Murder Before Evensong (2025) s01e05 Episode Script

1
The prison just called
the house.
It's about your mum.
She's died, Nathan.
Patrick Liversidge,
I am arresting you
on suspicion of the murders
of Anthony Bowness
and Ned Thwaite.
That was the insurance company.
We have to pay
for everything ourselves.
I've been summoned to explain
myself to Bishop Creggan.
Ned told us
that he was researching a story
about a man called Kerling.
The main stop tap.
It was on the street.
Of course, so you
can get to it in an emergency.
I was right.
What is it?
Come and see. Okay.
But if we get chased
by an enormous rolling boulder,
I'm blaming you.
It's incredible.
I don't think anyone's been
down here for 40 years.
And this is
where the secret army
you were talking
about would have hidden
The scallywags, yes.
It's quite a find.
Oh, it's more than that.
I also found this.
Some sort of German ID.
Alright. What's it doing here?
Well, Ned Thwaite was writing
a story about Philip Kerling.
You remember? Yeah.
The, uh, double agent
who fled to France.
That's right.
I'm thinking that this has
something to do with him.
I don't follow.
Well, Kerling
disappeared two days
after that plane exploded, right?
What if those two events
were actually connected?
Okay.
See, at the time,
the official cause
of the explosion
was an electrical fault.
But say it wasn't.
I think it was actually
sabotage,
and Kerling fled
before being exposed.
And what if somehow all of this
the the war, the scallywags,
the Free French, Kerling,
they're the reason
why Anthony and Ned
were murdered.
Anthony had been looking
for this bunker.
So someone killed him to stop
him from getting in here?
-Exactly.
-Why?
I don't know, but maybe Kerling
wasn't the only double agent.
Now, what if there were
others accomplices?
What if one of the scallywags
was himself a spy
and this was their I.D.?
-What's that?
-Testing. Testing?
She sells seashells
by the seashore.
-Hey, was that alright?
-That's it.
-That's it.
-Mrs. Clement.
Can I interest you
in some cold Woolton pies
in honor of Champton
at War Day tomorrow?
All home made using
an original wartime recipe.
Thank you, But no.
Tempting as it is.
I've got surprise
potato balls, too.
How delightful.
Alas, I just came
for a copy of the Racing Post.
Really?
Yes, it's Grand National day.
One should always have
a bet on the Grand National.
But you can't just do it blind.
You have to study the form,
assess the going,
make an educated decision.
I'll just open the paper
and put a pin in.
I'd stick to the potato balls.
Find a connection you
said between the murders
and the war
and we'll talk again.
Yes, I did. So?
So I think you've made
an interesting discovery.
I think finding
it was impressive,
but, uh,
it's not a breakthrough.
Well, of course it is.
Face it, Daniel.
What have you got?
Well, the German I.D.
Doesn't mean anything.
Seriously?
Do you even know it's genuine?
How do you know
it's not a forgery?
Something the scallywags are
issued with
in case they got caught.
Well, I mean Well, look at
where Anthony was murdered.
I mean, how could that not have
something to do with the bunker?
Because there's nothing
in the bunker.
Even if he was on the verge
of finding it,
you can't tell me
why he was killed.
And the same for Ned thwaite.
But Kerling spies.
Who, right now, only exist
in your head.
Okay, maybe not that,
but what if Kerling himself
was still alive?
Afraid of being revealed
after all this time?
Look, I know you really want
a eureka moment, but this is
You said you'd found
something important.
It is important.
It's a tourist attraction.
Why aren't you
taking this seriously?
Because you're
not a detective, Daniel.
I'm going back
to the station now
because I've got someone
in custody
who is blackmailing
Anthony Bowness
and had Ned Thwaite's watch.
Motif, physical evidence.
The sort of thing
that stands up in court.
I spoke to the house
insurance people again,
see if they changed their mind.
And?
Going to France was a nice idea
while it lasted.
