The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (2001) s01e04 Episode Script
Missing Joseph
Come in.
Oh! Agh! Oh! Hi.
About time! Stupid car! If it's going to break down, why does it choose a road in the middle of nowhere? Nice to see you, too.
Sorry.
Hello.
HE TRIES TO START CAR See? The recovery team'll be here soon.
I'll take you back to the hotel.
Here, have my jacket.
I'm really glad you suggested me for the job.
Why wouldn't I? You're the best profiler in the business.
So, what are YOU working on? Not much.
The local boys don't like to give outsiders the good stuff.
One of the drawbacks of being on attachment.
How's Barbara coping? She's back in London.
Now her mum's in a home, she's selling the house.
Congratulations on cracking the Evans case.
Oh Quite a result.
No, it wasn't.
It was sordid.
A man goes on TV, in tears, begging whoever killed his wife to give themselves up and he'd murdered her? It's enough to put you off relationships for life! Thanks.
Lynley.
It's me.
Have you seen my lighter? I might have dropped it in your car.
You must be psychic.
Helen and I were just talking about you.
You have to work on your seduction technique! I can't hear the clink of champagne glasses.
We're in a country lane in Helen's car.
That was quick work! Until you have all the information, it's circumstantial evidence.
Oh, come on! Moonlight, all that nature.
Have you told her how you feel? Oops, got to go.
Here comes the cavalry.
Where is he? Hey, try and stay calm.
But where is he?! I've spoken to your dad.
We'll ring round and try and find him.
Hello.
Yeah, this is DCI Shepherd.
Where? DI Lynley.
DI Lynley.
Tony Philips.
What do you think happened? Not certain.
Bluish tinge, lips and mouth, signs of asphyxiation.
Tony.
Lynley.
Sir.
Oh! No wonder he didn't make the wedding.
You know the victim, sir? It's the Rev Robin Sage.
He was due to take a marriage service this morning.
What the hell?! What happened to his tongue? It's swollen, probably as a result of trauma.
It's severed.
He almost bit it off.
Could he have had a fit? Thanks.
I'd never have thought of that(!) An epileptic fit maybe, possibly poisoning.
You what? Won't know until the postmortem.
Juliet - Mrs Spence, the vicar had dinner there last night.
I called in on my round.
She was really ill.
Well? Over the worst I'd say.
I want to go back in.
In a minute, then best go and stay with Josie for a bit.
I want to see Mum.
Soon.
Did you tell Mrs Spence? No.
Tell me what? Mum.
Juliet, I need to talk to you.
It's really important.
.
.
You can see your mum afterwards.
Please, love.
Don't "love" me! You're not my dad.
Just give me a moment, hmm? Please? Maggie, why don't we go downstairs? I'm sure he won't be long.
What? I'm sorry to have to tell you, but the vicar, Reverend Sage, died last night.
No.
That's not right.
He-he couldn't have.
He had dinner here with your mum, didn't he? Robin did? I thought What? Nothing.
- So you didn't eat with the Reverend Sage and your mother? - No, she packed me off to Josie's.
What's going on? We do have to find out what happened.
Is your father around? He left when I was younger.
Are youare you sure Robin's dead? He'she's really dead? I'm afraid so.
Right, Lynley, I want you to go and talk to the vicar's housekeeper, a Miss Polly Yarkin.
Constable, you go with the inspector.
Do the introductions.
We haven't been introduced.
I'm DI Lynley.
Steve - Constable Steve Shepherd.
DCI Shepherd? He's my father.
Steve! This is DI Lynley.
He wants to ask you a few questions.
Pleasecome in.
After you, Constable.
Well, one minute, he was alive and the next They said he suffered.
I'm afraid so.
How long had you worked for Rev Sage? -Since he got here,four months ago.
When was the last time you spoke with him? I asked him if he wanted dinner.
He said he was going out.
And did he tell you he was going to Juliet Spence's cottage? No.
But he put his best suit on.
What's that supposed to mean? Nothing.
I'm just remarking.
Did he ever ask you about Juliet? About Mrs Spence? No.
He never said anything? You're sure? Why are you asking me about Juliet Spence? It's Robin Sage who's dead.
We'll leave it there for the moment, Miss Yarkin.
I mean, don't get me wrong.
She's bound to be upset.
But Polly's a bitflaky.
So, what's next? The SOCO sergeant may need help.
I'd be much better use back at the Spences' cottage.
Not until we've got the results on cause of death.
I'll call SOCO, tell them you're on your wayConstable.
Sir.
Have you seen the DCI anywhere? He's in the shop talking to Reverend Sage's verger.
Thanks.
Any progress, sir? Bit of a smart aleck, that Tony.
The toxicology report suggests the Reverend Sage died of water hemlock poisoning.
Someone poisoned him? Hemlock grows wild round here.
Juliet Spence picked hemlock, thinking it was parsnip.
Accidental death.
That's one opinion, sir.
And one the coroner is most likely to share.
Until we can prove that beyond reasonable doubt, the investigation will continue.
Sir I don't mean to tread on your toes, but are you aware that your son is having a relationship with Juliet Spence? You what? I found out accidentally and as senior investigating officer, I felt you should know.
You sure? Thanks.
You've probably saved me a lot of trouble down the line.
A word, ConstableNOW.
I stand there while some outsider tells me about you and Juliet Spence.
What outsider? - Lynley.
I had to inform the Super.
He gives me an earful.
Conflict of interest, senior officer should have known.
Sage wasn't murdered.
There is no case.
Not for you and me, there isn't.
I had to hand it over.
What? Who to? That southern ponce - Lynley.
It was an accident.
That's obvious.
How do you know, eh? Because you're giving her one? Why the hell didn't you tell me you were having an affair with her? I'm grown-up You should've warned me.
This is my career on the line.
Hello? How's the packing going? Great.
If you feel like cutting your leave short, Superintendent Alred has handed me a suspicious death.
I'd like you back up here, working with me.
Well, I guess if you can't crack it without me, then looks like I've got no choice.
'There's a train at seven' er, ten past seven.
Pick me up at 10.
30.
See you then.
Bye.
Hi.
Come on in.
How was your first day? Fascinating.
I hear you're in charge of the Robin Sage case.
Come in.
Tony Philips - Helen Clyde.
Oh, the profiler on the Evans case.
Superintendent Alred has been singing your praises all day.
Well, I'm not sure why.
I've only just found my way to the canteen.
Helen and I know each other from London.
I thought I'd bring you up to speed on the Robin Sage case.
If you can spare the time.
Do you want me to leave? No, of course not.
Steve Shepherd said that Juliet Spence spent the night vomiting.
Probably saved her life.
Hemlock poisoning causes delirium, convulsions and abdominal pains.
A single mouthful can kill a man.
Sohow come she survived? Because she threw up.
But hemlock doesn't make you vomit.
Hemlock doesn't cause vomiting? No, not the way she describes.
Two people eat the same meal.
One dies.
The other, conveniently, has a stomach upset and lives.
Exactly.
Hi.
Have you eaten? Ohthank you.
Yeah, I had a roasted veg sandwich with organic wholemeal.
I need a cigarette.
I found your lighter.
Oh, thank you.
How's your mum settling into the home? OK.
Sometimes I go there and she thinks I'm her sister.
Which isn't so stupid, actually.
Everyone says I look just like Auntie Joyce.
Except for the nose.
Mum? Mum? The police took all the bottles away.
What happened at the hospital? Are you OK? It's all right.
I'm all right.
Why didn't you tell me Robin was coming for dinner? I wanted to talk to him privately.
You should've told me.
I should've known.
Well, you saw me preparing supper.
You could have asked.
Who did you think I'd invited? Maggie? You think I don't know.
But I know.
I've heard the two of you.
And you panting in his ear, "I love you, Steve, I love you.
" I just want to be sick.
Why didn't you say you knew about me and Steve? Why didn't you tell me? It doesn't mean anything.
It's not like you and me.
What are the gouges in the ground? Where he dug his heels in as he thrashed about.
You can see where he clawed at the earth.
His tongue? So swollen he'd almost chewed it in half.
If you're lucky, you die of heart failure.
He wasn't lucky? No.
He asphyxiated.
How long did it take? Too long.
We know how he died - hemlock poisoning.
We know who served him the poison - Juliet Spence.
But did she do it deliberately, or did someone else substitute hemlock for the parsnip? Not forgetting the terrible accident theory.
Or it wasn't Reverend Sage who was supposed to die.
But if this Spence woman made herself vomit, she must have known she'd eaten something poisonous.
Yeah, but even if she'd deliberately made herself sick, she could still have been the intended victim.
PC Shepherd was the first person to see her after Sage left that night.
How's it going, Lynley? Early days, sir.
Well, if you're looking for Steve, you may have a long wait.
He's got a big area to cover.
Looks like we're in luck, sir.
.
.
I'd like a few words, please, Constable.
Come back later.
There's a trailer tipped over on the way to Landridge.
Why are you here, then? Who's she? Detective Sergeant Havers.
Why don't I put the kettle on? You must be very busy, sir.
Yes.
I haven't even had time for lunch.
I want it on record that at no time was my impartiality in question.
Noted.
Why did you keep your relationship with Juliet Spence quiet? I resent this.
