13. Over a Barrel

Complete story — includes the ending

Jack Brunelle, the father of a now-dead assault victim takes a diner hostage to force Sherlock and Joan to solve his son's murder; the police and Sherlock had brushed him off when he tried to get them to investigate. He gives them until midnight to find the culprit, as that is when the statute of limitations runs out. The first hostage Brunelle plans to execute is the detective who botched the initial investigation. With Joan remaining behind as an additional hostage and having hours before the gunman's deadline, Sherlock works with Bell. Apparently, the Shoreline 99s, after losing a turf war with a rival gang, switched from smuggling cocaine to maple syrup, using trucks and barrels. Connor Brunelle was a security guard at the warehouse and was mugged by Shoreline 99s thug Frank Trimble to stop him being on duty on the night of the smuggling. However, Sherlock makes his breakthrough after the deadline apparently expires. However, he finds television footage showing Trimble at a hockey game in Montreal; time spent outside the United States does not count towards the statute of limitations ( tolling ), so Trimble can still be brought to justice.