Pie in the Sky

When Commander Colin Stilwell's son, Alex, is accosted by classmates at a boarding school, Crabbe and the PDS are called in to investigate. Alex leads Crabbe to a classmate who has blackmailed the Chemistry teacher into producing Ecstasy tablets, which he is selling at the school. Meanwhile, Gary creates a new blend of mustard.

Detective Henry Crabbe finds himself in charge of a new team -- the Public Duties Squad -- the latest brainchild of ACC Freddy Fisher. Their first assignment is to guard a brand new private housing estate, Cherrytree Close, which was built on a centuries old right-of-way. Meanwhile, an official from the Ministry of Farming and Food informs Pie that there are illegal tomatoes on the menu.

When a friendly teenager called Nicky turns up at Pie and asks for work, Crabbe lets him stay and the boy soon proves very helpful in the kitchen. Soon, however, Nicky disappears, along with the previous night's takings. Crabbe tracks Nicky down and finds out he was pressured into joining a gang.

Crabbe and the Public Duties Squad discover fraud when they are tasked with guarding the Trubbs sausage factory as it is being picketed by animal-rights protesters. Meanwhile Margaret becomes worried when her friend Julia falls for a younger man and agrees to finance a bucket shop for him.

As Barstock HQ is being spruced up for an impending Royal Visit, Fisher hopes to pin something on tire dealer Peter Watson. Fisher, who is having an affair with Watson's wife, insists that Crabbe investigate. The PDS catches Watson in an act of fraud, but Fisher takes all the credit. Fed up, Crabbe finally resigns from the force and instantly regains his sense of smell, which had gone missing.

Thuggish private security firm, Troubleshooters, has recently been beating the police to crime scenes. What's more, they're playing against them in the forthcoming football league final. Taking no chances, Fisher puts the PDS in charge of security at the ground. He also has a favor to ask -- could undercover officer David Thomson come and stay at Pie in the Sky?

Fisher orders Crabbe and the Public Duties Squad to protect the jury during the trial of financier Marcus Benson who is accused of embezzling the Police Benevolent Fund. Back at Pie, Sally gets rid of the slimy diner by threatening to sue him for sexual harassment.

The Crabbes take a rare weekend holiday in London, where they stay in a flat from an old friend, Nick Spencer, who's away on business. The trip soon turns into a crime investigation, which tests Crabbe’s loyalty. Meanwhile, back at Pie, Sally and Gary have their patience tested.