Shawn and Gus are put on the case when a food critic is murdered. However, Gus' Uncle Burton is in town, and due to a misunderstanding, Gus must pretend to be the psychic detective to avoid disappointing his family.

Gus is taken hostage at the Santa Barbara Savings and Loan Bank while making a deposit for Shawn.

Shawn, still in the car and oblivious to the hostage situation, questions Lassiter and Juliet about the cops' sudden arrival. Learning that his best friend is in trouble, Shawn is desperate to help and realizes he needs to get inside the bank to question the gunman. However, the SWAT team soon shows up, and its negotiator will not easily satisfy Shawn's request.