Murder Before Evensong (2025) s01e03 Episode Script

1
Margaret Portis seemed to
think that you didn't get on.
Is that right?
Mixing with people like that,
it's upsetting the congregation.
But how did he convince the
gallery owner they were genuine?
Because they were.
The secateurs. Where are they?
That's where we're gonna
find the killer, Daniel.
In your congregation.
I'm sure you told them
about seeing Anthony
the night before he died.
Anthony Bowness was a pain,
on and on about his bloody
"Champton at War" stuff.
Ned, please.
I'm sorry.
When do you think
they'll be finished?
Should be back to
normal by tonight.
You know, that bit's easy.
The mess you can see.
It's the mess you can't.
That's the problem.
I'm going back to the rectory.
Breakfast?
Just a quick coffee.
What?
Oh.
How generous. You
really shouldn't have.
Nonsense.
I know a trencherman
when I see one.
My mother believes in
three square meals a day.
-Nothing wrong with that.
-On the same plate?
You're very kind. Thank
you, Mrs. Clement.
Oh, and please,
do call me Audrey.
Okay.
I made you some toast.
-No time.
-Not even for a few minutes?
No, sorry. I, uh
I'll see you later.
Ned
I really am sorry.
-I know.
You know I couldn't
tell you about Anthony.
You understand that, don't you?
Look, you've explained it all,
and I really have to go, okay?
Just
Just tell me nothing's broken.
Nothing that can't be fixed.
You know, if the
gallery owner's right,
then something happened
to Anthony six months ago
which meant he suddenly
needed more money.
It's the bacon she likes.
Right.
You know, there is someone
who might know what
happened to Anthony.
I'm pretty sure he didn't
forge the paintings himself.
He must have had a partner.
Find them, and we might
find out what happened.
Should get to Roddenham
in about two hours.
You know, this might be
a colossal waste of time.
Roddenham's where I was born.
And what do you expect to find?
Something. Anything.
I don't suppose
anything's jumped out
of Anthony's notebook?
No, not really.
It's not like a
code you can crack.
It's just a mixture of sketches,
sort of shorthand, and
inconsistent abbreviations.
Thank you again for breakfast.
It was delicious.
Oh, lovely to be appreciated.
I'd quite forgotten
what it was like.
Oh, remind me
You saw Stella Harper the
night of murder, didn't you?
That's right. On a bike.
She couldn't get away
from me fast enough.
-Why?
-No real reason.
Only she didn't mention
it when I spoke to her.
Well, she probably just forgot.
Yeah, maybe. See ya.
-That's ridiculous.
-Absolutely.
I didn't mention Daniel
because it didn't
seem important.
And you should absolutely
try telling the police that.
It's just a shame, that's all.
What do you mean?
Well, that you look
so well, guilty.
And the thing is, Neil's
not one to let it slide.
Like a dog with
a bone, that one.
Neil?
Oh, I'm sorry. Detective
Sergeant Vanloo.
We were discussing the case
this morning over breakfast.
Breakfast?
Yeah. We've built up
quite the rapport.
The thing is, leaving
out seeing Daniel
raises the question of
what else you left out.
-But
-And the next thing you know,
the police will be here
wanting an interview,
maybe even dragging you in
in full view of everyone,
doing that thing so you
don't bang your head
as you get in the car.
On the other hand, you
could tell me everything,
anything you might
have missed out,
and I'm sure I could
clear it all up for you
the next time I see DS Vanloo.
Neil.
It wasn't just Daniel I saw.
Stella saw Edgy the
night of the murder.
-Edgy?
-He was hanging around the graveyard, apparently.
Really?
Stella says that he
stepped out of the bushes
just as she cycled past.
Scared her stupid, she says.
Anyway, that's why
when you saw her
she was in such a
hurry to get home.
-Edgy was at the church?
-Lurking with intent.
You don't know that.
Why else would you lurk?
