Episode Title: “Internal Audit”
Writer: Bob Goodman
Director: Jerry Levine
Empathy, compassion and selflessness aren’t exactly what make Sherlock (Jonny Lee Miller) a great detective but those qualities could make him an excellent sponsor. And after his actions in an investigation put Detective Bell (Jon Michael Hill) on indefinite desk duty, helping someone in need might be just what Sherlock needs.
Though he’s certain he made the right choices, Sherlock can’t shake the guilty feelings he’s having over Bell’s situation. Detective Bell has never been a fan of the eccentric police consultant and now that he’s lost the use of his right hand, thanks in part to Sherlock, the last person he wants to see is the one who may have cost him his career.
But as the saying goes, when one door closes, another opens. Metaphorically speaking, it’s the door to the high-end sports car Sherlock is practicing breaking into at his sponsor, Alfredo’s (Ato Essandoh) place. After a failed attempt to breach the car’s alarm system, Sherlock is successful the second time around. But more importantly, he agrees to sponsor Alfredo’s friend, Randy, after initially refusing. As Alfredo points out, not only will Sherlock be helping Randy stay sober, but he’ll also be doing some good to offset the guilt he’s feeling over Bell’s situation.
The idea of doing some good to negate the bad also relates to the case of the week. Crooked hedge fund manager, Donald Howser tried to earn some good karma by working with a Holocaust reparations charity. But when he found out the head of the organization was embezzling money that should have gone to the victims’ families, he decided to go public, right before taking his own life.
Though many people probably wanted Howser dead, it’s greed not revenge that leads to his demise as charity head, Jacob Weiss has both Howser and the reporter he was talking to killed. But the man who did the dirty work on behalf of Howser has a connection to Watson (Lucy Liu) that puts her in a tough spot as it turns out Howser’s partner and hired gun, Nelson Maddox is the ex-boyfriend of Chloe Butler, one of Watson’s former clients.
Watson recognizes Chloe, now working as Howser’s personal chef, when she sees her at the crime scene. Careful to maintain confidentiality, Watson meets with Chloe privately and the two discuss her connection to Howser. When Watson recognizes Maddox on a cellphone video shot in a park near the dead reporter’s apartment, she tells Chloe. But Chloe is concerned that telling the police about her past could jeopardize her current custody battle over her son. And though it stifles the investigation, Watson honors her confidentiality agreement with her former client, against Sherlock’s wishes.
Without revealing Chloe’s relationship to Maddox, Sherlock and Watson are forced to find another way to connect the killer to Howser and the reporter’s murders. After Captain Gregson (Aidan Quinn) hands the video over to the press, a tip comes in linking Maddox to Weiss, who claims Maddox donated paintings from a gallery he is part of owner for a charity auction. Outside the gallery, Sherlock finds Maddox’ dead body in a dumpster and proof in the gallery’s books Weiss never gave any money to the families of Holocaust victims.
The case not only tests the consulting detectives’ wits but also their ethics. Watson reminds Sherlock of the danger in making decisions that move a case forward but could put others in jeopardy, like Detective Bell and in this case, Chloe Butler. Sherlock appears to have learned his lesson and is ready to teach a few of his own to his new sponsee, Randy. As for Bell, he may have some lessons of his own to learn about forgiveness and loyalty, as he’s offered a spot in the demographics unit. Though it sounds like the gig involves working the anti-terrorism beat, don’t be surprised if that somehow circles back to his old friends, Sherlock and Watson.
