Contains spoilers for this episode and earlier episodes.
McNulty asks the medical examiner to reconsider D’Angelo’s apparent suicide. Bruising makes a killing possible, but Donette gives him no useful information. The Major Case Unit then hears Cheese discussing a death after a dogfight and interprets the conversation as evidence of murder. Daniels orders arrests despite McNulty’s wish to keep listening for Stringer. Under questioning, Cheese reveals that he killed his injured dog, not a person. The detectives have exposed their surveillance without securing the case they expected. By the following day, the monitored phones have fallen silent, leaving the unit with little to show for the arrests.
Herc, Carver and Dozerman encounter Bodie, Poot and Puddin at the cinema while both groups are out with their girlfriends. Their awkward meeting is followed by a more serious confrontation: Dozerman is shot during undercover work, and his service weapon disappears. Colvin suspends undercover narcotics operations and compares drug prohibition with the failed approach to alcohol. Meanwhile, Stringer presses his plan to supply rival dealers, while Avon still wants valuable territory. Marlo tells Fruit to ignore Bodie’s approaches and receives advice to prepare for a war if he refuses to compromise. Omar’s crew also robs Shamrock and Country during a drug resupply collection.