As the narrative of "Ellis" unfolds in its second episode, Carla Duffy, a figure shrouded in notoriety as a former drug baron, informs the investigators that they have had ample time to charge her with her crimes. Two days hence, ACC Leighton, alias Allison Harding, reaches out to DCI Ellis, portrayed by Sharon D. Clarke, urging her to return the call promptly. During their conversation, Leighton inquires about Ellis's knowledge concerning the Callorwell Police force, jogging her memory about Carla Duffy's saga and necessitating her immediate apprehension. Leighton hints that the arrest might have been marred by either overlooked protocols or sheer negligence.
Meanwhile, the narrative introduces DS Jenny Rawler, a 35-year-old officer who has mysteriously vanished. Her husband, in a public plea for answers, accuses the police force of involvement in her disappearance. Complicating matters further, DCI Hain (played by Tim Dutton) has taken a personal leave of absence. Ellis delves deeper into Jenny's life, uncovering that she has been married to Adam Reid for half a decade and has a stepson named Mark. Jenny's abandoned vehicle, discovered at the Callorwell Activity Centre, where she was a familiar face, adds another layer to the puzzle.
Upon arriving at the scene, DCI Ellis and DS Chet Harper (Andrew Gower) witness Carla being released from custody, greeted by DI Jamie Morrison (Sam Marks), who pledges full cooperation and resources to locate Jenny, prioritizing her whereabouts above all else. Ellis, however, issues a stark warning: she intends to keep her findings to herself. In private, she expresses her distrust towards Morrison's team and learns through Jenny's emails that her last communication was with DCI Hain.
Visited by Ellis, Hain dismisses any notion of foul play, characterizing Jenny's disregard for protocol as typical behavior. Hain remains unperturbed by Jenny's husband's accusations and believes her requested leave was a cry for attention. The plot takes a grim turn when a passerby with his dog stumbles upon a body along a secluded trail. DC Leah Thompson (Aoibheann McCann), driven by her friendship with Jenny, introduces herself to Chet and expresses her desire to assist in the investigation. Sergeant Frank Landry (William Travis) echoes this sentiment of solidarity.
Chet, eager to examine Jenny's past cases, seeks continued access to the police system, while Jamie informs everyone of the grim discovery. Ellis and Chet rush to the crime scene, where they ascertain that Jenny suffered a solitary stab wound to her thigh, with no other visible injuries. Ellis visualizes the attack, contemplating the possibility of a broken bottle as the murder weapon, yet no bloodstains are found on the nearby bottles. Convinced of foul play, Ellis theorizes that Jenny was killed, her phone stolen, and a fake leave request sent to Hain.
Their investigation leads them to Jenny's home, where they confront Adam Reid (Jonathan Harden) and Mark Reid (Michael McCloskey-Ooi). Adam reveals he was away at a conference and found no sign of Jenny upon his return. The doorbell camera footage reveals Mark as the last person to see Jenny alive. Mark insists he was on his way to the library and did not hear from Jenny thereafter, clarifying that while they don't speak daily, they share a good relationship.
Thus, the tension mounts as Ellis and her team navigate through a web of deceit, missing persons, and potential murder, each clue bringing them closer to uncovering the truth behind Jenny Rawler's disappearance.
Adam is grilled about the mysterious disappearance of his wife's phone. He confesses to having attempted to persuade Jenny to quit her job, where she faced undermining tactics and derogatory remarks questioning her competence—remarks he attributes solely to her gender. An incident subsequently propelled Jenny towards contemplating a formal complaint for bullying. Adam reveals that Jenny had received death threats, which he handed over to Landry for safekeeping.
Ellis pays a visit to DCI Hain, seeking clarification on Jenny's intended bullying complaint. Hain claims to have been engrossed in a card game at DI Morrison's residence on the fateful night, with Morrison as his sole alibi. When Ellis inquires about the cab service Hain might have used, Hain admits to driving home intoxicated and sleeping in the spare room to avoid disturbing his wife. Ellis departs and promptly informs Chet of the developments.
At the police station, Chet engages Morrison, who suggests an alternative narrative: that Jenny harbored unrequited affection for Hain, portraying her as a jilted woman. Chet receives a message from Ellis, urging him to verify Hain's alibi. Morrison stands firm, emphasizing his loyalty to a colleague in need. Soon after, Chet attempts to converse with Leah Thompson, who hastily exits. Pursuing her, he discovers her emotional distress. She rushes away, evasive when Chet inquires about any preceding incidents related to Jenny's demise. Leah merely highlights an overdose involving a student named Amelie Hadenham at Broughton University. She asserts having no grievances against Hain.
