Brenda and her newly christened Major Crimes Division investigate the victim of a crude pipe bomb that exploded too soon, a case that leads them to disaffected teens with a plot that will make one of the team a deadly target.
Brenda and her team match wits with a sex offender's lawyer in a case involving murder and a serial rapist, and when Deputy DA Garnett forces an unpalatable plea bargain, no one is prepared for the result.
The police commissioner's wife tries to claim that her car was stolen to cover up for her drunken vehicular homicide, but Brenda sees right through her lies.
Brenda is asked to help keep a criminal imprisoned when the woman he was convicted of murdering shows up recently dead, and her actions alienate everyone. Meanwhile, Captain Taylor makes a fateful decision about supporting one of his men.
A reporter dies while Brenda helps him profile the LAPD, but Pope bars her from participating in the case until the department psychiatrist clears her for duty. At home, she and Fritz await her parents for a visit.
A girl is dead. At Commander Taylor's entreaty, Brenda steps beyond her purview to bring a high school rapist protected by his intimidating policeman father to justice.
Texas authorities help Major Crimes catch a serial killer, but will Brenda allow the killer to be extradited to Texas to face the death penalty? Meanwhile back at home, she must decide whether Charlie can stay and live with Fritz and her.