As the episode of "Beyond Paradise" unfolds, a diverse group finds themselves aboard a boat, the scene painted with a blend of anticipation and tranquility. A woman peers intently over the deck's edge, her gaze pensive. Inside, the men engage in conversation, their topic of interest being Maisie Morgan (portrayed by Jenny Coverack), deemed to be in good spirits. However, a swift glance outdoors reveals a startling realization – Maisie has inexplicably vanished from the deck's vantage point.
Billy (Harry Long), Sam (Louis Martin), and their companions immediately plunge into a whirlwind of concern. Their attention is diverted by a note, its discovery adding a layer of mystery to the situation. In haste, they issue a Mayday call, seeking urgent assistance. Upon their return, Adam (Dan Renton Skinner) and the rest relay the grim news to Jaime, while DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) expresses trepidation about an impending visit.
PC Kelby Hartford (Dylan Llewellyn) receives a call from the harbor master, conveying Tom Crocker's report of a body lost at sea. Margo (Felicity Montagu), driven by urgency, rushes to Jaime Martins' (Danny Webb) side. DS Esther Williams (Zahra Ahmadi) informs Humphrey of the ongoing search for the missing body, with a collective presumption leaning towards suicide. Maisie, battling a terminal illness, had been accompanied by her sons who discovered the note. Margo clarifies that Jaime, her ex-husband and occasional worker on the Tom Crocker, is Maisie's brother. Maisie, married to Sam Morgan for two decades, had Jenny from a previous marriage.
Humphrey and Esther delve into conversations with Maisie's sons and husband, noting the presence of a life raft on the boat's stern, yet unopened and sealed. Sam explains the doctors' prognosis, hinting at Maisie's dwindling days. Passionate about the sea, Maisie insisted on one final voyage.
Kelby joins Margo, sharing his reasons for steering clear of a fisherman's life. Humphrey ponders over Maisie's peculiar actions – tying her scarf to the railing and leaving her shoes behind. He questions the logic behind choosing the boat's front for a leap, considering the ease of jumping from its sides. He outlines the evidence he intends to gather, inclusive of the boat's navigation details. Esther suggests consulting Maisie's doctor.
Jaime calls Jenny to convey the heart-wrenching news. Meanwhile, Kelby's conversation with Margo delves into her suspicions, hinting at Jaime as a possible factor. Reflecting on their youthful marriage, Margo believes they were too inexperienced, with much growing up left to do. Martha (Sally Bretton) and Anne (Barbara Flynn) converse about the incident, Anne mentioning that the Morgan family hailed from Shipton Abbott. Maisie's ill health, the recent loss of her husband, and her estrangement from Jenny painted a picture of a life fraught with challenges.
Anne urges Martha to proceed, reassuring her that she and Zoe (portrayed by Melina Sinadinou) are more than capable of handling the situation. Meanwhile, Margo pays Jaime a visit. Over at the station, Kelby informs Esther and Humphrey that all boats are equipped with a VMS tracking system, enabling the retrieval of their positions every couple of hours. The boat, which had set sail at 4:30 a.m., ventured about five miles out before dropping its nets and towing them for another three miles. Subsequently, its movements became erratic, almost as if it were searching for something, before ultimately returning. Esther briefs Humphrey on the forensic updates when Martha interrupts, announcing their immediate departure for a home visit.
During their conversation, Margo and Jaime reflect on Jenny's reaction to the news and Jaime's grief over his loss. Sandra Morgan (played by Gem Carmella) mentions her scheduled outing with Maisie on Thursday, intended to take her into town. Elsewhere, Maisie's sons find themselves at odds over the will. Hannah (Amalia Vitale) informs Humphrey and Martha that they are nearly at their goal, with the final panel meeting slated for next week, followed by a decision from a senior manager. They delve into the boat's implications and Martha and Humphrey's unmarried status, with Hannah acknowledging that the boat might restrict the age of children they can accommodate. Humphrey points out that they have the house, prompting Martha to relay this conversation to Anne later, adding that they plan to take turns living on the boat, with Anne occupying the house. A swap is impending so Hannah can assess their living arrangement, leading Martha to contemplate starting her packing over the weekend. Anne, however, is less than pleased with this arrangement.
After Anne exits the scene, Zoe discovers to her shock that Martha has laid claim to her house. Esther then shares with Humphrey the fingerprint report, revealing Maisie's prints on the bow of the ship where the scarf and shoes were discovered, as well as at the port and starboard sides. Maisie's consultant had estimated she had mere months, or perhaps weeks, left. Preoccupied with altering her will, Margo had been apprised of this development. When Sam Sr. passed, he bequeathed everything to Maisie, stipulating that the fishing business would pass to the sons upon her demise. The eldest, Adam, insists that the business going to the eldest son is a family tradition, a notion Margo confirms. However, Billy and young Sam believed they would inherit a share, as Maisie had led them to believe. Humphrey ponders whether Maisie managed to change her will before taking her own life. Elsewhere, Sam speaks into the phone, assuring someone that the money is forthcoming.
Kelby, Margo, and Esther intently observed Humphrey as he delved into an experiment, his eyes gleaming with the conviction that he had uncovered something significant in the reports Esther had handed him. He meticulously demonstrated how Maisie would have positioned herself to make the leap, pointing out that she must have climbed up to reach the edge. Puzzled, he questioned the absence of footprints indicating a shift in hand placement, remarking that the prints were curiously facing inward on the opposite side of where she had boarded the boat. Kelby posited that perhaps Maisie had lowered herself down to that spot, but Humphrey's curiosity lingered over the possibility of another occurrence aboard the vessel. Determined to uncover the truth, he resolved to speak with the sons and ascertain the authenticity of the suicide note.
