Ep 18. The Road Home

The Road Home is an episode in season 4 of the television series Without A Trace, which originally aired on March 23, 2006. The series revolves around the FBI's Missing Persons Unit, which is responsible for investigating cases of missing persons and bringing them back home.

In this episode, the team finds themselves searching for a single mother named Leslie Marcus, who has disappeared along with her two young children, a boy and a girl. Leslie has recently divorced her husband, and her ex-husband, Brian Marcus, is the prime suspect in her disappearance.

The team immediately begins to investigate Brian, who claims to have no knowledge of Leslie's whereabouts. However, as the investigation progresses, it becomes clear that Brian is hiding something. He has a history of domestic violence and has been known to stalk Leslie in the past.

The team begins to follow leads and gather evidence, interviewing family members, friends, and colleagues of both Leslie and Brian. They also begin to search for Leslie's car, which is missing along with her and her children.

As the investigation continues, the team discovers that Leslie was planning to move out of state with her children to start a new life. They also uncover evidence of a secret romance between Leslie and a man named Tommy, whom she had met online.

With the help of Tommy, the team is able to track down Leslie and her children, who are living in hiding in a remote cabin in the woods. They soon learn that Leslie had faked her disappearance in order to escape from her abusive ex-husband and start a new life with her children.

The team works to gather enough evidence to prosecute Brian for his crimes, and Leslie and her children are placed in protective custody. The episode ends with the team reflecting on the complexity of the case and the importance of never assuming anything when investigating a missing persons case.

Overall, The Road Home is a gripping episode that highlights the emotional toll that domestic violence can have on families. It also showcases the importance of thorough investigation and thinking outside the box when searching for missing persons.