As the curtain rises on this installment of "Beyond Paradise," Saltleigh bustles with excitement on the final day of the regatta. Police Constable Kelby Hartford, portrayed by Dylan Llewellyn, diligently patrols, ensuring everyone's safety. Hugo Digsby, played by Jason Hughes, ambles over to Martha, played by Sally Bretton, with a carton of milk in hand, acknowledging the significance of the day before hurrying off. Meanwhile, Ben Taylor, Lance West's character, assists Martha by collecting several bags later on.
Humphrey Goodman, brought to life by Kris Marshall, arrives with Rosie, enchantingly embodied by Bella Rei Blue Stevenson, and equipped with binoculars. Martha urges them to proceed without her, promising to catch up shortly. Their gaze falls upon Nate Dalton, portrayed by Silas Carson, who once claimed the same cup in the very same race, long before Rosie's birth. Margo Martins, Felicity Montagu's character, whispers to Rosie tales of how Nate secured that victory by undermining Hugo Digsby's boat. Now, their daughters, Francine Dalton, played by Laura Euler-Rolle, and Polly Digsby, portrayed by Madeleine Day, stand on the brink of their own rivalry. Ben entrusts the girls to the women's care.
A TV interviewer, Sarah Bowden's character, engages Francine and Polly in conversation about the race. Nate boasts that Francine is a Dalton, and winning runs in their veins. Hugo, however, is less than impressed with Nate's smug demeanor, though Polly pleads for him to let it slide. Martha joins Humphrey just as the race commences. Polly's demeanor shifts during the race, hinting at impending distress. Francine halts mid-race when Polly tumbles into the water, promptly diving in to rescue her.
Post-prologue, Polly undergoes a medical examination. She confides in Humphrey, suspecting foul play. She unveils a note discovered in her bag, which she initially dismissed as a joke. The note chillingly warns, "Race today and it will be your last." Polly reveals her recent months on antidepressants, noting that her unease set in shortly after setting sail. She consumed a fruit smoothie just prior to the race, unbeknownst to her, sourced from Martha's stall.
Detective Sergeant Esther Williams, played by Zahra Ahmadi, and Humphrey investigate, discovering the smoothie's origin. At the station, Esther expresses hope that the lab can uncover fingerprints or DNA on the note. Humphrey seeks Margo's insight into the fathers' contentious racing past. She recounts Hugo's accusation of sabotage against Nathan, who later secured new sponsors, sailed in the Olympics, and garnered a gold medal, while Hugo retreated from racing to run a local sailing club. Kelby mentions Francine's noble act of abandoning the race to aid Polly.
The lab analysis reveals no contaminants in the energy bar but significant traces of zopiclone in Polly's smoothie, a sleeping pill that, combined with her antidepressants, could have rendered her unconscious. Humphrey and Esther consult with Martha and Zoe, played by Melina Sinadinou. Martha announces plans to rerun the women's race and confirms her role in making the smoothies, stating that Ben collected the bags.
In their subsequent conversation with Ben, Humphrey and Esther learn that he transported the bags directly to the race venue without setting them down. Ben recalls Polly opening her bag and consuming the smoothie, expressing his long-standing acquaintance with her and his romantic aspirations.
Ben asserts that Polly was accompanied by her father during their interview with the television crew. At the police station, Humphrey and his team scrutinize the footage captured by the television crew, anxious for any clues. They anticipate that fingerprint analysis on the bottle will only be available by morning. Margo harbors doubts about Ben's honesty, and the team realizes that Martha stands as the sole individual who had the chance to tamper with the smoothie. Humphrey confronts Martha, who mentions her plan to leave Rosie at the café with Zoe. He openly admits that Martha is his primary suspect in the matter. Martha expresses hope that finding Rosie a school placement will alleviate some stress. Anne Lloyd, portrayed by Barbara Flynn, is requested to assist with Rosie the next afternoon, for which Martha promises to prepare a meal in gratitude.
Elsewhere, Esther spends time with Archie Hughes, played by Jamie Bamber. They engage in a playful conversation, first sharing what they admire about each other and then delving into what they dislike. Esther playfully criticizes Archie for overthinking and advises him not to leave anyone with an empty glass. Hugo expresses concern for Polly's well-being, questioning if she should rest. Polly, however, insists on running, having already ordered a rerun for the next day. Hugo is reluctant to allow her to compete until the perpetrator is identified. Polly remains determined to race.
Anne calls to inquire about the biopsy results but receives no update. Meanwhile, Martha is suddenly pressed to leave as Humphrey mistakenly set the alarm for an earlier time. Anne refrains from mentioning the biopsy during the call. At the station, Kelby reveals to Margo that he receives messages on an app but struggles to respond appropriately. Upon Esther's arrival, she learns that forensic results have been obtained. Humphrey enters, informed that fibers were found on the letters, and regarding the fingerprints on the bottle, both Polly's and an unknown person's prints were discovered. The latter are not on the database. Esther suspects the unknown prints belong to Martha and posits that Martha might hold the answers without realizing it. The team persistently persuades Humphrey until he agrees to bring Martha in for questioning.
