As the curtain falls on the climax of "The Crow Girl," a younger Victoria, portrayed by Isabella Astbury, is immersed in a haunting flashback, earnestly seeking Martin Ryan (Smylie Bradwell). Ben Burkeman (Michael Lumsden) approaches her, his voice laden with urgency, coaxing her to step inside. She declines stubbornly, her eyes scanning the horizon for Martin's familiar face. Ben, persistent, offers to escort her to Martin's whereabouts if she complies. Leading her to Martin's lifeless body, he delivers the heart-wrenching news that her search must end. He accuses her of causing Martin's fate due to her overwhelming love, urging her to bid him a final farewell. Victoria, her innocence piercing through the grim scene, notices the dirt clinging to Martin's feet and expresses her distaste. Ben, harsher now, halts her grief-stricken inspection and escorts her forcibly back home.
Switching to the present, an older Victoria (Clara Rugaard) anxiously awaits the arrival of Madeleine (Chloe Sweetlove), her phone buzzing unexpectedly with a call from Ben, informing her of Madeleine's absence. Victoria's disappointment is palpable. Meanwhile, Vincent Dwyer (Andrew Buckley) delves into the freezer, extracting one of its frosty occupants. DCI Jeanette Kilburn (Eve Myles), seemingly lost in thought, shares lunch with Joe and Alex (Raphael Sowole), the latter inquiring about the unannounced visit from a psychiatrist. Jeanette vaguely mentions a desire to discuss matters, her tone distant. Suddenly, DI Lou Stanley (Dougray Scott) bursts in, gifting Joe-Joe a shirt for the impending football game, prompting an unexpected curse from Jeanette, swiftly attributed to her lack of sleep. She abruptly exits, making a pretext of searching for her wallet in her car. Upon discovering a bag filled with an astonishing amount of money in the trunk, Jeanette returns indoors, her composure undisturbed, and remains tight-lipped about the discovery. She diverts Alex's attention by sharing that Sophia had visited, troubled by her partnership woes.
Victoria, driven by an insistent need to uncover the truth, slips into the Burkeman residence like a shadow. Lou, sensing Jeanette's withdrawal, tries to engage her in conversation about her aversion to him accompanying Joe-Joe to the game. He protests his innocence and reassures her of his unwavering support. Inside the Burkeman house, Victoria methodically searches Madeleine's room, the weight of her suspicions growing heavier. Flashing back once more, a younger Victoria is seen confined to her bed, her voice trembling as she reveals the girl's name – Madeleine – and Ben's false narrative, painting her as the one who pushed and caused the fatal fall.
He concedes that Madeleine is deceased, driven by Victoria's profound affection for her. In the unfolding present, Victoria stumbles upon bloodstains lurking near the staircase, leading her to the grim discovery of a lifeless body. Ben, bursting through the door in a flurry, urgently commands her to keep her distance from the corpse, asserting that this tragedy might have been avoided had Victoria stayed clear.
At the police station, Jeanette's intuition tells her that something is amiss. She implores Lou to accompany her, but before they can depart, DI Newton (played by Ellie Duckles) and DCI Singh (portrayed by Yanick Ghanty), backed by the anti-corruption unit, intercept Lou. Lou suspects that Jeanette was privy to this all along yet allowed him to proceed with his duties that morning. He proposes they all witness the unfolding events, dying of curiosity to learn what Jeanette has uncovered about him. DI Newton announces Lou's impending arrest for misconduct in a public office. Lou attempts to exit with them, but Jeanette forcefully shoves him into an adjacent room and secures it from the inside.
Jeanette believes Lou owes her an explanation regarding his actions. Realizing Mike Dilliston (played by Elliot Edusah) had implicated him, Jeanette reveals her discovery of money in his gym bag. Lou defends himself by asserting that he merely aids these individuals by placing them with trustworthy acquaintances. He confesses to facilitating their involvement in drug trafficking, having witnessed firsthand how the legal system favors the undeserving. When Jeanette inquires about Ursula, Lou grows agitated, angrily ordering her not to utter her name. He insists on his benevolent intentions towards Ursula, asserting that she should have seen her aftermath of her ordeal. Lou couldn't fathom Ursula enduring such hardships, prompting him to intervene. He maintains that it was consensual and that Carl was fortunate to have only suffered broken teeth. Lou laments how Ursula has ruined everything for him, claiming he possesses nothing, not even a family.
