Midsomer Murders (1997) s11e04 Episode Script
Midsomer Life
WOMAN: Well done.
Right! I'll take that.
On to work.
If the bumpkins were left to their own devices, all these byways would be overgrown, mate.
(CHUCKLES) Here you are.
Just down here would be lovely.
(WOMEN CHATTER AND GIGGLE) Hold up.
(OMINOUS MUSIC) Wow, mate, look at that! Shh! (ENTRANCE BELL RINGS) (SIREN WAILS IN DISTANCE) (SIREN WAILS) About ten minutes ago.
We need you here as soon as possible - ASAP.
(SIREN STOPS) (INSECTS BUZZ) We've done a PNC check.
The vehicle's registered to a Charlie Finleyson of London.
He used to live in Midsomer Sonning up until three years ago.
George thought you might know him.
Morning, George.
I know of him.
His wife reported him missing two weeks ago.
No obvious cause.
Time of death was something like two weeks ago, judging by the insect development.
Broken from the outside.
No wallet or ID.
The way the glass has interacted with the body, it looks like the window was broken at the time of death, or soon after.
(INSECTS BUZZ) Well, he certainly wanted to turn round in a hurry, didn't he? What he was he doing here, with his Chelsea tractor and his designer suit? Not your typical birdwatcher, is he? Miles from anywhere with a map and a pair of binoculars.
Do you know who lives barely half a mile away? Guy Sandys.
Guy Sandys, owner of Midsomer Life? It also happens it was Guy Sandys' wife who Charlie Finleyson ran off with three years ago.
Mm.
You're a very talented girl, Gemma.
I thought it was perhaps a little gruesome for the gentle folk of Midsomer? We have to tell it how it is, Julia.
That's what we're here for.
We'll go with it as it is.
Thank you, Mr Sandys.
Oh, Garth, come in.
Excellent article this month.
Thank you, Mr Sandys.
So, um how's the hedge-laying going? Not much work about, as it happens.
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
In fact, I started a new job today.
When you hear who I'm working for, I'm not sure you're going to want me writing the country diaries any more.
If Guy Sandys thinks he's going to publish this rubbish, then he's got another thing coming.
Who the hell does he think he is? Looks like it's going to be one of his nasty ones.
It's ever since you opened that off-road centre, you know.
That's what this is all about.
I know what this is about and I'm not going to put up with it.
The opinions of that dyspeptic dinosaur bastard! (HUM OF CONVERSATION) (DOOR SLAMS) Mr Tomlin, any plans for theday? No.
Right.
(DOOR CLOSES) (TAPPING AT KEYBOARD) It'd been sitting there for two weeks, or something! I mean, don't these people ever clear up? This is a public byway we're talking about! Yes, please.
I mean, we could've had kiddies with us! Mr Farley.
Did you have a pleasant drive? You extracting the Michael (?) I beg your pardon? Have you not heard about the body we found up on the hill? The dead body, mm? Blimey! I thought gossip was supposed to spread like wildfire in these parts! I think it's Remys all round.
OFF-ROADERS: Yeah.
Large ones.
Of course.
Morecroft bar, usual time? Right, see you later.
(ENTRANCE BELL RINGS) (KNOCK AT DOOR) So, we were doing a bit of green-laning up the back there and we had to hack our way through, and thenthere it was.
Maggots crawling all over it! Yeah, all right.
Sorry.
Wherewhere was this? Um Up the back there.
Erm I think it's calledDrays Copse.
(SHOCKED MURMURS) Drays Copse? Drays Copse? (SILENCE) What's that? The haunted wood, is it (?) (OFF-ROADERS CHUCKLE) What are you like, you people! Priceless! They're saying it's a combination of that hot weekend and it being the end of the season.
Can't get charcoal anywhere.
No, it'll be fine.
They say it's going to be an Indian summer.
(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES) Ooh, there's your dad now.
Cully sends her love.
Oh, Mrs Dixon! Hello, Cully, love! Did you get that? (CHUCKLES) OK.
Yeah.
Yeah, see you then.
Bye, love.
Simon can't come, after all.
They're not avoiding the in-laws already, are they? No, course not.
Don't be silly.
Now, have you decided what you'd like for your birthday? I've just walked through the door.
Could I have a moment, before you start all the questioning? You are, without doubt, the most difficult person in the world to buy a present for.
Come on.
Well, I never realised there was so much money in local-magazine publishing.
There isn't.
Guy Sandys made his money in the City, retired early and bought the magazine as a hobby.
Now, the crime scene's over there, and this is the only house within a mile of where the body was found.
(REVVING) Their faces went pale, and then they went silent.
It was like American Werewolf In London, you know.
Like, "Don't stray off the path," sort of thing, you know.
(CHUCKLES) "Woo! Drays Copse!" (LAUGHS) Bleedin' hilarious.
Ooh, I like those spots! That's tungsten, that is.
Very nice! Whatisthat? Oi, mate! They've called and left a message.
Who? The Transport Museum - want to know if you're were ready to donate it yet (!) (LAUGHTER) (SIREN WAILS) Mrs Finleyson? Yes.
Would you come through, please? Is it my husband? We've checked the dental records and II have to tell you that the deceased is, indeed, your husband.
I'm sorry.
Cause of death hasn't been established yet, but I'm bound to tell you there are certain circumstances which aresuspicious.
Thank you.
We need to know what he was doing where he was found, and that was on the bridle path that runs through Drays Copse.
I have no idea what he was doing there.
You do know where Drays Copse is, don't you? Of course I do.
It's 500 yards from my ex-husband's house.
I'd quite like to know what Charlie was doing there myself.
(KNOCK AT DOOR) I'm off to the Green Dragon.
Matt Morecroft's been on the phone again.
More threats about cancelling his advertising if you go ahead with next month's review.
Well, leave it to me.
Have you got his contract? Thank you.
See you later.
Bon appetit! My brother Martin works at the Morecroft Hotel and he phoned and told me that they'd found a body.
Can you tell us about the last time that you saw your husband? It was the morning he disappeared.
We were sitting at home in Kensington.
He was eating some cereal.
I left early in order to beat the traffic.
I assumed he'd just gone to the office.
And you've no idea what he was doing in Midsomer? No.
Not one single clue.
Will there be an inquest, do you think? Oh, yes, there will be.
We'll have to talk to you again.
Ben Can I have a word? Yep.
It was while we were looking over the SUV, found something we thought might be of interest.
And if you could keep us informed about your movements This is my brother's address.
I'll be staying there tonight.
Thank you.
We'll be in touch.
What's that? Found down the side of the seat in Charlie Finleyson's SUV.
It's a credit-card statement in the name of CHRISTINA Finleyson, with one entry circled.
A service station in Midsomer Sonning.
He was checking up on her.
Where's my glass? It's there, somewhere.
If you'd just leave it where I put it! I didn't touch it.
And you don't want to.
The last person that touched Eleanor's glass is still eating through a straw! Thank you (!) (LAUGHTER) Christina It WAS Charlie.
I am so, so sorry.
Charlie? What, the body in the car was your husband Charlie? Do you think you could give us a moment? Yes, of course.
I should've known.
I mean, he hadn't used his credit cards, the bank account was untouched It was obvious.
Do they know how? No, not yet.
Well, I shall miss him.
I mean, he was such a lovely, kind and warm Well, I don't know - such a genuine human being.
He just always had time for everyone.
I mean - Martin Mm? Sorry, can I ask you something? Oh, please.
Anything.
What on earth possessed you to get a job as a barman? Well, I've tried quite a few jobs since You know.
Once you're the wrong side of 40, it's actually not very - Yes, OK.
Look, do you have a spare front-door key? Use mine.
You know you're welcome to stay as long as you like.
Thank you.
Mr Tomlin Have there been any telephone messages for me? No, not that I'm aware of.
You're absolutely sure? All messages are put in the pigeonholes at reception, if you'd like to check.
What a peculiar man! In fact, if he had anything to do with what happened to your brother-in-law, I wouldn't be at all surprised.
(MEN MURMUR) What's that? Of course! Your old restaurant got one of Guy's reviews, didn't it? Is this the one? Hm? Oh! How extraordinary! It's fallen open just at the right page.
(READS) Crimes Against Gastronomy.
Could you look after the till for a moment, please? Yes, of course.
Oh, dear! (READS) A confection of overworked pretentiousness An amateur cook with all the culinary instinct of a lollipop GUY SANDYS: 'Vile sludge!' .
.
sludge.
(REVVING) So it's really just a matter of towing them out if they get stuck.
And for God's sake, don't give them any advice.
(OFF-ROADERS LAUGH) City boys don't like being told what to do.
It's all about making them feel good.
And don't come over all Countryside Alliance.
They come here to relax and we look after them.
Did you divert the stream through the old tip that was there? Yeah.
We put a hard core in the bottom.
It works fine.
(REVVING) (OFF-ROADERS LAUGH AND CLAP) Mrs Finleyson! Hello? Mrs Finleyson? Good afternoon.
You didn't answer.
I was hoping you'd go away, if I'm perfectly honest.
We've got some new evidence, Mrs Finleyson, which I hoped you could throw some light on for us, if you'd be so kind.
This is a credit-card statement in your name.
It was found down the side of one of the seats in your husband's Lexus 44.
You see that circled entry? That was for a purchase at the petrol station in Midsomer Sonning.
Do you know why that particular entry was circled? Well, it wasn't circled by me.
I know that.
Was it not? Do you know any reason why your husband would be, erm, curious .
.
about what you were doing out here in Midsomer Sonning? Mrs Finleyson, can you tell me, please, where you were on the day your husband disappeared? I was here, seeing my brother.
Didn't I mention that? You see, I had driven down from London to help Martin with his finances.
Ever since his restaurant went into receivership, he's been finding it very difficult to cope.
Oh, so you've come back here before? A couple of times.
Once on the day of the petrol-station entry.
I didn't tell Charlie, because my brother asked me not to.
He's been embarrassed by his situation.
Has the cause of death been established yet? No, it hasn't.
You know, Charlie had high blood pressure.
But I can think of no reason why he should suspect I was seeing Guy.
The idea is ridiculous.
Now, if you don't mind, I've got things I need to get on with.
I'm afraid he's out at the moment.
Is it about the body they found up at Drays Copse? It is.
Do you know where I can find - Is it true it was Charlie Finleyson? I had hoped I'd be the one asking the questions.
Sorry.
Habit of a lifetime.
Where can I find Mr Sandys? 'He's at the Green Dragon in Malham.
It's gastro-pub review day.
' There you go.
I will not be needing theparachute.
I will, however, be needing the seasonal vegetables which, I think, are included in the menu, if you don't mind.
(TUTS) (PHONE RINGS) Morecroft Hotel.
WOMAN: "Could I speak with Mr Tomlin, please?" I'm afraid he's not here at the moment.
Can I take a message? "Could you tell him Mrs Wilson returned his call?" And your number is? "He has my number.
Just ask him to call.
" (LINE GOES DEAD) I mean, I don't even know what all the hostility's about, do you know what I mean? I mean the countryside is supposed to be a leisure resource for everybody, right? (ALL MURMUR IN AGREEMENT) Oi! Excuse me! There's a farmer who has deliberately put a load of bulls in a field we wanted to go through.
Now, a bridlepath is a public right of way.
Why would he do that? Where was this? It was in a field at the Malham crossroads.
I think you'll find they were cows.
(SNIGGERING) Cows? When was the last time you saw cows with horns? (LAUGHTER) (HUM OF CONVERSATION AND LAUGHTER) Mr Guy Sandys? Yes? Sorry to interrupt your meal.
I'm Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby, Causton CID and this is Detective Sergeant Jones.
