Episode 4 of The Lincoln Lawyer kicks off with Detective Griggs making a surprise appearance at Jerry's office, having conducted a swift sweep to confirm that the mysterious presence outside had vanished. It soon transpires that this entire scenario was a calculated move by Griggs, a ploy to gauge Mickey's authenticity. Now assured that Mickey is not Jerry's murderer, Griggs is poised to reveal his findings.
In reality, the police haven't uncovered much, but Griggs confirms that Jerry had been in contact with someone from the FBI a week before his demise. Armed with this information, Griggs intends to leverage Mickey as a decoy to flush out the real killer, painting a picture of Mickey knowing more than he's letting on. This way, Griggs can swoop in and apprehend the culprit should they make an appearance.
With a surveillance unit tailing their vehicle, Mickey arrives at Eli Wyms' bedside, feeling uneasy about being used as bait. Understandably, Eli is wary of this new lawyer, given Jerry's fate. Refusing to divulge any information until he's discharged from the hospital, Mickey encounters a dead end.
On his return, Bruce Carlin calls Mickey, having witnessed his confident press conference. He possesses information pertinent to Jerry and Elliott's case and desires a private meeting, sans police escort. As Mickey arrives at the designated location, Carlin calls, claiming that he's not alone and "they" were already there. The identity of "they" remains enigmatic, but it seems someone had arrived earlier. Aware that his car is bugged, Mickey decides to leave it as is and capitalize on this unexpected twist.
Back in the office, Lorna appears to have stumbled upon something significant. While perusing delinquent records, she comes across a name: Wayne Banks. Primarily incriminated for drug-related offenses, Carlin's report indicates that Banks died of an overdose. However, while each client has a death certificate, there's no such document for Wayne Banks, hinting that this individual might be a John Doe and Wayne Banks is, in fact, still alive.
Cisco cleverly impersonated a bank official and diligently traced the last transaction on Wayne's debit card, uncovering El Adobe Market in Riverside as the culprit. It soon transpired that Bruce Carlin had been using Wayne's card as a decoy, and Cisco promptly set out to trail him.
Mickey returned to Eli with a ray of hope. He had succeeded in having most of the charges dismissed, save for the sole accusation of reckless firearm discharge. This meant a three-year sentence, reduced to one year for exemplary behavior. Eli grudgingly accepted the terms.
Mickey then broached the possible connection between him and Elliott Trevor's case. Eli was astonished, professing that he had never laid eyes on Lara, as he recounted the fateful night. After being evicted by his wife, he sought solitude on a hilltop, where he indulged in target shooting cans and beer. The moment he saw the approaching lights, he lost consciousness.
Concurrently, another case unfolded involving Maggie. She was entangled in a human trafficking investigation with Angela Soto. When Soto slipped away from his charges, Maggie's star witness was fatally shot. A mere coincidence? Farfetched indeed. Regardless, Maggie was left feeling guilt-ridden, knowing that she had coerced him into testifying.
The police intercepted Bruce Carlin, sparking a chain of dramatic events. With his identity now compromised, he boldly stepped in front of a vehicle, allowing himself to be struck, instantly ending his life.
