Clifford Rauschman, a cabbie, is found strangled to death behind the wheel of his cab. Clifford was in a gay relationship with Mark Waltek, a dance instructor. Despite being in this relationship, Clifford was apparently fond of young street boys, one of whom Leary and Shannon believe may have been the killer. But during their investigation, they find that Clifford's personal life was a little more complex than that. Regardless of the outcome of the case, the investigation has a profound effect on Shannon's own personal life. It's a sense of déjà vu for Da Vinci as he and Kosmo investigate the death of Ray Sorrento outside of the apartment - the exact unit in which Da Vinci had once investigated another murder - of his girlfriend, Vita Hoffman. Sorrento was found dead after an altercation between himself, Vita and Vita's 16-year old son, Eric, who is a boxer. Eric obviously could have provided the fatal blows. Eric's protective boxing manager, Harry DeBurgh, tells Da Vinci a story of what may or may not have happened with Ray's death. Patricia, Marlowe - on his first homicide assignment - and two medical students work on a case study of the death of a cook. They need to piece together the several possible injuries and their probable sequence to determine how he died and who killed him. And Da Vinci finds out who has been appointed the new Chief Coroner.
—Huggo