Three people, the Lakhanis, an Indian couple, and an employee are shot dead by a long range sniper on a garage forecourt - a seemingly motiveless crime. Ten miles away another victim, profoundly deaf Hannah Smithson, is also shot, though her boyfriend's brother Chris, targeted with her, survives but is unable to help with any information. Inspector Jane De Freitas, on the rebound from an affair with colleague Robert Drake, calls in the pathology team but with the sniper at large and shooting indiscriminately Thomas is concerned for ex-wife Julia and their daughter Rosie, now living with former drug user Conrad Devenish. After a fifth victim, Martin Cross,a charity worker at a school is shot the killer rings Jane to tell her that he is unstoppable.