Miv has ignored the junior bra Aunty Jean left in her room a few weeks earlier. However, while trying on her school uniform, she realizes she has developed curves and that her clothes no longer fit. She expects Aunty Jean to complain about the expense of a new uniform, but her aunt brusquely agrees to take care of it.

Over dinner, Austin recounts how he and the other staff teased the Geordie truck driver, Jim Jameson, suggesting he was the Ripper. Miv considers going to her father’s workplace to assess Jim. The prospect brings back an unwelcome memory. Miv remembers how, one evening, her father instructed her to stay in her room when her mother returned from the bingo. The next day, after Austin left for work, Miv found her mother unconscious in the bathroom in a pool of vomit. Miv called her father’s workplace asking him to come home. Soon after, Aunty Jean moved in and never left. Miv’s mother hasn’t spoken since.

Later, Miv hears her father and Aunty Jean arguing. When Austin suggests that Aunty Jean could take Miv to the uniform shop, Jean accuses him of neglecting his family in favor of other priorities.

The next day, Miv and Austin walk into town to buy her uniform. On the way, Austin is surprised to see Jim Jameson’s truck parked on a side street. Miv adds Jim Jameson to the list.

Later, Miv calls into the corner shop on the way to tell Sharon about her new suspect. She is shocked to see Sharon emerging from the back of the shop wearing her best clothes. After an awkward exchange, Miv leaves.

The next day, Sharon explains that she went to see Ishtiaq after discovering that Miv was out. Pacified, Miv tells her about Jim Jameson, but Sharon’s attention is elsewhere.

Austin reveals that Jim Jameson has split up with his wife and is temporarily living in his truck on Wilberforce Street, the road where Arthur lives.

Miv and Sharon visit Arthur, who complains he rarely sees his daughter since her marriage. He shows them a picture of his daughter on her wedding day. Miv thinks the young woman looks familiar, but a large, floppy hat obscures most of her face.

Arriving at her father’s house, Helen feels guilty when she sees Arthur’s joyful expression. She realizes that the last time she visited was the day of her mother’s funeral. Noticing her wedding picture on the side, Helen recalls her discomfort in the large, floppy hat Gary convinced her to wear. She prefers the photograph of herself as a schoolgirl holding a rosette she won for academic excellence. At the time, she wanted to be a teacher, but that ambition faded after she met Gary at college.

Helen tells Arthur that she learned about the attack on his Portakabin from Omar, who is concerned about him. Later, as she leaves, Helen conceals her pain when her father touches her bruised wrist. Arthur asks her to give him “three rings” to let him know she got home safely. Realizing that Gary will soon be back, she runs home to start the tea.

On the way back from Arthur’s house, Miv and Sharon stop at Jim Jameson’s truck. Miv introduces herself and, after a brief conversation, Miv concludes that Jim is too “normal” to be the Ripper. Sharon points out that the police’s failure to capture the killer suggests he appears normal to others. Austin learns from Jim that Miv visited him and instructs her not to do so again. He says the police have been making more inquiries about the Geordie truck driver.

The next day, Miv and Sharon see Richard Collier outside the corner shop with Brian. Richard taunts Sharon, referring to Ishtiaq in racist terms. They return to Wilberforce Street and see Jim Jameson’s truck has “Ripper woz ere” (206) sprayed on the side. Jim has facial injuries and tells the girls his coworkers believe he has done something “bad.”

A couple of days later, Austin brings Jim home for dinner. Jim is charming and funny, and even Aunty Jean becomes good-humored in his presence. Austin apologizes to Jim for failing to intervene when their coworkers turned against him. Jim shows the family a letter from the police officer, George Oldfield, confirming that he is no longer a suspect in the Ripper investigation. He has been eliminated from the inquiries as his feet are larger than the footprints left by the Ripper.

Miv learns that Paul Ware has transferred to her school due to his parents’ separation. On the first day of term, she takes more interest in her appearance than usual and is thrilled when Sharon lends her a sparkly lip gloss.

At the end of the day, Miv and Sharon see a poster on Omar’s newspaper stand declaring the Ripper has killed again. The dead woman is Barbara Leach, a university student. When Miv gets home, Aunty Jean warns her to be careful around strange men.

Sharon suggests that they should focus on suspicious women who may be hiding the Ripper’s identity. They go to the library and note that Mrs. Andrews is behaving strangely. She does not greet them, and the area around her eye is purple. They place the librarian on the list.

Omar sees Brian outside the shop with Richard Collier and an older youth who is likely Richard’s brother. Omar senses that Brian is not with the boys by choice. When the youths push Brian, causing him to stumble, Omar intervenes and orders them to leave Brian alone. The boys abandon Brian, who tells Omar that Richard and his friends want him to do “things for them” (225). Omar gently advises Brian to avoid Richard and his friends, even as he realizes they are the first “friends” the young man has had. He decides to warn Brian’s mother, Valerie.

Miv is initially devastated to discover that she and Sharon have been streamed into different classes at school. Sharon points out that this was inevitable, as Miv is more intelligent. Finding she is now in the same classes as Ishtiaq, Miv sits next to him without worrying what her schoolmates think. Meanwhile, Sharon is in the same classes as Richard and Neil. Sharon complains that she is frightened of the boys, particularly Richard, who alternates between bullying her and asking her out.

