"FOOD CHAIN"

EPISODE ONE
Written by Russell Lewis

We meet DS Tom Murphy in the middle of an ongoing undercover operation. This time Murphy is Cover Officer to two officers, Mitch and Kim who are posing as petty villains to get the inside track on identity theft in the Norwich area. As cover officer, Murphy is responsible for ensuring the safety of his UCs and operates as their lifeline to the outside world.

From the outset it is clear that there are tensions between the UC officers. Kim reveals to Murphy that Mitch is getting sloppy - forgetting his cover name, disappearing without letting her know where he is going, keeping secrets from her. When challenged about this, Mitch accuses Kim of being a drug addict claiming that she has gone beyond taking drugs to stay in character and has developed a real taste for the stuff. Mitch also rubbishes Kim's claim that the job is done and there is nothing to be gained by staying undercover. He assures Murphy that there is more information to be had but doesn't give any specifics. Murphy is torn between the two but ultimately decides to let the operation continue.

A few days later when trying to touch base with the pair, Murphy gets no answer. When they fail to turn up to meet with him, Murphy becomes concerned and visits the caravan site they have been calling home while undercover. Murphy finds the caravan deserted with signs of a struggle and blood on the floor. He also finds Kim's mobile phone.

Murphy alerts his superiors that both officers are missing and goes undercover himself, posing as an old friend of Mitch's who needs somewhere to crash for a couple of weeks. He discovers papers hidden in the caravan that support what Kim had told him - Mitch has been working on something unrelated to identity theft.

In an effort to find out what has been going on, Murphy approaches Daily Hands - a local employment firm that Mitch had been keeping an eye on. He gets a job ferrying newly arrived immigrants to and from the farms they work on. When Sanja, a young female worker, remembers Mitch as their previous driver, Murphy begins to suspect that the owner of Daily Hands, Clive, and Milos, an Eastern European who seems to control the farm workers lives, are trafficking in illegal immigrants.

When Milos's BMW is discovered to be owned by Mark Baker, a local security consultant and self-made man, Murphy pretends to Milos that he is looking for a supply route to bring in something illegal. He asks Milos to set up a meeting with Baker so they can discuss terms.

Jubilant to have a lead on his missing officers, Murphy returns to the station to share the good news, only to be told that Mitch's body washed up on the beach earlier that day. Kim is still missing.

When Murphy visits Baker to do a deal to bring in counterfeit diamonds along with the illegal immigrants, he spots a drugged Sanja being pawed by Clive. Murphy rescues her by saying that the girl is needed elsewhere.

Following Sanja's directions to her "home", Murphy takes her to a rundown, disused hotel. While looking for some water for the girl, Murphy notices the words "K Goodall 4 T Murphy 4ever". Kim has obviously been there but Murphy's relief that she is still alive is tempered with a fear of what she may now be going through.

Will Murphy get to Kim in time?