Confronting Adam, the young man suggested that Maisie had ventured out with the solemn intention of taking her own life. Billy, on the other hand, claimed that Maisie had vowed to divide her will into four equal parts among him, Adam, Sam, and Jenny. Adam, visibly disturbed, had believed that the family business should rightfully pass to the eldest son. Sam recounted how Adam had disagreed with the arrangement, bullying Maisie until she agreed to consult with lawyers about altering the will. Meanwhile, Billy intended to buy out Sam's share, enabling him to embark on his own venture with tourist boat trips. However, Sam remained uncertain whether Maisie had actually gone through with changing the will.
Just as Margo was about to leave the station, she was summoned for one final call. Anne, preparing herself for the evening, informed Martha that she was taking her out for dinner, readily agreeing to swap houses. She envisioned a romantic evening aboard the boat with Richard (Peter Davison), and her spirits dampened slightly when Martha inquired whether their relationship might be progressing too swiftly.
Elsewhere, Margo spent time with Jaime, who occasionally pondered what their life together might have been like had they stayed. Jaime reassuringly insisted that they had been a perfect match. Anne greeted Margo as she entered with Richard, and as they settled down, Richard confessed that one of his favorite things about Anne was her refusal to act her age. Anne shared her living arrangements with Martha and Humphrey, mentioning the lecture and Martha's suspicion that Richard was merely courting her for her fortune.
Meanwhile, Humphrey, engrossed in his experiment on the boat, accidentally tumbled into the water. Richard, continuing his conversation with Anne, revealed that his daughters had coerced him into signing up for a dating app, acknowledging that Anne was the best among a less-than-stellar group. Anne recounted her date, and Richard, unable to resist, gently touched her hand. Emerging from the water, Humphrey explained to Martha the purpose of his experiment, while she admitted that her worries weighed heavily on her mind.
Adam confronts Billy, who had the knowledge that Maisie had never altered her will, despite her apparent intentions on the day Sandra was scheduled to escort her into town. With accusation in his voice, Adam inquires about Billy's actions on that fateful day. Meanwhile, Jenny (Jasmine Hyde) unexpectedly appears, catching Margo and Jaime off guard. Upon arriving at Anne's residence, Anne warmly invites Richard in for a sip of brandy, setting a cozy scene.
At the police station, Humphrey receives the disappointing news that the marine unit has concluded their search for the night. Margo updates him on Jenny's unexpected arrival from the previous evening, prompting Humphrey's desire to question her, albeit detoured slightly for another task. Jenny confides in Jaime, revealing that her presence is bound by a promise. Their conversation is abruptly interrupted by Esther and Humphrey, who need to speak with Jenny urgently.
Jenny unveils a heart-wrenching tale: her mother left home due to an affair, eventually living with Jenny's new stepfather. She describes this period as the darkest chapter of her life, with her father struggling immensely to cope. One tumultuous night, an argument erupted between Jenny and her mother over something the boys had done. When Maisie sided with the boys, Jenny fled to her father's place. Tragedy struck one evening when her father collapsed. Desperate, Jenny called her mother, who coldly refused to help. Maisie, busy at Sam's 18th birthday celebration, instructed Jenny to call an ambulance. Sadly, Jenny's father passed away before reaching the hospital, leaving Jenny to vow never to see Maisie again until her funeral. Uncle Jaime comments that both Jenny and Maisie share a stubborn streak.
Jenny asserts that she couldn't care less about the will, having no desire for anything from her mother. She's only there for the memorial services, planning to sever ties afterward. Back at the station, Kelby informs Humphrey that the handwriting samples confirm Maisie authored the note. Additionally, CCTV footage from the harbor master arrives. Esther teases Margo about her date with Jaime, to which Margo insists was strictly professional. Humphrey, scrutinizing the CCTV, notices something peculiar: five rescue workers visible until they met Jaime. He hypothesizes that Maisie's fingerprints were oriented differently because she was disembarking the boat upon its return. In a meticulous plan, Maisie concealed herself on the boat instead of jumping overboard, donning a spare RNLI uniform to blend in and avoid detection. She likely slipped into Jaime's van afterward.
Humphrey unravels the mystery: Maisie faked her own death to reconcile with Jenny. When they finally meet, Jenny learns of her mother's terminal illness. Maisie, with tears in her eyes, expresses her relentless efforts to build a fresh start years ago.
Maisie is poised to bid them farewell, and Humphrey and Esther arrive just in nick of time to witness their poignant reunion on the sandy shores. As they draw nearer, Jaime respectfully requests some privacy, acknowledging that this moment has been a long time in the making. From a respectful distance, they observe Jenny and Maisie embracing, the warmth of their hug cutting through the cool sea breeze.
During the subsequent ceremony, Humphrey confides in Esther that the will remained unchanged, ensuring an equitable distribution among them all. Jenny, however, declares her reluctance to accept her portion, sparking a lively debate amongst the others on how best to utilize her share. They seek counsel from Margo, who vents her frustration at Jaime's deception yet again.
Anne confides in Martha about her encounter with Richard, reminding her of the countless years she has stood by her side. Martha, reflecting on this, later admits to Humphrey that Anne might have a point about her lack of support concerning Richard. She concedes that her mother could very well be right and vows to mend fences soon, understanding that Anne will have a pivotal role in her future – specifically, giving her away at her wedding.
Humphrey, seizing the moment, inquiries why they haven't tied the knot yet, expressing his desire to wed within the coming weeks. Hardly a moment passes before he makes a joyful announcement to the gathered crowd – they are getting married. The air is thick with excitement and anticipation as this news spreads, adding a touch of magic to an already emotional day.
