The Tunnel

A couple disappear from the Channel Tunnel, providing Karl and Elise with a new case to solve.

On an estate in Thanet, Muslim teenager Aamira Khalid boards a bus to an inter-faith convention in France. Her mates laugh at her, but Aamira doesn’t care – she’s sick of anti-Islamic slurs and wants to set the record straight. She arrives to discover she is sharing a dorm with a precocious Jewish boy, Benjamin, and a Catholic girl, Nina, who questions her hijab. Aamira doesn’t unpack. Meanwhile the Roebuck house is in chaos. The kids are wreaking havoc, Laura’s just been offered a new job and Karl’s been asked to come back to CID. Bullish DSI Bowden wants him on the Fournier case and won’t take no for an answer. Despite Karl’s reservations, Laura has found a nanny. Vladka can play ‘Aint She Sweet’ on the Ukulele, makes a great sandwich, and the kids love her. But Karl’s not convinced… In Kent the crash investigation lands its first breakthrough - the black box has been discovered. A soundbite from the cockpit suggests that the auto-pilot could have been externally controlled. Olivier tells Elise but swears her to secrecy. Together they face a daunting prospect - given Madeline was a cyber-hacking expert could her abduction and the crash be connected? Their theory gains ground when lab tests confirm that the blood from the tunnel belongs to Robert Fournier. If Madeline is still alive, is another plane crash in the offing? Finding her is now a matter of International urgency. Over at Northbourne there’s been a development. Forensics have discovered the remains of a ‘Kernow’ sticker on the burned-out van. A TV appeal connects a van of that description with a stolen credit card. The card transactions lead Karl and his chirpy second-in-command, DC Boleslaw “BB” Borowski, to the forecourt of a Kent oil company. Apparently the card was used by a woman there to buy oil. An e-fit of her is released but will anyone come forward? The oil gets Karl thinking. Could it point to Madeline’s location? Some properties have external oil tanks after all… Elise, meanwhile, is questioning Eryka Klein – the only passenger not to board the plane. Frustratingly, Eryka’s answers all check out. As the threat of another crash looms large on the horizon, Karl and Elise desperately need a break. They’re in luck. That night Chloe starts speaking. All she can remember of the abduction is her step-father saying: ‘I told you not the child.’ But was he pleading or commanding? It’s the last day of the inter-faith retreat. Aamira doesn’t want to leave. Her speech went down a storm, and she’s reconciled with her roommates. She’s posing for a final photo when a figure appears carrying a large gun. Thibaut Briand, an ex-soldier and member of Defence is attacking organised religion, targeting one Christian, one Jew and one Muslim. Aamira starts to run. But the bullet’s quicker. Back in Kent, Professor Sonny Persaud is cooking his evening meal. He looks up to see a face on the screen. It’s the e-fit of the woman wanted in connection with the Fournier abduction. His heart sinks. It’s his daughter.

Karl and Elise are interviewing Sonny Persaud. They are now certain that the woman who used the stolen credit card was his daughter, Rosa. Sonny knows of no connection between Rosa and Robert. However Sonny links to Robert in two very surprising ways. He failed Robert’s PhD thesis, and Robert slept with his wife. So whose side is Rosa on and what does she want? Over in France Robert kisses Rosa. It’s a celebration of sorts. They’ve just claimed responsibility for the inter-faith shootings. Next up is an attack that strikes much closer to home. The location – Lille University. The target – Professor Sonny Persaud. Back in Kent, Laura Roebuck finds herself in hot water when she tweets a criticism of her right-wing MP. Racist responses soon turn more sinister. Is someone watching her? Finding Madeline Fournier is still the cops’ top priority. Using a map and Rosa’s phone records, Karl narrows down his search to three houses with external oil tanks. His punt pays off. At the second property forensics uncover Madeline Fournier’s bloodied body. But Robert Fournier is nowhere to be found… However our cops are hot on his tail. The derelict property is owned by a dummy company called Singapore Fiscal Management. Also listed under SFM are a couple of French locations which Louise and Philippe race to check out. Their efforts are rewarded. Rosa is caught, and a search of her flat reveals Robert’s DNA, the gun used in the Arras shootings and, most significantly, equipment thought to be used to crash the plane. But still no Robert Fournier…. Over in Dover, Olena is having less luck. She’s been arrested by border police and taken to the PPU. Olivier has noticed a connection between her passport code and the fakes found in the plane debris. Is Olena linked to the crash? Karl interviews her but all he uncovers is that she was held by a woman who smoked small cigars. Minutes later Bowden has banned Karl from speaking to Olena again. But why? Meanwhile, Eryka Klein is back in the spotlight. It’s emerged that she grew up in Colonia Dignidad; a Chilean cult renowned for child abuse, torture and Nazi sympathies. There’s also a photo of her at a Nazi funeral. What other secrets is Eryka hiding? Elise enters the interview all guns blazing… but softens when she learns that Eryka, too, has lost a twin. Eryka suspects her brother was murdered in Coloinia Dignidad. The Nazi funeral was an attempt to find out what happened to him. A connection between Eryka and Elise begins to develop. That night a couple share an illicit embrace in a darkened street outside the PPU. Something smashes onto their windscreen. They turn to see Olena’s bruised and bloodied face pressed into the glass. Did she jump, or was she pushed?

