza escorts Kelly into a room where the victim's parents have brought photographs to share with the police for a court appearance. Lt. Provenza tells the Gates that Kelly is a potential witness to the accident. Brenda requests Provenza call her when Kelly has had enough.
Andy offers a candy bar to Mrs. Meyers, she says no thank you and he explains the sugar in the confectionery was always a substitute for the alcohol. When he first quit drinking, he said he practically lived on the things, the body getting used to the sugar in the booze. Gail Meyers asks when he quit drinking, with Andy responding he has been in A.A. fifteen years now. Andy shares his history, it got down to a choice between the badge and the bottle, and the badge didn't make him feel like crap in the morning. Gail tells him good for you and your higher power. If your body can't tolerate alcohol, you should give it up, glad you figured it out. A somber Andy comes back with I didn't figure anything out, I just quick drinking. I'll be back in a minute.
Mr. and Mrs. Gates explain to Kelly their daughter was near her age. They show Kelly a photo album of Gracie Ann Gates at a young age, on vacation, but Mr. Gates can't hold back his sorrow and begins to choke the tears while sifting through the many pictures they brought. Mr. and Mrs. Gates weep as they try to share the photos, while Kelly observes.
Provenza gets Kelly out from the crying Gates' and Brenda introduces her to Detective Sanchez, showing the accident photos to her in an interview room. Sanchez asserts the victim's helmet came off when your mom ran into her. Sanchez shows Kelly her mom running a red light with the time code on the picture taken by a traffic cam. Brenda shares the photo time is thirty seconds from when Gracie lost her life, and eight blocks from the bar. Sanchez reveals to Kelly the text message she sent her mom warning her of the sobriety check points. Gail Meyers headed in the opposite direction from her home to avoid the police patrols. Brenda points to a map where Gail drove East even though you live West and points to where the accident happened. Brenda responds to Kelly's tears by saying it is only natural to try to protect your mother. Kelly snaps back by stating she was not trying to protect her mother, I was trying to protect my Dad. One more DUI and it would really hurt his career. He is never home, he is always working, and I am the one who has to watch her. One time I found her in the garage just passed out in her own vomit. Sanchez adds your Mom could have died in the accident, too. Brenda states maybe next time she will.
Kelly is trying to hold back the tears as she answers Brenda's inquiry about how much her Mom had to drink the night of the accident. Mom had three glasses of vodka at home, like she normally does before we go anywhere. At the restaurant, where she had a lot to drink, she was really bombed. Kelly is crying, saying it is her fault the girl got killed. Brenda shares with Kelly, she is married to a recovering alcoholic. He is now the most decent, respectful man she has ever known. Agent Howard is shown in the electronics room, while the others in the room are hearing this for the first time. Brenda adds, addicts are great making the rest of us being responsible, blaming others for their mistakes, and he tells me all the time, that he is just one drink away from losing it all, and he needs help staying sober. Kelly responds, Mom is too proud to ask for help. Brenda tells Kelly, I promise you, I will get your Mom to stop drinking, if it is the last thing I do.
Seated with Chief Pope in his office is Brenda, with Flynn and Provenza standing to the side, while the interview of Kelly Meyers is played in front of her parents. Commissioner Meyers explains how difficult he feels the investigation has been for Chiefs Pope and Johnson. Gail tells Jay she wants a lawyer, Jay says you had better get one. The exchange between Commissioner Jay Meyers and Gail Meyers gets heated. Gail says she is not an alcoholic. Brenda says okay, but you are definitely a murderer; Flynn reads Gail Meyers her rights, eventually placing cuffs on her. Her husband exiting, says he will resign then get their daughter home.
Gail Meyers is shrieking, insisting she is not an alcoholic, it was an accident, stating I will get help if you really think I should, I will get help. Brenda comments, and who will help Gracie Ann Gates? Lt. Flynn cuffs her, he and Provenza follow Gail Meyers out of Pope's office. Pope offers his final thoughts to Brenda with the Commissioner saying he would resign rather than see this drag out on the six o'clock news.
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