The Northumbria Mysteries (2026) s01e02 Episode Script
Episode 2
1
- Come on - for socials.
- No!
Drinks?
Cocktails?
Jack and coke.
Fetch us a sparkling water, darling?
Dying of thirst here.
All in.
All in.
Fold.
Showdown.
Donkey!
Oh!
You are one lucky fish.
Why the hell would you call
with a hand like that?!
That's it from me.
Cash me out, dealer.
No, you're not.
I've got to be somewhere.
Thanks, Ace.
This better be straight.
Thanks for the game.
Night, all.
# The way I get to heaven
# The way I get to heaven
# Is to fall
# Forgiveness is a business
# I'll give them something
to forgive me for. #
- Was he robbed?
- Nope.
His phone and wallet were
found on the body, along with this.
It's about 25 grand here, I reckon.
It's probably drugs.
Money laundering, maybe?
Any ID?
Driver's licence and credit cards
all point to him being
a Jeremy Hare.
North Sea oil engineer.
Durham address.
The phone's gone off for analysis.
Let's find out everything
we can about him.
You can take a break, you know.
I'm just getting the last
of these tulips planted.
They'll flower in September,
apparently.
According to Brother Christopher.
God willing.
I mean, it just looks like
a tiny onion to me.
So, if any kind of flower comes out
the ground, I'll call that a win.
And how are you in yourself?
Never been better.
I mean, I'm thinking
about September,
when usually I'm not
looking beyond breakfast.
That's progress.
And have you recovered
from your crime-solving exertions?
Back to the quiet life.
I'm glad to hear of it.
A great player knows
when to cash in his chips.
Stakes are too high for me.
Oh, that's what I wanted to say.
There's a t'ai chi class
for over-50s.
Great way to channel the energy.
You fancy it?
Absolutely.
As soon as I turn 50,
I'll let you know.
HE CHUCKLES
Anything on the knife?
- Er, not yet.
- OK.
Turns out he's got
a wife and two kids.
She didn't even know he was here.
- Affair?
- Possibly.
We got into his phone.
He was off work last week
and he booked into the
Beach House Hotel in Seahouses.
He messaged them to say
he'd be checking in at 4:30pm,
which he did, and then he left
at 8:30pm and never returned.
Do we know where he went?
All his texts
were about a poker game,
mainly to and from a guy called
Rami and some to an Eleanor.
Quite flirty.
Flirty? How?
Oh, that is flirty.
That's Ace Dawson's
address in Bamburgh.
They tracked Jeremy's phone
to this address,
where it was stationary for five
hours before being picked up again,
driving to the beach in Alnmouth.
Next thing,
the dog walker finds him at 6:30am.
What would he be doing
at Ace's for that long?
Well, I'm pretty sure
he's not the affair.
Maybe Ace was hosting
the poker game.
Something's gone down at the game.
He's won some money off someone,
and they've gone after him.
It's a theory.
It's not a great one.
They left 27 grand in cash
in his coat.
They did, and that's
Maybe they panicked.
Or were interrupted?
Why would you leave a card game
in the early hours of the morning
and then drive to a beach
in the opposite direction
to the hotel you're supposed
to be staying in?
If this was a poker game,
we need to find out who was there.
I heard.
Tragic.
How well did you know Jeremy Hare?
Not very.
We were high rollers.
We were never friends.
- Did he do anything
to upset you?
- Yeah.
Had it away with my missus.
Do you have an alibi
for the early hours?
Yeah, I was here all night.
Me missus will vouch for me.
You could have organised the hit.
This is uptown Bamburgh,
not downtown Las Vegas.
No thanks to you.
Was this the first time
you'd played cards with Jeremy?
Poker.
Not cards.
He'd been here
three or four times before.
Usually lost.
Nice lad. Bit square.
Didn't lose that night,
though, did he?
No, he got lucky. Happens sometimes.
Lucky? How?
We're three-way to the flop, right?
Your lad's splashing about
with ace-rag, never in front.
Board comes. Ace-dry-dry, rainbow.
Ten-kicker just ships it.
Proper pressure, repping big.
Jack kicker tanks,
gets out the way. But him?
Chucks it in with
ace-deuce like he's nutted.
No redraw, no back doors.
Then bang.
Spikes the deuce, rivers it again.
Boom.
Table exploded.
What does that mean?
You're the detective. Why don't
you work it out for yourself?
So he won?
Yeah, but with a shocker of a call.
Did thatbother you, Mr Dawson?
Me?
No.
I wasn't even in the hand.
In fact, I found it quite funny.
Hmm. Who was in the hand?
Rami Ashraf and Eleanor Calvert.
It was Eleanor
who was the big loser.
I don't know, maybe 14 grand
in that hand alone.
We need the details of everyone
that was at the game.
What the players came in with
and what they went home with.
No problem. I keep a
note for next time.
Actually, Detective,
there's a game coming up,
if you fancy it?
No.
Now, Father David,
you know you say,
if you really want something
and you have true faith,
then God will provide?
Indeed.
Where is He on
..tea?
Going to have to make it myself,
aren't I?
You could try and pray.
- Sugar?
- Two, please.
Good to see you putting a shift in.
I hope you're here for the Lord.
Is that what you're
calling yourself now?
I need your advice.
Well, if it's about men,
don't trust the ones
that look trustworthy.
It's about poker.
You said something to me
that stayed in my mind.
- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.
Something like people, patience
Position. Yeah.
The three Ps.
What does it mean?
Well, you have to know
who you're playing against.
You play the player, not the cards.
Always wait for the right moment,
don't rush.
And make sure you're in the best
position to make your move.
It's true in life,
as it is in poker.
OK.
Well, what about this?
SHE CLEARS HER THROA
"We're three ways to the flop.
"My lad's splashing
about with ace-rag.
"Board comes ace-dry-dry, rainbow.
"Ten-kicker ships it.
Real pressure, repping big.
"Jack kicker tanks,
then gets out of the way.
"But my man chucks it in with
ace-deuce like he's nutted.
"No redraw, no back doors.
"Then, bang. Spikes the deuce,
rivers it again.
"Table's blown up."
That's really funny.
