Rosemary and Thyme (2003) s01e04 Episode Script

Sweet Angelica

(BIRDSONG) 'Oh, it's horrible, all withered and dead.
' It's got me beat.
I've fed it, raked it, watered it.
You name it, I've done it.
Oh, nil desperandum, Bill.
We'll sort it out.
But it does seem rather odd.
Here comes the guvnor.
He's not happy about forking out to bring you in.
He has to have his lawns looking just right, as he will tell you.
Guvnor.
Edward Dawson, owner and principal.
You must be Rosemary Boxer.
Well, Bill seems to have quite a problem here.
Yes, and the sooner it's solved, the better.
Appearances are crucial in this business, and, frankly, these lawns are a disgrace.
Our students come from all over Europe.
Our present intake is from Poland.
They learn about our way of life and we put the final gloss on their English.
Sort of POLISH them up.
Sorry.
I'm after the Far Eastern market.
The head of a big Japanese bank is visiting soon.
If he likes what he sees, he'll send all his executives here.
That's why the lawns have to be in A1 condition.
First impressions.
Paramount.
I'm sorry, I thought there were two of you.
The advert said Rosemary & Mrs Thyme is in town at the moment, shopping for vital equipment.
Right.
OK, quieten down.
Look around, buy something if you want, but above all, speak English.
I'll be here if you need me.
I'll be here too, girls.
Whenever you want me, Angelica.
(SPEAKS POLISH) You're such a creep, Felix.
If the Dawsons knew what you were really like Lighten up, mate.
in any department of Bradleys, and you could purchase a Bradleys bear for just £5.
' OK, girls, we're off now.
Are you ready? Felix, bring the bus round.
Whoa! Whoa! You two.
You've got some items in your bag.
I no understand.
In your bag, you steal, yeah? (SPEAKS POLISH) I'm a teacher at Bowden Grange.
These are students.
They were putting things in the bag.
I've been watching on CCTV.
Shoplifting.
I don't think you can say that.
Not unless they tried to take the goods out of the store.
You can do this the easy way or the hard way.
Up to you.
You'd better show him, Angelica.
Legally, he has no right.
No need to hold you up, eh, madam? Look, this is their first visit to England.
They get confused.
Prussian Army, eh? Circa 1900, I'd say.
Where did you get it? It belonged to my great grandfather.
Perhaps they can pay now.
Sorry.
I need to ask her some questions, like why is she carrying a weapon? On the bus, please.
We're going.
Felix! All right, mate.
Keep your hair on.
I'm not your mate.
Excuse me.
If we're going back to Bowden Grange, might I scrounge a lift? The more, the merrier.
Thank you.
Did that man do something? Angelica.
Yeah Absolute discretion guaranteed.
Look, it's going to cost you, all right? Oh, and I need the money up front.
Cheer up, gorgeous.
It might never happen.
Oh! So, that's why they call you the handyman.
Just spreading a little happiness, that's all.
What a sorry-looking lawn.
Oh, there's extensive chlorosis, yellowing in several areas and quite severe deterioration in places.
It's predominantly rye grass with a less proportion of bent grass and fescue.
Did you get the test tubes? They took some finding.
Here.
Laura, you didn't get handley things for holding them when they're hot.
Because they didn't have any handley things.
You did some shopping for yourself.
Extra long hairpins, to use instead of handley things.
Our fingers will be burnt, but our hair will look nice.
Cheer up, sweetheart.
Keep away from me.
Felix? Are you OK? (SPEAKS POLISH) (FOOTSTEPS APPROACH) (FOOTSTEPS RECEDE) Evening.
I know it all seems like my husband's making a lot of fuss over a bit of grass .
.
but so much depends on those lawns.
Oh, damn! My fingernail.
We think we're looking at some kind of fungal damage, don't we, Laura? Yes.
Or it could be some kind of insect activity.
I think I've finished.
But we won't be sure until we get the hard evidence.
Ah.
Bon appetit.
Maddy, we appear to have lost one of the students.
