Sara Carter begs Gibbs to investigate her mother's murder as she believes the local authorities convicted the wrong man. Also, Abby is awarded a dinner reservation for two to a brand-new five-star restaurant in an igloo and has to decide which coworker deserves to go with her.

While Gibbs attends the memorial service for a friend who was lost at sea, he discovers that the deceased, Navy Captain Phillip Brooks, has been hiding in a fallout shelter after his boat was attacked and he swam to shore.