Inspector Morse (1987) s05e04 Episode Script

Greeks Bearing Gifts

(Phone rings) (Ringing continues) (Ringing continues) MAN ON PHONE: Embros? Nico? Esy eisai? Embros! Yia mena einai, Theie.
- Entaxei, Nico.
- Mi stenahoriesai.
Pigaine mesa.
Pigaine mesa! - Nico, theleis tipota? - Ohi, efharisto.
Entaxei, Nico.
- Ti ehei o Nicos? - A, den eho idea.
- Den milaei.
- Neos einai.
Oti thelei as kanei.
Afise ton.
NlCOS: Afto einai to moro mou.
(TV off) Varethika.
Pao na paro tsigara.
TV: Yes.
Yeah.
No coIds? No, he'd been heaIthy pretty much aII He was a big baby when he was born.
(Heavy thud) Nico? Nico! Mia bira thelo.
Bira.
- Aftin, na.
Ekeini edo.
- What? l don't understand.
- A beer, sweetheart.
He wants a beer.
- Oh, right.
A, bravo.
Excuse me.
Look, why's it take nearly an hour to get served here? l'm very sorry.
l'll try to hurry it up.
What was it, the avgolemono? MRS LEWlS: Mm.
Ohi.
Thelo dolmas, hummus, kai taramosalata.
ErsouvIaki kai - My husband was having the chicken.
- Poulaki.
(Beeping) - Ah, good evening, Sergeant.
- Evening, sir.
- Been out? - A restaurant with the wife.
- Really? Which one? - lt wasn't too good, actually.
lt took ages coming.
The Acropolis.
They were probably a bit short-staffed in the kitchen.
- What do you mean? - Come and meet the chef.
(Thunder rumbles) Do you know what happened? Stripped of pathologists' jargon, somebody called a few hours back and broke his neck.
Someone who knew what they were doing, apparently.
When was he found? An hour or so ago.
The old couple downstairs thought he'd gone to work at the usual time.
They heard the front door and assumed it was him going out.
lt was more likely his killer.
Didn't the restaurant ring to ask why he hadn't turned up? Yes, even before you started howling for your grub.
- And that's when they looked in his room? - Yes.
The going isn't easy.
How's your Greek? As a matter of fact, l've just started learning.
A chance for you to practise.
(lndistinct chatter on TV) Turn that off.
NowMr and Mrs Papas.
Er, this man upstairs he is not your son.
(Slowly) This manyour lodger.
Your son is at the restaurant.
Acropolis.
Nai.
Yes.
Acropolis.
His name is Dino.
Dinos.
Konstandinos.
He reported the murder.
Now Nicos - he had a visitor tonight.
Someone came to see him.
Yes? Do you want to have a try? No, not really.
l can say it's a nice day and ask them if they sell beer.
That's about it.
l thought their son was on his way.
He was supposed to be, sir.
Come on.
Not a lot more we can do here.
MAN: We're cIosed.
lt's after closing time.
The manager already told you, the place is closed.
l'm looking for Dino Papas.
l'm Dino Papas.
l thought you were coming home to interpret for your parents.
But l wanted to talk to him first.
And you are? Basilios Vasilakis.
Do l take it you own this place? Among others.
So l am naturally concerned when l call in and find chaos and confusion, the kitchen staff about to mutiny.
No chef.
He was unavoidably detained.
But knowing that, you keep this man here when l've asked him to come and help us.
We have to open tomorrow.
A new chef has to be found.
That's obstructing the police in the course of their inquiries.
A criminal offence.
A man's been kiIIed.
He wasn't only my employee, he was my countryman.
How long had Nicos been your chef? Umabout six months.
He er has his own famiIy taverna in Piraeus.
LEWlS: So why did he Ieave it to work here? Experience abroad? Learn to speak English? LEWlS: Do you know if he had any enemies? DlNO: Nicos? No, not one.
Chefs aren't always popular with the staff.
Am l right? He was.
Everyone loved him.
Someone didn't.
Not one little bit.
Right, shall we go and talk to your parents? That's the same T-shirt Nicos was wearing.
lt is the staff uniform.
The design's from the Talos vase, yes? l am impressed.
The next time l call on someone to help with my inquiries, l don't want to have to come and get him.
LEWlS: Morning, sir.
- Morning.
- Sleep well? - No.
You? Like a log.
What about your chef? PM report.
Which says whatroughly? Fractured cervical vertebra at C1 or C2.
The head was wrenched back, causing a compression of the spinal cord.
A bit Iike whipIash, sir.
Apart from that, we don't know much.
Oh, yes, we do.
He was a good chef, well liked.
ln fact, he was so popular that no-one could possibly want to kill him.
Got nothing much from Dino.
Or Dino's parents.
Or Vasilakis.
lt's called closing ranks, Lewis.
How about Forensic? No.
No prints either.
Well, at least we have these prints.
An ancient wooden ship.
A baby.
A family group which includes Nicos and an old couple, presumably his parents.
A young woman who could be his wife, his sister, his girlfriend.
And this, presumably, is the family business in Piraeus which couldn't have been doing very well or he wouldn't have left it.
Not in early spring, anyway, with the tourist season coming up.
But whenever l pressed him, Dino would say nothing more than that Nicos wanted to work in England.
To learn English.
(Phone rings) ClD.
Lewis.
Yep.
Right.
(Draws breath sharply) Super wants to see you.
lf you looked him up in this, you know about him.
l knew anyway.
But l wasn't about to feed his vanity by letting on.
Vasilakis is one of those old Greek shipping families.
Niarchos, Onassis.
Not as rich, of course.
And far more respectable.
He's a member of the Athenaeum.
OBE, married into our nobility.
A generous benefactor, chairman of God knows how many charities.
If you knew aII that, why did you go out of your way to get up his nose? l didn't.
Come off it, Morse.
You pretended not to know his name.
Ethnic cases aren't up my street.
Don't speak the language, don't receive the signals peopIe of the same race make to each other- or eIse try to conceaI.
Watch the mouth.
lt gives away what the eyes try to hide.
ls that one of your quotes? Quotations.
Yes.
Lord Byron.
He took a bit of a shine to the Greeks, didn't he? Find yourseIf another interpreter, Morse.
And try not to antagonise the rich and the famous just for the sake of it.
