Ben finds himself on a collision course with Tom when he becomes seriously involved with a local woman and her foster kids.
Ben clashes with Tom when he finds himself championing the cause of Maureen Ritchie and her three foster children – in particular the two boys Scott and Jason.
Ben's involvement with Maureen is made more intense because he is missing his own three kids and has concerns about his son's upcoming birthday.
Ben is warned by Tom and Maggie not to get in too deep, but he is enraged when Maureen's neighbour, Herbert Fisher, is robbed and the finger is pointed at the two boys. There have been several incidents of vandalism in the street and Herbert has been waging a campaign against the boys; Ben is sure that he is trying to set them up to get them removed from Maureen's care.
Herbert Fisher has made it clear several times that he wants the boys gone. But Ben and Maggie then discover that Maureen's estranged husband, Joe, also has reason to want to get rid of the boys. He blames them for not only driving a wedge between him and Maureen but also for the eventual break-up of their marriage.
When the missing money is discovered in Joe's possession, it seems they are definitely on the right track. It is only then that suspicion starts to fall on Maureen and Joe's natural daughter, Kim. Ben discovers that she knows more than she should when it comes to the disappearance of the money.
When Ben confronts Kim about this, she tries to shift the focus off herself by making false accusations against him. Ben now finds himself having to clear his name. His close relationship and feelings towards Maureen and her foster family now take a serious turn and jeopardise his chances of proving himself innocent. What it finally comes down to is Ben's word against Kim's.
But even if Ben is able to find a way to prove his innocence and keep the Ritchies together, will Tom be able to accept him as the sort of copper he can trust?
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