- Do it again.
- Sod off.
- Who said that?
- Trust me, he's not your type.
Now, justenlighten me.
Someone's called when they
shouldn't have and then got lucky.
Yeah, they got really lucky.
And that's annoyed the table.
So why would they make that call?
Just to annoy someone?
Well, no, either they're
drunk and just don't care,
or they're an amateur,
just don't know.
Or a cheat,
and they do know what's coming.
Well, whatever - the other players
would be very annoyed.
So who's angriest?
Well, ace-jack's angry.
Would have been ahead
but got out in time to limit losses.
Now, but ace-ten.
You know, they're really angry
because they played it right
and still got beat.
And that's a killer.
Right. Thanks.
Someone get killed, then?
Cos, don't forget,
I'm retired from police business!
Oh, I know, I know.
Oh! God, you're impossible!
No, no, no, not there.
It's disastrous.
Yeah, the food's pretentious
and the atmosphere's funereal.
Oh, yeah, much better. Yeah.
OK, darling. All right.
1pm on the 5th's perfect.
SHE CLEARS HER THROA
I've got to go.
There's a detective here to see me.
DI Rose O'Connell.
OK, I've got a lot on,
so if we can
This is about Jeremy Hare.
You were at a card game with him
last night in Bamburgh.
You are aware that he was
found dead this morning?
Of course I am. It's awful.
We have witnesses saying
he left the game about 2am.
Yeah, sounds about right.
And what time did you leave?
Er, probably about 3:30.
It's not what we heard.
Well, what did you hear?
Closer to 2:45.
Can you account for your
whereabouts after 2:45am?
Maybe it was 2:45.
I was tired, it was late.
And, yes, I drove home
and I went to bed.
Did anyone see you
during that time period?
At 2:45am?
How was the game for you?
Yeah, lots of fun. Always is.
So losing £20,000 is lots of fun?
Oh, I get it.
Because I lost a hand to Jeremy,
I followed him out of the game
and slaughtered him on the beach
before I went to bed.
Do you know how much I'm worth?
Page 17. The Rich List.
I'm on it.
Only number 48, but up from 50.
Congratulations.
Sorry, is this relevant?
Yes, I lost £20,000 to Jeremy,
but earlier in the day
I caught the big tech sell-off
just at the right moment.
So, at the end of play,
I was 150K up.
More than you make in a year, right?
Maybe I don't do it for the money.
Maybe I don't.
How well do you know Jeremy?
I mean, we knew each other.
His wife didn't know that he was
playing cards in Bamburgh.
Don't you think that's strange?
Listen, I would have never,
ever done anything to hurt Jeremy.
Besides, I was looking forward
to seeing him again.
Ace has got another game
on Friday night.
The only way I exact revenge
is at the card table.
And you can't play poker
with a corpse.
Now, are we done,
or do I need to call my lawyer?
No. No, that won't be necessary.
Not yet.
Eleanor Calvert and Jeremy Hare
must have history.
What kind?
The knife?
Right.
Yes, actually, talking of history,
a museum expert has identified
the murder weapon
as a gold-plated replica
of Tutankhamen's dagger.
Now, there can't be many
people who own one of them.
One of the players,
Rami Ashraf, is from Cairo.
What do we know
about his whereabouts?
We looked for him.
I mean, we looked into
all the players that were there
and the staff,
but he hasn't been at his address.
Although there has been
an ANPR ping on his car.
I'll follow it up.
Have you checked his social media?
Yeah.
Nothing of note.
Just pictures of him playing cards.
Let me see.
That's the knife that killed Jeremy.
That looks like the knife
that killed Jeremy.
He was killed with
that knife, Ma'am.
It has to be him.
It has to be Ashraf.
I don't get your hesitation on this.
It's too obvious.
And the evidence is circumstantial.
That's not a good combination.
He's not a fool.
He had a motive.
We know he was angry.
We're not so clever
when we're angry.
You taught me that.
He's on the move. Let's go.
Mr Ashraf! We need to talk to you.
Rami Ashraf, this is the police!
Open the car now!
TYRES SCREECH
CAR HORN BEEPS
Rami Ashraf, I'm arresting
you for dangerous driving
and failing to stop for the police.
You do not have to say anything,
but it may harm your defence
if you do not mention
something which you
later rely on in court.
I didn't know you were the police.
So you just like speeding?
I had £20,000 in the briefcase.
You could have been anyone.
And why were you
carrying so much cash?
Was it to pay someone off?
I'm a poker pro.
They don't accept IOUs.
The 20K is for a game Mr Dawson
is hosting on Friday night.
It's a special high roller event
with a 20K minimum buy-in.
Tell me about Jeremy Hare.
Oh, he's nobody to me.
He made you fold the best hand.
Did that annoy you?
You don't know the game, do you?
I know he raised you with ace-rag
and nutted on the river.
Correct.
But I got out of the hand.
And I made a profit on the night.
Ask Ace. I was four grand up.
What, you think I'd follow him
and stab him when I've won?
Let me tell you something.
I've lost thousands more
hundreds of times,
and nobody ever died.
What do you know about this?
It's my knife.
My lucky mascot.
Why?
Thisis the murder weapon.
Then it's not mine.
And when we find
your DNA all over it?
You won't.
Because my knife
is in the boot of my car.
Hm.
OK, so he had two knives.
This only matters if his DNA
isn't on the murder weapon,
and it will be.
He could have been set up.
Why are you resisting this?
Because he doesn't have a motive,
and everyone at that game knew
he carried an ornamental dagger.
Someone could have switched it.
This is doing my head in.
Ma'am, it has to be him.
No-one else has a motive.
Apart from Eleanor.
Those two are about more than poker.
If she had a replica dagger,
she could make the switch and Rami's
prints would be on both daggers.
Yeah, but so would hers.
We need to find out where
the second dagger came from.
There can't be a big market
in the North East
for gold-plated
Tutankhamun replica daggers.
The game was the last time
Jeremy Hare was seen alive.
The answer is there
..and I think I know how we find it.
Ma'am!
Ah, listen. I heard someone
got killed on the beach,
but I was gardening, or making tea,
- or stretching.