Oh, sir.
This is Miss Georgi ErGeorgiadis.
She teaches Greek at my wife's evening classes.
- Hello.
- Sergeant Lewis comes once in a blue moon.
Whenever l can get away.
l thought you might be needing a translator, sir.
ls your Greek as good as your English? l've been here a while, but l'm bilingual.
My parents moved from Greece to New Zealand.
A New ZeaIand Greek? Huh.
Funny old world it's turning into.
When l was at school it was all Maoris and Kiwis.
l bet it was pink as well.
Very.
Well, shall we go? Give me those photographs, Lewis.
You stay here and find out more about the dead man.
Doesn't he ever say please or thank you? Aftos einai o Nicos, i aderfi tou i Maria kai to paidaki tis, - i mitera ki o pateras tous.
- To moro? - Tou Nicou? - Tis Marias.
O Nicos den einai pandremenos.
The girl is the dead man's sister.
And the baby isn't his, but hers.
Has he got children of his own? None.
He's not married.
Do they remember seeing any other snaps in his room? Mipos eidate alles fotografies sto domatio tou? Does the boat mean anything? Was he interested in ancient maritime history? To ploio? Ehei simasia, tipote? You see, that's not a picture postcard, that's an actual snap.
(Sighs) This is worse than drawing teeth.
l can't keep calling you Miss Georgiadis, as Lewis tries to.
(Chuckles) Poor man.
He nearly breaks his jaw on it.
Jocasta will do.
Well, Jocasta, what do you make of our aged parents in there? Are they telling us the truth? Not the whole truth, no.
l get the feeling they've decided on a story and they're sticking to it.
Or Dino has.
? Choir sings baroque anthem (lndistinct chattering) Not my speciality at all.
You must talk to Randall Rees over there.
He's the man on Greek navaI history.
Which one? Beside the rather attractive boy with the punk hairdo.
I once had very high hopes of RandaII.
He was a brilliant classical scholar.
Single-handedly swept away all previous notions of how early naval battles had been conducted.
Everyone was sure nothing couId stop him cutting a swath through academia.
But? But we reckoned without Friday.
- Without what? - Mrs Rees.
Friday? What's that, American? You'd think so, yes.
ln fact, it's short for Frideswide.
The first of the name being daughter to a king of Mercia who fIed to Oxford to preserve her virginity from an importunate prince.
And became the city's patron saint, yes? Ah, you did know.
Well, l'd heard of Frideswide, but not its diminutive.
StiII used IocaIIy.
So how did she influence her husband? She's on the Master's left.
SureIy you know her face? Have you been following him? I'm toId it's one of the best-known in the country.
The face that Iaunched a thousand cIips.
That's a technical television term, Morse.
l hardly ever watch.
Oh.
Oh, dear, here's the Master, gone to all this trouble to catch his tame celebrity, but to no avail.
Half the nation looks to her to solve their marital and medical problems and you don't even know her.
How did she spoil her husband's scholarship? Aren't they happy? lf you believe the popular press, theirs is a marriage made in heaven.
(Tapping on glass) Hold on to your napkin.
l know.
l've been through this pantomime before.
Are you saying that Rees only married to hide his true nature? Oh, would l imply anything so outrageous? Certainly, tongues wagged.
The usual college gossip, you know? But anything to do with naval battles, he's your man.
Randall.
- Terry! Where have you been hiding this term? - l'm dining out a great deal.
l asked for you in The King's Head the other day.
They said they hadn't seen you for three weeks.
How are your parents? - The Talos vase? Where did you find that? MORSE: On a T-shirt.
Well, on half a dozen T-shirts, actually.
The point is, l knew what it was, but it's years since I read anything aIong those Iines.
What's its significance? Ah, well, you've come to the right man.
- So l'm told.
- I've done quite a bit of work on it recentIy.
l don't know if you heard of our symposium in Greece last year.
- No, l'm sorry, l didn't.
- It was quite an event.
Very exciting, for those of us working in that field.
A symposium on ancient Greek seamanship.
Lectures, film shows, a lot of talk.
You know the kind of thing.
But for me the most thrilling things of all - were the reconstructions.
- You mean scale models? Oh, no.
Real thing.
Life-size.
Fully operational.
And when was this, you say? Last summer.
ln Piraeus.
lt was the first attempt to bring together all the reconstructed ships of antiquity in one place.
We had the penteconter.
The Argo.
Quadriremes and quinqueremes.
And of course the trireme which is my particular love child.
So where does the vase come in? OK.
Behind the three figures on that vase is part of the stern of a ship - the trireme.
It was one of severaI cIues that Ied the first schoIars to the finaI design.
Bit like your line of work, l suppose.
All trace of the vessel had been lost.
We had to piece it together from this and that.
Excuse me.
(lndistinct conversation) So, were you saying they reconstructed the whole boat from a sketch on a vase? No, there was also a phrase in Plato, a sketch on a relief, a reference in Aristophanes to farting in the face of the chap rowing beneath you There would be, wouldn't there? Not much to go on, but put all the clues together All this was described in the film we made.
That might've been what you saw.
We had to popularise it a good deal, but the result wasn't as shameful as it might have been.
- He's not boring you with that boat again, is he? - Not at all.
- Coffee? - Thank you.
You only have to mention triremes and he'll talk a gramophone to scrap.
Well, you'd better circulate, Randy, dear.
Your husband suggested that scholarship is not unlike my game.
- The police? - The ClD.
You blunder along in the dark, looking for a glimmer to light the way.
Well, at the risk of disloyalty, it sounds a lot more lively than Greek oared ships.
(Men Iaugh) l'm sorry, l've never seen one of your programmes.
I hear they're very good.
Theyseem to help people.
l understand it's as much by being what you are as what you say.
Well, l try.
Some of it's bound to be a bit of a performance, of course, but one part is absolutely genuine.
Randall and l.
Are you married, lnspector? - No.
- l recommend it.
So l understand.
(Chuckles) l saw you were granted an audience with the TV star.
She's charming.
No question.
Millions are charmed by her every Saturday.
Poor Terry seemed very bored by Randall's attentions, l thought.
Never give up, do you, Jerome? So a very agreeable evening, as always.
- My turn next.
- Good luck with your murder.
''Old vessel put together in a rare time.
