Bosch struggles to manage all the things he's lost and to keep the darkness at bay, from himself, and from Maddie. The Task Force bears down on two suspects. Acting Captain Grace Billets gets tangled in station politics and petty opposition, no longer everyone's best friend.

Two off-duty patrol officers cause Billets more trouble than she needs while the protests heat up outside Hollywood Station. With a suspect in custody, the Task Force begins to wrap up the case, but Bosch remains unconvinced. Irving learns he's being played and Honey Chandler makes a surprising discovery.

Spooked by her encounters with Bonner, Rita visits her husband Preston Borders in jail. Borders believes Bosch is behind Bonner's visits, and tells her to have Cronyn deal with it. Bosch and Chandler try to figure out how property clerk Terry Spencer is involved with the Cronyns. On a hunch, Bosch calls Cronyn's office posing as Spencer. Cronyn demands to know why Spencer is calling him. "I'm not your contact." Later, Bonner watches Rita meet with Cronyn's wife, Kathy Zelden. The circle of conspirators appears complete. While Christina Henry looks through the same case files that Irving recently tampered with, her friend Lt. Torres probes her more personal reasons for targeting Bosch. Crate and Barrel discover someone is manipulating the city's crime stats. They bring the worrying news to Lt. Billets. Pierce and Vega can't find Jose Jr. While searching a warehouse the pharmacy killers may have used, one of Robertson's team members nearly dies from exposure to traces of Fentanyl. At city archives, Bosch looks at the Skyler case search warrants and realizes the before-search photo from Borders' bedroom is missing. He remembers that Irving entered the apartment with a photo team before Bosch discovered the seahorse pendant. After Bosch learns both Henry and Sgt. Wash also have been in the files, he asks Irving about the missing photo. The Chief stonewalls him. Bosch arrives undercover at the Garcia Clinic, and goes on a pill run. Edgar and a second detective follow the van, but they have to back off once their cover is blown. Instead of returning to the Clinic, the van heads to Whiteman Airport. Edgar arrives just in time to see the twin otter climb into the sky, his partner on board.

Nearly a year has passed and Bosch is still investigating the Daisy Clayton murder case. Meanwhile Edgar runs a sting on his dirty cops and Irvin Irving jumpstarts his mayoral campaign.

After Maddie's involvement with the Franzen case leaves her exposed, she must testify before a grand jury to stay safe. Irving asks FBI SAC Brenner for help with Alvarez, learning something useful about Peña. The little tamale girl’s father pays Bosch a visit; his pain strengthens Bosch’s resolve to bring her killers to justice. Leonard and Norris push Billets to the brink.

Robertson and Bennett follow the hitman's trail to Las Vegas, hoping to find a connection to Fowkkes' other clients. When Billets performs a security evaluation at a local jewelry shop, she gets more than she bargained for. Irving gives Bosch an order, causing Bosch to lose faith in the system he has defended his entire career.