The body of Kirby Hines lies on a Central California wildflower meadow. There's some commotion by the police tape, an ongoing dispute over land between Ted Luscum and Kirby's in-laws, the Gerber family. The situation between the two parties escalates ending with Luscum's arrest for drawing a bowie knife on Cho. Once back at headquarters, CBI's investigation is quickly broken up when Jane is placed under arrest for the bug he planted in Bosco's office. Rather than resign from CBI, Jane accepts his punishment and goes to prison. Cho questions Luscum who conveys that the dispute was over oil and the land he claims that was taken from him. Jane is visited by Cho who brings the case file for him to look over. Jane figures out that the entry "Vultures" in Kirby's journal refers to the actual birds and since they're a protected species and nesting on the land, Kirby’s in-laws the Gerber family wouldn't be able to drill for the oil. Jane uses some phone trickery to get Roddy Gerber, who he suspects is responsible for beating up Kirby prior to his murder, arrested for punching Rigsby. With Roddy in prison, Jane gets him to admit to the altercation with Kirby, killing the vultures and destroying their nest, but he's ruled out as a suspect in the murder. In order to close the case, Jane escapes from prison and tricks Gerber's wife Sandrine into a confession. Now with Jane back in custody, Lisbon leverages an incident from her and Bosco's past to get Bosco to drop the charges on Jane.
