The episode kicks off with Anne Treadway (portrayed by Vicki Pepperdine), guiding a group along a gravel path while lamenting Karen Barnes's premature departure. Ryan, with a hint of sarcasm, remarks that perhaps Karen preferred a less rigid arrangement. Leah Jones (played by Lu Corfield) gripes about the trail's challenging terrain. Yvonne mentions that Karen had promised to join her for breakfast and disapproves of her flirtatious behavior with Steffan Richards (Dylan Malyn), who insists he's a grown man at 19. Anne exhorts them to stay together.
Shortly thereafter, the group arrives at a cascading waterfall. Ryan zooms in with his camera phone, capturing a sight that chills them all: Karen, lying motionless face-down near the water's edge. Yvonne hastily informs her daughter, DS Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth). Soon, Pathologist Dr. Helen Baxter (Alexandria Riley) and a forensic team arrive to scrutinize the scene. Baxter reveals that Karen is the fifth fatality in the area over the past two years. Janie puzzles over Karen's attire, unsuitable for hiking, and the absence of climbing equipment. Baxter assures Yvonne that Karen's passing was painless. Clarke, arriving on the scene, concludes that the cause of death was head trauma from a fall. Janie informs him of the victim's identity as Karen Barnes, while Evan uncovers her deception about her true identity.
Janie watches a video of Chapel's acting class in action. He contacts Cheryl (Shreya M Patel) and hands her a slip of paper. She reads out a list of emotions, and Chapel brings each one to life, leaving Janie thoroughly impressed. He explains that his agent convinced him it was a gift to the acting profession. As they sift through the evidence, Janie spots Caesar's jacket and excitedly inquiries why he kept it a secret. He describes her as enigmatic, much like the victim. He unfolds his theory about Karen's background, pointing to a photo featuring her sugar packets and an apple stick, suggesting a humble upbringing. With a sarcastic remark about issuing an APB for sugar packet thieves, he emphasizes the need to reconstruct Karen's psyche to uncover her killer. Janie, surprised, wonders why he thinks she was murdered. Chapel points out her missing phone, countering Janie's suggestion that it fell out during the fall, given her skintight jeggings.
Chapel and Janie proceed to interview the walkers. Janie expresses concern about losing her promotion if their collaboration comes to light. Chapel boasts of his respected status as a retired actor. The walkers eye them suspiciously, unfamiliar with their presence. Janie reassures them it's informal. Yvonne comments on her pallor and infrequency of walking. Janie introduces her to Chapel, who draws an enthusiastic curtsey from Yvonne, earning Janie's criticism. Anne insists Chapel sign a consent form and offers him a snack to ward off hypoglycemia. During the walk, Yvonne asks Janie why she's accompanying someone much older. Janie insists that Chapel can help unravel Karen's identity. Chapel reveals his fluency in Welsh, prompting Yvonne's apprehension about him being a predator, which he denies. Anne urges them to hurry. Chapel tells Janie that Anne's insight into the events could be crucial. As they walk alongside Anne, Chapel expresses admiration for her dedication to Karen's memory, inquiring about Karen's personality. Anne brands her a troublemaker for her tardiness and lack of preparation, noting that Steffan covered her expenses for the walk and accommodation.
John takes a seat with Steffan, who inquisitively wonders why he has vanished from television screens. His mother assumes John has been canceled, whereas Leah suggests he's merely facing a dry spell in his work. Leah introduces herself gracefully into the conversation, steering the topic towards a proposed stroll. She explains that her taxi-driving job necessitates her car for such outings. Entering the scene, Steffan's mother, Bronwen Richards, introduces herself warmly to John. He reveals that this locale was a frequent haunt for him and his late wife, setting the stage for a poignant reminiscence.
The conversation shifts to Karen, and Bronwen confirms that Steffan had covered the cost of Karen's accommodation. Steffan's recent acceptance into Oxford adds a layer of significance to the revelations. Bronwen shares that Karen once told Steffan he was her ideal type. Leah is then grilled about her role in asking Anne to exclude Karen from their group. She defends her actions by stating that Karen's presence was disrupting the group's harmony. Bronwen chimes in, mentioning that Ryan too seemed to harbor disdain towards Karen, recounting an incident where Karen's dark anecdotes led Ryan to abruptly leave the gathering. Anne's timely interruption urges everyone to resume their walk. Janie expresses delight in John's engagement with new faces.
