‘Line of Duty’ Season 6 Episode 4 Recap: Unknown Relations 

In Line of Duty Season Six Episode Four, directed by Gareth Bryn, AC-12 finds a possible witness; former wealthy solicitor Jimmy Lakewell was imprisoned in Season Four.

Episode Four begins with Jo telling her team that she is now the Acting Detective Superintendent for Operation Lighthouse. The team will go back to square one since they now know Gail was robbed.

After the briefing, Jo gives Kate the go-ahead to look into the armed weapons used in Gail’s murder and the armed robbery.

Kate and Ted secretly meet to talk about Ryan. He wants to pull Ryan into AC-12 because he’s dangerous. However, Kate doesn’t think AC-12 will get anything out of the calm and collected constable. Instead, she thinks Ted should monitor Ryan to see if they can track down the institutional police corruption that put a former delinquent in a place of authority.

Chloe, Steve, and Ted interrogate Ian about police corruption. Ian acts squirrely during the interview. He calls himself the victim even though he slept with Deborah then dropped the assault charges against her. Ted calls him a “decision dodger.” Ian takes no responsibility for Operation Lighthouse. Not even for ignoring other possible revenues of investigation. Ian gets charged after saying he doesn’t know anything.

DCC Andrea tells Ted that since he refuses to play politics, they are forcing him into retirement. He will get his full pension, but she will dismantle his team. So Ted has one more month in AC-12.

Chris and Kate figure out that the cartridge and bullets found at Gail’s murder site were from a non-registered “workshopped” gun, meaning homemade. But none of the weapons from the armed robbery of the bookie shop were workshopped.

Kate and Chris interrogate one of the robbers they arrested Jake Kilorgan. Jake tells them that they were given guns in a crate in front of the “workshop.” None of the robbers took any of the homemade guns. Jake doesn’t know where the unlicensed firearms are.

Chloe and Steve find out that the forensic team located a lot of DNA material and prints. So, if Jo was at Farida’s flat, forensics will identify her. Jo watches Steve and Chloe talk from the bushes.

The surveillance team has been tracking Ryan’s movements. Ryan has been following Jo around. Kate wants to warn Jo, but Ted says she shouldn’t. Jo could still be the leak to Organized Crime. Later, Amanda updates Steve and Chloe about how cybercrime found an audio recording from Gail’s devices at work.

Chloe, Ted, and Steve listen to the interview recording from her work laptop. Gail’s subject talks about how the authorities covered up police shootings in Operation Trapdoor and about another case involving racism. Steve recognizes the interviewee’s voice belongs to Jimmy when he says, “Balaclava Man.”

Kate talks to Jo alone about how Ryan has been spying on her. She lies, telling Jo that she saw Ryan at the pub where they met several times. Jo doesn’t say anything but rubs Kate’s arm.

Jo calls Ryan into her office. The acting D.S. tells Ryan that she will be submitting the paperwork for his commendation but will order his transfer to a different department. Ryan stares intently at Jo without smiling, but then he thanks her and leaves. Their conversation is charged with double meanings.

Chloe and Steve talk to Jimmy at the Blackthorn Men’s Prison. At first, Jimmy denies speaking to Gail, but under pressure, the former solicitor relents. Steve and Chloe ask him about the “racist” case he was talking to Gail about. Again, Jimmy refuses to answer, implying that he is worried about safety because of corrupt correctional officers.

Chloe and Steve share with Ted that Jimmy won’t open up because the prison staff is in cahoots with Organized Crime. They all know Farida was silenced inside the jail. Steve tells Ted he has a plan.

Later, a Firearms Unit drives three vans up to Blackthorn. One is a large white van, and the other two are smaller black vans. When they arrive, Steve steps into the back of the white van. A few minutes later, he pulls a handcuffed, confused Jimmy inside. Steve orders all the vans to head out. The van’s sirens ring as they rush out of prison. Steve tells Jimmy that if he testifies today at AC-12, he will get immunity and a new life.

The two men argue back in forth about Jimmy’s willingness to talk to the police because prison doesn’t fit his former “high life.” Steve thinks he was testing the waters when he spoke to Gail. However, Jimmy seems to tell Steve about the mysterious police corruption case that got Gail murdered off the record.

In another van, Chloe notices a Range Rover following the police envoy. PS Ruby Jones checks the vehicle’s registration. Suddenly another Range Rover pulls up in front of the envoy. Gangsters attack them from all sides. During the fight, a sniper shoots Ruby in the head. Thankfully everybody else survives.

Back at AC-12, Jimmy, terrified of another attempt on his life, refuses to speak. Jimmy believes he will be safer in prison.

That night, Ryan pulls a gun on Jo right outside her flat. Ryan forces her to listen to him explain why she can’t re-assign him.

The following day, Jo threatens Kate by stating she would hate to lose another senior detective. Then, she implies that if Kate keeps on pushing about Ryan, Jo will raise questions about her following the patrol car taking Terry home the night he almost drowned.

Ian pretends to be Jimmy’s new prison bunkmate allowing Carl’s brother Lee Michael Banks to garrot him. Lee orders Ian to watch what happens to “rats.” Is Ian involved with Organized Crime after all?

The episode ends with Steve learning that Jo is related to somebody in the system. Who is it? A “bent” cop or a criminal? Watch Line of Duty Season 6 on Britbox!