As the curtains rise on this episode of "Unforgotten," Detective Constable Fran Lingley (Carolina Main) imparts crucial information to Detective Chief Inspector Jess James (Sinead Keenan). The name etched on the bank card, as revealed by Lingley, belongs to Maggie Bowden. The bank has affirmed that Maggie (Laura Pitt-Pulford), contrary to assumptions, is still very much alive and had reported her card stolen on June 4th, 2016—around the time the dress in question was purchased. The proximity of these events hints that the thief might have used the stolen card in the vicinity of where it was lifted. James is eager to interview Bowden and delves further, wondering about any authorized entries into the property between the vendor's demise and its acquisition by the developer in 2019. She instructs Karen to canvas the neighbors for leads while DS Murray Boulting (Jordan Long) is charged with investigating any police activity logged at the house in recent years.
Just as the meeting winds down, Sunny (Sanjeev Bhaskar) poses a poignant question: why was the victim interred within the chimney flue? Speculations abound that she met her demise within the house, and placing her in the flue offered a simpler disposal method than removing her body outdoors. Sunny retreats to his desk, promptly dialing the lab to expedite testing on additional plasterboard samples.
Elsewhere, Lord Tony Hume (Ian McElhinney) shares a drink and political discourse with Medhi Hussein (Abhin Galeya), entrusting him to scrutinize a funding proposal for a youth center. As Tony exits, his phone buzzes; it's Rashid Ghulam (Nabil Elouahabi), summoning him for the return of some test results.
Later that evening, Jess unburdens herself to her son Eliot (River Archer) about her spat with Steve, insisting that all is well despite appearances. She fires off a text to Steve, bemoaning his lack of communication with her or their children.
Morning arrives with Sunny receiving a call from Dr. Leanne Balcombe (Georgia Mackenzie), who has been meticulously examining the deceased. Karol Wojski (Max Rinehart) regales a group of children with the anecdote that once upon a time, swearing was taboo, before steering Elise aside for a private conversation. Elise is taken aback when Serge, her estranged partner, reveals a shift in his stance; he now seeks shared custody, feeling it unjust that Karol enjoys more time with their daughters than he does.
Balcombe enlightens Sunny about the wound trajectory, concealed by the corpse's decomposition—the bullet having pierced the left lung and lodged in the right ventricle before exiting the back. Sunny surmises that bloodstains and the bullet might still be found within the house unless meticulously cleaned up by the perpetrator. He assures that tracing the bullet will be feasible.
To Jess's astonishment, Steve (Andrew Lancel) awaits her outside. Inside, he poignantly reminds her of how often he visited her mother, more so than she did.He was fully aware of the arrangement when they tied the knot, yet it proved insufficient to sustain his marital bliss. The companionship had morphed into that of mere roommates, a reality he found unacceptable. Steve laments that she always emerges victorious in their more trying decisions, attributing her triumphs to her intellectual superiority. He insists, however, that his recent indiscretion was a fleeting moment and has since come to an end. Believing that some distance could illuminate the path forward for them, Steve discloses that his brother has offered the sanctuary of his spare room. As Murray delves into the property records, he encounters a hurdle in the form of a required access code, prompting Karen to initiate conversations with the neighboring residents.
Jay Royce (Rhys Yates), confronted by Cheryl's (Hebe Beardsall) dependency, agrees to procure her more drugs but underscores the need for change. Flick (Lisa Faulkner), confiding in Karen, doubts anyone would have detected the girls' presence had they been more discreet and transient. There were four or five of them, and despite Flick's warning, they had insisted their stay would be brief—a summer escapade in 2016, shortly after their move-in. The issue was eventually resolved by a locksmith who fortified the premises. Elise, discussing with Karol their impending legal battle against Serge, weighs the cost of hiring a lawyer against the impending arrival of their child before bidding farewell.
Sunny suggests to Jess that their investigation should commence in the sitting room, where Leanne's keen observation has revealed telltale signs of dehydration and apparent track marks on a patch of skin. Intrigued, Sunny wonders if the victim might have been entangled in the murky world of drugs. Jess ponders whether a botched drug deal could be at the heart of the tragedy.
Meanwhile, Jay's criminal inclinations take a bold turn as he steals a purse from a café and later, using a bicycle, snatches a woman's phone. Karol exits the temple just as police commence their search of the property, while Jay exchanges the stolen phone and credit cards for cash. Karen engages John Caxton (Simon Bubb) in a discourse about the house's history, its sale, and the squatters who once occupied it, painting a vivid picture of a community grappling with hidden secrets and unforeseen dangers.John acknowledges that he merely inherited the case but believes there might be insights about the squatters tucked away in the files, which could prove invaluable to her. Karen eagerly requests duplicates of all available documents. Maggie informs Fran that she had already reported the incident, yet no follow-up had ever materialized. The manager had obligingly retrieved the CCTV footage for her, capturing the thief's visage in stark clarity—a small, youthful woman. Fran inquires if the footage is still in her possession, to which Maggie promises to locate the email containing the link later, relaying this to Sunny, who insists that all communications should henceforth pass through him.
