As the curtains lift on this captivating episode of “Beyond Paradise,” a circle of friends gathers at Kenny’s Wine Bar, soaking up the relaxed atmosphere. Emily Buswell, portrayed by Abra Thompson, receives an enigmatic text from an unknown sender, casually mentioning her coat as she prepares to step out. The messages persist as they stroll along, culminating in a harrowing moment when Emily is struck by a passing vehicle.
Transitioning to the aftermath, Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman, played by Kris Marshall, readies himself for departure as Martha (Sally Bretton) slumbers peacefully beside him. Archie Hughes (Jamie Bamber) gently rouses Esther Williams (Zahra Ahmadi) with a steaming cup of coffee, while Martha awakens to inform Humphrey of her early morning return, around the wee hours of three. Their conversation drifts to the realm of night terrors, with Martha expressing her desire to be present when the young girl awakens.
Esther confides in Archie her need to return home and prepare for the workday, much to his disappointment as he had hoped for a heart-to-heart about their previous night's encounters. Meanwhile, Zoe Williams (Melina Sinadinou) exchanges brief words with her mother at their home, while Jane Buswell (Alexandra Gilbreath) offers comforting support as she assists her daughter Emily back home. Emily receives yet another menacing text, warning her that her luck wouldn't hold the next time.
Danny (Joseph Ollman) learns of the ominous message shortly thereafter. Margo Martins (Felicity Montagu) reaches out to Esther regarding work matters, while Anne Lloyd (Barbara Flynn) takes note of a bruise on her shoulder. Esther arrives promptly to consult with Emily about the barrage of messages, which began roughly three weeks prior with innocuous comments on Emily's social media posts, escalating into direct threats on her phone. Emily unveils the messages on her phone, detailing how she had become distressed the previous night, leading to her accidental collision with a car—the drivers fleeing the scene after rushing her to the hospital. Emily reveals that her mother suspects her ex, Mark Weston (Kem Hassan), freshly released from prison three weeks ago, to be behind it all.
At the police station, Kelby Hartford (Dylan Llewellyn) shares with Margo his decision to cease worrying about Charlie. Zoe drops by with coffee as Martha and Humphrey discuss Rosie (Bella Rei Blue Stevenson), whose nights are plagued by terrifying dreams. Humphrey voices his suspicion, whereas Martha assures him that her recent encounters have only been with those struggling with drug problems. She insists that things will soon improve, attempting to coax Rosie away from the television, only for Rosie to switch it back on, reminding her that her mother always allows her screen time.
Esther tasks Margo with delving into the phone numbers and investigating Mark Weston. Kelby, who knows Emily from their school days, accompanies Esther to confront Mark. He denies any involvement, claiming he hasn't seen Emily in three and a half years. Esther reminds him of the call he made upon his release, to which Mark responds that Emily had dumped him while he was incarcerated, wishing she had the decency to do it in person. Mark asserts that he lost his phone a couple of days ago and was with Billy Roberts at his house the previous night, furnishing them with Billy’s address. Danny inquires if Emily had mentioned Mark, to which she confirms she had.
Danny firmly stands her ground, insisting that involving the police was the righteous course of action. Katie reassures everyone that there's no immediate need to rush back to work. Emily brings up the hen night that's been meticulously planned for months, expressing her reluctance to disappoint Katie. Danny counters, arguing that she isn't letting anyone down by her actions. Margo informs Esther that they've located the mast Emily's phone connected to, but curiously, the phone used to send the threatening messages hadn't been linked to the same mast.
Kelby pays Emily a visit at her home, offering comfort and reassuring her that nothing untoward will befall her. Meanwhile, Rosie confides in Martha about her mother's relapse into drug abuse, but expresses optimism that this time, she'll truly quit. She believes people will witness the transformation in her mother once she stops using drugs. Martha kindly offers Rosie and Humphrey's place as a temporary refuge until her mother recovers. Their conversation veers into Humorphrey's quirks, prompting Martha to have a private word with him, encouraging him to be more himself and relax.
Margo updates Esther, revealing that the phones used for sending the messages are prepaid and unregistered, complicating the investigation. Esther requests assistance from the cyber unit to examine Emily's computer. Kelby returns to brief Esther on Emily's well-being and resumes scrutinizing her social media accounts. Humphrey endeavors to act normally around Rosie, while Martha suggests he visit the station to check on Esther.
Kelby informs Esther of Emily's recent spat with a social media influencer named Abigail Marsh, who has a substantial following of 23,000. Three weeks prior, Emily had called out Abigail for excessively filtering a post, sparking a controversy that escalated into name-calling. Upon meeting Abigail, she defends her actions, emphasizing the importance of protecting her brand and claims Emily deserved the abuse for meddling. Abigail asserts she was streaming live until late into the night.
Outside, Esther and Humphrey discuss Abigail's ex-boyfriend, Mark, with Humphrey expressing skepticism that the stalker will desist. They hope the stalker will slip up eventually. Unbeknownst to them, Mark is texting someone, fueling the mystery. Emily receives a chilling message, hinting at dire consequences for involving the police.