'' Two words.
One and seven.
Well, if you already know the answer lt's a kind of mental jogging, Lewis.
lt's good for you.
A trireme.
Very good, Lewis.
Anagram of rare time.
How did you know? l saw a film about it on the telly.
Well, l was on duty, but Valerie videoed it for me.
Part of your Greek culture course? Have you still got it? l doubt it.
Kids tape over everything.
Seems the dead man had no form.
That sounds almost philosophical, Lewis.
FormIess, was he? Lived a very quiet Iife, according to everybody we spoke to.
Hardly went out of here except to work.
He was saving all his money to keep the famiIy firm going.
- Which was failing.
- Right.
But it wasn't true that he wanted to learn English.
He'd worked a whole summer season at a hotel in Devon.
Had he? Mm.
Owned by a bIoke caIIed Tuckerman.
Bit of a dodgy customer by the sound of him.
What about the sister? She worked for Tuckerman too.
She's expected from Greece for her brother's funeral.
- Maria.
- Dino.
- Ti mas vrike, Dino mou? - To xero, Maria.
Perase kato.
Apo pou? Aionia sou i mnimi, axiomakariste kai aeimniste aderfe imon Nicolae.
Aionia sou i mnimi, axiomakariste kai aeimniste aderfe imon Nicolae.
Aionia sou i mnimi, axiomakariste kai aeimniste aderfe imon Nicolae.
l was surprised they decided to bury him in England.
l don't think they could afford to take him back to Greece.
She must have been very fond of her brother.
She's weeping buckets.
We show our feelings more than you do.
Never seen a Greek tragedy, Lewis? l saw Zorba.
And Never On A Sunday.
l'll have to come and question Maria later today.
Can't you leave it till tomorrow? lf l gain her confidence, she might tell me something.
You would frighten her.
l don't like to think of her alone here in this state.
She's not alone.
Just look at them all.
Just the same.
lf you could see no harm comes to her.
Good morning, Chief lnspector.
- Morning.
- l owe you an apology.
Over being bloody-minded when you wanted Dino's help.
- Oh, that was nothing.
- l do take a pride in my restaurants.
Even though Greek's not among the great cuisines of the world? Like English, exactly.
l prefer to eat French myself.
But our best food is better than most foreigners think.
We should be proud of it.
l have been trying to give my fellow Greeks a sense of national pride ever since l discovered how some foreigners regard us.
How is that, do you think? As dagos, Levantines.
A Third World country on the fringe of Europe.
That's not a view that an educated man would take.
An educated man? Can l offer you a lift, Chief lnspector? An educated man, in England, for example always makes a clear distinction between the glory that was Greece and the mess it is today.
There were the Athenians and now there are the savages who replaced them, who aren't even capable of looking after their own antiquities.
l thought it wouldn't be long before we got round to the Elgin marbles.
The last time l was at the Acropolis, a guide said to our party, in a very loud voice ''Greece has two enemies - the Turks and Lord Elgin.
'' l said, ''Good God, that was nearly 200 years ago.
'' Yes, and they're still in the British Museum.
Believe me, Chief lnspector, attitudes haven't changed.
Let me give you an example.
l have been involved in a scheme to reconstruct the most famous boats of ancient Greek history.
Oh, you mean the symposium at Piraeus last year.
Some of them were there, yes.
l erl had forgotten your interest in the classics.
The point is that those boats are part of our history, our heritage.
But that is not good enough for some.
There was this man at the event.
Tuckerman.
Digby Tuckerman? Yes.
You know him? Only his name.
Well, as you're a policeman, l am not surprised.
An unsavoury character with a reputation for some very questionabIe business methods.
He's ruined a few peopIe in his time.
Tuckerman now fronts a leisure group making historical theme parks.
He's trying to bring one of the boats to this country to decorate his tacky sideshow.
He'll have actors dressed in sailors' costumes with parrots on their shoulders, shouting, ''Shiver my timbers!'' l shouldn't be surprised.
A vuIgar travesty.
He says money is no object.
But my sources tell me that his financial basis is He's a man of straw.
He is nothing.
- You don't like him.
- No.
No.
l don't have the appetite for him.
But more than that, l don't like the idea that the treasures of our past are only there to be plundered for personal gain and self-aggrandisement.
The old lmperialist ethic that inspired Lord Elgin hasn't disappeared, Chief lnspector.
It'sjustassumed a new guise.
JOCASTA: EIa.
Boroume na kopsoume mesa apo ti Iaiki gia na pame sta magazia.
Elpizo na mou vrei kapoia doulia.
Kathomai edo (lndistinct conversation) Can l have a pound of oranges, please? l'll have some of these ones, actually.
Thank you.
Thanks very much.
Eractually Sorry.
Umexcuse me.
Sorry.
Hello, l'm Chief lnspector Morse.
lnspector Morse.
Digby Tuckerman.
Thank you for seeing me.
lt is a pretty hairy moment for me, so l hope it won't take too long.
- l hope so, too.
- Can l take your coat? - Thank you.
- A drink? Tea, coffee, mineral water, Scotch? Scotch and water, please.
So, what branch are you in? The Met? Thames Valley ClD.
Could have saved yourself a trip.
l live near Oxford.
Yes, yes, l uncovered that information.
So this is your London office.
l rent it by the day.
They're used by accountants and solicitors from out of town to impress the punters.
Costs an arm and a leg but if you want to get a project off the ground, it's the right ambience.
- And that's what you're doing at the moment? - No secret.
l hope not, anyway, after all l've spent on hype.
Yeah, l've formed a consortium to build the first of a chain of marine theme parks.
MORSE: And bring over a Greek ship? Right.
- Think they'll let you? - No question.
One or two touchy people think it'll be the end of civilisation if l do.
The ''send home the marbles'' lobby.
Wouldn't you think they'd jump at the chance to show it abroad? Think of the media bIitz there'd be.
Perhaps they're afraid they won't get it back.
The Frogs got the Mona Lisa back after it had been to New York.
The ltalians didn't.
But, l mean, our scholars did the spadework.
- It was designed here.
- But paid for by the Greeks.
l guess you didn't come all the way from Oxford to discuss Greek oared ships.
l'm investigating the murder of Nicos Capparis.
Saw it in the local rag.
Poor guy.
