A woman reports an answerphone message from someone saying they "killed [=DeeDee=]." Briscoe and Curtis discover that the message was meant for Roy Lawlor. His five-year-old daughter Diane "[=DeeDee=]" died in a house fire that supposedly started when he was drunk and smoking. But there's evidence the fire was started deliberately. The trail leads to Roy's 15-year-old son Terry, who lives with Roy's ex-wife Elaine and her wealthy, powerful father Carl Anderton. Terry is arrested.

Anderton is Terry's legal guardian and makes all decisions on Terry's behalf. His lawyer Larry Weaver gets the tape excluded and Anderton threatens Schiff's re-election campaign if the charges aren't dropped. But Terry's classmates and school guidance counselor describe a history of erratic behavior that may indicate bipolar disorder. Anderton refuses to have him tested, even off the record; and the judge declines to grant an order mandating the test. So the case goes to trial. When the guidance counselor testifies that Terry was clearly delusional, Anderton has Weaver call a recess and request a plea - as long as it doesn't involve psychiatric care.

[=McCoy=] and Ross investigate whether Anderton's mood swings could indicate he himself has bipolar disorder. Sure enough, Anderton's infamous for his temper and he periodically disappears from the public eye due to "exhaustion." [=McCoy=] convinces Elaine that Anderton and Terry both need help. The [=DA=]s tell Anderton that he can either agree to Terry spending time in hospital, or they will petition a judge to remove Anderton's rights as guardian. Anderton launches into a paranoid rant.

Terry tells the judge that he believed Roy and [=DeeDee=] were possessed by demons, and that he could save them by starting the fire. He told his grandfather everything, but Anderton ordered him to keep quiet. Terry is committed to hospital. Schiff, who is an old friend of Anderton, reflects that there have been many incidents that should have told Anderton he needed help - but he just saw them as signs of his own "genius."

!! Tropes present in this episode
* TheAlcoholic: Roy Lawlor is a recovering alcoholic who went into rehab after his drinking seemingly caused the fire.
* DeathOfAChild: It turns out that [=DeeDee=] is a child who died at age 5.
* ItsAllAboutMe: Carl Anderton refuses to accept a deal that means Terry would be in an institution getting psychiatric help instead of prison:
-->'''Carl Anderton''': You know, I know what this is really all about, Mr. [=McCoy=]. ''({{Beat}})'' You're going after my grandson to embarrass me.
* PunnyName: The detectives speak to a Theresa Green in the course of the investigation.
* OutlivingOnesOffspring: [=DeeDee's=] parents are still alive.
* TheReveal: When looking at Carl Anderton's own past, certain events suggest bipolar tendencies that Anderton managed to pass off as being a maverick.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Carl Anderton is Terry Lawlor's guardian and he does everything in his power to get the charges against his grandson dropped.