A murder at a fishing tournament reels R.J. into a case that becomes deeply personal when a figure from his past resurfaces.
R.J.'s father, Reggie, is a charmer. He has the confidence necessary to make anyone believe anything. He hasn't been successful as an entrepreneur or as a father. R.J. is reluctant to give Reggie a second chance. It's purely coincidental that Reggie returns to his son's life at the precise moment R.J.'s conditional release is ending. R.J. will always be seen as an ex-con. He can't escape that aspect of his past. He's built a new life for himself. He's done solid work as a private investigator. He's comfortable in his life. He's also skeptical his father will stick around long enough to prove that he has changed. When R.J. is hired to monitor a local fishing tournament for any potential cheating, he immediately singles out Reggie as the likely suspect. Evidence later on proves that Reggie is actually cheating. He's participating in the precise scheme the tournament director suspected. It's enough to disqualify the fisher Reggie has partnered with on his latest venture. That's just a very minor detail of this story. Instead, the focus is largely on Reggie reconnecting with his son and wanting to do right by him. That means not being aimless elsewhere. He decides to be present now and show R.J. that he's interested in his life.
Emi isn't exactly the most sympathetic person R.J. confides in about his issues with Reggie. That's entirely because of her relationship with her own father. She was arrested and charged for killing Victor just a week ago. That's still fresh. Emi first pops up at the police station collecting items seized from her. And yet, the bond between R.J. and Emi still feels easy. They don't feel pressure when they talk. That will likely come when they decide they're ready to be more than friends. That's not at the forefront of their minds. R.J. was there for Emi when she needed it. She does the same for him. The narrative is keeping their bond relevant even as Mel and Catherine pressure R.J. to see Trudy in a romantic light. That may present as less complicated. Trudy's quirks align with R.J.'s. The show isn't particularly doing a sincere job trying to present Trudy as a viable alternative. It's something that people want to happen. That makes it feel unnatural. It's being forced. R.J. will entertain it. He's not acting on the suggestion though. He's too busy elsewhere. That's the only reason why Trudy exists in the narrative. She's meant to be seen only in this romantic angle even though she also provides details to the case.
It becomes fairly obvious rather quickly that a drone was used to lift the dead body into a tree. It probably dawns on the viewer before it does for R.J. and Mel. It's never good when the audience gets ahead of the action. That unfortunately happens here. The twist comes from the protagonists struggling to obtain evidence to back up their theory. They're correct but don't have enough to obtain a warrant. Plus, they've already waded through enough colorful characters who function solely as red herrings - like the victim's ex-wife who's overly prepared upon being questioned because of her love of true crime podcasts and his best friend who believes aliens cloned the body the police found. That doesn't leave a ton of time for the story to flesh out the duo behind the drone company. They provide security for the fishing tournament. They're actively working on developing a drone that can carry a human body. They see multiple applications for the technology that could save lives. In this case, they killed a man because he uncovered their evidence of stolen technology. That's all it took for them to kill. They didn't cover up the crime either. They were simply hoping for the best because that's how life has gone for them up to this point.
Reggie goes undercover to get the confession. He wears a wire. The criminals believe he is helping them. He only wants a small stake in their company. He sees the vision and wants in on the profits. The confidence allows Reggie to give R.J. what he needs. He didn't know if he could pull it off. That's something he has rarely felt. R.J. believed in him enough to suggest this move. It worked out in the end. Reggie didn't face any true adversity either. He just had to do what he has done throughout his entire life. He didn't even need a clipboard to convince the world of his lies. That's how skilled he is. He has the possibility to leave again. He has a new opportunity to invest in. Instead, he has opted to stay in the area for R.J. It already seems like father and son have mended their relationship by the close of the episode. They fish together and compete over who will catch the biggest remaining fish. It's simple and charming. It all goes down rather easily. It doesn't strive to be any more complex than that. R.J. was reluctant upon seeing his father again. And then, he welcomes Reggie's help and has him back in his life. That's the extent of the journey he goes on.
