Cynthia Neuwirth (Without a Trace)

Cynthia Neuwirth (Susanna Thompson) was the main villainess from "Win Today," episode 5.08 of Without a Trace (airdate November 12, 2006).
==Backstory==
Cynthia's backstory revealed that when she was 17, she gave birth to a son, which she gave up to her sister. As the years progressed, Cynthia became a habitual con artist, running insurance scams in Houston, Denver, and Chicago. She also began working with Boston-based criminal Brendan Dillon, laundering his money through a restaruant she was running; however, she was skimming off the top, and that made her a target for Dillon. 
Cynthia's sister passed away seven months prior to the episode's events, and it was after this that she reunited with her son, named Alex Stark. However, she never told him that she was his biological mother, and she decided to take Alex on as her partner in her cons, while continuing to hide the truth from him.
==Events==
A victim of Cynthia and Alex's cons was Justin Ferrara, who won a plethora of money from Alex at a poker game (unaware that Alex losing was part of his and Cynthia's plan). The scam involved selling a phony stock tip to Justin, who paid them, only to get his money back from Alex when he realized he had been conned. Following Alex's disappearance, an investigation led Jack Malone and company to Cynthia, where Jack went undercover at Cynthia's gambling ring. Jack ended up drugged during the sting, however, and at that moment, the evil Cynthia apporached Jack and tied him to a chair.
Cynthia held Jack hostage under the belief that he was sent by Dillon to kill her, and tortured Jack with a nail gun, firing one nail in his right hand and another in his chest; the second shot coming after she figured out his cover. The villainess later pointed a gun at Jack and planned to kill him, even after Jack stated that he was only looking for Alex. After Jack figured out that Cynthia's main concern was Alex, Cynthia revealed the truth: that Alex was her son. She stated that she wasn't ready for a child, leading to her sister taking care of him until her passing, with Alex believing that her mother had died. Cynthia defended her decision to make Alex her partner, claiming that she was building a relationship with him.
However, Jack had come to the realization that Alex was actually conning Cynthia, and that he faked his own disappearance to get out of the business and start a new life with girlfriend Sara. Cynthia still refused Jack's plan for her to tell Alex the truth about her, stating that it was too late. After the unit found Jack's location and arrived there, Cynthia went upstairs and pointed her gun at the police, who shot and killed the villainess.
==Gallery==
Cynthia Villainess.gif|Cynthia approaching Jack after drugging him
Cynthia Neuwirth Gun.jpg|Cynthia brandishing her gun
Cynthia Corpse.jpg|Cynthia after being shot to death by police
Category:2000s
Category:Attempted Murder
Category:Bondage Used By Villainess
Category:Boots
Category:Brunette
Category:Callous
Category:Conspirator
Category:Corpse
Category:Deceiver
Category:Femme Fatale
Category:Greedy
Category:Live Action Villainess
Category:Pistol
Category:Torturer
Category:Villainous Reveal
Category:Fate: Deceased
Category:Demise: Shot