Emma Sykes has always dreamed of travelling to America -- and now that Bea lives there with the twins, the pull is even greater. Then, her psychiatrist husband Paul is approached to go on a lecture tour in the States and Emma is thrilled to find her wish has finally come true. Booking a suite on the Queen Mary with Miranda Shuter, the actress wife of Bea's father, Emma can't wait to catch up with her oldest friend in Washington.

Once there, the luxurious and sheltered lifestyle Bea and Dwight and their children enjoy lulls everyone into a false sense of security as suddenly tragedy strikes -- one of the children goes missing. There is heartache and desperation for all involved as the elegant city reveals its darker side of high unemployment and widespread crime. Emma comforts her friend and together they face the unknown dangers in search of Bea's youngest son.