Inspector George Gently (2007) s01e02 Episode Script

Vater.
Mein Vater, bist du an Bord? Vater, bist du hier? Vater.
Vater! Bloody hell Bloody, bloody hell! The doctor says he won't come until he has a body, sir.
What? What, he thinks it's just an eyeball down there? Somebody leaned over the quay and it dropped out? He says he needs a body, sir.
Unbelievable.
I've got something here.
Right here, Sarge.
Sarge! Right, good.
Tell him we've got one.
Shouldn't we call out Chief Inspector Gently? No, no.
He's on leave.
Right.
Go on, Doctor.
Please let me through.
Stand back.
But then I need to talk to whoever is in charge.
Well, who is in charge? It's all right, I'm in charge.
How can I help? I am missing my father since last night.
OK, right.
Since we are to come here, to meet and go on our boat and I am hearing now there is a body in the water! Er, yeah.
Can I take your name please, sir? Wilhelm Schmeikeland my father is Gunter Schmeikel.
Gunter Schmeikel.
I'm Detective Sergeant John Bacchus.
Now, is that your boat over there, sir? Please.
I have no need to talk to you I wish to speak to the commanding officer.
I am in charge, Mr Schmeikel.
You? Yeah.
No.
A mere sergeant? Detective sergeant, actually.
No, no noyou do not understand.
My father is missing.
He's an important man, very important.
Yeah.
We'll try our best.
No, no.
That's not good enough.
It's unacceptable Wilhelm! Das ist Gunter.
Sir.
Sir, sir.
Please, I need to Excuse me, sorry, pet.
Can you just tell me the man that's been recovered Is my father-in-law It's Wilhelm's father Gunter Schmeikel! Gunter Schmeikel.
Why didn't you call me? Because 30 seconds ago it was just an unidentified eyeball.
I thought you were on leave? Not now, I'm not.
Right.
Right.
Is there anything I can do, then? Get you a cup of tea, perhaps? No, thanks.
Look at the body.
Well, the eyeball was hooked out by a fisherman.
Not talking about the eyeball, Sergeant.
He's all twisted.
Yeah, we'll get to that.
Look at his hands.
What do you see? Nothing.
What's that tell you? He didn't struggle.
Yeah, because he would have torn his hands to shreds trying to get out of here, but he didn't.
Turn him over.
Pull up his jacket and shirt.
That spine's been snapped.
He didn't struggle because the attack paralysed him.
Meaning he was alive when he entered the water.
Correct.
Shall I call off the doctor, then? I'll have a stab at the time of death, if you like.
You fancy a bet? Ten or twelve hours.
All right, you're on.
So you were just passing then, were you? Well, you know.
I had a look in at the station, yeah.
On your week off? We got a name yet? Yeah.
Gunter Schmeikel.
What's that, German, Austrian, Swiss? Well, it's not Geordie, is it? Taylor's talking to his son and his daughter-in-law They reckon that's his boat over there.
Very nice.
Any wallet or cash? No.
Just this.
Must've cost a few bob, this.
All right for some.
I thought they lost the war.
Log book.
It says here they left Hamburg six days ago.
I did German 'O' level.
Top of me class.
Well, that's a relief.
Passport in the name of Gunter Schmeikel.
It's him, all right.
Overnight bag.
See if there's a wallet.
No.
No, there isn't.
Hey, eh, listen, I had this German pen pal that came over to stay from Dusseldorf when I was 17.
Elke, she was called.
Ah, man, she was Hair down to here.
Face like an angel.
God, she was, she was beautiful.
Good.
I took the son and daughter-in-law back to their hotel, sir About a mile up the hill.
You left them on their own? You never said they were suspects.
Well, of course they're suspects, man.
Some folks in the crowd said that the deceased was drinking with some locals in the Mariner's Rest last night.
Well done, Taylor.
We'll use your car.
Well, how do you fit a pram into an MG? Three into two does not go.
I did 'O' Level Maths an' all.
Mrs Schmeikel's in the coffee lounge, and Yes.
Mr Schmeikel's still in his roomon the phone.
Room number? 14.
D'you mind if I listen in, Guv? I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that.
Can I have the headphones, please, pet? Thanks.
Yep.
What? He's speaking in German.
Him and another man.
Saying what? Well, it's a bit tricky, isn't it, when you can't see the lips moving? Or if the speaker doesn't have the face of an angel? Interrupt him, please.
Tell him Detective Inspector Gently would like to speak to him.
Right now.
Go and get him.
Mr Schmeikel? Yes, I have a Detective Gently for yer.
Chief Inspector.
This is more like it.
No offence intended, Sergeant.
Right.
Chief Inspector Gently.
Yes Thank you.
You can leave now.
Shall we? My father had been drinking all evening with his so-called friendsand, I'm imagining him trying to get into the dinghyand, well, in he goes.
What if I told you we think his back was broken? Lieber Gott.
Are you all right, Mrs Schmeikel? Yes.
Now, you mentioned that your father was important.
He owns a large pharmaceutical company in Bremen.
That makes him important, does it? Can you tell me what happened to your hands, Mr Schmeikel? This.
This you get from the North Sea when you're no good at sailing! Ridiculous! This whole thing is ridiculous.
Ridiculous in what way, sir? My father, he, er, was a prisoner of warshot down in '44 Luftwaffea bomber pilot and, then billeted? Billeted, yeah.
Billeted, yes, on a pig farmwhich 20 years later I apparently must visit and stay at so I can "learn" how pig farmers do business So my father, he stays on the farmand we come here.
Did you argue with your father over this? They argue all the time, it's These pig farmers, are they the friends he was in the pub with last night? The Hardyments, yeah! The Hardyments.
Gunter, Gunter.
C'mon, let's do the worm song.
Do the worm song.
No, no, no, I can't remember it! Course yer can! Who taught yer, eh? Away, man, let's wind the clock back 20 year! Whisht lads, hold yer gobs I'll tell yer all an awful story, Whisht lads, hold yer gobs An' I'll tell yer 'boot the worm! And where were you? We were here We were here until we were to meet my father at the quayside at 10.
15 He insisted we sleep on the boat to catch an early tide.
So, you left the hotel last night, what time? Ten o'clock, yes? Tenja.
Did you see or meet anyone? No.
