As the curtains part on another chapter of "Unforgotten," a peculiar discovery unfolds in Hammersmith, where tradespeople, engrossed in their work, unearth a human leg lodged within a chimney. Transitioning into the main narrative, Detective Inspector Sunil Khan (portrayed by Sanjeev Bhaskar) receives an urgent call from Detective Sergeant Fran Lingley (Carolina Main), who informs him of the grim find. Fran promptly agrees to summon Detective Chief Inspector Jess James (Sinead Keenan) into the loop. Meanwhile, Steve James (Andrew Lancel), with a tone tinged with regret, breaks news to Jess in a manner he wishes he hadn't. When Jess inquires about the identity of the 'who,' Steve evades, insisting it's of little consequence. Her call for Magda goes unanswered, a reminder of her off-duty status. With a household to manage, Jess sends the children off with Susan before returning to confront Steve, reminding him she commences her new post in mere minutes. Despite her efforts to persuade him to stay and reveal all, Steve is compelled to depart for a crucial client meeting.
In Paris, Karol reads a text to Szymon amidst the bustling airport, before resuming their workday routine. Arriving at the crime scene, Jess proposes tearing down a wall to uncover the remainder of the body. The property owner protests, only to be assertively reminded by Jess that she now commands the site, and the wall will come down. Dr. Balcombe (Georgia Mackenzie) presents the grim relic to Jess for inspection. Elsewhere, at the Thames Estuary, a violent mugging unfolds as a woman is punched in the face and her purse snatched. Amidst this chaos, Leanne updates Sunny and Jess, revealing the leg bears bite marks possibly inflicted by rats. The small size of the leg hints at it belonging to a child, prompting Jess to dismiss Sunny's Victorian hypothesis with a hint of sarcasm. The assault victim is whisked away in an ambulance as the drama intensifies.
Paul Bradley (Daniel Boys) elaborates to Fran about the property's history, shedding light on the previous owner, a developer who envisioned converting it into flats but succumbed to bankruptcy amid the COVID pandemic. Having acquired it through a probate sale, Paul speculates that the property was entangled in a protracted family dispute over the will, spanning nearly five years before he took ownership. A neighboring resident whispers tales of squatters from bygone days. Jess confides in Sunny, acknowledging the substantial shoes she steps into and her aspiration to honor the legacy of her predecessors. Sunny, nodding in agreement, hastily excuses himself from the conversation.The assailant, Jay Royce, alias Rhys Yates, completes his purchase at a store and departs, casually gliding past a woman's abandoned purse nestled in a trashcan on his pathway. Inside her office, DCI James unfolds her intentions to Sunny, clarifying that she doesn't intend to steer the team with the same tactics she once did. She elucidates that their resources, already strained, could be more profitably allocated elsewhere. Jess, ever practical, voices her preference for focusing their limited means on contemporary murders. Sunny counters with a compromising suggestion, advocating for a dual approach. As Sunny exits the room, Jess dials Steve's number, only to be greeted by his voicemail.
Meanwhile, in Westminster, Lord Tony Hume is approached by Rashid Ghulam. Tony inquiries about the probability of multiple growths, but Rashid demurs, preferring not to dwell on percentages, fearing they might be jumping the gun. Elsewhere, Ebele Falade, bustling in her role at the restaurant, politely turns away guests due to the establishment being fully booked. After her shift concludes, she chats excitedly with Dave Adams about their impending journey.
On another note, Sunny engages in a telephone conversation with Sal, confiding his dislike for Jess. Their discussion is abruptly cut short by Jess, who announces the retrieval of the body. Jay then heads to an apartment to procure illicit substances.
At the crime scene, Sunny and Jess confront the grim reality: the deceased is a female, and the extraction process has obscured the precise nature of her injuries. Leanne estimates that the victim was older than her late twenties, possibly ranging between 30 and 60. She remarks on the woman's petite stature, scarcely surpassing 4'9". Intriguingly, she was found without underwear and carried no identification. DNA analysis poses a challenge due to the severe degradation of tissues. Sunny draws attention to the discoloration of the dress, prompting Jess to recall the battening marks on the chimney breast. Paul reveals that the entire breast was once shrouded in plasterboard upon his acquisition of the property. Jess ponders whether the plasterboard was installed to discourage any upward glances, her mind inevitably wandering to building regulations, given her husband's construction background. She decides to initiate an investigation by dating the plasterboard and, if feasible, the dress as well.If they manage to authenticate its age, they can swiftly expunge it from their records. Jess excuses herself to take a call from her mother, who unburdens her heart about her scoundrel of a husband's infidelity. Sunny instructs Fran to task Kaz with tracing all the previous owners, dating back to wartime. Karol bids farewell to his workplace and embarks on a new gig, ferrying passengers through an Uber-like application. Jay returns to the comfort of his home with Cheryl (Hebe Beardsall), and they indulge in the narcotics he had earlier procured. Dave and Ebele, during their ride, delve into the happenings, with Dave reassuring Ebele of his unwavering commitment.