It's Angelica.
I not know where she go.
I DO not know where she has gone.
I do not know.
I do go now.
Thank you, Zofia.
I hope to God she's OK.
Your chap er Felix.
He was very interested in her earlier.
She didn't seem too keen.
You never know, do you? Maybe they're together and We're responsible for the moral welfare of these students.
Perhaps you could help us look for her.
What about other staff? They don't live in.
We'll have to deal with this ourselves.
We'll split up and search the neighbourhood.
She's probably back at the college, tucked up safe and sound.
Oh, what about that little lane up there? Have we been down that little lane up there? We've been down every little lane.
Up and down like a yo-yo in a lift.
That doesn't make sense.
What would a yo-yo be doing in a lift? Well, it could hardly take the stairs, could it? Oh, look.
What's that up there? Oh.
(SPEAKS POLISH) (SPEAKS POLISH) Was he sexy? It's Felix.
And his throat's been cut.
Erm everybody this is Detective Inspector Scott.
Erm it's a very distressing time.
But I think carrying on as usual is the best thing for all of us.
Cancelling the course would serve no good purpose.
He'd have to refund the fees.
I'd like to add, that if you've anything to say, speak to me or one of my officers.
Yes, of course.
Thank you, Inspector.
Well, let's get going, everybody, shall we? Mr Dunne.
Mr Dunne? Oh, I'm sorry, Mr Dawson.
I'm finding this all a bit difficult.
It's not easy for any of us.
Perhaps the distraction of teaching your class might help.
Can I ask you what you're doing here? Inspector.
Well, we have our own murder mystery to solve.
Something is killing this lawn.
What makes you so sure it was murder? Well, Felix didn't cut his own throat, did he? He was very good with his hands.
Have you found the weapon yet? No.
The pathologist says it was quick, clean and businesslike.
Ah.
A downward cut by a right-handed person probably.
Why were you out there last night? Well, we were looking for Angelica.
So were the Dawsons.
Didn't he tell you? But she went missing.
We thought she was with Felix.
We thought they were together, you know.
Romantically involved? Well, that could be a motive.
Felix was a bit of a sex pest.
He treated the female students as his personal buffet.
Maybe it was one of them.
You know jealous of Angelica, a spurned lover.
Let's just try and keep our imaginations in check, shall we? Let's keep our imaginations in check.
Bill uses one of these storerooms for some of his gardening stuff.
But he won't mind you setting yourselves up in here.
Mr Dawson, why didn't you tell the Inspector that Angelica was missing? Well, yes, because she might have been involved.
She might even have been the killer.
I don't want to hear talk like that.
Her father's a diplomat and a member of one of the leading Catholic families in Poland.
If the press gets wind of this, it will ruin me.
So you keep them shut.
Yes? It's always confusing with past participles.
Try that.
There you go.
You went for a walk.
Where? I not know.
You must have some idea.
She's been here less than a fortnight.
Angelica describe your route.
(INTERPRETS IN POLISH) (SPEAKS POLISH) She hasn't a clue, Inspector.
Quite frankly, I think she's too shocked to be of any use to you right now.
I must say, I find it hard to imagine a delicate creature like Angelica killing Felix like that.
She'd have had to Well, she Hold on, let me show you.
She'd have had to come up behind him, grab him, and then pull his head back and slice downward, through the carotid artery.
Eurgh! Horrible.
Yes.
Don't forget, Felix was no weakling and he was a lot fitter than her.
So I think, whoever it was, knew what they were doing.
Like that.
Quick, fast and businesslike.
Can you put me down, please? Oh, sorry.
I think it was a man and someone with some military training.
Shall I take that? Hm.
Uh-oh.
Uh-oh.
Look busy.
What about him? Is he really worried about the reputation of this place, or is he worried about something else? That's far enough, Mr Dawson! Sorry.
You might contaminate our control area.
We're comparing the soil in here to the soil in the dead patches.
Erm, I came to apologise for the way I behaved earlier.
I was ahem very rude.