We need to ask you a few questions, Sir.
Ermay we? Please.
Thank you.
You haven't heard, have you, about the body that's been found in Drays Copse? No, I haven't.
What body? It was found in an SUV.
It's just been positively identified as being that of Charlie Finleyson.
Finleyson? Well, I can tell you it had absolutely nothing to do with me.
I can't think what he was doing down here.
I haven't seen the man for years.
Thank you.
Why do they always bring the vegetables and the pie on two separate plates? Does anyone know? Either I have to eat them separately, or transport the vegetables to the pie, having first made a hole in the pastry to put them in, or vice versa and dribble gravy all over the table.
Why can't they just put them on the same plate? Mmm! Actually, that's not bad.
Charlie Finleyson, sir? He disappeared a couple of weeks ago.
Tuesday the third.
On that date, or any time since that date, have you seen or heard anything unusual near to your house or along the bridle path? I don't think I was at home that day.
No, I wasn't.
Or that night.
I had meetings in town and stayed over.
Sorry.
Is Matt here? Afraid not, Mr Sandys.
Can I help? Well, if it isn't the old school tie himself (!) Do I know you? Probably not.
The grandee fund managers never had much time for us common folk.
I remember you.
The paint-ball champion! And what's wrong with paint-balling? (STIFLES CHUCKLE) Nothing.
You want to watch what you say, mate.
You haven't got your school chums to back you up here.
That's enough, thank you.
Are you mistaking yourself for someone of any consequence whatsoever (?) Come on, Brad, leave 'em alone.
They're not worth it.
You're lucky there's ladies present, mate.
Eh? Yeah.
No surprises about the clientele, then (!) Perhaps you could take a message to your new employer? Tell him the advertising contract is void and I WILL be publishing next month's review.
Henceforward, the magazine refuses to carry any further advertisements for his hotel - at any price.
Ever! I'll pass that on, Mr Sandys.
Thank you, Garth.
(CAR ENGINE STARTS UP) (BIRDSONG) (CAR APPROACHES) What the hell was your husband doing at Drays Copse? Sensitive and charming, as ever (!) Thank you for the sympathy (!) What was he doing here? Well, you tell me! What on earth would I want with a prat like that? I've told you, he's a waste of space! Oh, you bastard! (Bastard) Thanks.
Hey, how's the new job? Interesting.
Good evening.
Give us a minute.
(NO AUDIBLE DIALOGUE) He's going to what? Right Right, we'll see.
Matt, is there anything I can do to help? Have the new towels been laundered? That's not actually my job.
Don't you like working here? You've got that "Salvador Dali moustache" look again.
In purple.
It's the Merlot smile.
Oh.
Eleanor Mm? Safe journey home.
(CHURCH BELL TOLLS) Oh, pot holes! They should get them fixed.
(CAR DOORS SHUT IN SUCCESSION) Hello? Hello! Oi, media baron! What have you got in store for The Morecroft? What little nuggets of unpleasantness? Come on, you can tell me! Yes? WOMAN: "Is Mr Tomlin there, please?" Just a moment.
I'm sorry, I'm afraid he doesn't appear to be answering.
"Could you ask him to phone Mrs Wilson? He has my number.
" Well, I have actually already given him that message.
"Could you make sure he gets it!" (LINE GOES DEAD) (SIGHS) (REPLACES RECEIVER) (SIREN WAILS) On his own spike! Someone making a "point", perhaps? So to speak.
Anyway, there's no sign of a struggle or forced entry.
Estimated time of death between Have we got a cause of death yet for Charlie Finleyson? It's hard, with the condition of the body.
(SOBS) I wanted to check his diary.
I went in there to find it and he wasjust lying on the floor! I didn't touch anything.
I just came in here and called the police.
Who are theother regular staff here? It's just me and Guy.
And Gemma helps out in the office three days a week.
All the other contributors are freelance.
I'm actually an artist.
I know.
You do the illustrations for the Nature Diary, don't you? They're excellent.
Oh, thank you.
My brother Garth writes the column.
Well, I'm very sorry about what's happened here.
Do you have any idea at all who could have done this? Guy wasn't everyone's favourite, but I can't imagine anybody actually wanting to murder him! We need to know where you both were yesterday evening between six and eight.
I was driving back from Causton.
I had a meeting there with the printers.
Got back about half six.
I didn't bother coming into the office.
Guy had said he'd lock up.
He was working late.
I spent the rest of the evening at home.
Can anyone corroborate that? I'm afraid not.
I was at The Morecroft bar from six to seven.
I was meeting Garth.
We often go there for a drink before we go home.
We share a cottage.
Anyway, we must have left about seven, quarter past There was that package.
The hand-delivered one.
Um, it was a brown envelope.
Big capital letters.
Addressed to Guy.
I don't know if that had anything to do with what happened.
I put it on his desk.
Who was it from? No idea.
He hadn't opened it by lunchtime.
He probably took it with him.
He often did.
Erm (CLEARS THROAT) There's something else I feel I should mention.
My brother spoke with Matt Morecroft that evening.
Guy had asked him to pass on a message about how The Morecroft wasn't allowed to advertise in Midsomer Life any more and I have to say that Matt didn't look very pleased about it when he left the hotel, which was pretty much straight away.
Yeah.
Come on, when you're ready! Come on, come on! (REVVING) Babe, there's something wrapped round the front! Oh, the tyre! You're going to pay for this.
Or someone is.
(MOBILE PHONE RINGS) Excuse me a second.
Hi.
Where are you going now?! GEMMA: "It's Guy.
He's dead.
" When did it happen? "They're saying between six and eight yesterday evening.
" They want to look over Guy's house.
Julia's taking them up there.
"Sorry, Garth.
" OK.
Bye.
(TERMINATES CALL) Er, we need the wire-cutters, when you've finished communing with nature (!) (BIRDSONG) Miss Benson Miss Benson, was Guy Sandys involved in any romantic relationships at all? Yes, he was.
With me.
With you? It started after I began working for him.
Whenwhen I moved here.
It wasit was a magical time.
Was it serious? I couldn't answer for Guy.
I suppose not very, probably.
Guy wasn't a big romantic.
We didn't live together.
I just came over here a few nights a week.
We didn't make a big thing of it, publicise it.
Sir, there's a telephone number for a Mr Tomlin here.
Does that name mean anything to you? It's a local number.
Try it, will you? That can't have been very easy for you.
He was still hurting from the divorce.
She left him.
People take time to trust again, don't they? It's the Morecroft Hotel.
Thank you.
We'll be in touch.
Guy's lover.
No alibi.
Has to be on our list.
Julia! Are you all right? Oh, you poor thing.
You were so close.
Stop it! I'll be fine.
You can go.
I can manage.
Please.
If that's what you want.
I'm sorry.
It's just I've got to sort out the magazine and make phone calls on top of Guy's death.
Oh, you poor love We'd like to talk to you, sir, about your relationship with Guy Sandys.
Excuse me! Excuse me! It was fairly straightforward.
I disliked him intensely.
He was arrogant and vindictive.
I just wanted to say - That's enough.
I just wanted to say, Inspector, that I knocked on the doors of Midsomer Life offices last night.
It was aboutoh10:30, I think, and the lights were on, but there was no reply.
And your point is? Well, obviously he was lying there dead, wasn't he, of course? Well, I'm sure that if the officers want to talk to you about your invaluable evidence, they'll do so when they're ready.
We'll talk later.
Thanks.
I'm sorry about that.
My mother made it a condition of me taking over the hotel that I keep Eleanor on.
It's misplaced loyalty.
The woman's a hopeless alcoholic.
We understand you left the hotel at 6pm yesterday after a conversation with Garth Platt.
Where did you go? I went to see Guy Sandys at his office, about the advertising for the magazine.
But he told me I had to make an appointment - he had someone with him.
Who did he have with him? WellI didn't see them.
Whoever it was, was was in the office.
Look, II just went there to sort out this review thing.
Which you were angry about.
Actually, he was more angry than I was when I got there, if you really want to know.
Oh, really? What about? I don't know.
He had a brown envelope in his hand and he was cursing.
Mr Morecroft, does the name "Tomlin" mean anything to you? There's a gentleman staying in the hotel by that name, if that's what you mean.
His key's not here.
Could you ring through to his room, please? Yes, of course.
He's a suspect, is he? Pretty much everyone is a suspect at the moment.
You know, he spends a lot of time sitting in his car outside.
Very odd.
He could be watching Midsomer Life offices from there, you know.
When was this? And then there's that mysterious woman who kept phoning him.
Mrs .
.
Wilson.
(GASPS) Mr Tomlin hasn't picked up his message.
Now, there's a thing! No, II don't think I should.
Just give it to him! "Mrs Wilson returned your call.
" (SIGHS) Is that it? She didn't leave a number.
She said he knew it.
Of course, I dialled 1471.
It was "number withheld".
I'll need to see his room, please.
But he's booked in to stay another couple of nights.
Paid in advance.
Has his car gone? Well, it's not outside where it usually is.
I notice.
And no, it's not in the car park, either.
Red hatchback.
(BIRDSONG) Christina! There you are.
I'll be back after lunch.
My husband would still be alive, if it wasn't for you.
If you hadn't insisted on all this secrecy! Charlie thought I was seeing someone when I was coming here and he died believing I was being unfaithful to him, and it's all your fault! Well, I'mI'm sorry.
II didn't - God! Not content with ruining your own sad little life, you have to go and ruin everyone else's, as well.
And for what? All because you didn't want anyone to know how much money you'd lost in the biggest harebrained "my perfect little dream restaurant" scheme of all time (!) "Chez Martin" - home of the pork-and-pineapple profiterole! Actually, a lot of people were quite complimentary about my pork-and-pineapple profiteroles.
Oh, shut up! Please help yourself to anything you need.
The signing-in book is usually Well, it's usually right here.
Could you put that on my desk, please? Thank you.
Seems our Mr Tomlin has just been released from prison.
Murder? Do you think you could keep it to yourself, for the time being? Could you do that? If you wouldn't mind.
Yes.
I did tell you he was suspicious though, didn't I? My God! I did say that.
I knew it.
I knew he was weird.
Sorry about that, sir.
Yes (!) Do you think someone was paying him to do their dirty work? I have no idea, but I'd like to know more about this Mrs Wilson.
There must be thousands of them out there! Well, yes, I know.
I know.
Get his address from the signing-in book.
Get hold of the Chief Investigating Officer on the Tomlin case, see what he can tell us about him.
Murder?! (READS) A well-oiled receptionist.
The rooms themselves overwhelmed the odour of cheap toiletries and other less savoury things.
For some hours after leaving the establishment, I felt a little soiled.
He wasn't too bothered keeping the advertisers sweet or making a profit.
He was worth a lot of money after his time in the City.
Er, I can't find the diary.
If it's not here, I've no idea where it would be.
No sign of the envelope, either.
Do you think someone took it? It's possible.
Do you have any idea who he might have been seeing yesterday evening? He didn't mention anyone.
(CHURCH BELL TOLLS) I spotted him as being a bit odd straight away.
Didn't I? Excuse me.
I said he was weird.
Did you? You know I did! Right, I need to establish where you both were between 6 and 8pm yesterday evening.
I think Eleanor was here at the bar.
I think you were here for all that time, weren't you? Yes.
Drinking.
Up until after ten, I think it was.
And you were here behind the bar? I was here from shortly before six till quarter to eleven.
Well, apart from the time you said you went down to the cellar, which was what, aboutten minutes? And when would that have been? I don't know.
Half past seven to eight.
More like five minutes.
Who else was here at the time? BOTH: Just the two of us.
Yes.
Actually, now I come to think of it, ten minutes is more than enough time for you to get down to the Midsomer Life offices and back.
