 Morse and Lewis investigate the death of Michael Gifford a successful architect who was strangled while sitting in his vehicle in a multi-level car park. As they look into his background, they find he was an egotist who had affairs with several women and had employees who are either indifferent to or devastated at his death. There are several suspects including Brian Pierce, who was re-directing company funds for his own use, Rosemary Henderson, with whom he was having an affair and her husband George who is dying of liver failure. In the end, Morse uncovers a clever deception that finally puts them on the path to identifying the killer.