Esther consults with Jane Buswell regarding Mark's denial of involvement. Humphrey shares the challenges of tracing online activities. Despite this, Emily and Danny decide to take a leisurely stroll together. Jane later engages in a conversation with Esther and Humphrey about Kelby, hinting at her belief that Emily harbors lingering feelings for Mark. Kelby heads to a bookstore next.
Emily and Danny spar over attending Katie's hen party, with Danny eventually agreeing to accompany her and wait outside, promising to be at her beck and call should anything untoward occur.
Elsewhere, Anne seeks more information about a mole on her shoulder, while Zoe playfully frightens her and drops off fish fingers for Rosie. Zoe offers to examine the mole, urging Anne to seek professional advice regardless. In solitude, Anne calls the doctor to schedule an appointment. Humphrey tells Esther he intends to pick up a bedtime storybook, hoping to win Rosie's affections with it.
Their conversation with Abigail Marsh delves into her perspective on brand protection and product endorsement. She defends her behavior, stating Emily deserved the insults for interfering. Outside, Esther and Humphrey discuss Mark, with Humphrey expressing doubt that the stalker will halt their campaign of terror. They can only hope for a mistake in his actions. Meanwhile, Mark continues texting, his motives shrouded in mystery.
Zoe endeavors to uncover where her mother, Esther, spent the previous night, yet Esther remains tight-lipped, revealing nothing. As she exits, Esther bumps into Archie, who attempts to persuade her to share his company. Uninterested, she brushes him off, but he persists, inviting her out for just one drink. Meanwhile, at the police station, Humphrey and Esther discuss the anomaly of the phone not being found near Emily, despite some messages being eerily specific. Kelby reports discovering vile trolls on the social media page, none of whom reside nearby. Determined, Kelby vows to delve deeper and cross-reference mobile data.
Back at home, Humphrey ponders over book selections, while Emily heads to Katie's bachelorette party, with Mark lurking in the vicinity. Rosie engages Martha in conversation about fish fingers, eventually agreeing to let Humphrey read her a bedtime story—provided Martha accompanies them. Kelby's work stretches far into the night, while Mark deals drugs at the club, keeping Emily under surveillance. Later, Humphrey shares with Martha how the bedtime story session went swimmingly.
At the pub, Archie eagerly awaits Esther's arrival, which she eventually makes. Emily receives a chilling message, reminding her of her solitude in her time of need. As dizziness sets in, she struggles to reach Danny. Collapsing outside, she's fortunately attended to by Danny. Over drinks, Archie opens up to Esther about his ventures and his singleton status, confessing to being somewhat selective. Esther retorts that she dislikes men for their obviousness. She believes they overestimate their worth, asserting that if she can scare them away, they're not worth having. Archie wonders if Zoe's father was an exception, but Esther deflects the topic.
Esther wonders aloud why Archie invited her out. Before he can respond, her phone buzzes with a call from Kelby. Rushing to see Jane, Esther learns that Emily's stomach was pumped at the hospital. Interrogating Emily, who suspects her drink was tampered with, Kelby announces they'll retrieve CCTV footage from the club. In private with Danny, Esther seeks answers, but he claims ignorance about the man Emily was with, unable to confirm if it was Mark Weston.
The next morning, Esther and Kelby confront Mark at his home.
Margo recounted that witnesses had attested to seeing Mark at the club the previous evening. The CCTV footage from the venue was expected to be accessible shortly. Additionally, they had come into possession of Emily's bag, which she had inadvertently left behind at the club. In the interview room, Humphrey and Esther grilled Mark Weston, who steadfastly denied any involvement in Emily's disappearance. When Esther inquired about his possession of a phone, he casually dismissed it as one he had forgotten about. Humphrey then pressed him to unlock the device. Shortly thereafter, Esther suggested that Mark might have deleted incriminating messages.
Margo mentioned that Emily's boyfriend had come to retrieve the bag, but she had been unsure of his identity and refrained from handing it over. Kelby guided them through the CCTV footage, revealing a startling discovery: Danny had never actually entered the club. Humphrey pondered aloud why Danny hadn't prevented Emily from being led away. He further questioned Margo whether she had informed Emily or her mother about finding the bag, to which she replied in the negative. Neither Esther nor Kelby had disclosed this information as well.
Upon inspecting the bag, Humphrey found a tag tracker, which sparked a new line of inquiry. Recalling Jane's earlier statement about Danny's fear of Emily wanting to reconnect with Mark, Humphrey postulated that Danny had orchestrated a scenario to make himself indispensable to Emily. Even though he wasn't physically present, Danny created the illusion that Emily was constantly under surveillance. Humphrey suggested that Danny had accompanied Emily into the club to underscore the very reason she needed him. He waited for the opportune moment to execute his plan, leading Emily outside where she couldn't identify her attacker because he didn't exist—it was all a setup. That fateful night was Danny's last-ditch effort to cling to his relationship with Emily. Soon after, Danny was apprehended by the police.
At the station, Margo and her colleagues discussed Kelby, with Margo expressing her belief that Kelby harbored deep feelings for Emily. Meanwhile, Emily complemented Kelby on his unwavering support, rewarding him with a peck on the cheek. She then stepped inside to take a call from Mark. Jane pondered the allure of troubled individuals. With that, Kelby departed on his bicycle, leaving behind a mix of emotions and unresolved mysteries.
