Deep within the mayor's inner sanctum, Norman is still marveling at the mayor's press conference performance. "In the Pentecostal church where I was given religion," Norman says, "it would have been said the spirit was on you yes-ter-day." Carcetti grins -- he was just tired of the bullshit, man. "I mean, fuck already," Carcetti says. "How many shitbowls are there?" Hey, enough with the self-pity, dude -- your staff is telling you that you looked positively gubernatorial up there. "That passion was just the thing," Chief of Staff Wally W. Weasel says. So do you think you can fake that on cue for the next six to eight years? Indeed, Weasel and Norman start brainstorming: Carcetti could get some attention on this issue, and didn't the governor cut funding for some program that might have kept low-income families off the street? And couldn't some ambitious, young politician take that decision and, with the newfound attention being paid to the homeless, use it to cudgel the governor about the neck and shoulders? And if he were to do that, do you know what that means? Good night, Baltimore, and good morning, Annapolis! "Homelessness," Carcetti says, with an air of disbelief that this is going to be the issue that vaults him into the statehouse. "I'll be damned." Vote Carcetti: Change We Can Exploit to Our Advantage.

At the Detail Office, Freamon is futzing around with what looks like material from the Clay Davis investigation -- say, remember when Clay Davis was being investigated? -- when Marlo's phone rings and the wiretap kicks in. Freamon radios to Sydnor, who's obviously acting like a one-man surveillance team, and asks him if he sees anyone using a cell phone. Sydnor does not, but more troubling for Freamon is that someone is knocking on the Detail Office door, and it's not McNulty's distinctive rap. Freamon pokes his head out of his Secret Crime Fighters' Lab to find Pearlman waiting for him. She remarks on how empty the office is, now that the unit's been gutted. "True," Freamon replies. "But you'd be surprised on what you can get done when nobody's looking over your shoulder." Like a completely illegal investigation --you can totally mount one of those when there's none of that pesky supervision. Anyhow, Pearlman stopped by to ask Freamon to serve some warrants and to go over a few more details of the investigation in advance of the rapidly approaching trial date. Freamon hems and haws -- this is really going to cut into his illegal surveillance time. So he makes up some story about Sydnor bringing in a confidential informant, and an apologetic Pearlman takes her leave. Whew -- that was a close one. A valued and respected colleague nearly found out you're completely betraying her trust. Say, you don't think Freamon's involvement in wiretapping Marlo is going to wind up befouling the Clay Davis investigation in some way, do you? Because I think I just reached that conclusion, and it makes me sad.