Ahem! By the way, the police have finished with Angelica.
Looks like she's off the hook.
Reputation intact, eh? Hers or yours? Well, both, I hope.
No much consolation for Felix, is it? No.
No, I suppose not.
Well, I'll er let you get on, ladies.
Mr Dawson? Were you ever in the armed forces? Me? Good God, no.
Why? Are you all right, Bill? It's this Felix business.
It's shaken me up.
I can't say I liked the lad much.
But I never would have wished him ill.
Do you think other people might? Well, he always seemed to be upsetting somebody.
Like who? Like Mr and Mrs Dawson.
And Mr Dunne.
There was a bloke hanging round down by the road yesterday.
He probably had an axe to grind with Felix an' all.
What did he look like? 40-ish.
Black suit, black tie.
I thought it was the undertaker come to measure me up for my wooden overcoat.
Did he have a dodgy sort of moustache? Yes.
Do you know him? It sounds like that security guy from Bradleys I told you about.
He wasn't after your measurements.
What did he want here? Oh, I don't know.
Anyhow, I'll leave you to it.
It comes hard after 60 years of gardening to be stumped by a bit of old grass.
Don't blame yourself, Bill.
My dad was a stable lad here when this was a private house.
I've got an old photograph if you'd care to see it.
Yeah.
Love to.
Mm.
Right.
There are examples of grass dying where evil deeds have taken place.
Excuse me.
Show me the hard evidence.
"Don't speculate," that's what you say.
Now you're telling me that past evil can leave traces in grass? You've got to keep an open mind.
Oh, Angelica! Don't walk on the Grr! Oh, look at that.
Where she's walked, it's all withered and dead.
What? You're joking, aren't you? Yes.
"Keep an open mind.
" Oh, damn! I've forgotten the sample bags.
I'll pop up to my room and get them.
Come on, slowcoach.
(ZIPPING) Agh! Put that down.
I wasn't going to hurt her.
It's Angelica's.
I saw it when her bag was searched by that sleazeball security guy Reynolds.
What are you doing with it? When I heard about Felix and that the murder weapon was missing, I thought I should find it.
Why? Because she's innocent.
She couldn't kill anyone.
Not Angelica.
Yeah, I know it's stupid, isn't it? Man of my age, girl like her, but I can't help the way I feel.
Paul, this is evidence.
If you really like her and you really think she's innocent, you mustn't remove this.
I just couldn't bear to think of her being accused of murder.
Paul, where were you last night? It was my mother's birthday.
I took her to a concert at the town hall in Westly.
Joseph Wooding playing Chopin.
It's a bit dry for me, but it's Mum's favourite.
Look, I'm sorry about the knife.
We'd better get rid of this before WE are caught.
Ah.
Look.
A note to Angelica.
A sun, an arrow and a date.
Odd.
Whoops.
This way.
You'll feel better for a lie-down.
Damn.
Now we come to the older part of the college.
What do we say if Dawson sees us? We're looking for moss or something? Don't be silly, Laura.
You don't get moss on a building like this.
There could be lichen, of course.
Not now, Rosemary.
Now what are we going to do? We have to go this way.
There's bound to be a door up there.
That note it wasn't a date, it was a time.
1900 hours.
Look, a door.
Seven o'clock, about the time Angelica went missing.
Oh.
What? Hang on a minute.
What are you doing? That's very odd.
Do you think this is what made Angelica go out last night? I don't know.
If only we knew what it meant.
When we do, we'll be a lot nearer to knowing who killed Felix.
Bradleys the department store.
I think it's time I reacquainted myself with Mr Sleazeball Security Guy Reynolds.
I didn't send it.
But you did go off with her.
And she looked very unhappy.
Well, she'd just been caught shoplifting.
That's store policy? To interview vulnerable young women on their own? Look, I let her off, we usually prosecute.
And why not this time? I don't have to explain anything to you.
Well, what were you doing at the school? Who said I was there? Ah.
So you don't deny it.
Look, that's got nothing to do with me.
But it's written on a Bradleys envelope.
