The episode kicks off with Joe, the seasoned bartender, imparting wisdom to a younger, inexperienced colleague. Suddenly, Ivy, a frequent patron of Joe's elite watering hole, storms in, her mood sour as vinegar. She vents to Joe about her disastrous day, triggered by a social media reminder of Gemma, a college roommate who once wrecked Ivy's life.
Unbeknownst to Ivy, Joe harbors a vendetta of his own. While she's away on a trip, Joe sneaks into Gemma's apartment, intent on settling an old score. In the dead of night, he silently approaches the sleeping woman and, in a fit of rage, chokes the life out of her.
Detective Smullen, Elsbeth, and Kaya are soon on the case, piecing together the grisly crime scene. To their surprise, the real Gemma walks through the door, revealing that the woman Joe killed was merely a temporary guest in the apartment. Ivy, learning of the murder, calls Joe in a panic, only to hear his horrified confession that he'd killed the wrong woman.
As the investigation deepens, Detective Smullen, Elsbeth, and Kaya interview Gemma, probing her about Ivy's possible motives. But Gemma brushes aside their suspicions, mocking the idea that Ivy would even attempt such a thing, branding her as too much of a loser to pull off such a scheme.
Meanwhile, the police descend on Joe's bar, staging a dramatic arrest of the young, unsuspecting new bartender. Joe, unable to bear the guilt any longer, confesses to the crime, his voice cracking under the weight of his actions.
Elsewhere, Agent Celetano is poised to bring charges against Wagner, while Elsbeth and the captain stake out Lieutenant Noonan, hoping to catch him in the act. Their patience pays off, and they nab him red-handed, cuffing him without ceremony.
Finally, with Wagner's name cleared of any wrongdoing, he confronts Elsbeth, his voice cold. He tells her that he can no longer trust her and demands that she leave his precinct, severing their once-close partnership.