- Relax.
I've come to tell you
your paperwork's come through.
- My paperwork?
- Congratulations!
You're now officially
registered as an informant.
Is this a joke?
Because it's a bad one.
When you were helping us
with the crime at the Priory,
we had to submit
your application for clearance.
Right!
Well, it's been
a pleasure working with you.
Now, if you'll excuse me
- I need a favour.
- I'm no narc!
No way!
But it's your favourite game.
This is a high stakes
poker tournament.
Minimum buy-in £20,000.
Fantastic.
I mean, good. It's good.
We think the person that killed
Jeremy Hare was at that last game.
And we're particularly interested
in a man called Rami Ashraf.
We're interested in everyone,
not just him.
We also think Eleanor
might have motive,
so try and dig around with her.
You do know I have addiction issues
and I'm trying to keep myself
away from all of this?
You don't have to do this
if it makes you uncomfortable.
Are you kidding?
- I'm all over it.
- Good.
Now, let's go over your
cover story one more time.
So I heard about the game
and I got my stake by selling
my action to some old mates
who saw me playing the
Continental Poker Tour 2010.
- Will they believe that?
- Yeah.
It's normal for players
to sell their action.
Remember, this is taxpayers' money.
Do not gamble unnecessarily.
Think of the evening
not as a card game,
but as an exercise
in information reconnaissance.
I'll fold my cards.
- I'll keep my nose clean.
- Good.
Ask questions, focus on Eleanor,
and do not get caught.
And then there's Ace.
No!
- No way!
- It's his game!
You can handle him,
and I don't think he's a suspect.
Oh, and you'll be wearing a wire.
Are you trying to get me killed?!
PHONE BEEPS
- What is it?
- It's the forensic report
just come in.
Ashraf's fingerprints and DNA
are all over the murder weapon.
His prints and DNA, and only his,
are on both knives.
This is enough physical evidence
to go to trial.
The CPS will permit prosecution.
Well, that's it, then.
We've got him.
You don't have to
go ahead with this.
Well, thank goodness for that.
No! No, we go ahead.
Ashraf wouldn't be that stupid.
Poker players aren't stupid,
are they, Joe?
You'll be fine.
The tech officer will stitch
the wire into your leather jacket.
No-one will know it's there.
You hang the jacket
on the back of your chair.
DS Singh and I
will be in a transit van nearby
listening in through the wire.
You won't be able to hear us,
but we'll be able to hear you.
Oh, well, that's all right, then,
as long as you and Mr Tumble
here's got my back.
We need a safe word.
Safe word?
Yeah. We hear that, we come in.
Something that no-one else
at the table would be suspicious of.
HE HUMS
# I haven't seen a card all night
# I haven't seen
a card all night #
OK, yeah.
We hear that, we come in
and we get you out.
And have you sectioned.
Remember why you're in there
and do not lose the stake!
I won't.
I can promise you that.
Testing, testing, one, two, three.
If you can hear me,
flash your lights.
HE KNOCKS
Ah!
Looks like we have a new player.
Ace.
Joe.
Joe Ruby.
So tell me this, Joe Ruby.
Last time I saw you,
you were down on your luck,
so where does a no mark like
you get his bankroll from?
Some old pals of mine from the Army.
They've all bought percentages
of my action.
And why would they do that?
Maybe they saw me play a high roller
event at the CPT in Berlin, 2010.
I was at that event,
and I don't remember
seeing you there.
It was chaos.
Remember when the
Albanians kicked off?
Also, you and I
weren't mates back there.
We're not mates now.
Let's have a look at the
poker database, shall we?
You think they're on to him?
Standby all units.
Well, well.
There you are. Joe Ruby.
Finished fourth, 24,000 euros.
Looks like we have a high roller.
Cash buy-in only.
Welcome to the table.
So, Joe, tell me,
what did you do with your winnings?
I did the lot.
On wine, women and song.
Good lad.
Shall we play some cards?
Tara, you take the gentleman's coat.
No, thank you.
I'll keep it with me.
OK, Joe. Hold it together.
So far, so good.
I, er
I hear the last man
who won big at this table
didn't make
it to the following day.
What's that supposed to mean?
Nothing.
Just be careful what
you wish for, right?
I could tell you some
stories about Jeremy.
Yeah, I think we all can.
What stories?
Easy does it.
Very interested in this
Jeremy fella, aren't you?
Don't worry,
we're not going to kill you.
NERVOUS LAUGHTER
Ah, well, that's a relief.
Nah, I just heard some rumours.
What rumours?
It'll be his roving eye
that did for him in the end.
Liked the ladies, did our Jeremy.
Kids all over the place.
He had one from an earlier marriage
and two from this one.
Look, can we just play cards?
Maybe our Egyptian friend here
killed him.
The cops have already had me in.
They say my knife
was used in the crime.
So how are you here?
Seems there's more than one knife.
So
..who do you think killed him?
It was probably
just some local addict.
I told him about carrying
all that money on him.
She was sleeping with him. 100%.
How can you tell?
When the coppers came to see me,
they seemed pretty sure
that it was a poker beef.
But that's because they
don't understand the holy game.
Right?
They couldn't catch
a chicken in a phone box, that lot.
LAUGHTER
I swear to God
No, you're right, Ace.
People don't kill each other
because of cards.
They say it's nearly
always someone you know.
He was a good man at heart.
Let me assure you, Joe Ruby,
people get killed
for a myriad of reasons.
Raise.
Re-raise.
How much is in the pot?
Why's he asking what's in the pot?!
I think he wants to know
how much he should bet.
Yes, I'm aware of that!
All in.
All in? What does he mean, all in?!
I think it means
he's going to bet everything.
Yes, I know what it bloody means!
You asked.
Argh! Why did I trust that lowlife?!
Don't want to say I told you so.
Don't you start!
You only live once.
All in.
All in.
All in. Showdown.
Yes!
What's happening now?
- We need to go in.
- And do what?
No, we wait.
Yes!
Ah! Ye!
HE TRAILS OFF
You lucky sod.
BANGS TABLE
Was that a gunshot?
Maybe he wants us to go in.
He hasn't given us his song yet!