Mrs. Clement.
Kath. Hello, Dora.
No Stella. Just me for now.
That's okay. It's much better.
I should go. Mrs. Clement.
I'll see you at the pub later,
though, won't I?
For the Grand National?
I'm not really in the mood.
Nonsense.
Nothing like a little flutter
to take your mind off things.
Mrs. Clements right.
We could do with a bit of fun.
I'll think about it.
Ooh.
You haven't got these
in a six, have you?
I'm afraid that's all we've got.
Shame. The brogue is always
in vogue, don't you think?
Can I try this on?
Ooh, the cherry Colville.
Very nice.
There's a fitting room
at the back.
Dora, hold the fort
a bit longer, will you?
I have some business
to discuss with Mrs. Porteous.
But "But me," no buts, Dora.
Business is business.
Now, your slate is
currently at £482.
Give or take a few pennies.
I thought maybe if I paid cash.
Well, I suppose
I could make it £450.
I can only run to £400.
Try running a bit harder. £450.
That'll do nicely, as they say.
Thank you.
Everything will be fine.
You know what
grandad used to be like.
The things he did
when he was collecting money.
That was ages ago.
So? They'll still use it.
Come on. The police wouldn't
You want to bet?
They'll try and pin it on him
for sure.
But if prejudice and ancient
history is all they've got
That is all they've got,
isn't it?
Yeah.
Then there's nothing
to worry about, is there?
What are you doing?
It's dripping down the gearbox.
The bearings are
completely worn out.
So you decided to mend them?
Someone needed to.
Right this minute?
A useful by-product
from all that ambulance driving
during the war,
which you scoffed at
I'd like to point out.
I have my tribunal in front
of the bishop this afternoon.
Will you be finished in time?
When do you need it?
A couple of hours.
How long will you be?
About five.
So that would be no.
I'm so sorry.
I completely forgot about
your meeting.
I'll ask Honor
if she can give me a lift.
Oh, Daniel,
wear your charcoal suit.
You look quite presentable
in that.
These items were found during
a search of your property.
£2,700 in cash
and a watch we've identified
as belonging to Ned Thwaite.
Can you explain how these items
came to be in your possession?
Mr. Liversedge?
Yeah, I can. I'll tell you what.
I can save us all a lot
of time here,
all those clever questions
trying to trap me.
No one's trying to trap you.
Well, get you a pen
and paper ready.
I killed them.
Anthony Bowness and Ned Thwaite?
That's right.
I killed them both.
You were blackmailing Anthony?
I'd found out
he was scamming His lordship.
How?
I saw him leaving
the house one night,
walking out with a painting
under his arm.
Really?
I know. Bold as you like.
Go on.
Well, I asked him
where he was going with it.
He gave me some old flannel,
but it wasn't hard
to get him to tell me what he
was really doing.
Just like that?
I'm good at persuading people.
And this went on for how long?
About six months.
Every time he sold a painting,
I got a cut.
Then his lordship found out,
and suddenly I didn't
have anything over Anthony.
Nothing to threaten him with.
No more meetings in the pub.
He told me he wanted
the money back.
Otherwise he'd tell
his lordship what I'd done.
He figured he couldn't get
any worse for him,
but he could make things
bad for me.
In what way?
Well, I'd be out of my ear,
wouldn't I?
No job, nowhere to live, nothing.
So later, when I saw
him going into the church
You followed him inside.
And killed him.
There you go.
Yes, love. Rhyme and Reason
-to win.
-Alright.
Tell me about Ned Thwaite.
Well, he was writing
a story linking me to some bloke
who disappeared years ago.
When you were a debt collector.
It was a load of bollocks.
But I didn't want your lot
digging all that stuff up again.
So?
I told him if he was writing
about me,
then he needed to hear
my side of the story.
Told him to meet me.
And what happened?
Well, I warned him.
Told him to leave me alone.
And he refused?
That's right.
