When they're walking, Horatio prods, "What does Carl get? A pardon four years after you take residency in the governor's mansion in Tallahassee?" Mercedes replies, "Be very careful, Lieutenant Caine. False accusations can ruin a career. I'd hate for that career to be yours." I like how we still don't know whether she was in on this or not -- it's the rare ambiguous ending. Horatio reminds her, "Councilwoman, that is a blade that cuts both ways." Then he leaves her to the tender mercies of the news media, as he has better things to do.

Oh, my God -- those better things might include Elena. Please, let us never introduce the prospect of a post-coital Horatio Caine into the library of scenes I have to recap. Anyway, Horatio's at Elena's door, brandishing takeout. It kills me to write this, but the food peace offering is kind of sweet. Elena has no problem shooting Horatio down with, "I already ate." Horatio tries for dessert; Elena counters, "I already ate that too." There's a moment of apologetic silence on both their parts, and then Horatio leans in to admit, "I, uh, I've been thinking about Raymond." Elena replies, "I think about him every day. I don't want to go there -- too complicated." Okay -- so we're looking at Elena as Raymond's pre-death squeeze. Maybe. Anyway, Horatio greets Elena's admission by asking, "What if I were to say you wouldn't have to go there alone?" Elena asks him if he understands what he's saying; Horatio vows that he does. Elena then invites him in for coffee, and we fade out before we can have the most brooding Taster's Choice commercial ever.