I mean, no one says
that he was lurking.
Except you.
What's known is that he was
at the scene of the crime
about the same time as
the murder was committed.
We know he's handy with a knife,
and he'd rowed with
Anthony earlier in the day.
Means, motive,
and the other one.
Opportunity.
Solves itself, doesn't it?
You're welcome, by the way.
Edgy?
You got a moment?
-Yeah, I was there.
-Why?
You know, I don't have
to tell you anything.
Of course you don't.
Perhaps you'd prefer
to talk to the police.
All right.
I was there because
he pissed me off.
Wanted me to put
all this stuff away
from his World War II thing.
Like I worked for him.
I told him I was busy.
How did he react?
Well, he started yelling at me.
That I should show some respect.
Know my place.
That sort of thing.
And then?
Well, I just walked away.
I had better things to do.
Not to speak ill of
the dead or nothing,
but he really was quite a twat.
What happened after that?
It was the end of
the open day, and
I'd had a beer or two.
Like, not drunk or
nothing, but you know.
And I was on my way home, and I
seen him coming out of the pub,
going to the church, so
I thought I'd follow him.
I don't know, maybe spook
him up a bit or something.
Like I said, I'd been drinking.
Did you?
Spook him?
He didn't see me.
He was more interested
in the gravestones,
which was a bit weird.
Anyway, I thought to
myself, sure, I could
I could scare the
shit out of him.
But what would be the point?
He'd still be a
twat in the morning
and I'd probably get sacked.
So I went home.
Okay.
Any particular gravestone?
Not that I could see.
Old ones, though.
Overgrown like.
Is that it, Reverend?
I best get back.
Of course. Thank you, Edgy.
What did he want?
Someone's been shooting
their mouth off.
Daniel.
Bernard. Getting some exercise?
God forbid.
No, no, I've just, um I've
come from the tennis court.
They're resurfacing
it at the moment,
so the, um, children
of primary school
have somewhere to
somewhere to play.
I'm sure they're very grateful.
Oh, well, let's hope so.
I can't imagine why, though.
I hate tennis. Always have.
But, um, no, we've let the
we've let the children
play there for years.
A sort of de Floures
family tradition.
Oh, this place, though.
Bloody money pit.
I know the feeling.
Mind you, if you do have a
spare 5,000 knocking around,
the church roof needs repairing.
Well, I'll check
my other trousers.
So, look, I, um I gather the
church is open. Is that true?
-Yes. I'll be taking evensong later.
-Oh, great.
Um, does that mean we could talk about Anthony's funeral?
-By all means
It's just I've got a couple of
ideas I'd really like to run by you.
Well, it's just rather
up to the police.
Oh, right. Yes. Yes, of course.
Oh, sorry. Rather
getting ahead of myself.
Look, why don't I check with
DS Vanloo, get back to you?
Would you? Thank
you. That'd be, uh
Thanks.
Sorry, darling. This, uh
this really isn't a good time.
I'm completely snowed under.
You know, if you'd have
rung, I would have said
What is it?
I found the remains of the
pictures you burnt too.
You were spying on us.
-Oh, come on.
Following me. Months and months.
You knew
-What else was I supposed to think, Jane?
and you pretended like
I was the guilty one.
Hushed phone calls?
Secret meetings?
All this time following me
with your your little camera
like I'm some bloody news story!
-You lied to me, Jane!
-I had an excuse!
What was yours?
Look, do we really have to do
this? This isn't the right time.
This is exactly the right time.
-Jane
-Don't.
You know
there were things from that
evening when Anthony died.
I mean, I had a
migraine, remember?
I went to bed, and when I got
up to get a drink of water,
you weren't there.
Well, then, I was
probably in the darkroom.
No.
No, no, you weren't
in the darkroom.
Well, then I was
probably in the garden.
No, you weren't in
the garden either!
I looked around the house
and you weren't there.
Where were you, Ned?