Sorry.
Just the heat of the game.
Nice hand.
You're a very lucky boy tonight,
so I think it's only fair
you come back next time
and let us have our revenge.
Yeah.
Course.
Can't wait.
What's this?
It's about 70 grand.
That's a profit of £50,000.
And how are we
supposed to explain this?
Well, that's your problem, not mine.
It wasn't my stake.
You bought 100% of my action.
We had a deal. You were supposed
to have a quiet game,
not go in there and take everyone
to the bloody cleaners
with taxpayers' money!
The only thing I promised was that
I wouldn't lose your stake money,
- which I didn't.
- If you're so good
at poker, why didn't you turn pro?
Well, for every time I won 50 grand,
there were four other times
I lost 20 grand,
so the numbers didn't stack up.
Now you tell us!
I was feeling lucky.
You didn't do what I asked.
Oh, no? Well, I can tell you this.
It wasn't Rami, you're right
about that. And Eleanor?
I think she loved Jeremy.
But I don't think she killed him.
- How would you know?
- The same
reason I took all her money.
I got a read on her.
The manufacturer of the ornamental
daggers has sold seven
to buyers in the North East.
All paid for by card,
so we can check those out.
Four more have gone to a single
reseller, an antiques dealer.
One Ned Bullard.
Have you spoken to this Ned Bullard?
Just got off the phone with him.
He sold two of them.
One to an elderly male
American tourist.
The other one was a cash sale
to a young woman.
White British, slim build,
fair hair.
Eleanor Calvert.
Looks like Joe Ruby's not
so clever after all.
What did she say?
Not too much.
- Seriously?
- I'll deal with this.
Right, before you say anything,
I'm in the market for a replica
Egyptian knife.
Not the only one with the internet.
And besidesI'm on the payroll.
Ned Bullard?
I'm DI Rose O'Connell.
This is DS Raj Singh.
We're looking for the woman
that purchased one of these
ornamental daggers.
Yeah, I've already asked him that.
Did she look around or did
she know what she wanted?
She knew.
- Would you recognise her?
- Yeah.
She wasn't your usual customer.
She was young and pretty.
Not a middle-aged man.
- Is this her?
- Yeah,
that's her all right.
Are you sure? Definitely this woman?
No, not HER.
The woman stood behind her.
Well, this is it.
The most recent
address for Amanda Burgess.
The reason her prints
weren't on the knives is
because she was wearing
white gloves.
They're not even part of the
standard agency uniform.
We should have spotted that.
She's only been here
for four months.
HE KNOCKS ON DOOR
Probably moved here especially.
She planned it.
Before she'd ever been to
one of these poker nights.
But why?
Could be political.
He worked in the oil industry.
Could be climate activists.
Or maybe she doesn't
like Sunderland fans.
Rumour has it he was a Mackem.
Wind your neck in!
When would a waitress
at a poker night
get the chance to switch the knives?
All the players are at
the table all evening.
Well, usually, there's
a break for 15 minutes
when they serve up the food.
Then all the players
leave the table.
Eleanor said Jeremy had
another kid, didn't she?
KNOCKING ON DOOR
- She's not going to answer.
- Of
course.
- Where are you going?
He had another kid.
How did you know she'd be here?
Because if she's done
what I think she's done
Amanda? Amanda Burgess?
I'm DI Rose O'Connell.
This is DS Raj Singh.
I killed him.
You can save your breath.
I killed my dad.
He didn't know he was my dad.
He left my mum when
she were pregnant.
He just walked away.
My mum had nothing.
She couldn't work.
She lost her job.
Then she had a breakdown.
And not long after, she
..she died.
I was put into care.
And when I was 18,
I got told my dad's name.
I emailed him.
Explained who I was.
I don't know what I was expecting.
Buthe wasn't interested.
He refused a DNA test, and he told
me to not contact him again.
I guessed that he had
a new family by now
and didn't want to acknowledge
a previous mistake.
I did some research.
Found out about his interests,
about the games.
Worked out who the agency was that
supplied the catering staff,
and I signed up.
Eventually, I infiltrated the games
so I could finally meet my dad.
I think I saw him at three or
four of Ace's poker nights.
He ignored me at first
until, one night,
he made a pass at me.
I already hated him, but now
So I said to myself,
the next time that I see him,
I'll punish him.
I knew that Rami kept a dagger
next to his chips.
Rami was so rude,
vile,
so I didn't mind making him
the fall guy.
And that night, when Jeremy left,
he gave me a tip,
two £10 notes,
and in between was a
hand-written note from him,
asking me to meet him at
a pub after the game.
I told him to drive us to
the beach near my house.
I wanted to hurt him.
I-I wanted his new family
to really understand
what it feels like to lose a
person that they love, but
..when I got to the beach, I didn't
know if I could go through with it.
I didn't know
But then hehe tried to kiss me
and so I pushed him off.
And I said to him,
"I'm your daughter!"
And he just looked at me
..cold.
It didn't matter to him.
Nothing mattered to him.
That's when I stabbed him.
God! He destroyed my life.
And now I've destroyed his.
And I thought that it was
going to make me feel better,
but it doesn't. I can't
stop coming here.
And I can't stop thinking about
his wife and his other kids.
SHE SOBS
Why do we behave the way that we do?
I don't know.
Poor kid.
Yeah.
And, listen, Rose, next time
..leave me out of it.
Don't worry, I will.
Do you want a lift?
No, I'm off to the pub
for a crab sandwich.
It's the best for miles around.
You in?
No. Thanks. I've got work to do.
OK.
Joe?
Well done.
What a glorious way to
channel the energy.
Clear the mind.
Think about what's really important.
I hear you're up to
your old tricks again,
solving crimes.
Oh! Jeez! Sorry. Gee!
Jesus! Sorry! Cramp. Oh!
So I wanted to tell you
about a-aa visit
I had today from the
Police and Crime Commissioner.
He said that funds allocated
from recovered assets have been
awarded to us here at the Priory
to support our food banks
and our addiction
support programmes.
Apparently,
we were nominated by someone very
high up in the community.
Well, that is good news.
How much?
£50,000.
Wow!
