Plot

Texas authorities help Major Crimes catch a serial killer, but will Brenda allow the killer to be extradited to Texas to face the death penalty? Meanwhile back at home, she must decide whether Charlie can stay and live with Fritz and her.

Brenda and Major Crimes are hot on the trail of a serial killer after he attacks and kills a young woman in her home. Witnesses saw a car with Texas dealer plates and Texas Det. Curt Landry flies to LA to brief them on a string of murders that, according to FBI files, could number as high as 85. All of the murders have taken place in communities adjacent to the I-10 and all have followed the same pattern. As both Brenda and Det. Landry aim to collar the culprit, they agree that once they apprehend the killer, the one with the better case will prosecute. After a wild chase down the highway, they arrest Jesse Ray Moore, and Landry reveals for the first time that Texas has DNA evidence from one of Moore's victims. Feeling that she's been had, Brenda sets out to endure that Moore isn't extradited by getting him to confess to the crime. Meanwhile, Clay arrives to take Charlie back home, but Charlie (and Brenda) would rather she stay.—garykmcd

A young woman hangs out in a pool, talking on the phone. She hears a noise behind her. She turns, thinking it's someone named Rob, but a black hand covers her face. A geyser of blood spurts into the pool.

Later, Brenda lifts the phone out of the water. The woman was viciously stabbed to death. There's a pile of smoked cigarettes nearby. Her husband Rob found her. He tracked blood all the way out to the street, freaking out.

Flynn reports that Rob had been passed out inside from drinking, but woke up and came out to see the killer who was dressed "like a ninja."

The vicim was on the phone with her cousin, who heard her say "Rob" and then heard a struggle.

Sanchez has the warrant. Brenda wants a consent form, too. She talks to Rob, who's shaking and asks her when they're going to find the killer. He signs the consent form.

No one's buying the ninja story, but Brenda tells Sanchez to follow it up just in case.

At the station, Provenza snidely explains to Rob they haven't found the man in black yet. As a point of procedure, Brenda says, they have to read him his rights. He gets upset, asking why they're wasting time. She uses her special "I know you did it, it's only a matter of time until I make you say so" bark. But Sanchez comes in and interrupts. Brenda powers on, but he reiterates. There's something she needs to hear.

They play the 911 tape of a woman reporting a man in black in her back yard, 40 minutes before Lisa was stabbed. She saw his classic red Mustang with a car dealership sticker from El Paso on it. Sanchez asks Tao what he knows about ninjas. "What, because I'm Asian-American, I'm supposed to know all about ninjas?" Tao says indignantly, before telling them all he knows about ninjas.

Brenda talks to a Detective Landry in Texas about the suspect's Mustang. When Brenda describes that the victim was stabbed between 25 and 30 times Landry interrupts, asking if the killer was left-handed and dressed all in black. Why, yes. Landry's on his feet before he's off the phone. He says LA is safe til nightfall, he'll be there in four hours. Behind him in his police station are crime scene photos of stabbed young women.

Brenda walks in her front door to find her dad at her living room table. She apologizes profusely for forgetting to get him at the airport. He gives her grief, but niece Charlie (played by star Kyra Sedgwick and husband-episode director Kevin Bacon's real life kid, Sosie Bacon) tells her he has no idea how hard Brenda's job is.

Brenda apologizes again, saying she has to take a shower and go back to work. Charlie follows Brenda to the kitchen and tells her she's not ready to go home yet. Fritz hears her make her case, saying she's closer to Brenda and Fritz than anyone else in the world. Brenda says she'll have to convince her grandfather to leave her behind. If she manages that, they'll see what they can do.

"When I said I wanted kids," Fritz says, "I didn't mean other people's."

Brenda tells him not to worry, there's no way Charlie will convince her dad.

Fritz has Brenda's Fed database results. He found 85 murders resembling her killing and an old friend is on the task force in El Paso and will check in.

Brenda arrives in Pope's office to find Detective Landry waiting. He thinks the killer stabbed a woman in El Paso four months ago and another two months after that. He withheld the ninja dress from news reports and thinks the guy is a white guy. He wants to catch the guy and take him back to Texas to execute him. Brenda doesn't love that plan, so Landry suggests whoever gets the better evidence gets to take the killer to trial.

He tells them that the killer, who was driving a car from El Paso in California, was driving a car from California in El Paso.

Landry examines the red tacks the team has put all across the southwestern states. He recognizes some of the dots, and dismisses the cases as not their guy, removing the pins. Then he draws the connecting link between California and Texas: the I-10 freeway.

Fritz calls. The Mustang was sold to Jeffrey Webb of El Paso who recently moved to L.A.

At his house, Tao tells Brenda and Landry that Webb has six cars registered him and reports of domestic violence. Then Webb jogs up. Upon seeing the police, he asks if "that bitch" said he raped her. He takes off running, but Gabriel tackles him to the ground. Webb tells him his car was used in the commission of a homicide. Landry asks where Webb was last night. She tells him to back off, but he says Webb isn't their guy. Webb doesn't know where his car was last night. He dropped it off at a depot at the airport. He has a receipt. Brenda gives it to Tao to follow up.

Landry guesses that she's figured whoever had the car was transporting it to the depot. Tao reports back that the driver's name was Jesse Ray Moore and he dropped the car off that morning. Brenda sends Tao and Sanchez on the I-10 after him.

