NCIS first introduced Jimmy’s concerns about inconsistencies in Parker’s mother’s death certificate in the season 22 finale. Since then, the show has only given fans crumbs on the matter. Parker's family drama has taken the backseat since season 23 episode 2, "Prodigal Son Part II".
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS from NCIS season 23 episode 7
After gathering the information he's been waiting for the past few episodes of NCIS, Jimmy is ready to tell Parker about his findings. He expects Parker won’t be happy, but the intensity of the reaction still shocks him.
Parker and Jimmy have a fallout in NCIS season 23 episode 7
In episode 6, Jimmy told Kasie he received Eleanor's original autopsy report after involving both her and Knight in his secret investigation for several episodes. He waited to tell Parker about his digging until he had something concrete to show. And after comparing the report with the death certificate, he does.
Episode 7 opens with Jimmy showing Parker the report down in the morgue, explaining his mother had an injury at the back of her head, inconsistent with the frontal collision. What Jimmy is essentially telling Parker is: your mother might have been murdered. Parker pauses, looking at Jimmy blankly, before he snaps.
Parker wanted closure from finding his mother’s grave, not more questions. He never asked Jimmy to do more than that, he says — or rather yells. Jimmy isn't sure how to respond, but he believes he lost Parker's friendship for good.
McGee and Kasie later try to reassure Jimmy that he did only what he believed was best. He did what Ducky taught him, for sure — what any good M.E. would have done. It's not his fault that the gesture had the opposite effect. Parker still has issues to work through.
NCIS season 23 episode 7 shows Parker taking a leap of faith
The new information about his mother's death opens up questions Parker would rather avoid. Did his father lie about Eleanor's death? Was he involved? For now, the problem seems to be some unresolved issues about his father's passing.
While Parker goes through a box of things at his house, the chaplain — a key witness in their case — knocks on his door. He was one of the men who helped organize Roman Parker's burial at sea. The chaplain also helped Harriet through her grief, and he'd like to do the same for Parker.
The Bible Parker retrieved from the box minutes earlier, full of annotations, was Roman's. He was religious, while his son thinks that's all "a waste of time." After the case is closed, however, he seems to change his mind.
Parker goes back to the chapel and has an honest talk with the chaplain. He asks, "What good can come from all this pain?" He could mean his father, but he also has the mystery surrounding his mother's death on his mind. The chaplain doesn't have answers, but guides Parker to seek them from those closest to him, but only if he's ready to face the ugly truth.
By the end of the episode, Parker has a complete change of heart. He goes to see Jimmy — he needs the doctor's help. And he gave Jimmy permission to exhume Eleanor. Fans hope NCIS will soon reveal what really happened to Parker's mother, as well as who was with Roman the night he died and who Lily is. Parker's drama is far from over.
NCIS airs Tuesdays on CBS at 8/7c.
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