A stunning revelation awaited Alden Parker, portrayed by Gary Cole, following last week’s episode of “NCIS.” Viewers were on edge after Jimmy Palmer, played by Brian Dietzen, confided in Kasie Hines (Diona Reasonover) about a startling discovery concerning the death of Parker’s mother, Eleanor. With access to Eleanor’s original autopsy report, Jimmy uncovered details suggesting that her demise was not as straightforward as previously believed. This week, in “God Only Knows,” Jimmy shares this unsettling information with Alden, pointing out that Eleanor’s injuries do not align with a typical car accident. The specific trauma to her occipital bone indicates she was struck from behind, leading Jimmy to suspect foul play.

Faced with the possibility of murder, Jimmy seeks Alden’s consent to exhume Eleanor’s body for further investigation. Initially resistant and visibly irritated, Alden struggles to reconcile with Jimmy’s findings. However, after successfully closing the case of the week, Alden relents and allows Jimmy to proceed with the exhumation. This decision marks a pivotal moment, as Eleanor’s mysterious death has cast a long shadow over Alden’s life for several seasons.

The haunting mystery of Alden’s mother has been an unresolved storyline since Season 21, when Alden was plagued by visions of a young girl named Lily. Although her identity was clear to him, her connection remained elusive. As Alden delved deeper, he uncovered that his father, Roman Parker (Francis X. McCarthy), had concealed the true circumstances surrounding Eleanor’s death.

The suggestion that Eleanor was murdered casts a new perspective on these revelations, prompting speculation about Lily’s recurring appearances. Could she be guiding Alden to uncover his mother’s killer? Is she entangled in the crime, or does another mystery await? As the narrative unfolds, Jimmy’s forensic expertise may finally illuminate the truth, offering Alden and devoted fans the resolution they seek.

Alden had initially been told that Eleanor died years after she abandoned Alden and his sister. But Roman confesses that Eleanor didn’t abandon the children; she died in a car accident. She was at fault, and was driving drunk at the time. Alden soon discovers, thanks to archival newspaper photos, that Lily was at the scene of the accident. The elder Parker later hints that he didn’t tell Alden everything he knows about his mom’s death, but Roman died in the Season 22 finale before he could explain himself.

The possibility that Eleanor was murdered throws a whole new light on all of this information — and leaves the viewer wondering why Lily keeps visiting Alden. Is the ghost trying to lead Alden to his mother’s killer? Is she tied to the crime somehow? Or is something else afoot? Hopefully, Jimmy’s autopsy skills will finally give Alden — and the show’s viewers — some kind of closure on both mysteries.