The episode unfolds with Max Mitchell (Vanessa Morgan), captivated by a video featuring Jonathan Ashford (Martin Sheen). As the footage concludes, she peers through binoculars, curiosity piqued as she spies on Boss Babe (Jessie Fraser) in a meditative trance, possibly seeking escape from her husband, Scarfman (David Stuart). Ricky Wilson (Fletcher Donovan) catches her in the act of espionage, and Max gripes about her monotonous existence. He reminisces about cautioning her against diving into the children's ball pit and her assurance to prioritize her schoolwork, adding a plea to halt the barrage of cat GIFs clogging his inbox.
At the Metro Police Department, Ellis shares with Detective Simmons (Michael Xavier) the amusement-tinged frustration of receiving said cat GIFs. Detective Yates (Amy Goodmurphy) teases Simmons about pining for Max, then reveals she's wearing his shoes as a playful jab. Chief Li (Terry Chen) confronts Yates about unpaid parking tickets leading to the suspension of her driver's license. She claims exemption due to an undercover assignment, but Li benches her until she reinstates her license, assigning Simmons and Ellis to probe a recent death. Yates humorously requests Ellis not to tamper with her seat settings. Li insists she buckle down for her written driving test.
At the crime scene, Officer Jim (Giacomo Baessato) informs Simmons and Ellis that the deceased is Alan Murray, a 45-year-old man. A diverse group comprising Elderly Betty (Barbara Pollard), Hipster Josh (Kareem Malcolm), Nurse Carla (Rhona Rees), and Hipster Rebecca (Lynette Bonin) had gathered to watch a baking show with Murray, who had unfortunately become the unwitting victim of a pie-to-the-face prank. Simmons and Ellis discover Murray's wallet stuffed with cash but devoid of credit cards or a license. The apartment's impeccable tidiness raises no immediate suspicions. Coroner Olive (Manuela Sosa) requires their assistance in turning Murray over, revealing a shard of glass protruding from his back. She estimates the time of death to be sometime between 8 PM and 10 PM on Saturday.
Simmons and Ellis initially view Murray's death as a straightforward accident. Betty and Josh attest to Murray's meticulous nature and punctuality. Carla admits to checking his pulse, while Betty blames the carpet for his fatal fall. The duo boasts about their swift progress, contrasting it unfavorably with the hypothetical slowness if Yates or Max were part of the team. Ellis ponders the peculiarities in Murray's attire—his shoelaces and belt differing from his photographic evidence, notably his characteristic Berluti knot.
Just as Max calls, boredom dripping from her voice, inquiring if Simmons is driving him insane, he reassures her of their well-being and hurries her off the line. However, Ellis's suspicion deepens upon noticing these inconsistencies, hinting at a more intricate narrative behind Murray's demise.At the morgue, Ellis and Simmons confided their suspicions to Olive, who revealed the startling discovery of yellow fibers clinging to Murray's corpse, despite his shirt being a vivid green. Ellis conjectured that Murray's attire had been deliberately swapped to obscure crucial evidence, implying a premeditated murder. Olive, on the other hand, speculated that Murray had been pushed, the shard of glass failing to finish the job.
Over at the police station, Officer Toni (played by Caroline Battista) disclosed that Murray’s phone contained an astonishing 100 pages of text messages. Simmons stepped away momentarily to brew some coffee, prompting Yates to boast about his daily routine of crafting her java perfection, complete with frothy milk.
Elsewhere, Max indulged in popcorn while eavesdropping on Scarfman and his reveling guests. Boss Babe returned to her abode to catch Max flirtatiously engaging with Redhot (Ruby Gillett). She cornered Max in private, while Scarfman made his presence felt, signaling the end of the festivities and ushering his guests out. He was later seen exiting with Redhot, while Boss Babe poured herself a soothing drink.