No-one And when my father doesn't come after half an hour, we come back here.
Did your father have a wallet? Yes.
The inside pocket of his jacket.
Why, it is gone? Yes.
Could I ask who were you talking to earlier, on the phone? I had to inform the company to let them know.
My father-in-law's employees are like his family.
Halt du dich da raus.
You will be needing our passports I will go get them for you.
Yes.
THEY WHISPER IN GERMAN Excuse me, could you speak in English, please? Excuse me, her English is not good enough.
Um I must By all means.
I can read German I just, I can't do the oral.
Poor old Elke.
Right.
Once you've collected the Schmeikels' passports, get someone to track down China I want him here drunk or sober, as soon as you can.
Why do we need him? Just do it, please.
They're looking in all the pubs in Durham for China.
And the pathologist's ripping the body open already, so Right.
Let's visit a pig farmer.
Oh, right.
One minute.
They're pretty well off, some of these pig farmers.
A hundred quid for this car? Yeah.
A hundred pound for an MG is a bargain, man! Oh, yeah, so why are you selling it so cheap? You know.
Have you got money problems, Sergeant? No.
Yes.
What, are you just feeling the pinch, or are you actually in debt? How much do you owe? Look, sir, it's nothing I can't manage I'm taking my Inspector's exams soonwhich I'll pass Well, yes, I'm sure you'll pass.
But I can't see a vacancy for an Inspector coming up in the near future.
Well, then I'll transfer to another force where they've got more room.
Somewhere bigger.
And how long's that going to take? Look, Sir, it's all in hand.
Yeah, goodbecause a copper in debt is open to temptation.
I resent that, actually.
What? You think it can't happen to you? I've seen it a dozen times.
A dozen promising careers ruined.
Just trying to offer some friendly advice.
Yes, sir, I heard your advice.
"Don't get into debt".
Thanks for the tip.
I'm selling me car, aren't I? Sorry.
Sorry.
Honestly, it'll all get straightened out.
I reckon Mrs Schmeikel knows more than she's allowed to say.
Oh, what's that smell?! Shoes Who are yous, like, and what d'yer want? Detective Sergeant Bacchus How, Da! Who's that flash bugger? Looks like a toff.
Afternoon.
I'm Detective Chief Inspector Gently.
This is Detective Sergeant Bacchus.
We'd like to ask you a few questions, please.
A bloody Londoner! And a big-wig an' all.
Gets worse and worse! Welcome to the North/South divide, sir.
Well, I'm just about to have me dinnerso either wait there, or away in.
I'm shockedshocked, I am, I'm shocked.
I am.
We were with him last night! Who'd wanna do Gunter?! Naybodywhy would they?! I gave him a wave as we drove off! I can barely eat! Can I ask you about last night? Aye, ask what yer like, aye! You went to the Mariners.
Aye! And what happened? Cos I haven't seen Gunter since he was billeted here But as soon as he's back, he's back in his loft where he was as a PoW Two nights he slept there.
He helps out with the pigs an' everything Him an altogether different type of farmer now A pharmaceutical man.
Aye, a pharmaceutical man, that's right, aye.
But he mucks in like it's 20 years ago, you know, and he loves it.
We took him to Hadrian's Wallcos I taught him to be a bird man, and there's rare ones flying in, you know, quite a to-do about it, and 'fore yer know it's his last night and we're all in the pub.
He's buying drinks for everybody.
No, really, already you have given enough! Then, when I'm gone, tomorrow, the drinks are still on me! One Black and Tan, sir.
Thank you! Keep it, please.
Singing the Worm song! Aye.
Aye He'll tell yer all about the worm now.
Whisht lads and hold yer gobs for the man who's buyin' drinks, Gunter Schmeikel! Sieg heil Sieg heil! Oy! Forgive and forget, you lot! Or I'll slap yer chops for yer! Mabs Mabs, it's all in jest! He catched a fish upon his heuk He thought leukt varry queer But what'n a kind of fish it was Young Lambton couldn't tell He wasn't fash to carry it home So he hoyed it doon a well Whisht lads, hold yer gobs I'll tell yer all an awful story Whisht lads, hold yer gobs, I'll tell yer boot the worm! Fancy a drop of home brew, Chief Inspector?! Yeah, be very nice.
Thank you.
He's like Gunter's family, isn't he? What was that? He says you're a lot like Gunter.
Weren't a bomber pilot, though, were yer? Oh, no.
Not a bomber pilot, no.
No, you gotta be posh to be a bomber pilot! Not yer Alec Douglas-Home posh But posher than you.
Aye, he'd have liked you.
You'd have liked him, well, everybody liked Gunter.
End of the evening, what happened? Well, he's back to Deutschland first tide, so we come out the pub and give him a hug.
What time was that? Ten o'clock sharp We're up early in the morning, you know.
Which way did you go home? Along the quayside and back up the hill.
See anybody else? Don't think so, no.
Yeah, we did! That son of his, near his hotel.
Cos I said, "Oh, you've missed him!" I'm sorry, but he didn't like us.
Ah, you didn't like him We noticed! Well, what's to like about that arrogant shite? So you saw him and his wife walking towards the quayside.
No, no, she wasn't with him.
He was on his own Wouldn't have her downshe's just a mouse.
Anything I can do, just give us a shout! Thank you.
Did you see the young lad skulking around? The one that left.
I did Speak of the devil.
In the pub last night.
There was this new bloke behind the bar called Shavers A big bastard, like, yer wouldn't cross him.
Anyway, we're with Gunter.
A mate of mine at the bar says Shavers has been mouthing off about the Nazis an' that, an' how he pissed in Gunter's beer and said he had a mind to do more, you know? And when a few others walked out in protest, he gans with 'em.
Whisht lads, hold yer gobs I'll tell yer all an awful story What time was this? Just after nine? Right, thanks We'll be in touch.
I saw him again that night when we were leaving.
In the car park, in the shadows, watching us I didn't have a good feeling, like, but say goodbye to Gunter and look back, and he'd gone.
This is Shavers? Aye.
Chick Shavers.
Did you see where he went? Nah, we just drove off.
And did you see anyone after that? Only Dog Shite On Yer Shoe.
Y'know, Gunter's son.
Coming down the hill.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Hoy! Y'know that owld knack ya drivin'? Will you take 25 pound for scrap? No.