Were you hiding it from your wife? My wife Annie is dead.
I'm sorry.
That's why he never put himself up for promotion.
He nursed her at home until she died a year ago.
If you were both free agents, why the secrecy? Juliet didn't want to upset Maggie.
What about Juliet's relationship with Robin Sage? What relationship? She invited him round for dinner.
To discuss Maggie.
What about Maggie? Sage wanted her to go to church, he'd started a youth club.
Juliet wasn't keen on the idea.
She slaves over a hot stove just to say Maggie can't go to a youth club? Hasn't she got a phone? She's a hospitable woman.
Yeah, there is something sexy about men in dog collars.
There was nothing going on! If you died I've got no-one.
I'd have to go into a home.
Oh, Maggie I can't produce your dad for you, sweetheart.
If I could, I would.
In your statement, you said you called at Juliet Spence's cottage at 9.
15 on the evening of Sage's death.
Juliet's cottage is very isolated.
It's all part of my patrol.
Couldn't find any biscuits.
Sir.
Where was Mrs Spence? It's in my statement.
In the bathroom, vomiting.
Did she say she'd taken anything before she was sick? What kind of a stupid question is thatsir? Simple enough for you to understand.
She was wrenching her guts up! You didn't think to call Robin Sage, find out how HE was? I thought it was just ordinary food poisoning.
I thought it would run its course.
If Mrs Spence was throwing up in the bathroom, who let you in? I have a key.
Sage might still have been there with Juliet.
It could have been embarrassing.
He left at nine.
How do you know? How do you know, Constable? Were you spying on Juliet Spence and Robin Sage? Mrs Spence? Detective Inspector Lynley and Detective Sergeant Havers.
How are you? Dreadful.
What do you expect? Perhaps you shouldn't have discharged yourself.
About Robin! Reverend Sage.
You remember that case, a butcher, all those people dying of E.
coli from his shop.
I remember thinking, how do you live with that? You and Reverend Sage must have got on well for you to invite him for dinner.
I think it's easier to discuss things over a meal, more relaxing.
Were you anticipating a row? No.
Why didn't you want Maggie to go to his youth club? We're not churchgoers.
It seems hypocritical.
Not if Maggie wanted to and Reverend Sage didn't mind.
I was just trying to, I don't know, trying to set some moral standards.
Does that include your relationship with Steve Shepherd? I need some advice.
Maggie told me about the house rule, the only people you can trust are your family.
Sounds a bit harsh.
Typical teenager interpretation.
We've moved around a bit.
It makes it hard to sustain friendships.
She considered Reverend Sage a friend.
Mmm.
Well, he was a good listener and he wasn't me.
Been acting up, has she? Look, this has nothing to do with Maggie.
She wasn't even here.
Was she here when you were cooking the meal? Yes.
Did you leave her alone in the kitchen at any time? No.
What, you didn't use the phone? Go to the bathroom? Maggie's my daughter.
Are you suggesting? I'm sorry, I'm not listening to this.
I'd offer you one, but I know you hate it.
Well? I was wondering what to do about Robin'sthe vicar's things.
I don't know who his next of kin is.
Well, you just leave everything as it is for the moment.
Is that it? I want to be friends again.
Annie knew.
I walked in and she knew.
My wife's dying and we're rolling around on that stinking barn floor.
She knew.
You make it sound disgusting, like we did something wrong.
Is that why you went with Mrs Spence? To punish me? You and me are special.
"You and me" is over.
It never started.
But I loved you first.
I loved you before Annie, before Juliet Spence.
How much did you love me, Polly? Enough to poison Juliet? Only you kill Reverend Sage instead? No.
Are you hoping they jail her for murder and you can have me all to yourself? Water hemlock poisoning doesn't present itself in the way you've described.
I know I had to be sick.
Did you make yourself sick? Yes, I took an emetic.
It was in one of the bottles the police took away.
Why didn't you tell Steve Shepherd at the time? I didn't have to.
He could see the bottle.
In factyeah, he poured me the second dose.
Just to make sure.
Why did Shepherd lie about the emetic? To protect her.
He thinks she killed Sage.
Or it was a terrible accident, but he knows how bad it would look if we found out that she made herself sick.
How about this? Sage is coming to dinner, Shepherd's jealous.
He swops the parsnip for the hemlock.
We know he's watching the cottage.
He intended to call in, anyway.
If she hadn't already made herself sick, he had to, so he encouraged her to take another dose of the emetic.
He's obviously crazy about Juliet.
He wouldn't risk killing her.
Sir, not everyone's as romantic in love as you are.
If Shepherd is a psychopath, he might chance it.
Set up a meeting for me with Rev Sage's bishop.
Talk to his church wardens and the parish council.
Someone must know who his next of kin is.
Can I have a word? Yes.
Thanks, Andy.
I re-read the Sage report.
It says that Juliet Spence is a herbalist.
She calls herself an alternative therapist.
Why? Wild parsnip has a single root.
Water hemlock has a tuberous bundle of roots.
Juliet Spence would know this.
There are other characteristics, too.
Cut lengthways, water hemlock displays nodes and internodes.
Sorry, it was either biology or communication skills at my school.
I took communication skills.
Tony Philips, our pathologist - Barbara Havers.
I finally get to put a face to the name.
- Sorry? - I worked with the Met last year.
They were offering 5-1 that your partnership wouldn't make it out of the paddock.
Pardon? A bit of fun.
They'll be glad Barbara's found someone to work with.
Call me a snob, Tony, but given the choice between working with a clever, considerate man or a mouthy git, I know who I'd choose.
Well, you've obviously got her broken in, Lynley.
If you're ever hard up, you're on to a dead cert.
No, it's OK, sir.
Tony spends his time cutting up dead people.
He can't help having a warped, sick mind.
This warped sick mind has come to the conclusion that Juliet Spence had to know that hemlock has chambers.
If she cooked the hemlock, it wasn't an accident, but murder.
Tony, Juliet Spence isn't the only one with access to the cottage.
There's Maggie, Steve Shepherd.
What about Polly Yarkin? She's crazy about Steve.
Who knows what that might drive her to do? BEEPER SOUNDS I want another house-to-house.
Check who was in the vicinity of Juliet's cottage on the day of Sage's death.
What exactly did Tony Philips say to her? It doesn't matter.
Come on, eat your food.
Sit down! No! Poor kid.
No wonder he's miserable.
He should be in bed by now.
You don't want children, do you? I'm not sure.
You? Yes.
I suppose so.
Sometime.
Do your duty? Keep on in there till your exhausted wife provides the next male heir of Asherton? We're talking about love, not livestock.
I remember my dad dug in behind the paper.
He hated the noise, the mess, the fact my mother couldn't give him her undivided attention.
One day you're gonna come to me all gooey-eyed, saying you've found the father of your children.
I don't do gooey! Besides, before long, we won't need you men at all.
Maybe, but think of all that pleasure you'd be missing.
Everything OK? Yeah, fine, thanks.
I can have him up in front of a disciplinary board.
No.
No, I'd just prefer it if you just held him against a wall and I just hit him.
I'll leave it, then.
James! Come here! I'm tired! I know you're tired, darling.
Come on.
Come on, James.
JAMES: No! No! The joys of family life.
You'll have a wife and kids one day.
Your sort always do.
Probably have them delivered from Harrods.
Night, then.
'Yes, I know, I'm sorry.
' It's a rushed job.
Sergeant Havers could be back in a few days.
The keys are with the neighbour at number 16.
If you have any problems, get her to give me a call.
All right.
Thanks.
Yeah, this is the spot.
I dug it up here.
Can you see any plants now that look like wild parsnip? Um No, I can't.
What does the book say, Sergeant? Um That one maybe.
Give it a go.
What do you think, Mrs Spence? I'm not sure.
No, don't! It Why not? Why not, Mrs Spence? That isn't parsnip.
It's water hemlock.
When you dug up the parsnip for Robin Sage, did you know it was hemlock? No.
I would have noticed.
You mean, someone else must have put the hemlock in your cooking pot? No I'm not sure.
When Maggie was little, and ate too much cake, like kids do, did you used to give her an emetic? What? Maggie knows that the minute her mum eats something bad, she makes herself sick.
I've told you Do you consider yourself a good mum? Yes.
So you must have taught Maggie which plants are poisonous.
Maggie didn't do it.
I was with her all the time.
No, you weren't.
We did a house-to-house.
At 5.
13 on the evening of Robin Sage's death, you had a Parcel Force delivery.
The driver remembers it very clearly.
You were his last call.
He had a cold, you suggested several remedies.
He says you were on the doorstep for almost ten minutes.
Was Maggie alone then? Why would Maggie want to kill anyone? It's absurd! I'd like permission to interview your daughter.
No, it's out of the question.
Why don't you want us to talk to her? Detective Inspector Lynley would like to ask you a few questions.
What about? Robin Sage.
If she doesn't want to talk I'm not a kid.
Just go, will you? When you were younger, your mum used to take you with her when she went out collecting wild plants? Me, I'm hopeless.
I don't know one plant from another.
I'm as good as Mum.
So you'd know the difference between wild parsnip and water hemlock? Well, maybe.
It depends.