The following morning, Ricky arrived home to find Max dozing off in his wheelchair. Inquiring if she had spent the entire night spying, she confirmed it, justifying her actions due to the ongoing party. Ricky handed her a bag brimming with gifts before rushing off for a shower. Max then turned her attention to Scarfman, who was donning overalls. Spotting a gun tucked away, Max screamed for Ricky, only to lose sight of Scarfman momentarily before he reappeared, shed his coveralls, and wheeled a suitcase out the door. In a panic, Max contacted Ellis, claiming she had witnessed Scarfman shooting Boss Babe during her meditation. Her narrative shifted multiple times, leaving Ellis puzzled. Simmons informed him of The Super’s (Cameron McDonald) arrival, prompting Ellis to inquire about any gunfire reports in the Argyle and Fifth vicinity. Simmons replied in the negative, and Max vowed to dig deeper.
Max and Simmons grilled The Super about the incriminating texts found on Murray’s phone. Murray had accused him of abusing his master key to illegally invade tenants' apartments. The Super, who had a history of two separate break-and-enter charges, claimed he was painting a tenant’s apartment at the time of Murray’s demise, a claim supported by his wife.
Meanwhile, Max kept a vigilant watch on the neighboring apartment when Yates tapped her on the shoulder. He informed her of the lack of gunfire reports and inquired about her painkiller stash, to which Max insisted she was stone-cold sober. Yates emphasized the importance of probable cause and cautioned her against raising false alarms. Max sensed a hint of jealousy towards Ellis and Simmons in Yates’ tone.
At the police department, doorbell camera footage revealed The Super exiting a tenant’s apartment after a brief 20-minute visit, only to return two hours later. He steadfastly denied any involvement in Murray’s murder. Shortly thereafter, Simmons updated Li that Mrs. Roberts had confirmed The Super’s alibi, placing him with her during the time of Murray’s death. Betty, Carla, Rebecca, and Josh also had solid alibis for the night, adding to the intricate web of the case.As Max looks on, Yates taps on the door of the adjacent apartment, adopting the moniker Yolanda with flair. She entices Scarfman with an enticing gouda offer, only to have him politely decline. Undeterred, she whispers that cheese holds aphrodisiac qualities, just as Boss Babe materializes, querying whom Yates is addressing. He swiftly introduces Yolanda as a fellow cheese club enthusiast, sidestepping suspicion. Shortly thereafter, Yates reassures Max that their unexpected visitor was indeed Boss Babe, a couple whose mutual animosity was palpable. She proceeds to share the profits from their cheese endeavor with Max.
Meanwhile, on stakeout duty, Ellis phones Max to update her on Murray's grim fate, advising him to find a secluded spot for contemplation but steering clear of metronomes. She recounts a misadventure where self-hypnosis led her astray, ending up in a nudist colony in New Mexico. The following day, at Murray's apartment, Ellis reveals to Simmons that while Murray had a habit of folding his newspaper twice, his Saturday edition was singularly folded. Simmons adds that Murray was a creature of habit with his lottery tickets, yet Friday's was conspicuously absent despite the weekly draw revealing a win of $4.7 million. Inside the refrigerator, they discover melted butter, mold-ridden fruit, and sour milk, prompting Ellis to ponder if these items had been swapped out.
Olive's phone call informs Simmons and Ellis that Murray's blood pooled around his midsection despite him lying supine, leading Ellis to deduce that he was posthumously placed in the fridge. They adjust the time of death to 8 PM on Friday. While Max watches a Jonathan Ashford video, Ricky calls with intriguing news: Scarfman wrote, directed, and starred in a play titled "Murder by Candlelight," with Boss Babe owning the theater, albeit unprofitably.
At the precinct, Ellis unveils to Li that the killer meticulously staged Murray's death to resemble a Saturday demise. Simmons notes that Murray's newspaper routine deviated on Saturdays, aligning with the missing lottery ticket. Tracking Simmons' phone, Yates deduces he and Ellis visited their favorite burrito joint. As Scarfman dons coveralls and wields a knife, entering a room where Boss Babe meditates, Max and Yates watch intently. Upon turning, Max realizes it's Redhot impersonating Boss Babe, sparking curiosity about her motives for the charade.