-I think you should leave.
-Just tell me where you were!
Get out! Now!
"The five towers."
The dogs need walking.
And you can't because?
I don't do dogs.
So you're gonna do nothing?
-About?
-Edgy being the killer.
-Well, I'm not sure that he is.
-You think he just went home?
-It doesn't matter what I think.
Canon Clement.
Yes, sorry, James. Go on.
What's up?
Prison just called the house.
It's about your mum.
She's died, Nathan.
I took the Land Rover
out this morning.
That gearbox is
on its last legs.
What have you done to it? The
whole thing needs stripping.
What is it?
That was, uh, James Hascombe,
the chaplain at St.
Christopher's Hospital.
Where you were
photographed with the
The AIDS patients, Yes.
His permission to officiate
has been revoked by the bishop.
It means that he can no
longer perform his duties.
He's
He's out.
Why?
He doesn't have
to give a reason,
But it's not hard
to join the dots.
There's gonna be a demonstration
outside the hospital later.
-Which you're going to?
-Of course.
It's the right thing to do.
The prison said she just
just stopped caring.
Not about anything.
I'm sorry.
The last time I saw her,
I tried telling her
the things I'd done.
You know, to cheer her up.
But she just cried.
At the end, when they
said we had to leave
I asked her what I could
do to make her feel better.
She said
"Don't come back."
The "old ones."
Come on, you two.
Nathaniel Tower.
His wife, Mary, and
their three children.
The five Towers.
Reverend?
It's not what it looks like.
I'm an alcoholic.
And I was Anthony's sponsor.
At AA?
He joined soon after
he arrived here.
I think he really wanted
to, you know, change.
I was two years sober,
and I was happy to help.
The trouble was he saw
me as some sort of
It happens sometimes. Uh
You help someone, they
they get their lives back.
They're grateful, and
they think you're
like you're their savior,
and they confuse those
feelings, and, uh
He fell in love with you.
Yeah.
Well, I tried to tell
Anthony it wasn't real,
but he wouldn't listen.
Did Ned know about this?
No, not at the beginning.
Then Anthony started
calling at all hours, uh,
leaving messages,
even following me.
So I had to tell Ned
what had happened.
I couldn't keep it
a secret anymore.
Well, how did he react?
Well, he understood.
At least I I thought he did,
But he didn't want me
to have anything more
to do with Anthony,
which is how I
felt, to be honest.
So I told Anthony he needed
to find a new sponsor.
-Did he?
-No.
Instead he stopped
coming to meetings.
I was afraid for him
that he might go and
After all that effort.
So I started helping him again.
We'd meet.
Secretly.
But Ned didn't know?
No. No, I didn't dare.
And bloody Stella,
she she said she saw
me and Anthony together,
and it was in
front of Ned and
So helpful.
Oh, I mean, she knew what
she was doing, didn't she?
I'm scared.
I'm afraid he thought
I was having an affair
and that
What?
Well, the night Anthony
was killed, um
Ned wasn't at home.
And I don't know what to do.
I think you do.
Mrs. Thwaite. What
can I do for you?
It's about my husband.
You're not wearing that.
Of course I am.
You're going to a
demonstration wearing that?
-Why wouldn't I?
-Because you'll be seen.
Isn't that the general idea?
Don't be obtuse.
It's unbecoming.
Look, if you have to go,
just keep a safe
distance from the action.
And how far would
that be, exactly?
How do you feel
about Kidderminster?
See you later.
Yeah, yeah. No, I think
that should be fine.
We can make that work.
Sorry. I'm, uh I'm gonna
have to call you back.
Mr. Thwaite.
Can we have a word?
AIDS isn't
prejudiced, the Church is!
Fight AIDS, not
gays!
AIDS isn't prejudiced,
the Church is!
Fight AIDS, not gays!
AIDS isn't prejudiced,
the Church is!
Fight AIDS, not gays!
