Episode 3 of Season 2 of "Will Trent" kicks off with an intriguing scene: a woman meticulously touches up her makeup before stepping out of her car, destined to meet someone in an eerie, abandoned building. She cautiously ascends the stairs, her voice tinged with curiosity as she inquires about the unusual choice of venue. Reaching for a door handle, she's about to turn it when, unexpectedly, a shadowy figure slips up behind her and swiftly drapes a bag over her head.
Elsewhere, Angie triumphantly passes her physical test, paving the way for her triumphant return to active duty. Trent arrives at the training center to offer his congratulations and lend a supportive ear. He senses her lingering pain and yearns to assist her. Angie, perceptive as always, senses that Trent is distracted and broaches the subject of his work avoidance. She gently urges him to confront the traumas of the explosion and Cricket’s demise, volunteering to be his confidant. However, their conversation is abruptly interrupted by a call for Trent. Angie, ever thoughtful, offers to take Betty to Trent’s house while he rushes to the crime scene.
At the crime scene, Trent crosses paths with Amanda, who expresses her frustration over Faith’s unreliability. They are then escorted by a detective to the abandoned building, where expectations clash with reality. Instead of finding the woman from the opening scene, they stumble upon the lifeless body of a man—presumably her attacker. Notably, Faith is already present, hinting at her unexpected early arrival.
Upon scrutinizing the victim, Trent notices peculiarities: the blood does not match the deceased, and the extent of his wounds suggests he did not bleed out rapidly. Following the trail of blood, Trent uncovers a second male body, riddled with gunshot wounds. Nearby, a purse reveals the woman’s pregnancy, sparking a hypothesis: she was the intended target, interrupted by a Good Samaritan who paid the ultimate price for his bravery. The woman, in a desperate bid for survival, utilized a loose door knob to impale her assailant, but despite her efforts to aid the second victim, he succumbed to his injuries before they could escape.
Now, the pressing questions linger: where is this pregnant woman? Is she safe, or is she still in peril? And why, despite her ordeal, did she not seek refuge with the authorities?
As Trent delved deeper into his sleuthing within the confines of the building, Amanda was summoned outdoors to confer with Councilman Victor Carrey. The councilman, visibly agitated, expressed concerns that the murder investigation could potentially halt his ambitious redevelopment schemes for the city. He was eager for the matter to be resolved swiftly and discreetly.
Subsequently, Trent, Amanda, and Faith returned to the GBI, where they triumphantly identified every victim and perpetrator tied to their respective cases. Among them was Isabella, a 22-year-old woman and an active member of the New Beginnings Community of Faith. The second victim proved to be Conrad, an associate youth pastor at the very church Isabella attended. Their investigative interviews revealed a startling detail: no one was aware of the identity of Isabella's child's father. Trent speculated that Isabella had been deliberately enticed to the building with the intent to eliminate her, making the enigmatic father a prime suspect.
They summoned Conrad's parents and Reggie, the head pastor of the New Beginnings Community of Faith, for questioning. Trent harbored suspicions towards the pastor, his skepticism towards religion coloring his judgment. However, Reggie insisted on his innocence, portraying everyone in his congregation in a similarly virtuous light. Regrettably, Reggie proved unhelpful in identifying the baby's father; he claimed ignorance on the matter as well.
Trent ventured into the church, resuming his interviews with the congregation, inquiries about Isabella's whereabouts filling the air. Seeking respite, Trent embarked on a brief lesson to learn Spanish, only to find his thoughts hijacked by haunting memories of Cricket. Observing his distraction, Reggie engaged Trent in a poignant conversation about how trauma molds our identities and the path to healing from its depths.
Reggie reveals that he and Trent harnessed their shared past traumas and feelings of worthlessness to forge a path of significance. He posits that trauma acts as a catalyst, compelling individuals to redirect their focus onto bettering the world for others as a coping mechanism to divert attention from their own pain. This insightful observation strikes a poignant and raw chord.
Elsewhere, Faith embarks on a search of Isabella's abode but comes up empty-handed, finding no incriminating evidence. However, she stumbles upon the intriguing detail that Isabella had once worked for Councilman Victor Carrey's campaign the preceding summer. When confronted, Carrey, his wife, and his assistant assert that they have lost touch with Isabella but express their heartfelt prayers for her well-being. The trio cooperates fully with the investigation, yet Carrey's demeanor hints at shock and underlying apprehension.