As you say, poor guy.
Thanks.
Were you in or around Oxford at about six on Monday evening? Better bring in my organiser, Laura.
Thanks.
He was your sous-chef at the GoIden FIeece? About two years ago, yeah.
Why did he leave? Well, the Golden Fleece got into deep trouble.
Don't ask me why.
Too up-market for south Devon, maybe.
Anyway, I had to cIose it.
Nico and his sister went back to their business in Piraeus no worse off, the receiver took over what was left.
Not for the first time.
No, afraid not.
lf you're a high-flyer among oiks The cash-and-carry, the yacht-fitting business, the disco, the Spanish restaurant ln fact, a trail MORSE OVER lNTERCOM: .
.
of aborted enterprises aII aIong the south coast.
And every time, some oik's had to pick up the pieces while you swanned off to a new place and a new disaster.
There's nothing sticking to me from that.
l'm clean.
Right.
Monday, early evening, was it? Six o'clockish.
l was in a meeting with a Mr Said Akbar.
That was for 4:30.
Plenty of time to drive to Oxford after that.
He didn't leave until close on six.
Ask my secretary.
Ask my wife.
She'll tell you.
I didn't get home tiII after eight.
And you haven't seen Nicos - since your hoteI went bust? - l knew he was back working over here.
For your friend Vasilakis.
And you didn't bump into him or his sister at that maritime symposium? They were in Piraeus.
l was mostly in Athens.
Moving in very different circles.
So.
lt's the time of the high-flyers, lnspector.
Only the braindead stay on the ground.
Ever heard of lcarus? - No, why? Did he work for me? - l meant on your wanderings through antiquity.
A mythicaI figure.
The first birdman.
Flew too near the sun melted the wax on his wings.
FeII from the sky and was drowned.
In the Aegean.
DlGBY OVER lNTERCOM: Very interesting, but as I say l may come and see you at home.
Feel free.
Of course, l'm only there evenings and weekends.
Not always then.
Thanks for the drink.
Oh, l was just ringing your place to see if you'd got back.
Any joy? Nothing positive.
The train was delayed.
l don't think Tuckerman's telling all he knows.
I think it's time we spoke to the sister.
Yeah.
Well, that's the snag, you see.
What? l'm afraid we've lost her.
l was taken by surprise.
She gave me the slip while we were shopping.
You've checked the obvious places? Dino's restaurant we've checked.
Where else? MORSE: Why did she bring the baby anyway? There must have been a woman about in a Greek house.
They just keep on saying they don't know.
(Baby bawIs) - ls she still feeding it? - Him.
- What? - Not it.
Him.
And no.
They can be weaned easily by six months.
(Baby bawIs) So why did she bring Manoula mou, manoula mou.
Mila! Mila, Petro.
Stamata, Fervosia! Kati kryvete, Kyrie Petro.
Prepei na mas peite tin alitheia.
Den xeroumen tipota! Milate me ton Dino.
Mono aftos xerei.
She knows something.
But he says we mustn't ask them any more.
Only their son knows - Dino.
We must speak to him.
Nai, Dino.
Talk to him, yes? Does Dino know she's gone missing? O Dinos xerei oti hathike i Maria? De thelo na stenahorethei to paidi.
Prin ligo efyge afti.
Se Iigo tha epistrepsei.
They didn't want to frighten him too soon.
She's only been gone a few hours.
She could be back at any moment.
Let's go.
l'd sooner listen to Dino's canned bouzouki than this.
(Baby bawIs) Yeia sas.
l don't know how parents can bear that noise.
They can't.
That's what it's for.
lt forces you to do something.
- Good evening, sir.
Do you want a table? - What l want, Mr Papas, is a serious talk.
- Where can we go? - l cannot leave right now.
As you can see, we are very busy.
Yes, and so am l.
Get someone to cover.
Look, l have told you all l know.
Maria Capparis has gone missing.
She ran away.
Who has she gone to see and why? Who is it you're hiding? Milas Ellinika? Den tous eho empistosyni, katalaves? Koitaxe, eskotothiken o filos sou kai tora hathike i aderfi tou, i Maria.
Thes na pathei ki afti kako? OK.
You'd better come through here.
Maria has no husband.
So, when she becomes pregnant Well, you can imagine.
She's from an oId-fashioned Greek famiIy.
NaturaIIy they want to know who the father is.
Well, she says it's somebody that lives in England who was only in Greece for the business with the boats.
The baby's age.
Of course.
ls it someone who lives in Oxford? - Or outside? - l don't know.
Nicos knew.
He spent most of the time he was working here looking for him.
What did they hope to get from him? Maria wanted to see him.
To show him the baby.
She had some idea that the man would want to marry her.
AnywayNicos found out that, of course, the man's aIready married.
So then he thinks perhaps the man would pay.
To keep the secret from his wife.
But what was he like? Rich or poor? Old or young? Middle-aged? Not even Greek or English? - Poses fores na tous po, den xero tipote! JOCASTA: Entaxei, re Dino.
Look, he's already told us he knows nothing.
You told us you knew nothing before.
This is a murder inquiry.
That's a criminaI offence.
Is that cIear? Did either of them mention Digby Tuckerman? Yes.
They worked for him when they first came to England.
But the restaurant went bust.
They couIdn't get anotherjob and they couldn't stay here without one, so they had to go back home.
And they never saw him again, since then? Yes.
Nicos used to see him, l think.
You think? You don't know? What did he see him about? Did he know anything about Tuckerman's business affairs in Devon? Enough to be a danger to him? l can't make guesses.
l can only tell you what l know.
You should have told us all this as soon as Nicos was killed.
lt was a private matter.
Murder usually is.
- Thank you for helping.
- Thank you for letting me.
l've got a bit to learn about tailing people.
Don't blame yourself for that.
lf anyone's to blame, it's me.
She'll turn up sometime.
l hope so.
- Good night.
- Good night, and thank you.
A very appealing girl.
l'm not the sort that fancies teacher.
l didn't say l fancied her.
No.
- So, where to now? - Home.
Come and have a drink.
Well, if it's all the same to you, sir All right.
l'll just drop you off, then.
- l found that tape.
- What tape? ? EIgar soundtrack RANDALL ON TV: So, for the first time for 2,500 years, boats from ancient Greece saiI through the Aegean, owned and paid for by the HeIIenic navy, but powered by British oarsmen.