If you didn't know Robin Sage was coming to dinner that night, who did you think your mum was cooking for? Who cares.
I wasn't interested.
Steve? Your mum invites her boyfriend round and you're shunted off to some mate's and you don't care? Yeah.
Do you have a boyfriend? - No.
- Bet all your mates have.
All that stuff they have to gossip about.
Did they kiss? How far did they get? And you're stuck on the outside.
I don't want their stupid boyfriends.
They're just kids.
Oh, you mean you prefer your men older? Like Steve? I've got it, sir.
She fancies Steve Shepherd.
No, I don't.
I hate him.
I hate everything about him.
Margaret Spence, you do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention something you later rely on in court.
No.
You've got it all wrong.
I spoke to Robin.
What did he say? He told me to do nothing.
He said he knew it was hard, but it wasn't always going to be me and Mum.
That one day I'd leave.
Have a life of my own.
Why didn't you want your mum just now? She didn't like you seeing Robin Sage? Look, Robin was MY friend.
Every time she banged on about it, it felt like she was spoiling it.
What else did you and Robin talk about? Everything.
Books I read, favourite movies.
What I wanted to do - MY dreams.
He would say Oh What did he say, Maggie? He said I was a unique person.
If she thought Steve was coming to dinner and she knew her mum takes an emetic whenever she feels ill, she still could have killed Robin by mistake.
OK.
We don't rule her out.
I can see why Maggie liked Robin, a father figure, her own special friend.
But why was he so interested in her? Lynley.
That interview you wanted with the bishop Would you like a drink? Tea? There's some sherry.
Yours? Alchemical Magic, Herbs And Spices.
I don't know.
Possibly.
Where did you get it? Your bedroom.
"H for hemlock.
Dig when the plant is dormant.
" I don't understand.
Quite a habit you've got, spying on Juliet's cottage.
You got it wrong.
Did you slip into the kitchen? No.
And put water hemlock in her cooking pot? L for love.
A love potion! Like she must have given you.
That's why I bought the book.
I drink it, you look at me But you just see what you want to see.
I see a sick, twisted human being.
You made soup for my wife before she died.
What are you saying? Not only did I try to kill Juliet, I killed Annie, too? Did you? Like you wanted to? What? You were relieved the day she died.
Nothing was good enough for Annie.
She even managed to blame you for her cancer.
Shut it.
The only moments of pleasure, of love you had that year were with me.
You helped Annie on her way, so you could have me.
You don't get me.
I meet Juliet and you decide to kill her, only you end up murdering Robin Sage.
Deep down, you love me.
Love? You and me wasn't love.
Banging away on the floor like animals.
Banging away like stinking, filthy animals.
(Oh, come on!) Cake? No, thanks.
We're here on police business.
You're still one of God's family.
Try an eclair.
I said no.
That was a bit sharp.
I'm not a flaming charity case.
She offered you a cake, that's all.
Look, you may enjoy eating cucumber sandwiches, surrounded by .
.
braying women with upturned flowerpots on their heads, but I don't, thank you, sir.
Sage originally came from Cornwall.
He was such a terrible loss.
He had a marvellous record - youngest archdeacon, lecturer, fantastic fund-raiser.
And why did he give all that up to become a parish priest? His wife Suzanna, committed suicide.
Suicide? How? Threw herself over the side of a ferry on the way to France.
And when was this? About twelve years ago.
I really don't know much about it.
It must have been extremely traumatic for him.
I realise I didn't know Robin very well at all.
Before he moved here, he seemed quite different.
How do you mean? A man of great faith, strong convictions.
He changed? In the last few months, he seemed uncertain, distressed.
He didn't tell you what was troubling him? God forgive me, I should have asked.
He wasn't troubled, Inspector.
He was in crisis.
What are you doing? Only eat food that can't be tampered with.
I don't understand.
You're not responsible.
It wasn't your fault.
How do you mean? It wasn't Robin Sage that was meant to die.
It was you.
Suzanna Sage committed suicide twelve years ago.
Robin Sage moves parishes often.
Formed a relationship with Maggie, an under-age teenager.
Hence the crisis.
Juliet kills him.
I'm sorry, sir, but why didn't she report it? Maggie was fond of Sage, said she wouldn't testify against him.
Would that make Juliet take the law into her own hands and kill him? She's her mum.
Who knows what she'd do to protect her daughter.
We need to talk to the housekeeper - Polly.
Find out if she was in the vicarage when Maggie used to visit.
Bit dark in here.
What happened, Polly? Oh, fell down the back steps.
Stupid, I'd just washed them.
That's typical me, racing about.
Perhaps we should get you to the hospital.
No.
Would you like to talk to Barbara alone? No, of course not.
Just between you and me.
It might help.
What? You think? I fell down the back steps.
Honest.
Look, you came to ask questions about Reverend Sage, so fire away.
Why don't we take a seat? Did Reverend Sage ever talk about his wife? What wife? She committed suicide twelve years ago.
He never said.
He never even mentioned her.
He didn't seem interested in women.
What about Maggie Spence? I gather she came here quite often.
Yes, but she's just a kid.
What did they do? Sat in his study together and talked their heads off.
Did her mum ever come? No.
June 10th, Social Services, 12.
30.
Well, why visit the Social Services? How about he was seeing a social worker? Same question, Havers, why? Maybe you're right.
Robin Sage and Maggie wasn't the problem.
All those heart-to-hearts together, maybe what he learnt from Maggie was that Juliet was an unfit mother and decided to talk to the Social Services about it.
He went to London on June 10th, 8.
30 train.
Well, whoever he was seeing at Social Services was in London.
Why were they interested in a girl in Lancashire? Inspector! PC Shepherd's got some information on the Sage case.
Polly Yarkin, I'm disgusted to say, has an obsession with me.
I found this in her cottage.
Look under H, for hemlock.
So you interviewed her yourself? Gave her the personal touch.
Sergeant You took the law into your own hands.
Do you get your kicks from hitting female suspects? Slanderous cow! She punched herself in the mouth? Steve, what is it with you? Maggie? Kids at school were yelling stuff.
"Your mum's a psycho.
" Is that what YOU think? No.
It's all wrong.
You didn't do it.
Whatever's happened, Maggie, we'll get through this together, mmm? Yeah.
Mum - it's Barbara.
Well, I said I'd ring.
Barbara, your daughter.
No, I'm not coming to take you home.
Well, I explained.
You like it there! Yes, you do! You told me you liked it last time I came.
Last week, Mum.
I came to see you last week.
It appears as if Steve Shepherd is on the verge of a breakdown.
Jealous, paranoid, violent.
But Is he a murderer? It all seems too premeditated.
I think he's more likely to strike out in anger.
Have you got anything on Polly Yarkin? A cheap spell book, unrequited passion for said PC Shepherd.
I'll wait and see if something more substantial turns up before we question her again.
What about Maggie Spence? Angry, confused only child, desperate to hang on to her mother's affections.
The things we put ourselves through for love.
Is there something you're not telling me? Why? KNOCK AT DOOR Nothing.
Come in.
The stuff on Robin Sage's dead wife - Suzanna - it'll be here in half an hour.
Thanks.
There's no point in you staying.
That's all right.
No, no.
I've got loads of things to do.
There's no point in both of us hanging around.
Thank you.
Marvellous.
Night, Andy.
Night, Governor.
Yeah, I appreciate there'll be overtime.
Just send me the bill.
Thank you.
Can I give you a lift to the hotel? Great.
I'd love a drink.
Yeah.
Oh, afraid we're out of luck.
Never mind.
I hadn't realised it was so late.
Hi.
Room six, please.
Twelve, please.
Thanks.
See you in the morning.
Yeah.
TV IS ON KNOCK AT DOOR Room service.
D'you think we'll be sitting together like this when we're 90? Some knight in shining armour will have whisked you away before then.
Are you saying I need rescuing? It's OK, you don't have to answer.
This isn't advisable behaviour for close friends.
Suzanna, Robin Sage's late wife, committed suicide on a ferry to France twelve years ago.
It was a rough crossing and she went to the loo, complaining of feeling sick.
She never came back.
Did the police investigate Robin Sage? Yes.
There were no signs of a struggle.
No witnesses.
Her handbag was found in the car with a note.
What did it say? "Sorry, can't carry on.
" Her passport was in her bag.
There was no trace of her on the ship and she couldn't have got off the ferry in France.
Is it the way I tell them? What about the body? Um, it was - it was never found, but here's the best bit I'll get them to bring a fresh pot of coffee.
Thanks, but I'm driving back to London.
London? I've got some research to do.
I don't want to disturb your work.
We'll speak later.
.
.
Bye, Barbara.
I'll be back in a minute.
Thank you very much.
Why are you running away? Don't be melodramatic.
I've got a job to do, so have you.
I'll ring you later.
Did something happen last night? Anything else? Um, yeah, actually.
Um Robin and Suzanna had a.
.
a sonJoseph.
He died when he was three months old.
Get back onto the incident room.
I want everything they can find on Robin Sage's dead wife.
Yeah.
KNOCK AT DOOR We've turned up a sister for Suzanna Sage, Kate Gutterman.
She's a social worker.
Lives in London.
What do you think happened to your sister on that ferry? Robin Sage killed her.