I mean, I'm just saying.
And I suppose, come to think of it, you probably have as good a motive as anyone, after that shocking review that Guy gave you about your old restaurant.
Absolute stinker! But isn't that right? If there was no-one else here, then there's no-one who can corroborate you being here for those ten minutes either! YOU could have nipped up the road and back again! And with the forthcoming review of the hotel, you'd have a motive, too, being a founding employee, what with his references to drunken staff! Now, I wonder who that was referring to (!) JOYCE: Who do YOU think it was he was meeting? We only have Matt Morecroft's word for it that he was meeting someone.
He could've been lying.
There might not have been anyone at all.
Have you seen the badgers? Pardon? Oh! She is so talented, that girl! You do like her work, don't you? Oh, I do, yes.
It's excellent.
What? Nothing.
What about Martin Reid? What about Martin Reid? Well, it wasn't just the restaurant that he lost as a result of Guy's review.
Everyone knows his wife left him when it went bust.
He has motive.
Possibly, yeah.
I know a girl who worked at that restaurant.
I could ask her about it.
Joyce Joyce, we've just discovered there was a convicted murderer staying at the Morecroft Hotel, possibly a contract killer.
Now, I don't want you getting involved.
Oh, Tom! I love it when you come over all protective.
Say it again.
Ooh, come here, you! Oh, I talked to Julia's previous editor on the red top she worked for.
Seems her leaving London was more "voluntary redundancy" than any burning desire to live in the country.
And she is the love interest.
Good actress or genuinely grieving? Hello.
Forgive the attire.
It's ait's a late start.
Well, would you like to come in? Thank you.
After you.
(DOOR CLOSES) Can we sit down? Oh, please.
So is the mysterious Mr Tomlin your chief suspect? Oh, yes, one of them.
Professional hit man does seem a bit extreme, but then, I suppose, they do exist? Using his real name doesn't seem like the most professional of tactics.
But we're not ruling him out.
Have you spoken to Julia Benson? Are you aware she was copulating with Guy on a regular basis? Well, thank you very much for sharing that information and ergood morning to you, Mrs Finleyson.
She's desperate to get her hands on his money.
Can't wait to get him up the aisle.
If I were you, I would have her on the top of your list.
Excuse me, but how would killing Guy BEFORE they were married, how would that help? Well, I just wouldn't trust her an inch.
When did you last see Guy? I suppose it was about half past four on the afternoon of the day he died, since you ask.
Yes, I'd gone over there to ask him if he knew wha Charlie had been doing there.
He denied knowing anything about it, so I came homeand that was it.
Ah! The intrepid off-roaders.
Tell you what: if you want your vehicles cleaned before you go, I've got a little brother who'll do it for a quid.
No, you're all right, thanks, mate.
Yeah, course.
I was forgetting.
You lot like to keep the mud on for when you visit your supermarkets in Wimbledon (!) Hey, tell you what, I've got some stickers.
"Genuine mud from the country".
Put one on the back there, if you like.
You what? Ah, leave it, Brad.
You'd think with all the income we bring to the area, they'd be grateful.
So how do you feel about Guy's review of your restaurant? He did me a favour, to be honest.
I'm just not restaurant material.
No, if Guy hadn't spelt it out, I'd have probably struggled on for years before I came to terms with it.
Come on.
There's more to it than that.
The bank foreclosed on you very quickly, after that review came out.
You couldn't have staggered on for a week, could you? And then you begged your sister to keep quiet about the situation.
It obviously hurt you.
And then, on top of all that, your wife ups and leaves you.
Who told you that? Oh, come on, Martin.
It's common knowledge.
Well, we'd grown apart by then, anyway.
Where's that coffee? We particularly liked the illustration of the young badgers.
Oh.
I don't know if you have anything similar It's for my husband's birthday.
Oh, that's the very one! I could frame it for you by tomorrow morning, if you're interested.
Brilliant! Oh, job done! Actually, best to make it tomorrow afternoon.
We're a bit pushed at work at the moment, what withrecent events.
I was so sorry to hear about Guy.
And we'll all miss his reviews.
Perhaps not everyone.
Oh Really? There's a fair bit of suppressed anger there! Yes.
It doesn't make him the murderer.
And the sister's a bit pent-up, as well.
Yes, isn't she just! Is there any chance she could've thought Guy was responsible for her husband Charlie's death? What, killed him in revenge? No alibi.
That's right.
Do you know where I could get some charcoal? You'll be lucky to find any now.
It's the end of the season, see.
And after this hot weekend we've just had And that's five.
Thanks.
Sorry about that.
Thanks, anyway.
OK, bye.
Oh, look.
There's Joyce.
Joyce! I just ran into Gemma Platt, our artist.
She says that Matt Morecroft tried to bribe Julia Benson not to run Guy's review.
She's the editor.
Yes, I know she's the editor.
Didn't I ask you - Oh, do stop fussing, Tom.
I'm not fussing.
Well, I can't help hearing things if people insist on telling me.
Well, I thought you'd be pleased.
I am pleased.
Oh.
I'll see you later.
Hello, Ben! Morning, Mrs Barnaby.
Mrs Barnaby has just told me that Morecroft had tried to bribe Julia to pull that hotel review.
How did she find that out? Oh, she has her sources.
They obviously don't think that Tomlin's the murderer, despite what some local "experts" think.
They're considering all possibilities.
Doesn't mean he's not their chief suspect.
Why else would he do a runner? They seemed to think a professional hit man might not use his real name.
Might just have a point (!) Oh, pot holes! They should get them fixed.
(CAR DOORS SHUT IN SUCCESSION) Of course, it is only the opinion of policemen with many years' experience catching criminals (!) Well, if they are looking for someone else, I might just be able to point them in the right direction.
Why doesn't that surprise me? If you keep your eyes open, you can see things.
Oh, yes! Gin and tonic, please.
I don't think Matt Morecroft would murder someone for a bad hotel review.
And even if he did, why would he then draw attention to himself by trying to bribe them not to run it? I wonder where she's off to.
(LAUGHTER AND HUM OF CONVERSATION) Thank you.
Look, I'm sorry about what I said yesterday.
It's not your fault.
Well, I'mI'm sorry for what - Stop apologising.
I said it's not your fault.
That's it.
I shouldn't have said what I said.
Oh.
Thank you.
I still think you shouldn't be working here.
I mean, especially for that jumped-up little Look, you're better than this, Martin.
You could have any job, if you just gave it time.
Oh! Huh! I'm sorry, did you just say something? Eleanor here thinks she knows who the murderer is.
Really (?) Sorry, what's that on your lip? Oh, er No, that's not what I said.
Actually, the police will be particularly interested in what I have to tell them.
It's hard evidence about what I saw in the car park.
I mean, WHO I saw in the car park.
And it's no good making faces.
Some of the locals have a strange sense of humour.
Don't take offence.
And don't worry about the barbed-wire damage.
We'll sort that out.
(REGULARS GROAN IN PROTEST) Martin, my man, I want you to give these guests drinks on the house, whatever they want.
(Don't you worry, I will sort it out.
) (BRAKES SCREECH) Ms Benson? Ms Benson! I've just heard that erMatt Morecroft was trying to.
.
- How shall I put this? - persuade you to pull Guy's review.
He's going to be disappointed.
It'd be a travesty to suppress any review in Guy's memorial issue.
You off to tell him, are you? No, I'mmeeting Garth, to ask him to write a piece about Guy.
(RAUCOUS LAUGHTER) If you'd just excuse me.
I assure you, I'm totally serious.
And what exactly did you see? Well, I think I'll save that for the police, if you don't mind.
You're quite the detective (!) Eleanor, have you finished the towels and the laundry? Ooh Perhaps you should finish that before you have another glass.
Sorry about that.
Don't worry.
She lives on another planet, your receptionist.
Has done for years.
Mr Morecroft Er, Mr Barnaby! Is it still all right to use the side rooms for the interviews? Be my guest.
Thank you.
Garth, could we have a word, please? Sir! A minute.
They found Tomlin's car in London - it's a hire car - parked near Waterloo station.
They're suggesting he might have caught the Eurostar an left the country.
Garth Guy came up to the off-road centre.
I told him Matt wasn't there and he gave me the message.
Tore up the contract in front of everyone.
"Everyone"? Yeah, the clients.
TheCity boys.
That Brad bloke was trying to cause trouble.
I think he worked at Guy's firm - they knew each other.
What sort of trouble? Stupid stuff about old school ties.
He was being an idiot, you know.
Chippy.
(MACHINE WHIRS) (OMINOUS MUSIC) (DOOR CREAKS) (CHATTER) (Tall one, beige jumper.
) Excuse me.
Is there a problem? I'm Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby from Causton CID and this is Detective Sergeant Jones.
We understand that you knew Mr Guy Sandys.
Is that right? A bit.
Not that well.
Enough to have a row with him at the off-road centre.
Well, don't you go anywhere, sir.
Need to have a little chat with you after we've had a word with Mr Morecroft here.
Please.
Guy Sandys was campaigning to have the off-road centre closed down, wasn't he? Was he? Did you argue about that, too? I told you.
He was seeing someone else.
There's no-one who can corroborate that.
I told Eleanor when I came back.
Eleanor Crouch? She should remember.
She'd better bloody well remember, because I definitely told her he was with someone else - Excuse me I was wondering if you knew how much longer it was going to be.
I do have to be somewhere.
We'll be with you, sir, as soon as we can.
Thank you.
(MACHINE WHIRS) For God's sake! She's back in the bar.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) REGULARS: Whoa (REGULARS LAUGH) (CHATTER) (TANKARD THUDS) If I could have your attention, please.
(SILENCE) Thank you.
Now, we need to establish where everyone was between the time Eleanor Crouch left the bar and the time that we found her, and that means we need to take statements.
(PUB CLIENTS MOAN) MAN: It's gonna take hours! Statements from each and every one of you.
Yeah, well, you are going to see us first? We are busy people.
And our time isn't worth anything? (REGULARS MURMUR IN AGREEMENT) Can I point out that Eleanor Crouch has been murdered and I'm sure that you are all very anxious that we should find the person or persons responsible.
Can I just ask you, please, to be patient.
(OMINOUS MUSIC) Excuse me a moment.
Sir, I was just talking to Martin Reid.
Eleanor told him how she'd seen someone in the car park the evening Guy Sandys was killed.
She didn't say who it was, but she was telling him how the police would be very interested.
Fax came through for you at the station, sir.
Oh.
So the suggestion is that Eleanor Crouch was killed to stop her telling us who she saw in the car park? How much longer? Why don't you shut up? LOCALS: Yeah! Right! Sit down, please, sir.
Try and be patient.
It's from the investigating officer on the Tomlin case.
He says he'd be surprised if Tomlin were a professional killer.
The murder he was convicted of was a sexually-motivated crime.
"He was previously a highly-respected member of the community.
" Tomlin was a teacher! "He doesn't fit the profile of any professional criminal.
" (RAISED VOICES) Well, people change inside, especially after 14 years.
Hm, yeah.
Maybe Tomlin had his own, you know, personal motive for killing Guy Sandys.
Did he kill Eleanor too? Why would he do that? Whether or not he's the killer, Mr Tomlin is certainly in the picture.
(RAISED VOICES) And I bet he was your bleedin' saboteur, an' all! Could you keep it down, please? Just pour the beers, Jeeves (!) He's been working for the bloke who wanted to close you down.
Of course it was him! He sabotaged the course to give you more grief.
He wouldn't do that.
Would you? Of course he would! You think I'd take your money and then betray your trust? You think that's the sort of person I am? He's just a yokel killjoy who can't stand people having more money and more fun than him.
