Pearl agrees to help a woman who received a note claiming her missing husband did not die from suicide. Pearl connects the case to a grief-counseling church group and a drowning years ago. As Christmas approaches, Mike sinks into a depression, despite taking on a new flat in Whitstable.

A 30-year-old skeleton washes up on the shore, and the victim has a very personal connection to Pearl. Pearl's budding romance with Mike is threatened when he identifies a suspect close to home.