Maybe he didn't actually push her over the side, buthe killed her.
How do you mean? Joseph, their baby son, was running a temperature.
Robin insisted that he should sleep in the other room.
The next day, Joseph was dead.
How was their relationship then? How do you think? Terrible.
That's why I know he did or said something to make her end it.
That's a very serious accusation.
Suzanna came to see me weeks before she died.
She'd been a social worker, too, before she was married.
She'd decided to write a book.
I let her borrow some case notes.
That's illegal.
She was my sister! What's this got to do with her state of mind? Suddenly she was the old Suzanna again.
Energised, focused.
Then she committed suicide? Her only epitaph, a note saying, "Sorry, I can't carry on.
" Have you seen anything of Sage since? He did come to visit me a couple of months ago.
Suddenly he cares.
He wanted to know what Suzanna and I had talked about in the last weeks of her life.
Who she saw, where she went How often did he come? Once was enough.
We found tickets for several trips to London.
Did he have any friends here? No, not that I know of.
There were no photographs of Suzanna in the vicarage.
I never go anywhere without it.
They never found her.
If I'd had a body to bury, maybe things would have been easier.
Do you know a woman called Juliet Spence? No.
How old would Joseph have been if he'd lived? Nearly thirteen.
Why? Did Suzanna have any children before Joseph? No, he was a bit of a miracle.
They'd been trying for years to have a baby.
Somehow it just hadn't happened.
'Juliet Spence is Suzanna Sage,' Robin Sage's supposedly dead wife.
She must have got a passport in the name of Juliet Spence, faked suicide, slipped into France, then come back here and started a new life.
With a new child, who's not her daughter.
Maggie's only 14 years old.
She didn't have any kids before Joseph.
If she isn't Juliet's child, who is she? Dodgy adoption deal? Juliet comes to London, sees her sister's files.
She's her old self.
She buys Maggie off one of her sister's clients? Look, why don't you go home? I'll organise a check, make sure all Kate's clients children are accounted for.
I don't believe this! Get me a discreet check on all these families.
Oh, and all reported cases of missing babies in London 12-14 years ago, with special attention to the area that Juliet Spence's sister worked.
FIRE ALARM RINGS Not now.
Helen why don't we go over there? We're not supposed to leave our assembly points.
All right, let's have the conversation here.
Last night It was fun.
Yes.
It was a lot of other things, too.
I'm just trying to put things in perspective.
Two mates, away from home.
You never lie to me.
See.
Sex changes everything.
No, it doesn't, fear does, and you've nothing to be frightened of.
You're my confidant, my Oh, the best friend speech.
I've been rehearsing it all day.
And there was me thinking you were basking in the glow of last night's passion.
You know too much about me.
You can't honestly think I'd abuse that.
No, not deliberately.
It's myself I don't trust - MY judgement.
Oh, you think I'm a bad choice? Maybe for me, yes.
I'll ruin it.
I always do.
I won't let you ruin it, if you don't let ME.
I'm sorry, Tommy.
The answer's no.
It's safe to go back in the building.
Well, if that's what you want, I have to respect that.
It doesn't mean I'm giving up.
Sir! How much did it cost? I don't think we should have this conversation in public.
I don't believe you.
I mean, how could you do that? You totally redecorated my house! Who do you think you are, interfering in my life? I thought I was helping.
The earl patronising the peasants?! KNOCK AT DOOR Go away! Come in.
You might find these interesting, sir.
Thank you very much.
How does letting a bunch of decorators loose in my house help me? You couldn't sell it till you'd done it up.
And you're paying a mortgage for a flat you're not living in.
That is MY business.
I thought we'd forged some sort of a bond, however bizarre.
I thought showing some concern was permitted.
Concern? This is fascism.
I don't even like duck white.
Concern because you're sitting there, avoiding the inevitable.
If I hadn't done it,you never would.
You patronising, sanctimonious OK I have been stalling.
I am a coward.
I'm panicking about leaving because the thought of coming home to nothing is more scary than coming home to a mother who doesn't know who I am.
I keep putting off visiting my mum because she doesn't understand I am dismantling her life and packing it into cardboard boxes.
Now that is MY problem and I don't need you to show me that I am an inadequate human being.
Right.
What I did was inexcusable.
I'm very sorry.
But one thing you are not is an inadequate human being.
And another thing.
The brushwork on the pipes in the bathroom is really sloppy.
I'll tell them.
Work? Please.
Two little girls went missing from the area that Juliet's sister covered.
According to these, if they are alive now, they would be the same age as Maggie Spence.
You can have another juice later! Detective Sergeant Havers Have you found her? Oh, no.
Sorry.
I'm just going through old case notes, seeing if we missed anything.
Hi.
Is your mum in? Has someone been onto the Social? Do you have a social worker? Yeah.
Kate Gutterman.
Boys, outside.
Have you had her long? Fifteen years or so.
I got pregnant at school.
Are you still with the father of that baby? No, I told him to sling it.
Would it be easier if your husband was here? He left - a couple of years ago now.
Started again with a new family.
If you're a mum, you feel it differently, don't you? Um the newspaper report said that your daughter, um, Cass, had brown hair.
Red.
They got it wrong.
Red hair and green eyes, like her grandma.
What happened to baby Jessie? I had her in the pram.
I met my mates, all tarted up.
They said, "Come for a quick drink.
" I put the pram by the open door.
Then some moron said there was a draught.
Shut it.
I finished my drink, went out .
.
and she'd gone.
What happened then? Police came.
The scum suggested I'd done away with her.
Why did they think that? She'd broken her leg.
It wasn't me.
It was her dad.
He always was a clumsy prat.
You were lucky the authorities gave you another chance.
My husband, Chris, he loves kids.
Kate got me off the at risk register.
Did a vicar visit you recently? The one writing a book about losing a kid? I told him.
Jessie isn't dead.
How do you know? Just do.
Can you confirm for me how old would Jessie be now? Fourteen.
Come on! I drew a blank.
I didn't.
Juliet learned of Elaine's baby from her sister's files.
She thinks, 15-year-old mum, baby's had a broken leg.
It has no chance.
She stalks Elaine, steals the baby.
It's Inspector Lynley here, sir.
Get a team of officers to Juliet Spence's house and arrest her on suspicion of murder - now.
Tom, Andy, come with me.
STEVE: 'Juliet? It's me.
Pick up the phone.
' 'I need to talk to you.
'I don't understand this, Juliet.
'Lynley's lot want to talk to you again.
' They found it an hour ago, no sign of any passengers.
There's blood on the passenger side, so the girl may be injured.
Right.
If I were Juliet I'd get as far as I could before the car is discovered and we're called.
Then I'd hole up, give Maggie a rest, move on under cover of darkness.
Where could she go, Steve? Anywhere.
Loads of outbuildings round here.
Steve, if you know, tell him - for the kid.
How about Bentham? She might try to get the train in the morning.
Oh, come on! That's the first place she'll know we'll look! OK, I suggest we get men covering a six-mile radius.
If you could get them to move from the outside in, please, sir.
They're not going to get very far on foot.
I'll get onto it.
I appreciate how hard this is for you, Steve, but it's over.
No.
Juliet pretended to be dead for twelve years, she took another person's identity.
She stole a baby.
She deceived her husband and then murdered him.
The Juliet Spence you fell in love with never existed.
Help me, Steve.
There used to be an old railway track run through the vale.
They closed it down.
She could be in the old railway building.
Here.
She could make it within three hours under reasonable cover.
Once you're in the vale, it's easy walking.
Right.
She's got a shotgun with her.
Call the Armed Response Unit.
Call DCI Shepherd.
Get his men to cut their engines and pull up when they get to the corner.
Sir.
It's Maggie's.
We wait for the ARU.
You can't have armed police bursting in.
Think of Maggie.
Juliet's got a gun.
We take no chances.
Steve! Juliet, love.
Don't be scared.
I'm coming in.
One man down, possible one man down.
Request immediate back-up.
It's Inspector Lynley, Juliet.
Why don't I just come in? No officers, no guns, just me.
Just so you know it's loaded.
Put the gun down, Juliet, love.
.
.
Are you all right, Maggie? She's going to learn the truth soon.
It should come from you.
Everything I did I did it for you.
But you can't have.
You really killed Robin Sage? He was going to take you away from me.
They'll put you in jail for life.
I won't let them.
Please, Mum, I want to go home now.
I love you more than anything in the whole world, sweetheart.
Is this how you intend to prove it? By murdering two police officers in front of her? Sergeant! Suzanna Sage What? Suzanna Sage, I'm arresting you on suspicion of murder.
Trust me! I'll explain! The caution, Sergeant.
HAVERS CAUTIONS HER Mum! Wherever they take you, I'm coming, too.
Come on, Maggie.
Don't make it harder than it is.
Just a few more minutes - please! Mum! She's my baby.
No, she isn't.
Her mum's in London, living a nightmare every day because you decided to play judge and jury and stole her baby.
And now Maggie, who you say means more to you than anything in the world, is left with nothing.
No home, no friends, no family no mother.
Nothing.
Decided what colour to paint the new flat yet? Not duck white, that's for sure.
So, what about you and Helen? There's always tomorrow.