Ellis arrives on the scene and interrogates Landry about the threatening correspondence. Morrison interrupts, professing ignorance of these letters and vowing to locate them. He mentions a shared Chinese meal with Hain. In private, Ellis and Chet dissect the case, suspicion heightening over the unresolved overdose of Amelie. Chet suspects concealed information, as IT access remains restricted. Ellis learns that Jenny was 18 weeks pregnant, complicating matters further. They ponder the possibility of Adam's deceit. Ellis tasks Chet with continuing inquiries within the station while facing pressure from ACC Leighton, who conveys the Chief Constable's demand for hourly updates.
Ellis discusses the evidence gap with fellow officers, with Morrison suggesting a re-interview of Adam Reid. He claims to have spent the night searching for the letters, which were unfortunately misfiled and inadvertently destroyed by a probationary officer. Ellis underscores the urgency for computer access. When questioned, Adam insists Jenny was transparent with him, their bond unbreakable. Ellis presents a list of numbers Jenny dialed in the past six months. Adam counters that her job obsession had created a distance between them, noting calls to a midwifery center in Callorwell and two unknown contacts. Adam expresses dissatisfaction that the threatening letters remain unread.
He alleges that this entire scenario is a meticulously orchestrated police cover-up. Shortly thereafter, Chet and Ellis delve into the patchwork of evidence they've pieced together. Jenny had dialed a number linked to an unregistered SIM card, only to find it unanswered. Ellis attempts to reach the mysterious number once more, only to be met with ignored rings. As they journey onwards, Chet receives a call from Naomi McKeith (Stephanie Levi-John), prompting Ellis to express his desire for a face-to-face conversation with her. Leah furnishes them with CCTV footage from Adam Reid's hotel stay, an unwieldy amount that promises hours of scrutiny due to its lack of concise breakdowns.
In their haste, Chet and Ellis track down Naomi, who harbors suspicions that Adam might be Jenny's killer. Her brief encounter is cut short by urgent matters. Ellis assures her they can reschedule, but Naomi stands firm in her conviction, highlighting Adam's manipulative nature and his ruthless severing of Jenny's ties with loved ones. She reveals that Adam underwent a vasectomy after Mark, rendering him infertile and blissfully unaware of Jenny's pregnancy—a revelation that puzzles Naomi as to why Jenny kept it from her.
Back in the car, Chet's casual glance at the CCTV footage stumbles upon a crucial lead: Adam exiting the hotel in a taxi, a blatant contradiction to his claim of never leaving. They confront Adam, who's engrossed in tinkering with his bicycle, and he confesses to his hasty lie, stemming from the shocking discovery of his wife's infidelity. His dislike for Naomi is palpable. They interrogate him about encountering Jenny on the fateful night and accuse him of an affair with Miriam Anderson. Intriguingly, Chet discloses that Miriam insists he spent the night of Jenny's death with her, casting a murky shadow over the situation.
At their base, Chet and Ellis dissect Jenny's focus on sexual offense cases, marveling at her remarkable success rate. They reconstruct the timeline and discover that Amalie was notably absent from Jenny's caseload. Meanwhile, Tim Jones, accused of multiple sexual offenses including flashing, evaded Jenny's grasp. He retaliated by accusing the police of harassment and name-leaking, singling out Jenny. Christine Bennett's call interrupts their thoughts, alerting them to something crucial.
Upon arriving at the scene, Christine reveals chilling details: the victim's leg was deliberately lifted, suggesting forced positioning, and a bruise hints at restraint. She uncovers the glass shard responsible for the wound, painting a graphic picture of Jenny's final moments.