AIDS isn't prejudiced,
the Church is!
Fight AIDS, not gays!
AIDS isn't prejudiced,
the Church is!
Fight AIDS, not gays!
AIDS isn't prejudiced
So, I've booked the two of you
on the overnight train from
Calais to Aix-en-Provence.
Very good.
And can you arrange
the hire car in Aix?
They say it's the best
way to get around.
Of course. If I could just
get your driving license.
Now?
Well, I need the number
for the hire car.
Oh, I didn't realize.
It's at home.
Could I use your phone?
Um
Thank you.
Ah!
Ow!
Probably in the garden.
We printed these from the
negatives your wife found.
Did you take these pictures?
Yes.
Why did you burn the originals?
I'm here outside St.
Christopher's Hospital,
where a protest is taking place
following the recent sacking
of Chaplain James Hascombe.
Get out of the way.
his work amongst
AIDS patients.
Hey! Move, you poofters!
Yeah, you heard me.
-Have you got a problem?
We've got as much
right to be here as
take your bloody hands off!
Aah!
Please. This is
really unnecessary.
I wasn't even doing anything.
Get!
Where were you the evening
Anthony Bowness was killed?
I was out walking.
Did anyone see you?
Not that I know of.
Look, I'd been in the darkroom
developing the pictures
that I'd taken at the open day.
But I needed some air,
so I went for a walk.
Pictures like this, hmm?
So we know you thought your
wife was having an affair.
We know you'd spent some time
gathering, as you saw it, proof.
A photographic record of
her infidelity with a man
you've already admitted
you didn't like,
who you thought was
arrogant, entitled.
No. That's not
I'm thinking how angry, how
resentful you must have been.
And then you develop
this picture of them both
together in plain sight.
I'm wondering how
much that hurt.
Oh, no.
You believed Anthony Bowness
was having an affair
with your wife.
And you can't account
for your whereabouts
at the time of
Mr. Bowness' death.
So I'm asking myself if you confronted him
-No.
-And in the heat of the moment
-No.
And afterwards you
burnt the pictures
so you could feign ignorance
of your wife's friendship!
Because if you didn't know,
you couldn't have a motive.
No.
Look, you're right.
I didn't like him.
And I was angry, and I needed
to get out of the house.
And if I had met him, then who
knows what I would have done?
But I didn't.
Once they're signed
in, put them in holding
while they're being processed.
That'll shut 'em up.
Even the vicar?
Especially the vicar.
What are you doing here?
It's a long story.
She, um
She turned me in.
They think I might have
killed Anthony because she
Jane didn't do it
lightly, Ned. Believe me.
-What?
-Try to see it from
Wait. You knew?
It's a bloody conspiracy.
Oh!
Oh, Dora!
Finally.
Oh. Uh don't move.
Is that a joke?
I'll be right down. Oh, Dora.
Oh, no. Look at this. Oh, no!
Oh, Dora!
Hello. It's the Champton One.
Very funny.
Heh.
Cheers.
Now, quick.
I'll create a distraction,
and you can climb out
the window in the gents.
You're enjoying
this, aren't you?
Actually, I'm here to
say you're free to go.
You're just getting a caution.
-Really?
A slap on the wrist.
Next time you won't
get off so lightly.
What makes you think
there'll be a next time?
Come on.
Saw Ned Thwaite earlier,
when I was being booked.
-Yeah.
-And?
Well, he stuck to his story,
even though he
hasn't got an alibi
and definitely had a motive.
At least he thought he had one.
I had to let him go.
I've got no proof.
There's no physical evidence,
and I can't place
him at the scene.
But you still suspect him?
Right now, yeah, I think I do.
Right.
Come on, Al Capone.
I'll buy you a drink.
Thanks.
So, do you maybe want to tell me
what the hell you were thinking?
You'll have ruffled
a lot of feathers.
-I know.
-Including your letter writer.
Any word from the lab?
Sorry.
