As the curtains rise on this intriguing episode of Shetland, Angus Wallace, affectionately known as the Campervan Angus (portrayed by Jimmy Yuill), rests outside his mobile abode, lost in slumber. Suddenly, his peace is shattered as a vehicle arrives at the nearby facility, startling him into alertness. Observing the gate left ajar, Angus ventures inside, descending the stairs with purpose. The tranquil air is shattered by a piercing scream, causing him to instinctively drop his camera. Realizing he’s unwittingly stumbled upon something sinister, Angus is forced to hastily retreat as pursuers close in.
Elsewhere, Donnie Russell (Angus Miller) and Detective Inspector Alison 'Tosh' McIntosh (Alison O’Donnell) engage in a heated debate regarding an arrest. Amidst their discord, Donnie receives a troubling message. Meanwhile, Lisa Friel (Tara Lee) emerges from the campervan, only to discover Angus’s absence, fueling her concern.
Tosh, determined to uncover the truth, heads to the hospital to confront Ian Bett (Robert Jack), demanding to know who attacked him. Ian, still hazy from the ordeal, offers no definitive answers. Tosh vows to unmask the assailant, lambasting Ian for withholding information about Joni, which she believes has hindered their investigation into Annie’s murder. The lack of a suspect weighs heavily on her mind. Ian, seeking clarity, inquires about the French man in Annie’s life, to which Tosh responds with ignorance, revealing only her focus on Annie’s killer. She also questions the scar on Annie’s arm, prompting Ian to recall a bike accident years past in London, long before their union.
Tosh swiftly acts, contacting Billy to secure CCTV footage from the vicinity of the station for the preceding night. As the investigation deepens, DI Ruth Calder (Ashley Jensen) reaches out to Tosh, leading to a meeting with Euan Rossi (Ian Hart). Rossi reveals Annie as a gifted analyst, akin to a code-breaker, recruited in Oxford the previous year. Her career took a perilous turn during a botched field operation, resulting in her shooting and subsequent departure from service. Rossi’s last contact with Annie was a voicemail, leaving him as puzzled as Tosh about her motives for reaching out.
Tosh acknowledges Annie’s urgency to impart crucial information. Meanwhile, the background check on Anton Bergen holds no immediate red flags. Tosh and Ruth share insights about the Jakobson family with Rossi, who speculates their secretive friendship stemmed from the perilous nature of their endeavors. Privately, Ruth informs Tosh of a contact at Thames House who could verify Rossi’s narrative.
Detective Constable Sandy Wilson (Steven Robertson) is grilled about Bergen’s recent communications with Andy, revealing a pattern of contact in the weeks leading up to the murders, albeit the content remains unknown. Their conversations stretch back five weeks, initiated by Annie, who had been researching flights to Tallinn. Nathan’s mention of a European trip planned by Bergen adds another layer to the mystery. Sandy notes Bergen’s financial stability, attributed to his gambling habits. The Friday night call Bergen received is traced back to a landline at the Jakobson residence, deepening the intrigue.
Ruth contends that they ought to reinitiate contact with them, considering the Jakobsons' assertion that they hadn't communicated with Anton lately. In a hushed conversation, Tosh inquires about the gentleman from Thames House, wondering aloud if Ruth had once been romantically involved with a spy. Sgt. Billy McCabe (Lewis Howden) informs Tosh that he's discovered something crucial on the CCTV footage. Meanwhile, Lisa embarks on a quest to locate Angus, utilizing the intercom to converse with someone at the facility. The female voice on the other end responds that no one visited the premises the previous night. Tosh meticulously scrutinizes the CCTV footage depicting the assault.
Elsewhere, Ruth engages in dialogue with Stefan (Johannes Lassen) and Karin Jakobson (Nathalie Merchant), who assert their innocence in making the incriminating call. Astrid Jakobson (Ines Hoysaeter Asserson) chimes in, explaining that she had merely inquired about movie day. Karin elaborates that Anton and Astrid share a weekly film-watching ritual every Monday afternoon. Astrid claims to have forgotten about the call altogether, explaining that she had contacted Anton because it was his turn to select the movie. Anton seemed entirely normal during their conversation, and Astrid insists she did not speak to him again afterward. Karin reassures Ruth that they would have promptly informed the authorities had they known about the call. She mentions that Astrid has been unwell of late. Ruth delves deeper, asking about their knowledge of Anton prior to hiring him. Karin reveals that Anton was recommended by a mutual friend of Stefan's and expresses ignorance regarding Tallinn or Estonia.
Tosh pays a visit to Fergus (Macleod Stephen) and Patrick Harris (Ross Anderson) to quiz them about their father. Just as the conversation intensifies, John Harris (Vincent Regan) enters the room and confesses that it was indeed him. He is promptly escorted to the police station for interrogation. John speculates that Ian might have murdered Annie, to which Tosh counters by reminding him of Ian's alibi for the murder time frame. She emphasizes that even if Ian were still a suspect, his actions would remain unjustifiable. Tosh endeavors to assure John that he hadn't let Annie down.
Subsequently, Tosh shares with the others that John admitted Patrick had issues with Annie and Noah. Patrick harbored a noticeable resentment towards her. Sandy reveals that Patrick's name appears on JJ Huang's list of gamblers. Ruth confesses her skepticism towards Astrid's narrative.
Stefan and Karin are joint owners of Jarnhus Investments, a firm specializing in International Wealth Management. Ruth mentions that Harry has secured an interview with Noah. She invites Tosh to accompany her and take the lead. In no time, they confront Noah Bett (Jacob Ferguson). Tosh grills him about the evening of the grand party, probing into the events that unfolded after he left with his mother. Noah recounts their intended visit to John's house, which was aborted by a call from a man with a distinctive accent. They picked up this distressed man, tears streaming down his face, by the roadside. Noah narrates how his mother drove them to the Croft, placing him in a room to sleep due to the lack of beds. Feeling cold, Noah awoke and called out for his mother, but she didn't respond. He ventured into another room and discovered her lying motionless on the floor.
