It's June 1945 and Detective Chief Superintendent Foyle is still on duty as they are unable to find a replacement for him. He's approached by Brigadier Timothy Wilson, his former commanding officer from his own military service in World War I, who is looking for a Russian POW, Ivan Spiakov, who has escaped and is believed to have been seen in the Hastings area.

July 1945. Sam moves in with Adam Wainwright to help run his guest house though, due to his shyness, they are not a couple. One of the tenants, Mandy Dean, is having a tough time, raising a baby fathered by black G.I. Gabe Kelly. Her old boyfriend Tommy Duggan is devastated when he returns and makes the discovery.

August 1945. DCS Foyle is replaced and is free at last - he's resigned his position and planning to travel to the United States for an extended tour. Before departing however, he's asked to look into the case of James Devereaux, a young man who joined the Nazi British Free Corps during the war.