TV: A magnificent sight Marvellous sight, sir.
But what's it got to do with our murder? l've no idea.
And, after the hot and back-breaking hours aboard, a much-needed chance to reIax at a IocaI taverna.
Hold it.
Wasn't that our victim? Can we look at that again? So it is.
So that must be his restaurant.
LEWlS: And Iook who's here.
MORSE: And our missing person.
(CIapping and shouting on TV) RANDALL ON TV: It's been a wonderfuI two weeks.
The oarsmen or, shouId I say, oarspersons, as a good number of them are women, the recorders, the Greek navaI officers.
RANDALL: And most of aII, for us, the trireme schoIars who have finaIIy been proved right.
And it's good to know that the first reconstruction wiII be staying here, where it beIongs.
Because this has been a coIIaboration between Brits and Greeks.
That's reaIIy what's made the whoIe thing worthwhiIe.
The way the IocaI peopIe treated us.
We've been made to feeI as though Greece is our second home.
? EIgar soundtrack What do you make of him, then? Seems all right.
Why? Greek and ships, yes.
But music by Elgar.
l think l'll go and see Jerome Hogg again.
Let me know the moment there's word of the girl.
What mother's going to leave her baby and go off for a whoIe night in a town she doesn't know? So what am l being accused of? The Iove that dare not speak its name? We have to find out what went on at the symposium.
l was only there a day or two.
Visiting Piraeus on one of those cultural cruises l do most summers.
You know, Hellenic tours.
I Iecture on the gIory that was Greece.
But you knew Nicos, did you? ln the biblical sense, no.
l sometimes ate and drank at his taverna.
More than that You're usually a very keen observer of who's doing what with whom.
Not when it's being taken down and used in evidence against them.
l'm not a spy.
Strange having a policeman for a friend.
You've got your other hat on - your heImet- it's not you at aII.
l don't care what went on amongst the British crew, but between the Brits and the Greeks.
A good deal of bad feeling, l gather.
The Greeks felt it was their boat but the British insisted on treating it as theirs.
Jerome, you know what l mean.
Hanky-panky? Hello, sailor? There's a lot less of that than in the good old days.
l suppose l'm lucky.
Sowed my wild oats before the scourge came.
Now l'm an old man.
The hunger's abated somewhat.
But how about the young men? About 200 of them.
Even my taste for gossip would find that prospect daunting.
l was thinking of Digby Tuckerman, Randall Rees, even Basilios Vasilakis.
They were all there.
You must speak to them.
Well, thank you.
What for? The coffee.
l was l was worried for a moment in case l'd given you something else.
(LiveIy bouzouki music on TV) (Bouzouki music continues) Ti egine to moro? Pou to'vales to paidi? To paidi - ti egine? Astynomia! Mas eklepsan to paidi.
Voitheia! To moro! (Wails hysterically) Well, now there's a stolen baby, it'll be on the national news.
- As you see, we need results.
- l'm as concerned about this as you are, sir.
Well, let's look at the facts, shall we? Well, Forensic found almost nothing on the dead man, sir.
Did you do a blood test on the baby? That can't tell you who the father is, only who it's certainly not.
Can we rule out um ethnic squabble of some kind? - Unless it's Mr Vasilakis.
- Oh, no.
We've got him on film, sir.
Talking to Maria at a taverna.
Tuckerman is desperate.
His fellow conspirators have to be persuaded to put money into his theme park.
The last thing he wants is someone showing his dirty linen.
So, if Nicos had threatened to teII aII he knew ln which case, why has the kid been stolen? Who steals babies? Demented, pitiful women.
Some poor creature read about Maria's disappearance and thought, ''There's a motherless child.
l'll look after it.
'' You don't You don't suppose it could be the mother herself, do you? Maria? MORSE: With the father at Iast? Playing happy families while the rest of us think the worst? (Sighs) Well, who else? Professor Randall Rees.
He's married to Friday, the famous television wife.
Dream husband's secret love nest.
That'd be a national scandal, wouldn't it? My wife, for one, would have to go into intensive care.
No, no.
Hang about.
That won't wash.
A few years ago they faced a shocked nation with the news they were both under par in the baby-making department.
LEWlS: That's right, sir.
I knew there was something niggIing me.
My wife saw that programme.
She said it must have been a great help to people in the same situation.
ln what way exactly? Sounds nauseating.
What is this modern compulsion to entertain unknown millions with your cIosest secrets? You come from a pre-telly generation.
l don't know, sir.
l think people like the Reeses can help other childless couples - come to terms with the probIem.
- All right.
He was next on my visiting list anyway.
RANDALL lN DlSTANCE: And so shaII aII my other RANDALL: .
.
to your question is yes.
Traces of hashish were found in the remains of the Punic ship, so the crews might well have been stoned at their oars, yeah.
STUDENT: Would it be a good idea at any future trials to lay on grass for all? That way they might get the speed up to 1 2 knots as you say the Athenians did.
l'm not sure it would improve their performance.
Daisy.
Of course, at the end of the day, what were you working to recreate? lt's a beautiful battering ram.
lt's a cruise missile.
DAlSY: Its soIe purpose is to sink the enemy's fIeet, break bones and drown peopIe.
l mean, do you think in 2,000 years from now, some scholars will reconstruct our lCBMs and Polarises? OK.
We all know how you feel about war, Daisy.
But if history teaches anything, it's that Iife's not that simpIe.
It was because of these ships that the Persian fIeet was sunk and the barbarians kept at bay.
Greek civilisation was preserved as a model for the future of Europe .
.
and the world.
Without the triremes .
.
we may not have inherited the democratic ideals we stiII Iook to as our onIy hope againstweII against tyranny.
l hoped l'd made that clear.
Thank you.
l'm sure we'd all like to thank Professor Rees for his stimulating talk.
I knew next to nothing about Greek oared ships before I came here today.
But now l feel equipped to become one of the great bores on the subject.
- Thank you, sir.
(Applause) l'm sorry.
l wanted very much to hear your talk.
l couldn't get away.
Pity.
You could have become a great bore on the subject.
lt wasn't the best vote of thanks in the Union's history.
She'll be kicking herself all night.
l doubt it.
