After an off night at the shooting range, Reed leaves work and stops at an all night grocery. As he is leaving with both arms full of groceries, a young man approaches as if he knows Reed. He points out a friend in a green Volkswagon Beetle holding a pistol on Reed. Reed drops the groceries, pushes the young man, leaps, and fires at the car hitting it. The man in the car fires hitting his friend. The grocer heard only one shot as he comes out of the store, the car races off, and the young man hit in the head makes a dying declaration that Reed was gun happy and shot him. Reed is on desk duty until a review board clears him but the young man dies increasing the pressure on Reed. Malloy with a new by the book partner spends time on and off duty running license plate number combinations looking for the green Beetle.