After a botched sting operation where Gina and Trudy have to be rescued from a heroin den, Crockett and Tubbs stumble on a wealthy young man named Mark Jorgenson, Junior. He almost cracks under pressure from Crockett but is rescued by his family's attorney. Believing he could be a link to high-level dealers, Crockett and Tubbs proceed to follow him back to his polo club. There they meet Mark Senior and his partner, Mary McDermont.
Investigating Mark Senior, they discover he's guilty of numerous financial crimes and may actually be supplementing his businesses with drug dealing. Wire-tapping him, they follow a coded conversation to finding a massive stash of cocaine in a warehouse they proceed to put under surveillance. Arresting Mary when she comes with some buyers, she is promptly killed and Crockett uses it to convince Junior to wear a wire on his own father.
This episode contains the following tropes:
- Abusive Parents: Mark Senior has bullied and belittled his son for decades in hopes of making him a real man. Mark was notably abused by his own father this way.
- Ambiguous Situation: Mary's death may either be a suicide to protect Mark Senior or Make It Look Like an Accident. Mark Senior certainly believes he killed her, though.
- Bittersweet Ending: Crockett and Tubbs arrest Mark Senior with a taped confession of his involvement in murder as well as involvement in drug smuggling. However, it is achieved through manipulating Junior, a clearly troubled young man who becomes The Runaway.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Mark Senior is using drugs to supplement his already considerable income.
- Dramatic Irony: Mark Senior only explains how much he loves his son after he's already killed his surrogate mother.
- Make It Look Like an Accident: What Mark Senior (probably) ordered done to Mary.
- Undying Loyalty: Mary refuses to roll on Mark Senior and may have committed suicide to protect him.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Junior only wants his father's approval, which he's never received.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Tubbs is less than happy with Crockett's desire to use Junior against his father.
- White-Collar Crime: Mark Senior has branched out from this into drug smuggling, possibly because his assets aren't nearly as solvent as they appear.