She probably meant it.
l'm having to face a very disagreeable truth.
In the worId's eyes I've suddenIy become a bore.
Till a few years ago, l was the apple of everyone's eye.
(Cynical chuckle) Look at the turnout.
l used to fill this place.
l'm told you're one of the most brilliant scholars of your generation.
ls that fair? Good God.
Who by? That night we met at High Table l was told by Jerome Hogg.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
When I married, rather late in the day, l left Jerome's little coterie of sycophantic young fogeys.
- You're not married, are you? - No.
The best thing l ever did.
l bet Jerome told you l did it to prove something.
He's never been able to face the fact that l fell in love with Friday at first sight.
And I've Ioved her ever since.
She didn't go with you to Piraeus.
She was halfway through a series.
Did you know Nicos and Maria Capparis there? - Am l being questioned? - l'm talking to everyone.
Yes, l knew them.
Nicos fed us at bargain prices.
Most of the students couldn't afford to go out but when we did it was usually to the Capparis taverna.
There were some rumours that Nicos might have been spying on us.
Spying? What, is one of those old boats about to be bought by NATO? No, by that chap Tuckerman.
You mean Nicos and his family were spying for Tuckerman? We thought they were listening at tables, yeah.
Reporting anything useful back.
Nothing was ever proved, of course.
How about a drink? Sorry.
Ordinary way l'd love to, but Friday's getting dinner.
l'm late already.
l'd better ring for a cab.
Haven't you got a car? - lt's in for servicing.
- l'll give you a lift.
There's no need, really.
No trouble at all.
Where have you been? l nearly rang the Union.
I was RANDALL: Morse gave me a Iift home.
l thought it was a taxi.
RANDALL: A vintage Jaguar? Hardly.
- Blame me if he's late.
- No, no, he's not.
How was his talk? l only heard the end.
Are you sure you won't come in for a low-alcohol beer? Good God, no.
There'II be aIcohoI-free whisky next.
Thanks, but no.
Well, good night.
- Thanks for bringing him home.
- Night.
l've got him.
Bring that torch across here.
As we expected, sir, they've ruled out drowning.
She'd have gulped a whole load of weed and silt and grit and stuff - right down inside and struggIed to survive.
- Are there any injuries? Same as her brother.
Compression of the spinal cord.
Can they give us a time? Well, given the fresh water conditions and the warm weather, they reckon she could have been killed within hours of giving Miss Georgiadis the sIip.
She won't be too happy about this.
She won't.
Could l let her know, sir? Before she reads it in the paper - or sees it on the news.
- Break it to her gently.
l'll be at the Tuckermans' place.
Mrs Tuckerman? Morse, CID.
I rang earIier.
He isn't back yet.
As l told you, he stayed in town last night.
Perhaps you can help me.
What'll you have? G&T? B&S? Or shall l open champagne? lt's a little early for me, thanks.
Did your husband tell you we met in his London office? He never tells me anything much these days.
There was a time when l took an interest in his business affairs.
But now they've entered the reaIm of fantasy His business affairs? AII his affairs.
Businessmen are the world's dreamers, you know.
Fantasists, every one.
You seem to live pretty well on it.
Of course, you know he doesn't own a thing.
lt's either this company or that consortium.
You were married 1 2 years ago.
That was before he ran the Golden Fleece.
(Chuckles) Give him his due.
He's cheeky.
Golden Fleece! So you must have known Nicos and Maria Capparis.
Always trouble, those two.
Always stirring it up.
Still, l can't help feeling sorry for the girl.
What she must be going through.
God, what kind of people would do a thing like that? Not your husband's kind anyway.
Huh.
Digger? Steal a baby? He's not remotely interested in kids.
As soon as ours could walk he packed them off to some awful boarding school so that now I scarceIy ever see them.
Boys? Two girls.
l was thinking more of what was done to Nicos.
Digger's violence is all on paper.
Or floppy disks.
He can't stand the sight of blood.
ln fact, no blood was spilled.
Has he ever gone in for karate or t'ai chi? lt's not that kind of sport he fancies at all, no.
More boardroom and bedroom.
If you went to that office he rents by the day, then you saw that girI he rents by the hour.
Leggy Laura.
He likes to go a few rounds with her.
You went with him to Piraeus, of course? Athens mostly.
Wining and dining.
He met the Capparises there again.
I toId you he never tells me anything these days.
l try not to see what's going on.
l just sit here.
Day after day.
(Tearfully) Waiting for him to come home.
(Sobs) (Faint yowIing) (Yowls) l think you'd better not have another drink.
You could be your husband's only alibi.
DlGBY: Susie! - Why don't you ask him? MORSE: HeIIo again.
Nice old motor out there.
Haven't you given lnspector Morse a drink? He likes a Scotch on duty.
MORSE: Not this earIy.
This about Nicos' murder again? And Maria's.
You found her? This morning.
Floating in the Cherwell.
Oh, no.
Drowned? KiIIed first.
Driven there, then thrown into the river.
Poor kid, she was only And the time of death is anywhere between five and ten on Thursday.
lsn't that the day we met in London? You could have driven here in an hour and been here when she arrived.
Hang on.
Are you laying this on me?! Not until the postmortem gives us a precise time of death.
But l would like to take your car to Forensic.
Do you have a car, Mrs Tuckerman? - Oh, for God's sake, Digger, tell him the truth.
- Now, come on, love.
He didn't come home at all that night, so l can't say where he was.
You'll have to ask Legs Laura.
You spent the evening with your secretary? The evening that lasted until twelve the next day.
We were working on the new presentation in the office.
MORSE: TiII when? Midnight.
Until we got back toher place.
Because it Iooks Iike I've Iost that bIoody boat and l've got to save what l can by next week.
Then where were you driving off to like a bat out of hell just after l left? To Charlie, yeah, to try and save the whole bloody operation.
He's the guy who's supposed to swing it all my way, but someone eIse got ahead of the game.
That's the truth.
It was a Iast-ditch effort to save it.
All the money l've spent greasing the right palms, doing the needful.
Greece.
Good name for that pIace.
So how do we talk to Charlie? (Sighs) And will Charlie talk for you? He'd better.
And wasn't Nicos still on your payroll? Wasn't he your man in Piraeus? Listening at tabIes, reporting back.
