The episode begins with the police pulling up to what appears to be an abandoned car. After further inspection, there seems to be an unconscious man at the wheel. The male policeman helps the driver out while the female discovers a body in the trunk of the car. Both police officers pull out their weapons and the camera pans back to show that the driver is Tony DiNozzo's father.
After credits, the viewer is brought into the bullpen. Tony hands off paperwork to Ziva, stating that it is because she is the most junior agent. Ziva asks about Tony's dinner with his father, to which Tony replies that he did not see his father. His father, apparently, did not give Tony the address as to where to meet and would not respond to his calls. Gibbs tells the team to gear up, and the viewer is returned to the opening scene.
The officer hands the case off to Gibbs. After hearing that the suspect was asleep at the wheel, Tony notes that the case was too easy. Tony's father calls out to him, and Gibbs prevents Tony from going to his father, stating that Tony would compromise the crime scene if he did anything.
DiNozzo Sr. tries to convince McGee that he doesn't need to wear the handcuffs, but McGee states that he does. As McGee leads DiNozzo Sr. off screen, the father shoots a very disappointed look at Tony. Back at base, Gibbs reveals that Vance wants to send the case to the FBI due to the suspect's relation to Tony. After it is revealed that the victim was a rugby player at UVA, Tony argues that it might have been possible that his father was framed. He also points out that his father didn't have a scratch on him and that the victim was half his father's age. Gibbs tells Tony to let the rest of the team deal with it while he handles the cold cases he tried to pass off to Ziva.
In interrogation, Tony's father reveals that he is in a land development deal with the victim. It is also revealed that the victim tried to eliminate Tony's father's part of the pay and DiNozzo Sr. threatened to kill him.
Tony, it seems, can be very sneaky when he wants to be. Bribing and then blackmailing the agent guarding his father, he tries to get information from said father. Senior reiterates that he cannot remember anything from last night and that he was mad at the victim. After visiting his father, Tony finds out that there may be reasonable doubt about his father's fate. A JAG officer stated that the victim was to meet with her that morning; however, he never showed.
Tony goes to Vance with his thoughts and Vance gives Gibbs 24 hours to investigate before the case goes to the FBI. Tony is ordered not to go near the case or his father. Defying orders, Tony sneaks behind Gibbs' back to find out the truth about his father's case.
Just as Tony's father is going to be transferred to the FBI, Abby finds out that he had been slipped a date rape drug. This would explain why he had no memory of the previous night. Tony, after investigating two restaurants his father said he had been to, emailed McGee a photo of a woman who had left a pub with Senior.
It is revealed that the victim was going to leave both his lawyer and Senior out of the agreement. The lawyer and his girlfriend were behind the victim's murder. After the case is settled, Tony visited Gibbs at home. His father overhears Tony say that he loved his father as he carves a turkey for Thanksgiving.
