As the third episode of Malice unfolds, the Tanner family is reunited in London, with the exception of Jamie, who is navigating the intricacies of his passport, delaying his return home. This brief detachment affords Adam the perfect opportunity to establish himself as a masterful provocateur and solidify his connections with the Tanner household, particularly with Kit.
Dex, the younger sibling, already holds Adam in high esteem, but Kit faces a predicament that necessitates Jamie's attention at school. Jamie's indifference to his eldest son inadvertently paves the way for Adam to step into the role of a rebellious tutor. Adam coaxes Kit into taking the wheel of Jamie's prized automobile, daring him to push the limits on the road. Their antics, including naughtily tossing toilet rolls into the laundry basket, serve as a catalyst for forging a trusting bond.
Jamie's arrival home late at night is met with a moment of suspense before his intimacy with Nat is interrupted by the sudden blare of the home alarm. Jamie rushes downstairs, only to find nothing amiss. Adam's explanation of a "big spider" is merely a ruse, hinting at his mischievous nature.
Meanwhile, Adam's sister, Sophie, remains concerned for his well-being back home. Despite his assurances that he's doing well at the Tanner household, Adam brings his pet snake, Bedford, along and conceals it under his bed.
The visit from Damien and Jules for dinner is laced with an awkward tension, particularly when Jules discovers that Adam is their full-time manny. Adam's overzealous act of spreading rat poison around the garden fuels Jules' mistrust further, culminating in her lashing out and stabbing Adam's hand. Jules is determined to unravel the mystery surrounding Adam's origins.
For the time being, all we learn is that he was apparently a "friend of Mr. Deacon's at school," who met Jules at the school gates. Damien calls Jodie and tries to inquire about Adam, but she avoids the topic entirely, eventually ending the call on him. As for Jamie, Adam convinces him to search Kit's room for drugs, though Adam has already done so and found cocaine. He confronts Kit about it and tells him to have "one big blowout" before cutting back.
Part of Adam's distress seems to stem from his deceased parents, Colin and Susan. He brings Sophie along to the cemetery with him to clean up the gravestones, mentioning how they "didn't deserve this." Sophie is much more distant to the whole endeavor compared to him, telling him to drop the situation. Adam refuses.
That night, Adam tags along to Nat's big dinner with her and convinces her to attend fashion icon Luc Adno's new club. She initially says she doesn't want to, but peer pressure gets the better of her. There's a whole load of cocaine here too (which explains where Kit has picked up the habit from) and Nat winds up dancing closely to Luc. Adam snaps photos of them together on the dancefloor.
Meanwhile, Jamie is busy at a work meeting with a client, so he's not able to be there. When he eventually heads home and hits the hay, Jamie is awoken by loud music downstairs. It turns out Adam has convinced Nat's whole work group to head over and party at her place. Nat is completely out of it, unaware that Kit is at a party of his own.
When Kit calls home, Adam finds out that Kit is in a panic because a girl there has overdosed. Instead of showing up to help, he decides to call the police. This goes about as expected, given that Kit is then arrested. In retaliation, Adam decides to give Jamie's dog, Frankie, poisoned chicken. As poor Frankie heads outside and lies down, Damien's digging pays off as he checks online and notices a news article about a guy called Paul Grenson killing a sex worker. The thing is, Adam is clearly an imposter, and now we know he's also a murderer too.
