Episode 6 of Dept. Q kicks off with Merritt engaging in a tense conversation with Sam Haig, voicing her apprehensions about a mole within the Crown Offices who might have tipped off Finch about the witness, nearly resulting in Kirsty's untimely demise. These revelations have stirred up quite a storm, prompting Sam to caution her that she could very well be under surveillance at that very moment. In a moment of vulnerability, Merritt obliquely confesses to receiving menacing emails and texts, which abruptly curtails their discussion. Sam urges her to choose a more discreet location for their next rendezvous, rather than the cemetery she often frequents.
For their subsequent meeting, Merritt opts for the discretion of a hotel room, under an alias. The duo delves into the ramifications of Stephen Burns' involvement, albeit briefly. When left alone, Merritt teases Sam subtly, yearning to place her trust in him. Her trust-building exercise takes an unexpected turn as they strip down to ensure neither is equipped with a listening device. In the nudity of their vulnerability, passion naturally ensues, leading to an intimate encounter.
Merritt holds fond recollections of this incident, her infatuation barely concealed in the hyperbaric chamber as the narrative shifts back to the present.
Elsewhere, Carl makes an attempt to engage Jasper, proposing a face-to-face conversation. Later, he and Akram visit the church, where they find Fergus drowning his sorrows in alcohol. Having taken a brief sabbatical, Fergus has relapsed into heavy drinking following the brutal beating he endured the previous day.
Carl is clearly walking a tightrope, his audaciousness mirrored by the bruises adorning his body. Fergus has been warned off from pursuing this line of inquiry further and confiding in Carl. However, a delightful twist reveals that despite the initial sucker punch and being outnumbered, Fergus managed to overcome his assailants in the parking lot.
It seems that Moira's decision to remove Fergus from the case was driven more by a desire to shield him from further torment than to suppress the investigation. Akram, who has diligently delved into the matter, is firmly convinced that had Fergus been allowed to proceed, he would have unraveled the mystery. This revelation stands in stark contrast to our initial perceptions of his incompetence, cleverly subverting our expectations.
With the apparent capture of the Leith Park murderer, Carl visits his apartment, attempting to stir his memories of the harrowing incident, only to be engulfed by painful flashbacks. Discovered by his colleagues lying on the floor, he seems to be engaging in this poignant self-reflection.
Recall the press conference from episode 2? It now appears that there's substantial credence to the notion that the victim discovered within the apartment, Archie Allen, was a police informant. Yet, P.C. Anderson never disclosed the victim's name, merely stating that he was there for a routine wellness check. Could it be that Archie was used as bait for a more significant prey? While Hardy and Carl may not have been the intended targets, the journalist might be onto something crucial.
Perhaps Anderson was employing his bumbling officer persona to exaggerate his own ineptitude, thereby evading scrutiny. In fact, they're not even certain if Archie Allen, the deceased, had a daughter, adding another layer of mystery to the already complex scenario.
As they dive deeper into the investigation, our focus shifts back to the Merritt case, where Rose takes the lead in interrogating Liam once more. He's brought back in, faced with pointed questions about his connections to Merritt and how these might intertwine with Kirsty's situation. They are aware that Merritt visited Kirsty during the first week of the trial, and that Liam harbored resentment following the end of their affair. Liam concedes that he was indeed angry and frustrated, but eventually woke up to the embarrassment of the entire situation. The true objective of this line of questioning, however, is to ascertain whether Liam influenced Merritt's decision not to utilize Kirsty as a witness, given her background.
Above Liam stands Stephen Burns, and they seem to have pinpointed him as the one behind the attack on Kirsty, albeit the motive remains elusive – assuming he's involved at all.
Elsewhere, Jasper's peaceful existence is disrupted by a menacing visitor who threatens to tarnish his reputation. The man demands that Jasper relay these threats to Carl. When Carl shows up at the diner, he trails the thug outside and promptly delivers a severe beating. On the verge of bashing his head into the pavement after being spat at, Jasper steps in to halt his father before the situation spirals out of control.
Rose pays a visit to Hardy, introducing the figure of Ned Finkle. This individual was discharged from the hospital two weeks after being struck by Julia Montgomery, resulting in the loss of both his legs. According to Julia, she was forced off the road by another vehicle that approached from the side. With no witnesses to corroborate her story and Ned struck from behind, it boils down to her word against his. This anecdote might initially seem inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but it holds significant weight. Why? Julia's maiden name is Burns – she is Stephen Burns' daughter. This suggests that someone might have orchestrated the incident as a message. Could this mastermind be Graham Finch, manipulating Stephen to do his bidding?
Carl reappears at his therapy session, but his surprise turns to dismay upon seeing Dr. Sonnenberg's return and Rachel's absence. Feeling as though he's being led on a wild goose chase, his frustration builds until he ultimately decides to storm out. Meanwhile, Akram and Rose set their sights on Edmund, the orchestrator of Carl's public spectacle involving Jasper. Naturally, Carl isn't present for their confrontation; he's being scolded by Moira back at the station, where his colleagues listen in amusement as she lambasts him for his reckless behavior. Moira criticizes him fiercely for his latest spectacle, remarking that he now resembles a疯子, given that this is the second time in a week he's caused such a scene (the first being with the journalist Dennis at the Scottish Telegraph).
Despite her intense critique, Moira refuses to dismiss Carl from his duties. Akram and Rose's arrival doesn't spare them from her wrath; she dubs them "Team Doolally" and scolds them for getting caught in the crossfire. She reveals that the man who initially threatened Jasper and Carl worked as a chauffeur for Ballantyne Transfer & Security, a company owned by Finch Overseas Shipping—owned by Graham Finch. The team discusses the connections they've discovered between Stephen Burns and Graham Finch, but their immediate concern shifts as Carl is summoned to identify the killer from a lineup related to the Leith Park shooting. However, none of the suspects seem to match his description.
As the episode draws to a close, we return to Merritt, where trouble is brewing anew. The airlock appears faulty, evidenced by an explosion triggered by moving a can of drink into her hyperbaric container. This ominous occurrence serves as a chilling harbinger of what might await Merritt. Time is running out.
