From the pages of Michael Connelly’s novels, Maggie Q is Ballard, a determined detective leading the LAPD’s newly formed cold case division. In the wake of Ballard’s attack, Berchem takes over both the Pearlman and John Doe cases as Renee is ordered to recuperate. Meanwhile, a new case arrives on the team’s desk.

First responders and detectives descend upon Ballard’s home. Battered and wounded, she goes to the hospital to be evaluated, but not before secretly handing Laffont Driscoll’s cellphone from the crime scene. She calls Harry Bosch for a favor. He and Mo dump the data from the phone before returning it to police custody undetected. The duo investigates the numbers found in an attempt to connect the burners to possible accomplices in Driscoll’s conspiracy.

Later, Ballard comes clean to her team about the totality of the John Doe case. With each member within the circle of trust, they move on to their next victim. Lily Lee’s son, Rae, a known gang member, went missing seven years ago. Officers originally discarded the case as gang-related. But Lily and her younger son, Jun, still seek answers. The team gets to work posting flyers and questioning persons of interest.

Rae was seen in a physical argument with a former friend, Marcus, a week before his disappearance. The fight went viral but was subsequently scrubbed from the internet. Fortunately, Colleen finds the footage and discovers another party, teacher Nathan Kim. Mr. Kim initially downplayed the altercation.

In addition to this case, Renee is keeping her promise to clear an inmate for the murder of his fiancée. Elena Cervantes is a victim of the unknown serial killer. Her boyfriend, Jorge, was charged and sentenced because of DNA evidence. Finding her bracelet among the assortment of victims’ souvenirs proves reasonable doubt. She passes his case on to Damani.

Later, a witness’ statement claims they saw a green Ford SUV near Colby Canyon the day Lee disappeared. A search of the area finds decaying remains that are identified as Rae’s, along with the weapon. The gun is traced back to a deceased gang member who received the gun from his then-girlfriend. She gave it to her younger brother, Eddie, who used it to scare off bullies. Although he had the gun in his possession, it was stolen from his locker. When asked if he ever frequented Colby Canyon, Eddie says he didn’t, but a certain teacher would take smart students there as an award.

With their crosshairs back on Mr. Kim, Colleen discovers that his mother owned a green Ford Fiesta. Rawles does his due diligence and finds the vehicle with its GPS history intact. Kim’s car was near Colby Canyon the day Rae vanished. But, their prime suspect soon becomes a potential victim as Jun holds Mr. Kim hostage for killing his brother. Fortunately, Renee talks Jun down from killing Kim, and they are both arrested.

The team is triumphant, closing two cases in one day. The episode closes with Bosch informing Ballard that one number in Driscoll’s call history belonged to none other than Officer Robert Olivas.

Episdoe 7 proved the show has found a steady groove of mystery, action, and heart. Even with the loss of Driscoll, there are still plenty of loose ends to tie up by the finale. The writing remains strong, with solid performances. And the more we learn about our characters, the better the narrative grows. Learning that Renee’s father was never found emphasizes her dedication to solving those mysteries for others.

Rating: 8.5/10