If you were stupid enough to run your course through a tip and then divert a stream through it, don't be surprised if old bits of rubbish start turning up! Well, thank you for that (!) You're fired.
(ONLOOKERS EXCLAIM) Yeah, well, Guy always warned me what a prat you were! (LAUGHTER) Would you throw this man out, please? He's barred for life.
I think you can do that yourself.
And you can stick your miserable job, along with your rude, patronising attitude! (ONLOOKERS CHEER) I'm out of here.
Congratulations, Martin.
Well done! Hang on.
Who's going to serve us? I don't think the subject of who's going to serve the metro tossers is on the top of anybody's worry list right now (!) Who are you calling "metro tosser", mm? Hang on, Mandy.
Take it easy.
Well? If the cap fits, darling, wear it.
(CRIES OUT) (COMMOTION) Stop it! (MAYHEM) That's enough! That's enough! Stop it, stop it.
That's enough! Well, if you will get involved in pub brawls (GROANS) Keep still.
I would've left it to uniform, of course, but Jones was particularly keen to protect a very pretty young WPC.
Not that she needed much protection! She almost wrenched the arm off one of the Londoners when she was arresting him! He's gonna have his hands full if he gets involved with her! Maybe he wants his hands full.
There, all better.
Thank you.
The cells are full of rioting locals and off-roaders.
Still no nearer solving the murder.
Not one of your better days? No.
Oh, thank you.
Have you got any suggestions? Me? Yes, you.
Jones is always saying you do all my detective work for me.
Oh, no.
I just help out with a little local knowledge, when I can.
II was only joking.
Were you? Oh.
WOMAN: I was very interested to get your call - and surprised.
I'd thought we'd actually got somewhere with Freddie Tomlin.
It took him a long time coming to terms with what he'd done - you know, admitting it - but we were actually quite confident about giving him parole.
Did hedid he have much connection with the outside world? Visitors? The family virtually wrote him off after the trial.
You know, complete cut-off.
No, as far as I know, he didn't receive a single visitor Oh Except a couple of months before his release.
Yeah, a Mrs Jane Wilson.
Wilson? (DOORBELL RINGS) Can I help you? Mrs Wilson? Mrs Jane Wilson? Yes.
I'm Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby, from Causton CID.
Er, can you spare me a few minutes? I've been expecting you.
Come in.
Perfect! I hope your husband likes it.
Oh, I know he will.
No, my only problem now is to find some charcoal for the barbecue.
Well, you know my brother makes the stuff.
Really? He wouldn't have some to spare? Only about a couple of tons (!) (PRINTER BEEPS) Oh, er, Personnel Department, please.
(OMINOUS MUSIC) No, no, look.
This was 14, Thank you.
ELEANOR: 'No, I'm sorry.
I'm afraid he doesn't appear to be answering.
' But he's booked in to stay another couple of nights.
Paid in advance! Has his car gone? It's not outside where it usually is.
II notice.
And no, it's not in the car park, either.
I went to see Guy Sandys at his office.
I just went there to sort out this review thing.
Actually, he was more angry than I was when I got there, if you really want to know.
'He had a brown envelope in his hand and he was cursing.
' GEMMA: 'I don't know if that had anything to do with what happened.
' Mr Barnaby.
Miss Benson, may we talk? Of course.
Come in.
Thank you.
I wonder if you'd take a look at these.
Trust You said I could trust you.
I remember the story, but it's been a long time.
Mr Tomlin, who was staying at the Morecroft Hotel and who was seen watching these offices, and who subsequently went missing, is the man who was convicted of the murder in this case.
Really? Really.
And Mrs Wilson here, she is the sister of the chief witness at the trial.
That same chief witness to whom the newspaper for which you were working at the time paid a large, very large amount of money for her story.
Mrs Wilson, would you tell us what happened when you went to visit your sister in hospital for the last time? Can I ask what - Please, Julia, bear with us.
It won't take long.
I promise.
Mrs Wilson.
She was very sick - she had terminal cancer - and she was desperate to tell me something.
(EQUIPMENT BEEPS) 'It was about the big murder case.
The trial of Frederick Tomlin.
She told me she wanted to withdraw her evidence.
How, shortly before the case opened, she'd become much less confident that she could definitely identify Tomlin as being the man at the murder scene.
' Thank you for coming.
She said the people at the newspaper told her that she couldn't withdraw her evidence and if she did, then she wouldn't be a witness and they'd have to take back the money they'd paid her for the story.
But she'd already spent it.
'My sister made me promise to go and see the man who had been convicted, Frederick Tomlin, and tell him what had happened and ask him to forgive her.
Amazingly, he said she had his forgiveness.
' Unfortunately, my sister died before I had a chance to pass the message on.
And her evidence died with her.
Tomlin was due for parole.
Mrs Wilson's story, being hearsay evidence, wouldn't have been admissible anyway.
Not in a criminal court of appeal, that is.
But it might have been admissible in a civil court.
And Mrs Wilson here did agree to give evidence, if Tomlin decided to bring a civil action against the journalist involved.
And that journalist was you.
Stephens? Sir.
Mrs Wilson, if you'd accompany this officer back to the police station.
We'll be with you shortly - and thank you.
This way.
(ENTRANCE BELL RINGS) There were a lot of us working on the case at the time.
I don't know who she spoke to, but it certainly wasn't me.
We believe that Tomlin came here to expose you, to ruin your life as you had certainly ruined his.
Because he was innocent, wasn't he? They all say they're innocent.
Oh, right.
But you didn't care if he was innocent or not, did you? So long as you got your story.
We think that Tomlin delivered that envelope by hand.
'It contained a dossier for Guy's attention.
Articles that you'd been responsible for, along with a copy of the signed affidavit from Mrs Wilson detailing her sister's deathbed confession.
We know that Guy didn't open his mail immediately.
But by the time he finally did, Tomlin had already confronted you about it and you had killed him.
' (GROANS AND GASPS) No.
Not me.
Yes, you, Julia.
'Guy must have read the dossier.
Did he guess that you'd killed Tomlin? And what did he do? Did he threaten you? Threaten to go to the police? Well, whatever it was, you decided that he had to die, as well.
' (THUD) I really don't see how you can fabricate this without any evidence.
It seems very unprofessional.
You wanted people to believe that Tomlin had killed Guy and done a runner, mm? 'So you had to make it look as if Tomlin had left the hotel of his own accord.
So you went to his room, packed his bags But you couldn't risk being seen wandering around the hotel with his baggage, could you? So you dropped it out of the window' (CRASH) '.
.
and picked it up later on and put those bags in Tomlin's car.
' We believe that you dumped those bags on the way up to London, where you left the car outside Waterloo station to make us believe that he had done a runner to the Continent.
(TUTS) It would have worked out absolutely fine, if Eleanor Crouch had not seen you in the car park.
And Eleanor - miraculously - remembered seeing you the next day and thought that's probably a very important piece of evidence that she should tell us about.
So you decided to kill her too, before she could tell us what she'd seen.
(CRIES OUT) No.
Wrong again! We spoke to your previous editor, who said he had to let you go because you'd do anything to get the story.
Always have done, apparently.
So it wasn't love of the country that brought you out here, was it? You just didn't have anywhere else to go.
And that's it, is it? A few squashed flowers in a car park (?) Any proper evidence at all? Perhaps you'd explain how I was supposed to know Eleanor planned to tell you she'd allegedly seen me in the car park, when I wasn't even at the bar when she was boring people with it? I was with you and Sergeant Jones.
I had no idea what she'd planned! Where is Frederick Tomlin's body? You'll never find a body, because there is no body to find.
He's alive and well and congratulating himself on giving those sluggish country coppers the slip! I know that you are the murderer.
Arrest me, then! (SIREN WAILS IN DISTANCE) (WHISPER) Three big motives and not a shred of evidence! Doesn't look like she's going to be bluffed into a confession, either.
No.
What was all that about not hearing what Eleanor said in the bar? I mean, she knew she'd been seen in the car park by Eleanor because she was there.
Simple as that.
Mind you, there was an air of desperation about it all.
Why kill her at the hotel? Why at that time, with so many people about? It's very risky, isn't it? Maybe she had only just heard what Eleanor intended to do.
Could someone have mentioned it to her? No, I'mmeeting Garth to ask him to write a piece about Guy.
'Garth and Julia.
' Garth and Julia.
What if they were having an affair, eh? Julia would've kept quiet about that.
Wouldn't want to harm her relationship with Guy.
It was Garth who told her what Eleanor said in the bar.
GEMMA: Garth's working over at Drover's Copse.
I thought you'd spoken to him already.
It's just a few points, you know, we need to clear up.
Drover's Copse? Where's that? It's the turning just after the Malham road.
You go past Bonham's Farm.
Take a left after a couple of hundred yards.
Got that? Yes, sir.
Would I be right in thinking that Garth has got a girlfriend? He won't tell ME, but there is someone.
There was lipstick on his ear the other day.
He got all shy when I pointed it out.
(CHUCKLES) Thank you.
(BIRDSONG) (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) Hello? Anyone there? The turning's just up here, I think.
You think? Hello? Hello! Ooh! (READS) Eco Friendly.
(PANTS) (GASPS) (GASPS) You looked in the bag.
You shouldn't have done that, Mrs Barnaby.
Right or left here? It's right, I think.
Oh, no! As you were, to the left.
Sorry.
That's Joyce's car! Is it? Yeah.
(BIRDSONG) (SINISTER MUSIC) (NO AUDIBLE DIALOGUE) Joyce, what did I say to you? I just came up here for some charcoal.
Honestly.
Do you realise who this man is? We suspect he is an accomplice to the murders.
Well, not exactly an accomplice.
Apparently, Julia said she killed Mr Tomlin in self-defence and Garth only helped with the disposal of the body.
And Charlie Finleyson was a heart attack.
We saw him watching.
'Guy was away.
Julia suggested that we use the pool.
' (MURMURS TENDERLY) 'Julia panicked.
She mistakenly thought the intruder was Tomlin' Get him.
'.
.
the murderer.
She'd already told me that he was getting out of prison, that he'd sworn revenge on her for putting him inside.
' (ENGINE STARTS) 'I had no idea it was someone else.
' Hell! 'I chased him.
' (CRASH) 'I didn't know he was going to die.
' (GROANS) (MELANCHOLY MUSIC) 'It was locked.
I didn't know what to do.
' I didn't kill him.
You stole his wallet.
No! No, I just thought I'd better check his ID.
That's all it was.
I swear! And then, when Tomlin did turn up, he was suddenly dead, as well.
Julia said it was self-defence, but that you lot wouldn't believe her and we'd have to get rid of the body.
I didn't kill anyone.
I don't know how it all happened.
It's a nightmare.
He says, when Guy was killed, Julia denied any involvement.
And the same with Eleanor's death.
He suspected that she was behind both of them, but by then he was in too deep to say anything.
Yeah, I wanted to believe her, you know, butI knew.
(GROANS) So that's it? Erm, Mr Tomlin's skull and the rest of his charred remains are in that bag, over there.
Really, I only came for the charcoal.
It was a coincidence.
God knows what might have happened! It doesn't bear thinking about, does it? OK, maybe he wasn't the murderer, but given the emotional state he was in, he could've done anything! And he's no slouch with an axe, from what I've heard.
Oh, thank you, George (!) Yeah, II was wondering about the body disposal, because the temperature in those charcoal retorts doesn't get high enough to reduce a body totally to ash.
Hence the sledgehammer to smash up the bones and the teeth.
He was going to scatter the remains all over the woodlands up there.
And he confessed all to Joyce? Yes.
Handy, having a wife to do all your hard work for you.
It's the talk of the station, Tom.