Whoever it is is
still out there,
and we're no closer to
knowing who they are.
Well, between them
and the bishop,
it'll be a race to see who
can stick the knife in first.
Oh, um, Bernard was asking
me about Anthony's funeral.
He'll have to wait, I'm afraid.
I can't release the body while
the investigation is ongoing.
-He won't like that.
-Yeah, well
Did you know that
Edgy was at the church
the night Anthony died?
No, I didn't.
I still think I
should call a doctor.
It's just a sprain.
Last thing I want.
Just let him take a look.
No! No doctors.
That's right, because they
don't know anything, do they?
-That's not what I meant.
-What were you thinking?
I told you to rest.
All I did was run a bath.
I thought it would
make me feel better.
But what if you'd felt
worse, needed help?
You could have drowned.
-Well, I didn't.
No, you left it running
to answer the phone.
Because you were ringing.
Oh, don't blame me
for this. Look at it.
The carpets, the
woodwork, the electrics.
Which the insurance will cover.
I'm sorry.
It was a stupid thing to do.
You scared me.
I know.
Sorry, so Anthony's gonna have
to just stay like that until
-I'm sorry.
-Do you know how it's going?
I'm not sure.
It just seems you're very
tight with this detective.
Does this chap have
any theories, suspects?
You can't ask him that, Pa.
Besides, even if he knew,
he couldn't tell us.
That's right, isn't it?
-It's not really my place.
-Why not?
Does the man think
we're all suspects?
Anyway, I just
wanted you to know.
Right. Thank you.
Why don't I show you out.
It really is very good.
If you say so. Not
my sort of thing.
Something funny?
No, actually.
Not really.
You left, taking
your only possession ♪
Your culture ♪
To enter a world
known for hacklings ♪
In abundance, yeah ♪
Reverend. What can I do for you?
Well, let's start with you
forging your father's paintings,
and we'll go from
there, shall we?
Anthony always fancied
himself as a bit of an expert.
And mostly what he came up with
was "Look and Learn"
-level bollocks.
Anyway, he was
whanging on one day
about the Impressionists,
showing off his knowledge
about their technique,
or trying to.
And I said, "It's not so hard
if you know what you're doing."
He said, "You art students.
You don't know what
you're talking about."
So I copied one of
Monet's "Water Lilies."
It was pretty good.
Good enough to shut
him up, at any rate.
And I thought that was that
until a few days later.
He came in here all excited,
wanting to know if
I can copy anything.
And you can?
Pretty much.
I mean, I couldn't
trick an expert,
but Anthony said
that didn't matter.
He had a plan, see?
The only person
I had to trick
Was your father.
Yeah.
So what happened?
So the first one we
did, uh, a "Rouen,"
sold really quickly.
And it felt kind of good
replacing the original
with something I'd done
and getting away with it.
But it wasn't just one.
If only.
We did another and then another.
And I liked getting
the extra dosh,
but after a while it
all got a bit boring.
So I started doing
little things.
Just to keep it interesting.
It was funny, all
this art on the wall
and no one looking at any of it.
Like putting a Walkman into
a Parisian street scene.
I'm sorry it was
a wasted journey.
I had to go.
If only to prove to
myself it was a dead end.
What now?
There's no records,
no leads, nothing.
Forget the needle, I can't
even find the haystack.
The only thing I did find out,
there's a big
house at Roddenham.
Used to be owned by a cousin
of the old Lord de Floures.
Really?
I was asking around, you know,
just in case anyone remembered a
local girl getting into trouble.
Got chatting to this old lady
who'd worked there
before the war.
Seems he had quite
a good system.
If any of the staff got
pregnant at Roddenham,
they'd cart them off down here
where she could safely have the
baby without anyone knowing.
Maybe that's what
happened with you.
How do you mean?
Well, what if it
worked both ways?
If girls went from
Roddenham to here,
then why not in the
other direction?