I won't.
Touch me one more time! Get in.
Mr Shavers, thanks for coming in.
Please sit down.
No, ta, I won't be stopping.
We've had reports that you claimed to have urinated in the beer of a particular customer last night In the Kraut's, aye.
I did it three times, one for each Reich! You're aware Mr Schmeikel was found dead this morning.
Well, if it's from urine poisoning, I'm yer man.
You don't mind that he's dead? Look.
I don't know what you were doing in the war.
Sit down.
Yelling at folk to put up black-out curtains I was kicking that scum back where they came from, and I saw things that are buried into here! Here! You and the rest of the world can forgive and forget But not me.
Calm down.
I've had it with you!! I'm all right.
I missed my vocation.
Suspected broken back.
Everything else just as we thought.
Taylor.
Sir.
They tell me you're a wrestling fan.
Oh, well, me mam is sir, I just take her along, like.
Name Chick Shavers mean anything to you? Oh, aye, I saw him in Berwick once He's retired now, did his knee in.
Oh, he was a nasty piece of work.
Played the part well, though.
Did some horrible things to The Wild Man of Borneo.
Nearly broke his back once.
Thank you.
Sir.
So if we cuff him, d'you reckon you can manage Shavers on your own? Yeah, of course.
Good.
Well, I should, um stay out of his reach though.
I object to Nazis coming here and flashing their money around.
I object, OK? Cos where's my money, eh? Where's mine? I thought we won the war! This is 1964, Mr Shavers.
There speaks a man whose pockets are full! Listen I don't go looking for them, right? But if they turn up on my doorstep and wave it in my face then yeah, I'll put piss in their beer, and folk'll pat us on the back for doing it! What else did you do? What d'you mean, what else? We have a witness that places you in the car park when Gunter Schmeikel left the pub.
Witness.
Don't yer mean half-wit? One of the Hardyments? Witless, more like! Mr Shavers, did you follow Gunter Schmeikel down to the quay? No.
Because his back was broken, see.
You're quite capable of doing that, aren't you? No.
No, no, no, no.
No, you don't! Whoa! Look Just calm down, all right.
Just get on with it.
All right.
I did go to the quayside, aye.
But I was on me way back, and this is the truth, right? Cos I admit it.
I hate 'em.
I hate Jerries, and all right, I did want to do something else and I knew what that something was, so I went down to the quay to set their boat adrift.
This is about nine.
And I arrive, and there's their flash boat with no-one around, or, I think there's no-one around, but then I clock this car, cos whoever's in it turns on some light so I turn away.
Hang about, hang about.
Who was it? I don't know.
Well, didn'tdidn't you recognise them? I'm not looking, am I? I'm waiting to set the boat adrift.
I just want the bloke to go, but he stays, he just sits there! Calm down.
And after half an hour of waiting, I lose me appetite, give up, go back to the pub and arrive just as the Hardyments and the Kraut are heading off home.
And that's the God's honest.
And what type of car was it? I don't know! A dark saloon.
I can't be sure.
That's all I can tell you.
Right.
Would I be right in thinking that "Chick Shavers" isn't your real name? Well, it's the name I used professionally.
And it's the one I'm known as now.
Right, yeah, see, I'm afraid we need your name that's on your birth certificate.
Malcolm Fairey.
Sorry? Malcolm Fairey! Thank you.
Poofter.
You know, none of the locals Well, except for the Fairey in the blue corner none of them have a bad word to say about our German bomber.
Yeah, Gunter Schmeikel seems to have been a decent fellow.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
For somebody who dropped bombs on people.
You know, I can just about remember the docks being bombed.
Civilians were killed.
Innocent people.
Ever hear of Dresden? Our bombs created a fire storm that killed 50,000 civilians.
For no particular reason that I can think of, except to terrorise a nation.
Yeah, well, the Germans should've thought of that before they started the bloody war.
Right.
Chick Shavers tells us that there was a car at the quayside when he left.
Yep.
When he got to the pub, the Hardyments were saying goodbye to Gunter, and the Hardyments drive along the road, up the hill where they see Wilhelm coming down.
Yeah, and he's on his own.
He hasn't got his wife with him.
According to the Hardyments.
Yeah.
Meanwhile, Gunter's walking from the pub to the quay.
We assume, where he met his maker.
Let's see what time the Schmeikels booked back into their hotel.
OK.
Should be interesting.
China? Well, you did say "drunk or sober", Guv.
No, no, Mr Bacchus.
I'm sober as a lamb, and ready and willing to do whatever it is Mr Gently is ready and willing for me to do.
Drunk, then.
Taylor.
Sir.
Go to my house.
I want this man scrubbed, shaved and put in one of my suits, with a shirt and tie, with shoes on, and socksmy socksand brought back here.
Mr Gently, sir.
I cannot let another man perform intimate And if I'm pleased Scoured, Taylorhead to toe.
Quick as you can.
Yes, sir.
His name's Robert Stratton.
He's a warden for the National Park.
He was on the quay last night monitoring bird migration.
I only know what I'm told, sir.
He came in of his own accord.
He's here with his daughter, that's her, cos his wife's not well, and his daughter's apparently a bit WHISTLES We got to the quay around nine.
Yes Bird watching at night? Yeah.
Oh, we don't do it all year round, just when the migrations are on.
You don't have to see them, y'see you can hear 'em coming in.
And we've had a couple of mergansers turn up on one of the lakes, from Denmark.
The red merganser's a scruffy bird, it's not very common in these parts.
It's got a tufty head, very untidy-looking, always bedraggledalwaysalways.
That's the one.
But you weren't out and about last night, you were sitting in your car on the quay? Angled, yeah, so I'm looking out to sea, which is what I must've been doing cos I didn't see anyone arrive.
But suddenly this big chap turns up, down by the dinghy moorings.
He looks in my direction and turns away.
And he walks up and down a bit, impatient, like.
And then I'm checking the skies again and he's gone.
And what happened then? Well, some curlew and oyster-catchers come over.
We're not greatly interested in the birds.
Oh, I'm sorry No, um Ten past ten, another chap turns up.
A slighter man, quite tall I can't give much of a description, I'm afraid, but he's sitting on one of the bollards and he's tapping his thighs, you know, like he's drumming along to a song.
