In Macclesfield, Cheshire Police are left baffled by a report of a missing child. The father of five-year-old Tyler has reported his son missing, having not seen him in two years after a custody dispute with Tyler's mum Tracey. But things take a sinister twist when Tracey denies that Tyler exists. As the investigation goes into its third day, without any trace of the boy, fears for the five-year old's welfare gather pace. With the clock ticking, it's down to Sergeant Simon Degg and his team to solve the mystery.On the other side of Cheshire, in Runcorn, 16-year-old Patrick has left his mum Victoria an ominous note. He's got himself in debt and needs to go away for a few days. Patrick's stolen money from his mum and he's sold his beloved PlayStation, making Victoria fear he's got himself into trouble with drugs. As a probation services officer, she knows the risks only too well. PC John Carter and PC Jason Hough have the task of locating Patrick and are only too aware of the town's problems. As the investigation unfolds, a man is threatened by a gang with a machete, leaving officers fearful for Patrick's welfare.