Moonflower Murders (2024) s01e03 Episode Script

Melissa James had no enemies.
She called her physician,
Dr. Leonard Collins.
MELISSA
He wants to kill me!
The killer strangles her
with a telephone cord,
tearing it from the wall.
He drove straight round,
but by the time he arrived,
she was dead.
Who do you think
may be responsible?
You should talk to Lance
Gardner-- him and his wife.
Have you actually
confirmed
that her husband did indeed
attend the opera?
And there's a film
producer called Oscar Berlin.
I've changed my mind.
Well, there's
her financial adviser,
a man by the name
of Algernon Marsh.
He was murdered-- at a wedding.
Maybe I did say
that it would make a good story,
but I didn't tell him
to write it.
You were the key witness--
what did you see?
Stefan?
Cecily knew that Stefan
was innocent.
She found the truth in the book.
She read it.
And then she disappeared.
You need, I think,
to be careful.
Cecily
I don't know what's happened
or what's upset you.
But please
Let us know that you're safe.
We are all so worried
about you.
Roxie and I are at home,
waiting for you.
And your mum.
And dad, and Lisa.
We need to talk to you--
we want to help you.
Oh, the poor man.
It's so awful.
And if there's anyone out there
holding Cecily against her will,
please.
Let her go.
It's not too late right now,
but we need to know
that she's safe.
Uh, Mrs. MacNeil was last seen
in the vicinity of the hotel
last Wednesday.
She may have been
walking her dog,
a black Labrador called Chase.
If anyone has any information
about Mrs. MacNeil,
we would urge them to call us
on the number
being shown on the screen.
All calls will be
answered in confidence.
Thank you.
You can't be sure
that's true.
She's six feet underground
in the middle of a wood
with a rope around her neck.
She's not gonna be found.
How can you say that?
Just a guess.
Good morning, Mr. Pünd.
Oh, Miss Cain,
how are you?
Please, sit down.
Thank you.
I hope you slept well
and were able to put the events
of yesterday behind you.
I feel very foolish.
If I'm going to be
working with a detective,
then I should expect unpleasant
details to be part of the job.
Not at all.
I've never allowed myself
to become inured
to the sight
or the description of violence.
Murder, it's not a business.
Nor is it a pastime.
Your sensitivity
does you credit.
I just hope that you can
find out who's responsible.
That is why we are here.
Well, if you've
finished your breakfast,
the hotel manager
has asked to see you.
Mr. Lance Gardner.
Do you mind if I put
forward an opinion, Mr. Pünd?
Not at all.
I don't trust him an inch.
Hm!
We just wanted to tell you,
Mr. Pund
Oh, uh, it's Pünd.
that any way
we can help you.
It's awful.
It's unbelievable.
Yeah, we've been running this
hotel ever since she bought it.
Running it into the ground,
from what we hear.
I don't know who
you've been talking to,
but that is
an outrageous lie!
But you had argued
with Melissa James.
She made certain accusations.
Yeah, she didn't know
what she was talking about.
Threatening us with an audit--
it was completely out of order.
She planned to have
your accounts examined?
She had her financial adviser
come down from London.
But we would've been
glad to meet him.
We had nothing to hide.
Well, then, perhaps
I could take a look.
Well
I worked in the
accounts department
of Associated Biscuits
for 12 years.
It might be helpful
to understand
the financial circumstances
of the hotel.
Well, you're barking up
the wrong tree.
Actually
we're glad you're both here.
We, uh
We have information
that could help you.
Oh, please.
Yeah, Miss James
had an office here,
and after she died,
we found this.
It's, uh, obviously
a first draft.
Doesn't say
who it's to.
"My darling, darling.
"I can't go on living
this lie anymore.
"I simply can't.
"We have to be brave
and tell the world
about the love we share."
It's dated
last February.
And this is
her handwriting?
Most definitely.
You should have given this
to Detective Inspector Chubb.
Well, we gave it to you, uh
We thought you'd be grateful.
PÜ
This is evidently
not addressed to her husband.
