Another lawyer bites the dust in this week’s Law & Order. Eli Freeman, found face down in his expensively furnished but sparsely populated apartment, seemed to have it all. Successful, affluent, living the high life in the city. Or so it seemed. As is usually the case in these procedurals, appearances can be deceiving. Turns out, our dearly departed Mr. Freeman wasn’t exactly who he claimed to be.
The detectives quickly uncover that Eli was originally Elijah Penner, a runaway from the Baylor Church Community, a place that sounds about as fun as a root canal. Seventeen years ago, young Elijah decided he’d had enough of the community’s restrictive rules and high-necked collars and made a break for it, changing his name and reinventing himself. Now, the question is, did someone from his past finally catch up to him?
A visit to the aforementioned Baylor Church Community yields little in the way of warmth and welcome, but plenty of awkward tension with Eli’s parents. They confirm that Eli left at seventeen, not exactly thrilled with the community’s, shall we say, unique lifestyle. But were they upset enough to off their own flesh and blood?
The trail then leads to Eli’s ex, Angie, a designer of sustainable lingerie (because of course she is). While Angie might not be the culprit, she points the detectives toward a mystery woman last seen with Eli. Could this be the key to unlocking the case? Or just another dead end in the winding road of justice?
Law & Order airs Thursdays at 8/7c on NBC.