I suppose so.
BBC Broadcast 2002
Oh! Agh! Oh! Hi.
About time! Stupid car! If it's going to break down, why does it choose a road in the middle of nowhere? Nice to see you, too.
Sorry.
Hello.
HE TRIES TO START CAR See? The recovery team'll be here soon.
I'll take you back to the hotel.
Here, have my jacket.
I'm really glad you suggested me for the job.
Why wouldn't I? You're the best profiler in the business.
So, what are YOU working on? Not much.
The local boys don't like to give outsiders the good stuff.
One of the drawbacks of being on attachment.
How's Barbara coping? She's back in London.
Now her mum's in a home, she's selling the house.
Congratulations on cracking the Evans case.
Oh Quite a result.
No, it wasn't.
It was sordid.
A man goes on TV, in tears, begging whoever killed his wife to give themselves up and he'd murdered her? It's enough to put you off relationships for life! Thanks.
Lynley.
It's me.
Have you seen my lighter? I might have dropped it in your car.
You must be psychic.
Helen and I were just talking about you.
You have to work on your seduction technique! I can't hear the clink of champagne glasses.
We're in a country lane in Helen's car.
That was quick work! Until you have all the information, it's circumstantial evidence.
Oh, come on! Moonlight, all that nature.
Have you told her how you feel? Oops, got to go.
Here comes the cavalry.
Where is he? Hey, try and stay calm.
But where is he?! I've spoken to your dad.
We'll ring round and try and find him.
Hello.
Yeah, this is DCI Shepherd.
Where? DI Lynley.
DI Lynley.
Tony Philips.
What do you think happened? Not certain.
Bluish tinge, lips and mouth, signs of asphyxiation.
Tony.
Lynley.
Sir.
Oh! No wonder he didn't make the wedding.
You know the victim, sir? It's the Rev Robin Sage.
He was due to take a marriage service this morning.
What the hell?! What happened to his tongue? It's swollen, probably as a result of trauma.
It's severed.
He almost bit it off.
Could he have had a fit? Thanks.
I'd never have thought of that(!) An epileptic fit maybe, possibly poisoning.
You what? Won't know until the postmortem.
Juliet - Mrs Spence, the vicar had dinner there last night.
I called in on my round.
She was really ill.
Well? Over the worst I'd say.
I want to go back in.
In a minute, then best go and stay with Josie for a bit.
I want to see Mum.
Soon.
Did you tell Mrs Spence? No.
Tell me what? Mum.
Juliet, I need to talk to you.
It's really important.
.
.
You can see your mum afterwards.
Please, love.
Don't "love" me! You're not my dad.
Just give me a moment, hmm? Please? Maggie, why don't we go downstairs? I'm sure he won't be long.
What? I'm sorry to have to tell you, but the vicar, Reverend Sage, died last night.
No.
That's not right.
He-he couldn't have.
He had dinner here with your mum, didn't he? Robin did? I thought What? Nothing.
- So you didn't eat with the Reverend Sage and your mother? - No, she packed me off to Josie's.
What's going on? We do have to find out what happened.
Is your father around? He left when I was younger.
Are youare you sure Robin's dead? He'she's really dead? I'm afraid so.
Right, Lynley, I want you to go and talk to the vicar's housekeeper, a Miss Polly Yarkin.
Constable, you go with the inspector.
Do the introductions.
We haven't been introduced.
I'm DI Lynley.
Steve - Constable Steve Shepherd.
DCI Shepherd? He's my father.
Steve! This is DI Lynley.
He wants to ask you a few questions.
Pleasecome in.
After you, Constable.
Well, one minute, he was alive and the next They said he suffered.
I'm afraid so.
How long had you worked for Rev Sage? -Since he got here,four months ago.
When was the last time you spoke with him? I asked him if he wanted dinner.
He said he was going out.
And did he tell you he was going to Juliet Spence's cottage? No.
But he put his best suit on.
What's that supposed to mean? Nothing.
I'm just remarking.
Did he ever ask you about Juliet? About Mrs Spence? No.
He never said anything? You're sure? Why are you asking me about Juliet Spence? It's Robin Sage who's dead.
We'll leave it there for the moment, Miss Yarkin.
I mean, don't get me wrong.
She's bound to be upset.
But Polly's a bitflaky.
So, what's next? The SOCO sergeant may need help.
I'd be much better use back at the Spences' cottage.
Not until we've got the results on cause of death.
I'll call SOCO, tell them you're on your wayConstable.
Sir.
Have you seen the DCI anywhere? He's in the shop talking to Reverend Sage's verger.
Thanks.
Any progress, sir? Bit of a smart aleck, that Tony.
The toxicology report suggests the Reverend Sage died of water hemlock poisoning.
Someone poisoned him? Hemlock grows wild round here.
Juliet Spence picked hemlock, thinking it was parsnip.
Accidental death.
That's one opinion, sir.
And one the coroner is most likely to share.
Until we can prove that beyond reasonable doubt, the investigation will continue.
Sir I don't mean to tread on your toes, but are you aware that your son is having a relationship with Juliet Spence? You what? I found out accidentally and as senior investigating officer, I felt you should know.
You sure? Thanks.
You've probably saved me a lot of trouble down the line.
A word, ConstableNOW.
I stand there while some outsider tells me about you and Juliet Spence.
What outsider? - Lynley.
I had to inform the Super.
He gives me an earful.
Conflict of interest, senior officer should have known.
Sage wasn't murdered.
There is no case.
Not for you and me, there isn't.
I had to hand it over.
What? Who to? That southern ponce - Lynley.
It was an accident.
That's obvious.
How do you know, eh? Because you're giving her one? Why the hell didn't you tell me you were having an affair with her? I'm grown-up You should've warned me.
This is my career on the line.
Hello? How's the packing going? Great.
If you feel like cutting your leave short, Superintendent Alred has handed me a suspicious death.
I'd like you back up here, working with me.
Well, I guess if you can't crack it without me, then looks like I've got no choice.
'There's a train at seven' er, ten past seven.
Pick me up at 10.
30.
See you then.
Bye.
Hi.
Come on in.
How was your first day? Fascinating.
I hear you're in charge of the Robin Sage case.
Come in.
Tony Philips - Helen Clyde.
Oh, the profiler on the Evans case.
Superintendent Alred has been singing your praises all day.
Well, I'm not sure why.
I've only just found my way to the canteen.
Helen and I know each other from London.
I thought I'd bring you up to speed on the Robin Sage case.
If you can spare the time.
Do you want me to leave? No, of course not.
Steve Shepherd said that Juliet Spence spent the night vomiting.
Probably saved her life.
Hemlock poisoning causes delirium, convulsions and abdominal pains.
A single mouthful can kill a man.
Sohow come she survived? Because she threw up.
But hemlock doesn't make you vomit.
Hemlock doesn't cause vomiting? No, not the way she describes.
Two people eat the same meal.
One dies.
The other, conveniently, has a stomach upset and lives.
Exactly.
Hi.
Have you eaten? Ohthank you.
Yeah, I had a roasted veg sandwich with organic wholemeal.
I need a cigarette.
I found your lighter.
Oh, thank you.
How's your mum settling into the home? OK.
Sometimes I go there and she thinks I'm her sister.
Which isn't so stupid, actually.
Everyone says I look just like Auntie Joyce.
Except for the nose.
Mum? Mum? The police took all the bottles away.
What happened at the hospital? Are you OK? It's all right.
I'm all right.
Why didn't you tell me Robin was coming for dinner? I wanted to talk to him privately.
You should've told me.
I should've known.
Well, you saw me preparing supper.
You could have asked.
Who did you think I'd invited? Maggie? You think I don't know.
But I know.
I've heard the two of you.
And you panting in his ear, "I love you, Steve, I love you.
" I just want to be sick.
Why didn't you say you knew about me and Steve? Why didn't you tell me? It doesn't mean anything.
It's not like you and me.
What are the gouges in the ground? Where he dug his heels in as he thrashed about.
You can see where he clawed at the earth.
His tongue? So swollen he'd almost chewed it in half.
If you're lucky, you die of heart failure.
He wasn't lucky? No.
He asphyxiated.
How long did it take? Too long.
We know how he died - hemlock poisoning.
We know who served him the poison - Juliet Spence.
But did she do it deliberately, or did someone else substitute hemlock for the parsnip? Not forgetting the terrible accident theory.
Or it wasn't Reverend Sage who was supposed to die.
But if this Spence woman made herself vomit, she must have known she'd eaten something poisonous.
Yeah, but even if she'd deliberately made herself sick, she could still have been the intended victim.
PC Shepherd was the first person to see her after Sage left that night.
How's it going, Lynley? Early days, sir.
Well, if you're looking for Steve, you may have a long wait.
He's got a big area to cover.
Looks like we're in luck, sir.
.
.
I'd like a few words, please, Constable.
Come back later.
There's a trailer tipped over on the way to Landridge.
Why are you here, then? Who's she? Detective Sergeant Havers.
Why don't I put the kettle on? You must be very busy, sir.
Yes.
I haven't even had time for lunch.
I want it on record that at no time was my impartiality in question.
Noted.
Why did you keep your relationship with Juliet Spence quiet? I resent this.