Later, at the pub, drinks are poured, and Janie joins their circle. She introduces herself to Ryan and inquiries about his accent, learning he hails from Manchester. Ryan reveals his desire for a tranquil, uneventful escape, prompting Janie to question his suitability for their somewhat eclectic group. Ryan discloses that his GP encouraged him to join, hinting at deeper reasons. Fed up with Janie's probing, Ryan excuses himself. John follows him discreetly to the bathroom, where Ryan hastily discards something into the trash. Ryan's urgency to escape John's proximity only deepens the mystery. After Ryan's departure, John retrieves the pill packet from the trash. Janie asks Leah if she witnessed Karen leaving, and Ryan returns with his own sighting, describing Karen's distinctive heart jacket. He adds that her wave in response to his greeting was unmistakable. Bronwen confirms seeing her leave, identifying her by her leopard print bag. Leah reveals a tense altercation between Karen and Anne over the cost of the walk, shocking Yvonne, who knew Anne as a pillar of the community.
John seeks Anne outside, probing if Karen's thoughts had occupied her mind. Anne admits her dislike for Karen, who she deemed unpleasant and disrespectful to the walking group's significance. Anne shares that the walks were Peter's cherished pastime, a cherished bond they maintained after his early retirement due to Parkinson's disease. The revelation adds a layer of poignant nostalgia to the evening's gatherings.
John Chapel engages in a heartfelt conversation with Anne Treadway, who remarks that people often expect one to move past their grief. He confesses that the healing process is far from easy, having lost his wife a decade ago. Afterwards, John recounts his discussion with Anne to Janie, disclosing that Anne harbored no fondness for Karen. Despite this, John finds it difficult to envision Anne as the perpetrator of any harm. The murder has tarnished one of the last remaining ties to his late wife, and Anne appears to be the sole individual who has truly lost something amidst this turmoil. Janie expresses her suspicion regarding Karen's backpack, sensing something unusual about it.
John mentions that Ryan had stepped away to take his mental health medication, to which Janie responds nonchalantly, sharing that a friend of hers also used them and it was a common practice. She laments that their landlord was unhelpful in providing information. When John confronts the landlord, he learns that Karen's room was paid for in cash and hears hints of sexual escapades happening during the night, presumably in Karen's room. The landlord isn't surprised, labeling Karen as a woman of loose morals.
As John walks away, his footsteps falter, and he trips, tumbling to the ground. Anne arrives on the scene, learning of his mishap. Yvonne Mallowan (played by Melanie Walters) lends a helping hand, assisting John to his feet. Reluctant to proceed with their planned walk, John watches as Anne and Ryan (portrayed by Lawrence Walker) depart. Determined, John rises, urging Janie along with him, insisting that they must return to find Karen's car.
Elucidating his reasoning, John explains that Karen's thrifty nature would never allow her to shell out for parking. Instead, she would opt to park nearby and walk to her destination. Upon locating several cars with Yvonne, she expresses concern, questioning whether John might be a sexual predator—her worries stemming from a protective instinct towards her daughter. John reassures her, claiming that he's merely using his platform to advance Janie's career. Yvonne opens up, admitting that John's show was a beacon of hope for Janie after her best friend's tragic suicide. She reveres John as Janie's hero.
John begins to scrutinize the surroundings, eventually selecting a stone to shatter a car window, declaring confidently that this is Karen's vehicle. Inside, he retrieves an ID, but instead of Karen's name, it reads Veronica Mount (portrayed by Stevie Parker). At the police station, Janie reveals that Veronica is a psychiatric nurse from Cheshire, adding another layer of mystery to the unfolding saga.
She engages in a discussion with DCI Barry Clarke (portrayed by Steffan Rhodri) about Karen's case. Janie confesses that she remains convinced Karen's death was a homicide. DCI Clarke, however, faults John for jumping to such conclusions and urges Janie to adhere to the overt facts. Baxter phones Janie with the grim news that the postmortem report confirms murder. He further informs her that Karen was deceased before the fall, having been pushed, and the fatal blow came from a metallic rod. The conversation is briefly interrupted by Yvonne, who observes that Karen wasn't particularly well-liked.
DC Evan Chaudhry (played by Rithvik Andugula) reaches out to Janie, sharing the results of a background check on the victim. It reveals that Veronica received consistent deposits of £5,000 until 2023, prompting John to suspect blackmail. Ryan emerges as his prime suspect. John argues that Ryan couldn't have seen the heart on Karen's jacket since she wore a backpack; Bronwen witnessed Karen with it that morning, and it was discovered with the body.