You mean my mum could have
been originally from here
and went to the Roddenham
estate to have me?
I mean, it's a
possibility, isn't it?
Yeah.
Yeah.
The gallery owner
said that Anthony
suddenly needed money
about six months ago.
Do you know why?
All I know is he wanted to
sell even more paintings.
I told him he'd have to wait,
I wasn't a bloody
miracle worker.
I bet he didn't like that.
Yeah, but there wasn't a whole
lot he could do about it.
Didn't stop him
from pushing, mind.
Even when Pa found out.
He told me at the open day.
To be honest, I was relieved.
I thought that would
definitely be the end of it.
But it wasn't?
He told me Pa wasn't
going to do anything.
We might have to wait a bit,
but then we'd just pick
up where we left off
like nothing had happened.
I told him again to find
someone else, but he
he said Pa didn't
know I was involved.
He said if I didn't carry
on, he'd tell him about me.
Sounds a lot like blackmail.
Yeah.
And that's what you were
arguing about at the open day?
So what now?
Well, the police should be told.
Why?
You have a motive, Alex.
Wait a minute. You
can't possibly think
Uh, what do you mean,
he has a motive?
You just know he's gonna go back
and tell the cops
everything, don't you?
They'll ask you where you were.
You'll have to tell them.
No.
Alex.
No.
Jesus.
Alex.
Jane?
Jane?
What have you done?
Blustery old evening, isn't it?
It is, isn't it?
I had a visit from
the reverend today.
We had a nice chat.
-Oh, yes?
-Yeah.
About how you said you
saw me in the graveyard
the night of the murder.
You shouldn't have done that.
Well, I don't see why not.
If you've done nothing wrong,
you've got nothing to hide.
No, no, no.
You see, what I do,
where I go, that's my business.
And you need to keep out of it.
-If you think for a moment you can threaten me.
-Shh. Shh.
Now, I've asked
you once. Nicely.
Don't make me ask you again.
The demonstration
started quietly enough,
but things soon got out of hand.
Scuffles broke out between
protesters and the crowd
until the police were
forced to intervene.
They made several arrests,
detaining the ringleaders
and some of the
worst troublemakers,
including a local vicar,
Canon Daniel Clement,
whose parish is
in nearby Champ
Don't start.
I'm not saying anything.
Good.
I mean, I could say you
didn't need to be a genius
to see this was all
going to end in tears,
that even as we speak,
Bishop Creggan is
doubtless deciding
how best to rid himself of
yet another turbulent priest.
I could say I told you so.
Then again, I'm not the type.
Came to say goodbye.
I wanted you to hear it from me.
Because you're going to need
another organist, I'm afraid.
I'm going to stay with
my sister in Leeds.
Well, how long for?
I don't know.
I don't know if I'll come back.
I don't even know if I
have a marriage anymore.
Have you spoken to Ned?
Shouldn't he at least
be given the chance
to tell his side of the story?
Not if he's a murderer.
You know, I don't really think
that you came here
to tell me to my face
that I was losing my organist.
You could have easily phoned.
I think you came here
looking for someone
to tell you you're
doing the right thing.
Well?
Am I?
Only you can decide.
But the police haven't
charged Ned with anything.
And they may never.
He still lied to me.
As you did to him.
Right now he is all alone
with the police
breathing down his neck.
And the one person in the world
that he wants in
his corner has
Abandoned him.
What more do you
think I should do?
I think that if you decide
that you want to try
and save your marriage,
it'll be a lot harder to
do it from your sister's.
Do you still love him?
Hi. We're not in.
Please leave a message
after the tone.
It's me.
Listen, I'm sorry about
everything that's happened.
Remember how we used to be?
We were a team.
I want us to be like that again.
So can we just
Can we just sit down and talk?
'Cause I don't believe
you could have done
something like that,
and I am not going to throw
away 15 years without a fight.
But mostly
it's because I love you, Ned.