And Well, as I say, I'd decided to call it a day and I drive off.
Was this the man who died? One minute Can I go and get the passports? Alice! Alice.
No.
Stop it.
I'm sorry.
Here y'are, here y'are Make a list of every bird you've seen this month.
It's very good of you to have come in so promptly.
Was this the man that you saw at the quay? Look, I was some way away.
I cannot swear to it.
Right.
What about these two? Yeah, they were at the hotel.
Right.
I popped in for a drink on the way down.
They were at the bar, very smart.
I passed this one as I was going home, he was coming down towards the quay.
Was he with anybody? No, he was on his own, he was carrying two bags.
Oh, I'm sorry, she's Here y'are.
Alice, leave it.
There you go.
Go on, carry on.
All right, all right All I wanna do is ask you a few questions, that's all, right? I only meet him twice, but Gunter, he is like someone you have known for years.
He is He looks at you when you speak, looks into you.
Is interested in you, and has such a smile.
I think SHE SPEAKS ITALIAN Ma non tutti, ovviamente.
Parla Italiano? No, veramente, no.
Mia moglie e nata a Napoli.
Ohhe's married, what a pity! Gunter, he spoke Italian to me once, though his wife was, um Danish.
WAS Danish? She died this year, he say to me.
So did mine.
I'm so sorry.
When Gunter left last night With the Hardyments.
Yes, did anyone else leave? The ones that don't like a German buying the drinks and have walked out, they come back in through the other door.
I have been working the bar for half an hour or more, on my own.
And the drinks are free, but now Chick is back to help! And Chick Shavers came back when? Gunter and the Hardyments go, and Chick is next to me straightaway.
And stays here? Yes.
If you think of anything else you would like to ask me Thank you.
Call the station.
They can let Chick Shavers go.
Got an alibi.
Mr Gently, sir.
How have we done? Will I do? Have you got a comb, Sergeant? Give it to him.
What did you find out? Bloke in there says ask the Hardyments about a woman called Molly, lived with them during the war.
And then had a thing with Gunter, and then she later topped herself.
China! Come with me.
No, you China, that's my suit.
Don't put fag-ends in it.
Right, Mr Gently.
If I'm passing you off as a police officer, at least try and act like one.
I have a problem.
The Hardyments only remember driving past you, Mr Schmeikel.
You alone, not Mrs Schmeikel.
She was with me! I was there I was with him.
Another witness only saw Mr Schmeikel walking down the hill.
They are lying! Why would they do that? Who is the investigator here? Perhaps the Hardyments wish to point the finger at me because they did it.
Um, I'm sorry, are you accusing the Hardyments? Yeah! Why not? They get drunk and they kill him! Wilhelm, nein.
Kill him for what reason, Mr Schmeikel? For being German, and successful, a combination you cannot bear because we are more determined than you, more industrious, more ingenious, and this makes you angry.
Oh.
Not possible.
I'm sorry, I forgot.
You British are so pleasant.
SHE SPEAKS GERMAN HE REPLIES IN GERMAN Leave 'em to it.
I apologise for my husband.
He is upset.
I'm curious, though, as to what motive you think the Hardyments would attribute to you, if they thought you had killed your father.
Ridiculous question.
Wilhelm.
Are you considering us now suspects? Britische Gerechtigkeit! THEY SPEAK ANGRILY IN GERMAN Did you get all that? She asked him not be rude And then he was rude, and he told her to leave it to him from now on.
They were having a row.
I think.
And before that? She was saying why would the Hardyments kill Gunter when he was making them such a generous offer? What offer? What offer? How do I know? He told her to shut up and never mention it again.
Well done, China.
Thanks, Mr Gently.
May be needing you again.
Yeah.
"Niemals", it means never.
China never got off the beach at Dunkirk.
He spent five years in various Stalags.
DOGS BARK AND GEESE QUACK Pull up the crates.
Now, yer might think this is what yer had beforebut there's a lesson in that.
Put days between yer visits.
None for me Thank you very much.
Oh, yeah, man.
Tuck in, tuck in.
Are yer back with news? Just some questions.
Aye, well, we like a bit of a quiz.
So fire away.
Who's Molly? Who talked to you about Molly? Why don't you just tell us about her? Jimmy.
Sit down.
Jimmy Jimmy! Molly was Jimmy's mum.
She was the daughter of a neighbouring farmer, and when she got pregnant, out of wedlock, this is January 1940, the father kicked her out.
The bastard.
Molly was training to be a teacher, you know, something worthwhile, so Mabs and me, we took her in.
And when Jimmy was born, Mabs looked after him, so she could finish her training.
And she became a wonderful teacher, so we're told.
Then the war ended and two year after, '47, 2nd of May, nay-body saw it coming.
She took her own life.
Here on the farm.
Up in the loft where Gunter stayed.
No reason why.
No last note.
Just an empty bottle of pills.
Where was Gunter? Repatriated.
He'd gone back two weeks before.
Aye, the how she died, and the where and the why got everybody talking, you know, making assumptions.
Did anything happen between Molly and Gunter? Well, now, the only two people who can answer that are dead, but I'm sure as damn-it certain nowt happened between 'em.
What about Jimmy, then? He must have been about, I dunno, seven when Molly died.
Maybe he saw 'em You know, saw them together, maybe he knows something.
Look, when Gunter comes back again, aye, everybody's talking again, you know, was it to do with him? But he hadn't been here long, looking round the farm.
We're all traipsing after him.
Nothing has changed.
Nothing.
All is as it was.
Everything! Only uswe have changed! Look at you all! Jimmy You were that size! And your mother, Molly.
What is she now? She's a head teacher? Must be such a fine teacher.
Will I get to see her, too? No, um We lost Mum a long time ago, Gunter.
'He had all these pairs of eyes staring at him, 'looking for a hint of guilt, a trace of bad conscience, 'and all we saw was love and sadness.
' Same as what we all felt.
And yet, he spent two nights in the loft where she killed herself.
Yeah, but we didn't tell him that's where it happened.
Mind if I have a look? There's not much to see, like.
There you go.
Like I said, not much to see.
Sir That's Gunter's.
He must've left it here.
He didn't take it to the pub? Can't have.
He must've left it here.
Fingerprints.