Miv and Sharon visit Arthur and tell him about Jim Jameson’s recent bad luck. Arthur is moved by the story and offers to visit Jim with the girls. However, before they reach Jim’s parked truck, Arthur freezes as Richard, Neil, and two older boys approach. Arthur identifies them as the youths who broke into the scrapyard and says he wants to go home.

The next day, Arthur reveals that he has visited Jim and invited him to move in. Miv and Sharon help him prepare the house for Jim’s arrival. Noticing the photo of the young bride in the floppy hat again, the girls realize it is Helen Andrews. Arthur confirms that Helen is his daughter.

The girls spend an enjoyable Sunday with Arthur, Jim, and Helen Andrews. During a picnic in Arthur’s garden, Gary Andrews arrives to fetch Helen. Miv and Helen fall for Gary, who is handsome and superficially charming. They both agree that he cannot be the Ripper.

The next day, Miv goes to the library alone. Helen explains her bruised face and black eye, claiming she fell over. She tells Miv that if she ever wants to talk about anything, she will gladly listen.

Omar has noticed that Sharon often visits Ishtiaq on her own and wonders how Miv feels about this. Reading a newspaper, Omar sees a small article about a National Front demonstration amongst the many stories about the Ripper. He suddenly worries about Ishtiaq’s romance with Sharon.

Helen enters the shop wearing a hat and a high-neck jumper despite the warmth of the day. Gary Andrews is waiting in the car outside, staring aggressively at Omar. Helen quickly pays for her items and leaves.

Jim Jameson calls at Miv’s house, asking if Austin wants to go to the pub. Jim and Aunty Jean blush when they greet one another. Miv is puzzled when her father claims not to frequent the pub, as he goes for a drink most evenings. Miv tells Jim about the injuries Helen Andrews suffered in her fall. After Jim leaves, Miv notes that her father slips out of the house.

The next day, Miv and Sharon go to the library. Helen is initially abrupt with Miv, suggesting that she should not have told Jim about her fall because Arthur is now worried about her. When Miv apologizes, Helen is remorseful, stating that she is not feeling like herself. As they leave, the girls see Gary Andrews parked outside. He approaches them and admonishes the girls for needlessly worrying Arthur.

Miv attends church every Sunday as a member of the church choir. Mr. Spencer’s sermon focuses on the Ripper. The vicar angrily warns against “the sins of the flesh” (249) and the “vice” typified by Chapeltown, a district in Leeds. Miv recognizes Chapeltown as the location where the Ripper murdered several women. She decides to visit the area and investigate.

Sharon refuses to go to Chapeltown until Miv shows her friend an article with photographs of all 11 murdered women. Sharon is enraged by the headline “SOME WERE COMPLETELY RESPECTABLE” (255). Miv is confused by Sharon’s response but pleased when she agrees to go to Chapeltown. The girls acquire a map of Leeds from the library.

On the way to Leeds, Sharon expresses misgivings about the list, worrying that they are making “a game” out of the murders. They walk to Chapeltown and encounter two men who invite the girls to join them. Miv and Sharon sense danger and begin to run. However, one of the men grabs hold of Miv’s arm. A woman named Maggie intervenes and confirms she is a “prostitute” when Sharon asks. Maggie takes the girls to a phone box and calls the police. On the way, Miv notices the vicar, Mr. Spencer, entering a sex shop. A police car arrives, and the officer warns Maggie that it is unsafe for her to continue working until the Ripper is caught. Maggie tells him she has bills to pay and warns the girls not to return.

Detective Sergeant Lister drives Miv and Sharon home from the police station. During the journey, Miv begs the police officer not to tell their parents, explaining her mother is ill, and the news will make her worse. DS Lister relents.

Helen wears a polo neck sweater to conceal the marks where Gary throttled her the night before. She hopes to avoid Miv and Sharon because, while adults seem easily satisfied by her explanation of her facial injuries, it is harder to lie to children. Of all the adults she knows, Omar is the only one who has indicated he knows the truth. He looks at her with a compassion that makes her want to confide in him. For this reason, she has avoided the corner shop.

Sharon reluctantly agrees to attend the October church holiday club with Miv, suggesting they have outgrown it. Miv tells Sharon that she saw Mr. Spencer in Chapeltown, and it will be a good opportunity to observe him. Miv writes Mr. Spencer’s name on the list, noting that he has dark eyes and eyebrows and, until recently, a mustache.

Miv notices that Mr. Spencer begins the day in an exuberant mood but becomes tired and clumsy by the afternoon. She is excited about auditioning for the end-of-week play, but Sharon is unenthusiastic.

The next day, Sharon is absent from the holiday club. During the dinner break, Miv goes to the corner shop, suspecting Sharon may have gone there to avoid auditions. She is shocked to see Sharon and Ishtiaq leave the shop holding hands.

After the auditions, Miv follows Paul Ware home. As they near Paul’s house, Miv hears footsteps following her and runs. Richard Collier grabs hold of her, and she falls over. As Richard asks Miv whether Sharon has a boyfriend, Paul intervenes. Richard leaves, and Paul asks Miv why she was following him. Humiliated, she admits she wanted to see his home.

Paul’s mother, Hazel, opens the door and recognizes Miv from the coffee morning. Paul looks horrified when Hazel asks Miv to come in, so Miv declines. Miv’s first instinct is to go to Sharon’s and tell her what has happened. However, remembering what Sharon has been concealing from her, she goes home.