Vernon Scripps' past catches up with him. Igor Saukas from Lithuania is captain on a coaster which makes a call at Whitby. Saukas uses the opportunity to call on his old friend, but Scripps is not too keen on seeing Saukas because of a deal involving faulty umbrellas and now Vernon is convinced that the Lithuanian is out for revenge. Much too his surprised Saukas instead offers him another deal - Lithuanian peat. Clive Denby from MI5 is also very interested in the Lithuanian. He asks sergeant Craddock to assist in the surveillance of him. Eamon Maxwell insists that something is wrong with him although Dr Summerbee's examinations show him to be in good health. Every time she has put his mind at ease he comes up with a new "disease". He may even have a death wish, because he often stands on the railway tracks and jumps aside at the very last moment.

Things are quiet at the police station in Ashfordly. Almost too quiet. And it is not going to last. Suddenly two armed men hold up PC Younger and Alf Ventress and lock them up in a cell, while they free a single "guest" without Sergeant Miller noticing anything from behind his desk at the sergeant's office. With PC Walker and PC Bellamy in hot pursuit through Aidensfield they kill a dog and seriously injure a pedestrian. To top it all the police do not even know the identity of the escaped prisoner, who was just detained overnight for being drunk. One more thing bothers Phil Bellamy. He is sure he saw Debbie's late husband Barry in Ashfordly when the pursuit began.