Plot

Wycliffe is snapped with a tele-photo lens apparently giving money to Susan Brookes, who once helped him put her homicidal spouse away. He is accused of taking bribes when thirty thousand pounds is put into his account and he is suspended. Lucy, investigating the murder of two drug dealers, takes immediate maternity leave to help him and they discover that Selby, a notorious computer hacker and the ex-cell-mate of Susan's husband, is responsible. A showdown at Land's End also ties in with Lucy's investigation.—don @ minifie-1

DCS Wycliffe is contacted by a woman whom he helped into protective custody 21 years earlier (in Leeds following the conviction of her husband for killing Wycliffe's police colleague). Her husband is due for release from prison and has written to her, threatening to track her down.

An ace-hacker is causing problems, feeding information to the Police that cast a shadow over Wycliffe's reputation. Lucy is getting ready to take maternity leave and Doug is still "on detachment in Essex" (by this time, the actor Jimmy Yuill had recovered from his illness, but the show's insurers would not sign off on the risk). The hacker kills the landlady of the guest-house where he is staying, when she chases her dog into his room and sees his pistol.

Wycliffe is arrested on corruption charges in a "dawn raid" and has no explanation for how £30,000 has been deposited in a Building Society account in his name, clear across the county. There is clearly a sophisticated smear job under way, seeking to blacken his name.

A by-now heavily-pregnant Lucy has several run-ins with "Angus" (father of her child). When Wycliffe is suspended on the basis of the "dodgy dossier", she decides to start her mat leave (but keeps working away in the background). She has her cellphone switched off, in her maternity classes, just when Charlie is trying to contact her.

The "baddie" lures Wycliffe to Penzance station, where a prepaid taxi is waiting to take him to the archetypal deserted cove for the denouement.

Eventually all is resolved and Lucy catches the "baddie".

A fitting end to 37 episodes over fine seasons.