I wonder who spoke up for us.
I guess we'll never know.
- Come on - for socials.
- No!
Drinks?
Cocktails?
Jack and coke.
Fetch us a sparkling water, darling?
Dying of thirst here.
All in.
All in.
Fold.
Showdown.
Donkey!
Oh!
You are one lucky fish.
Why the hell would you call
with a hand like that?!
That's it from me.
Cash me out, dealer.
No, you're not.
I've got to be somewhere.
Thanks, Ace.
This better be straight.
Thanks for the game.
Night, all.
# The way I get to heaven
# The way I get to heaven
# Is to fall
# Forgiveness is a business
# I'll give them something
to forgive me for. #
- Was he robbed?
- Nope.
His phone and wallet were
found on the body, along with this.
It's about 25 grand here, I reckon.
It's probably drugs.
Money laundering, maybe?
Any ID?
Driver's licence and credit cards
all point to him being
a Jeremy Hare.
North Sea oil engineer.
Durham address.
The phone's gone off for analysis.
Let's find out everything
we can about him.
You can take a break, you know.
I'm just getting the last
of these tulips planted.
They'll flower in September,
apparently.
According to Brother Christopher.
God willing.
I mean, it just looks like
a tiny onion to me.
So, if any kind of flower comes out
the ground, I'll call that a win.
And how are you in yourself?
Never been better.
I mean, I'm thinking
about September,
when usually I'm not
looking beyond breakfast.
That's progress.
And have you recovered
from your crime-solving exertions?
Back to the quiet life.
I'm glad to hear of it.
A great player knows
when to cash in his chips.
Stakes are too high for me.
Oh, that's what I wanted to say.
There's a t'ai chi class
for over-50s.
Great way to channel the energy.
You fancy it?
Absolutely.
As soon as I turn 50,
I'll let you know.
HE CHUCKLES
Anything on the knife?
- Er, not yet.
- OK.
Turns out he's got
a wife and two kids.
She didn't even know he was here.
- Affair?
- Possibly.
We got into his phone.
He was off work last week
and he booked into the
Beach House Hotel in Seahouses.
He messaged them to say
he'd be checking in at 4:30pm,
which he did, and then he left
at 8:30pm and never returned.
Do we know where he went?
All his texts
were about a poker game,
mainly to and from a guy called
Rami and some to an Eleanor.
Quite flirty.
Flirty? How?
Oh, that is flirty.
That's Ace Dawson's
address in Bamburgh.
They tracked Jeremy's phone
to this address,
where it was stationary for five
hours before being picked up again,
driving to the beach in Alnmouth.
Next thing,
the dog walker finds him at 6:30am.
What would he be doing
at Ace's for that long?
Well, I'm pretty sure
he's not the affair.
Maybe Ace was hosting
the poker game.
Something's gone down at the game.
He's won some money off someone,
and they've gone after him.
It's a theory.
It's not a great one.
They left 27 grand in cash
in his coat.
They did, and that's
Maybe they panicked.
Or were interrupted?
Why would you leave a card game
in the early hours of the morning
and then drive to a beach
in the opposite direction
to the hotel you're supposed
to be staying in?
If this was a poker game,
we need to find out who was there.
I heard.
Tragic.
How well did you know Jeremy Hare?
Not very.
We were high rollers.
We were never friends.
- Did he do anything
to upset you?
- Yeah.
Had it away with my missus.
Do you have an alibi
for the early hours?
Yeah, I was here all night.
Me missus will vouch for me.
You could have organised the hit.
This is uptown Bamburgh,
not downtown Las Vegas.
No thanks to you.
Was this the first time
you'd played cards with Jeremy?
Poker.
Not cards.
He'd been here
three or four times before.
Usually lost.
Nice lad. Bit square.
Didn't lose that night,
though, did he?
No, he got lucky. Happens sometimes.
Lucky? How?
We're three-way to the flop, right?
Your lad's splashing about
with ace-rag, never in front.
Board comes. Ace-dry-dry, rainbow.
Ten-kicker just ships it.
Proper pressure, repping big.
Jack kicker tanks,
gets out the way. But him?
Chucks it in with
ace-deuce like he's nutted.
No redraw, no back doors.
Then bang.
Spikes the deuce, rivers it again.
Boom.
Table exploded.
What does that mean?
You're the detective. Why don't
you work it out for yourself?
So he won?
Yeah, but with a shocker of a call.
Did thatbother you, Mr Dawson?
Me?
No.
I wasn't even in the hand.
In fact, I found it quite funny.
Hmm. Who was in the hand?
Rami Ashraf and Eleanor Calvert.
It was Eleanor
who was the big loser.
I don't know, maybe 14 grand
in that hand alone.
We need the details of everyone
that was at the game.
What the players came in with
and what they went home with.
No problem. I keep a
note for next time.
Actually, Detective,
there's a game coming up,
if you fancy it?
No.
Now, Father David,
you know you say,
if you really want something
and you have true faith,
then God will provide?
Indeed.
Where is He on
..tea?
Going to have to make it myself,
aren't I?
You could try and pray.
- Sugar?
- Two, please.
Good to see you putting a shift in.
I hope you're here for the Lord.
Is that what you're
calling yourself now?
I need your advice.
Well, if it's about men,
don't trust the ones
that look trustworthy.
It's about poker.
You said something to me
that stayed in my mind.
- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.
Something like people, patience
Position. Yeah.
The three Ps.
What does it mean?
Well, you have to know
who you're playing against.
You play the player, not the cards.
Always wait for the right moment,
don't rush.
And make sure you're in the best
position to make your move.
It's true in life,
as it is in poker.
OK.
Well, what about this?
SHE CLEARS HER THROA
"We're three ways to the flop.
"My lad's splashing
about with ace-rag.
"Board comes ace-dry-dry, rainbow.
"Ten-kicker ships it.
Real pressure, repping big.
"Jack kicker tanks,
then gets out of the way.
"But my man chucks it in with
ace-deuce like he's nutted.
"No redraw, no back doors.
"Then, bang. Spikes the deuce,
rivers it again.
"Table's blown up."
That's really funny.
- Do it again.
- Sod off.
