Maxine Carr moves to Soham in Suffolk for a fresh start with her boyfriend Ian Huntley. On a weekend back home to see her mother, she awakens to the news of the disappearance of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman and returns to provide Ian with an alibi.

As the police investigation intensifies, Maxine Carr becomes increasingly drawn into the media frenzy as Ian helps with the search. When Maxine organises for herself and Ian to do a live television interview, she risks her own alibi when someone she met in Grimsby on the night of the girls' disappearance sees her on TV.

Carr is informed that Ian has been charged with the abduction and murder of the girls, while she is remanded in custody for conspiring to pervert the course of justice. She reveals to Ian's mother that Ian told her that the girls came inside the house. Eventually, Maxine turns on Ian after hearing about previous assault allegations against him.