A furious DCI Jack Meadows finds DC Ken Drummond asleep at his desk, and also hauls DS's Debbie McAllister and Phil Hunter over the coals for failing to meet their crime targets. Deeply in debt to Hunter, Drummond is moonlighting as a security guard for Mortis Security - a private security firm which has taken over ""looking after"" the Coal Lane Estate. As Mortis boss Alan Trent moves into the ward office previously occupied by PC Des Taviner, DCI Meadows and Supt. Adam Okaro begin to suspect that Trent's company is causing many of the crimes they claim to prevent, as well as racially harassing black residents. PC Cathy Bradford turns a blind eye to Trent's methods. When DS Hunter discovers Drummond's second job, he threatens to spill the beans, which could cost Ken his job. DS McAllister and DC Juliet Becker are paired when a young mother, Lindsey Holland, and her son are run off the road. McAllister is irritated when Becker's enthusiasm and fresh ideas in the investigation conflict