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Episode 1

When a confused teenage boy (Theo Barklem-Biggs) is discovered by a roadside, dedicated DS Mary Jane Croft (Pauline Quirke) of the Dover Missing Persons Unit is called in. To the frustration of MJ, as she's known, all the boy will do is repeat a series of numbers.

Amy Garnett (Pooja Shah), a civilian with the unit, arrives late after spending the night with DC Jason Doyle (Felix Scott), who's transferred from Vice. Amy, a computer genius, discovers Anthony, the boy, has autism.

As MJ takes him home, Jan Morgan (Frances Ashman) arrives, distraught. Her fiance Etienne (Gabriel Fleary) has vanished as they were due to fly to St Lucia to start a new life.

Jan gave Etienne her redundancy money as a deposit on a property, and Amy discovers he has cashed in their airline tickets. Could Jan be the victim of a cruel scam?

MJ finds blood and signs of a struggle at Anthony's house. There's no sign of his mum Sandra (Lucy Benjamin) and MJ is angry when Jason treats Anthony's estranged dad Eddie (Ian Burfield) like a suspect.

Amy spots bruising on Anthony's arm, and he turns violent, then escapes. Sandra is using her bank card to buy paracetamol and Anthony is found tracing her route – the numbers he has been repeating relate to the roads she has taken.

MJ rushes to the cliffs where Sandra admits that caring for Anthony has become too much. To her horror, MJ realises Sandra has already overdosed.

Meanwhile, Amy and Jason trace Etienne as he attempts to return his wedding rings. They confront him – but his confession comes as a surprise.

Later, MJ reluctantly agrees to appear on a chat show hosted by crime reporter turned DJ Danny Hayworth (Mark Wingett). She is unprepared when Danny exposes her own dark secret – the mysterious disappearance of her sister Ellen.

Episode 2

Sixteen-year-old Ali Hughes (Cascade Brown) disappears. Her mum Lindy (Melissa Lloyd) and dad Karl (Ray Fearon) claim it's completely out of character and are distraught when DS MJ Croft, head of the Dover Missing Person Unit (Pauline Quirke), finds vodka in the teenager's bedroom.

Ali's laptop leads them to Kaz (Madeleine Fairley), a streetwise girl who admits Ali is staying with her. MJ convinces Ali to return home but DC Jason Doyle (Felix Scott) is suspicious of her tense relationship with her father.

MJ is still reeling from being forced to admit on live radio that her sister Ellen went missing over 10 years ago.

She's angry with DJ Danny Hayworth (Mark Wingett) for revealing her secret on air, but civilian colleague Amy Garnett (Pooja Shah) starts digging – and discovers that Ellen may still be alive.

Meanwhile, Amy is helping 65-year-old Stan Marsh (Barry McCarthy) search for his long-lost twin brother. Despite a link with a distant cousin called Neil, the trail is cold, so Amy suggests Stan does an appeal on Danny's show.

MJ is shocked when Amy discovers Ellen was a heroin addict, living in Barcelona. Jason suggests checking if she was wired money to pay her court fines.

Ali goes missing again and Kaz reveals she has a boyfriend called Mark Stone (Philip Olivier). Danny knows Stone from his crime reporting days – he's dangerous, dealing in drugs and escorts.

Stan is upset when he learns Neil is dead. Then Kaz appears at the station, beaten up by Stone. She's worried Ali is being forced into prostitution. Jason feels vindicated when he links Karl to Stone's club. But can he discover the truth and convince Ali to come home?

And shocks keep coming for MJ when she learns Ellen was receiving money from somewhere very familiar...

Episode 3

DC Jason Doyle (Felix Scott) investigates when Tom Laird's (Paul Bown) wife Irene (Jacqueline King) vanishes with all her photographs. Tom is drunk and aggressive and Jason arrests him.

MJ (Pauline Quirke) is annoyed at Jason's heavy-handedness, especially when CID are tipped off and suspect Tom of murder.

Amy Garnett (Pooja Shah) takes on the case of Martin Cadzo (Spencer Burrows), who disappeared after testifying against his father in a fraud trial. Martin's uncle died recently, leaving him a large inheritance, but there's no sign of Martin since he returned to the UK from volunteering in Africa.

MJ suggests Tom does an appeal on Danny's (Mark Wingett) chat show. The results are surprising – Sarah Banberry (Lucy Robinson) turns up, claiming to be Irene's daughter. Her mother – then known as Helen – went missing from the family home 18 years earlier in similar circumstances.