And, talking of burning things to a crisp, I think your Cumberlands need turning.
Right! I'll take that.
On to work.
If the bumpkins were left to their own devices, all these byways would be overgrown, mate.
(CHUCKLES) Here you are.
Just down here would be lovely.
(WOMEN CHATTER AND GIGGLE) Hold up.
(OMINOUS MUSIC) Wow, mate, look at that! Shh! (ENTRANCE BELL RINGS) (SIREN WAILS IN DISTANCE) (SIREN WAILS) About ten minutes ago.
We need you here as soon as possible - ASAP.
(SIREN STOPS) (INSECTS BUZZ) We've done a PNC check.
The vehicle's registered to a Charlie Finleyson of London.
He used to live in Midsomer Sonning up until three years ago.
George thought you might know him.
Morning, George.
I know of him.
His wife reported him missing two weeks ago.
No obvious cause.
Time of death was something like two weeks ago, judging by the insect development.
Broken from the outside.
No wallet or ID.
The way the glass has interacted with the body, it looks like the window was broken at the time of death, or soon after.
(INSECTS BUZZ) Well, he certainly wanted to turn round in a hurry, didn't he? What he was he doing here, with his Chelsea tractor and his designer suit? Not your typical birdwatcher, is he? Miles from anywhere with a map and a pair of binoculars.
Do you know who lives barely half a mile away? Guy Sandys.
Guy Sandys, owner of Midsomer Life? It also happens it was Guy Sandys' wife who Charlie Finleyson ran off with three years ago.
Mm.
You're a very talented girl, Gemma.
I thought it was perhaps a little gruesome for the gentle folk of Midsomer? We have to tell it how it is, Julia.
That's what we're here for.
We'll go with it as it is.
Thank you, Mr Sandys.
Oh, Garth, come in.
Excellent article this month.
Thank you, Mr Sandys.
So, um how's the hedge-laying going? Not much work about, as it happens.
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
In fact, I started a new job today.
When you hear who I'm working for, I'm not sure you're going to want me writing the country diaries any more.
If Guy Sandys thinks he's going to publish this rubbish, then he's got another thing coming.
Who the hell does he think he is? Looks like it's going to be one of his nasty ones.
It's ever since you opened that off-road centre, you know.
That's what this is all about.
I know what this is about and I'm not going to put up with it.
The opinions of that dyspeptic dinosaur bastard! (HUM OF CONVERSATION) (DOOR SLAMS) Mr Tomlin, any plans for theday? No.
Right.
(DOOR CLOSES) (TAPPING AT KEYBOARD) It'd been sitting there for two weeks, or something! I mean, don't these people ever clear up? This is a public byway we're talking about! Yes, please.
I mean, we could've had kiddies with us! Mr Farley.
Did you have a pleasant drive? You extracting the Michael (?) I beg your pardon? Have you not heard about the body we found up on the hill? The dead body, mm? Blimey! I thought gossip was supposed to spread like wildfire in these parts! I think it's Remys all round.
OFF-ROADERS: Yeah.
Large ones.
Of course.
Morecroft bar, usual time? Right, see you later.
(ENTRANCE BELL RINGS) (KNOCK AT DOOR) So, we were doing a bit of green-laning up the back there and we had to hack our way through, and thenthere it was.
Maggots crawling all over it! Yeah, all right.
Sorry.
Wherewhere was this? Um Up the back there.
Erm I think it's calledDrays Copse.
(SHOCKED MURMURS) Drays Copse? Drays Copse? (SILENCE) What's that? The haunted wood, is it (?) (OFF-ROADERS CHUCKLE) What are you like, you people! Priceless! They're saying it's a combination of that hot weekend and it being the end of the season.
Can't get charcoal anywhere.
No, it'll be fine.
They say it's going to be an Indian summer.
(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES) Ooh, there's your dad now.
Cully sends her love.
Oh, Mrs Dixon! Hello, Cully, love! Did you get that? (CHUCKLES) OK.
Yeah.
Yeah, see you then.
Bye, love.
Simon can't come, after all.
They're not avoiding the in-laws already, are they? No, course not.
Don't be silly.
Now, have you decided what you'd like for your birthday? I've just walked through the door.
Could I have a moment, before you start all the questioning? You are, without doubt, the most difficult person in the world to buy a present for.
Come on.
Well, I never realised there was so much money in local-magazine publishing.
There isn't.
Guy Sandys made his money in the City, retired early and bought the magazine as a hobby.
Now, the crime scene's over there, and this is the only house within a mile of where the body was found.
(REVVING) Their faces went pale, and then they went silent.
It was like American Werewolf In London, you know.
Like, "Don't stray off the path," sort of thing, you know.
(CHUCKLES) "Woo! Drays Copse!" (LAUGHS) Bleedin' hilarious.
Ooh, I like those spots! That's tungsten, that is.
Very nice! Whatisthat? Oi, mate! They've called and left a message.
Who? The Transport Museum - want to know if you're were ready to donate it yet (!) (LAUGHTER) (SIREN WAILS) Mrs Finleyson? Yes.
Would you come through, please? Is it my husband? We've checked the dental records and II have to tell you that the deceased is, indeed, your husband.
I'm sorry.
Cause of death hasn't been established yet, but I'm bound to tell you there are certain circumstances which aresuspicious.
Thank you.
We need to know what he was doing where he was found, and that was on the bridle path that runs through Drays Copse.
I have no idea what he was doing there.
You do know where Drays Copse is, don't you? Of course I do.
It's 500 yards from my ex-husband's house.
I'd quite like to know what Charlie was doing there myself.
(KNOCK AT DOOR) I'm off to the Green Dragon.
Matt Morecroft's been on the phone again.
More threats about cancelling his advertising if you go ahead with next month's review.
Well, leave it to me.
Have you got his contract? Thank you.
See you later.
Bon appetit! My brother Martin works at the Morecroft Hotel and he phoned and told me that they'd found a body.
Can you tell us about the last time that you saw your husband? It was the morning he disappeared.
We were sitting at home in Kensington.
He was eating some cereal.
I left early in order to beat the traffic.
I assumed he'd just gone to the office.
And you've no idea what he was doing in Midsomer? No.
Not one single clue.
Will there be an inquest, do you think? Oh, yes, there will be.
We'll have to talk to you again.
Ben Can I have a word? Yep.
It was while we were looking over the SUV, found something we thought might be of interest.
And if you could keep us informed about your movements This is my brother's address.
I'll be staying there tonight.
Thank you.
We'll be in touch.
What's that? Found down the side of the seat in Charlie Finleyson's SUV.
It's a credit-card statement in the name of CHRISTINA Finleyson, with one entry circled.
A service station in Midsomer Sonning.
He was checking up on her.
Where's my glass? It's there, somewhere.
If you'd just leave it where I put it! I didn't touch it.
And you don't want to.
The last person that touched Eleanor's glass is still eating through a straw! Thank you (!) (LAUGHTER) Christina It WAS Charlie.
I am so, so sorry.
Charlie? What, the body in the car was your husband Charlie? Do you think you could give us a moment? Yes, of course.
I should've known.
I mean, he hadn't used his credit cards, the bank account was untouched It was obvious.
Do they know how? No, not yet.
Well, I shall miss him.
I mean, he was such a lovely, kind and warm Well, I don't know - such a genuine human being.
He just always had time for everyone.
I mean - Martin Mm? Sorry, can I ask you something? Oh, please.
Anything.
What on earth possessed you to get a job as a barman? Well, I've tried quite a few jobs since You know.
Once you're the wrong side of 40, it's actually not very - Yes, OK.
Look, do you have a spare front-door key? Use mine.
You know you're welcome to stay as long as you like.
Thank you.
Mr Tomlin Have there been any telephone messages for me? No, not that I'm aware of.
You're absolutely sure? All messages are put in the pigeonholes at reception, if you'd like to check.
What a peculiar man! In fact, if he had anything to do with what happened to your brother-in-law, I wouldn't be at all surprised.
(MEN MURMUR) What's that? Of course! Your old restaurant got one of Guy's reviews, didn't it? Is this the one? Hm? Oh! How extraordinary! It's fallen open just at the right page.
(READS) Crimes Against Gastronomy.
Could you look after the till for a moment, please? Yes, of course.
Oh, dear! (READS) A confection of overworked pretentiousness An amateur cook with all the culinary instinct of a lollipop GUY SANDYS: 'Vile sludge!' .
.
sludge.
(REVVING) So it's really just a matter of towing them out if they get stuck.
And for God's sake, don't give them any advice.
(OFF-ROADERS LAUGH) City boys don't like being told what to do.
It's all about making them feel good.
And don't come over all Countryside Alliance.
They come here to relax and we look after them.
Did you divert the stream through the old tip that was there? Yeah.
We put a hard core in the bottom.
It works fine.
(REVVING) (OFF-ROADERS LAUGH AND CLAP) Mrs Finleyson! Hello? Mrs Finleyson? Good afternoon.
You didn't answer.
I was hoping you'd go away, if I'm perfectly honest.
We've got some new evidence, Mrs Finleyson, which I hoped you could throw some light on for us, if you'd be so kind.
This is a credit-card statement in your name.
It was found down the side of one of the seats in your husband's Lexus 44.
You see that circled entry? That was for a purchase at the petrol station in Midsomer Sonning.
Do you know why that particular entry was circled? Well, it wasn't circled by me.
I know that.
Was it not? Do you know any reason why your husband would be, erm, curious .
.
about what you were doing out here in Midsomer Sonning? Mrs Finleyson, can you tell me, please, where you were on the day your husband disappeared? I was here, seeing my brother.
Didn't I mention that? You see, I had driven down from London to help Martin with his finances.
Ever since his restaurant went into receivership, he's been finding it very difficult to cope.
Oh, so you've come back here before? A couple of times.
Once on the day of the petrol-station entry.
I didn't tell Charlie, because my brother asked me not to.
He's been embarrassed by his situation.
Has the cause of death been established yet? No, it hasn't.
You know, Charlie had high blood pressure.
But I can think of no reason why he should suspect I was seeing Guy.
The idea is ridiculous.
Now, if you don't mind, I've got things I need to get on with.
I'm afraid he's out at the moment.
Is it about the body they found up at Drays Copse? It is.
Do you know where I can find - Is it true it was Charlie Finleyson? I had hoped I'd be the one asking the questions.
Sorry.
Habit of a lifetime.
Where can I find Mr Sandys? 'He's at the Green Dragon in Malham.
It's gastro-pub review day.
' There you go.
I will not be needing theparachute.
I will, however, be needing the seasonal vegetables which, I think, are included in the menu, if you don't mind.
(TUTS) (PHONE RINGS) Morecroft Hotel.
WOMAN: "Could I speak with Mr Tomlin, please?" I'm afraid he's not here at the moment.
Can I take a message? "Could you tell him Mrs Wilson returned his call?" And your number is? "He has my number.
Just ask him to call.
" (LINE GOES DEAD) I mean, I don't even know what all the hostility's about, do you know what I mean? I mean the countryside is supposed to be a leisure resource for everybody, right? (ALL MURMUR IN AGREEMENT) Oi! Excuse me! There's a farmer who has deliberately put a load of bulls in a field we wanted to go through.
Now, a bridlepath is a public right of way.
Why would he do that? Where was this? It was in a field at the Malham crossroads.
I think you'll find they were cows.
(SNIGGERING) Cows? When was the last time you saw cows with horns? (LAUGHTER) (HUM OF CONVERSATION AND LAUGHTER) Mr Guy Sandys? Yes? Sorry to interrupt your meal.
I'm Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby, Causton CID and this is Detective Sergeant Jones.
We need to ask you a few questions, Sir.
Ermay we? Please.
