The episode kicks off at a dinner gathering, where Veronica Mallory (Rebecca Gibney), the newly appointed Chair of the Arts Committee, expresses her gratitude to Harry Grayson (Peter Elliott) for a delightful evening. He, in turn, extends an invitation for her to accompany him on his upcoming business journey to France. Suddenly, the tranquil scene is shattered as a barge explodes in the distance, illuminating the sky with a burst of fireworks. Luke Staunton (Charles Jazz Terrier), Harry, Maja Staunton (Indiana Evans), and Veronica are left staring in abject horror at the blazing barge.
Elsewhere, Detective Anais Mallory (Chelsie Preston Crayford) is engrossed in delving into the case involving her father and sister, Lynn. As she bites into the missing pages of Doug "Snapper" Snapes' (Nick Dunbar) ledger, a knock sounds at her door. Swiftly concealing her work beneath a throw, she proceeds to answer the door. Ihaka (Alex Tarrant) stands there, greeting her with a thermos filled with steaming hot chocolate. He inquires about his lack of visits, admitting to feeling hurt and offering an apology. They both express their mutual longing for each other's company.
At the dock, Kylie Shorrock (Michala Banas) weeps inconsolably as she gazes at the smoking vessel. Meanwhile, Sharon Li Feng (Lynette Forday) and Maja take a brief respite from their jogging session, engaging in a conversation about Sam, who is currently on a fishing trip.
Upon arriving at the crime scene, Anais witnesses two men in suits carrying away a body bag. Detective Simon Delaney (Matt Whelan) informs her that the deceased has been identified as Jean Pierre Lumiere (Freddy Okyere), a renowned French pyrotechnics maestro. Jim Matheson (Fraser Hoffman), Robbie Shorrock (Will Hall), and his wife, Kylie, are revealed to be members of Lumiere's crew.
At the Aotearoa Police Department, Simon, Anais, and Hoana gather to watch Pierre Lumiere's promotional video. Constable Jarrod Renner (Dahnu Graham) interrupts their viewing to inform them that Kylie and Robbie, both members of Lumiere's crew, were mugged ten days prior. A flashback ensues, showing a battered Kylie and Robbie recounting the events that led to her mugging. She valiantly fought to retain her bag, sustaining facial lacerations in the process.
Switching back to the present, Simon examines a photo of Kylie's injuries. Hoana speculates that the assailants were mere children. At the hospital, Shelby (Mirabai Peace) reveals to Simon and Anais that Matheson has been admitted due to food poisoning. Anais inquiries about her relationship with Jarrod, to which Shelby describes him as kind-hearted. They are rudely interrupted by pyrotechnician Frank "Fingers" Hannelly (Fasitua Amosa).
Entering Matheson's hospital room, they find him visited by Callum (Toby Sharpe). Matheson accuses Callum of murdering Jean Pierre, poisoning him, and threatening him with dire consequences if he were to speak out. Callum bolts from the room, with Simon giving chase. Outside the hospital, Fingers catches up with Callum. Matheson laments the loss of Jean Pierre, expressing his sorrow over the maestro's untimely demise.
In the somber ambiance of the morgue, Anais and Simon stood transfixed by Jean Pierre's charred remains. Ihaka posited that Jean Pierre had faced the explosive force head-on. Meanwhile, Anjali Babu (UTSA Chatterjee) and Simon perceived an unspoken tension flickering between Ihaka and Anais. Curiosity piqued, Simon inquired about the dynamics of Anais' relationship with Ihaka, to which she subtly steered him towards investigating Jean Pierre's phone records from the fateful night.
Ben Souter (Ian Blackburn) relayed that Alan Souter (Jordan Mooney) was eager for a conversation with Anais. She dialed Alan's prison number, and he proposed a face-to-face meeting in exchange for a transfer, abruptly terminating the call. Anais relayed Alan's proposition to Feng, who agreed to intervene with the Head of Corrections. Anais expressed her gratitude.