- Who said that?
- Trust me, he's not your type.
Now, justenlighten me.
Someone's called when they
shouldn't have and then got lucky.
Yeah, they got really lucky.
And that's annoyed the table.
So why would they make that call?
Just to annoy someone?
Well, no, either they're
drunk and just don't care,
or they're an amateur,
just don't know.
Or a cheat,
and they do know what's coming.
Well, whatever - the other players
would be very annoyed.
So who's angriest?
Well, ace-jack's angry.
Would have been ahead
but got out in time to limit losses.
Now, but ace-ten.
You know, they're really angry
because they played it right
and still got beat.
And that's a killer.
Right. Thanks.
Someone get killed, then?
Cos, don't forget,
I'm retired from police business!
Oh, I know, I know.
Oh! God, you're impossible!
No, no, no, not there.
It's disastrous.
Yeah, the food's pretentious
and the atmosphere's funereal.
Oh, yeah, much better. Yeah.
OK, darling. All right.
1pm on the 5th's perfect.
SHE CLEARS HER THROA
I've got to go.
There's a detective here to see me.
DI Rose O'Connell.
OK, I've got a lot on,
so if we can
This is about Jeremy Hare.
You were at a card game with him
last night in Bamburgh.
You are aware that he was
found dead this morning?
Of course I am. It's awful.
We have witnesses saying
he left the game about 2am.
Yeah, sounds about right.
And what time did you leave?
Er, probably about 3:30.
It's not what we heard.
Well, what did you hear?
Closer to 2:45.
Can you account for your
whereabouts after 2:45am?
Maybe it was 2:45.
I was tired, it was late.
And, yes, I drove home
and I went to bed.
Did anyone see you
during that time period?
At 2:45am?
How was the game for you?
Yeah, lots of fun. Always is.
So losing £20,000 is lots of fun?
Oh, I get it.
Because I lost a hand to Jeremy,
I followed him out of the game
and slaughtered him on the beach
before I went to bed.
Do you know how much I'm worth?
Page 17. The Rich List.
I'm on it.
Only number 48, but up from 50.
Congratulations.
Sorry, is this relevant?
Yes, I lost £20,000 to Jeremy,
but earlier in the day
I caught the big tech sell-off
just at the right moment.
So, at the end of play,
I was 150K up.
More than you make in a year, right?
Maybe I don't do it for the money.
Maybe I don't.
How well do you know Jeremy?
I mean, we knew each other.
His wife didn't know that he was
playing cards in Bamburgh.
Don't you think that's strange?
Listen, I would have never,
ever done anything to hurt Jeremy.
Besides, I was looking forward
to seeing him again.
Ace has got another game
on Friday night.
The only way I exact revenge
is at the card table.
And you can't play poker
with a corpse.
Now, are we done,
or do I need to call my lawyer?
No. No, that won't be necessary.
Not yet.
Eleanor Calvert and Jeremy Hare
must have history.
What kind?
The knife?
Right.
Yes, actually, talking of history,
a museum expert has identified
the murder weapon
as a gold-plated replica
of Tutankhamen's dagger.
Now, there can't be many
people who own one of them.
One of the players,
Rami Ashraf, is from Cairo.
What do we know
about his whereabouts?
We looked for him.
I mean, we looked into
all the players that were there
and the staff,
but he hasn't been at his address.
Although there has been
an ANPR ping on his car.
I'll follow it up.
Have you checked his social media?
Yeah.
Nothing of note.
Just pictures of him playing cards.
Let me see.
That's the knife that killed Jeremy.
That looks like the knife
that killed Jeremy.
He was killed with
that knife, Ma'am.
It has to be him.
It has to be Ashraf.
I don't get your hesitation on this.
It's too obvious.
And the evidence is circumstantial.
That's not a good combination.
He's not a fool.
He had a motive.
We know he was angry.
We're not so clever
when we're angry.
You taught me that.
He's on the move. Let's go.
Mr Ashraf! We need to talk to you.
Rami Ashraf, this is the police!
Open the car now!
TYRES SCREECH
CAR HORN BEEPS
Rami Ashraf, I'm arresting
you for dangerous driving
and failing to stop for the police.
You do not have to say anything,
but it may harm your defence
if you do not mention
something which you
later rely on in court.
I didn't know you were the police.
So you just like speeding?
I had £20,000 in the briefcase.
You could have been anyone.
And why were you
carrying so much cash?
Was it to pay someone off?
I'm a poker pro.
They don't accept IOUs.
The 20K is for a game Mr Dawson
is hosting on Friday night.
It's a special high roller event
with a 20K minimum buy-in.
Tell me about Jeremy Hare.
Oh, he's nobody to me.
He made you fold the best hand.
Did that annoy you?
You don't know the game, do you?
I know he raised you with ace-rag
and nutted on the river.
Correct.
But I got out of the hand.
And I made a profit on the night.
Ask Ace. I was four grand up.
What, you think I'd follow him
and stab him when I've won?
Let me tell you something.
I've lost thousands more
hundreds of times,
and nobody ever died.
What do you know about this?
It's my knife.
My lucky mascot.
Why?
Thisis the murder weapon.
Then it's not mine.
And when we find
your DNA all over it?
You won't.
Because my knife
is in the boot of my car.
Hm.
OK, so he had two knives.
This only matters if his DNA
isn't on the murder weapon,
and it will be.
He could have been set up.
Why are you resisting this?
Because he doesn't have a motive,
and everyone at that game knew
he carried an ornamental dagger.
Someone could have switched it.
This is doing my head in.
Ma'am, it has to be him.
No-one else has a motive.
Apart from Eleanor.
Those two are about more than poker.
If she had a replica dagger,
she could make the switch and Rami's
prints would be on both daggers.
Yeah, but so would hers.
We need to find out where
the second dagger came from.
There can't be a big market
in the North East
for gold-plated
Tutankhamun replica daggers.
The game was the last time
Jeremy Hare was seen alive.
The answer is there
..and I think I know how we find it.
Ma'am!
Ah, listen. I heard someone
got killed on the beach,
but I was gardening, or making tea,
- or stretching.
- Relax.
I've come to tell you
your paperwork's come through.
