A former convict and informant who Malloy helped give a second chance is accused of assaulting a priest, dealing drugs and stealing a gun after being fired from his dish-washing job at Duke's Longhorn Café. Malloy and Reed set out to determine if his story, which is full of suspicious coincidences, is actually true.

Malloy and Reed begin their shift responding to a disgruntled tenant who is holding his landlord at knife point. Later, they investigate a rash of property theft from multiple homes in a quiet neighborhood, stake out an apparent bag of laundry left on the side of the road and search for a runaway boy who gets himself into a life-threatening situation.

Two armed convicts holding up a diner shoot Malloy who entered innocently, and hold him and other civilians hostage.

Malloy and Reed prove they cannot and will not be bribed, no matter how good the offer, resulting in desperation from a young man charged with his third drunk driving offense. An elderly man admits mercy killing his wife.