Karl and Elise interview Rosa Persaud, determined to find out where Robert Fournier is hiding. Rosa refuses to speak. But Elise’s revelation that Robert Fournier slept with her mother sparks a surprising revelation - Sonny is Defence’s next target. Sonny Persaud is due to speak at Lille University that morning. Karl and Elise rally the main police unit and speed to Lille. Louise is left behind at the station. Over in Kent BB goes to interview the signatory for Singapore Fiscal management - Vanessa Hamilton. Between puffs on her cheroot Vanessa admits running a property finding company but claims she can’t recall these clients. BB leaves empty handed, but Vanessa is rattled. As the police race away from Calais police station, Defence head towards it. Rosa’s tip-off was a decoy - Defence’s real plan is to get her out of prison. Thibaut and his brother Guillaume storm the station. Luckily for them they’ve got a man on the inside - officer Garrido is more than willing to show them round the station while playing hostage for the cameras. Back in Kent Laura receives a disturbing package in the post. It’s an article about an undercover cop who fathered children. Who’s sent it and why? Over at the University Karl and Elise receive news that gunmen have entered the station. They’ve been had. The French police race back as fast as they can, but will they be too late? At the station Rosa is now free and Garrido has just shot Karl’s favourite French officer - little Julie. A brave attempt to accost Defence has left her dying in the corridor, using her child’s toy rabbit to stem the blood. Elsewhere in the station Louise surprises Guillaume and shoots him dead, freeing some of the hostages. The building is now surrounded with specialist RAID officers and Defence realise their plan is scuppered. What was a rescue is now a suicide mission. Elise’s accusations still ringing in her ears, Rosa decides to take revenge. She calls Olivier and says she will swap two hostages for two cops. However only Garrido is released. So only Elise enters. Rosa raises her gun to Elise, her fingers flicker on the trigger. But she’s too slow. The police storm in and shoot Defence down. Thibaut is dead and Rosa is critically wounded. Back in Kent BB tells Karl about his interview with Vanessa Hamilton. Karl catches on the description of her cheroots... Could they be the little cigars Olena saw? He needs to speak to Vanessa. Urgently.

