Still missing Jack, the team reopens the disappearance five years earlier of PE teacher Jason Bowe when human remains are found at Peregrine Manor school, where he taught. Of the staff only support worker Helen Hanley is helpful. Stuffy Latin teacher Archie Millgrow argued with Jason about his over-familiarity with pupils whilst former student Eleanor, now the school secretary, and sports jock Oliver believed Jason was having an affair with pupil Melissa. Brian is more concerned that, despite falling intake numbers, school finances are surprisingly healthy and suspects Jason stumbled upon a plot by which wealthy donors subsidised the school in return for favours from old boy Geoffrey Parks, MP, Melissa's father. Then one of the suspects makes a confession but the team is not convinced and believes they are covering for someone else.

Gerry is personally involved when the body of Martin Ackroyd, his first inspector when he joined CID, is discovered having been missing for thirty years. Prime suspects are former officers Bryant and McCabe, whom Ackroyd believed to be corrupt and are now involved with career criminal Dominic Chapman, as is Ackroyd's ex-superior Ronald Sainsbury who colludes with them to discredit Gerry. Gerry tracks down Tommy Naylor, another crook the dead man had in his sights and whom Bryant and McCabe unsuccessfully attempted to frame. Gerry decides to take the law into his own hands after his daughter Caitlin is threatened but this only makes him seem guilty of the murder in Sasha's eyes.