Were you hiding it from your wife? My wife Annie is dead.
I'm sorry.
That's why he never put himself up for promotion.
He nursed her at home until she died a year ago.
If you were both free agents, why the secrecy? Juliet didn't want to upset Maggie.
What about Juliet's relationship with Robin Sage? What relationship? She invited him round for dinner.
To discuss Maggie.
What about Maggie? Sage wanted her to go to church, he'd started a youth club.
Juliet wasn't keen on the idea.
She slaves over a hot stove just to say Maggie can't go to a youth club? Hasn't she got a phone? She's a hospitable woman.
Yeah, there is something sexy about men in dog collars.
There was nothing going on! If you died I've got no-one.
I'd have to go into a home.
Oh, Maggie I can't produce your dad for you, sweetheart.
If I could, I would.
In your statement, you said you called at Juliet Spence's cottage at 9.
15 on the evening of Sage's death.
Juliet's cottage is very isolated.
It's all part of my patrol.
Couldn't find any biscuits.
Sir.
Where was Mrs Spence? It's in my statement.
In the bathroom, vomiting.
Did she say she'd taken anything before she was sick? What kind of a stupid question is thatsir? Simple enough for you to understand.
She was wrenching her guts up! You didn't think to call Robin Sage, find out how HE was? I thought it was just ordinary food poisoning.
I thought it would run its course.
If Mrs Spence was throwing up in the bathroom, who let you in? I have a key.
Sage might still have been there with Juliet.
It could have been embarrassing.
He left at nine.
How do you know? How do you know, Constable? Were you spying on Juliet Spence and Robin Sage? Mrs Spence? Detective Inspector Lynley and Detective Sergeant Havers.
How are you? Dreadful.
What do you expect? Perhaps you shouldn't have discharged yourself.
About Robin! Reverend Sage.
You remember that case, a butcher, all those people dying of E.
coli from his shop.
I remember thinking, how do you live with that? You and Reverend Sage must have got on well for you to invite him for dinner.
I think it's easier to discuss things over a meal, more relaxing.
Were you anticipating a row? No.
Why didn't you want Maggie to go to his youth club? We're not churchgoers.
It seems hypocritical.
Not if Maggie wanted to and Reverend Sage didn't mind.
I was just trying to, I don't know, trying to set some moral standards.
Does that include your relationship with Steve Shepherd? I need some advice.
Maggie told me about the house rule, the only people you can trust are your family.
Sounds a bit harsh.
Typical teenager interpretation.
We've moved around a bit.
It makes it hard to sustain friendships.
She considered Reverend Sage a friend.
Mmm.
Well, he was a good listener and he wasn't me.
Been acting up, has she? Look, this has nothing to do with Maggie.
She wasn't even here.
Was she here when you were cooking the meal? Yes.
Did you leave her alone in the kitchen at any time? No.
What, you didn't use the phone? Go to the bathroom? Maggie's my daughter.
Are you suggesting? I'm sorry, I'm not listening to this.
I'd offer you one, but I know you hate it.
Well? I was wondering what to do about Robin'sthe vicar's things.
I don't know who his next of kin is.
Well, you just leave everything as it is for the moment.
Is that it? I want to be friends again.
Annie knew.
I walked in and she knew.
My wife's dying and we're rolling around on that stinking barn floor.
She knew.
You make it sound disgusting, like we did something wrong.
Is that why you went with Mrs Spence? To punish me? You and me are special.
"You and me" is over.
It never started.
But I loved you first.
I loved you before Annie, before Juliet Spence.
How much did you love me, Polly? Enough to poison Juliet? Only you kill Reverend Sage instead? No.
Are you hoping they jail her for murder and you can have me all to yourself? Water hemlock poisoning doesn't present itself in the way you've described.
I know I had to be sick.
Did you make yourself sick? Yes, I took an emetic.
It was in one of the bottles the police took away.
Why didn't you tell Steve Shepherd at the time? I didn't have to.
He could see the bottle.
In factyeah, he poured me the second dose.
Just to make sure.
Why did Shepherd lie about the emetic? To protect her.
He thinks she killed Sage.
Or it was a terrible accident, but he knows how bad it would look if we found out that she made herself sick.
How about this? Sage is coming to dinner, Shepherd's jealous.
He swops the parsnip for the hemlock.
We know he's watching the cottage.
He intended to call in, anyway.
If she hadn't already made herself sick, he had to, so he encouraged her to take another dose of the emetic.
He's obviously crazy about Juliet.
He wouldn't risk killing her.
Sir, not everyone's as romantic in love as you are.
If Shepherd is a psychopath, he might chance it.
Set up a meeting for me with Rev Sage's bishop.
Talk to his church wardens and the parish council.
Someone must know who his next of kin is.
Can I have a word? Yes.
Thanks, Andy.
I re-read the Sage report.
It says that Juliet Spence is a herbalist.
She calls herself an alternative therapist.
Why? Wild parsnip has a single root.
Water hemlock has a tuberous bundle of roots.
Juliet Spence would know this.
There are other characteristics, too.
Cut lengthways, water hemlock displays nodes and internodes.
Sorry, it was either biology or communication skills at my school.
I took communication skills.
Tony Philips, our pathologist - Barbara Havers.
I finally get to put a face to the name.
- Sorry? - I worked with the Met last year.
They were offering 5-1 that your partnership wouldn't make it out of the paddock.
Pardon? A bit of fun.
They'll be glad Barbara's found someone to work with.
Call me a snob, Tony, but given the choice between working with a clever, considerate man or a mouthy git, I know who I'd choose.
Well, you've obviously got her broken in, Lynley.
If you're ever hard up, you're on to a dead cert.
No, it's OK, sir.
Tony spends his time cutting up dead people.
He can't help having a warped, sick mind.
This warped sick mind has come to the conclusion that Juliet Spence had to know that hemlock has chambers.
If she cooked the hemlock, it wasn't an accident, but murder.
Tony, Juliet Spence isn't the only one with access to the cottage.
There's Maggie, Steve Shepherd.
What about Polly Yarkin? She's crazy about Steve.
Who knows what that might drive her to do? BEEPER SOUNDS I want another house-to-house.
Check who was in the vicinity of Juliet's cottage on the day of Sage's death.
What exactly did Tony Philips say to her? It doesn't matter.
Come on, eat your food.
Sit down! No! Poor kid.
No wonder he's miserable.
He should be in bed by now.
You don't want children, do you? I'm not sure.
You? Yes.
I suppose so.
Sometime.
Do your duty? Keep on in there till your exhausted wife provides the next male heir of Asherton? We're talking about love, not livestock.
I remember my dad dug in behind the paper.
He hated the noise, the mess, the fact my mother couldn't give him her undivided attention.
One day you're gonna come to me all gooey-eyed, saying you've found the father of your children.
I don't do gooey! Besides, before long, we won't need you men at all.
Maybe, but think of all that pleasure you'd be missing.
Everything OK? Yeah, fine, thanks.
I can have him up in front of a disciplinary board.
No.
No, I'd just prefer it if you just held him against a wall and I just hit him.
I'll leave it, then.
James! Come here! I'm tired! I know you're tired, darling.
Come on.
Come on, James.
JAMES: No! No! The joys of family life.
You'll have a wife and kids one day.
Your sort always do.
Probably have them delivered from Harrods.
Night, then.
'Yes, I know, I'm sorry.
' It's a rushed job.
Sergeant Havers could be back in a few days.
The keys are with the neighbour at number 16.
If you have any problems, get her to give me a call.
All right.
Thanks.
Yeah, this is the spot.
I dug it up here.
Can you see any plants now that look like wild parsnip? Um No, I can't.
What does the book say, Sergeant? Um That one maybe.
Give it a go.
What do you think, Mrs Spence? I'm not sure.
No, don't! It Why not? Why not, Mrs Spence? That isn't parsnip.
It's water hemlock.
When you dug up the parsnip for Robin Sage, did you know it was hemlock? No.
I would have noticed.
You mean, someone else must have put the hemlock in your cooking pot? No I'm not sure.
When Maggie was little, and ate too much cake, like kids do, did you used to give her an emetic? What? Maggie knows that the minute her mum eats something bad, she makes herself sick.
I've told you Do you consider yourself a good mum? Yes.
So you must have taught Maggie which plants are poisonous.
Maggie didn't do it.
I was with her all the time.
No, you weren't.
We did a house-to-house.
At 5.
13 on the evening of Robin Sage's death, you had a Parcel Force delivery.
The driver remembers it very clearly.
You were his last call.
He had a cold, you suggested several remedies.
He says you were on the doorstep for almost ten minutes.
Was Maggie alone then? Why would Maggie want to kill anyone? It's absurd! I'd like permission to interview your daughter.
No, it's out of the question.
Why don't you want us to talk to her? Detective Inspector Lynley would like to ask you a few questions.
What about? Robin Sage.
If she doesn't want to talk I'm not a kid.
Just go, will you? When you were younger, your mum used to take you with her when she went out collecting wild plants? Me, I'm hopeless.
I don't know one plant from another.
I'm as good as Mum.
So you'd know the difference between wild parsnip and water hemlock? Well, maybe.
It depends.
If you didn't know Robin Sage was coming to dinner that night, who did you think your mum was cooking for? Who cares.