Jess sits in introspection with her mother, dissecting the mess involving Steve. Despite her attempts to reach out to her sister, who remains unresponsive, Jess concedes that she isn't one to overlook such betrayals. She is firmly convinced that her marriage is over, contemplating resignation and seeking a less stressful vocation—a first in her life where uncertainty clouds her judgment. Karol, on a phone call with his mother, casually mentions his singleton status, prompting concern from his parents who urge him to be more pragmatic.
Tony engages in a lively table tennis match with a boy at a youth center, afterward informing Yasmin that he'll address her funding application this week. He prepares to meet with an acquaintance who scrutinizes such proposals later. With a nod to the boy, Tony departs. Meanwhile, Jay persists in urging Cheryl to eat, having noticed her fast since Monday, refusing to hand over the remaining drugs until she nourishes herself. Sal, finding Sunny's forgotten phone in the car at the cemetery, leaves several messages. Jay awakens to check on Cheryl, alarm spreading across his face as he fears she may have overdosed. He hastily dials for an ambulance. Sunny, noticing the barrage of messages from Sal, calls her to explain his tardiness. She informs him of her impending slumber due to an event in Leeds the next day. Karol finally steps into his home, while Fran uncovers that the dress bears the label 'Delmuir,' a prestigious couture brand that flourished just post-war. Her research unveils its Kensington boutique's existence from 1946 to 1962 until its demise. A smaller, discrete label at the hem reads 'Shaper,' prompting Sunny to ask Fran to delve deeper into it. He reveals to Jess and Leanne that the dress appears to be a relic from the 1940s or 1950s.Leanne posits that the deceased is likely to have been in her late twenties to early forties. Standing somewhere between 4'10" and 4'11", her frame was probably slender, evidenced by the scarcity of subcutaneous tissue. Leanne remains uncertain about her ethnicity, though she mentions the possibility of retrieving fingerprints through novel hydration techniques recently developed by the lab, albeit at a considerable cost. Jess clarifies that such endeavors would be futile if the body dates back seven to eight decades. Sunny ponders whether the dress might be a vintage acquisition, prompting Leanne to reveal the victim's C-section scar. This observation sparks Sunny's theory that her child could still be alive.
Elsewhere, Jess confronts Steve in her car, probing for details about his affair. He defers, preferring to discuss it upon his return. Issuing an ultimatum, Jess warns him of a suitcase awaiting him at his doorstep if he doesn't confess whether the relationship is over. He abruptly ends the call without responding. Meanwhile, Tai and his companion are impressed by Ebele and Dave's vegan creation but express concerns about scaling their business. Dave acknowledges the challenge of replicating their success on a larger scale but emphasizes their resilience in overcoming greater obstacles.
Tony is forced to halt his car due to illness, leading Ebele to reprimand Dave for his honesty. He finds it more challenging to lie than she does and argues that they've already achieved success. Dave lacks her ambition for expansion, prompting Ebele to remind him of their earlier struggles—his life in a tent and her financial support for the past three years. Frustration mounts, culminating in Ebele punching Dave, who storms off into the woods.
Sunny and Karen delve into the property ownership records when Jess interrupts, questioning the relevance since they know the dress is from the 1940s. The plasterboard dates back to between 1951 and 1967. Jess asserts that this isn't a session for emotional catharsis; she expresses sympathy for the deceased but insists the case is closed. Tony waves at Emma as he arrives, while Jay waits patiently outside the hospital for Cheryl, who eventually exits.
He gently reminds her to allow him to reveal just how much she stands to gain, for she is utterly clueless about it. Tony and Emma (portrayed by Hayley Mills) engage in a conversation about Will and indulging in alcoholic beverages, with Emma expressing concern for everyone's wellbeing. Meanwhile, Sunny pens a resignation letter, intent on making an immediate exit.Fran interrupts, correcting that it wasn't "Shaper" but rather "Snaper" emblazoned on the dress. Snaper & Co., a vintage boutique established in the nascent days of 2010, confirms it as their label upon her visit. Through diligent searching on their website, she uncovers the exact dress—a one-of-a-kind Delmuir piece that once adorned their Portobello store shelves in early June 2016, priced at 29.99 pounds. The purchase was made via debit card, suggesting that unless someone tampered with the victim's attire, her demise occurred no more than six years prior. They all concur that the game is now afoot.
Sunny prompts Fran to reach out to the bank, hoping to decipher the debit card details. Before rushing into Jess's office, he saves the draft of his resignation letter. Elsewhere, Ebele contacts Jen, inviting her for a drink and confessing to having struck him once again, this time with considerable force. Inside Jess's office, Sunny unveils the dress's discovery before they pivot to discussing plasterboard. He wonders aloud if she had any inkling about his job application, to which he responds in the negative despite numerous offers. He reveals that they had practically begged him to stay, only for him to depart hastily. In the bathroom, Sunny vents his frustration by violently kicking the stall door multiple times.