Noah, driven by desperation, ventured out to seek assistance, while Rossi kept a vigilant watch from the shadows, his eyes fixed on the house. Receiving a call, he inquired about any updates pertaining to him. Meanwhile, Ruth engaged Noah in a conversation about his fascinating dinosaur tale, recalling a nocturnal vision of a creature resembling a dinosaur on the night they rescued the man. In a rush, Lisa sought refuge in Reverend Alan Calder's (portrayed by Steven Miller) presence, pleading for his intervention. Alan cautioned her about the police's relentless pursuit of her and Annie, but Lisa protested her ignorance of the matter.
At the precinct, Ruth and Tosh debated whether Noah could have slept through the thunderous echoes of three gunshots. Sandy's abrupt intervention revealed Patrick Harris's dire financial straits, noting his steady inflow from the mussel farm's account until Annie took charge six months prior, at which point the payments ceased. A fingerprint linked to Patrick was discovered at the Bett house breach, prompting Tosh to lead the way there. As Ruth received a call from Alan, seeking assistance, she hastily met him at their campervan. Their discussion centered on Annie Bett and a dispute Lisa denied having with her, asserting that her only concern after leaving the shelter was catching up with Angus.
Digging deeper, Ruth discovered Angus's meticulously maintained logbook, detailing the comings and goings at the lab. Lisa inquired about his whereabouts, but no one seemed to have seen him, contradicting the logbook's entries. Elsewhere, Tosh interrogated Fergus Harris about John's relationship with Annie, who Fergus admitted he welcomed. Patrick's entrance into the conversation prompted Tosh to demand clarification. Ruth delved into the lab's depths, where Dr. Mohan introduced herself, clarifying that the facility was closed the previous night and focused solely on marine research. Ruth entrusted her with a contact number in case Angus was found.
Patrick insisted to Tosh that a mistake had been made, vehemently denying any involvement in the break-in, alibiing his whereabouts with JJ Huang (played by Nicholas Goh). Tosh queried if Patrick had been gambling and was surprised to learn he hadn't disclosed knowing Anton Bergen. Patrick clung to his alibi, stating he was with JJ the entire time. To verify his story, Tosh tasked Sandy with contacting JJ and scrutinizing Patrick's claims. Ruth contacted Billy, briefing him on Angus Wallace and, noticing nearby construction equipment, requested all available information on the nascent marine lab.
Patrick confronted JJ, expressing disappointment that their plan hadn't unfolded as expected. Rossi, paying Ruth a visit at her abode, shared insights on Bergen, revealing that Stefan had long been on a watchlist, with his funding sources for the business shrouded in mystery. Rossi cautioned Ruth against forming attachments to Noah, prompting her to sternly request his absence from her home in the future. Karin and Stefan deliberated on returning Astrid to London, their conversation overheard by Astrid herself. Stefan declared that while Karin could return, Astrid would remain.
Tosh's path crossed with Jamie Connal (portrayed by Johnny Panchaud), who was grief-stricken by Annie's news. Accompanied by Joni (played by Gemma McElhinney), Jamie later joined Frank Kirk (Richard Thomson) and Tara Kirk (Nalini Chetty), where the conversation steered towards John Harris's violent confrontation with Ian.
Donnie joins their circle, and together they raise a toast in honor of Annie. At her residence, Ruth delves deeper into the mysteries of the laboratory and Dr. Devinda Mohan, portrayed by Bridgitta Roy. She dials Noreen's number to inquire about Noah, offering an apology for disturbing her before bidding farewell. In a private moment, Frank seeks forgiveness from Tosh concerning Tara, to which she reveals that Ian has been discovered at the Mission. Frank expresses ignorance of this place before departing. Jamie informs Tosh that Annie visited him at his workplace last week, inquiring about incoming freight planes. Tosh requests a list of the specific planes she inquired about.
As dawn breaks, Billy phones Ruth with the possibility that they have located Angus. Patrick informs John and Fergus that Ian Bett deserved a good thrashing, an opinion they share. John mentions that the lorry will arrive soon. At the hospital, Finlay Morton, played by Ros Watt, informs Ruth that Angus is incoherent. Finlay discovered him lying at the entrance that morning, rambling about experiments. Lisa and Alan soon arrive on the scene. Ruth notices an injection mark on Angus's arm, but Finlay assures her they didn't administer anything. Angus attempts to convey something crucial, urging Lisa to inform Bergen that he was right—about everything, Ruth clarifies when prompted.
Later, Ruth meets Tosh at the lab, where the cranes are housed. She proposes that these cranes might be the dinosaurs Noah mentioned. Ruth suspects Annie picked up Bergen from this location and believes the answers lie within the lab. Meanwhile, John and his sons are working, while Patrick and Fergus argue over Tosh's visit. John questions Patrick about her intentions and inquiries. Patrick insists he was with JJ on Friday night, but John knows he was already awake when he descended the stairs on Saturday morning, suggesting Patrick didn't return home on Friday. John accuses Patrick of never favoring Annie or her son, whom Patrick scorns as parasites. He further claims Annie manipulated John and drugged them into her life. John reveals that Annie told him about the books and Patrick stealing money from the account, aware that Patrick is in debt to JJ and took the money to escape his financial woes. Patrick sneers, asking if John truly believed he had a chance with Annie. The argument escalates into a physical altercation, with Fergus trying to intervene. In the chaos, John accidentally strikes Fergus on the head with a hook, potentially fatally.