Fingerprints! What do you want fingerprints for? Did Gunter make you any kind of offer while he was here? Who told you that? Did he? Well, I didn't really understand what he was on about.
Something to do with him giving us shares in his firm for free.
But I didn't like the sound of shares, so I said no.
But he kept bringing it up, saying he wanted to thank me for what I did for him.
And I said to him words are enough.
What did you do for him? Nowt, as far as I was concerned, but he said it was the community.
The way we lived.
You're not looking as friendly as you were.
I'd like the fingerprints of everybody on the farm, please.
Where's your car? Still at the station.
Pick it up, scrape China off the bar and earn yourself some overtime.
I want that wallet dusted and cross-checked for fingerprints.
Find out anything and everything that you can about the Schmeikels and their company That's where China comes in, by the way.
Get on the phone to the German Embassy.
I want a flavour of this company.
The business will reflect the man.
Thanks.
For the overtime.
By the way, who gave us the heads up on Molly? Bert Galton.
The fisherman that hooked out the eyeball.
Yeah? Friend of Chick Shavers.
Is he now? Chief Inspector.
What can I get you? No.
No, thank you, I'm on duty.
I wondered if you noticed the other night whether Gunter Schmeikel paid for his drinks from a wallet? A wallet? Yes, he did.
Bert Galtonis he here? You know, I leave at the end of next week.
SHE SPEAKS ITALIAN And I was wondering Did your wife ever make you risotto di zucca? Yes, she did, often.
I have said the wrong thing.
No.
No, er Amata, you seem like a very lovely woman and it's been a pleasure to meet you.
But I have to go now.
Good luck, Mr Gently.
Oh, sir, post mortem.
The lower spine has splintered from pressure, not a blow.
They're gonna do more tests on that.
The fingerprint boys are still working on the wallet.
Too slow! I have bollocked them, sir, but listen to this.
German Police in Bremen are investigating Wilhelm Schmeikel for fraudmajor fraud.
What's he been up to? Illegal transfer of funds from his father's company into his accounts.
Why would he need to steal from his father? Because Gunter was in the process of turning his company into a co-operative, making every employee into a shareholder and effectivelydisinheriting Wilhelm! Pick him up! Right.
SNORING Guv, urgent call.
Disturbance at the Mariners Rest.
Piece of shite! Piece of shite yerself.
Spreadin' lies about my ma! Clip him, man! Keep out of this, you! He's the one telling yer, is he?! You're nicked, the pair of you! Bit of a mover, aren't ya?! Cuff him, call for assistance.
Away, man, let them finish it! LAUGHTER I hear you've had a bit of a result, Chief Inspector.
I hearthe young Nazi killed the old Nazi.
Joy unconfined, eh! Shut up.
Mr Fairey.
Who's been doing all the talking round here? Not me, sir.
Well, cut it out, d'you hear me! .
.
You are still on my radar.
He ditched his wife and scarpered.
He's on the bus to Newcastle.
He's gonna try and get a boat! I thought you took his passport? Dual nationality, sir.
He's got a Danish one an' all.
His mother was Danish.
Amata told me.
I tried to stop him.
Didn't telephone us, though, did you? I told him this will only look bad, this will implicate you! Your English is excellent, isn't it? Yes.
Well, while we're at it, let's clear up one other thing.
Did you, or did you not, walk down to the quayside with your husband? I was going to.
But I was feeling ill.
I needed to lie down for a while, so I stayed here at the hotel and he went on ahead.
Collect your things and come downstairs, please.
Take your time.
OFFICER PANTS Not that long! The station called to say a warden from the National Park claims to have seen Gunter Schmeikel.
Stratton? We talked to him yesterday.
No, sir.
Another warden, who saw the dead man's photo in the paper this morning and remembers seeing him in the park near Hadrian's Wall two days ago.
He was with a group of people, but Gunter Schmeikel was seen in conversation with Stratton, who then went off with him, sir.
The man who arrived just before you left the other night.
The man we assumed was Gunter Schmeikel, you said he sat on a bollard.
Which one? That one there.
So the car's pointing virtually straight at him? Yes.
And when you start your engine, the headlights come on and he's right in your beam? I suppose so.
Yes.
And presumably looks up.
If he did, I don't remember.
Well, did he or didn't he? You were looking straight at him.
Well, I was driving off.
Yes, and in order to leave, you have to go into reverse and then come forward again.
When I reverse, I look behind us.
A colleague of yours, a fellow warden, says that he saw you two days ago with Gunter Schmeikel at the National Park.
He says you spoke to him, then went off together on your own.
He says he recognised the deceased from the newspaper photographs.
No.
No, can't be the same man.
Well, it was, though, wasn't it? Well, I met a lot of people that day! A lot of Germans?! Listen, what can I say? I'm sorry.
I never connected the two men.
Well, you can now.
The man who sat on the bollard, was he the same man you went off with on the moors?! Don't shout at him! Why are you shouting? Alice! Stop it, please.
It's all right, it's all right.
Alice, you're quite right.
You're quite right, I shouldn't.
You shouldn't.
A man called Gently shouldn't shout! No.
You're right, Alice.
I'm sorry.
I apologise.
My dad sometimes shouts, only in the house.
Never outside, you mustn't shout outside, only in the house.
Do you blame us? No.
It never occurred Of course it was the same man.
Well, thank God for that or we'd be looking for another German.
Butthe man on the moors, why did you go off with him? Well, everyone was hoping to see a Merganser.
Jim, he was with Jim Hardyment, but Jim's got gout these days and asks if I can take him down the lake, so I said sure, yeah.
I only point him in the right direction.
I may need to speak to you again, Mr Stratton.
Of course.
Again, I'm sorry.
Me mind's all over the place.
Alice.
Am I forgiven? Got yer.
Got yer! HORN BLARES Police.
Sorry about this Hey, you stay where you are! You stay where you are! Right? Yeah.
What happened, eh? Your father found out you were stealing from him? Agh! Right, come on.
Sorry, it's just me.
Chief Constable was busy.
All right, you can go now.
Thank you.
Listen No, no, no.
In the car.
Please.
Just, please listen.
This could be as important for you as it is for me.
Please listen.
No, you listen.
You don't know how much trouble you're in? Right.
No, I know, I know.
I know, you hang people here.
