Kellerman is disappointed with his treatment in the press (or rather the lack of it). Back on the job, Mike gets his first case. There was a shopkeeper who was killed for chasing the drug dealers out of his corner. The prime suspect is Luther Mahoney. Frank tries to reconnect with Tim who is still resolved to no longer be Frank's partner. Mike is visibly on the edge, with all the pressures of the past months and his reputation tarnished, and agitated by the fact that Luther Mahoney may get away with another murder. Meldrick tries to talk him down, not anxious to lose another partner.

A girl complains to the desk sergeant about her father's abuse of her mother. Meldrick spends the night remembering Crosetti with the Chris and Eva Thormann. Chris reflects on his own memories of the shooting incident that blinded him, the shooter is now up for parole. Bayliss with Pembleton investigate the homicide of a man shot to death in his own house. The shooter, the murdered man's wife will testify, is their daughter. The case triggers a painful memory for Tim who goes to visit his Uncle George.

Kellerman is trying to find Lewis, who's disappeared since his suspension. Bayliss is on vacation. Stivers rotates into homicide and Kellerman isn't happy to see her. A priest is found murdered. Falsone attends a custody deposition hearing. A tape is delivered to Channel 11 that contains some startling information from a Swami about the priest's activities involving young boys. Munch and Kellerman seek out the two boys who were at the scene of the crime; meanwhile the other detectives seek out the Swami. Both are located, though the boys do not provide anything conclusive; they are held in protective custody. Kellerman searches for Lewis. Meanwhile, church members protest in front of the station house. Falsone gets his son for a weekend. Ballard and Gharty detain a corner kid who might be identifiable as one of three who had frightened a priest. Unfortunately, that priest (a monsignor) can't make a positive ID. Because of public pressure, the boys are released from custody to stay with

With the addition of the latest murder, the ""red ball"" investigation continues full force. The detectives and the returning Bayliss pose as priests in an attempt to flush out any leads. Munch's cover attracts two young thugs, but they prove to be nothing. Gee is called upstairs, where his performance doesn't sit well with Barnfather. Lewis turns up and seeks some help from Falsone. Pembleton receives a call that the two missing boys have been found. Pembleton and Stivers travel to collect them. Meanwhile, Gharty and Ballard find the pawnbroker who had accepted a stolen chalice. Cox and Bayliss prevent a drunken Kellerman from driving home. Ballard and Gharty use the pawn-receipt false address to track down the corner kid with whom they'd previously had a run-in. They bring him into the box and Gharty loses his cool. The kid is tough to crack, but Pembleton has an idea involving the morgue and a trip to the shore. While stumbling home, a drunken Kellerman decides he doesn't like the loo