Yeah, I'm no detective,
Mr. Pünd,
but if John Spencer
found out
that his wife was planning
to leave him
Well, it's obvious, isn't it?
He'd kill her.
Miss Ryeland, what a pleasure
to see you again.
Don't tell me you're involved
in another murder.
I, uh, I'll be honest
and say that I have dined out
on many occasions following
our last encounter.
I'm sure you have, Mr. Khan.
So what brings you back
to our neck of the woods?
Well, I've been asked
to help with the disappearance
of Cecily Treherne, or MacNeil.
That's her married name.
Ah, yes, yes.
I, I never met the lady myself,
but I saw the police broadcast.
So, how do you believe
that you can help?
Well, there's a possibility
she knew something
about a murder that happened
eight years ago-- Frank Parris.
Well, of course
I remember that.
Alan Conway wrote about it.
Yes, yes.
It's his third book.
"Atticus Pünd Takes the Case."
Oh! You've read it.
Twice.
Huh.
And you met Frank Parris.
Absolutely,
in this very room.
It's not an experience
I'm likely to forget.
It seems a very simple matter
to me, Mr. Khan.
The house was left
to me and my sister equally,
and, unfortunately,
I need my half.
Of the house.
The money.
You say she won't be happy
about selling it,
and I'm very sorry,
but I wasn't aware
that happiness was
prescribed by English law.
The only reason I'm here
is to give you notice
of my intentions.
He seemed angry-- unhappy.
Probably because
his business had gone bust.
Mm.
But you say he had a sister
who lived here, in Suffolk.
That's right, yes,
the house is in Westleton,
uh, left to them by
their parents years ago.
As a matter of fact,
I did the conveyancing.
It's a beautiful place.
Right.
And what was the sister's
name?
Joanne Webster.
I see no harm
in telling you now.
She's no longer
a client of mine,
and I have to say,
I am quite relieved.
Why was that?
I think she inherited some of
the same genes as her brother.
She was very rude,
very demanding,
and she treated her husband
disgracefully.
Martin Webster.
I met them three
or four times,
and he never got a word
in edgeways.
Yeah-- Westleton.
Heath House.
Mr. Parris went straight there
after he'd seen me.
Oh, that can't have gone well.
Well, uh,
they never talked about it.
But then, of course,
the next day, he was dead.
Was there anything
they could've done,
legally,
to stop the sale of the house?
I'm afraid not.
Mr. Parris let them live there
for 20 years,
but the will was very clear.
Mr. and Mrs. Webster could
buy him out at market price,
but if they were unable
to do so,
well, they had no choice
but to put it up for sale.
Right.
Well, thank you, Mr. Khan--
pleasure to see you again.
Likewise, Miss Ryeland.
How, how's your sister,
by the way?
Katie?
Yeah, she mentioned
that you were coming to Suffolk.
You saw Katie?
Of course.
She's a client?
She has consulted me.
Nothing of, uh,
any importance.
Oh, she never mentioned it
to me.
I doubt it even
crossed her mind.
I think these need moving
to shrubs and small trees.
Right, Mrs. Williams.
Thank you.
Susan!
What are you doing here?
Oh, that wasn't quite
the welcome I was expecting.
Well, look, um, no,
I'm just surprised.
Have you been to the house?
No, I came straight here.
Well, it's lovely to see you.
Oh, you've never visited me
at work before.
Well, I didn't have
much of a garden
in Crouch End.
Oh, I suppose it's all,
um, olive trees and oregano,
now you're in Crete.
Got time for a coffee?
Have you?
Of course, yeah--
come, come on through.
Thought you were busy,
up to your eyes in murder again.
Couldn't believe it when
you told me on the phone.
Thank you.
So, tell me all about Crete.
I want to hear
about you and Andreas.
I'm not sure there is
a "me and Andreas" right now.
I don't know.
Don't you like the hotel?
I don't like running it.
It's as if the whole world
is having fun except me.
Oh, Sue
Oh, I was so happy for you
when you went out there.
I, I thought you'd
finally found yourself.
You mean I was more
like you.
Oh, don't say that.
Why not?