And if the tide is against me, which it is, then no-one is going to understand.
So my father's company, mine now, we can pay our way! I'm not following you.
Oh, yes, you are.
You are very smart, and and I've been watching you.
You have connections.
And I'm not trying to avoid anything.
It is just that, in Germany, we do not have the death penalty.
So all I ask is for you to work on my extradition, to have me sent back to Bremen.
For that, I will give you £20,000.
Because I did not kill my father! Did not, did not! Look To show good faith, with one phone call I put £5,000 into your bank account today.
Now.
All I need is you give me your account number.
Yes? Sir? Schmiekel, any news? Er, no, sir.
Post-mortem tests? No.
Not yet, sir.
I've just been told there are two sets of prints on Gunter Schmeikel's wallet.
Gunter's and Jimmy Hardyment's.
Jimmy Could you tell me, please, why your finger-prints were on Gunter's wallet? I took it to see if he had a photo of me mam in it.
When was this? In the pub on the last night.
'He was singing this song and just threw his jacket to us.
'But when he finished, I was still holding the wallet.
' Hadn't looked in it yet.
In case anybody saw us Cos I felt like a thief.
So then I kept it.
I put it in the bedside cupboard up in the loft as if he'd forgotten it.
And was there a photo of your mum in it? Jimmy, do you think Gunter was responsible for your mother's death? I don't pretend that Wilhelm's relationship with Gunter was easy.
It wasn't.
I think, maybe, they disagree about everything, but to be the son of a successful father, it is hard.
Then on this trip to be presented to these Wilhelm calls them peasants and they are.
In the best sense, they are.
But then his father is saying, these people are what we must be like.
This is what our company must be like, this is how we must look after one another, and really, this is not business! And you met the Hardyments where? Wilhelm's father studies birds and the Hardyments took us to the moors.
Tell me about that.
There's nothing to tell.
We don't like the Hardyments and I'm sure the Hardyments don't like us.
But Gunter is happy.
So happy.
Well, someone tried to snatch his camera.
They didn't get it, but Wilhelm was very angry.
He wanted to find this person, because it happened while Gunter was off at the lake.
But then Gunter was saying, leave it, leave it, so we leave it.
Please, I have to keep saying this, because I know it is true.
Wilhelm could never have killed his father, never.
This I know.
Your husband is being investigated for fraud, Frau Schmeikel, for stealing from his father.
Perhaps in anticipation of his father disinheriting him.
Did you know that? He never told you, did he? Do some thinking, please.
Mr Gently.
China.
I was asked to take a call from Bremen, from the police there.
They couldn't speak English, but wanted you to know that, half an hour ago, Wilhelm Schmeikel instructed his bank to transfer five grand into the account of Sergeant John Bacchus.
And they want to know whether they should let the transfer go ahead? Where is Sergeant Bacchus? He's just come in, sir.
With the German in handcuffs.
Looking very happy with himself.
Guv Wilhelm Schmeikel wishes to make a statement.
I'll get him lined up for you.
Not yet, Sergeant.
Yes.
Tell them to go ahead with it.
With me, please.
I, er I want your opinion on Robert Stratton.
They're here now, we've got 'em now! I'm talking about you letting it fester for years, man! I thought it was the best thing to do at the time! Mr Gently.
Look what we just dug up! We must talk to Wilhelm as quickly as possible.
You stick with me.
I was the one who found Molly, y'see, and there she was, on the bed, holding this box.
And when I saw them You should've read them or told somebody about 'em! It wouldn't have been right.
They were too personal! She wasn't hiding them, was she?! I didn't want anyone doing anything stupid like going after whoever had made her do such a thing.
I took 'em outside to where she used to sit and read andburied 'em under a tree.
Now what yer blabbing for? Cos he thinks our Jimmy did for Gunter, don't yer?! Well, if our Jimmy done it, we're all in it, aren't we? He was with us! These must be nearly 20 years old! I mean, what are they gonna prove?! Let's find out, shall we? I'm not opening 'em! I don't wanna know who they're from.
May I? When you took Gunter out onto the moors, I gather you met Robert Stratton, one of the wardens.
Bob Stratton, aye.
Gunter was telling us about the night he got shot down, and Bob joined with.
And Gunter went off with him? Well, I asked him to show him down to the lake.
How long have you known Robert Stratton? Came here just after the war.
A Sunderland man.
What a life he has, wife on the verge all the time and that poor lassie of his He does everything.
He's a sound bloke.
They're all censored.
I mean, there's a few clues and that.
If we see a phone-box, d'you mind if I stop and make a quick call? Something urgent? No.
Hello.
Hello.
Can we? Come in, come in! Come in.
HE KNOCKS ON DOOR Hello? Oh! Oh, sorry.
Sorry.
WATER SPLASHES Can you give us a minute, please? It's me mam, she's in the altogether.
Me mam, she's in the altogether.
Look.
Yeah, we'll wait.
Alice, come on.
Pack it in! Come on.
Er, sorry, me wife can't wash or dress herself at the moment.
Mr Stratton.
Yeah, I was gonna come and see you.
Cos I realised that I must have also seen that young German couple from the hotel before.
On the moors, part of the Hardyment group.
I mean, I never spoke to them at the time, but, er I guess they didn't recognise me either cos they would've said something at the hotel, perhaps.
It's just that the young wife says that when Gunter Schmeikel came back from going off with you, he complained that someone tried to snatch his camera.
What? She said it was I didn't steal Why would I steal his camera? Now listen, no.
No, he was a, he was a strange one, that one.
I didn't say that she'd accused you, Mr Stratton.
But please go on.
Gunter Schmeikel was strange in what way? Well, you know, he was odd Nice enough to start off with, but when we got down to the lake, he turns on us, "Go.
Go on.
Go on!" and starts saying I was spying on him.
Well, you know, I just walk away.
I leave him to it.
And yet, this was the man who was behaving so strangely earlier in the afternoon, that you failed to recognise him at the quayside? Yeah, well, I've already explained that! The man at the quayside didn't bring to mind that man, not once.
Italy '44 Durham Light Infantry? Aye.
You? Middlesex Regiment, then .
.
joined up with the Cheshire.
Took a bit of a hammering.
They did.
We had a quiet time for the most part.
Sorry, I think your wife's No.
Come on.
