'The Closer,' Season 7, Episode 20 Recap: 'Armed Response'

Well, the cat is (finally!) out of the bag and the mole is not at all the rodent you thought it was. It couldn’t be.

First things first, the case: a neighborhood security guard has been gunned down in a residential street. DDA Baldwin, who’s been working with the team while Brenda has been home in Atlanta for her mother’s funeral, shows up. The team finds evidence of a love nest, and collects (gross) DNA evidence as well as an iPod at the scene. Jenna tells Brenda et al that she told her father the security guard had raped her so as to cover for Luke.

Brenda returns from Georgia earlier than expected and arrests Luke, who it turns out, was sleeping with a sixteen-year-old girl named Jenna. Her father killed the security guard for revenge. A largely remorseless Jenna thinks she has sold her father up the river and freed herself, but since her lie makes her an accessory, she’s arrested too – and may be tried as an adult.

All of which is mere background to the reveal that Sgt. Gabriel’s girlfriend Ann, who we just met a few episodes back, is the leak. Goldman apparently paid her $60,000 to dig up and pass on info, which she needed to pay her bills. She was told he was a crooked cop, but once the con began, it had to continue. We’re to believe that she moved in with him and fell in love for real, but kept up the charade. Corey Reynolds' reaction in this scene was terrific – realizing the love of his life and betrayed him and that he had unknowingly put Major Crimes in trouble and potentially destroyed his career all at the same time. Good for him. I’ll bet Gabriel’s really missing Irene Daniels right about now.

I loved the fireworks this scene generated. And yet, I kind of hated it too. For 3 mini-seasons now, The Closer has teased the identity of the mole. And now it’s not even a deliberate main cast member. That’s kind of random, and kind of cheap. I get the impression they just want to move on with Major Crimes and wrap up the story they’ve dragged out. So Gabriel complies with Raydor, confesses to an irate Brenda, and then tells the rest of the guys. Provenza immediately has his back, while Sanchez refuses to accept his apology. Flynn comes around, but warns him to resign. Eventually, Brenda declines his resignation, and admits he was right to be mad about her decision about Terrell Baylor. So he’ll be staying on Major Crimes, after all.

Meanwhile, Fritz reveals Brenda has been staying at a hotel, too afraid to return to the home where her mother died. She finally breaks down and admits she gives all her time to suspects, but not to those she loves, like her mother. And…I mean, I try and be nice in most of these recaps, but an awful lot of Kyra Sedgwick’s work, especially in emotional scenes, feels phoned in. Like this last one.

Any predictions for next week’s finale? Will Brenda and Fritz sell the house and move back to the ATL?