Later, at the park, Robbie and Kylie insisted that the fireworks display must proceed undeterred. They affirmed their alibi, claiming to have been confined to their motel room when the barge erupted in flames. Robbie depicted Fingers as a reckless entity with little regard for safety protocols, while Kylie hailed Jean Pierre as a genius. Anais queried the circumstances leading to the barge explosion, but Robbie dismissed her inquiry as part of her job, turning away abruptly. Kylie added that Fingers had made several appearances, only to be chased off by Robbie.
Sergeant Gemma Gracewell (Pamela Sidhu) demonstrated the explosive capabilities of fireworks, revealing that the console was missing. Simon volunteered to manage her lodging arrangements. Feng's niece, Lena Chu (J J Fong), stumbled upon a gruesome discovery – a severed arm washed ashore. Ihaka confirmed at the morgue that it belonged to Jean Pierre, prompting Anais to notice tattoos resembling names.
At Altitude Brewing, Jarrod alerted Anais to Robbie and Kylie's presence. Fingers' arrival caused Jarrod's alarm, prompting him to flee the scene. Soon after, Anais confronted Robbie and Kylie about their eerily accurate suspect descriptions, despite the mugging occurring under the cover of night. Kylie boasted about her keen observational skills as they departed. CCTV footage revealed Matheson and Fingers in cahoots, with Kylie subsequently approaching Fingers after his acquaintance left.
At the police station, Kylie revealed her aspiration to become a pyrotechnician, mentioning Fingers as her mentor. Simon disclosed her juvenile arson charge, while Kylie attributed Fingers' discontent to losing out on the art festival fireworks contract. Later, Anais urged Feng to caution the Head of Corrections about an impending threat to Alan's life.
Anais dropped Kylie's photos off for Ihaka's examination, with Ihaka cautioning her about Anjali's suspicions regarding their burgeoning relationship. He emphasized the importance of maintaining emotional detachment, a prerequisite for him. Their lips were on the verge of meeting when Anjali burst into the morgue, hastily exiting upon realizing the intimate tableau.
That night, Anais' dreams transported her to a serene lake with Luke. She probed into his affairs, but he remained tight-lipped. A call interrupted their moment, drawing Anais back to reality. Lynne's half-hearted piano playing filled the air as she demanded answers from Anais. Anais recounted Charles' confrontation with Alan and Snaps over a meth lab, culminating in his fall over a cliff after being punched and held precariously. Lynne, consumed by anger, accused Anais of responsibility. Luke reassured her that Anais was not at fault, as Charles' lifeless body lay at the cliff's base in her memory.
Returning to the present, Veronica enlightened Anais about Charles' cohabitation with his mistress. Anais inquired about a monthly $7,000 transfer and a $10,000 deposit from Charles' bank account, to which Veronica warned that she could not rectify the past, asserting her actions were fueled by self-preservation.
In the stark confines of the prison shower room, Alan stands vulnerably as Len enters, his arrival echoing ominously in the damp air. Alan inquiries nervously if the Invercargill operation they had undertaken had been compromised. Len, his voice laced with confession, admits to ending Fedor's life for the brutal act of ejecting Doug from his helicopter. Without warning, he plunges a blade into Alan's abdomen, leaving him to writhe in agony.
Elsewhere, Vernon interrogates Anais and Simon, seeking an explanation for their communications with Alan. Meanwhile, Veronica dials the police, accusing Fingers of creating a commotion and menacing her team. Despite Fingers' insistence on leaving, Hoana and Jarrod physically restrain him. Veronica asserts that contracts are assigned by the Council, not the Festival Committee, as Simon initiates a probing conversation about Jean Pierre's untimely demise. Fingers, feigning ignorance, expresses shock and proposes that Lumiere's position within the Festival Committee should be reconsidered.
Outside, Anais inquires after Sergeant Gracewell's wellbeing with Simon, sensing an undercurrent of unspoken truths. Anais mentions another matter of hers that she claims is progressing favorably. Despite his protestations of innocence regarding the explosion and speeding violations, Fingers steadfastly denies any involvement in Jim's poisoning.