Tao runs to check the vehicle's lojack.

A helicopter finds the truck from the air, and Gabriel pulls up to it, a semi-hauling cars parked at a gas station. It's locked. They check the nearby businesses, but while they're inside, the driver gets back in the truck and rams their car.

Sanchez races after him, and jumps on the side of the truck, clinging to the side door. The helicopter tracks them from the air and reports as Brenda converges. Sanchez breaks the passenger window, but Moore swats his gun out of his hands with a club as he barrels down the road.

The driver takes out another truck to try to knock Sanchez free, but he hangs on and manages to climb back in the window. He wrestles with the driver as the truck keeps moving, then is coming head on into Brenda and Tao in a sedan. They swerve at the last moment and the truck blows past.

Sanchez and the driver keep fighting as the truck comes upon a construction site. Sanchez manages to pull the semi's hand break and it finally slows down as it crashes through traffic cones.

When it stops Sanchez tosses Moore from the cab to the ground then jumps out and kicks him good repeatedly in the ribs. Sanchez thinks his arm is broken. Brenda and the rest of the team converge and get Moore in cuffs. He shouts that he's not saying anything without a lawyer.

Landry checks Moore's neck and finds scratch marks. "Oh, that's a good catch, I don't think you're tossing this one back," he announces.

Back at the station, they go over their evidence, which doesn't amount to much. He has a bag of various items, like a dog collar, make-up compact and other personal items, but they only have his prints on them.

Landry announces that those scratches could close his case. His second victim put up a fight. Brenda's incensed to realize that Landry has DNA, even after he said no law enforcement agency had entered it. That was technically true, he says, he doesn't have the staff to enter it quickly. He wants to leave with Moore. He leaves for an extradition order.

Brenda comes home to find Fritz watching news of the arrest on TV. Fritz doesn't think it's that big a deal if Texas takes him. But Brenda thinks that'll mean they won't find out everything he's done.

Clay comes out in his bathrobe. He's got something he wants to talk to them about. He says Charlie laid out a convincing argument for staying in California. He told her whether she stays or goes is up to Brenda. He doesn't want to play the heavy. Nor does he want to spend time on a plane with a resentful teenager.

Brenda has a Brenda Moment.

The next day at work (with Brenda wearing a saucy up 'do), Brenda's ready to talk to Moore. Landry reminds her he invoked, but she says she's planning to have him revoke his right to a lawyer then confess. She tells Tao to bring the camera with the big flash. Pope checks that she knows what she's doing. She says she knows everything she needs to know. Moore ran, which means he wants to live.

Brenda goes in to talk with Moore and tells him they need him to undress. He strips. Tao takes out the huge camera and snaps away. Moore shields his eyes and says it's blinding him. Brenda says she's just giving him a taste of what it'll be like when he goes to Texas and they strap him in the electric chair.

Watching from the viewing room, Landry is a little put out. "Well that's not fair, we don't electrocute people anymore, we're not savages."

Brenda continues with her word picture, including the phrases "seared flesh" and "brains boiling." Then Sanchez takes his clothes. Brenda gives him a list of the 84 people executed in Texas in the past six months. And the empty list of people who died in California in the same time period. But, since he has a lawyer, she's going to turn him over to Texas. "And trust me when I tell you, they will kill you dead," she says.

He says he doesn't want an attorney, he wants to talk to her. He says there are so many things he wants to say out loud, but he doesn't know how to tell her. Brenda takes out his bag of souvenirs.

She asks him about the first thing he collected and asks him to show her. He reaches for the make-up compact. Brenda tries not to barf as Moore takes a whiff of it and says he can almost see "her" looking back.

He points to the city it came from and says that he caught the girl outside, maybe after her prom. They continue, with Brenda matching the souvenir to the city. Moore is really enjoying talking by the end. "Killing's like having sex, you know - except you don't have to talk when you're done," he laughs.

Seven hours later, they're still at it, with Landry still watching.

Moore's remembering staying with a woman as she died. Brenda asks if that's all. He says 16 was it. The cats and dogs were just practice.

Brenda goes into the hall for some air. Landry tells her "well done." He understands a confession to 16 murders is stronger than DNA.

Pope has assured Landry that after Moore serves his life sentences in California, Texas can execute him. Landry appreciates that.

He gives Brenda a file with the 16 victims photos from the last seven years. He sincerely congratulates her again.

Brenda looks through the faces. So many of them. She takes it in.

Then she goes back in to Moore and says she won't be able to visit him in prison because she doesn't get to Texas often. It appears his extradition order has gone through. Landry's surprised to hear this, but he'll take it.

Brenda comes home to a pre-emptive kiss from Fritz, who tries to prepare her for her dad. He says he's got a flight at 10 a.m. and if Charlie doesn't want to get on the plane, he's leaving without her.

Brenda goes to talk to Charlie, who greets her by saying she thinks Brenda's sending her back. She says she's not the same person she was when she got here. Brenda says who she is stays the same where ever she is. Charlie asks if Brenda doesn't want her there. Brenda chokes up, saying she does, but they gave her a second chance, doesn't she think her parents deserve one, too? Brenda tells her she'll be fine. "We'll see," says Charlie.