Well, you shouldn't compare
yourself to me.
I saw Sajid Khan this morning.
Sajid Khan?
Yes, the solicitor--
he said he'd seen you.
Did he?
Yeah, he said you consulted him.
Oh, of course, um
Yeah, we had to fire
one of the managers.
And it, it wasn't
very pleasant,
and he was giving us
some legal advice.
Right.
Well, I was just worried,
that's all.
Yeah, well,
he's talking out of turn,
'cause he was dealing
with the center, not me.
So, I might have to have a word.
But everything is okay?
How's Gordon?
He's fine.
Yeah, he'll be sorry
to miss you.
Where is he?
New York-- again.
But Jack's at home.
In fact, he's working here.
Well, how's that happened?
I thought he was at uni.
Well, he's dropped out
for a year.
It's all got a bit much,
so he's come back home.
But obviously,
there was no point
in him lounging round the house
all day,
so I've got him
a part-time job here.
Can I see him?
Of course!
Oh, he'll be thrilled.
Jack, look who's here.
Hi.
Hi, Aunt Susan.
Oh, you're not seriously
gonna call me "aunt,"
are you?
Oh, you look
You look a bit sweaty.
Jack's doing very well,
he's really made his mark.
Yes, your mum was saying
that you've taken
a year out of university.
Yeah.
Yeah, well, with everything
that's happened,
there didn't seem much point,
so
Exams-- all that pressure.
And we're very lucky
to have him here.
I have to take this back, so
Yeah.
Lovely to see you, Jack.
Yeah.
And I'll walk with you
to your car.
Oh, well, that's Jack.
What ever happened
to the little boy
who used to tell jokes
all the time
and wanted to be
a racing driver?
He grew up.
You should come and visit
more often.
So, Katie, what did he mean by
"everything that's happened"?
He had problems
at university, Sue.
He was getting behind
with his work,
he's never been very good
under pressure.
Look, I don't want
to go into it, please.
So, when am I gonna
see you again?
Whenever you like.
We'll have to meet
in Woodbridge, though,
because I've got the builders in
at the moment.
Oh.
Oh, they're just
redecorating,
but the kitchen's
a disaster.
There's a very nice pub, though,
down by the river.
Okay, I'll call you.
Take care.
Yeah.
Don't get yourself
into any more trouble.
You should've told her.
Well
It's none of her business.
And I didn't want to.
Why not?
'Cause there's nothing
she can do.
So, we're just
meant to stand here
and pretend
everything's all right?
That's not
what we're doing.
We're just trying
to find a way through this.
Mum, you're so full of it,
do you know that?
How dare you talk to me
like that?
How dare you talk
to me like that here?
You've got no idea.
Excuse me,
but are you Martin Webster?
I am, yes,
how can I help?
My name is Susan Ryeland.
This might sound strange,
but I'm here
because of something
that happened a long time ago.
The murder of Frank Parris.
That was a very long time ago.
Yes.
Why don't you come in?
Okay, thank you.
Hard to believe
it's been almost eight years
since Frank's death.
Amazing how the time flies.
You saw him
the day he died?
Well, technically, Frank was
killed on the Saturday,
just after midnight.
We saw him the day before.
We hadn't seen him
since he left London.
He emigrated to Australia.
Yes.
Set up his own agency there.
It was called Day's End,
but didn't last very long,
I'm afraid.
Gone by the day's end,
you might say-- it went bust.
Was that why he wanted you
to buy out
his share in the house?
Who told you that?
It's hardly confidential,
darling.
Yes, that's what he came
here for.
And I have to say,
it was a very
memorable visit.
You can't do this to us, Frank.
We've been here
all our married lives.
I'm not "doing" anything
to you, dear.
Maybe you should be thanking me.
I let you live here.
I never asked you
for a penny's rent.
Why would we have even
considered paying you rent?
He could've asked.
For heaven's sake, Martin,
stay out of it!
It's got nothing to do with you.
I live here, too.
I am not selling this house.
I am not moving.
I've already spoken to
your solicitor in Framlingham.
You don't have any choice.