CSI Christine Bennett, alias Kristen Foster, firmly maintains that the perpetrator, adorned with gloves, meticulously wiped away shards of the shattered glass. As Ellis informs Harper of the rape kit yielding negative results, he adds a chilling detail: Jenny did not pass away alone; a companion shared her final moments. Suddenly, a man approaches their vehicle, his accusations flying that they are trailing him. Ellis swiftly delves into his background, identifying him as Tim Jones. They exit the vehicle in pursuit, Ellis demanding to converse with him. Tim rants about a "witch" deceiving him, and when Ellis clarifies he means Jenny, now deceased, Tim lays the blame for his job loss and marital breakdown at her feet. Noticing Tim's path leads to Jenny's demise location, Ellis remarks sarcastically about the freedom of the land. Harper inquiries if Tim had ever encountered Jenny during her visits there, but he vehemently denies seeing or harming her. Ellis later updates Hain, disclosing Jenny's pregnancy of four and a half months at the time of her death, and hints at Morrison's suspicion of an affair between Hain and Jenny. Hain counters by producing photographic evidence of his Dubai trip during Jenny's conception period and promises to share his e-tickets as proof. Hain further asserts that Jenny orchestrated threats to undermine the Duffy operation, revealing the police had destroyed her threatening letters. Harper puzzles over Hain's lack of a formal complaint against Jenny.
Ellis suggests that Jenny's remarkable conviction rate in sexual offense cases might have silenced him. A significant shift in Jenny occurred upon joining the Duffy case; shortly after the June investigation, an arrest was made. Duffy retained top-tier legal representation, leading to Casey's arrest in August. Jenny's involvement in September saw evidence dwindling and warrants yielding empty results, culminating in her removal from the case in January and Carla's arrest in March. Ellis and Harper find Hain's claim of Jenny's corruption plausible. They uncover Jenny's infatuation and her use of a burner phone for clandestine communications. Harper wonders about Jenny's locker rental at a climbing center, prompted by CCTV footage of her carrying a gym bag.
Using Thompson's computer, they sift through evidence retrieved from the unknown locker. Tracing the phone number leads them to Curtis, the father of Jenny's unborn child. Morrison reveals that Duffy is Curtis' mother, then prepares his team to apprehend Curtis. When Thompson inquiries about Curtis' connection to Jenny's demise, Morrison denies it. Thompson confirms that only Carla's investigation was halted by the CPS. In private, Ellis confronts Thompson about the handling of Jenny's locker, accusing him of concealing incriminating evidence to protect Jenny's reputation as a exemplary officer. Thompson insists Jenny was incorruptible until she resigned. Harper attempts to intervene, but Ellis, unyielding, dismantles a brush from an evidence bag, revealing Jenny's burner phone, her secret conduit to the Duffy gang.
Morrison, accompanied by an armed tactical squad, sets out to apprehend Curtis. Ellis, wielding Jenny's disposable phone, attempts a call to Curtis but to no avail. Almost instantaneously, an incoming call from an unfamiliar number flashes across the screen. She answers, only to be greeted by Carla's furious voice demanding her identity. Ellis swiftly warns her that Morrison's team is hot on their trail, heading towards the Bridge Road garage. The line abruptly cuts off.
As Morrison and his tactical team draw near the garage, mysterious coordinates ping through to the burner phone. The tactical team storms in, only to discover an eerie emptiness, leaving Morrison furious and baffled. Meanwhile, Landry reveals that despite Morrison's instruction to shred Jenny's threatening letters, he secretly kept them.
Harper confronts Ellis about tipping off Carla about Morrison's raid. Ellis, unrepentant, insists she harbors no guilt since it wouldn't have led to any convictions. She promptly informs Leighton of Morrison's attempt to destroy the letters, suggesting his immediate suspension.
Later, Ellis meets with Carla to break the news that Curtis is a suspect in Jenny's murder. Carla vehemently denies any involvement from her family, reminiscing fondly about her imagined grandchild-filled future before sending a poignant text. Ellis accuses her of crushing her boys' dreams, to which Carla responds with sarcastic defiance. Harper successfully arrests Curtis.
Upon reaching the police station, Thompson loses her composure, attacking Curtis and accusing him of Jenny's murder. Harper calms her, revealing he has read the letters, and expresses empathy for her and Jenny's shared bullying ordeal. He encourages her not to resign, sharing photos of the letters as proof.
In the interrogation room, Ellis accuses Curtis of manipulating Jenny to steer justice astray. Curtis explains the nature of their weekly meetings, painting a picture of camaraderie. Harper taunts Morrison, expecting his termination, but Morrison vows to discipline him for insubordination. Chet mocks that demotion to a constable would be a stroke of luck for Harper.
When questioned about Amelie, Curtis clarifies she was never their client, revealing Jenny's plans to pack a bag and meet him after her shift. He admits to being heartbroken when she didn't show up, affirming his loyalty to his mother even over himself. Leah scrutinizes photos of the threatening letters, while Chet questions Morrison's ignorance of the entire saga. Morrison storms out. Chet wonders aloud if anyone can retrieve Curtis Keogh's phone's cell site history before they're all suspended.
