Sergeant Blaketon is recuperating from his heart attack and cannot get back to work fast enough, when Dr. Bolton informs him that his days on the police force are over due to risk of another heart attack. That does not suit him at all and especially not when he learns that the Deighton family is back in Aidensfield. The Deightons have done mischief in the area before and they are definitely up to no good this time either. From his hospital bed Blaketon tells his constables to keep a close eye on them. Greengrass lets Lieutenant Craig and her girl scouts camp on his land. That brings the girls on a collision course with the Deightons when they stage a paper chase.

During a dinner at Ashfordly Hall the county High Sheriff Andrew Parkin makes a pass at Susie Cope, who is serving at the dinner. On their way home from the dinner Parkin and his wife Sonia run down the farmer Colin Taylor. The Parkins claim that Mrs. Parkin was driving the car due to him having too much to drink, but PC Bradley is not sure because the driver's seat was too far back for her. Either way the accident may turn out to be a costly affair for the Parkins, because their insurance does not cover her driving the car. Furthermore Susie Cope tells Oscar Blaketon, who is acting as a private investigator on Taylor's behalf, that she is certain that it was the High Sheriff himself who was behind the wheel. Vernon Scripps revives an old idea of his, a marriage bureau.