The First Deadly Sin

A man is attacked outside Mount Pleasant Baptist Church on West 81st Street. The wound is unusually spherical, and the coroner confirms it was caused by a round object rather than a blade. The NYPD arrives to process the scene and begin the investigation.

Delaney learns at the scene that his wife Barbara is recovering from emergency surgery. He rushes to the hospital as her surgeon explains that Barbara's kidney was removed due to complications from stones. Barbara's condition worsens, fueling Delaney's suspicions about Dr. Bernardi's competence.

Despite warnings about police priorities, Delaney throws himself into the case. He visits the Metropolitan Museum of Art to consult Arms and Armor curator Christopher Langley about what weapon could cause such a wound. Langley eagerly devotes time to researching the mystery.

Langley concludes the wound is produced by a tool-like implement rather than a conventional weapon. He visits a hardware store and, with the clerk's help, deduces that the weapon was most likely an ice axe. This insight sharpens the lead and points Delaney toward a specific murder tool.

Delaney discovers a similar attack on West 79th Street and, with Ferguson's help, learns that the wound patterns are nearly identical. The case reveals a city-wide pattern rather than a lone incident, widening the scope of the investigation. This shocks the team and changes their approach.

Langley uses the new information to locate the exact model of ice axe. A sporting goods shop owner provides the addresses of every customer who bought that model, giving Delaney a concrete trail to follow toward a suspect. The investigation tightens as more names are traced.

The collected addresses point to Daniel Blank, who has been seen intermittently cleaning up after the murders. Delaney closes in on Blank as the suspect, tightening the net around him while Blank continues his pattern of violence.

As Delaney closes in, Blank makes one last attempt to strike. Although his victim escapes, the person is later hit by a passing car, reinforcing the killer's reach but complicating the case. Delaney remains focused on bringing Blank to justice.

Delaney confronts Blank in his luxury apartment. Blank brags about his connections and tries to report Delaney for breaking in, but Delaney shoots Blank in the head with a Luger pistol from his WW2 memorabilia. The violent confrontation marks the climax of the investigation.

Delaney returns to the police precinct, where he retires from the force. The desk sergeant informs him that Blank's body has been found, and Delaney confirms that he has retired as he walks out of the building. The procedural arc reaches its denouement.

In the hospital, Delaney sits beside his wife, reading to her and holding her hand. He breaks down in tears as she dies, bringing a quiet, personal ending to the case and the film. The emotional resonance lingers after the carnage.