Bosch continues his investigation into the Gallagher family disappearance, focusing on Stephen's business. Infighting in the follow-home robbery crew gives Vasquez and Maddie a lead. Chandler's association with Bosch comes under scrutiny. Chandler and her team do damage control after the debate. Maddie and Vasquez zero in on the loot from the robberies. Bosch answers to the grand jury. Robertson and Lopez bring Preston Borders to LA to testify.
Siobhan can't sit still knowing something has happened to her family. She took action in hiring Bosch. Yet her private investigator is now under investigation himself. She doesn't receive that news. The rest of Los Angeles does though. Devon Archer believes he has a way to injury Chandler during the debate. He uses it. He doesn't particularly care what the fallout will be. Maddie was warned not to discuss the investigation with anyone. She could lose her job if she did. She agonizes over it. She wants to confide in someone. Vasquez is willing to listen until she hears more details. It's better for Maddie to keep things to herself. The person in charge doesn't face the same pressure. Instead, everyone just has to conform to his actions. Jimmy prided himself on investigating Bosch the same way the former detective handles the job. He has to outthink him in that very particular way. Bosch responds accordingly. Yet the approach has to change following the announcement. Archer believes he has a case. It's going to be presented to a grand jury. It felt impromptu during the debate. However, a subpoena was ready to be served. It was all meant to provoke a reaction from Bosch. He doesn't believe they could possibly have a case. A lot can still be inferred from his actions. It could be a case of Preston Borders manipulating the investigation. He's trying to get a better deal for himself. That will benefit his wife who is tired of all she has to do for him. No concrete answers have been provided yet. The intrigue continues to rise. All of this could distract or disrupt Bosch's latest case. However, he's right there in the field to catch Stephen Gallagher's business associates during something shady.
The episode opens and closes with a glimpse of the missing family. It serves as proof that they are still alive. They were taken awhile ago. Hiding in the closest wasn't enough to safe Kerry. She continues to be singled out to create further agony. It heightens the stakes. Stephen's business partners, Sheila and Finbar, are reluctant to make a deal. They accept it anyway. They offered the impression of cooperating with the police. Bosch discovered otherwise. He doesn't know how the pieces add up just yet. He is making progress. Meanwhile, Maddie and Vasquez catch a break in the follow-home robbers simply because the criminals are desperate. They don't follow instructions. Albert and Nestor guys don't like Victoria's deal for splitting the profits. They believe they are doing a ton of the work. They do carry a lot of the risk. They don't recognize the contribution of the woman setting all of this up and selling the stolen items. She's ensuring their safety. She knows to target the right people. When her partners stray, that's when they are threatened with exposure. They draw even more attention to themselves. That's dangerous. Maddie and Vasquez are right there to respond and take statements from witnesses. They too are seeing the pieces coming together. That provides them with drive and purpose beyond the concerns happening with Bosch and Chandler. Those two are reaching climactic moments in their respective character journeys across a decade of storytelling. Sure, the story provides enough stakes to present a narrative typical with every prior season. Change is apparent too. This season will either make or break them. They lean on each other as friends. Yet they are still surprised by information used against them.
Preston Borders killed Kurt Dockweiler in an elaborate scheme to break out of prison. He set up the man who sent him there in the first place. He was never going to get out. He delights at the thought of seeing sunlight again. Jimmy and Lopez don't quickly give in to his demands. Instead, the grand jury largely hears witnesses taking their fifth amendment right against self-incrimination. Bosch followed that instruction. Preston did the exact same thing. Moreover, Bosch notices the figures preparing to ambush the police escort. He knows it's odd Preston's wife is outside the courthouse. Preston was never given the luxury of contacting anyone in the outside world. Instead, everyone prepared for this moment for a long time. It required patience. They were running out of it by the time the fateful day arrived. When the plan goes awry, Preston decides to run. He wants to escape even if it means leaving his men behind to suffer the consequences of the police. He can't go back to prison. He expects Bosch to be grateful for what he did. He saw a vulnerability worth exploiting. It convinced a lot of people. Moreover, Chandler weaponizes the investigation as politically-motivated. Devon Archer went after her investigator to poison public opinion. She pursues the same tactic now. Jimmy saw reason to look into Bosch's actions. Maddie didn't know if she could believe her father. He claimed he didn't do it. If he confessed, that would have compromised her career. Her legal responsibility would be to turn him in. She's already targeted because she didn't report her concerns. Internal Affairs is just now getting around to interviewing her. However, the overall mystery has come to a close. Bosch remains a central figure. He relies on Jimmy to deliver the final shot. He appreciates it. It's another dangerous situation Bosch got himself in and survived. He's made a career out of that.
Because Bosch is caught up in the confrontation with Preston, he's unable to return Sheila's call right away. She didn't appreciate being accused of wrongdoing by him. The construction company was selling off its equipment. That was the only way to obtain a profit after Stephen disappeared. In reality, Finbar was taking more money for himself. Bosch and Mo reached that conclusion by demanding answers from the felon turned legitimate businessman buying the equipment. Sheila had to break into Finbar's bank account to see all the deposits in his favor. Unfortunately, she didn't get out of his office in time. She contacted Bosch. That was the most important thing she did. She advances the overall investigation. However, she has been killed. That fate was delivered immediately. The narrative suggests Siobhan still has reason to hope her family is alive. All four of them are being punished for some reason. In this case, Sheila is the only victim. Bosch discovers her body. That affirms he will continue to find himself in complicated situations. He doesn't even have time to recover from his fight with Preston. He takes a pipe to the back. He walks it off. That's impressive. But again, he may not be able to escape every dangerous situation he's in. Too many people care about him for him to be so reckless with his life. He has always been this way. Maddie has doubts upon seeing him as human and not just her father. He isn't perfect. She knew that. This whole mess only amplified that thought. She still comes running whenever he escapes death. That's comforting too.
