Nick is puzzled by a succession of drunken hikers on the moors. A man called Potter is then cautioned for passing on his home made wine which is responsible. Potter also gets accused of indecent exposure, but Nick later discovers this is incorrect! Meanwhile a employee of the local bank reports her husband to be missing. Nick goes searching for the man, but there is no sign of him. Later, he finds out that the man has hung himself because his wife was having an affair with the manager of the bank. Alan Maskell is then refused a loan from the bank to start his own business, but Nick is able to use the mans death to persuades the bank manager to change his mind. Kate has further trouble with Dr Ferrenby after advising Mrs. Maskell, a mother of six to take the contraceptive pill. This also angers Mr. Maskell, who feels it is a threat to his virility.

There are a number of burglaries in the area recently which all have a connection, the thief tidies the house before leaving with the loot, which is usually silver. Nick checks around the local auction houses to see if anything has been passed on. He also begins to suspect local do-gooder, Penelope Stirling of being involved in the burglaries when he sees her buying incomplete sets of antiques. Meanwhile the police warn the local residents, including Lord Ashfordly to be on the look out for the thief and advise them to hide valuables which can be seen from the windows. The police catch the thief however when he burgles Ashfordly Hall where he straightens a picture which is wired to an alarm at the police station. Stirling turns out to be stealing antiques which are part of sets. She then buys the rest of the collection when the old people who the sets belong to die for a fraction of there true value. Then she sells the complete collections for the full price. Nick however can't prove i

There is an outbreak of sheep rustling and one of the victims who is renowned for naming his sheep accuses Greengrass of the crime. Greengrass ends up in court and is convicted, but Nick discovers holes in the evidence and realizes that Greengrass had been set up. Meanwhile Alan Maskell who is on bail does a runner to London. But unknown to him his wife Sandra suffers a miscarriage at the same time. Nick in the meantime is asked to go for an interview to join the drug squad team at Scotland Yard, which would guarantee a promotion to Sergeant. He decides to go for the interview despite Kate opposing the idea of returning to London. Whilst there he promises Sandra that he'll find and bring back Alan. Whilst in London Nick finds Alan in a night club, then there's a drugs raid by police and Nick sees them plant the evidence. Nick is arrested along with everyone else. Nick later files an official complaint about the officer in charge of the raid. He's then offered the job with the drug squa