Character Relationship Map: Certain Prey

Characters

• Lucas Davenport (played by Mark Harmon) — protagonist

  Lucas is the deputy chief of police in Minneapolis and the investigator pursuing Clara Rinker. With help from Marcy Sherrill, he hopes to catch Carmel so he can use her to get close to Clara. His purs...

• Carmel (played by Lola Glaudini) — supporting

  Carmel is a brilliant lawyer whose lover is accused of the murder of the woman Clara Rinker was hired to kill. After the contract is carried out, Carmel contacts Clara again because the intermediary w...

• Clara Rinker (played by Tatiana Maslany) — supporting

  Clara is a former stripper who has become one of the best contract killers. She is hired to murder the wife of Carmel's lover, then is contacted again by Carmel after the lover is accused of the killi...

• Special Agent Leonard Heisman (played by Art Hindle) — supporting

  Leonard Heisman is a federal special agent who joins the investigation with his team. He says the agents have tracked the unknown shooter for years and believe she has killed many people. Lucas is war...

• Hale Allen (played by Rod Wilson) — supporting

  Hale Allen is mentioned in connection with messages that Lucas raises during his confrontation with Carmel. The available account does not explain the content of those messages or Hale's relationship...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Carmel → Hale Allen (Romantic Lovers) — Their romantic connection is part of the case context, and messages involving Hale become a subject of Lucas's questioning.

  Carmel's character background identifies Hale Allen as her lover. Lucas later challenges Carmel about messages involving Hale Allen.

• Lucas Davenport → Special Agent Leonard Heisman (Professional Reluctant Investigative Partners) — They work on the same investigation, though Lucas doubts the federal agents' understanding of the case.

  Heisman and the federal agents join the case, and the investigation proceeds alongside them. Lucas is wary of the agents' limited knowledge.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Clara Rinker → Carmel (Alliance Allies In Shared Problems) — Carmel reconnects with Clara over the blackmail problem, and the two women join forces.

  The character background says Carmel contacts Clara again after the intermediary blackmails her, and that the two women combine their knowledge to add...

• Lucas Davenport → Carmel (Conflict Investigator And Subject) — Lucas applies investigative pressure to Carmel and questions her about messages involving Hale Allen; Carmel responds with anger and legal threats.

  Lucas investigates Carmel's phone records and plans searches connected to her. Carmel later angrily confronts him and threatens investigations and law...

• Lucas Davenport → Clara Rinker (Conflict Pursuer And Target) — Lucas follows the evidence toward Clara, while she learns that police have recovered her thumbprint and may be closing in.

  Lucas is identified as the investigator pursuing Clara, and the investigation centers on identifying the professional shooter.

Story Analysis

Lucas Davenport pursues evidence in a killing investigation that links a professional shooter, Carmel, and federal agents, while the available account ends before the case is resolved.

Plot Progression

1. The Unknown Shooter — Lucas investigates a string of killings and learns Clara's history as a professional hitwoman. Federal agents join the case, though Lucas questions their knowledge.
2. Evidence in Plain Sight — Investigators examine a murder, consider a shared weapon, and follow a hotel maid's recognition of a suspect drawing. A thumbprint found in soap gives the investigation a concrete forensic lead.
3. The Net Tightens — Clara learns that police have recovered her print and is warned she may need to quit. Lucas's investigation turns toward Carmel through a bullet and a phone call linked to a Washington messenger servi...
4. Pressure on Carmel — Lucas plans searches intended to pressure Carmel into contacting associates, despite the risk of making the police look overzealous. Carmel confronts him angrily about the investigation, and the avail...