PREVIOUSLY

While Mitch was off wandering, presumably to tell David Rainer that his daughter was the victim of a Killing, her son was turning into a maniac. Gwen got Darren Richmond a meeting with Chief Nicole, and Sarah Linden got fired. I mean, she finally sent her kid off to Chicago, but that didn't bother her as much as getting fired -- or Holder becoming a savage human sacrifice! -- because she knows that at one time she had a casino key which can get her into the tenth-floor crime scene, which is much more important than being always homeless or losing your children to your obsession. Of their bosses and former allies, Lieutenant Carlson was even more of a hassle -- but less of a sumbitch -- than Holder's corrupt old buddy Gil at County, which could make retrieving the key difficult.

THE FORMER OFFICES OF HOLDER & LINDEN, DETS AT LARGE

Nobody: "Glad to see you're miraculously okay, Holder! And that they barely touched your face."

Everything is gone from their office, of course, due to Linden fucking everything up for everybody all the time, and when the still- (for now) employed Holder calls her up to report, they are none too surprised.

Carlson: "Who is surprised is me! Why are you in your former office?"
Holder: "Because while I was being a savage human sacrifice to the unnamed gods of our aboriginal peoples, you guys went through my whole apartment and I am missing some stuff."
Carlson: "Bullshit! You are looking for a tenth-floor key or some such Linden nonsense. Besides, all of your things from both places are now at County."
Holder: "County! But that's where they call me Lowlife Tweaker!"
Carlson: "You have caused so much trouble by getting human sacrificed, I can't even tell you. But trust me that I mostly blame Linden."
Holder: "Sarah Linden is -- and trust me, I know how this sounds -- pretty fantastic."

Carlson: "Did you know she was institutionalized for a month after getting obsessed with a dead girl case before this show started?"
Holder: "No, but if you've spent any time in her company at all it's not a huge shock."
Carlson: "Well, if you have any care for your career at all..."
Holder: "Look at my appearance. Look at the way I present myself. Do you really think ambition is my Achilles Heel?"