Look! Stacks of them at every pay point.
Anyone could pick one up.
And if I'd wanted to send her a message I would have written it in English.
She can speak it.
What sort of background do you need for this job? What? I've got a nephew who's keen on a career in security.
I just wondered how you started.
Army, police ? 15 years in the RAC, actually.
Now, do you mind if I get on with my life? Not teaching, Mr Dunne? Oh Students are too upset about Felix to concentrate.
Look.
Erm What I said earlier about how I feel about Angelica No need to mention that, is there? Your secret is safe with me.
Mr Dunne.
Could you take the minibus and pick up the weekly shop from the supermarket? Me? I'm a teacher.
We've all got to pull together until we find a replacement for Felix.
Try not to scratch it.
(RINGS) Reynolds.
Oh, Brigadier.
Erm 'Have you got it yet?' No.
Not yet, sir.
There's been a bit of a complication.
'A complication? I don't want any more of your complications.
I've given you good money.
' I'll I'll get it tonight, sir.
No, you have my word on it.
Yeah.
Oh.
Sun Sun up Dawn.
Sunrise.
At seven o'clock at night? Hmm.
Ah! Any luck with Reynolds? He denied everything.
Did he? Never mind.
Come and tell me all about it in The Rising Sun.
Reynolds has a point.
Why go all cryptic if he knew she could speak English? Salt and vinegar? No, thanks.
If you want to meet someone, why risk them not getting it? I mean, it took us ages to work it out.
Because we didn't know there was a pub nearby called The Rising Sun and she did.
That's true.
What's that? Mm? Just a shape.
Looks familiar.
Let me see that.
Well, if Reynolds didn't send this, who did? Paul was at a concert 30 miles away.
The Dawsons were with us That just leaves Felix.
If it was Felix, why not just write a note? In English.
And why use a Bradleys envelope? How's this? She's rejected all Felix's advances, so he tries a new tack.
He gets an envelope from the store, and he writes a message on it.
A pictogram.
Good word.
Because he thinks she's scared of Reynolds after their encounter, and that he might have some hold over her.
So, she turns up at 7:00pm, expecting to find Reynolds, and she finds Felix instead.
Then what? Well, it's just a theory.
Well, let's check it out.
He was a good-looking guy, she's a good-looking girl.
Someone must have noticed them.
So, the barman said that a gorgeous young blonde DID go in last night, all alone and looking nervous.
Now, there was a young man apparently waiting for her dark, handsome, 25, bit arrogant - Yes.
Sounds like Felix.
So, she sees him and she completely flips.
She throws his drink over him, dashes out, and he follows her.
(HEAVY BREATHING) So Felix followed her.
Well, apparently.
So then maybe he did make a pass at her after all.
And maybe she did attack him.
Only one person knows for sure.
Angelica.
(HEAVY BREATHING) (PRAYS IN POLISH) (HONKS HORN) Lunatic! I'm sure that was Reynolds.
What is going on up there? Angelica! Angelica! (SOBS) Angelica ! Sir Yeah.
Pathologist needs to see that right away, Sergeant Adams.
Right, now.
Just putting another sample in the agar slopes.
How are the hairpins doing, instead of the little handley things? You are a genius.
I will never criticise you again.
Good.
Can I have that in writing? Now.
The thing is, did she jump .
.
or was she pushed? Well, the police say .
.
Felix tried to have sex with Angelica against her will, so she defended herself with her knife, and killed him.
And being an honourable girl, she took her own life rather than bring shame on her family.
Neat, eh? Mm-hm.
Bit too neat for me.
And another thing.
Why was Zofia last on the scene? Mmm? Where had she been? I was making call to home from office of Miss Dawson.
My father.
He not well.
Now, look.
We just want to find out what happened to Angelica.
It's not suicide.
Angelica is much religious.
For her, suicide is worst sin.
Go to hell for eternity.
If it wasn't suicide Maybe accident, or I have big shout at her.
What were you arguing about? She have marks from kisses.
