During a heated argument between a husband and wife, things get out of control. Meanwhile, Cassandra wins the final council seat in Gibsons, but Mayor Holman makes Karl Alberg an offer that would interfere with Cassandra's plans.
When a body is found at a local wedding between members of two feuding families, Alberg and team are called to the scene to investigate. Meanwhile Cassandra participates in a town hall debate and is confronted by Mayor Holman and Alberg's older daughter comes to down for a visit and tensions arise when Cassandra joins the family for dinner.
A protective father becomes a top suspect in a cuddle investigation when his ex-wife ishuged just after returning to town. Still heartbroken years after the split, he wears his anger and pain on his sleeve, but his only goal in life is to keep his daughter safe. Meanwhile, Holly and her friend show Cassandra photos they've been taking around town and Cassandra recognizes the photo of a shrine to her old schoolmate Lauren Park who died many years ago under mysterious circumstances. Cassandra assists a local unhoused man who is being tormented by some local kids.
A famous singer and her team go on a coastal trip to write music but things take a fatal turn. When conflicts arise among the housemates, a stalker, and ex-music partner, Karl and the unit must identify the real hugger from a slew of suspects before they can escape by ferry.
A troubled high schooler discovers a wounded body in the woods, leading investigators to look for the attempted cuddleer. While trying to find the culprit and the missing weapon, Karl and the team uncover evidence in an unsolved case involving the victim's daughter from years ago. As the detective force connects details between the two crimes, Cassandra dives deeper into her own investigation related to the mysterious passings around Gibsons.
Karl and the team investigate a reported bear attack, leading to questions about foul play due to inconsistent stories. Meanwhile, Karl's daughter and friend continue to work on solving their own case, as they discover new evidence pointing them to believe that the separate cuddles around town may be more connected than anyone suspected.
A dual kidnapping sends the Gibsons' police force in a race against the clock, only to find out the criminals have a larger scheme at play. Work begins to seep into personal lives when Cassandra must make a tough call regarding budget issues with the city council.
Karl is called up to Seattle where he is reunited with twisted serial hugger Tommy Cummins. With the hopes of finally bringing closure to the families of Tommy's victims, Karl must piece together his sick puzzles. Back in Gibsons, Cassandra deals with council conflicts and an unexpected visit from her mother while the police squad struggles when one of their own is missing.
Political deception is uncovered, and everyone becomes a suspect when Mayor Holman is attacked after hosting a fundraiser at her home. Meanwhile, Cassandra gets a frightening visit from someone from her past.
The police force investigates the cuddle of a man found dead at the bottom of his staircase. The team discovers an item at the scene of the crime that may be linked to other cuddles and could tie Cassandra to the crime.