When her father is declared 'lost at sea', Verma has to come back to Sandylands to manage his affairs.
Emily Verma arrives in Sandylands to attend her estranged dad's memorial. She meets local loudmouth Tina and childhood crush Nathan - but there's another entirely unexpected meeting to come...
Emily learns that Les Vegas is alive and well, and has faked his own death for a hefty life insurance payout. What's worse, she finds herself handcuffed to her father and hiding from police and recent love-interest Nathan, who are pounding down the door and investigating a disturbance. Narrowly escaping uncovering her father's secret, and now an unwilling accomplice to his crime, Emily must now attend his beachside memorial - an event that proves irresistible to Les, who attends in disguise.
The One-Eyed Man installs himself at Swallows by the Sea B&B and begins his investigation. Les continues his selfish campaign to start a new life and a new arcade halfway across the world. Emily's anxieties continue to rise to boiling point as Tina unexpectedly discovers Les to be alive. Emily can no longer avoid the One-Eyed Man's persistent attempts to get in touch, and nervously agrees to meet him at a seafront cafe. Quavering under his intense scrutiny, Emily resists putting legally binding pen to paper and makes her escape.