And then,
well, one thing led to another.
Just so I'm clear.
You killed Anthony Bowness
because he threatened
to blackmail you.
Yeah.
And you killed Ned Thwaite
because he was going to write
about your past.
That's what I said.
Two murders, two different
motives in quick succession.
What of it?
It's unusual.
Well, that's what happened.
How did you kill Ned?
I cut his throat.
And Anthony Bowness? Same thing.
You slit his throat?
With my hunting knife.
I've had a lot of practice.
It's a lie.
Anthony Bowness wasn't killed
with a hunting knife.
It was a pair of secateurs.
And I bet Eddie's
lying about Ned, too.
He's covering for someone.
For his grandson.
Strands of Gold. I'm sorry?
I like Strands of Gold
for the National.
Ah, yes. The one day of the year
that you become a pundit.
His form's good.
The ante post prices
are attractive,
and Scudamore is always a safe
pair of hands, don't you think?
If you say so. Not just me.
"The Racing Post." Of course.
None of which will mean anything
if he falls at the first.
You've no sense of adventure.
That's your problem.
Honor will be here soon.
How do I look? Very respectable.
Now all you have to do
is not upset the bishop.
Take my lumps you mean.
Mother, last week
when the bishop was here,
he said that you were talking
about me before I arrived.
I dare say.
It was just chit chat.
Really?
Because when he was leaving,
he said something
about getting some context.
What do you mean by that?
I have no idea.
What did you tell him, mother?
We were just talking
about the family.
And? And about
how things were hard.
-And?
-Alright.
I might have said something
about how you weren't there,
how you'd run away
to follow this dream of yours.
Is that what you really think?
That I ran away?
I shouldn't have said that.
Let's forget it.
No, I don't want to.
Because this is
not the first time
that you have accused me Daniel.
Why do you do it?
You can't just say
something like that
and expect me not to care.
He needed you, Daniel.
That's why.
Your grandfather
built that company
up from scratch
and handed it on to your father.
Your father wanted you to take
over a proper family business.
I didn't know anything
about making shoes
or running a business.
You could have learned.
For two years I worked there,
and the only thing I learned
is that dad
was running the place
into the ground.
That wasn't his fault.
Oh, he was a bad businessman, mother.
No, it didn't take a genius to
see all those high street shops
and cheap shoes from abroad
were gonna hit us hard.
But instead of dealing with it,
he drank.
Nonsense. And because
he drank, things got worse.
You know, he fought every day
to make those sums add up
so that you could
keep up appearances,
so that he wouldn't be a
disappointment to you every day
And it killed him. That's a lie.
How would you know?
You only ever saw what
you wanted to see.
But I was there day in, day out.
And how come it fell to me
to take over anyway?
How come he never asked Theo?
He had his reasons.
Or because I was the oldest?
No. No, because it was my duty.
Meanwhile, Theo could just swan
around trying to be an actor.
Of course not.
Then why?
Because you were his favorite.
He loved Theo, obviously, but
but, what, with the acting
and everything?
He's just
he's just not a serious person.
But you
You were the one
he was proudest of.
The one he could see himself in.
He wanted you to take
over the business.
Not because you were the oldest
or because it was your duty,
but because he knew
he could trust you.
He never said.
There was never any sign.
That wasn't his way.
He felt it all the same.
And you repaid him by abandoning
him when he needed you the most.
I-I wanted to become a priest.
Yes.
More than you wanted to help us.
There wasn't anything
I could have done.
You could have tried.
At the very least,
you could have done that.
It wouldn't have
changed anything.
Well, we'll never know, will we?
You broke his heart, Daniel.
Nathan!
You.
Go this way.
Nathan, stop!
Stop moving.
Come on.
Did you hear?
They arrested Edgy yesterday?
-Yeah.
-Do you think he did it?
No idea.
Okay, I'm gonna go out
on a limb here
and say that from my extensive
knowledge of human behavior
and my uncanny ability
to pick up on signs,
you're a little pissed off.
