Episode 3 of The Lincoln Lawyer kicks off with Mickey emphasizing that success hinges on momentum, and his current trajectory is favorable. However, with cases piling up, one name has slipped through the cracks - Eli Wyms. It's possible the crucial file was in Jerry's briefcase on the night of his murder.
Outside the courthouse, the detective arrives with a vital clue. CCTV footage reveals a mysterious moustached man exiting Jerry's building. Although they don't have a name yet, this is a solid lead to pursue. Adding to the intrigue, Cisco discovers footage outside the casino where Jerry receives papers from an unknown individual. Clearly, he wasn't gambling, and there might be a connection to his disappearance. Moreover, the investigator on the case, Bruce Carlin, has vanished. He might know something crucial, but he's gone into hiding to save himself.
Shifting focus to Eli, it transpires he's an Iraq War veteran, a sniper. That fateful night, he seemed to have lost it. Police responded to gunshots at his home, but as the deputy radioed in, chaos erupted. After a three-hour standoff and 90 rounds fired, Eli was arrested.
At Jerry's wake, as everyone gathered, they toasted the fallen prosecutor. Mickey wisely abstained from alcohol, given they were in a bar. He was approached by Lankford, a fellow prosecutor, who taunted him about "his boy" Jesus Menendez. Based on his cryptic words to Maggie, it seems another murder case is looming, but the identity of the victim remains unclear.
Mickey revisited the case with Trevor, scrutinizing the details. Trevor had gun residue on his clothes and hands, yet he claimed he'd never fired a gun. Further, he took nearly five minutes to call 911, which didn't help his case. Trevor admitted to a heated argument with Lara the night before her death. He wanted to surprise her and found her face down on the bed, a gunshot in her back. Her yoga instructor was also dead on the other side of the room. The cameras were off, but Mickey knew of Lara's affair, so he didn't mention the cameras. Elliot wanted to fight for his wife that day, but Mickey scolded him for lying and warned him to get his story straight before Golantz shredded him in court.
Meanwhile, Cisco and Lorna continue hunting for clues. One potential lead comes from Neema Shavar, a client of the yoga instructor. Her husband runs a private security firm that could be involved.
As Mickey delves deeper into the details surrounding Eli Wyms and Trevor Elliot, he realizes Eli's arrest, occurring on the same day as the murders, is somehow intertwined with Elliot's wife's death. But how? Before he can uncover the truth, Mickey is tailed, forcing him to rush into his office and confront this unknown assailant.