I wasn't interested.
Steve? Your mum invites her boyfriend round and you're shunted off to some mate's and you don't care? Yeah.
Do you have a boyfriend? - No.
- Bet all your mates have.
All that stuff they have to gossip about.
Did they kiss? How far did they get? And you're stuck on the outside.
I don't want their stupid boyfriends.
They're just kids.
Oh, you mean you prefer your men older? Like Steve? I've got it, sir.
She fancies Steve Shepherd.
No, I don't.
I hate him.
I hate everything about him.
Margaret Spence, you do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention something you later rely on in court.
No.
You've got it all wrong.
I spoke to Robin.
What did he say? He told me to do nothing.
He said he knew it was hard, but it wasn't always going to be me and Mum.
That one day I'd leave.
Have a life of my own.
Why didn't you want your mum just now? She didn't like you seeing Robin Sage? Look, Robin was MY friend.
Every time she banged on about it, it felt like she was spoiling it.
What else did you and Robin talk about? Everything.
Books I read, favourite movies.
What I wanted to do - MY dreams.
He would say Oh What did he say, Maggie? He said I was a unique person.
If she thought Steve was coming to dinner and she knew her mum takes an emetic whenever she feels ill, she still could have killed Robin by mistake.
OK.
We don't rule her out.
I can see why Maggie liked Robin, a father figure, her own special friend.
But why was he so interested in her? Lynley.
That interview you wanted with the bishop Would you like a drink? Tea? There's some sherry.
Yours? Alchemical Magic, Herbs And Spices.
I don't know.
Possibly.
Where did you get it? Your bedroom.
"H for hemlock.
Dig when the plant is dormant.
" I don't understand.
Quite a habit you've got, spying on Juliet's cottage.
You got it wrong.
Did you slip into the kitchen? No.
And put water hemlock in her cooking pot? L for love.
A love potion! Like she must have given you.
That's why I bought the book.
I drink it, you look at me But you just see what you want to see.
I see a sick, twisted human being.
You made soup for my wife before she died.
What are you saying? Not only did I try to kill Juliet, I killed Annie, too? Did you? Like you wanted to? What? You were relieved the day she died.
Nothing was good enough for Annie.
She even managed to blame you for her cancer.
Shut it.
The only moments of pleasure, of love you had that year were with me.
You helped Annie on her way, so you could have me.
You don't get me.
I meet Juliet and you decide to kill her, only you end up murdering Robin Sage.
Deep down, you love me.
Love? You and me wasn't love.
Banging away on the floor like animals.
Banging away like stinking, filthy animals.
(Oh, come on!) Cake? No, thanks.
We're here on police business.
You're still one of God's family.
Try an eclair.
I said no.
That was a bit sharp.
I'm not a flaming charity case.
She offered you a cake, that's all.
Look, you may enjoy eating cucumber sandwiches, surrounded by .
.
braying women with upturned flowerpots on their heads, but I don't, thank you, sir.
Sage originally came from Cornwall.
He was such a terrible loss.
He had a marvellous record - youngest archdeacon, lecturer, fantastic fund-raiser.
And why did he give all that up to become a parish priest? His wife Suzanna, committed suicide.
Suicide? How? Threw herself over the side of a ferry on the way to France.
And when was this? About twelve years ago.
I really don't know much about it.
It must have been extremely traumatic for him.
I realise I didn't know Robin very well at all.
Before he moved here, he seemed quite different.
How do you mean? A man of great faith, strong convictions.
He changed? In the last few months, he seemed uncertain, distressed.
He didn't tell you what was troubling him? God forgive me, I should have asked.
He wasn't troubled, Inspector.
He was in crisis.
What are you doing? Only eat food that can't be tampered with.
I don't understand.
You're not responsible.
It wasn't your fault.
How do you mean? It wasn't Robin Sage that was meant to die.
It was you.
Suzanna Sage committed suicide twelve years ago.
Robin Sage moves parishes often.
Formed a relationship with Maggie, an under-age teenager.
Hence the crisis.
Juliet kills him.
I'm sorry, sir, but why didn't she report it? Maggie was fond of Sage, said she wouldn't testify against him.
Would that make Juliet take the law into her own hands and kill him? She's her mum.
Who knows what she'd do to protect her daughter.
We need to talk to the housekeeper - Polly.
Find out if she was in the vicarage when Maggie used to visit.
Bit dark in here.
What happened, Polly? Oh, fell down the back steps.
Stupid, I'd just washed them.
That's typical me, racing about.
Perhaps we should get you to the hospital.
No.
Would you like to talk to Barbara alone? No, of course not.
Just between you and me.
It might help.
What? You think? I fell down the back steps.
Honest.
Look, you came to ask questions about Reverend Sage, so fire away.
Why don't we take a seat? Did Reverend Sage ever talk about his wife? What wife? She committed suicide twelve years ago.
He never said.
He never even mentioned her.
He didn't seem interested in women.
What about Maggie Spence? I gather she came here quite often.
Yes, but she's just a kid.
What did they do? Sat in his study together and talked their heads off.
Did her mum ever come? No.
June 10th, Social Services, 12.
30.
Well, why visit the Social Services? How about he was seeing a social worker? Same question, Havers, why? Maybe you're right.
Robin Sage and Maggie wasn't the problem.
All those heart-to-hearts together, maybe what he learnt from Maggie was that Juliet was an unfit mother and decided to talk to the Social Services about it.
He went to London on June 10th, 8.
30 train.
Well, whoever he was seeing at Social Services was in London.
Why were they interested in a girl in Lancashire? Inspector! PC Shepherd's got some information on the Sage case.
Polly Yarkin, I'm disgusted to say, has an obsession with me.
I found this in her cottage.
Look under H, for hemlock.
So you interviewed her yourself? Gave her the personal touch.
Sergeant You took the law into your own hands.
Do you get your kicks from hitting female suspects? Slanderous cow! She punched herself in the mouth? Steve, what is it with you? Maggie? Kids at school were yelling stuff.
"Your mum's a psycho.
" Is that what YOU think? No.
It's all wrong.
You didn't do it.
Whatever's happened, Maggie, we'll get through this together, mmm? Yeah.
Mum - it's Barbara.
Well, I said I'd ring.
Barbara, your daughter.
No, I'm not coming to take you home.
Well, I explained.
You like it there! Yes, you do! You told me you liked it last time I came.
Last week, Mum.
I came to see you last week.
It appears as if Steve Shepherd is on the verge of a breakdown.
Jealous, paranoid, violent.
But Is he a murderer? It all seems too premeditated.
I think he's more likely to strike out in anger.
Have you got anything on Polly Yarkin? A cheap spell book, unrequited passion for said PC Shepherd.
I'll wait and see if something more substantial turns up before we question her again.
What about Maggie Spence? Angry, confused only child, desperate to hang on to her mother's affections.
The things we put ourselves through for love.
Is there something you're not telling me? Why? KNOCK AT DOOR Nothing.
Come in.
The stuff on Robin Sage's dead wife - Suzanna - it'll be here in half an hour.
Thanks.
There's no point in you staying.
That's all right.
No, no.
I've got loads of things to do.
There's no point in both of us hanging around.
Thank you.
Marvellous.
Night, Andy.
Night, Governor.
Yeah, I appreciate there'll be overtime.
Just send me the bill.
Thank you.
Can I give you a lift to the hotel? Great.
I'd love a drink.
Yeah.
Oh, afraid we're out of luck.
Never mind.
I hadn't realised it was so late.
Hi.
Room six, please.
Twelve, please.
Thanks.
See you in the morning.
Yeah.
TV IS ON KNOCK AT DOOR Room service.
D'you think we'll be sitting together like this when we're 90? Some knight in shining armour will have whisked you away before then.
Are you saying I need rescuing? It's OK, you don't have to answer.
This isn't advisable behaviour for close friends.
Suzanna, Robin Sage's late wife, committed suicide on a ferry to France twelve years ago.
It was a rough crossing and she went to the loo, complaining of feeling sick.
She never came back.
Did the police investigate Robin Sage? Yes.
There were no signs of a struggle.
No witnesses.
Her handbag was found in the car with a note.
What did it say? "Sorry, can't carry on.
" Her passport was in her bag.
There was no trace of her on the ship and she couldn't have got off the ferry in France.
Is it the way I tell them? What about the body? Um, it was - it was never found, but here's the best bit I'll get them to bring a fresh pot of coffee.
Thanks, but I'm driving back to London.
London? I've got some research to do.
I don't want to disturb your work.
We'll speak later.
.
.
Bye, Barbara.
I'll be back in a minute.
Thank you very much.
Why are you running away? Don't be melodramatic.
I've got a job to do, so have you.
I'll ring you later.
Did something happen last night? Anything else? Um, yeah, actually.
Um Robin and Suzanna had a.
.
a sonJoseph.
He died when he was three months old.
Get back onto the incident room.
I want everything they can find on Robin Sage's dead wife.
Yeah.
KNOCK AT DOOR We've turned up a sister for Suzanna Sage, Kate Gutterman.
She's a social worker.
Lives in London.
What do you think happened to your sister on that ferry? Robin Sage killed her.