Feng beckons Anais to her office, delivering the grim news that Alan Souter has succumbed to his wounds, lamenting the missed clearance deadline. Feng acknowledges Anais's actions as necessary and urges her to concentrate on her current duties. Anais discusses the Shorrock assault with Hoana and Jarrod, who agree to retrieve the file from Doc Cooper. Hoana, concerned for Anais's welfare in the wake of Souter's demise, offers a supportive shoulder if needed. Gemma joins the conversation, focusing on the explosive device, leaving Anais to ponder whether it was a deliberate act—a question Gemma Gracewell cannot conclusively answer.
Anais dispatches Gemma and Simon back to their tasks while she persists in examining Lumiere's call logs.Vernon Kincaid, a member of Invercargill Homicide, enters and requests a private chat with Anais concerning her discussions with Alan Souter. Anais admits her lingering doubts about her father's death, revealing that she had been calling Alan twice weekly for the past month. She remains tight-lipped about her suspicions, but Vernon hands her a photocopy of transactions that might unravel the mystery. Anais is stunned by the revelations and continues to scrutinize the evidence at her leisure.
Ihaka learns of an impending visitor—SC Hoana Rata, who enters his office to collect the Shorrock file. Hoana reveals that Anais remains unconvinced by their narrative of Kylie's assault at around 11:30 the previous night, adding another layer of intrigue to the already tangled web of events.
Ihaka believes the victim was struck mere hours before the snapshots were captured, his assessment punctuated by the telltale wound that hinted at a ring possibly adorning the attacker's left hand—a detail notably absent from Lumiere's fingers. As Ihaka delved into the autopsy report with her, he revealed Lumiere's arms bore multiple tattoos, among them the name "Billy." Meanwhile, Jarrod embarked on a quest to procure Lumiere's phone records, while Anais tasked him with compiling a list of local tattoo parlors. She instructed him to visit each one, in search of recent ink belonging to Lumiere or any members of the pyrotechnics crew.
Simon assured Gemma that their boss had entrusted him with her wellbeing during her stay, contemplating a dinner arrangement for them that evening. Gemma, however, revealed she had prior engagements with a friend. Elsewhere, Veronica engaged Gavin in conversation about their deal, only to be interrupted by Anais, who urgently informed her mother of Alan Souter's fatal stabbing earlier that morning. Anais, who had been grilling Souter for information, found herself under scrutiny. She had finally extracted the desired intel but warned her mother to tread carefully.
The cacophony of shouts from within drew their attention: Jim Matheson landing a punch on Callum, followed by Luke's cries for assistance. Callum was whisked away in an ambulance, while Fingers and Jim were escorted in a police cruiser. Harry briefly acknowledged Anais before rushing inside to check on Veronica. Luke, jesting about the brawl, learned of Alan's demise from Anais, who cautioned him that Alan had shared secrets before meeting his end.
Anais visited Ben, whose mother's incarceration he blamed on her. Ben, in turn, accused Anais of being responsible for Alan's death. Anais, however, believed the perpetrators behind Alan's murder were also those who had taken away loved ones from her. She saw Ben as a potential ally in her quest for justice.
At the station, Hoana informed Anais of Callum's brain hemorrhage. Gemma updated Anais on Simon's discovery of the firing console, tampered with by an unknown entity. Remnants of a signal decoder and a capacitor fragment suggested the explosion was a premeditated act, far from an accident.
Simon and Hoana's scrutiny of Lumiere's phone records revealed a call from a payphone. Anais requested surveillance footage around the phone booth and asked Hoana to run a background check on Harry Grayson. In their discussion with Feng about the case and the Shorrocks, Anais emphasized that the injuries predated the supposed timeline by hours. The trio of kids they sought seemed to be figments of imagination. Feng was apprised of Kylie being struck by a left-handed individual, a detail that pointed towards Robbie, who shared the same handedness. Anais posited that Robbie's eagerness to report the incident might have been a diversionary tactic. Feng urged them to test their hypothesis.
Simon and Anais grilled Kylie Shorrock, who claimed Lumiere was mentoring her. As for Robbie, Kylie admitted he had a fiery temper but denied his involvement in Lumiere's death. Robbie was subsequently questioned, facing charges for assaulting Kylie. During and after the interrogation, Anais stepped outside to find Luke's gaze fixed intently on her.