Joanne
No, Martin!
You disgust me, Frank,
coming here like this.
If Mum and Dad could see you
Oh, thank goodness
they never did.
The disgusting life
you led in London!
All those young men,
the parties,
and all the rest of it!
Are you jealous,
darling?
Just get out, Frank!
Go! I don't want to talk
to you.
Then talk to Khan.
It's nice to see
you haven't changed
in all these years, Joanne.
You're still a cow
who makes life miserable
for anyone who comes near.
Nice seeing you again, Martin.
I'll see myself out.
You weren't much help.
Would've been awful,
wouldn't it, dear?
If we'd been forced
to sell this place.
Yes.
Fortunately, never came to that.
You mean he was murdered.
Exactly.
Were you at all upset
by the news?
Well
Of course we were.
Don't get us wrong, Susan.
No matter what else
Frank Parris may have been,
he was still Joanne's brother.
What's that old saying?
Blood runs thicker than water?
And there was
a lot of blood.
Joanne in particular
was, uh,
was very upset
when she heard the news.
Here we are.
This is, uh, very possibly
the last picture
ever taken of him.
I took it out the front here.
See for yourself.
Brother and sister,
and the very best of friends.
PÜ
Mr. Berlin?
Yes?
My name is Atticus Pünd.
I am helping the police
with their inquiries
into the death of Melissa James.
I cannot help you, Mr. Pünd.
I've already told the police
everything I know.
I wish only to eliminate you
from the investigation.
Very well.
Melissa left the hotel.
We, we had not had
a pleasant encounter.
I have made no secret of that.
But that was it--
I never saw her again.
She had decided not
to take part in a film.
Not just a film, Mr. Pünd.
The film I was born to make.
Eleanor of Aquitaine,
the mother of England's
greatest monarch,
King Richard I.
She had agreed to play the part,
I believed her,
and for the next three years,
I devoted myself
to this subject.
I developed the script,
I raised the finance.
I sold everything I had
to make it happen.
And then, weeks before
production, she told me
that she had changed her mind.
You must have been angry.
Angry enough to kill her?
Maybe I was.
What did you do after she left?
I was choked up inside.
I could not breathe,
I needed air.
So I, I went out, I went for a
walk-- what else could I do?
Where did you walk?
On, on the beach.
The one they call
Grey Sands.
It would be helpful
if somebody saw you.
I wish they had,
but it was late.
It was just me
and the waves, Mr. Pünd.
There was nobody else about.
You went for a walk
on Grey Sands?
Yes.
Well, forgive me
for interrupting, Mr. Pünd.
But I think the gentleman
must be mistaken.
I grew up close to here,
and it's impossible to walk
on the beach after00.
Certainly at this time
of the year.
The afternoon tide.
The beach is flooded.
I'm sorry,
what are you saying?
Only that you could've tried
to have walked,
but you'd have got very wet.
The tide was high.
It would've been up
to your neck.
PÜ
Perhaps, after all,
it was another beach.
I
On the other hand, if you do not
wish to be implicated
in this crime, Mr. Berlin,
it would be
much better if you told us
the truth.
I need some water.
Miss Cain?
Of course.
I have been stupid.
To lie to the police
is always unwise.
I didn't have anything useful
to tell them.
I just did not wish
to be involved.
But you are involved, and now
you must tell us everything.
Here.
Thank you.
All right--
I went to her house,
to Clarence Keep.
What time was this?
Five past six.
23 minutes before
she called Dr. Collins.
What did you hope to achieve?
I thought I might be able
to persuade her to think again
about the film.
Did you see her?
No.
I parked close by.
I did not want her
to see me arrive.
I went up to the front door,
but before I could knock,
I heard the sound
of a terrible argument.
I want you out of my house
by the end of the week.
Please
I have had enough,
Mrs. Chandler.
I warn you, I may very well
contact the police.
Please.
The hotel was crooked,
and if I hadn't have seen it
with my own eyes,
I wouldn't have believed it.
Please don't! It will kill me!
Oh, just go, you and Eric!
By the end of the week.