Nothing gets past me.
Now, I'm waiting.
Where do you want to start?
-You haven't written it down.
-No
Good to soft.
Which will make a difference
Dora. Mrs. Clemens.
can I get you a drink?
I'll have a tea, please.
Oh, yes.
I rang round and I found a pair
of brogues in a six.
Lovely shop on the
side of Braunstonbree.
That's good of you.
Won't Stella mind
you taking business from her?
Only if she finds out.
There you go, ladies.
Thank you.
Here, I'll give you the number.
Probably won't
need this anymore.
Is it always like this?
Oh, yeah.
Grand National Day is a bit
of a tradition around here.
We have a sweepstake, too,
if you fancy a flutter.
I've already placed a bet.
Frankly, I always think
the sweepstake is for amateurs.
Me too.
I did try to warn you.
I know.
Living under the same roof
as your mother.
Just thought it'd be
a little longer
before we fired the big guns.
Sounds like she blames you
for everything.
As always.
Well, is she right?
Hi. Oh, you came.
You were right.
There's no point staying at home
feeling sorry for myself.
Dora's been telling me
she's put a little bet on.
Quite the expert, isn't she?
Well, she's always liked
the horses.
Ever since we were kids.
What is it?
Usual 50 pence each way?
Let's go over there.
Will you excuse us?
You said in your statement
you saw Ned's body in the water.
You pulled him out, but he was
clear he was already dead.
That's right.
Must have been upsetting.
It was.
So upsetting
you stole his watch.
I know it was a really
bad thing to do.
I wasn't thinking.
I saw it,
I knew it was valuable.
I thought it's not
like he's going to need it.
But you have to believe me.
That's all I did.
A bit bigger than the rectory.
In case I'd forgotten
who's boss.
Thank you, Honor.
Daniel.
What you did,
Spending time
with the Aids patients,
protesting,
it makes a difference.
You've got nothing
to apologize for.
Does the name William Brotherton
mean anything to you?
Yeah. My mum worked for him.
Mm, yeah.
The Gazette ran a campaign
to expose Brotherton.
Months and months.
Proper investigative stuff.
Until eventually
the police and CPS
took over and Brotherton
was charged along with your mum.
And even though she claimed
she was innocent,
the account said different.
He went down,
but he took her with him.
She trusted him. He used her.
The jury didn't think so.
Your mum looked after you
on her own.
Yeah, and my dad buggered off
when I was about two.
After that it was
just her and me.
It must be really had
The trial,
watching her get sent to prison.
Where she died last week.
So the question I'm asking is,
who did you blame for that?
Do you mind?
Fancy your chances, do you?
Good luck.
Earlier,
I went to the building society.
Right.
You know the money I put by for
when things get difficult?
Your safety net.
What about it?
Now, please don't go off
the deep end.
I know it's my fault - we're not going to France.
-Dora.
So I wanted to try
and put things right.
How much? I did it for us.
And it's not
like Rhyme and Reason's
a rank outsider.
His form's good.
How much?
All of it.
Stella, you alright.
It's Edgy.
I think he just threatened
me again.
What did he say?
He said good luck.
It's not what he said,
it's how he said it.
I'm going to tell the police.
Good. I said you should.
Only this time I'm
going to tell them everything.
How Edgy threatened
me with a knife
the night that Ned was killed.
It may even have been
the knife that killed Ned.
That's awful.
Yeah. I was really terrified.
You can vouch for that.
That's why I asked you
to come round.
You were in a proper state.
I was with you a good hour
before you calmed down.
And you didn't mention any
of this to the police before?
No, I didn't dare.
But you can't let someone
like that win, can you?
I suppose not.
You see, I think you felt
that the trial,
your mum being sent to prison,
none of it would have happened
if The Gazette hadn't run
that campaign.
Your mum died Wednesday morning,
didn't she?
