As the episode unfolds, Detective Inspector Rachita Ray (Parminder Nagra), fresh from primping in the ladies' restroom, is abruptly interrupted by Detective Sergeant Clive Bottomley (Steve Oram), who storms in, accusing her of jeopardizing their safety and disregarding protocol. His words cut deeply, warning her that if she's bent on ruining her career, she should keep them out of it. Ray offers a sarcastic apology for her speeding antics. Meanwhile, Detective Constable Liam Payne (Sam Baker Jones) informs her that their quarry slipped through their fingers, their faces obscured by guerrilla masks. Detective Chief Inspector Kerry Henderson (Gemma Whelan) announces that Patrick Holden (Patrick Baladi), an expert in kidnapping cases, will be joining their ranks. Ray feels personally targeted, but Henderson reassures her that this is merely standard operating procedure. Holden pledges to steer clear of her investigation into Megan Parks and Frank Chapman.
Ray rallys her team, emphasizing the urgency of uncovering Ravinder "Rav" Mochani's (Taha Rahim) ties to the Chapman family. Rav, who is hearing impaired and relies on a hearing aid, finds himself in a perilous situation. Ray ponders whether Rav's abductors harbor deadly intentions. Inside a moving van, Rav frantically frees his hands and grabs a keychain, hope gleaming in his eyes.
An informant named Tyler (Sam Pote) shares whispers of a warehouse in Sparkbrook with DC Charlene Ellis (Witney White) and Holden. Elsewhere, Ray and DS Kwesi Edmund (Peter Bankole) execute a search warrant at Sharan Mochani's (Syreeta Kumar) home. Sharan, her voice trembling with emotion, denies any knowledge of Rav's abduction. Priya Mochani (Priyasha Kumari) steps in, fiercely asserting Rav's innocence in Frank Chapman's murder. Sharan intervenes and tries to stop the medical examiner from taking away Rav's laptop, convinced it contains the key to clearing his name. Ray suspects the laptop harbors crucial evidence.
In a secluded corner, Rav is spotted inside a van parked within a warehouse. Ray alerts Edmund, noting Sharan's desperate race to find Rav before they do. Holden provides the Sparkbrook warehouse tip-off. Soon, the police descend on the warehouse, but the van lies empty, its occupants having vanished like shadows. Ray swiftly requests CCTV footage from the vicinity of Haverhill Industrial Estate, her suspicions spiking – did Tyler tip off the kidnappers?
As Rav perceives an approaching figure, he swiftly drapes a cloth over his mouth and crosses his arms behind his back. Two masked figures promptly exit the van, seizing him with force and dragging him into a nearby building. At the police station, Payne presents Ray with a photograph of a young girl, sent by Frank Chapman to Rav mere days before his untimely demise. Four additional images, including one featuring the same girl, were dispatched to an unknown recipient or recipients. The initial snapshot hints at having been captured in proximity to the BT Tower in Birmingham.
Later, at a cozy local pub, Henderson and Ray share a drink amid conversation. Henderson reveals that a team member has expressed misgivings about her leadership of the investigation, but her comments are abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Ethan Henderson (Cian Barry) and an accomplice. Ellis inquiries about the underlying issue Superintendent Ross Beardsmore (Ian Puleston-Davies) and Henderson have with Ray, especially considering her triumph in taking down the corrupt DCI Hunter. Meanwhile, Ray grapples with feelings of discrimination, stemming from her unsuccessful job application. Hiroka McGregor (Naomi Yang) insists that racial discrimination complaints are the sole means to instigate change. Ray underscores the importance of her team's trust in her.
Sharan denies any familiarity with Rav's correspondence with Frank. Holden confronts her with the photo of the young girl retrieved from Rav's laptop, to which she responds by asserting that the child is not her grandchild. Ray cautions against withholding information from the authorities, but Sharan remains unyielding. Notably, Rav's DNA is absent from the Sparkbrook warehouse. Concurrently, Ellis and Payne canvas the vicinity around the BT Tower, gathering clues.
Ray displays the photograph of the young girl to Suzie Chapman (Lauren Drummond) and Dave Chapman (Michael Socha). Both deny any acquaintance with Rav or the girl depicted in the photo. Ray questions their urgency in advancing Frank's wake without a body, to which Suzie replies that Frank would have wanted his family united. Elsewhere, Donate Malek (Fiz Marcus) claims to have witnessed the girl from the photo with Dawn Hughes (Ella Dunlop), who refutes the accusation. As Ray searches the flat, she discovers the girl hiding in a closet, with pills scattered on the countertop, painting a vivid picture of the unfolding drama.
Clive relentlessly pursues Sharan, while Rav languishes as a hostage in an undisclosed, secretive locale. Inside the police station, Henderson issues a stern warning to Ray, cautioning her against entangling herself with Ethan. Ray responds with a sarcastic remark, suggesting their non-existent wedding would be canceled. The ballistics officer, Mustafa Chaudhry, enlightens Ray and Edmund about the bullets retrieved from Frank's body: one stems from a discontinued semi-automatic Taurus, and the other from a modern 9mm semi-automatic Glock – distinct bullets from two disparate firearms.
Elsewhere, Clive trails Sharan to a eerie graveyard, where she confronts an anonymous male. He hands her an item before hastily escaping. At the police station, Payne informs Ray that the girl, having undergone no physical harm, poses a puzzle. A health report from a Delhi orphanage, sent to Rav, pertains to Sajna Agarwal (Aroop Shergill) in India. The photographs reveal an identical girl, yet Payne declares them a forgery, revealing an address that belongs to Dawn. Shortly thereafter, Dawn claims she once dated Rav, who left the girl at her apartment, last seen by her at 10:30 pm the previous Sunday. Ray suspects Rav witnessed Frank and Megan's gruesome murders.
Sharan divulges to Ray and Holden that a mysterious man presented her with a picture of Rav, demanding information about his dealings with Frank. Meanwhile, in a clandestine location, Dave oversees Degsy (Jordan Pearson) inflicting torment on Rav. Rav, resolute in his silence, dares to spit in Dave's face, prompting Dave to calmly withdraw. The ominous sound of a gun being cocked echoes in the background. At the police station, camera footage unravels the moment of Rav's abduction.
A compassionate child support worker (Victoria Howell) updates Ray, informing her that Sajna will be relocated to a safe haven. Sajna, who crafted Ray a bracelet, recognizes Rav in a photograph. Ray receives an urgent call from Payne, alerting her to Rav's sighting with two masked individuals near an abandoned gym. Ray hastily proceeds to the location, preceding the firearm unit. Within the police station, Clive mutters curses under his breath. Edmund instructs Payne to contact Holden and relay the message to Ray via radio, but Clive discourages it, fearing it will reveal her solo mission without backup.
Outside the abandoned gym, Ray anxiously calls Payne for an update on the firearm unit's arrival. Payne urges patience, assuring her backup will arrive within nine minutes. Ignoring his counsel, Ray exits her vehicle and cautiously advances toward the building, her phone in hand. Suddenly, a shot rings out. She ventures inside, ascending the stairs to the second floor, where a boxing ring awaits. She discovers Dave's lifeless body sprawled nearby. The sound of descending footsteps echoes ominously from below. The episode concludes in a cliffhanger of suspense.
