Somebody breaks in at Jenny and Tim McDonald's house, but nothing seems to be taken. The next morning Tim McDonald is two hours late at work at a bank, because the intruder put back their clocks. The intruder turns out to be an old friend of Tim McDonald, a really bad apple called Carl Southall, and he claims that McDonald owes him a favour. There is an open tournament at the local golf club, and Greengrass plans to make a killing by entering a B. Scripps in the tournament and bet on him. Only it is not Bernie Scripps as the club manager Trevor Snape thinks, but Bernie's nephew Barry, who is a professional golf player. Greengrass spots an opportunity to make an even bigger killing when he learns that outside investors want to buy the club and turn it into an upmarket country club. He only has to become a member of the golf club to get a share of the sales money. That is all - or is it?

Somebody tries to break in at Jean and Derek Lester's cottage. Derek does not want to report it, because nothing was taken, but his wife is sure she heard voices. Dr. Merrick discovers that her patient William Seaton is being blackmailed. He has paid 300£ and left the money in a telephone box in Malthouse Street. He is not the only victim of the blackmailer. So is Barry Jones, who runs a refuge next door to the telephone box, and Mrs. Ventress' goddaughter Susan. The only common denominator to all three of them is Derek Lester who becomes the prime suspect, but he is being blackmailed too. Vernon Scripps has an appointment with the famous publisher Howard Dufton. Dufton wants Scripps to sell advertising space for a new magazine, but the new magazine may never happen because Dufton is nearly bankrupt. Vernon Scripps has an idea that might save him.