Lee Thompson sits in the police station, desperately trying to reclaim his £30,000, claiming it was raised by the community for a local community center. And of course, it was Lee. He presents some official paperwork to back up his claim, but Jonty and McNally remain skeptical. "Seizing money that belongs to the community? Not exactly a move that wins hearts and minds," he mutters.
Meanwhile, on the street, Grace and Annie cruise the neighborhood when a picture of Annie and Shane in bed pops up on Annie's phone. It seems he's shared it on a WhatsApp group, but despite Grace urging her young colleague to report him, Annie refuses. They're soon called to a domestic disturbance where a man is burning his partner's clothes, claiming she's left him. However, his wife Marolyn walks back in and tells them he's been on a binge. As they drive away, Grace changes her mind and goes back to urge Marolyn to make a statement so they can arrest her husband. "Someday someone's going to get seriously hurt," she says. A shell-shocked Marolyn agrees.
Back at the station, Stevie and Sandra are waiting to book a suspect into custody, and Sandra asks him about his late partner Sarah. He can't bring himself to talk about it, but they both know the agony of losing the most precious person in the world. They both agree that the time they spent with their beloved was worth all the pain and they'd do it all again.
As the day comes to a close, Stevie and Grace share a farewell that's bursting with unspoken emotion. You could literally cut the chemistry with a knife. Please let these two get together soon!
As Shane and Tommy conducted their patrol, a call from Murray Canning interrupted their routine. Canning informed Shane of Lee Thompson's arrival on the scene, urging him to "put the squeeze" on a mid-level dealer named Sandy to gather more information. Tommy, being a response officer, was displeased to be sent on intel work, but he had little choice in the matter.
As they arrived at Sandy's address, Shane rushed in without a warrant, which caused a deep concern for Tommy. Upstairs, he discovered a bag of drugs under the bed. "This isn't admissible as evidence," Tommy said. "No, it's leverage," came the reply from Shane.
After finding Sandy, Shane broke into his flat and gave him a piece of his mind before letting Tommy in through the front door. Shane then proceeded to lock Sandy's companion under the stairs and put the heat on him to find out who he was buying drugs from. "The Factory Faithful Nightclub," he said. "It's a nightclub." As they left, Tommy was shocked by his colleague's behavior. "That was taking the gloves off," he replied. "We've just got hold of the first piece of decent intelligence in months."
Later on, Canning congratulated them and asked McNally to sanction the pair for overtime, but she refused unless he explained what they were up to. It was the first sign of the pair's simmering antipathy bubbling over, as a by-the-book copper came up against a man who was quite happy to break the rules to get results.
Constable Aisling Byrne steps into Blackthorn Station, poised and ready for action, only to be met with McNally's insistence on completing her online safety course before venturing onto the streets. Jonty's arrival adds a humorous twist as he quips, "That woman loves an online safety course," referring to McNally's meticulousness.
Jonty embarks on a mission to see Rab, eager to discuss the letter he penned promising Lee's funds for the community center. However, Rab's story of Shane's impact on the Mount Eden Estate paints a different picture. At The Loyal Pub, Davy Hamill's desperate plea to Lee Thompson for a chance to stay in Mount Eden falls on deaf ears. Lee's stern words ring true, reminding him of his wrongdoings and the fate that awaits those who refuse to leave.
Aisling's investigative digs reveal a startling truth: Lee's cabbie crew is ex-military, giving him the aura of a man with a private army. Craig, in a huddle with his men, voices his discomfort at following Dixie's footsteps. Meanwhile, Mags' fury boils over upon hearing of Davy's banishment from the estate, as she vows to make it "better, cleaner, and safer."
In a parallel tale, Jen Robinson pays a visit to Robin Graham, who confesses to having taken documents from the RUC Special Branch as a bargaining chip. "You can take notes, but the documents stay here," he insists.
Across town, dealers arrive at the Factory Faithful, while Canning tasks Tommy and Shane with a nightclub check-in. Despite Canning's confident claim that everything is in order, Aisling, waiting with Tommy, is not convinced, especially after Stevie's disparaging remarks earlier in the day.
At the club, the Dubliner with the worst haircut ever asks Lee about his half-measure supply strategy. Lee explains that by curbing the supply, he can keep the police at bay and open up new markets beyond Belfast. "Are you a drug dealer or a CEO?" quips the Dubliner.
Outside, Canning sends Tommy inside for a drink while Annie and McNally are kept in the loop by Annie at the station. However, as drug dealers depart in a string of taxis, Tommy is recognized by a previous arrest and met with a brutal beating. When Annie and McNally arrive on the scene with their blue lights blazing, Canning abandons Tommy despite Shane's pleas, leaving the young Constable lying unconscious on the floor. Is he alive?
