In Sutter Valley, California, a man is found dead from blunt force trauma to the head. Before the team can really dive into the investigation, however, Jane is arrested by Bosco for bugging the agent’s office.
Bosco tells Jane he won’t press charges if he will step down as a consultant to the CBI, but Jane decides he won’t step down and would rather face Bosco in court. Because it is the weekend, however, Jane can’t post bail for three days and must spend those days in the county lock-up.
Although he plays tough, after talking with his cellmate on the first night Jane starts to really regret going choosing prison. The next morning in the common room he uses his suave mentalist skills to both confuse and impress the other inmates, keeping his skin safe for a little while longer.
Meanwhile, Lisbon and the CBI crew try to solve the murder of the man in the field without Jane’s help. Unfortunately, his absence leaves them fairly dead in the water. Through phone calls from prison, they still try to use him in the investigation.
At the CBI Bosco seems afraid that he has damaged his professional relationship with Lisbon by locking up Jane and apologizes, but she is not interested in forgiving him even though she agrees Jane broke the law.
While in prison, Jane goes so far as to entice some of the suspects in the case to make stupid mistakes to get them put into jail as well, allowing him to use his prowess to rule them out one by one.
Eventually, Jane manages to escape from his cell and the facility entirely, using wit, skill and a whole lot of luck. He pinpoints the real killer in the home where the family is meeting after the funeral of their lost loved one. He quickly unravels a twisty love triangle and mess of affairs before outwitting the accused and getting her to confess to killing the victim. When the police finally arrive for Jane, they take both into custody.
Surely there is no way Jane will stay in prison for long, however, as Lisbon finally confronts Bosco, telling him that she will speak out about an incident that took place between them many years ago if Jane is not freed.
By the time all is said and done, Jane is a free man again and the CBI can continue to close cases with their beloved Mentalist.
