For the fans of the Carpenter/Harding series, this is a glimpse of their lives in the past: Detective Jordan Carpenter is in denial about the deteriorating relationship with her girlfriend. Work is a welcome escape, but every so often, the cases she and her partner solve, confront her with lingering ghosts of her past. Ellie Harding begins her career as a police officer, still grieving her parents but determined to follow a path she knows would make them proud. She hopes to regain the purpose and structure in her life. Their paths cross, and a story neither of them could have imagined, begins…

After surviving an attack by a stranger, rookie officer Ellie Harding decides to put herself first and make bold moves in both her career and her private life, refusing to let the traumatic incident get her off track. Detective Jordan Carpenter faces the decision whether to remain in a disastrous, but long-term relationship or give in to the attraction she feels for her younger colleague. Her partner Bethany isn’t willing to let go, of Jordan or the case, a sadistic killer who murders women for behavior he considers immoral. Can they find him before he strikes again?

When it rains, it pours: Jordan and Ellie make tentative steps towards a new start in their relationship. At the same time, the hunt for an escaped felon puts pressure on every member of the department. Protecting a witness ends fatally for one of their own, and the case reveals disturbing details in Jordan’s family history. Their biggest challenges, professionally and personally, are yet to come.

The desperate search for Ellie continues. Can they get to her in time? As Jordan focuses all her efforts on finding Ellie, she must deal with her birthmother’s constant attempts at reconnecting. Meanwhile, Ellie tries to reason with the kidnapper whose agenda is unclear. Jordan, along with their friends and colleagues, works to prevent another loss for the department, and a catastrophe for the city.

Jordan and Ellie are back from their well-deserved vacation. While Ellie is still dealing with the aftermath of her abduction, Jordan investigates the murder of a rich businessman. Gerald Ashcroft was a benefactor for many and seemed to have no enemies. Did one of his heirs have a reason to want him dead, or is the murderer someone else close to the wealthy victim? While trying to catch a ruthless killer, they also have to figure out how to deal with Kathryn’s continued efforts to make amends.

The murder of a young woman turns out to be a case of unexpected dimensions: Jordan and Ellie learn that it is linked to the Prophets of Better Days, a cult suspected of criminal activities in multiple states. Uncovering the truth takes some old and new allies, and it might come at a higher cost than any of them imagined…

Jordan and Ellie are moving forward with their plans to get a home together, though not everything happens as intended. Ellie’s career isn’t accelerating as much as she had hoped. Jordan deals with the puzzling murder case of a college student, and the trial of the Prophets of Better Days is coming up. Jordan and Ellie have to shield a young witness from some cult members, while being confronted with another kind of cult with particular interests, operating somewhere in the depths of the Internet. The past is never far behind…

Murder and marriage… On her first assignment as a detective, Ellie investigates the murder of a homeless woman, a task that is complicated by the actions of her new partner. How far did the leader of a neighborhood watch go to achieve his goals? Jordan’s case comes with unwelcome memories. Planning the wedding is shining a spotlight on her difficult relationship with her biological mother, while Ellie has to confront her own grief. Professional and private challenges will arise as they continue build their life together.

Can you trust your first impressions? Detective Ellie Harding has everything she wanted: After getting promoted and marrying the love of her life, she is working on a high profile case. None of it could prepare her for a life-changing surprise. Jordan and Derek are investigating a double homicide that confronts them with the ugly realities of human trafficking. Did the two men fall victim to turf wars or vigilante justice? The search for closure comes with unexpected revelations…and dangers.

Did George Wilder die in prison serving a life sentence for a crime he didn’t commit? A reporter asks Ellie on behalf of Wilder’s family to look into the decades old murder. When initial inquiries raise doubts about Wilder’s guilt, Ellie thinks that the real killer might have gone unpunished, but she doesn’t have much time to prove her theory. Jordan gets more than she bargains for when she accepts a tip from a detective with another precinct. The murder of a local store owner turns out to have international implications. Together, Jordan and Ellie work on the most important project of their lives…

Some bridges have to be built…Others have to be burned. Jordan and Ellie’s weekend getaway with friends is harshly interrupted when a desperate man asks for help after his girlfriend is hurt. He soon gives them reason to doubt his story, leaving them to question whether the woman’s death is really a tragic accident or the result of a crime. Working with the local sheriff, they try to unravel the events. Meanwhile, Ellie and Derek team up to investigate the murder of an exotic dancer. What they uncover could have detrimental consequences for one of their own… Jordan and Ellie get ready to welcome an addition to their family.

Then and now: Christmas brings up many memories for Jordan and Ellie, and reminds them of everything they are grateful for in the present.