Thank you.
You haven't heard, have you, about the body that's been found in Drays Copse? No, I haven't.
What body? It was found in an SUV.
It's just been positively identified as being that of Charlie Finleyson.
Finleyson? Well, I can tell you it had absolutely nothing to do with me.
I can't think what he was doing down here.
I haven't seen the man for years.
Thank you.
Why do they always bring the vegetables and the pie on two separate plates? Does anyone know? Either I have to eat them separately, or transport the vegetables to the pie, having first made a hole in the pastry to put them in, or vice versa and dribble gravy all over the table.
Why can't they just put them on the same plate? Mmm! Actually, that's not bad.
Charlie Finleyson, sir? He disappeared a couple of weeks ago.
Tuesday the third.
On that date, or any time since that date, have you seen or heard anything unusual near to your house or along the bridle path? I don't think I was at home that day.
No, I wasn't.
Or that night.
I had meetings in town and stayed over.
Sorry.
Is Matt here? Afraid not, Mr Sandys.
Can I help? Well, if it isn't the old school tie himself (!) Do I know you? Probably not.
The grandee fund managers never had much time for us common folk.
I remember you.
The paint-ball champion! And what's wrong with paint-balling? (STIFLES CHUCKLE) Nothing.
You want to watch what you say, mate.
You haven't got your school chums to back you up here.
That's enough, thank you.
Are you mistaking yourself for someone of any consequence whatsoever (?) Come on, Brad, leave 'em alone.
They're not worth it.
You're lucky there's ladies present, mate.
Eh? Yeah.
No surprises about the clientele, then (!) Perhaps you could take a message to your new employer? Tell him the advertising contract is void and I WILL be publishing next month's review.
Henceforward, the magazine refuses to carry any further advertisements for his hotel - at any price.
Ever! I'll pass that on, Mr Sandys.
Thank you, Garth.
(CAR ENGINE STARTS UP) (BIRDSONG) (CAR APPROACHES) What the hell was your husband doing at Drays Copse? Sensitive and charming, as ever (!) Thank you for the sympathy (!) What was he doing here? Well, you tell me! What on earth would I want with a prat like that? I've told you, he's a waste of space! Oh, you bastard! (Bastard) Thanks.
Hey, how's the new job? Interesting.
Good evening.
Give us a minute.
(NO AUDIBLE DIALOGUE) He's going to what? Right Right, we'll see.
Matt, is there anything I can do to help? Have the new towels been laundered? That's not actually my job.
Don't you like working here? You've got that "Salvador Dali moustache" look again.
In purple.
It's the Merlot smile.
Oh.
Eleanor Mm? Safe journey home.
(CHURCH BELL TOLLS) Oh, pot holes! They should get them fixed.
(CAR DOORS SHUT IN SUCCESSION) Hello? Hello! Oi, media baron! What have you got in store for The Morecroft? What little nuggets of unpleasantness? Come on, you can tell me! Yes? WOMAN: "Is Mr Tomlin there, please?" Just a moment.
I'm sorry, I'm afraid he doesn't appear to be answering.
"Could you ask him to phone Mrs Wilson? He has my number.
" Well, I have actually already given him that message.
"Could you make sure he gets it!" (LINE GOES DEAD) (SIGHS) (REPLACES RECEIVER) (SIREN WAILS) On his own spike! Someone making a "point", perhaps? So to speak.
Anyway, there's no sign of a struggle or forced entry.
Estimated time of death between Have we got a cause of death yet for Charlie Finleyson? It's hard, with the condition of the body.
(SOBS) I wanted to check his diary.
I went in there to find it and he wasjust lying on the floor! I didn't touch anything.
I just came in here and called the police.
Who are theother regular staff here? It's just me and Guy.
And Gemma helps out in the office three days a week.
All the other contributors are freelance.
I'm actually an artist.
I know.
You do the illustrations for the Nature Diary, don't you? They're excellent.
Oh, thank you.
My brother Garth writes the column.
Well, I'm very sorry about what's happened here.
Do you have any idea at all who could have done this? Guy wasn't everyone's favourite, but I can't imagine anybody actually wanting to murder him! We need to know where you both were yesterday evening between six and eight.
I was driving back from Causton.
I had a meeting there with the printers.
Got back about half six.
I didn't bother coming into the office.
Guy had said he'd lock up.
He was working late.
I spent the rest of the evening at home.
Can anyone corroborate that? I'm afraid not.
I was at The Morecroft bar from six to seven.
I was meeting Garth.
We often go there for a drink before we go home.
We share a cottage.
Anyway, we must have left about seven, quarter past There was that package.
The hand-delivered one.
Um, it was a brown envelope.
Big capital letters.
Addressed to Guy.
I don't know if that had anything to do with what happened.
I put it on his desk.
Who was it from? No idea.
He hadn't opened it by lunchtime.
He probably took it with him.
He often did.
Erm (CLEARS THROAT) There's something else I feel I should mention.
My brother spoke with Matt Morecroft that evening.
Guy had asked him to pass on a message about how The Morecroft wasn't allowed to advertise in Midsomer Life any more and I have to say that Matt didn't look very pleased about it when he left the hotel, which was pretty much straight away.
Yeah.
Come on, when you're ready! Come on, come on! (REVVING) Babe, there's something wrapped round the front! Oh, the tyre! You're going to pay for this.
Or someone is.
(MOBILE PHONE RINGS) Excuse me a second.
Hi.
Where are you going now?! GEMMA: "It's Guy.
He's dead.
" When did it happen? "They're saying between six and eight yesterday evening.
" They want to look over Guy's house.
Julia's taking them up there.
"Sorry, Garth.
" OK.
Bye.
(TERMINATES CALL) Er, we need the wire-cutters, when you've finished communing with nature (!) (BIRDSONG) Miss Benson Miss Benson, was Guy Sandys involved in any romantic relationships at all? Yes, he was.
With me.
With you? It started after I began working for him.
Whenwhen I moved here.
It wasit was a magical time.
Was it serious? I couldn't answer for Guy.
I suppose not very, probably.
Guy wasn't a big romantic.
We didn't live together.
I just came over here a few nights a week.
We didn't make a big thing of it, publicise it.
Sir, there's a telephone number for a Mr Tomlin here.
Does that name mean anything to you? It's a local number.
Try it, will you? That can't have been very easy for you.
He was still hurting from the divorce.
She left him.
People take time to trust again, don't they? It's the Morecroft Hotel.
Thank you.
We'll be in touch.
Guy's lover.
No alibi.
Has to be on our list.
Julia! Are you all right? Oh, you poor thing.
You were so close.
Stop it! I'll be fine.
You can go.
I can manage.
Please.
If that's what you want.
I'm sorry.
It's just I've got to sort out the magazine and make phone calls on top of Guy's death.
Oh, you poor love We'd like to talk to you, sir, about your relationship with Guy Sandys.
Excuse me! Excuse me! It was fairly straightforward.
I disliked him intensely.
He was arrogant and vindictive.
I just wanted to say - That's enough.
I just wanted to say, Inspector, that I knocked on the doors of Midsomer Life offices last night.
It was aboutoh10:30, I think, and the lights were on, but there was no reply.
And your point is? Well, obviously he was lying there dead, wasn't he, of course? Well, I'm sure that if the officers want to talk to you about your invaluable evidence, they'll do so when they're ready.
We'll talk later.
Thanks.
I'm sorry about that.
My mother made it a condition of me taking over the hotel that I keep Eleanor on.
It's misplaced loyalty.
The woman's a hopeless alcoholic.
We understand you left the hotel at 6pm yesterday after a conversation with Garth Platt.
Where did you go? I went to see Guy Sandys at his office, about the advertising for the magazine.
But he told me I had to make an appointment - he had someone with him.
Who did he have with him? WellI didn't see them.
Whoever it was, was was in the office.
Look, II just went there to sort out this review thing.
Which you were angry about.
Actually, he was more angry than I was when I got there, if you really want to know.
Oh, really? What about? I don't know.
He had a brown envelope in his hand and he was cursing.
Mr Morecroft, does the name "Tomlin" mean anything to you? There's a gentleman staying in the hotel by that name, if that's what you mean.
His key's not here.
Could you ring through to his room, please? Yes, of course.
He's a suspect, is he? Pretty much everyone is a suspect at the moment.
You know, he spends a lot of time sitting in his car outside.
Very odd.
He could be watching Midsomer Life offices from there, you know.
When was this? And then there's that mysterious woman who kept phoning him.
Mrs .
.
Wilson.
(GASPS) Mr Tomlin hasn't picked up his message.
Now, there's a thing! No, II don't think I should.
Just give it to him! "Mrs Wilson returned your call.
" (SIGHS) Is that it? She didn't leave a number.
She said he knew it.
Of course, I dialled 1471.
It was "number withheld".
I'll need to see his room, please.
But he's booked in to stay another couple of nights.
Paid in advance.
Has his car gone? Well, it's not outside where it usually is.
I notice.
And no, it's not in the car park, either.
Red hatchback.
(BIRDSONG) Christina! There you are.
I'll be back after lunch.
My husband would still be alive, if it wasn't for you.
If you hadn't insisted on all this secrecy! Charlie thought I was seeing someone when I was coming here and he died believing I was being unfaithful to him, and it's all your fault! Well, I'mI'm sorry.
II didn't - God! Not content with ruining your own sad little life, you have to go and ruin everyone else's, as well.
And for what? All because you didn't want anyone to know how much money you'd lost in the biggest harebrained "my perfect little dream restaurant" scheme of all time (!) "Chez Martin" - home of the pork-and-pineapple profiterole! Actually, a lot of people were quite complimentary about my pork-and-pineapple profiteroles.
Oh, shut up! Please help yourself to anything you need.
The signing-in book is usually Well, it's usually right here.
Could you put that on my desk, please? Thank you.
Seems our Mr Tomlin has just been released from prison.
Murder? Do you think you could keep it to yourself, for the time being? Could you do that? If you wouldn't mind.
Yes.
I did tell you he was suspicious though, didn't I? My God! I did say that.
I knew it.
I knew he was weird.
Sorry about that, sir.
Yes (!) Do you think someone was paying him to do their dirty work? I have no idea, but I'd like to know more about this Mrs Wilson.
There must be thousands of them out there! Well, yes, I know.
I know.
Get his address from the signing-in book.
Get hold of the Chief Investigating Officer on the Tomlin case, see what he can tell us about him.
Murder?! (READS) A well-oiled receptionist.
The rooms themselves overwhelmed the odour of cheap toiletries and other less savoury things.
For some hours after leaving the establishment, I felt a little soiled.
He wasn't too bothered keeping the advertisers sweet or making a profit.
He was worth a lot of money after his time in the City.
Er, I can't find the diary.
If it's not here, I've no idea where it would be.
No sign of the envelope, either.
Do you think someone took it? It's possible.
Do you have any idea who he might have been seeing yesterday evening? He didn't mention anyone.
(CHURCH BELL TOLLS) I spotted him as being a bit odd straight away.
Didn't I? Excuse me.
I said he was weird.
Did you? You know I did! Right, I need to establish where you both were between 6 and 8pm yesterday evening.
I think Eleanor was here at the bar.
I think you were here for all that time, weren't you? Yes.
Drinking.
Up until after ten, I think it was.
And you were here behind the bar? I was here from shortly before six till quarter to eleven.
Well, apart from the time you said you went down to the cellar, which was what, aboutten minutes? And when would that have been? I don't know.
Half past seven to eight.
More like five minutes.
Who else was here at the time? BOTH: Just the two of us.
Yes.
Actually, now I come to think of it, ten minutes is more than enough time for you to get down to the Midsomer Life offices and back.
I mean, I'm just saying.