Come on.
No.
In.
In.
Come on.
Alice, don't.
Don't do that, Alice.
Don't! Alice, come away from the fire.
Away from the fire.
There's a good girl.
Thank you.
Thanks.
What happens when you're working? They stay in their rooms.
Does that? Does he lock 'em in? Is Stratton a suspect? Yeah, of course he is.
Why? Would that help or hinder you? Don't understand the question.
Would that be good or bad for you? For me?! I don't get you, guv.
The police in Bremen rang.
Wilhelm Schmeikel's transferring £5,000 into your account.
I was gonna tell ya.
Well, you've had two hours.
I was waiting for the money to be in place.
It could've changed his mind! Try again, Sergeant.
Look OK, I wanted to prove to you that I could get things done, my way! Look, guv.
Guv, listen, please.
Think about it! The guy wasn't just gonna go and confess, was he? This is proof! What was he gonna get for his 5,000? 20,000.
20?! Five now and the rest when I got him extradited to Germany.
You can't do that! Well, I know that! But he doesn't know that, does he? He's desperate.
He's desperate, because he's guilty.
What about Jimmy Hardyment and the Hardyment family? Jimmy's fingerprints are all over the wallet.
Are you not bothered about Robert Stratton's memory lapses? Sir, Wilhelm Schmeikel killed his father, and in an attempt to avoid the news, tried to buy his way home! Thank you.
Right.
Very good.
Yes, we now need to transfer the 5,000 back to the What? By how much? Can I call you back, please? Thank you.
Your bank can't repay the full £5,000.
They can only manage £4,782.
My overdraft.
Which you exceeded and has consequently been cancelled, meaning, as of now, you just took a bribe.
No, sir You know that's not true! No, let me tell you what I know.
You decided to cut corners to incriminate Wilhelm Schmeikel, and what you've really managed to do is incriminate yourself.
Find out who the man is in those letters.
His name is blacked out.
HE SCOFFS It's a simple task, Sergeant.
There's lots of circumstantial stuff in them.
Anyone can do that.
Yeah, so go and do it.
My punishment, is it? I don't care how you look at it.
Just do as I tell you for once!! What are you gonna do while I'm stuck in some office 30 miles away for the rest of the night? I'll talk to some senior officers who might just be able to save you from a dishonourable discharge from the police service! Hello.
Speaking.
Tomorrow? Just hold on a minute.
Yes, that will be fine.
Good work.
Good work, Detective Sergeant Bacchus.
Exc.
.
Excuse me! Hello?! There's no need to shout in here.
Can I move on to the Ss, please.
Aye.
Thank you.
S for Stratton.
Yes, I can feel myself inhabiting the role of the detective.
Accumulating information, examining motives and evidence, you know.
But I tell yer how I decide who's done it, cos it might be useful to you as a technique, y'know? Out of the mouths of babes in China What I do is this - I ask myself, who would you not want to be right now, China? What's it like speaking German after all these years? It's not the speaking of it It's hearing it again.
So Are you not going to ask me who I think done it?! Nope.
I think you should get some sleep, China.
German Police and Embassy officials first thing in the morning.
Right, Mr Gently.
Robert Stratton.
Robert Stratton "By the King's order the name of Corporal Robert C Stratton, "Durham Light Infantry, "was published in the London Gazette on the 4th of August 1944, "as mentioned in a dispatch for distinguished service.
"I am charged to record His Majesty's high appreciation.
" Signed Secretary of State for War.
Mentioned in a dispatch for what? Bloody hell! He killed three men with his own hands.
Ich flehe Sie an, bitte KNOCK ON DOOR Ich moechte an die deutsche Justiz ausgeliefert werden.
Full post-mortem report, and DS Bacchus is on the phone for you.
Thank you.
Taylor? Sir.
I sent someone to fetch Mr Stratton in.
Is he here yet? I'll go and check for you, sir.
Sir, I've got the identity of the man in the letters.
Molly's man.
Right, he was based up here with the Royal Signals from '45 till he was posted to Palestine, where he died of diphtheria.
Now this was two weeks before Molly Hardyment killed herself.
And he was married, which may have some bearing.
Although, of course, none of this actually solves anything, since the important thing is that people thought it might have been down to Gunter.
D'you wanna say something, guv? Well done.
Well done.
Right.
Am I still on the case? You were never off it, or didn't you notice? Sometimes we have to take the long way round, Sergeant.
Yeah, it's amazing what a bit of donkey work can do, innit? Now, listen, I came up with one more thing.
It's the Yeah, tell me when you see me.
Well? Doesn't look good, Mr Gently.
He's begging to be extradited and admitting everything.
He admitted killing his father? Well, he said he'd say he did it if they sent him back to Germany.
But then he said he didn't do it.
One thing's for certain, Mr Gently.
He don't want to hang.
Do you think he did it? Yes.
Well, no.
Well, maybe.
The Germans think he did it, sir.
Hm.
I ask you, Chief Inspector, if I wanted to kill him, why wouldn't I have done it out at sea? Claim it as an accident?! You can't sail.
And your wife was with you.
I did not kill my father! And I'd be inclined to believe you, because, to do this, to inflict this amount of pain and I am assured he would have been in extreme agony Well There are simpler and less suspicious ways to dispatch a father.
However, in your latest statement, you still insist that you walked down to the quayside with your wife.
The truth, Mr Schmeikel, might just save your life.
However, if you persist It was too suspicious to say that I was there on my own.
I am being investigated for stealing from my father.
Oh.
Good.
Better So, who saw you on your own? The Hardyments.
They were the first to pass you, yeah? The first, no.
The only ones.
There were no others.
Mr Schmeikel, you were seen and passed by two cars.
No, by the Hardyments only.
There were no other cars! You're telling me, no other cars?! Parked cars, yes.
One on the street and one on the harbour.
The harbour one.
What make? A small family car.
Blue, I think.
Where's Stratton? What room's he in?! Oh, he's still not here, sir.
Mr Stratton.
Hello! Mr Stratton! Anybody! BANGING You all right, son? Yes, sir.
Where's the wife and daughter? Upstairs, I think, but he went out maybe five, ten minutes ago.
What're yer doing? Why are yer pulling us?! Just taking a short cut.
Wanna get to the top.
I don't want to.
