Red Rum
Season 1 episode 12: A young football player is found dead surrounded by black magic undertones in this small town
Sixteen year old high school football player Cody Elkins went missing two days ago in the quiet town of Boonville, California. After the boy’s disappearance, missing persons flyers have been posted everywhere in the small town. The CBI team has been called in after the local police found one of Cody’s bloodstained running shoes as short distance away. They fear that this crime is an abduction or possibly a homicide which moves the case into CBI jurisdiction.
As usual, there will be no spoilers shared in this post so it can enjoyed by fans and new viewers alike. This is on purpose so I hope you approve. At the least it’s hoped to act as a reminder to rewatch the show, or to encourage others to check it out for the first time.
Context
A couple of local PD cruisers are parked next to two CBI vehicles when Jane and Lisbon arrive. Rigsby and Van Pelt are ready to brief them on what they’ve discovered so far. Van Pelt points out the missing boy’s parents Michael and Janice Elkins (played by Spencer Garrett and Laura Leigh Hughes respectively), and their other son fourteen year old Brad (played by Colby Paul). The parents run the local flower shop and are being questioned by Cho at the moment.
Jane notices three young boys standing around closely watching everything from across the street, their bikes laying nearby. As the team enters the Elkins’ store Jane falls back, paying attention to the curious boys. Jane gets their attention by performing a magic trick and walks over to the boys while they are distracted. He sits on one of bikes, a striking pink and purple bike adorned with streamers from the handlebars. He teases the boys for information and is drawn to a flock of carrion birds circling in the distance when he asks the boys if they know where Cody Elkins is.
After thanking the boys, Jane rejoins the team and tells Lisbon he has a good idea where Cody might be. Guided by the circling crows he leads the team to a wooded area where they sadly discover Cody’s body in a hollowed out tree trunk. Cody’s hands have been crossed on his chest and a wooden star that often represents black magic lay at his feet.
Recap
At the Elkins home, the family gathered to meet with Jane and Cho. Michael explained when they last saw Cody and the events of the evening after they attended Cody’s football game. The family had an early start the next morning, but when they returned later that afternoon Cody was gone. It turned out he had missed a meeting with his football coach that morning. A distressed Brad abruptly left the room while Cho continued the interview. Cho informs them that their Cody’s death might have something to do with black magic activities and asked if any of Cody’s friends might be involved in something like this. This suggestion causes an immediate reaction from the parents. They point to Tamzin Dove (played by Azura Skye) a local woman who claims to be a witch. Tamzin had blamed Cody for stealing her cat, and supposedly cast a spell on him in response.
With Van Pelt in touch with the forensics team, they are able to determine the cause of death and that Cody must have been killed elsewhere since no evidence is found at the crime scene. Based on the events of Cody’s last day Van Pelt and Rigsby visit Coach Dieter (played by Michael McGrady) to hopefully gather more facts for the case. In the meantime Cho, Lisbon and Jane head over to Tamzin Dove’s residence to see what they can discover about the town witch. As they wait on the doorstep for someone to answer, they see several black magic symbols including a pentagram etched into the cement step and a goats head door knocker. To Jane and Lisbon’s surprise they see that Cho is decidedly spooked by these symbols. As all this is happening the three young boys are watching from across the street. Lisbon calls to get a warrant issued when they still get no answer at the front door, then enter the house to find Tamzin Dove calmly sitting at the table with tea and cookies ready for company.
As the interview proceeds Cho is becoming increasingly on edge at what he sees and hears. Tamzin explains that she was expecting them and that she was aware that Cody’s death had been made to look like the result of witchcraft. She also admitted to befriending the neighborhood kids, but that they had no involvement in the death.
The next day the investigation continues with Rigsby and Cho rounding up and interviewing members of the football team as Jane and Cho revisit the Elkins home. The parents are upset that Tamzin Dove hasn’t been arrested, especially since she admitted to casting a spell on Cody. In all the upset a stressed out Brad Elkins leaves the room in a hurry. Jane follows to find Brad brooding in the shed in the yard and establishes a rapport with the boy in order to get him to open up. The boy’s father isn’t impressed with Jane talking to his son, an attitude Jane notes as being weird and controlling.
Ultimately Jane finds the Brad has found companionship and support with the neighbourhood kids at Tamzin Dove’s witches coven. With the team fully involved in getting to the bottom of this young man’s death the story unfolds in a not-so-unexpected way.
Cho is having a lot of trouble with the idea of witches, black magic and spells as he works with the team on this case. We see him getting more alarmed every time there’s a new “black magic” discovery. At first the team (Jane in particular) teases him about his reactions - but this whole subject has the stoic Cho looking over his shoulder and quaking in his boots. It’s interesting to see Cho’s reaction to what the team is uncovering, as his reactions might be something you’d expect from Van Pelt, not Cho if you had to guess. We call have our issues but it is interesting to see superstition playing such a role for Cho as he “sees” hidden meanings and prophecies in the shadows around him. He’s also not too good at hiding his fears from the rest of the team which is interesting in itself as he very rarely shows emotion or responds to the most damning of things that cross his desk. It was a sweet, revealing glimpse into the Cho psyche.
They Said
In this episode there were these choice words:
“Oh, come on, you’re not telling me you believe she’s an actual witch?” - Jane to Cho
“Of course not, but I mean if dark forces did exist it stands to reason there could be people who could control them for their own ends.” - Cho responding to Jane’s comment. Jane replies: “They’re called investment bankers and they don’t live around here, I assure you.”
“There’s no such thing as witches.” Jane to Cho
Before you go
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It was interesting to see Cho so spooked. Who’d have thought that would be his reaction?