After a bungled raid which kills an innocent man young DS Steve Arnott faces disgrace. However he is transferred to the anti-corruption squad, whose head, superintendent Ted Hastings, gives him a "very special case" to investigate - DCI Tony Gates, recently awarded a medal for heroic conduct but with a suspiciously high arrest rate. Hastings tries to get Gates on minor bribery charges, in vain, and is unaware that the married Gates has covered up a fatal hit-and-run by his lover, businesswoman Jackie Laverty. Meanwhile DC Kate Fleming joins Gates's team and tells Steve she is investigating him from the inside following the deaths of two drug dealers.

Gates, knocked unconscious by the attackers, tampers with evidence, hiding a whiskey glass before police arrive to find Jackie has vanished. He claims he has just got there himself. Hastings and Arnott quiz him on his relationship with Jackie and he admits she was an old flame but denies knowledge of her money laundering. Arnott goes over the top in confronting him with evidence to suggest he was at Jackie's house when she was killed but makes himself look desperate. Gates is taken off the case and later, whilst investigating Wes's murder, is grabbed by masked men and an evil child who threaten to frame him for Jackie's murder unless he takes over her money laundering racket.

Gates returns to rescue Arnott but leaves before Kate, her cover now blown, arrives to find evidence that a body had been stored at the warehouse. Arnott recalls that the chief torturer was called Tommy and admits to Kate that Gates saved him. She believes he is weakening in his attitude to Gates, whom he goes to see in secret, confirming his view that Gates is innocent of all the murders. Convinced that Gates is in danger but can bring the killers to justice Arnott persuades Hastings to let Gates set up a meeting with Tommy, recorded on a wire. Arnott and Kate intend to meet up with them but before they can do so Gates abducts Tommy to force a confession before committing an extreme act in the line of duty.