- My paperwork?
- Congratulations!
You're now officially
registered as an informant.
Is this a joke?
Because it's a bad one.
When you were helping us
with the crime at the Priory,
we had to submit
your application for clearance.
Right!
Well, it's been
a pleasure working with you.
Now, if you'll excuse me
- I need a favour.
- I'm no narc!
No way!
But it's your favourite game.
This is a high stakes
poker tournament.
Minimum buy-in £20,000.
Fantastic.
I mean, good. It's good.
We think the person that killed
Jeremy Hare was at that last game.
And we're particularly interested
in a man called Rami Ashraf.
We're interested in everyone,
not just him.
We also think Eleanor
might have motive,
so try and dig around with her.
You do know I have addiction issues
and I'm trying to keep myself
away from all of this?
You don't have to do this
if it makes you uncomfortable.
Are you kidding?
- I'm all over it.
- Good.
Now, let's go over your
cover story one more time.
So I heard about the game
and I got my stake by selling
my action to some old mates
who saw me playing the
Continental Poker Tour 2010.
- Will they believe that?
- Yeah.
It's normal for players
to sell their action.
Remember, this is taxpayers' money.
Do not gamble unnecessarily.
Think of the evening
not as a card game,
but as an exercise
in information reconnaissance.
I'll fold my cards.
- I'll keep my nose clean.
- Good.
Ask questions, focus on Eleanor,
and do not get caught.
And then there's Ace.
No!
- No way!
- It's his game!
You can handle him,
and I don't think he's a suspect.
Oh, and you'll be wearing a wire.
Are you trying to get me killed?!
PHONE BEEPS
- What is it?
- It's the forensic report
just come in.
Ashraf's fingerprints and DNA
are all over the murder weapon.
His prints and DNA, and only his,
are on both knives.
This is enough physical evidence
to go to trial.
The CPS will permit prosecution.
Well, that's it, then.
We've got him.
You don't have to
go ahead with this.
Well, thank goodness for that.
No! No, we go ahead.
Ashraf wouldn't be that stupid.
Poker players aren't stupid,
are they, Joe?
You'll be fine.
The tech officer will stitch
the wire into your leather jacket.
No-one will know it's there.
You hang the jacket
on the back of your chair.
DS Singh and I
will be in a transit van nearby
listening in through the wire.
You won't be able to hear us,
but we'll be able to hear you.
Oh, well, that's all right, then,
as long as you and Mr Tumble
here's got my back.
We need a safe word.
Safe word?
Yeah. We hear that, we come in.
Something that no-one else
at the table would be suspicious of.
HE HUMS
# I haven't seen a card all night
# I haven't seen
a card all night #
OK, yeah.
We hear that, we come in
and we get you out.
And have you sectioned.
Remember why you're in there
and do not lose the stake!
I won't.
I can promise you that.
Testing, testing, one, two, three.
If you can hear me,
flash your lights.
HE KNOCKS
Ah!
Looks like we have a new player.
Ace.
Joe.
Joe Ruby.
So tell me this, Joe Ruby.
Last time I saw you,
you were down on your luck,
so where does a no mark like
you get his bankroll from?
Some old pals of mine from the Army.
They've all bought percentages
of my action.
And why would they do that?
Maybe they saw me play a high roller
event at the CPT in Berlin, 2010.
I was at that event,
and I don't remember
seeing you there.
It was chaos.
Remember when the
Albanians kicked off?
Also, you and I
weren't mates back there.
We're not mates now.
Let's have a look at the
poker database, shall we?
You think they're on to him?
Standby all units.
Well, well.
There you are. Joe Ruby.
Finished fourth, 24,000 euros.
Looks like we have a high roller.
Cash buy-in only.
Welcome to the table.
So, Joe, tell me,
what did you do with your winnings?
I did the lot.
On wine, women and song.
Good lad.
Shall we play some cards?
Tara, you take the gentleman's coat.
No, thank you.
I'll keep it with me.
OK, Joe. Hold it together.
So far, so good.
I, er
I hear the last man
who won big at this table
didn't make
it to the following day.
What's that supposed to mean?
Nothing.
Just be careful what
you wish for, right?
I could tell you some
stories about Jeremy.
Yeah, I think we all can.
What stories?
Easy does it.
Very interested in this
Jeremy fella, aren't you?
Don't worry,
we're not going to kill you.
NERVOUS LAUGHTER
Ah, well, that's a relief.
Nah, I just heard some rumours.
What rumours?
It'll be his roving eye
that did for him in the end.
Liked the ladies, did our Jeremy.
Kids all over the place.
He had one from an earlier marriage
and two from this one.
Look, can we just play cards?
Maybe our Egyptian friend here
killed him.
The cops have already had me in.
They say my knife
was used in the crime.
So how are you here?
Seems there's more than one knife.
So
..who do you think killed him?
It was probably
just some local addict.
I told him about carrying
all that money on him.
She was sleeping with him. 100%.
How can you tell?
When the coppers came to see me,
they seemed pretty sure
that it was a poker beef.
But that's because they
don't understand the holy game.
Right?
They couldn't catch
a chicken in a phone box, that lot.
LAUGHTER
I swear to God
No, you're right, Ace.
People don't kill each other
because of cards.
They say it's nearly
always someone you know.
He was a good man at heart.
Let me assure you, Joe Ruby,
people get killed
for a myriad of reasons.
Raise.
Re-raise.
How much is in the pot?
Why's he asking what's in the pot?!
I think he wants to know
how much he should bet.
Yes, I'm aware of that!
All in.
All in? What does he mean, all in?!
I think it means
he's going to bet everything.
Yes, I know what it bloody means!
You asked.
Argh! Why did I trust that lowlife?!
Don't want to say I told you so.
Don't you start!
You only live once.
All in.
All in.
All in. Showdown.
Yes!
What's happening now?
- We need to go in.
- And do what?
No, we wait.
Yes!
Ah! Ye!
HE TRAILS OFF
You lucky sod.
BANGS TABLE
Was that a gunshot?
Maybe he wants us to go in.
He hasn't given us his song yet!
Sorry.
Just the heat of the game.