You heard about it
a few hours later.
And a few hours after that,
Ned Thwaite was killed.
So?
Can you read me the name
of the man
who wrote all these articles?
Okay. It was Ned Thwaite. Yes.
It's understandable.
You blamed him
for what happened to your mum.
You wanted revenge.
You arranged to meet him
at the boathouse.
You killed him, then
pretended you'd found the body.
Prove it.
-Pa.
-Yeah.
I hear that Nathan's
been arrested.
Yeah, that's right.
Well, I was wondering if
Cos they can't really afford,
you know?
I was wondering if we could
maybe they could use
your solicitor.
My solicitor? Yeah.
Right. And who's going to pay?
Well, we would.
Why on earth would we do that?
Because he works for us,
because he's in trouble.
He's in trouble with the police,
then that's his own lookout.
But
And if it turns out
that he's the murderer,
I'm certainly not going
to subsidize his defense.
No, they can throw away the key
for all I care.
Thank you.
How's the campaign
to save the flower room going?
Found any more imaginary
investors recently?
Oh, I don't think that's going
to be an issue much longer.
No? I hear Daniel's in
trouble with the bishop.
I'd say his days are numbered.
Whilst I've got you,
can I ask your advice?
It's for a friend of mine.
I suppose so.
Well, she runs a small
business, a bit like yours.
And the thing is,
she's been rather naughty,
and she's been offering
cash settlements to customers
so she can avoid paying tax.
And now she's worried that the
Inland Revenue might find out.
And how would that happen?
Well, you know how it is.
You could be as careful
as you like.
There's always a fly in the
ointment somewhere, isn't there?
And I'm told that
the taxman can be quite brutal
to people who cheat.
But the taxman
hasn't found out yet?
Not yet.
Will they? Who knows?
Perhaps she'll just have to keep
her fingers crossed.
In the meantime, I think you're
right about the flower room.
I don't believe there's
going to be an issue at all.
The facts of this
matter aren't really in dispute.
The complaint would seem to have
some merit, wouldn't you say?
However, this process allows
for the right of reply.
So, Canon Clement.
The floor is yours.
You made me wait just now.
Out there.
Subtle way, I'm sure, of
reminding me of my place
and an opportunity
to reflect on my shortcomings
as a representative
of the church.
Well, I did,
but perhaps not
in the way that you intended.
You see, someone
I care about accused me today
of running away
to join the church.
And there's some
truth in that, but
but I think now, if I
was running away from something,
I was also running
towards something.
Wearing this collar,
I've seen people at their worst,
their most scared, confused.
I have seen people
at their loneliest,
and still I have been
able to help them.
I get the chance to
to show shunned
and forgotten souls
that they are loved,
even when they don't
love themselves.
And that God's
love is asymmetrical
without any expectation
of being returned.
And that's what I ran
to all those years ago.
God's love without judgment.
Without blame.
Yes, they're running.
Come, Strands of Gold.
Tipped towards
the outside.
And then Shaw on
the inside is in the lead.
Sacred Path and on the outside,
Oh.
Is Strands of Gold still going?
I think so.
Where's Rhyme and Reason?
Last.
Reverend.
Alex?
Nathan's been arrested
For Ned's murder,
and I know he couldn't
have done it.
How?
Because I was with him.
We were together all night.
And it's Little Polveir
here in the center,
Strands of Gold going really
well on the inside course.
Come on, Strands of Gold.
Come on.
On the inside, Strands
Oh, Strands of Gold is down.
Little Polveir is in the lead.
My horse is third.
Maybe sticking a pin
in works after all.
he was on his knees
and got up again
as they jumped the 23rd
He's there. He's there.
In second.
Come on, Rhyme and Reason!
Come on. Rhyme and Reason
Rhyme and Reason
running it down.
Come on.
Come on, Rhyme and Reason.
On the near side
is Rhyme and reason.
Come on, Rhyme and Reason!