It was clearly not
the best time to approach her.
So I, I thought I would wait
till the next day.
But of course,
there was no next day.
It was foolish of me, madness,
to go at all.
She was talking
to her housekeeper.
Yes.
Mrs. Chandler,
she had nothing to do
with the running of the hotel.
I can only tell you
what I heard, Mr. Pünd.
Ask her--
she will tell you the truth.
Melissa definitely said,
"The hotel was crooked."
"Crooked," hm.
Miss Cain.
Hm?
PÜ
You never mentioned
that you knew
this part of the world.
I've never been here
before in my life, Mr. Pünd.
Yes, I'm afraid I made it up.
All that business
about Grey Sands.
I could see that he was
fibbing and I thought
I might be able
to flush him out.
You're a remarkable person.
You two ready, then?
PÜ
We're at your disposal,
Detective Inspector.
Right, let's go.
Miss Ryeland.
Joanne.
There's something I want you
to understand.
Whatever Martin
may have said just now,
we didn't want to see Frank,
and we don't want
to see you again, either.
I'm sorry?
This has got nothing to do
with us.
And it's got nothing
to do with you.
So just get lost
and leave us alone!
Why does everything have to be
so bloody complicated?
The investigation
or your personal life?
Both.
I can only help
with one of those.
Yes, I, I know.
Oh, God.
I haven't smoked
for six months.
I've been so good!
I'm not going to
find Cecily, am I?
I don't know what I'm doing,
that's the problem.
I don't even know
where to start.
But you've already started.
You've met the protagonists,
you ask questions.
Yes, but the questions
just lead to more questions.
And nobody's giving me
any answers.
Let me give you some advice,
Susan-- murder has a pattern.
To begin with,
you may see only violence
and chaos,
but the pattern, yeah?
It's always there.
Well, uh
I've got a murder
that happened eight years ago.
The wrong man arrested.
The real killer hidden
inside a work of fiction,
which has little or nothing
to do with real life.
And now the disappearance,
and possibly the murder,
of Cecily Treherne.
Where's the pattern
in all of that?
Forgive me,
but do you not perhaps
need to approach all of this
in a more orderly manner?
Go on, tell me.
You look here,
you look there.
You, you, you look
in every direction.
But it would be so much easier
if you take it
one step at a time.
That's really helpful,
thank you.
Four simple questions,
that's all it comes down to.
Mmm.
Who, why, what,
and, and where?
Go on.
Who killed Frank Parris?
It wasn't Stefan Leonida,
I'm sure of that.
Good-- one step forward
already.
Yes.
Right, so,
the next question is,
why was he killed?
Why indeed? He was a stranger
to the country.
He was visiting his sister,
his brother-in-law.
Because he wanted them
to sell the house.
But all of that happened
outside of the hotel.
Alan Conway didn't even
meet them.
So, then what?
What did he put in his book?
And finally?
Where is Cecily
Treherne?
Oh
That's what
you have to discover.
That's why you're here.
But I, I fear that, for you,
this is the most
difficult question of all.
Because I'm afraid
of the answer.
Yes, of course.
Thank you.
I do what I can.
Oh, may, may I give you
one other piece of advice?
Of course.
You should really stop smoking.
Ah!
You're not real, are you?
You're just
my guilty conscience.
Always a pleasure to see you,
Susan.
Two, three, yeah, come back up.
Yeah, one more,
down, two,
three, hold it,
and gently back up.
Right, well done.
Take a one-minute rest,
grab some water.
What is it?
Susan Ryeland.
Your friend from Crete.
Oh, she's no friend of mine.
I can believe that.
Have you spoken to her?
We exchanged a few words.
What did you tell her?
I told her she was wasting
her time.
Is that all?
I said it was
a wild goose chase,
that Cecily's probably dead.
It's what you think, isn't it?
I don't know what I think.
Course, I could've
told her a lot more.
You don't know anything.
I know how you and your parents
were treating Stefan.
I know how much you were
paying him, for a start.
Maybe I should put in
for a pay rise myself.
For keeping my mouth shut
about what goes on around here.