During the interview, Esther and Humphrey inform Martha about the fingerprints. Esther inquiries if anyone else accessed the catering van. Martha reveals that Zoe briefly entered to prepare a cup of tea for Kelby, stating she was confident no one else entered. Humphrey clarifies they are merely attempting to refresh her memory. Martha details her day, arriving at the quayside at 6:45 am, having Health and Safety sign off shortly after, completing a stock check, breakfast preparations, and lighting the grill. She commenced work on sailor's breakfast bags shortly after 8:30 am. Hugo brought fresh milk from the clubhouse just before 9 am. Zoe returned for Kelby's tea, and Ben arrived soon after to collect breakfast bags for the competitors. Martha reminds Humphrey that he witnessed these events. She doubts anyone could have tampered with the bottles without her noticing, as Hugo handed her the milk bottles through the back door. Martha departs shortly afterward.
Humphrey and Esther confront Hugo on the beach, where he expresses his worry about Polly's desire to race again, fearing for her safety.
Hugo further asserts that he has delivered milk to Martha unfailingly each day of this week, recounting how he handed over the dairy to her. He declares that the sole individual who stands to gain from such an act is Nate, daring him to intervene or face the consequences. Kelby shares with Margo that the fiber they discovered was revealed to be a blonde hair, likely belonging to Polly, and he finds the entire situation increasingly exasperating. In response, Margo hurls her "South West Sailing Today" magazine at him. Kelby notices that the typeface of the letters aligns with those used in the threatening note.
Margo phones Esther, disclosing that Nathan Dalton is deeply entrenched in debt. Nate dismisses it as a couple of risky investments he's managing. Humphrey comments that they have the most to gain from Polly's defeat. Nate insists Polly will lose regardless of his involvement, highlighting Francine's training under world-class sailors. Kelby endeavors to decipher the threatening note, convinced the words were excerpted from the same magazine. He presents the magazine to Humphrey and Esther, revealing that a strand of hair was trapped beneath one of the letters. Francine, featured on the cover of the same issue, sports blonde highlights. She is summoned for questioning.
Kelby and Humphrey confront Francine about dispatching the letter. Aware her father would be disappointed if she lost, Francine admits sending the letter to distract Polly but never intended for her harm. She denies any malicious intent. Following her release on caution, Nate vows to overcome great obstacles to ensure she races the next day. Esther admits her growing disdain for Nate with each encounter. Humphrey starts to understand the motivation behind the letter. Margo interrupts to announce Polly has been cleared to race the following day, thinking this might offer an opportunity to uncover the perpetrator.
Zoe discusses with Humphrey her absence from college, casually mentioning something troubling Anne. Martha later confronts Anne about it, emphasizing its significance. Anne urges her to desist, sharing that her father navigated such trials alone. Martha counters that he wouldn't have wanted her to endure it in isolation. Anne empathyzes with his solitude and fear. They agree to end their secrecy.
Esther joins Archie, who offers her wine. Margo catches them kissing, catching them in a compromising position. Humphrey returns home with takeout, with Martha's assistance leading to a clumsy accident where a bottle shatters, cutting Rosie's leg. She cries out loudly. They rush her to the clinic for butterfly stitches. Humphrey and Martha reassure Rosie that all is well between them.
In the morning, Margo confronts Esther about her relationship with Archie. Esther reveals that no one is aware yet. Margo assures her secrecy, acknowledging she has only kept one secret in her life and promises to keep this one too. Esther proceeds to the race venue.
Hugo's milk is delivered to Martha, who stands alongside Humphrey. Ben arrives, eyes focused on the promised bags. Humphrey bids farewell to Martha and trails after Ben. Hugo informs Ben that they've brought their own supplies this time around, his voice tinged with exhaustion. Polly vows they won't be bested so easily. Nate enters the scene, boasting of his triumph in convincing the committee not to disqualify his daughter. An argument ensues, culminating in Francine's furious outburst. She declares her intent to abandon the race, confessing her aversion to sailing. Francine dares Nate to race if victory means so much to him, before storming off, Polly hot on her heels. Francine apologizes for the letter, revealing her sailing origins stemmed from a desire to please her father, a goal she never achieved. She yearns to forge her own path, unshackled by her father's expectations. They reconcile with plans for a future drink. Nate chases after his daughter, while Polly takes to the waters with renewed vigor. Kelby offers beverages to Humphrey and Esther, sparking a moment when Esther and Kelby switch drinks, catching Humphrey's attention. He ponders aloud that the smoothie might have been intended for someone else—perhaps Ben, distracted by his infatuation, inadvertently mixed up the bags. The video footage supports this theory, leading Humphrey to suspect Hugo's involvement. He theorizes Hugo swapped the breakfast bags while Martha was distracted by the fridge. Hugo almost confessed, but Nate's interruption for a rematch derailed his confession. Humphrey insists Hugo was unaware of the letter; his sole motive was to give his daughter what he deemed she deserved. Polly triumphs in the race, her moment of glory secured.
Post-race, Esther and Humphrey confront Hugo, who requests a private word with Polly. He reveals he must provide a full statement at the station. Esther promises to consult Polly about their next steps. Prior to the official interview, Esther seeks clarification from Hugo. Meanwhile, Martha and the crew celebrate a victorious regatta. Esther shares whispers of gossip surrounding the original father-daughter race, revealing that the father hadn't been sabotaged; Hugo had simply failed to thoroughly inspect his boat the night before. Anne receives a call and steps aside with Martha, who offers words of encouragement. Anne reassures everyone the call was benign. The group discusses ordering takeout and sharing drinks, amidst laughter and camaraderie.