Come on!
He's gonna win it!
Rhyme and Reason
has won the National!
Dora! It's won, it's won.
It's won.
He's won.
Oh, oh, oh.
So, where were you and Nathan?
There's an old shepherd's
hut up towards Birchard Hill.
Until when?
Dawn.
We walked back
through the woods.
I went home and he took
the path by the lake.
Which was when he saw the body.
If I go to the police,
they'll ask questions.
"What were you doing?"
"How come your friends."
"What sort of friends?"
I'll have to tell them,
then everyone will find out
and I'll be hated.
You don't know that for sure.
You've seen how people
like me are treated.
Paul's no different.
And after the paintings,
he'll definitely throw me out.
Doing the right thing
usually comes at a cost.
And only you can decide
if it's a price worth paying.
So, you think it went all right?
Who knows?
Creggan will let me know
his decision when he's ready.
But you didn't do anything
to antagonize him?
I was just honest with him.
Why does that
not make me feel better?
How'd you do on the National?
Don't ask. Racing journalists.
What do they know?
I need to write
tomorrow's sermon.
to join the
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo,
which you did in 1925.
Daniel? Come and see.
I've got something to show you.
Two letters written
a few months apart.
Look at the ink
on the most recent.
Blue black.
And this, the oldest?
Completely black.
Maybe they just used
different ink.
I don't think so.
If you look at
the intervening letters,
they're gradually
changing color, too.
So? There's only one type of ink
I know of that does that.
Watch.
An ordinary ink
smudges, as you'd expect.
But if I'm right
Registrar's ink.
It's used for
official documents
births, deaths, marriages.
It can't be rubbed out
or washed off,
and it's not widely available.
Mrs. Braines' gets mine for me.
Registrars ink.
Now all we have to do
is find out who else
uses it in the Greater
Braunstonbree area.
Well. Back to the sermon, then.
Even if it's a bit smudged
That's your father's pen.
It's the only thing
of his I have.
Actually it's not.
You've got his talent
for stubbornness, too.
It wasn't my intention
to hurt you or dad.
I know.
But I realize I did
all the same.
It wasn't just you.
What you said earlier about me
putting pressure on him.
The truth is
I was angry a lot of the time.
Angry that my life wasn't
what I'd imagined.
Angry your father wasn't
the businessman
I thought he was,
angry I couldn't change him.
I think a little bit of me
is still angry.
Today I told the bishop
that I joined the church
because I was drawn to the idea
of God's unconditional love.
But there was something else.
Something more.
I wanted to help people
because I couldn't help dad.
I don't mean cure him or
or bail him out, but
but just just tell him.
What would you tell him?
If he were here now,
what would you say?
You're not alone.
You never were.
And of course, he'd tell
me to pull myself together
and stop being a daft apeth.
Probably.
I suppose he was a bit stubborn.
A bit? He you could teach mules.
"Always go with your gut."
That's what he'd say.
You know,
his instinct was not to compete
with the high street shops.
He wanted to go upmarket.
But everyone said he'd be mad
to do that.
It's one of the few times he
didn't trust his own judgment.
Who knows?
Maybe if he'd stuck to his guns.
I'm not sure instincts
all it's cracked up to be.
Mine told me
that finding the bunker
would be the secret
to everything.
But when I showed Neil,
he said it was a waste of time.
What do you think?
He's probably right.
Liar. What do you think?
That there's something
down there I've missed.
And what are you waiting for?
A bit of an emergency
I'm afraid, Mrs. Braines.
Daniel's just spilt his bottle
of registrar's ink.
That's right,
but he needs some straight away.
So, I was just wondering
if there's anyone
else around here who?
Oh, do they?
No. That's very, very helpful.
Thank you.
If you're looking for cheese,
you're out of luck.
I'm not sure even God
provides down here.
Oh, God.
There's the cue ball.
Stella.
Philip Kerling.
Stella?