Peter Kingdom is slowly getting his life back on track after the disappearance of his brother six months earlier, but normality is upset when his sister Beatrice moves into his spare room after a spell in rehab. Peter looks into two cases; in one, two sons have returned for the execution of their mother's estate, and in the other, local man Sidney Snell wants to bring action against the local planning authority. As Peter sits down with a drink at the end of the episode, Simon's phone rings.

A woman arrives at the offices claiming her ex-employer has stolen her baby. Beatrice causes mayhem by shredding documents and sticking labels to everything. Peter has the call to Simon's phone traced, learning that it came from an anonymous international number. He has a heart-to-heart with Auriel as the locals prepare for the 127th annual Dyke Leaping Championships. Peter discovers Simon's driving licence is in the name of "Christopher Waller", a deceased client.

A girl's parents retain Peter to sue Cambridge University because she has not been offered a place. Peter visits his old tutor to investigate and learns that Simon contacted him for money shortly before he disappeared. Gloria is upset because it is a year since her husband died, and her son is picked up by the police for breaking windows in the town. Lyle assists Snell in a scheme to stop the gas company building on a piece of local grazing land. Beatrice uses Lyle to win back Alan, but on discovering that Alan has again been cheating on his sister Peter confronts him.

Peter learns Lyle intends to take a city job and hands him the case of an Auschwitz survivor who has received multiple eviction notices from the council. The man's story emotionally drains Lyle and when the eviction order is dropped he decides to stay. Beatrice decides to "bond" with Gloria as Peter meets the Wallers again and later discovers that someone else tried to pay off Simon's debts. A pregnant woman arrives at the office, revealing Simon is the father, and that it happened after his supposed death. Beatrice joins Peter on Simon's beach.

Peter finds himself becoming a surrogate father to Daniel with his brother still away. Lyle doesn't notice when Honor takes an interest in him.

Simon wants to work at the practice again, and Snell has a proposition for Gloria.