The body of a teenage girl, Maria Cole, is discovered in a chalk pit, and the tracks of three different vehicles are discovered at the crime scene. They eventually lead D.C.I. Connor and D.C.S. Walker to the local hardman, Ray Harper. His son Andy and his friend Darren admit being at the pit on the same night, though they claim that they never saw the girl there. However, cracks soon appear in their story when CCTV footage reveals that they crossed paths with Maria before her death, later leading to the two boys being charged with her murder.

Ray Harper is devastated to find that Andy has hanged himself. Darren admits that he and Andy were a gay couple but dared not tell their families. The case against him collapses and he is released. Mike Walker is having troubles of his own with his teenage son but when Roisin decides to visit Darren at his flat she is in for a shock.