Chet and Ellis meet Amelia, who confirms she conducted the sexual assault examination on Amelie Hadenham and warned Jenny beforehand. Aware that Callorwell would suppress the case unless Jenny sided with Amelie, they ultimately booted Jenny off the case and buried it, predating Amelie's overdose.
Jenny steadfastly did what was best for her, unaware of the turmoil brewing elsewhere. Amelia remained blissfully unaware of Curtis's existence. Meanwhile, Ellis confronted Landry head-on regarding Amelie's case, accusing him of burying the truth at Morrison's behest. Landry, his guard down, confessed he'd merely been biding his time until retirement kicked in.
Ellis then turned her attention to the letters, declaring with conviction that Carla Duffy wasn't their author. Chet weighed in, revealing that Curtis had been busy with a jewelry store heist during the crucial timeframe. Holding a letter to the light, Ellis discovered a cryptic message: "Everything they're not telling us." This clue led Chet to a conspiracy theory tome bearing the same title, promptly sparking suspicions towards Tim Jones. In a hurried search for him, they stumbled upon a harrowing scene – Tim attacking Leah.
With authority, Ellis informed Tim they were onto his letter-writing scheme to Jenny. She beseeched him to spare Leah, but Tim, irate and believing Jenny betrayed him by disclosing his identity, refused. As his focus wavered, Leah seized the moment, striking him and dashing away. Chet swiftly apprehended Tim, who in turn revealed that Leah had been the one to spill his name to the media. He claimed innocence, asserting his presence on CCTV and pointing out Jenny’s gym bag he'd found. Leah, realizing her mistake, confessed to outing Tim but insisted she hadn't shown up as planned.
Inside Jenny’s bag, Ellis found drugs, an unexpected twist. Back at the precinct, Curtis came clean about his role in the smash-and-grab, his words heavy with regret. Jenny, seemingly prepared for departure with her passport and an assortment of prescription medications packed, was a distant thought. Chet probed if Curtis's mother knew about Jenny’s alleged dealings at the university; Curtis steadfastly denied it, asserting Jenny’s innocence and blaming misunderstandings. His impulsive car-ramming into the jewelry store was a reaction to perceived betrayal by Jenny choosing the police over him.
With a final glance at Curtis, Ellis brought the interview to a close, leaving the room heavy with unresolved mysteries and tangled webs of deceit.
Chet and Ellis paid Adam a visit, seeking insights into Mark's whereabouts. As Ellis scoured Mark’s room, she stumbled upon a cleverly concealed compartment embedded within his bed. Inside this hidden nook, she uncovered a stash of drugs along with other incriminating items. Without delay, Chet and Ellis headed to the university, where Mark, sensing impending trouble, attempted to evade them. A brief chase ensued, culminating in Mark’s apprehension. He was subsequently charged with possession with intent to distribute, as well as the constructive manslaughter of Amelie Hadenham.
In the interview room, Mark ranted about being saddled with a whopping sixty thousand dollars in student loans for a degree that seemed utterly worthless. He recounted encountering Jenny at the movies with Curtis one evening, his voice tinged with resentment. Mark admitted that something tragic had transpired with Amelie but insisted that her overdose was beyond his control. He claimed to have disconnected from his old life after her passing. Upon returning home on Tuesday, he found Jenny awaiting him, who, in a surprising turn, confiscated half of his drug stash and packed it into her gym bag, intending to handle it herself. When Chet inquired about the source of Mark’s narcotics, Mark revealed that his father had been selective about his friendships, leaving little room for social interaction.
Chet and Ellis then ventured to the hospital in search of Naomi. After some searching, they confronted Naomi, accusing her of supplying Mark Reid with drugs. Naomi, baffled by Jenny's silence regarding the baby, recounted a meeting where Jenny had unexpectedly erupted in anger, prompting Amelia to push her. In a desperate bid to catch up, Chet chased the elevator door, only to hear Amelia confess that she had sensed something amiss due to Jenny's distressed state. Jenny had stumbled onto a shattered bottle, severing her femoral artery. Despite Amelia’s initial efforts to staunch the bleeding, she ultimately chose to let Jenny bleed out, driven by a perception that Jenny had prioritized her family, specifically Curtis, over their friendship. Amelia was promptly arrested for her actions.
Later, Ellis, her hunger pangs setting in, informed Chet of her desire for something to eat, bringing a temporary close to their fraught day.