Max postulates that these faux murders serve as rehearsals for a genuine homicide, a theory that can only be validated through further investigation. Disguised as a fire marshal, Yates confronts the stage hand, Tiana Jung, using spy glasses gifted by Ricky to stay in contact with Max. Among the props, Yates uncovers those used by Scarfman in his rehearsals with Redhot, alongside the stage manager's cue sheet. Max learns that Boss Babe engages in yoga at 9 PM for 45 minutes, while Scarfman occupies the stage. Yates highlights a quick change at 9:10 PM, with Scarfman resuming his role by 9:20 PM, hinting at timing as a crucial element. As tonight marks the final performance, the stakes are raised, and the puzzle deepens.Moments later, they discover that the stunning individual they spotted is none other than the play's costume designer. Yates believes she has devised a plan to slip away undetected. Stepping outside, she estimates it would take merely 30 seconds to dash from the theater's back door to the condo where the murder is set to occur, or a minute if they opt for the parking garage route. Yates joins Max, who believes they've solved a murder before it even unfolded. Yates contends that their hands are tied since the evidence is purely circumstantial, necessitating patience until Scarf Man makes his move against his wife.
Max confides in Cole about the situation, who concedes that Yates is correct. Cole reveals he searched Murray's apartment and found his wallet devoid of a driver's license or credit cards, prompting Max to insist one would never leave such essentials behind. Cole further discovers these items along with a winning lottery ticket, convinced it holds the key to unmasking the killer. Meanwhile, Max keeps a vigilant watch on Scarf Man's apartment. The enigmatic beauty returns and repeats her earlier routine.
Scarf Man and the enchantress step out onto the street, with Redhot seemingly taking up the role of lookout. Donning overalls and brandishing a knife, Scarf Man makes his way into his apartment. Max notices the beauty casting glances in his direction but then she vanishes. As Scarf Man attempts to eliminate Boss Babe, he is promptly thwarted and apprehended. Inside the apartment, the woman removes her wig, revealing herself to be Yates. Just then, an intruder enters Max's apartment, turning out to be the alluring costume designer, wielding a genuine knife. Cole arrives in the nick of time to prevent her from plunging the blade into Max, who was on his way to inform her of their case breakthrough, thanks to her clue.
In a flashback, Cole expresses gratitude to Rebecca and Josh for returning. Carla mentions overhearing that Alan's killer has been caught. Cole downplays it as a mere random break-in and reveals that Betty won the lottery on Friday. Betty enters the scene as Cole exits, with a camera capturing their interaction. Josh accuses Betty of discovering the lottery ticket and cashing it without their knowledge.
He vigorously reminds everyone of the force he had to exert to shove the victim onto the glass, etching the moment indelibly in their minds. Clara interjects, revealing a stunning reversal: she has altered the estimated time of death. Cole, accompanied by his team, returns to secure the custody of all involved.
In the present tense drama, Cole confides in Max, unraveling a mystery as intricate as it is intriguing: their birthdays aligned perfectly with the lottery ticket numbers. Murray, a Friday ritualist who purchased tickets for the group without fail, claimed an exemption on the fateful Friday of his demise—a revelation that sparked a heated altercation. In the tumult, Murray toppled over a coffee table, his fate sealed by a shard of glass piercing through him. Yet, even in his agony, he remained steadfastly silent about the ticket's whereabouts. Cole delves deeper, unveiling Murray's plight: a daughter drowning in debt, for whom he hoped to secure a financial lifeline through the lottery winnings.
The festive atmosphere thickens as Yates and Simmons join the gathering, their presence adding an unexpected layer of joy. Max receives a fortune cookie message, whimsically hinting that the love of her life might be standing right beside her. Simmons, sharing a tender moment with Yates, assures him of his unwavering commitment, acknowledging a fleeting longing he'd harbored for her presence.
Ricky's arrival is met with astonishment, the apartment brimming with unexpected guests. Max, caught between the thrill of the unfolding narrative and the comfort of companionship, inquiries about her future with Cole as partners. Cole, with a wry smile, corrects her gentle misconception: Yates is not Max, each bearing their unique identity within this tapestry of life. As for Max, she playfully bemoans Yates' incessant chatter, her laughter mingling with the buzz of the gathering.