Do you think anyone else
would employ you, Liam?
The only reason
you've stayed here so long
is because you've got
nowhere else to go.
You're not the only one
keeping your mouth shut.
Down on the mat, Lisa.
Press-ups.
Give me ten.
One, two, three
I saw the broadcast
this morning.
Is there any news?
Uh, the usual flurry
of reports.
Nothing concrete.
I worry how much longer
the police can keep search
They'll find her.
Yes, of course, they will.
I keep thinking about her
on her wedding day,
here in this hotel,
all those years ago.
She was so happy.
So radiant.
Nervous.
Yeah, that, too.
She couldn't sleep,
worrying about
all the arrangements, and
in the end, I got her pills.
But she didn't take them.
Why was she so worried?
Well, Cecily's
a perfectionist.
As far as she was
concerned,
nothing could go wrong.
You remember
that horoscope?
Oh, God, yes.
It was in the newspaper
the day of the wedding.
It said there were
going to be ups and downs.
She believed that?
Oh, absolutely, yeah.
She read it every day.
And it was true--
the flowers didn't show up.
Then there was
that business with the pen.
Yeah, that was Stefan
again.
Or at least
that's what we all believed.
What happened?
A fountain pen of mine
went missing
the day before the wedding.
Um, quite an expensive one.
I'd lent it to Cecily.
Why?
Good luck.
Something old, something new,
something borrowed
Oh, yes.
Stefan took it.
I'm sorry.
Why would Stefan steal
a fountain pen?
I, I've no idea.
Ask Aiden-- he saw him.
The pen?
Why are you even
asking about that?
Lawrence mentioned it.
Oh, I don't know,
it was there on the side.
Stefan came in with a whole
pile of cards and presents.
And after he'd gone,
it wasn't there anymore.
I never accused him,
if that's what you mean.
Never thought for a minute
that he'd taken it.
Anyway, what does it matter?
Cecily just borrowed something
from Lisa,
and then that was that,
that was the end of it.
She never mentioned it again.
Thank you.
Where's Roxana?
School.
This must be very hard on her.
I keep telling her that
Mummy will be
coming back.
You've no idea what it's like
to feel so powerless.
Just have to sit there,
waiting.
The police will find her.
That's easy enough to say,
isn't it?
It's been
eight days now.
Have you found anything?
Anything at all?
Not yet.
Is it true that Lawrence
is paying you £10,000
to come here
and just read the book?
I mean, the book
that you published?
Who told you that?
Lisa.
Well, I hope I'm doing
more than that.
Like what?
Well, um, I'm going
to London tomorrow.
I'm hoping to speak
to Stefan Leonida.
He's in jail in Norfolk.
I have a friend who works
with the prison service,
the writer Craig Andrews.
I'm hoping that he can
arrange a visit for me.
And I'm going
to see James Taylor.
Who's James Taylor?
He was Alan's partner-- he kept
all of Alan's notes and diaries.
And he may be able
to give me some idea
of what Alan was thinking
when he came here.
That's worth £10,000,
is it?
Aiden,
it's not just about the money.
See, that's not what Lisa said.
I am trying to help.
What, and the pen's got
something to do with it,
does it?
I don't know.
Cecily is out there.
Cecily is in trouble.
And that is all
that matters.
Finding her.
Let me know
if there's any news.
Of course.
Good luck.
Mr. Marsh.
Yes?
I wonder if we might
have a word.
If you're looking
for my brother-in-law,
he's with a patient.
Well, we're not here
to see Dr. Collins, sir.
We want to talk
to you.
Mm.
PÜ
When was the last time
you saw Melissa James?
I'm sure you already
know the answer to that.
I saw her on the evening
of her death.
She had requested
a meeting.
Exactly, yeah,
she was worried about the hotel,
its finances--
I was her adviser.
PÜ
You advised her, I believe,
to invest £55,000 in a company
called Day's End Holdings.
Is that correct?
Yes.
Although I'd be very
interested to know
where you got
that figure, huh?
Her bank manager.
PÜ
What is the business
of Day's End Holdings,
Mr. Marsh?