Upon arriving home, Tony is immediately struck by a wave of pain, only to be greeted by a delightful surprise birthday party orchestrated by Emma (Hayley Mills) and company. Dennis Grimshaw (James Quinn) expresses his pride in Tony's endeavors, affirming their friendship. Tony heartfeltly thanks Emma for the pleasant surprise before William (Archie Rowell) joins in with birthday wishes. Tony senses the need for a private conversation and, turning to Sal (Michelle Bonnard), learns of her early pregnancy, possibly conceived during a recent illness. Sal expresses her astonishment at not considering abortion. Sunil, laughter tinged with apprehension, admits he needs time to digest the news. Elsewhere, Jess confides in Kate (Kate Robbins) about her tumultuous relationship with Steve, while Tony, empathizing with Will's youthful indiscretions, sternly warns him about exploiting a woman's inability to refuse due to intoxication. Tony vows to intervene with the headmaster to revoke Will's suspension, but not without a stark reminder of the consequences should he repeat his actions.
Jess attempts to contact Debbie, leaving a message, only to eavesdrop on Fran addressing Sunny as 'gov' and announcing the discovery of the video link. Sunny reveals they believe they've pinpointed the thief. Meanwhile, Ebele Falade (Martina Laird) meets Dave Adams (Mark Frost), who sports a shiner, as Fran presents them with the CCTV footage featuring Maggie and her beau, with the thief sitting unsuspectingly nearby. Sunny proposes cross-referencing local theft reports to uncover the thief's identity. Jess asserts that she should be the first to receive new information, to which Sunny agrees, conditionally, when she's physically present in the office.
Later, Sunny announces that the thief, identified as Precious Falade, was apprehended and charged while attempting another purse snatch. She listed the Hammersmith house as her residence, and at the time of the coffee shop theft, she would have been 34. Sunny notes her extensive criminal record, encompassing sex and drug offenses, with a DNA sample on file for comparison with the deceased. Kaz reveals that squatters occupied the house in May or June 2016, while Murray awaits information on other police activities at the premises.
They concurred that it was premature to speculate about motives and that their priority should be identifying Precious's next of kin. Dave confided in Ebele, stating that the restaurant was the sole obstacle preventing him from packing his bags and leaving. She offered an apology, to which Dave responded by reminding her that her frequent apologies had yet to effect any meaningful change. Denying any indulgence in alcohol, Ebele assured Dave she was making an effort. Dave, willing to extend olive branch, granted her one final chance, but made it clear that he desired a life authentically their own. Their mutual affection for each other was palpable.
Meanwhile, Sunny, Karen, and Murray embarked on a mission to locate individuals who knew Precious. Their inquiry led them to Eddie, who revealed that Precious had been referred by social services and that he had taken care of her. Eddie provided them with an address for her mother. In a dramatic turn of events, police descended upon Jay's apartment, arresting him on suspicion of robbery.
Following a phone conversation, Ebele informed Dave of their intention to continue investing. She vowed to make a change, only to notice Sunny and Jess approaching the restaurant. Jess's phone buzzed with a message from Steve, requesting her call. They entered the premises, confronting Ebele Falade about her daughter Precious. The mention of Precious triggered an emotional breakdown in Ebele, who banged her head against the wall.
Rashid imparted a grim prognosis to Tony, suggesting they might have a year at best, or merely three months in the worst-case scenario. Tony, undeterred, instructed Rashid to explore every conceivable new therapy, regardless of the expense. Karen stumbled upon three handwritten notes pertaining to the squatter issue and embarked on a quest to ascertain LA's representation. Kaz proposed examining their phone records for clues. Jess dialed Steve's number, frustration evident in her voice as he failed to answer.
Sunny persuaded Jess to return, arguing that they should never have left amid a murder investigation. Inside, Ebele reluctantly agreed to answer a few questions, querying whether Precious's demise could have been an overdose. Jess broke the news of Precious's murder to Ebele, who acknowledged seeing her daughter a couple of times in the past 15 years, the last instance being sometime between 2014 and 2015. Ebele recounted a strained relationship due to Precious's theft and abuse. She mentioned a son named Joseph, now in his mid-twenties, with whom she had lost contact. Upon seeing a photo of the house, Ebele feigned ignorance. She pleaded to see her daughter, to which Jess reluctantly agreed, noting Precious's years of obscurity.
Outside, Jess cautioned Sunny to warn her if he intended to pull stunts like showing the photo again. Sunny defended his actions, asserting that it was instinctive and revealed Ebele's deceit. He sensed her initial reaction was off, though Jess remained unconvinced.