Like lovebites? Yes, but but she say not from kisses.
From Felix's hands.
He take her neck when he try to kiss her.
She fight him.
I take Bible and make her swear, and now she dead.
Zofia? You're missing your class.
I don't think she's quite up to it at the moment.
She's very upset.
We all are.
Come along, Zofia.
Suicide theory is looking shaky.
Distinctly.
Ladies.
I've got that photograph.
Blimey! A greenhouse? More like an aircraft hangar.
They liked them big.
And there were two.
What did they grow? All kinds of things.
That explains it! Explains what? The marks I saw on the lawn.
Now, the dead patches are grouped into big rectangular areas.
You don't notice it, but from up here it's quite distinct.
The past visiting the present.
Mmm.
Well, whatever it was that Bill's dad and his chums grew in those greenhouses, it's certainly causing his son a lot Laura.
Recognise the colour? Mmm.
Mrs Dawson.
Doesn't seem the kind of woman who does light roofing in her spare time.
What was she doing up here? It wasn't here the last time Perhaps she was here for the same reason we were.
En route from Angelica's room.
(BIRDS FLUTTER) This is where Angelica fell from.
And it looks like something's got knocked off the parapet.
Afternoon, ladies.
Laura! Got it! OK.
DI SCOTT: I'm going back to the press conference.
Hell of a place to chat.
Not much to tell.
I'm keeping an open mind about the cause of death.
I don't think Hang on! As soon as you get word from the pathologist about the knife, you let me know.
I can't hold any longer.
Ow! Did you hear something? No, sir.
Sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry.
How's the old toe? No match for a big stone fruit, thank you for asking.
These things are everywhere.
I'd like to know how that got knocked off the roof.
By Angelica.
As she fell.
Or was she pushed? Do you think that she was going the same way that we were over the roof? To escape from Who? The owner of this? I think it's time we did some checking up on Mrs Dawson.
I've got to get this lot off to the post.
Oh Hi.
Oh, hi.
I just wondered how Zofia was.
Oh, she never came back to class.
Oh.
So er what's all the fancy kit for? Oh various tests.
This, for instance, is a damp chamber.
We've put a piece of diseased turf in to see what grows on it.
It'll tell us if the problem is a fungus of some sort.
You OK? Yeah.
Fine.
Absolutely fine.
Er Yep.
Best get on.
Will you make sure that makes the last post, please? Of course.
No problem.
Mrs Thyme? I wanted to get some info from the Royal Horticultural Society website.
Looks like you've strayed onto some military site.
Oh, I'm such a klutz on the keyboard.
You should have come to my office.
I could have done it for you.
Oh, you know your way round military websites? Not particularly.
Why? Should I? Oh Horticultural websites, I mean.
No, I'll be fine now.
I'll just type in the right name.
I should have given you this earlier.
When you found me in the language lab.
Thank you.
I've been looking for that.
We found it on the roof.
What were you doing up there? We were looking at an aerial view of the lawn.
And why were you in the language lab? I needed some information from the Internet.
I was on one of the computers.
I discourage random sessions.
I like to know exactly what sort of material is being accessed.
You know, you're quite right.
It is amazing what you can find when you start looking.
I was trying to get onto the Royal Horticultural Society.
Except Mrs Thyme got her initials confused.
Typed RHR instead of RHS.
Ended up on the Royal Herts Regimental Association site instead.
It's easily done.
Well, we'll leave you to it.
You're not dining? Unhappily, no.
We've got a lot of work to do tonight in the storeroom.
Yes.
We'll be working late tonight.
If you see the light on, don't worry.
We are very close to a solution now.
My bum's gone to sleep.
Lucky old bum.
Do you think anyone will show? Well, we dropped a big enough hint.
(Ready?) Looking for something? What the hell are you doing here? This is Reynolds, the security guy.
We've had two murders in two days here.
You better have a very good reason for being here.
I haven't killed anyone, all right? I was just looking for that bloody knife.
The knife ? Too late.
It's with the police.
Oh, damn.
