NCIS: New Orleans (TV Series)

Pound of Flesh (2018)

CCH Pounder: Loretta Wade

Quotes 

• Christopher LaSalle : Autopsy already done, Doc?

  Loretta Wade : Ah. Our killer did most of the heavy lifting. Emptied the chest cavity; saved me some time.

  Christopher LaSalle : Emptied it? Like, scooped everything out?

  Loretta Wade : All Mr. Lightell's vital organs were removed. Heart, liver, kidneys, lungs. But this was no butcher job; the parts were harvested.

• Loretta Wade : I know it may not look like it, but all of the vessels were ligated with precision, ensuring that the organs remained intact. Whoever did this has advanced medical training.

  Christopher LaSalle : Not some psychopath just running around chopping folks up for fun.

  Loretta Wade : Especially when you consider that both Ginny Young and Ed Lightell had high doses of ketamine in their system.

  Christopher LaSalle : Horse tranquilizer.

  Loretta Wade : Not only that. Lightell's toxicology revealed traces of of physostigma venenosum, known as the Calabar bean.

  Christopher LaSalle : Never heard of it.

  Loretta Wade : It's rare. It's indigenous to southeastern Nigeria.

  Christopher LaSalle : I'm guessing poisonous.

  Loretta Wade : Extremely, but in lower doses, it acts as a paralytic.

  Christopher LaSalle : Are you saying someone took out his organs while he was still alive?

  Loretta Wade : It would appear so.

• Loretta Wade : Ah, good timing, Dwayne. Hannah will be here any moment for my findings on Lightell's autopsy.

  [seeing his expression] 

  Loretta Wade : But that's not why you're here.

  Dwayne Pride : Why else would I be here?

  Loretta Wade : Oh, I imagine you're about to tell me.

• Dwayne Pride : You remember Akia Dupre?

  Loretta Wade : Owned the spiritualist shop next to the Trutone? Died last year.

  Dwayne Pride : Granddaughter Zaire is running the place now. She's turned it into a café. She gave me some... special tea.

  Loretta Wade : Want me to tell you what's in it?

  Dwayne Pride : If it's not too much trouble.

  Loretta Wade : Not at all.

• Dwayne Pride : I'm still experiencing things I can't explain.

  Loretta Wade : Yes, you went to the doctor. What did Calvin say?

  Dwayne Pride : That there was nothing wrong with me. At least not physical. He prescribed some pills to help deal with the rest.

  Loretta Wade : Doesn't he know how you feel about pharmaceuticals?

  Dwayne Pride : You know I'm not gonna take 'em, but... I need to sleep, Loretta.

  Loretta Wade : And the tea's supposed to help?

  Dwayne Pride : Yeah. But not by covering up the symptoms. Zaire says it'll help me accept what's happening.

  Loretta Wade : I may be a doctor, but I know firsthand that science doesn't always have the answer. Sometimes the only way to find what you seek is to travel the alternate path.

• Loretta Wade : It's a skin sample of Edward Lightell's abdomen. And while examining it, I found this puncture wound.

  Dwayne Pride : Looks like an injection site.

  Loretta Wade : Well, based on location, I'd say more likely a percutaneous liver biopsy.

  Hannah Khoury : Why is that significant?

  Loretta Wade : Because I confirmed the presence of similar puncture wounds in both Daniel York and Ginny. And that's not the only thing they have in common. All three of them, blood type O-.

  Dwayne Pride : Marquez has been searching for a specific liver.

  Hannah Khoury : That's why he keeps his victims alive while he's trying to find it.

  Loretta Wade : He needs the liver to stay viable because he needs it for a live transplant.

• Hannah Khoury : Marquez works for a medical waste company. Cane Transplant Center is one of their biggest clients.

  Loretta Wade : And one of the only facilities in the city that would have a need for a viable human liver.

  Dwayne Pride : Worth paying them a visit.

  Hannah Khoury : I'll have Gregorio meet me there.

• Christopher LaSalle : You said these Calabar beans are rare.

  Loretta Wade : Especially in the States.

  Christopher LaSalle : Well, if we find out how the killer got them, maybe we can find him.

• Loretta Wade : Now how do you feel?

  Dwayne Pride : Like I've been run over by a streetcar, twice.

  Loretta Wade : Well, the naloxone should counteract the effects of whatever he injected you with. But it'll take a little time to work.

  Dwayne Pride : Marquez took Ginny in broad daylight. He's reckless and desperate, and he knows we're after him. We are all out of time.

  Loretta Wade : No, Hannah and the team are doing whatever they can to locate him.

  Dwayne Pride : I just... should have known this was gonna happen.

  Loretta Wade : He got the drop on you, Dwayne.

  Dwayne Pride : No, before that. I saw the signs. The rock doves. I-I just didn't understand what they meant.

• Loretta Wade : So, what is it that you didn't understand?

  Dwayne Pride : It was a warning. That Ginny was in trouble.

  Loretta Wade : Because of some doves?

  Dwayne Pride : When you say it like that, it makes me sound like...

  Loretta Wade : No, you're a lot of things, Dwayne Pride, but crazy isn't one of them. It's called intuition. Years of experience on the job. A sixth sense.

  Dwayne Pride : No. No. This was something else.

• Dwayne Pride : We need to track down every doctor in this area who has the training required to perform the transplant.

  Hannah Khoury : Well, I would ask Dr. Welles for a list, but after our last conversation, I doubt he'd cooperate.

  Dwayne Pride : Well, I'm not gonna give him a choice.

  Loretta Wade : I'll drive.

  Dwayne Pride : I'm fine, Loretta. I'm fine. I'm fi...

  Loretta Wade : [catching him as he stumbles]  Dwayne. Give me your keys, Dwayne. If you're nice, maybe I'll let you pick the music.