Back at the A-plot, Horatio's futzing with an extremely large piece of lab equipment, and Speedle comes in to perform the geek equivalent of automotive drooling: "An XRF! These things cost two hundred and fifty grand. When did we get this?" "This morning, courtesy of the ATF," Horatio replies. Speedle then explains to the viewers at home what an XRF is and why we should care: "So the X-ray allows us to examine Greg Kimble's shirt for chemicals." Horatio replies, "Exactly right, and zero in on areas we can then extract from. Now, Mr. Kimble claims he has no job and no legitimate access to chemicals, right?" Speedle concludes, "So if we find chemicals on his clothing, we can link him to the drug lab. But...didn't we already do that with the print and the glove?" Horatio tells him they did, but "like my old man says, 'You didn't have a backup, you didn't have a plan.'" His old man? His website bio goes on about how he was raised by a plucky single mother. Then again, his website bio does not mention his dead brother, so for all we know, Horatio may well come from a clan of preternaturally smart law enforcement types. Anyway, Horatio finds high amounts of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous, and those match the components found in the residue at the clan house. The two guys both think Kimble's a liar. Speedle is then dispatched to back up Horatio's findings via mass spec; in a nod to his previous conversation with Horatio, he says sarcastically, "I'll call you on your cell phone," and winks.

Horatio wanders off, just in time to lose his cool as Gregory gets let go by the state's attorney; Sevilla directs him to the attorney (cooling his heels in Horatio's office), and after Horatio bellows, "He stays put until I say so," he heads to his office. At this point, I'm actively rooting for a crossover episode, because I totally want to see how Gil would react to Horatio's way of doing things.

Apparently, Horatio's way of doing things includes wild mood swings, as he's now cool as a cucumber and explaining that he's got Gregory dead to rights as the cook. The attorney, Dante, isn't quite on board: "You can't place him at the lab." Horatio talks over him, "Of course I can -- I recovered his fingerprint there from a latex glove." "At a party house. That only proves he was there," Dante says. "Wearing latex gloves," Horatio doggedly replies. Well, maybe it was a costume party house. Horatio also points out, "The fumes from his trash already killed somebody. He may be selling lethal pills." Dante says, "You know that Florida statute 893.03 has a specific list of controlled substances. Even if we could put him there, he wasn't making anything illegal." Horatio thinks this over and says, "Okay. So. You get to turn him loose, and I get to send the victim's wife a sympathy card." He says that like it pains him; we all know better. Horatio's in his glory when he's the Grief Whisperer. Horatio then says, "Talk about your déjà vu." And suddenly this plotline is all about Horatio. Surprise! Dante says, "Your brother was a good cop. This has nothing to do with him." Horatio notes, "Interesting that you bring this up." Dante tells him to let it go. Yeah, good luck with that. When pushed as to why it's a good idea for Horatio to let it go, Dante says, "It's in the best interests of this case." "And in my best interests too, is that what you're saying?" Horatio presses. Dante exits with, "Those are your words, not mine. Let it go."