Megan Byrne

The Reagans weigh the rights and wrongs of vigilantism when a good Samaritan who has a police record takes action against a terrorizing subway criminal.

Two young shoplifters hiding from a storeowner discover skeletal remains in a seedy part of Hell's Kitchen. The Medical Examiner explains that the woman's hand was chopped off and a ring that was on the other hand should have been found with the body. The young thugs have the ring, which is a very unusual $40,000 piece of jewelry. It's tedious but not impossible to track down everyone who bought a ring of its type. Bradley Hagen (Stevie Ray Dallimore), a wealthy Wall Street executive who is a member of one of the city's most prominent political families, bought one for his wife but hers is accounted for. DNA evidence on the skeleton comes back and now detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) know their victim - Kelly Sommers, who was thought to be killed at the World Trade Center.

Cary has an uneasy reunion with his father (John Shea) when he and Alicia travel to Washington, D.C., to advocate for a comedienne (Christina Ricci) who is being sued by a television network for indecency. Meanwhile, a former client turns to Alicia for help, and Diane and Will question Clarke's latest strategy to help the firm out of debt. Bill Maher appears in a cameo as Himself, Amanda Peet returns as Laura Hellinger and F. Murray Abraham Returns as Burl Preston.

The body of a twenty-something woman is found floating in the East River, with no identification. A sorority ring and the victim's photo are enough to get her identified. She's Julie Eastman, a successful real estate agent who was nicknamed Eve Harrington by her co-workers because of her blind ambition. She was dating Adam Makris, a sports agent with top-drawer clients. Adam, Julie and Darryl Ridgeway, a superstar NFL quarterback, had last been seen partying on Darryl's yacht. Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) question Darryl's parents and brother Shawn (Craig Walker) who apparently has a drug problem. The boat is found anchored in a cove, along with bullet holes and everyone's blood on board.

A woman is found on a park bench with her head bashed in by a walking stick, which turns out to be hers. She is Debra Landon, head of admissions for the Knowles School, one of the city's most elite private schools. The environment is beyond competitive for admissions and parents will do "anything" to get their kids in. The Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) find some angry messages on her voice mail. One of them is from Marvin Waters (Curtis McClarin), who was upset because his daughter Cassie didn't get the scholarship to Knowles she deserved. Instead the spot went to a Jared Anchin. The Detectives check out Marvin's alibi -- he's telling the truth and is no longer a suspect. An ultra fine blue cashmere fiber was found on the walking stick, and when the Detectives question Wyatt Scofield (Roger Rees), Knowles's headmaster, he's wearing a blue cashmere sweater.