As Calais Police station is combed by forensic investigators, Rosa lies dying in a hospital bed. From either side of the Channel, Karl and Elise wait for any indication of Robert Fournier’s whereabouts. With Thibaut, Guillaume and Garrido dead, Rosa is their only hope of finding him. Getting information from Rosa is not easy though. When Karl and Elise hit a brick wall, they appeal to her father, Sonny, to try and convince her to talk. During a bitter reunion, just before she dies, Rosa concedes a vital clue - Robert brought the plane down for... Cobra? Is that what Rosa said? Elise thinks it could have been but Karl isn’t so sure. As Karl and Elise wrestle with Rosa’s clue, Robert sits tight in the hold of the small yacht that he fled France in. How the hell is he going to get out of this one? Over at the hangar a package has arrived for Elise. It’s a book about twin sisters from Eryka. Elise is surprised and perturbed. Never one for mixing the personal and the professional she tells Eryka to bin the book and leave her alone. Meanwhile Karl is determined to get to the bottom of Olena’s death. With a connection to both Vanessa and Stefan she links the crash to the abduction. Why did she die? Did she know too much? BB tries hacking into Stefan Czyrko’s undercover reports - he must have the answers. With Vladka now taking care of the kids, Laura has reclaimed her social life. She’s made a new mate at the anti-fracking office - Gemma. They’re getting along well until Gemma makes a shocking accusation - many years ago, an undercover officer tricked her into thinking that he was a fellow activist. He fathered her child then disappeared. Pulling an old photograph from her bag, she tells Laura that the undercover officer was Karl. Karl’s already in hot water. Bowden’s just hauled him out of an interview with Vanessa Hamilton, furious that he’s tried to get into the Czyrko files. Bowden insists that Karl leave Vanessa alone. She’s part of an MI5 operation that has nothing to do with him. But when has Karl ever taken no for an answer? In the hangar there’s a breakthrough - a phone used by Defence during the siege starts ringing. It must be Robert Fournier calling. The police have a location and race toward it. Karl and Elise come face to face with Robert, but he dives into the marina water and slips away. As Elise struggles with the memories of her dead sister, and an overwhelming desire to speak with Eryka Klein, Karl returns home to a furious Laura. Gemma’s revelation has stoked the pain of Karl’s past infidelities. All trust is gone, and Laura wants out. Up on a hill above the marina, a wet and exhausted Robert looks down on the police search below. He takes out his phone and calls Koba.

In Kent, Vanessa Hamilton delivers a young Brazilian guy to an old man. The old man shoots the Brazilian up with drugs, then sexually assaults him. It is clear this man is being looked after by Vanessa. But why? Over at the Hangar, Karl has re-listened to the recording of Rosa’s final words. Koba was Stalin’s nom de guerre and it’s got Karl thinking - could Defence have a Georgian connection? After all, Olena - the girl that was pushed out of the PPU, and the one person with separate connections to the case - was Georgian. Karl’s theory gains ground when Eryka Klein reveals that Bresson had a prominent Georgian enemy - Gregor Baturin. Baturin had a deep-seated hatred of the West, and close ties with Putin. Bresson had him sentenced to 20 years. Unusually Baturin was defended by his son, Artem. Meanwhile in a large Kent mansion, Robert Fournier eats pizza with a young, tracksuited man. This is Artem Baturin. Or as he is known to Robert, Koba. Artem offers Robert a deal; end Defence and get a free passage out of the UK. But Robert has big plans, and isn’t ready to stop yet. Sensing danger, Robert runs. But his freedom doesn’t last long... Back in Kent, the Georgian connection has unlocked an intriguing piece of information. An investigative journalist who died on the plane, Josephine Dumont, was researching arms dealers. Her documentary rushes reveal a whole section dedicated to Gregor Baturin. So there are now two people on the plane with links to Gregor Baturin... Haunted by the memories of her sister’s death, Elise calls Eryka Klein. Soon the two are in a Calais bar. As the hours slide by, Elise finds herself deeply drawn to Eryka. Elise tells herself she’s doing nothing wrong, yet when Karl calls she uncharacteristically lies about who she’s with. Karl brings the Georgian evidence to Bowden’s attention, but Bowden seems disinterested. Despite Bowden’s insistence that Karl focus on the Far East connection, Karl watches Dumont’s documentary. The rushes reveal another surprising connection; Gregor Baturin stayed at Colonia Dignidad several times. Could this bloodthirsty arms dealer be connected to Eryka Klein? The next day a parcel is waiting on Karl’s doormat - it’s Stefan Czyrko’s undercover reports. They reveal that Vanessa Hamilton used Georgia as the centre of her business operation. Does Vanessa work for Gregor? Karl realises that Bowden must have left the files for him. Turns out he is on the side of the angels after all. That night BB’s leaving the station when he makes a shocking discovery - Robert Fournier’s pustulated body lies lifeless in an old wooden cart. It’s a warning. But who from?