Dexter Morgan, a Miami Metro Police Department blood spatter analyst, is living a double life. After his day job with the police department, Dexter moonlights as a serial killer, hunting and killing criminals who slip through the justice system. Dexter's sister, Debra, a vice squad officer, pulls Dexter into her world when another serial killer is killing prostitutes and leaving their bloodless bodies dismembered in various locations around Miami. Meanwhile, Dexter hunts a man who made snuff videos and killed a mother of two.

The Ice Truck Killer sets a trap for Dexter by kidnapping someone close to him; Dexter's increasingly odd behavior piques Doakes's interest.

Dexter manages to get Doakes off his back. He devises a plan to get the police in another direction. Lila and Dex's relationship intensifies, and he has some interaction with Rita and the kids.

Dexter tests Miguel to see if he is on his dark-side job. Rita questions her career path after being fired from her job. Debra believes she in some way caused another homicide while working on her current case.

Dexter angers Miguel when he says no to his latest offer, who's unsure the next target lives up (or down) to Harry's Code. Meanwhile, an elderly, deathly ill Camilla asks Dexter to kill her, insisting she would never ask a friend to do something against his conscience. Also, Rita discovers that Sylvia believes her husband Miguel has had an affair; and Anton is told he is bait to get at Skinner.