I don't like it.
TYRES SCREECH No! Come on, Alice.
Come on.
When was the best time up here? When was that, do you reckon? When it was frosty.
It was cold and frosty.
It was a cold and frosty morning! I remember.
The mist was down there, wasn't it? Waswas like, like we were in heaven! Like, like me and you were angels.
Dad! Let her go! Stratton! Let her go! There's a good girl.
Come on.
Sir? What? Call the station.
Tell them to release Jimmy Hardyment and Schmeikel.
And call an ambulance for Mrs Stratton.
Non-urgent.
Sergeant.
Whatever part you played, thank you.
Much appreciated, as you know.
Let's get this straight.
I did nothing to help you.
The money's going back into your bank account.
Personally, I think you should be done for attempting to bribe a police officer.
You know, Sergeant, you are really quite an unpleasant chap.
Why don't you piss off back to where you came from? Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Sergeant.
Trudi.
Sorry.
You joining us? It's fate, isn't it? I could've been anywhere on the moors that day.
And if Jim Hardyment hadn't've been there, I'd never have gone over.
But over I went, and there's this smart German bloke, laughing about being a bomber pilot, and how he was shot down over the Tyne 20 years ago.
Laughing about it.
Aye, man.
What? 1944, I'm out in Italy.
Yeah you were mentioned in dispatches, weren't you? Aye.
For killing three guards.
They were the enemy.
We'd been captured.
How did yer kill 'em? I have admitted killing Gunter Schmeikel.
You broke their necks, didn't yer! There you are, there!! We were unarmed.
We did what we had to do.
And this time? Well, I was trying to tell you.
Out in Italy, after we'd escaped, I get a letter telling us me wife and bairn have been killed in an air-raid in Sunderland.
We lived in Sunderland.
So you kill an innocent man 20 years later! Innocent? Well Who's innocent in this world? Except me daughter.
But I'll tell you, I'd never have thought I'd feel the way I did when I heard that Gerry laughing.
I'm not saying that I never thought about me first family, cos what with me second wife and Alice, you know, who wouldn't wonder what might have been? But That laughter, though.
And Jim was joining in as well.
Fair dos, cos I'd never told anyone.
So When you go off with Gunter Schmeikel on the moors Oh, I'm gonna confront him.
And I do.
But before I mean to, cos suddenly This is the new Canon.
You know about cameras? It's the world's first.
You think I want to look at your bloody camera? What do you do?! You think you can carry on like nothing's happened.
Like, standing around laughing and smiling.
Well, not in front of me, mate.
Just go away.
Not in front of me! Don't think he knew what was happening, cos I'm like, you know, tongue-tied.
I can't get me words out.
And Well, I'm embarrassed.
And I wander off.
Yesterday evening, when I knew I wasn't gonna get away with this, I thought about telling yer that I went to see him the following night to apologise and it got out of hand, how I didn't mean to kill him, y'know, go for manslaughter.
But that still left us with the same problem.
Me wife and Alice, cos with me in prison, them two's put away in mental homes and So Better to kill them? Better if you'd've let us kill Alice, aye.
You frequent loony bins, do yer? No, you know all about them though, yeah? Well, try putting your own children in them! If she were dead, I'd be joining her.
As it is, she's left here, cared for by who? You?!! You? And I keep feeling this Me, the quiet man, the patient man everyone admires.
But from when I got home after that tussle .
.
I got angry.
I can't tell yer.
I can't sleep for this rage.
Have I got to do everything by me bloody self? Can you not see that the bloody fire's gone out?! I can't stop hearing him laughing, like he's laughing at me life.
Some wood on the fire! And I knew I was gonna kill him.
And end it? How did the opportunity arise? Well, like everything in life, you need the luck.
I figured rich folk like that would be staying at the hotel so I went there first.
Yes.
We will be spending the last night on the boat.
My father's already having drinks There's his son settling his bill and telling the receptionist everything I needed to know.
Where his dad was, what time they were meeting him.
We will go and meet my father soon.
So I drive down to the Mariners, go in RAUCOUS SINGING And there's laughing boy up and singing Geordie songs to everyone! So that helps fuel us.
But there's too many folk around, so I take meself off to the quay, cos I know he's meeting his son there.
And I wait.
Why did you admit to being the fella in the car? Well, I didn't know who'd seen us.
Could've been the Hardyments, in which case, why hadn't I, y'know, owned up? By this time I was still hoping to get away with it.
So you stitch up the son? Can we stick to the order of events? You're back on the quayside.
I take it Shavers came and went? Thank God.
And then? Well, just in case this Gunter came, I parked in the shadows and waited and hoped.
I gave meself a time frame of 10.
14.
If he hasn't turned up, I'm out of there.
At nine minutes past GUNTER SINGS Saved coos an' calves O' the famous Lambton worm.
CRACKING And then I heard someone coming.
But I'm happy to wait for him to go now, cos I knew.
When your Gunter went in the water, he went in alive.
Why was that so important? Why not just snap his neck and kill him? Cos when my wife and bairn died in that raid, they weren't killed by a direct hit.
They were in the cellar and a water-main burst.
But they couldn't get 'em out cos of the fallen masonry.
So they drowned.
Let's all have a laugh, eh? Ah, good, you're still here.
Come with me.
Guv? I found out about Stratton's war record last night.
I knew when we spoke on the phone But if I'd told you last night, his wife would still be alive now, wouldn't she? For better or for worse.
Come on! I want to show you something.
Stay! Stay.
That's right, you tell 'em.
You show them who's the boss.
Come on! Now make a fuss of 'em.
Good doggies.
Right, we'll be heading back, Mr Gently.
I'm gonna look after the chickens and the ducks, and the geese.
And the doggies.
Thank you.
That's what we're here for.
Come on then.
Eh! Right, now we have to repay that bribe you took.
Sir, it wasn't a bribe.
I ran up an overdraft limit.
Right, well let's clear it.
Here.
Have this.
Go on.
Oh, no.
No, I'm not taking that.
Yes, you are.
You can repay me £10 a month.
No.
£10 a month without fail.
I don't want it, sir.
Have it.
There's enough in there, so you can keep the MG as well.
Can't have you driving around in something sensible.
Tomorrow, first thing.
(WHISTLES) In you go.
Thank you, sir.