During Ryan's interrogation, he maintains his innocence. Janie learns that Ryan, who previously resided in Manchester where Veronica worked for a mental health trust, had a history of mental instability. Aeron (Rhodri Meilier), Ryan's solicitor, is present. Janie probes why Ryan and Veronica took a walk at the same time, revealing her own recent mental health struggle and wondering how Ryan overcame his. Ryan eventually admits to experiencing a mental episode last year, explaining his dependence on Quetiapine and his urgent prescription refill. Despite this, he insists he didn't lie about seeing Veronica leave. He suggests that Steffan, Bronwen's son, who was peering through a window, could have also seen her.
John, informed by Janie, suspects Steffan's alibi about spending the night with Veronica is fake. Janie attempts to speak with Steffan alone, but John tags along. Bronwen answers the door, anticipating this moment, and confesses to the murder of either Karen or Veronica. Later, John tells Janie he doubts Bronwen's guilt. Janie refuses a solicitor, despite Steffan and Leah's desperate efforts to secure one for her. John asserts that Bronwen didn't commit the crime and has made the same mistake he did, believing the backpack holds the key.
John and Janie gather evidence, and John reassures Bronwen that she didn't kill Veronica, suggesting she's merely shielding her son. Steffan insists he didn't kill her too. Andrew (Andrew Lennon) joins them, confirming his arrival with others, but Janie asks him to leave. Once he's gone, John concludes that Steffan didn't kill Veronica and didn't spend the night with her. Bronwen reveals she checked Steffan's room and found him absent; the next morning, she saw Veronica walking away.
The scene paints a vivid picture of the intricate web of suspicion, revelation, and emotional turmoil surrounding Karen's murder.
Within the span of an hour, Steffan reclaimed his solitude in his room, where no other soul stirred. Leah Jones, unable to conceal the truth, conceded that Steffan's company had been hers. Bronwen lambasted Steffan, prayerfully hoping this whole ordeal was a grim jest. Anne, cautious, urged discretion, urging against public revelation before their departure.
Steffan confided that Veronica had accidentally bumped into him with Leah's tender moment on their stroller, her reaction more amused than anything else. In a bid to quell the burgeoning scandal, Steffan offered to defray the cost of Veronica's accommodation, seeking to silence her from revealing the incident to his overprotective mother. He groused about his mother's suffocating affection.
Ryan's question hung in the air like a specter: Who had extinguished Veronica's life? As John and Janie confronted Anne, perched on a bench bathed in the outdoors' gentle embrace, John's suspicion first alighted on the snack bar, a catalyst for his scrutiny. Janie admitted their oversight in realizing Anne's Manchester roots, a past intertwined with Veronica's life as a trainee nurse under Anne's husband's mentorship. Anne revealed that Veronica knew of Peter's premature retirement due to Parkinson's, a secret harbored with caution.
John speculated a botched procedure, a stain on Anne's husband's career. Anne dismissed it as a singular mishap, acknowledging the panel's clearance but deploring society's hypersensitivity. She recounted Veronica's exploitation of Peter's vulnerability, blackmailing him until he sought refuge in care. Veronica's relentless pursuit of Peter, even in his vulnerable state, tormented Anne until she chose silence over scandal, paying Veronica off to stave off exposure. However, Veronica's reappearance on the walkway, demanding more, ignited Anne's dormant fury.
With steely resolve, Anne lay in wait atop the falls, an iron bar in hand, a grim farewell prepared. Veronica's demise, a calculated push over the precipice, left Anne to confiscate her phone, eradicating any trace leading back to her. Anne's confession, a stark admission of premeditated murder, left John in awe of her meticulous planning. Anne further revealed Veronica's abandoned backpack in her room, a final act of deceit as Anne impersonated Veronica, fleeing the scene.
Anne requested a solitary moment for a final farewell, yet Janie's insistence on staying by her side denied her this solace. Later, John and Janie reflected on the necessity of human connections, Janie emphasizing the importance of not isolating oneself. When DCI Clarke arrived, Janie shielded John from Clarke's gaze, trying to steer Clarke's attention elsewhere.
Janie then imparted Anne's full confession to John, who had methodically organized the scene. Janie, seeking a distraction, invited John to join her at the pub, but he declined, choosing instead to engage with humanity through a local book club. Janie's revelation that her mother frequented the same group led John to gift her Caesar's old jacket, a token of his burgeoning humanity. Janie insisted he put it on and repeat a line, their playful argument punctuated by laughter over whether he sounded like Caesar.
