The Jackson family receives the devastating news that Emily has been murdered. Neil accompanies his father to the mortuary, where he is faced with the terrible duty of identifying his mother. Sydney breaks down under questioning by Dennis Hoban and DCS Jim Hobson, realising that he too is now a suspect. He admits he knew what his wife was doing and is soon exonerated. Time passes and across the city, a young woman called Marcella Claxton is attacked and left for dead. She describes her attacker in detail, but her testimony is ultimately disregarded. At Millgarth Police Station – the centre of the investigation – various men are interviewed in relation to Emily's murder, having been seen driving through the red-light district. The investigation expands, but Hoban continues to be thwarted. When a third body is found – that of Irene Richardson – it dawns on the detectives that there might be a multiple murderer at large. Over a year in and bereft of serious leads, Dennis Hoban finds himself side-lined from the investigation.