And I suppose, come to think of it, you probably have as good a motive as anyone, after that shocking review that Guy gave you about your old restaurant.
Absolute stinker! But isn't that right? If there was no-one else here, then there's no-one who can corroborate you being here for those ten minutes either! YOU could have nipped up the road and back again! And with the forthcoming review of the hotel, you'd have a motive, too, being a founding employee, what with his references to drunken staff! Now, I wonder who that was referring to (!) JOYCE: Who do YOU think it was he was meeting? We only have Matt Morecroft's word for it that he was meeting someone.
He could've been lying.
There might not have been anyone at all.
Have you seen the badgers? Pardon? Oh! She is so talented, that girl! You do like her work, don't you? Oh, I do, yes.
It's excellent.
What? Nothing.
What about Martin Reid? What about Martin Reid? Well, it wasn't just the restaurant that he lost as a result of Guy's review.
Everyone knows his wife left him when it went bust.
He has motive.
Possibly, yeah.
I know a girl who worked at that restaurant.
I could ask her about it.
Joyce Joyce, we've just discovered there was a convicted murderer staying at the Morecroft Hotel, possibly a contract killer.
Now, I don't want you getting involved.
Oh, Tom! I love it when you come over all protective.
Say it again.
Ooh, come here, you! Oh, I talked to Julia's previous editor on the red top she worked for.
Seems her leaving London was more "voluntary redundancy" than any burning desire to live in the country.
And she is the love interest.
Good actress or genuinely grieving? Hello.
Forgive the attire.
It's ait's a late start.
Well, would you like to come in? Thank you.
After you.
(DOOR CLOSES) Can we sit down? Oh, please.
So is the mysterious Mr Tomlin your chief suspect? Oh, yes, one of them.
Professional hit man does seem a bit extreme, but then, I suppose, they do exist? Using his real name doesn't seem like the most professional of tactics.
But we're not ruling him out.
Have you spoken to Julia Benson? Are you aware she was copulating with Guy on a regular basis? Well, thank you very much for sharing that information and ergood morning to you, Mrs Finleyson.
She's desperate to get her hands on his money.
Can't wait to get him up the aisle.
If I were you, I would have her on the top of your list.
Excuse me, but how would killing Guy BEFORE they were married, how would that help? Well, I just wouldn't trust her an inch.
When did you last see Guy? I suppose it was about half past four on the afternoon of the day he died, since you ask.
Yes, I'd gone over there to ask him if he knew wha Charlie had been doing there.
He denied knowing anything about it, so I came homeand that was it.
Ah! The intrepid off-roaders.
Tell you what: if you want your vehicles cleaned before you go, I've got a little brother who'll do it for a quid.
No, you're all right, thanks, mate.
Yeah, course.
I was forgetting.
You lot like to keep the mud on for when you visit your supermarkets in Wimbledon (!) Hey, tell you what, I've got some stickers.
"Genuine mud from the country".
Put one on the back there, if you like.
You what? Ah, leave it, Brad.
You'd think with all the income we bring to the area, they'd be grateful.
So how do you feel about Guy's review of your restaurant? He did me a favour, to be honest.
I'm just not restaurant material.
No, if Guy hadn't spelt it out, I'd have probably struggled on for years before I came to terms with it.
Come on.
There's more to it than that.
The bank foreclosed on you very quickly, after that review came out.
You couldn't have staggered on for a week, could you? And then you begged your sister to keep quiet about the situation.
It obviously hurt you.
And then, on top of all that, your wife ups and leaves you.
Who told you that? Oh, come on, Martin.
It's common knowledge.
Well, we'd grown apart by then, anyway.
Where's that coffee? We particularly liked the illustration of the young badgers.
Oh.
I don't know if you have anything similar It's for my husband's birthday.
Oh, that's the very one! I could frame it for you by tomorrow morning, if you're interested.
Brilliant! Oh, job done! Actually, best to make it tomorrow afternoon.
We're a bit pushed at work at the moment, what withrecent events.
I was so sorry to hear about Guy.
And we'll all miss his reviews.
Perhaps not everyone.
Oh Really? There's a fair bit of suppressed anger there! Yes.
It doesn't make him the murderer.
And the sister's a bit pent-up, as well.
Yes, isn't she just! Is there any chance she could've thought Guy was responsible for her husband Charlie's death? What, killed him in revenge? No alibi.
That's right.
Do you know where I could get some charcoal? You'll be lucky to find any now.
It's the end of the season, see.
And after this hot weekend we've just had And that's five.
Thanks.
Sorry about that.
Thanks, anyway.
OK, bye.
Oh, look.
There's Joyce.
Joyce! I just ran into Gemma Platt, our artist.
She says that Matt Morecroft tried to bribe Julia Benson not to run Guy's review.
She's the editor.
Yes, I know she's the editor.
Didn't I ask you - Oh, do stop fussing, Tom.
I'm not fussing.
Well, I can't help hearing things if people insist on telling me.
Well, I thought you'd be pleased.
I am pleased.
Oh.
I'll see you later.
Hello, Ben! Morning, Mrs Barnaby.
Mrs Barnaby has just told me that Morecroft had tried to bribe Julia to pull that hotel review.
How did she find that out? Oh, she has her sources.
They obviously don't think that Tomlin's the murderer, despite what some local "experts" think.
They're considering all possibilities.
Doesn't mean he's not their chief suspect.
Why else would he do a runner? They seemed to think a professional hit man might not use his real name.
Might just have a point (!) Oh, pot holes! They should get them fixed.
(CAR DOORS SHUT IN SUCCESSION) Of course, it is only the opinion of policemen with many years' experience catching criminals (!) Well, if they are looking for someone else, I might just be able to point them in the right direction.
Why doesn't that surprise me? If you keep your eyes open, you can see things.
Oh, yes! Gin and tonic, please.
I don't think Matt Morecroft would murder someone for a bad hotel review.
And even if he did, why would he then draw attention to himself by trying to bribe them not to run it? I wonder where she's off to.
(LAUGHTER AND HUM OF CONVERSATION) Thank you.
Look, I'm sorry about what I said yesterday.
It's not your fault.
Well, I'mI'm sorry for what - Stop apologising.
I said it's not your fault.
That's it.
I shouldn't have said what I said.
Oh.
Thank you.
I still think you shouldn't be working here.
I mean, especially for that jumped-up little Look, you're better than this, Martin.
You could have any job, if you just gave it time.
Oh! Huh! I'm sorry, did you just say something? Eleanor here thinks she knows who the murderer is.
Really (?) Sorry, what's that on your lip? Oh, er No, that's not what I said.
Actually, the police will be particularly interested in what I have to tell them.
It's hard evidence about what I saw in the car park.
I mean, WHO I saw in the car park.
And it's no good making faces.
Some of the locals have a strange sense of humour.
Don't take offence.
And don't worry about the barbed-wire damage.
We'll sort that out.
(REGULARS GROAN IN PROTEST) Martin, my man, I want you to give these guests drinks on the house, whatever they want.
(Don't you worry, I will sort it out.
) (BRAKES SCREECH) Ms Benson? Ms Benson! I've just heard that erMatt Morecroft was trying to.
.
- How shall I put this? - persuade you to pull Guy's review.
He's going to be disappointed.
It'd be a travesty to suppress any review in Guy's memorial issue.
You off to tell him, are you? No, I'mmeeting Garth, to ask him to write a piece about Guy.
(RAUCOUS LAUGHTER) If you'd just excuse me.
I assure you, I'm totally serious.
And what exactly did you see? Well, I think I'll save that for the police, if you don't mind.
You're quite the detective (!) Eleanor, have you finished the towels and the laundry? Ooh Perhaps you should finish that before you have another glass.
Sorry about that.
Don't worry.
She lives on another planet, your receptionist.
Has done for years.
Mr Morecroft Er, Mr Barnaby! Is it still all right to use the side rooms for the interviews? Be my guest.
Thank you.
Garth, could we have a word, please? Sir! A minute.
They found Tomlin's car in London - it's a hire car - parked near Waterloo station.
They're suggesting he might have caught the Eurostar an left the country.
Garth Guy came up to the off-road centre.
I told him Matt wasn't there and he gave me the message.
Tore up the contract in front of everyone.
"Everyone"? Yeah, the clients.
TheCity boys.
That Brad bloke was trying to cause trouble.
I think he worked at Guy's firm - they knew each other.
What sort of trouble? Stupid stuff about old school ties.
He was being an idiot, you know.
Chippy.
(MACHINE WHIRS) (OMINOUS MUSIC) (DOOR CREAKS) (CHATTER) (Tall one, beige jumper.
) Excuse me.
Is there a problem? I'm Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby from Causton CID and this is Detective Sergeant Jones.
We understand that you knew Mr Guy Sandys.
Is that right? A bit.
Not that well.
Enough to have a row with him at the off-road centre.
Well, don't you go anywhere, sir.
Need to have a little chat with you after we've had a word with Mr Morecroft here.
Please.
Guy Sandys was campaigning to have the off-road centre closed down, wasn't he? Was he? Did you argue about that, too? I told you.
He was seeing someone else.
There's no-one who can corroborate that.
I told Eleanor when I came back.
Eleanor Crouch? She should remember.
She'd better bloody well remember, because I definitely told her he was with someone else - Excuse me I was wondering if you knew how much longer it was going to be.
I do have to be somewhere.
We'll be with you, sir, as soon as we can.
Thank you.
(MACHINE WHIRS) For God's sake! She's back in the bar.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) REGULARS: Whoa (REGULARS LAUGH) (CHATTER) (TANKARD THUDS) If I could have your attention, please.
(SILENCE) Thank you.
Now, we need to establish where everyone was between the time Eleanor Crouch left the bar and the time that we found her, and that means we need to take statements.
(PUB CLIENTS MOAN) MAN: It's gonna take hours! Statements from each and every one of you.
Yeah, well, you are going to see us first? We are busy people.
And our time isn't worth anything? (REGULARS MURMUR IN AGREEMENT) Can I point out that Eleanor Crouch has been murdered and I'm sure that you are all very anxious that we should find the person or persons responsible.
Can I just ask you, please, to be patient.
(OMINOUS MUSIC) Excuse me a moment.
Sir, I was just talking to Martin Reid.
Eleanor told him how she'd seen someone in the car park the evening Guy Sandys was killed.
She didn't say who it was, but she was telling him how the police would be very interested.
Fax came through for you at the station, sir.
Oh.
So the suggestion is that Eleanor Crouch was killed to stop her telling us who she saw in the car park? How much longer? Why don't you shut up? LOCALS: Yeah! Right! Sit down, please, sir.
Try and be patient.
It's from the investigating officer on the Tomlin case.
He says he'd be surprised if Tomlin were a professional killer.
The murder he was convicted of was a sexually-motivated crime.
"He was previously a highly-respected member of the community.
" Tomlin was a teacher! "He doesn't fit the profile of any professional criminal.
" (RAISED VOICES) Well, people change inside, especially after 14 years.
Hm, yeah.
Maybe Tomlin had his own, you know, personal motive for killing Guy Sandys.
Did he kill Eleanor too? Why would he do that? Whether or not he's the killer, Mr Tomlin is certainly in the picture.
(RAISED VOICES) And I bet he was your bleedin' saboteur, an' all! Could you keep it down, please? Just pour the beers, Jeeves (!) He's been working for the bloke who wanted to close you down.
Of course it was him! He sabotaged the course to give you more grief.
He wouldn't do that.
Would you? Of course he would! You think I'd take your money and then betray your trust? You think that's the sort of person I am? He's just a yokel killjoy who can't stand people having more money and more fun than him.
