In the most recent episode of NCIS, called “Baker’s Man,” a bakery that seems innocent is linked to a complicated and dangerous drug-smuggling operation. Special Agent Alden Parker’s normal morning quickly turns into a gripping case with murder, hidden messages, and personal connections he didn’t expect.
NCIS SEASON 22 EPISODE 10 RECAP
Agent Parker (Gary Cole) starts his day by going to Kostakis Bakery, his favorite pastry shop, to get treats for the NCIS office. But something doesn’t feel right. Virgil, the bakery’s new worker (Jordyn Owens), is nervous and moves quickly through the transaction. Just as Parker leaves, someone with a gun comes out of the kitchen, indicating that a storm is about to happen.
When Parker gets back to the NCIS office, his coworkers are eager to eat the pastries. Then they find a strange message written on the bottom of the box: “Help!” “Dial 911.” Parker and the team rush back to the bakery out of fear and find Virgil’s dead body submerged in a vat of batter. The scene looks like an attempted robbery, but there are some strange things going on, like the wallet that is still untouched in Virgil’s pocket and the bullet that is stuck in the wall.
A PERSONAL CONNECTION
When Parker’s charming pastry chef, Eleni Kostakis (played by Melina Kanakaredes), rushes to the scene in shock at what has happened, the plot thickens. When she finds out that Parker is actually a federal agent, she is even more shocked. This leads to an awkward conversation about why he kept this information from her. At the same time, Parker’s emotional involvement in the case becomes clear as he learns more about Virgil, the ex-convict Eleni hired to give a second chance at life. She remembers how eager he was to prove himself, even though the bakery was having trouble making ends meet.
Parker is set on leading the investigation, even though it is not within his authority. He meets Virgil’s parole officer with Katrina Law’s Agent Jessica Knight. The officer confirms that the young man was changing his life after serving two years for grand theft auto. During the conversation, the parole officer talks about how much he or she enjoys Eleni’s baked goods, which adds a bittersweet touch to the otherwise serious investigation.
COCAINE, SUGAR, AND SPICES?
As evidence from the bakery is sent to Kasie (Diona Reasonover) in the forensics lab, something shocking is found: the meringues have cocaine hidden in them. The drug, worth about $100,000, was mixed in with the bakery’s sugar, turning it from a place to eat into a place where drugs are sold. The news makes Parker want to talk to Eleni more, especially since she found a $25,000 deposit from an offshore shell account in her bank account.
Eleni strongly denies having anything to do with it, and her shady lawyer, Leslie Walker (Ken Garito), shows up to make things more difficult. Walker tries to keep Eleni from being questioned, but she makes it clear that she doesn’t want his help anymore, which could mean that she has more secrets to tell.
THE DRUG CONNECTION
The team digs into Eleni’s past to find out about her immigrant parents and why she chose to stay in the U.S. when her family moved to Greece. As the investigation goes on, it becomes clear that her lawyer, Walker, knows a man named Charles Barbieri who is known to sell drugs. Eleni is being charged with murder after a shipment of meringues laced with cocaine was sent to Barbieri around the time of Virgil’s death.
Kasie tries to make the “cocaine meringues” again in the lab, but it’s hard because cocaine melts at 208 degrees Fahrenheit. Even though things are tense, Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) and Palmer (Brian Dietzen) poke fun at each other about their secrets, especially Torres’ secret relationship with Knight’s sister Robin. This side story makes an otherwise serious case more interesting.
PIECES FALL INTO PLACE
Parker talks to Eleni about Barbieri when he goes back to Kostakis Bakery. She snaps back and says Parker is just another customer, ending the friendly relationship they had before. Parker, however, sees a child’s drawing that says “Manny.” Eleni grabs the drawing from Parker and tells him to drop the case before more people get hurt. Even though she begged, Parker is still set on her path.
Soon after, Barbieri’s body is found in an alley with the body of a rival gang member and a Kostakis Bakery box covered in blood. NCIS narrows its focus because Eleni is missing and there is evidence that Walker is working for both gangs as a go-between. Walker says that he put Eleni in touch with Arturo Jimenez (Carlos Javier Rivera), a dangerous person, after she asked for money. Eleni didn’t know it, but Arturo’s “help” came with conditions: he wanted her bakery to be a front for his drug business.
NCIS SEASON 22 EPISODE 10: ENDING
When Eleni goes missing, the team ends up in an empty factory, which is a perfect place for Hollywood-style crime scenes. Knight and Torres find Eleni inside, chained to her mixer and making Arturo more drugged desserts. The tension is at its highest as Arturo’s men get ready to kill her.
The team carefully plans a rescue and saves Eleni just as the plan starts to fall apart. Parker’s calm demeanor and quick thinking make sure that Arturo and his group are caught without any more deaths. Even though she’s been through a lot, Eleni thanks Parker for believing she was innocent.
At the end of the episode, there are both answers and unanswered questions. Parker tells Eleni that justice has been done and that her bakery will need some time to get back on its feet after the damage to its reputation. At the same time, Torres makes hints that he might talk about his secret relationship with Robin, and the team thinks about how strange things have turned out since it all started with a box of pastries.
Visit tvacute.com again soon for more NCIS news, sneak peeks, and recaps!
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