While Faith delves deeper into Councilman Carrey's background, Trent directs his attention towards Reggie and unearths a bombshell secret. Reggie, it transpires, is not his birth name; his true identity is Leonard Parker, a fugitive wanted in Philadelphia for his involvement in a brutal robbery that resulted in the death of an innocent bystander. Reggie has been evading justice for two decades.
Trent confronts Reggie with this damning information, demanding an explanation for his fingerprints being found on the knife recovered from the crime scene. Reggie clarifies that Conrad had taken the knife for self-defense and ultimately confesses his knowledge of Isabella's whereabouts. He is shielding her, as she is consumed by terror.
According to Isabella, she ventured to the building to meet her baby's father but narrowly escaped with her life. She hesitates to come forward, fearing disbelief from the authorities and the potential risk of her baby's father gaining custody. Faith persuades Reggie to divulge Isabella's location, but by the time they arrive, she has vanished. It seems someone beat them to it.
They issued an urgent alert for Isabella and swiftly initiated an investigation to uncover anyone else privy to the location of the safe house, ultimately tracing their findings back to the councilman. As they approached Carrey's residence, the sound of gunshots echoed through the air, sending a chill down their spines. Moments later, they encountered Carrey, dashing out of his house in a desperate plea for assistance. Before he could utter more than a fragment of his plight, his wife coldly executed him with a bullet to the head.
Faith sprang into action, confronting Carrey's wife, while Trent, moved with compassion beyond tears, attended to Isabella, who was in the throes of labor. With gentle hands and a broken heart, he assisted her in bringing a new life into the world amidst such chaos. Meanwhile, across the house, Faith apprehended Carrey's wife, who confessed her erratic actions stemmed from her husband's betrayal and his impregnation of Isabella. She claimed that his infidelity had dashed her dreams of seeing him become a governor, a position she had tirelessly worked to secure for him.
Elsewhere, Angie and Ormewood resumed their partnership with renewed vigor. Ormewood and his fellow officers organized a heartwarming, albeit modest, celebration to welcome Angie back into the fold. However, the Chief swiftly redirected their focus to a pressing case.
The case centered around Ted, who had succumbed to a cardiac arrest while indulging in a sauna session. The coroner's examination revealed alarmingly high levels of buprenorphine, a potent pain medication capable of halting the heart in case of overdose. The coroner was convinced that Ted had been poisoned at Rubi Dreams Wellness Centre.
Just as they prepared to depart, Ormewood, in denial about the crumbling state of his marriage, nearly landed a punch on the coroner's face when the latter offered him a divorce lawyer's card. Ormewood clung to the belief that if he put in the effort—be it around the house or with their children—everything would somehow work out.
Their investigation began with an interview with Ted's brother, Denny, who painted a picture of a self-absorbed individual and expressed uncertainty about who might harbor resentment towards him. Subsequently, Ormewood and Angie visited Rubi Dreams Wellness Centre, where they encountered Wolfgang, supposedly Ted's former business partner. Their partnership had soured when Ted abruptly withdrew his investment from the sauna franchise they had jointly envisioned.
Wolfgang embodies a serene demeanor amidst the entire saga, insisting that Ted's demise was not a consequence of their dispute. He readily concurs to undergoing an oil analysis by the authorities, intent on proving his innocence from any poisoning. During the investigation, law enforcement discovers a melted plastic stone in the sauna, suspecting Wolfgang of attempting to obliterate incriminating evidence. Consequently, they escort him to the precinct for an intensive interrogation.
Rather than addressing their inquiries, Wolfgang finds himself compelled to alleviate Angie's sorrow. He steadfastly denies harboring resentment towards Ted, elucidating that he comprehended Ted's withdrawal due to his father's terminal cancer, which understandably redirected his priorities.
Upon learning of this revelation, the detectives unearth the final clue and proceed to Denny at the hospice. Denny confesses to Ted's murder, motivated by Ted's refusal to assist their ailing parents while still aspiring to claim his inheritance. Prior to his apprehension, Ormewood and Angie grant Denny a moment to bid farewell. Ormewood proposes a celebratory drink, yet Angie gently reminds him of her sobriety and encourages him to return home.
Meanwhile, after securing Isabella and her newborn's safety, Trent arranges for Reggie's transport and vows to vouch for him. Reggie expresses his readiness to reconcile with his inner demons and harbors similar hopes for Trent. As the day draws to a close, he confides in Amanda about the enchanting and therapeutic experience of assisting Isabella during her childbirth. The episode concludes with them sitting in his office, immersed in a shared, silent reflection.
