This week’s episode picks up right where we left off. Linden is standing at the precipice of a lake, filled with bodies. Moments later, we hear sirens and screeching tires. Linden called the police to report the crime scene, and Holder is not too happy that she didn’t reach out to him first. She gives him a look like, “hello, I’ve just discovered a mass grave, cut me some slack.”
Det. Skinner briefs the force on the scene. It turns out there are seventeen bodies, all young women, most likely prostitutes and runaways. All have been nearly or completely decapitated. Linden, wearing her most uncomfortable wool sweater, sneaks in to the briefing. I have a theory that Linden’s sweaters are self- punishment/flagellation thing. This one looked like it was literally consuming her. Anyway, Linden wants back on the force (more self-punishment?). She sits down with Skinner who asks her if she thinks it would be weird. Turns out she and Skinner used to sleep together. That explains the chilly reception she got from Skinner’s wife. He hands her a box with a badge and just like that, she’s back.
Meanwhile, on death row, we get a shower scene we never asked for. Seward’s floor mate is yammering on and on, and Seward takes the opportunity to transfer a razor blade from a bar of soap, into his mouth. That dude is hardcore.
Lyric is giving a blowjob to the local taxi driver today for McMuffin. She’s obviously starving, and it’s all terribly sad. He tells her that her hands are cold, and that she should pick up some mittens. He also warns her about the bodies they recently found and to keep safe. His concern would be sweet if he wasn’t bartering blowies for breakfast sandwiches. Instead, he’s just an asshole. Lyric brings the hash browns back to Twitch, who’s lying in bed. She’s scared, and asks him to take her with him when he heads to LA. He says nothing.
Reddick is shooting off at the mouth again about Linden and Holder is losing his patience. They interrupt a john and a working girl, and Holder asks if she’s seen Kallie. She hasn’t. Linden goes to Kallie’s mother’s trailer to ask questions about her missing daughter. Her mom seems unconcerned per usual, so now both detectives end up empty handed.
We finally catch up with Bullet, who is bruised, bloodied and traumatized from her run in and rape by Goldie. She locks herself in a bathroom and cries a bit, then steels herself as if putting back up those walls are the only way to stop from crumbling completely.
Holder finds Bullet, and he tells he he’s looking for Kallie as well. Bullet says she doesn’t talk to cops but he assures her she’s safe and no one will know. She tells him about Goldie’s place, and the screaming girl. She leaves out what happened to her. Holder and Reddick raid Goldie’s place and find child pornography.They take him down to the station but he lawyers up before they can get much out of him before he lawyers up. Holder and Reddick tail him because Skinner things he might be the doer at the lake. Detectives start going through his porn to try to connect any of it to the dead girls.
Lyric is back on the streets, and chatting with new character, Rayna, a trans street kid. Linden approaches them looking for Bullet and Rayna offers info for a pack of cigarettes. She tells Linden that some cop picked her up, and based on the pedo-moustache description, Linden figures out it was Holder.
Linden decides to find Adrien, Seward’s son, and ask him about the most recent picture, the one that led to all the bodies. She finds him and he asks to see his father. She tells him she’ll see what she can do.
While Holder and Reddick continue their watch on Goldie, Bullet confronts Holder and tells him now everyone thinks she’s a snitch, and he promised Goldie would get locked up. He senses something isn’t right, and asks if Goldie had done something to her, but she doesn’t answer.
At the Medical Examiner’s office, they are doing their best to identify the bodies from the lake. The head examiner tells Linden that they know the bodies have been there for 3-5 years, no longer. She asks if there is anyway to tell if the Seward women had the same wounds as the seventeen. He tells her he can’t know for sure, but its possible. Also, all have at least a broken or missing finger.
Seward starts taunting CO Becker, fingering the razor blade in his hand. Becker confronts Seward, stepping dangerously close to his cell. He is called away before Seward can strike.
Lyric runs into Bullet, who offers her some of the money her father just sent her. Lyric noticed the bruises on Bullets head and they share a tender moment before Twitch and Rayna interrupt the lovefest. Twitch wants to see where the bodies were found, and because no one wants to be “chicken,” they all head to the lake. Once they get there, the reality of the horror sets in. Lyric reaches for Bullet’s hand.
Seward begins convulsing on his cell floor, and passes out. When the COs find him, he’s a bloody mess.
So far three girls have been identified out of the seventeen. More pressing however is that Kallie is on one of Goldie’s tapes. It appears Bullet’s intuition was right.