I was going to give that girl good money for it.
500 quid.
£500 for a knife? Well, it's rare.
I know this bloke, Brigadier Jacobs.
He collects militaria.
Got a massive collection of guns and knives.
Anyway, he put the money up for me to buy it off of her.
Except Except? I spent it, didn't I? What on? Don't laugh.
Sunbed for the missus.
She's wanted one for years.
And I was so sure I could get that knife, and I came up here earlier to see her, and So, that WAS you in the car.
You nearly killed us.
Yeah, sorry.
When I got up here, everyone was flapping.
She was dead, wasn't she, poor kid? What about Felix? Where were you when he died? Working.
Late-night shopping.
In the security office you'll find videotapes featuring me.
They're time and date stamped.
They're watertight.
Oh, well.
I'll see his nibs off the premises.
I'll wait here.
(HEAVY BREATHING) Oh, you're back.
I must say I feel sorry for that chap.
Forced into a life of crime, because his wife wants a year-round tan.
What are you going to do now, then? Nothing.
The police have got the knife, and you owe £500 to a man with a lot of weapons.
Oh Thank you, Bill.
There was something else on the photo I wanted to show you.
But who's this? It's Paul.
Mr Dunne? Here.
If you look there on the roof, you can see what they were growing.
Oh, yes.
Get out of my way! What's going on? Get away from me! Get back! Oh, don't be such a bloody fool.
You're in enough trouble already.
Put it down, Mr Dunne, please.
It's not Mr Dunne.
It's Mr Bannister.
Isn't it, Paul? You were a serving officer in the British Army, weren't you? The Royal Herts.
Until 1998, when you were dishonourably discharged for assaulting a fellow officer.
You beat him senseless.
Did Felix find out about your secret? Was he blackmailing you? Was that why you wanted to kill him? And you set up that meeting at the pub with Angelica and Felix.
You were waiting outside.
And you followed them.
You got hold of her knife and slit his throat like you were trained to.
This is all very fascinating, but you're forgetting I was 30 miles away at a concert with my mother when Felix died.
I don't think so! We've got to stop him.
(SIREN) You must be psychic, Inspector.
Not really.
Mrs Dawson called us.
I saw you earlier in the grounds, with that other man.
I was worried.
How could you do this to me, Paul? I'm ruined.
And it's all your fault.
And what did poor Angelica ever do to you? All she HAD to do was keep her mouth shut.
Say nothing.
But no.
Her pathetic Catholic conscience wouldn't allow it.
Sir, you're under caution.
You think I care? I loved her.
But she was going to give me away.
I couldn't allow her to do that.
He must have got her onto the roof, pushed her off and made it LOOK like suicide.
Sergeant.
I'll need statements from all of you.
In the morning.
One thing's still puzzling me.
Why on earth were you up on the roof when you lost the fingernail? It's very mundane.
The fire escapes have to be checked.
It was one of Felix's jobs.
Now, look at the lawn.
Two distinct rectangular areas.
And all the dead patches are in the space occupied by the greenhouses.
We learned from Bill's photograph that they used to grow pineapples here.
That's why they're all over the house.
And they were grown on deep beds of compost.
Now, we sent some soil samples off to the lab.
I'm pretty sure they will confirm that the animal manure they used here contained large quantities of heavy metal.
Now, this would have collected in the beds and in turn contaminated the soil.
Thank you, Bill! When were the greenhouses taken down? We had them demolished two years ago when we bought the place.
We had it all grassed.
It was fine, to begin with.
Right.
But once the root system started to find those heavy metals, the grass would have deteriorated.
So? What do we do now? Well, we have two suggestions.
You could strip off the dead grass, replace all the contaminated soil and then relay all the lawns.
What? That'll take months! The Japanese delegation is coming the week after Edward She did say there were two alternatives.
Sorry.
Or, you could cut out all the dead grass and leave the shape of well, look.
MRS DAWSON: Isn't that the pictogram? LAURA: Yes.
The rising sun.
Rather appropriate for your visitors, don't you think?
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