DCI Lauren Ford (Adjoa Andoh), however, continues to suspect Tom of involvement in his wife's disappearance, especially when Irene's burnt-out car is found together with the photos and a pair of men's gloves dowsed in paraffin.

MJ reopens old wounds when her ex-husband Craig (Tom Mannion) turns up and tells her he sent money to Ellen, her missing sister. She is upset that Craig kept his contact with Ellen a secret and the reasons behind their marriage breakdown soon surface again.

Meanwhile, Amy discovers Irene is a serial missing person who's changed her name three times. Tom admits he suspected Irene of having an affair when he found a black dress and parking fine. He burnt them – MJ reluctantly arrests him on suspicion of murder.

Amy finds Martin living on a boat, but he's not the principled man she imagined. And MJ comes face to face with the elusive Irene – now living yet another new life.

Episode 4

Cassie Garrison (Meredith Braun) reports her husband Paul (Patrick Toomey) missing. The couple's young daughter Jess (Lily Targett) says her dad chased a man in the park and didn't come back.

Amy (Pooja Shah) is searching for MJ's (Pauline Quirke) missing sister Ellen and finds her mobile number at a student house. Amy gives MJ the number, although Jason (Felix Scott) tells her it's against the rules.

Jamie Garrison (Dominic Marsh) has called Paul's and Cassie's house from a bail hostel. He's Paul's brother but Cassie hasn't seen him since he caused a fight at their wedding. Jamie claims he knows nothing about Paul's disappearance.

But as MJ and Jason update Cassie, Jamie arrives and delivers the bombshell that he and Cassie had an affair and Jess is his child. He told Paul everything at the park.

Paul snatches Jess from school but she's soon returned, saying her dad wanted to apologise and say goodbye. Paul also resigns from work and MJ is worried about his mental state.

Meanwhile, Layla Gudka (Tehmina Sunny) is searching for her father. She tells Amy her mother is dead, but Amy discovers Layla's mother is still alive and in fact Layla is the missing person. At the news, Layla runs off.

Cassie goes on Danny's (Mark Wingett) radio show prompting Paul to return his wedding ring. When Paul uses his bank card, Jason tracks him to the church where he and Cassie married. Cassie follows – can Paul forgive her?

Amy visits Mrs Gudka and learns that Layla's father is dead. Again Amy is surprised at her client's reaction – this time she cries with joy.

And Ellen's (Helen Baker) mobile phone records show she recently rang 999. Ignoring protocol, MJ rushes to the hospital. There is her long-lost sister – but she's not alone...

Episode 5

MJ (Pauline Quirke) and Jason (Felix Scott) suspect money problems when a pregnant woman Gemma (Natalie Casey) reports her boyfriend missing, together with an expensive bracelet.

Sam (Ben Hull) argued with a man in a cafe before he disappeared but Gemma doesn't recognise him on CCTV so agrees to appeal through Danny's (Mark Wingett) chat show.

MJ tells an amazed Danny that her missing sister Ellen lives in Dover with a boyfriend and baby. She's closed the case. Danny doesn't believe she can walk away and visits Ellen (Helen Baker), who blurts out that she had an abortion.

Ryan Long (Richard Harrington) comes forward, claiming he wanted to help Sam at the cafe. Jason and Amy (Pooja Shah) don't think he's relevant.

Danny confesses to MJ about his visit to Ellen. She's furious but realises she must go herself.

The mystery man is identified as loan shark Lenny King (Phil Cornwell), but says Sam paid him off with the bracelet. Amy decides to follow up Ryan and becomes suspicious when his address doesn't check out. MJ and Jason find Gemma bleeding and unconscious at her house.

Amy finds Ryan's real address and goes to his house. He becomes threatening, refusing to let her leave. Meanwhile MJ visits Ellen. She's still bitter because MJ didn't allow her to grieve when their mum died. MJ fears there's little chance of reconciliation.

Jason discovers Ryan called an ambulance for Gemma and fears he may hurt Amy too. Ryan confesses to a frightened Amy that he knows Sam – his real name is Alex Steel and he killed Ryan's son by drunk-driving.

MJ phones Sam to tell him they know the truth but he insists on facing Ryan before coming home. Will MJ and Jason get there first? And can MJ make peace with Ellen?