He was an informant, yes.
That's not illegal.
And did he carry on doing it when he went to work in Vasilakis's restaurant? Well, l needed someone to stand behind him and tip me the wink.
And did he find out more than you wanted? And did he turn to bIackmaiIing you? And did Maria come and follow it up to avenge her brother? l'm saying nothing till l've spoken to my solicitor.
l'm sure he'll advise co-operation.
Be sure to tell him you're not under arrest.
Who set me up? Was it that smarmy bubble? l'll see myself out.
Vasilakis.
Go and get me a beer.
What did you do that for?! Vasilakis! You can't just walk in.
What do you think you're doing? - He's not here.
- l'll look for myself.
- Do you mind?! - l don't want to talk to the mother's help, whatever you call yourself.
l want Vasilakis.
- You can't just push your way in - Listen! Don't be a silly girl.
Vasilakis! l want you and l'm going to have you! All right, Wendy, come and take the baby.
- (Baby cries) - Are you the wife? You tell him Digby Tuckerman's here to see him.
Yes, l know who you are.
l've seen you arguing with Basilios on television.
He won't win, you know.
Not that way.
That's a rough old game, - but two can pIay.
- Mr Tuckerman, please leave this house.
Or what?! You'll call the police? Chums of yours, are they? l know your old man's here.
Vasilakis! Come on out, wherever you're hiding! Vasilakis! What have you said to Tuckerman, sir? We've just had a call.
He's broken into Vasilakis's.
Right, come on.
- Follow us.
POLlCEMAN: OK.
(Chopping) CHEF: Ti theleis edo? Stamata.
Vasilakis! Surprised? Thought you'd got me safely put away till after next week? - Who let you into my house? - Your mates in the police force, was it? Masonic handshakes? All that stuff? What are you talking about? Who'd lose most if Nicos and Maria started blabbing? Me? Only another business down the toilet.
But all this?! The cut-glass wife? So, you shut their mouths for good, didn't you? Only they'll never believe you did it.
Sol've come for you myself.
Basilios? lt's a wonderfully paranoid plot, l'll give you that.
The only flaw with it is that at the time of Maria's death, Mr and Mrs Vasilakis were at Glyndebourne seeing - what was it? - ErRosenkavalier.
Over 800 people can prove he was asleep in the front row.
He didn't have to do it himself.
He could've put out a contract.
This is not Las Vegas.
l am not a Sicilian.
You're a Mediterranean.
You know how to make people disappear.
- That's how you keep this loot.
- Take him to the car.
Can't you see, Morse? You're being fooled by all this old money.
- lt's not even his.
He married it.
- Come on.
- (Baby cries) - l'm coming, Wendy.
At least this means there won't be any question of the trireme coming to Britain.
- A happy ending for you.
- There never really was.
l'm afraid that chap was out of his class.
His wings came unstuck.
l did warn him.
Ah, Morse.
l'm glad l caught you.
l just Where are you going with that? Home, sir.
That's police property.
l hope you've signed for it.
Anyway, l just wanted to say good work at the Vasilakis place.
Could have been a nasty incident.
And Tuckerman? He's been charged, sir.
With forcible entry, threatening behaviour and assault.
But l don't think he had anything to do with the killingsor the baby.
That's certainly what he claims and l must say l believe him.
- What about the cars? - Sorry to keep you waiting, sir.
Forensic phoned just as l was leaving.
They've been over Tuckerman's car, the wife's and the mistress's.
Nothing at all.
Clean as a whistle.
What are you going to do with those things? Catch up on your viewing? Just an old tape l want to look at.
That's reaIIy what's made the whoIe thing worthwhiIe.
The way the IocaI peopIe treated us.
RANDALL: We've been made to feeI as though Greece is our second home.
WOMAN ON TV: .
.
that it actuaIIy happened.
MORSE: What have I done now? - You feeI you'II never be free of the nightmares? How did she get in there? Lewis.
Jackie's account of her rape may have been harrowing, but it is not uncommon.
There's no easy soIution, which is why I'm aIways urging you to take a course in some kind of seIf-defence if you possibIy can.
And now, on a personaI note, I'd Iike to thank aII of you who've written to congratuIate me on my wedding anniversary.
Now, I know compared to some of you RandaII and I are mere beginners, but, weII, 1 5 years seems quite a Iong time to us, doesn't it? RANDALL: Oh, no, not at aII.
For me it's gone in a fIash.
- FIattery wiII get you everywhere.
- Thank you, darIing.
Ah, yes.
lt's Saturday, so it must be Friday.
.
.
had a Iot to do with it, and aIso accepting the fact that our marriage was yet a thirdjob.
An ongoing Iabour of Iove.
FRlDAY: Which has to be worked at every day.
And what we once thought of as the great sadness of our not having chiIdren, we reaIise has brought us even cIoser.
Because, weII, we've no-one eIse to share our Iove onIy each other.
The lady doth protest too much, methinks.
WeII, that's it for today.
I hope you've enjoyed the show.
UntiI the same time next week .
.
for us, the trireme schoIars who have finaIIy been proved right.
And it's good to know that the first reconstruction wiII be staying here, where it beIongs.
Because this has been a coIIaboration between Brits and Greeks.
That's reaIIy what's made the whoIe thing worthwhiIe.
The way the IocaI peopIe treated us.
We've been made to feeI as though Greece is our second home.
You've been staring me in the face all this time, haven't you? My stupid fault for listening to bitchy gossip.
Damn you, Jerome.
(Phone rings) Hello.
Oh, hello, sir.
Rees? Yeah, l've just been watching him on his wife's lf it's in an Oxford garage, we can soon locate it.
Yeah, fine.
He told the service manager there was no hurry for a week or two.
Makes sense.
Have you found anything? Mm.
Traces of Maria's body fluids, hair and clothing in the back of the car.
And some threads on the exterior trim.
He's cool, Lewis, - you must give him that.
- And we thought he wasn't interested in women.
I did.
Don't blame yourself.
l put it into your head.
And had it put into mine by malicious gossip.
At my age l should know better.
But they can't have kids.
They said that on TV.
They can't, right.
But who said he can't? He's been staring me in the face from that screen - right from the start.
- So are we going for him? No need to go in like the heavy brigade.
l want a confession.
You wait here till l call.