It's building villas
in the South of France.
A place called Cap Ferrat.
It's a very, very
up-and-coming area.
PÜ
And, um,
how many villas has it built?
Ah, well, uh
It's not quite
as simple as all that.
Oh, I think it's
very simple.
None at all!
These things do take time.
PÜ
Had you informed Miss James
that you were the proprietor
of the company?
That it, in fact,
belonged to you?
Um, I'm sure
she was aware of it.
Meaning no.
Are you aware of the Larceny Act
of 1916, Section 32,
prohibiting the obtaining
of money under false pretenses
with the intention
to defraud, Mr. Marsh?
I didn't defraud anybody!
And I didn't kill Melissa,
if that's what you think.
She and I had worked
together for a long time.
We had a close relationship.
A very, very close
relationship.
She trusted me.
Where did you go
after you saw her?
I had a drink at the pub.
Several drinks.
Well, I imagine
someone will have seen you.
Well, I'm sure that you'll ask.
It's a Ponzi scheme, isn't it?
Day's End Holdings?
Mm.
Investors put money
into a business
which is only used
to bring other investors in.
It only takes one of them
to pull out
and the whole thing collapses.
But Mr. Marsh has suggested
that he and Miss James
were more than
business partners.
"My darling, darling,
we have to tell the world."
He's not an unattractive man.
It's possible.
I've decided
to stay with my sister.
When?
Haven't you got
anything better to do
than sit there
reading that stupid comic?
We're gonna have
to leave here.
You heard what Miss James said.
But she's not here anymore.
She knew.
And there's no saying
who she'll have told.
Anyway, Mr. Spencer
won't keep the house now.
We've got no place here.
Where will I go?
That's your problem.
It's the police.
Oh!
Good morning, sir.
I'm afraid Mr. Spencer
is not in the house.
Actually, Mrs. Chandler,
it's you we've come to see.
Um, can we come in?
Yes, sir.
Hm.
I'm afraid you're gonna have
to come clean with us,
Mrs. Chandler.
I don't know
what you mean, sir.
On the night of her death,
you had an argument
with Melissa James.
I would never argue with
my employer, sir.
She fired you--
you gonna deny it?
She also threatened you
with the police.
She accused us of theft.
She had completely
the wrong end of the stick.
We hadn't taken
anything!
And yet,
Miss James told her physician,
Dr. Collins, that items
were being taken from her room.
It's, it's not true.
She also believed
that she was being watched.
She said,
and these were her exact words,
that "the hotel was crooked."
The managers were
stealing from her.
Everyone knew that.
Mm, yes,
but it is possible she was
referring to something else.
If you don't mind,
I would like to look upstairs.
The picture of the hotel
was crooked.
That's what
Melissa James had seen.
She said she saw it
with her own eyes.
What the
She was indeed being watched,
was she not, Eric?
An eye-hole
concealed in the wall.
PÜ
I noticed it the moment
I entered the bedroom.
PÜ
You knew of this?
I'm so ashamed.
Mother
I never wanted you!
Not from the day
you was born!
And you never let me
forget it.
His father died
in the First War
and left me alone with him.
His father was everything
he wasn't.
He's nothing to me.
Will you stop it?!
I don't think we should
discuss this here.
I didn't mean anything
by it.
But Miss James was so lovely.
She was like an angel.
I, I just wanted
to look at her.
You removed personal items
from her room?
A stocking.
One of her
scarves.
I, I liked to think
that she was my friend.
Uh
She was close to, to me.
And when she discovered
the truth,
when she threatened you
with arrest,
what did you do?
I, I did nothing.
I, I would, I would
never hurt her.
No, I, I didn't,
I didn't touch her.
Wonder what he did.
Who?
Derek Endicott--
he's the night manager here.
Alan Conway turned him
into this really pathetic,
sad character.
You're still reading the book.
Oh, I hate reading it-- it
reminds me of working with Alan.
How's the investigation?
Don't even ask.
I mean, Aiden, Lisa, Liam.
Martin Webster
and his horrible wife.