Verity Pound (played by Victoria Hamilton) shouts for Jeanette to vacate the office. Jeanette seizes the moment, querying Lou if he has any more revelations before she loses him to the authorities. She opens the door, allowing DI Newton and DCI Singh to enter. Meanwhile, Victoria has Ben bound to a chair, subjecting him to her own form of torment.
She alleges that he employed a sinister game as a vehicle to eliminate those innocent boys. Now, he has met his tragic demise, with Victoria dousing him in gasoline and setting him ablaze. Verity declines to heed Jean's recount, knowing she must anyway relay it to the disciplinary panel. Their conversation drifts to Jeanette's profound sense of betrayal. Verity cautions her that their private exchange holds no legal standing. Jean concedes that concrete proof tying Lou to the boys' demise remains elusive. However, Lou has confessed to manipulating the boys into joining gangs and peddling drugs. Verity declares her obligation to inform the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Lou's badge is likely to be revoked, though the Crown Prosecution Service might discard the case amidst today's chaotic events. Verity dismisses Jeanette, urging her to return home. Jean arrives to find the dishes still unwashed. Alex apologizes and senses something amiss. Jeanette ponders how she will break the news about Lou to Joe. Alex wonders if she refers to their relationship, believing they share the same thoughts. Jean asserts she cannot endure two life-altering events in a single day. Alex suggests they give their relationship a chance, unencumbered by time constraints or the immediate need to inform Joe. Mike phones Jeanette, informing her that Burkeman's farm is ablaze, with two fatalities confirmed. Upon arrival, Mike reveals the body inside the house is presumably Ben Burkeman. An anonymous female reported the incident. Mike guides Jeanette to Madeleine's lifeless form, while Mary Burkeman remains missing. David White receives a threatening call, warning of impending retribution. He insists ignorance of her whereabouts. At the station, Mike updates Jeanette on their efforts to trace the boys' relatives, suspecting more victims. They reflect on Lou's fate, with Mike acknowledging a twisted satisfaction in his impending badge loss. Jeanette contends that, while they all seek justice, their visions of it diverge. She reaches out to Sophia Craven, requesting her presence.
Jean confides in Sophia that her relationship with Alex had been on a slow, inevitable decline. Sophia commends Jean for her courage, imagining how most would have chosen to remain in such a situation. Jeanette inquiries about Victoria Burkeman, to which Sophia responds with frustration, having failed to trace her whereabouts. Jean then shares the harrowing news about the fire, expressing her doubts that Victoria personally orchestrated Madeleine's demise, though she suspects she may have played a pivotal role in setting the stage.
As Jean dials Alex to cancel their breakup dinner, her eyes catch a glimpse of a tape labeled with Victoria's name, sitting prominently on Sophia's possession. After concluding her call, Sophia turns to Jeanette, admiring her beauty with genuine affection. Their words blend into tender kisses, eventually leading them to share an intimate moment in bed.
Elsewhere, Victoria fetches a glass of water, revealing a cleverly concealed door behind a bookshelf. She steps through, seemingly entering the very chamber where Mary Burkeman, played by Karen Ascoe, is held captive. Flashing back, Ben storms into the house, mistaking Sophia for Victoria. She taunts him, inquiring about the sensations involved in taking a child's life with one's bare hands and how he felt maneuvering Martin to his doom. Ben counters, asserting that Madeleine's fate could have been avoided had she stayed out of their lives. The conversation escalates, culminating in Sophia assaulting Ben.
Returning to the present, Sophia silences Mary with a stern warning before offering her a sip of water. With the door firmly shut behind her, Sophia ascends the stairs, her thoughts elsewhere. She playfully toys with Jeanette's hair, while an inner monologue surfaces—Victoria's dark whisper: that evil befalls innocent children, and one is either forged in battle or degradation. She yearns to be a crow, symbolizing transformation, hinting at her long-awaited moment of reckoning.
