Greengrass is walking his dog Alfred when Raymond Walker takes a shot at him for trespassing. And Greengrass is not the only one having trouble with Walker. He has offered Jane Thompson to buy her cottage after her husband's death, but the old lady has been the victim of harassment since she turned down his offer. She does not want to sell even though she can live with her daughter Jennifer and her husband. Alf Ventress saves a cute, little kitten from drowning and keeps it at the police station to the great displeasure of sergeant Blaketon.

Jackie's parents are in England to meet their new son-in-law. They come from South Africa, are very conservative and not too happy about their daughter being married to a village bobby. And they are not Mike's cup of tea either. A car is found in the middle of a stream. There is no sign of the driver or any passengers, but the hub cabs are missing. It turns out that the car belongs to Archie and Marian Drew and was stolen the previous day on the ferry from Amsterdam. Greengrass and David pick up Micky Shannon, who is travelling around the country collecting old folk tunes. Shannon also has a business proposition for Greengrass. He has seeds for thousands of rare orchids and wants Greengrass to grow them for him.

Jackie's mother is visiting some friends, Joe and Shona Henderson, who live not far from Aidensfield. She still has not forgiven Jackie for marrying a mere village bobby, and their relationship does not improve when Jackie represents Jacob Fairbrother, who has been injured in an accident at Henderson's quarry. It almost reaches freezing when Shona Henderson is murdered and Fairbrother is suspected of the crime. David sees a flyer for a pop concert, and when Vernon Scripps discovers it is organized by Mickey Willis, the son of and old friend; he spots a business opportunity to cater the entire tour. Phil Bellamy and Gina have been seeing each other a lot lately. In fact they have been seeing each other so much that sergeant Craddock cannot turn a blind eye anymore since romantic relations between a police officer and a pub licensee are illegal.

PC Younger arrests a tramp Ewart Martin, but when he puts him in the nick Martin immediately recognizes his old war buddy Sergeant Miller who is none too pleased to see him. Among Martin's things, Younger finds a business card from Leslie Rumbold, an insurance agent who was shot dead on his doorstep the same morning. Has the old tramp anything to do with the murder? Or is the perpetrator Ross Tillman, a farmer who has threatened Rumbold with his life? Another clue may be a photograph that PC Mason finds at Rumbold's office. Alf Ventress moves in at the Aidensfield Arms when his chimney goes through the roof and he needs a place to stay during repairs. Gina says he can stay for free and soon he is eating her and Oscar out of house and pub. And that is just for starters. No wonder Mrs. Ventress preferred to stay at her sister's instead. PC Wetherby has had his family staying for a couple of days, and when chances are he and his estranged wife may get back together again he asks Gina for advice. But Oscar Blaketon misunderstands and thinks Wetherby is making a pass at her again.