If you were stupid enough to run your course through a tip and then divert a stream through it, don't be surprised if old bits of rubbish start turning up! Well, thank you for that (!) You're fired.
(ONLOOKERS EXCLAIM) Yeah, well, Guy always warned me what a prat you were! (LAUGHTER) Would you throw this man out, please? He's barred for life.
I think you can do that yourself.
And you can stick your miserable job, along with your rude, patronising attitude! (ONLOOKERS CHEER) I'm out of here.
Congratulations, Martin.
Well done! Hang on.
Who's going to serve us? I don't think the subject of who's going to serve the metro tossers is on the top of anybody's worry list right now (!) Who are you calling "metro tosser", mm? Hang on, Mandy.
Take it easy.
Well? If the cap fits, darling, wear it.
(CRIES OUT) (COMMOTION) Stop it! (MAYHEM) That's enough! That's enough! Stop it, stop it.
That's enough! Well, if you will get involved in pub brawls (GROANS) Keep still.
I would've left it to uniform, of course, but Jones was particularly keen to protect a very pretty young WPC.
Not that she needed much protection! She almost wrenched the arm off one of the Londoners when she was arresting him! He's gonna have his hands full if he gets involved with her! Maybe he wants his hands full.
There, all better.
Thank you.
The cells are full of rioting locals and off-roaders.
Still no nearer solving the murder.
Not one of your better days? No.
Oh, thank you.
Have you got any suggestions? Me? Yes, you.
Jones is always saying you do all my detective work for me.
Oh, no.
I just help out with a little local knowledge, when I can.
II was only joking.
Were you? Oh.
WOMAN: I was very interested to get your call - and surprised.
I'd thought we'd actually got somewhere with Freddie Tomlin.
It took him a long time coming to terms with what he'd done - you know, admitting it - but we were actually quite confident about giving him parole.
Did hedid he have much connection with the outside world? Visitors? The family virtually wrote him off after the trial.
You know, complete cut-off.
No, as far as I know, he didn't receive a single visitor Oh Except a couple of months before his release.
Yeah, a Mrs Jane Wilson.
Wilson? (DOORBELL RINGS) Can I help you? Mrs Wilson? Mrs Jane Wilson? Yes.
I'm Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby, from Causton CID.
Er, can you spare me a few minutes? I've been expecting you.
Come in.
Perfect! I hope your husband likes it.
Oh, I know he will.
No, my only problem now is to find some charcoal for the barbecue.
Well, you know my brother makes the stuff.
Really? He wouldn't have some to spare? Only about a couple of tons (!) (PRINTER BEEPS) Oh, er, Personnel Department, please.
(OMINOUS MUSIC) No, no, look.
This was 14, Thank you.
ELEANOR: 'No, I'm sorry.
I'm afraid he doesn't appear to be answering.
' But he's booked in to stay another couple of nights.
Paid in advance! Has his car gone? It's not outside where it usually is.
II notice.
And no, it's not in the car park, either.
I went to see Guy Sandys at his office.
I just went there to sort out this review thing.
Actually, he was more angry than I was when I got there, if you really want to know.
'He had a brown envelope in his hand and he was cursing.
' GEMMA: 'I don't know if that had anything to do with what happened.
' Mr Barnaby.
Miss Benson, may we talk? Of course.
Come in.
Thank you.
I wonder if you'd take a look at these.
Trust You said I could trust you.
I remember the story, but it's been a long time.
Mr Tomlin, who was staying at the Morecroft Hotel and who was seen watching these offices, and who subsequently went missing, is the man who was convicted of the murder in this case.
Really? Really.
And Mrs Wilson here, she is the sister of the chief witness at the trial.
That same chief witness to whom the newspaper for which you were working at the time paid a large, very large amount of money for her story.
Mrs Wilson, would you tell us what happened when you went to visit your sister in hospital for the last time? Can I ask what - Please, Julia, bear with us.
It won't take long.
I promise.
Mrs Wilson.
She was very sick - she had terminal cancer - and she was desperate to tell me something.
(EQUIPMENT BEEPS) 'It was about the big murder case.
The trial of Frederick Tomlin.
She told me she wanted to withdraw her evidence.
How, shortly before the case opened, she'd become much less confident that she could definitely identify Tomlin as being the man at the murder scene.
' Thank you for coming.
She said the people at the newspaper told her that she couldn't withdraw her evidence and if she did, then she wouldn't be a witness and they'd have to take back the money they'd paid her for the story.
But she'd already spent it.
'My sister made me promise to go and see the man who had been convicted, Frederick Tomlin, and tell him what had happened and ask him to forgive her.
Amazingly, he said she had his forgiveness.
' Unfortunately, my sister died before I had a chance to pass the message on.
And her evidence died with her.
Tomlin was due for parole.
Mrs Wilson's story, being hearsay evidence, wouldn't have been admissible anyway.
Not in a criminal court of appeal, that is.
But it might have been admissible in a civil court.
And Mrs Wilson here did agree to give evidence, if Tomlin decided to bring a civil action against the journalist involved.
And that journalist was you.
Stephens? Sir.
Mrs Wilson, if you'd accompany this officer back to the police station.
We'll be with you shortly - and thank you.
This way.
(ENTRANCE BELL RINGS) There were a lot of us working on the case at the time.
I don't know who she spoke to, but it certainly wasn't me.
We believe that Tomlin came here to expose you, to ruin your life as you had certainly ruined his.
Because he was innocent, wasn't he? They all say they're innocent.
Oh, right.
But you didn't care if he was innocent or not, did you? So long as you got your story.
We think that Tomlin delivered that envelope by hand.
'It contained a dossier for Guy's attention.
Articles that you'd been responsible for, along with a copy of the signed affidavit from Mrs Wilson detailing her sister's deathbed confession.
We know that Guy didn't open his mail immediately.
But by the time he finally did, Tomlin had already confronted you about it and you had killed him.
' (GROANS AND GASPS) No.
Not me.
Yes, you, Julia.
'Guy must have read the dossier.
Did he guess that you'd killed Tomlin? And what did he do? Did he threaten you? Threaten to go to the police? Well, whatever it was, you decided that he had to die, as well.
' (THUD) I really don't see how you can fabricate this without any evidence.
It seems very unprofessional.
You wanted people to believe that Tomlin had killed Guy and done a runner, mm? 'So you had to make it look as if Tomlin had left the hotel of his own accord.
So you went to his room, packed his bags But you couldn't risk being seen wandering around the hotel with his baggage, could you? So you dropped it out of the window' (CRASH) '.
.
and picked it up later on and put those bags in Tomlin's car.
' We believe that you dumped those bags on the way up to London, where you left the car outside Waterloo station to make us believe that he had done a runner to the Continent.
(TUTS) It would have worked out absolutely fine, if Eleanor Crouch had not seen you in the car park.
And Eleanor - miraculously - remembered seeing you the next day and thought that's probably a very important piece of evidence that she should tell us about.
So you decided to kill her too, before she could tell us what she'd seen.
(CRIES OUT) No.
Wrong again! We spoke to your previous editor, who said he had to let you go because you'd do anything to get the story.
Always have done, apparently.
So it wasn't love of the country that brought you out here, was it? You just didn't have anywhere else to go.
And that's it, is it? A few squashed flowers in a car park (?) Any proper evidence at all? Perhaps you'd explain how I was supposed to know Eleanor planned to tell you she'd allegedly seen me in the car park, when I wasn't even at the bar when she was boring people with it? I was with you and Sergeant Jones.
I had no idea what she'd planned! Where is Frederick Tomlin's body? You'll never find a body, because there is no body to find.
He's alive and well and congratulating himself on giving those sluggish country coppers the slip! I know that you are the murderer.
Arrest me, then! (SIREN WAILS IN DISTANCE) (WHISPER) Three big motives and not a shred of evidence! Doesn't look like she's going to be bluffed into a confession, either.
No.
What was all that about not hearing what Eleanor said in the bar? I mean, she knew she'd been seen in the car park by Eleanor because she was there.
Simple as that.
Mind you, there was an air of desperation about it all.
Why kill her at the hotel? Why at that time, with so many people about? It's very risky, isn't it? Maybe she had only just heard what Eleanor intended to do.
Could someone have mentioned it to her? No, I'mmeeting Garth to ask him to write a piece about Guy.
'Garth and Julia.
' Garth and Julia.
What if they were having an affair, eh? Julia would've kept quiet about that.
Wouldn't want to harm her relationship with Guy.
It was Garth who told her what Eleanor said in the bar.
GEMMA: Garth's working over at Drover's Copse.
I thought you'd spoken to him already.
It's just a few points, you know, we need to clear up.
Drover's Copse? Where's that? It's the turning just after the Malham road.
You go past Bonham's Farm.
Take a left after a couple of hundred yards.
Got that? Yes, sir.
Would I be right in thinking that Garth has got a girlfriend? He won't tell ME, but there is someone.
There was lipstick on his ear the other day.
He got all shy when I pointed it out.
(CHUCKLES) Thank you.
(BIRDSONG) (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) Hello? Anyone there? The turning's just up here, I think.
You think? Hello? Hello! Ooh! (READS) Eco Friendly.
(PANTS) (GASPS) (GASPS) You looked in the bag.
You shouldn't have done that, Mrs Barnaby.
Right or left here? It's right, I think.
Oh, no! As you were, to the left.
Sorry.
That's Joyce's car! Is it? Yeah.
(BIRDSONG) (SINISTER MUSIC) (NO AUDIBLE DIALOGUE) Joyce, what did I say to you? I just came up here for some charcoal.
Honestly.
Do you realise who this man is? We suspect he is an accomplice to the murders.
Well, not exactly an accomplice.
Apparently, Julia said she killed Mr Tomlin in self-defence and Garth only helped with the disposal of the body.
And Charlie Finleyson was a heart attack.
We saw him watching.
'Guy was away.
Julia suggested that we use the pool.
' (MURMURS TENDERLY) 'Julia panicked.
She mistakenly thought the intruder was Tomlin' Get him.
'.
.
the murderer.
She'd already told me that he was getting out of prison, that he'd sworn revenge on her for putting him inside.
' (ENGINE STARTS) 'I had no idea it was someone else.
' Hell! 'I chased him.
' (CRASH) 'I didn't know he was going to die.
' (GROANS) (MELANCHOLY MUSIC) 'It was locked.
I didn't know what to do.
' I didn't kill him.
You stole his wallet.
No! No, I just thought I'd better check his ID.
That's all it was.
I swear! And then, when Tomlin did turn up, he was suddenly dead, as well.
Julia said it was self-defence, but that you lot wouldn't believe her and we'd have to get rid of the body.
I didn't kill anyone.
I don't know how it all happened.
It's a nightmare.
He says, when Guy was killed, Julia denied any involvement.
And the same with Eleanor's death.
He suspected that she was behind both of them, but by then he was in too deep to say anything.
Yeah, I wanted to believe her, you know, butI knew.
(GROANS) So that's it? Erm, Mr Tomlin's skull and the rest of his charred remains are in that bag, over there.
Really, I only came for the charcoal.
It was a coincidence.
God knows what might have happened! It doesn't bear thinking about, does it? OK, maybe he wasn't the murderer, but given the emotional state he was in, he could've done anything! And he's no slouch with an axe, from what I've heard.
Oh, thank you, George (!) Yeah, II was wondering about the body disposal, because the temperature in those charcoal retorts doesn't get high enough to reduce a body totally to ash.
Hence the sledgehammer to smash up the bones and the teeth.
He was going to scatter the remains all over the woodlands up there.
And he confessed all to Joyce? Yes.
Handy, having a wife to do all your hard work for you.
It's the talk of the station, Tom.
And, talking of burning things to a crisp, I think your Cumberlands need turning.