Even Derek-- I, I keep looking
at them and I ask,
"Could you have killed someone?
"Frank Parris? Cecily?
I mean, do you have that
in you?"
I don't like you being there
on your own.
Well, then, why don't you
come over and join me?
Every morning,
I wake up and I think
I'm gonna find you
lying next to me.
I sometimes think FaceTime's
the worst invention ever made.
At least it allows us
to see each other.
Do you miss me?
Do you even have to ask?
Oh, sell the bloody hotel--
we could live in Crete
and just do
something else.
Like what?
We could become shepherds?
Grow olive trees? Anything!
I, I've gotta be up
first thing
and drive to London
in the morning.
I've got an interview.
For a job?
It's an independent publishing
company, and I know the C.E.O.
Good luck.
I only want what's best for you.
I know, but
I've got to go.
Oh.
Right, thanks very much.
Oh!
Going somewhere,
Miss Ryeland?
Detective Superintendent Locke--
I thought we were
on first-name terms
by now.
We're not on any terms at all--
I want a word.
I couldn't believe it
when they told me
you were back again.
Nosing around
in police business.
I'm here because
I've been asked to help.
Help what?
Find Cecily Treherne?
Do you know how many people
I got out there
searching the woods,
digging up half the countryside?
So, what?
You think she's dead?
I didn't say that!
But this isn't one of your cozy
crime novels, Miss Ryeland.
This is a matter
of life and death.
Which happens to be
a very accurate description
of a crime novel,
Detective Superintendent.
But you know
perfectly well
that Cecily read one
of the Atticus Pünd novels
just before she disappeared.
What? And you still believe
that there was
something hidden in it?
Some sort of clue?
And you don't?
I've read
"Atticus Pünd Takes the Case."
Had to force my way
through all 300 pages of it.
It's rubbish!
Hollywood actress strangled
in some village
that didn't even exist.
It's got absolutely nothing
to do with what happened here!
Except that everyone is in it,
including you.
You've never forgiven Alan
Conway for doing that, have you?
Alan Conway's dead and buried.
He came here,
he knew something.
If he knew something,
he should've gone to the police.
Well, yes, on that,
I agree with you.
But the fact remains,
he realized that you'd
arrested the wrong person.
And Cecily believed it, too.
Now you listen to me.
I investigated
the murder of Frank Parris,
and the evidence against
Stefan Leonida was overwhelming.
He pleaded guilty.
He confessed.
I want to see him.
Well, that's not gonna
happen.
Leonida killed Parris
for the money that he needed
to feed his gambling habit.
It was as simple as that.
Oh, what? £150?
I mean
He was a career criminal!
We have plenty
of these Romanian gangsters
operating out of Ipswich.
Begging, burglary, uh,
violent assaults,
prostitution.
These aren't nice people,
let me assure you!
Yeah
No, of course, he was Romanian,
so he must be guilty, then!
I think you should be
very careful what you say to me.
You're leaving Suffolk,
is that right?
Yes, I'm on my way to London.
Not far enough.
Let me give you a warning.
You can take whatever money
the Trehernes are stupid enough
to pay you and
get the hell out of here.
But if I see you again,
I will arrest you.
Oh, on what grounds?
Obstruction, interfering
with a police investigation.
False representation, fraud--
I don't care!
You have got no place here
and I am ordering you to leave.
So, Detective Superintendent,
what do you think's happened
to Cecily?
Well, I'm keeping an open mind.
But I'll tell you one thing
it wasn't.
It wasn't somebody named
in some stupid
murder mystery story
written eight years ago.
So get in your car,
get out of here,
and don't come back!
How well did you know
Mr. Parris?
They're the notes Alan made
when he was writing
"Atticus Pünd Takes the Case."
PÜDo you think he knew
Miss James was having an affair?
You'd know a thing or two
about lying.
I'm looking for another job.
What does Andreas
think about all of this?
Visit our website for videos,
newsletters, podcasts, and more.
And join us on social media.
To order this program,
visit ShopPBS.
"Masterpiece" is available
with PBS Passport
and on Amazon Prime Video.