Nice hand.
You're a very lucky boy tonight,
so I think it's only fair
you come back next time
and let us have our revenge.
Yeah.
Course.
Can't wait.
What's this?
It's about 70 grand.
That's a profit of £50,000.
And how are we
supposed to explain this?
Well, that's your problem, not mine.
It wasn't my stake.
You bought 100% of my action.
We had a deal. You were supposed
to have a quiet game,
not go in there and take everyone
to the bloody cleaners
with taxpayers' money!
The only thing I promised was that
I wouldn't lose your stake money,
- which I didn't.
- If you're so good
at poker, why didn't you turn pro?
Well, for every time I won 50 grand,
there were four other times
I lost 20 grand,
so the numbers didn't stack up.
Now you tell us!
I was feeling lucky.
You didn't do what I asked.
Oh, no? Well, I can tell you this.
It wasn't Rami, you're right
about that. And Eleanor?
I think she loved Jeremy.
But I don't think she killed him.
- How would you know?
- The same
reason I took all her money.
I got a read on her.
The manufacturer of the ornamental
daggers has sold seven
to buyers in the North East.
All paid for by card,
so we can check those out.
Four more have gone to a single
reseller, an antiques dealer.
One Ned Bullard.
Have you spoken to this Ned Bullard?
Just got off the phone with him.
He sold two of them.
One to an elderly male
American tourist.
The other one was a cash sale
to a young woman.
White British, slim build,
fair hair.
Eleanor Calvert.
Looks like Joe Ruby's not
so clever after all.
What did she say?
Not too much.
- Seriously?
- I'll deal with this.
Right, before you say anything,
I'm in the market for a replica
Egyptian knife.
Not the only one with the internet.
And besidesI'm on the payroll.
Ned Bullard?
I'm DI Rose O'Connell.
This is DS Raj Singh.
We're looking for the woman
that purchased one of these
ornamental daggers.
Yeah, I've already asked him that.
Did she look around or did
she know what she wanted?
She knew.
- Would you recognise her?
- Yeah.
She wasn't your usual customer.
She was young and pretty.
Not a middle-aged man.
- Is this her?
- Yeah,
that's her all right.
Are you sure? Definitely this woman?
No, not HER.
The woman stood behind her.
Well, this is it.
The most recent
address for Amanda Burgess.
The reason her prints
weren't on the knives is
because she was wearing
white gloves.
They're not even part of the
standard agency uniform.
We should have spotted that.
She's only been here
for four months.
HE KNOCKS ON DOOR
Probably moved here especially.
She planned it.
Before she'd ever been to
one of these poker nights.
But why?
Could be political.
He worked in the oil industry.
Could be climate activists.
Or maybe she doesn't
like Sunderland fans.
Rumour has it he was a Mackem.
Wind your neck in!
When would a waitress
at a poker night
get the chance to switch the knives?
All the players are at
the table all evening.
Well, usually, there's
a break for 15 minutes
when they serve up the food.
Then all the players
leave the table.
Eleanor said Jeremy had
another kid, didn't she?
KNOCKING ON DOOR
- She's not going to answer.
- Of
course.
- Where are you going?
He had another kid.
How did you know she'd be here?
Because if she's done
what I think she's done
Amanda? Amanda Burgess?
I'm DI Rose O'Connell.
This is DS Raj Singh.
I killed him.
You can save your breath.
I killed my dad.
He didn't know he was my dad.
He left my mum when
she were pregnant.
He just walked away.
My mum had nothing.
She couldn't work.
She lost her job.
Then she had a breakdown.
And not long after, she
..she died.
I was put into care.
And when I was 18,
I got told my dad's name.
I emailed him.
Explained who I was.
I don't know what I was expecting.
Buthe wasn't interested.
He refused a DNA test, and he told
me to not contact him again.
I guessed that he had
a new family by now
and didn't want to acknowledge
a previous mistake.
I did some research.
Found out about his interests,
about the games.
Worked out who the agency was that
supplied the catering staff,
and I signed up.
Eventually, I infiltrated the games
so I could finally meet my dad.
I think I saw him at three or
four of Ace's poker nights.
He ignored me at first
until, one night,
he made a pass at me.
I already hated him, but now
So I said to myself,
the next time that I see him,
I'll punish him.
I knew that Rami kept a dagger
next to his chips.
Rami was so rude,
vile,
so I didn't mind making him
the fall guy.
And that night, when Jeremy left,
he gave me a tip,
two £10 notes,
and in between was a
hand-written note from him,
asking me to meet him at
a pub after the game.
I told him to drive us to
the beach near my house.
I wanted to hurt him.
I-I wanted his new family
to really understand
what it feels like to lose a
person that they love, but
..when I got to the beach, I didn't
know if I could go through with it.
I didn't know
But then hehe tried to kiss me
and so I pushed him off.
And I said to him,
"I'm your daughter!"
And he just looked at me
..cold.
It didn't matter to him.
Nothing mattered to him.
That's when I stabbed him.
God! He destroyed my life.
And now I've destroyed his.
And I thought that it was
going to make me feel better,
but it doesn't. I can't
stop coming here.
And I can't stop thinking about
his wife and his other kids.
SHE SOBS
Why do we behave the way that we do?
I don't know.
Poor kid.
Yeah.
And, listen, Rose, next time
..leave me out of it.
Don't worry, I will.
Do you want a lift?
No, I'm off to the pub
for a crab sandwich.
It's the best for miles around.
You in?
No. Thanks. I've got work to do.
OK.
Joe?
Well done.
What a glorious way to
channel the energy.
Clear the mind.
Think about what's really important.
I hear you're up to
your old tricks again,
solving crimes.
Oh! Jeez! Sorry. Gee!
Jesus! Sorry! Cramp. Oh!
So I wanted to tell you
about a-aa visit
I had today from the
Police and Crime Commissioner.
He said that funds allocated
from recovered assets have been
awarded to us here at the Priory
to support our food banks
and our addiction
support programmes.
Apparently,
we were nominated by someone very
high up in the community.
Well, that is good news.
How much?
£50,000.
Wow!
I wonder who spoke up for us.
I guess we'll never know.