He's got no college duties today, so l take it he'll be home.
You know the address.
(Phone rings) ClD.
Sergeant Lewis.
Oh, hello.
How are you? lnspector.
Thank God.
- Who did you expect? - l thought it might be Randall.
Did he call you? No.
lt's your husband l've come for.
l know.
So where is he? You won't beIieve it.
He's gone shopping.
For babywear, formuIa, nappies.
You've no idea how much a tiny creature like this can consume in a day.
(Baby cries) l couldn't go, of course.
l'd be spotted.
So he's taken the car and gone into town.
l take it that's Maria's child.
And his, yes.
Pretty heavy irony, yeah? The ideal married couple whose love was barren.
The marriage made in paradise.
The trouble is it's true.
l really do love him as much as that.
Pathetic, reaIIy.
Even now? Now you know about the child? Poor innocent, to be born into this.
lt all comes from a physiological flaw, you know.
A technical hitch.
We tried to put it right.
Had aII the treatments.
Hormones, in vitro fertiIisation.
Nothing took.
He woreloose pants and took cold baths.
And llay with my knees raised after sex.
We hadtried calendars and champagne.
Pornography.
Faith healing.
Godthe shame of it.
(Doorbell) They toId us we shouId eradopt.
But we didn't want to.
So you decided to do without.
After all, we had each other.
An ideal relationship.
A perfect sex life.
Randall's a wonderful lover.
He always was, in case you're in any doubt.
But he still hankered after a child of his own? As l found out when a Greek chef turned up here with news of this poor babe.
l wasn't here.
He told me later.
We aIways toId each other everything.
Must have been a terrible shock to you.
You'd think so.
Oddly enough, it was worse for him.
l think he cared more about our public image than l did.
WeII, hehe cared enough to kiII.
l told Randall to give the girl's brother what he wantedbut only once.
lf he asked for more, then .
.
we shouId go to the poIice and take our chances.
But Randall was terrified of blackmail.
One night l came back to find him in this hysterical state.
He'd gone to the brother's digs to pay him .
.
when all of a sudden he felt this sort of fit.
An uncontrollable anger.
And hestruck him from behind.
He swore he never meant to kiII him.
And l believe that.
Don't you? And Maria? Are you saying that was an accident as well? l don't know.
lsn't it supposed to be easier the second time? Why didn't you call me as soon as he left the house? Don't you understand? l love him.
Do you think I want him accused of murder? It won't come to that, wiII it? With the best lawyers.
- Thanks for coming.
- This had better be good.
l'm supposed to be there in case the inspector calls in.
l must do all l can to help.
l feel responsible for all that's happened.
We know who's responsible.
Whatever the old man's got to say, he's missed the boat.
What happened? Did you caII him? Stay where you are.
l'm coming down.
l said no, Mr Rees.
MORSE: It won't do any good.
RANDALL: What do you mean? Sooner or later, we'd have had to come.
My fault it took so long.
Why have you left her up there with the baby? lt's perfectly safe.
She's looking after it.
Not it, him.
AIexander.
He and his wife were watching TV at the moment Nicos let in his caller.
His killer, you mean.
The one they never saw.
He got bored, ran out of cigarettes, and went to the corner shop.
On his way back, he saw someone in the street who couIdn't possibIy have been there.
- How do you mean? - Because you can't be two places at one time.
He'd just seen the same face on television.
He never said as he was afraid of seeming a fool.
But it wasn't a Iive show, it was a repeat of Saturday night's show.
Friday Rees? Yes, yes.
lt's her in the street.
Sygnomi, Despoinis lokasti He's apologising.
Tell him OK.
Let's hope he remembered in time.
- Entaxei, min anysiheis.
- Pou na xero oti afti i pliroforia eihe simasia! Entaxei, entaxei, mi fovasai.
(Rings) (Ringing tone continues) All right, my love.
Come on.
Just let me have the child.
Morse, stop him.
Stop me? l'd thought you'd come for her.
l thought you knew.
l've been trying to persuade her this cannot go on.
You'd find out sooner or later.
lt could have gone on.
We could have lived here together, a happy family.
No-one would have known.
You think you can hide a baby? Could l? No, not even in Greece.
He found his way across a continent.
But l had strength for three of us.
l'd have done it somehow.
l've always done what you thought was impossible.
Except to have a child.
You've always been the strong one, but that you couldn't do.
Not another step.
Do as she says.
l've always done as she says, haven't l? You were happy to let me manage your life.
(Laughs with disbelief) Happy? l was half asleep.
Even my one and only adultery with Maria didn't wake me up.
But when her brother came here to show me the picture ofmy son - that was different.
Yes, after all our useless attempts, you had a one-night stand with a Greekscrubber! And bingo - my infertile husband.
No.
With another woman, l could score first time.
Why is it so important for men to prove themselves? You may be a wonderful lover, but all you want to do is to go out and procreate, show what big macho men you are - as though it matters.
All that mattered to her was the public image.
Perfect marriage as seen on TV.
lt is perfect now we've got the baby.
He isn't yours.
You killed his mother! MORSE: Friday, listen.
Listen, we'll come up and we'll talk about this calmly.
(Baby cries) l wanted to tell you that night at dinner.
l've never been able to stand up to her.
You wait here.
When that girl followed calling here and finding me alone .
.
it all became suddenly clear to me.
The baby really belonged to us.
To him first, and now, because there was no mother, to me as well.
I knew you'd Iean on me Iike you've aIways done.
No.
That was over.
Here was someone weaker than myself who needed me to protect him.
Yes, but not from me.
l'd be his mother.
You had killed his mother.
l did it for you.
To protect you.
He isn't yours.
They're so fragile.
How do so many of them survive? l could drop him.
He isn't yours.
Or ours.
He's mine.
ls that what you really think? Perhaps he could have been ours if Maria had agreed.
But now Oh, my Iove.
Try to understand what you've done.
Then if he isn't ours .
.
if l can't share him (Cries out) (Thunderclap) Almost operatic.
A Greek tragedy.
You shouId try the myths sometime, Lewis.
Sex is never simple there.
There's pleasure then there's payment.
Retribution.
My mother used to say, ''Laughing always comes to crying.
'' Virgil said, ''l fear the Greeks .
.
even when they come bearing gifts.
''
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