Maybe he didn't actually push her over the side, buthe killed her.
How do you mean? Joseph, their baby son, was running a temperature.
Robin insisted that he should sleep in the other room.
The next day, Joseph was dead.
How was their relationship then? How do you think? Terrible.
That's why I know he did or said something to make her end it.
That's a very serious accusation.
Suzanna came to see me weeks before she died.
She'd been a social worker, too, before she was married.
She'd decided to write a book.
I let her borrow some case notes.
That's illegal.
She was my sister! What's this got to do with her state of mind? Suddenly she was the old Suzanna again.
Energised, focused.
Then she committed suicide? Her only epitaph, a note saying, "Sorry, I can't carry on.
" Have you seen anything of Sage since? He did come to visit me a couple of months ago.
Suddenly he cares.
He wanted to know what Suzanna and I had talked about in the last weeks of her life.
Who she saw, where she went How often did he come? Once was enough.
We found tickets for several trips to London.
Did he have any friends here? No, not that I know of.
There were no photographs of Suzanna in the vicarage.
I never go anywhere without it.
They never found her.
If I'd had a body to bury, maybe things would have been easier.
Do you know a woman called Juliet Spence? No.
How old would Joseph have been if he'd lived? Nearly thirteen.
Why? Did Suzanna have any children before Joseph? No, he was a bit of a miracle.
They'd been trying for years to have a baby.
Somehow it just hadn't happened.
'Juliet Spence is Suzanna Sage,' Robin Sage's supposedly dead wife.
She must have got a passport in the name of Juliet Spence, faked suicide, slipped into France, then come back here and started a new life.
With a new child, who's not her daughter.
Maggie's only 14 years old.
She didn't have any kids before Joseph.
If she isn't Juliet's child, who is she? Dodgy adoption deal? Juliet comes to London, sees her sister's files.
She's her old self.
She buys Maggie off one of her sister's clients? Look, why don't you go home? I'll organise a check, make sure all Kate's clients children are accounted for.
I don't believe this! Get me a discreet check on all these families.
Oh, and all reported cases of missing babies in London 12-14 years ago, with special attention to the area that Juliet Spence's sister worked.
FIRE ALARM RINGS Not now.
Helen why don't we go over there? We're not supposed to leave our assembly points.
All right, let's have the conversation here.
Last night It was fun.
Yes.
It was a lot of other things, too.
I'm just trying to put things in perspective.
Two mates, away from home.
You never lie to me.
See.
Sex changes everything.
No, it doesn't, fear does, and you've nothing to be frightened of.
You're my confidant, my Oh, the best friend speech.
I've been rehearsing it all day.
And there was me thinking you were basking in the glow of last night's passion.
You know too much about me.
You can't honestly think I'd abuse that.
No, not deliberately.
It's myself I don't trust - MY judgement.
Oh, you think I'm a bad choice? Maybe for me, yes.
I'll ruin it.
I always do.
I won't let you ruin it, if you don't let ME.
I'm sorry, Tommy.
The answer's no.
It's safe to go back in the building.
Well, if that's what you want, I have to respect that.
It doesn't mean I'm giving up.
Sir! How much did it cost? I don't think we should have this conversation in public.
I don't believe you.
I mean, how could you do that? You totally redecorated my house! Who do you think you are, interfering in my life? I thought I was helping.
The earl patronising the peasants?! KNOCK AT DOOR Go away! Come in.
You might find these interesting, sir.
Thank you very much.
How does letting a bunch of decorators loose in my house help me? You couldn't sell it till you'd done it up.
And you're paying a mortgage for a flat you're not living in.
That is MY business.
I thought we'd forged some sort of a bond, however bizarre.
I thought showing some concern was permitted.
Concern? This is fascism.
I don't even like duck white.
Concern because you're sitting there, avoiding the inevitable.
If I hadn't done it,you never would.
You patronising, sanctimonious OK I have been stalling.
I am a coward.
I'm panicking about leaving because the thought of coming home to nothing is more scary than coming home to a mother who doesn't know who I am.
I keep putting off visiting my mum because she doesn't understand I am dismantling her life and packing it into cardboard boxes.
Now that is MY problem and I don't need you to show me that I am an inadequate human being.
Right.
What I did was inexcusable.
I'm very sorry.
But one thing you are not is an inadequate human being.
And another thing.
The brushwork on the pipes in the bathroom is really sloppy.
I'll tell them.
Work? Please.
Two little girls went missing from the area that Juliet's sister covered.
According to these, if they are alive now, they would be the same age as Maggie Spence.
You can have another juice later! Detective Sergeant Havers Have you found her? Oh, no.
Sorry.
I'm just going through old case notes, seeing if we missed anything.
Hi.
Is your mum in? Has someone been onto the Social? Do you have a social worker? Yeah.
Kate Gutterman.
Boys, outside.
Have you had her long? Fifteen years or so.
I got pregnant at school.
Are you still with the father of that baby? No, I told him to sling it.
Would it be easier if your husband was here? He left - a couple of years ago now.
Started again with a new family.
If you're a mum, you feel it differently, don't you? Um the newspaper report said that your daughter, um, Cass, had brown hair.
Red.
They got it wrong.
Red hair and green eyes, like her grandma.
What happened to baby Jessie? I had her in the pram.
I met my mates, all tarted up.
They said, "Come for a quick drink.
" I put the pram by the open door.
Then some moron said there was a draught.
Shut it.
I finished my drink, went out .
.
and she'd gone.
What happened then? Police came.
The scum suggested I'd done away with her.
Why did they think that? She'd broken her leg.
It wasn't me.
It was her dad.
He always was a clumsy prat.
You were lucky the authorities gave you another chance.
My husband, Chris, he loves kids.
Kate got me off the at risk register.
Did a vicar visit you recently? The one writing a book about losing a kid? I told him.
Jessie isn't dead.
How do you know? Just do.
Can you confirm for me how old would Jessie be now? Fourteen.
Come on! I drew a blank.
I didn't.
Juliet learned of Elaine's baby from her sister's files.
She thinks, 15-year-old mum, baby's had a broken leg.
It has no chance.
She stalks Elaine, steals the baby.
It's Inspector Lynley here, sir.
Get a team of officers to Juliet Spence's house and arrest her on suspicion of murder - now.
Tom, Andy, come with me.
STEVE: 'Juliet? It's me.
Pick up the phone.
' 'I need to talk to you.
'I don't understand this, Juliet.
'Lynley's lot want to talk to you again.
' They found it an hour ago, no sign of any passengers.
There's blood on the passenger side, so the girl may be injured.
Right.
If I were Juliet I'd get as far as I could before the car is discovered and we're called.
Then I'd hole up, give Maggie a rest, move on under cover of darkness.
Where could she go, Steve? Anywhere.
Loads of outbuildings round here.
Steve, if you know, tell him - for the kid.
How about Bentham? She might try to get the train in the morning.
Oh, come on! That's the first place she'll know we'll look! OK, I suggest we get men covering a six-mile radius.
If you could get them to move from the outside in, please, sir.
They're not going to get very far on foot.
I'll get onto it.
I appreciate how hard this is for you, Steve, but it's over.
No.
Juliet pretended to be dead for twelve years, she took another person's identity.
She stole a baby.
She deceived her husband and then murdered him.
The Juliet Spence you fell in love with never existed.
Help me, Steve.
There used to be an old railway track run through the vale.
They closed it down.
She could be in the old railway building.
Here.
She could make it within three hours under reasonable cover.
Once you're in the vale, it's easy walking.
Right.
She's got a shotgun with her.
Call the Armed Response Unit.
Call DCI Shepherd.
Get his men to cut their engines and pull up when they get to the corner.
Sir.
It's Maggie's.
We wait for the ARU.
You can't have armed police bursting in.
Think of Maggie.
Juliet's got a gun.
We take no chances.
Steve! Juliet, love.
Don't be scared.
I'm coming in.
One man down, possible one man down.
Request immediate back-up.
It's Inspector Lynley, Juliet.
Why don't I just come in? No officers, no guns, just me.
Just so you know it's loaded.
Put the gun down, Juliet, love.
.
.
Are you all right, Maggie? She's going to learn the truth soon.
It should come from you.
Everything I did I did it for you.
But you can't have.
You really killed Robin Sage? He was going to take you away from me.
They'll put you in jail for life.
I won't let them.
Please, Mum, I want to go home now.
I love you more than anything in the whole world, sweetheart.
Is this how you intend to prove it? By murdering two police officers in front of her? Sergeant! Suzanna Sage What? Suzanna Sage, I'm arresting you on suspicion of murder.
Trust me! I'll explain! The caution, Sergeant.
HAVERS CAUTIONS HER Mum! Wherever they take you, I'm coming, too.
Come on, Maggie.
Don't make it harder than it is.
Just a few more minutes - please! Mum! She's my baby.
No, she isn't.
Her mum's in London, living a nightmare every day because you decided to play judge and jury and stole her baby.
And now Maggie, who you say means more to you than anything in the world, is left with nothing.
No home, no friends, no family no mother.
Nothing.
Decided what colour to paint the new flat yet? Not duck white, that's for sure.
So, what about you and Helen? There's always tomorrow.
I suppose so.
BBC Broadcast 2002