Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2012) s01e11 Episode Script

Come on in, my fine friends.
Come in, come in and see the wonder of the age.
Ten spectacles for the price of one.
Dare, our Duke of the Dagger, and his delectable assistant.
Roll up, roll up! Marvel at the mighty Samson, the freaks and phantoms and the merely fabulous.
Snake woman, man woman.
It's all real.
Oh, yes! Some of it's really real and some of it's really fake.
But it's all really, really good! And now, ladies and gentlemen, a bit of hush if you please.
A bit of the old capital QT, because the lovely Miss Parkes is about to step into this box, and vanish before your very eyes.
I'm looking for Miss Phryne Fisher.
A Mr Samson to see you, Miss Fisher, from the circus.
Oh.
Should I suggest he call another time? No, no, I'll see him.
Who is he? He's .
.
someone I knew a long time ago.
Sam.
Phryne.
What a lady you've turned into.
You clearly ate up all your vegetables.
I did.
I'm the strong man now.
Jane! You've met Mr Butler.
This is my companion Dot.
Hello, Miss.
And my ward Jane.
Hello.
Jane.
A happy coincidence.
Murder? I assume the police were called.
They took away Miss Christopher's body.
Asked a few questions, then they left.
That was the end of it.
But I hear you're in the business of solving crimes.
I'd like to help you, Samson, but I can't.
I can't go back there.
Of course.
Did you ever find out what happened to your sister? They caught the man who took her.
Murdoch Foyle.
He was arrested for kidnapping another child.
But he never confessed to taking Janey.
I didn't mean to dredge it all up.
Don't worry.
It's never far from my mind.
Jack, I told Samson you could help.
The case has been assigned to another policeman.
What, Senior Sergeant Grossmith? Mm.
He came sniffing around last time we came to town.
Mr Jones asked him to sort out a couple of thugs who'd been causing us strife.
All he did was close down a two-up game, then he was on his way.
Not the most diligent officer in the force.
His results seem perfectly satisfactory.
I assured Samson that you don't just go out of the way for the rich and famous.
In fact, we generally leave the rich and famous to people like you.
Why aren't you investigating, out of interest? Oh, don't give me that! What was all that about? Miss Fisher was just inquiring about the carnival murder.
Yeah, it's all in hand.
Perhaps you could use some assistance.
Constable Collins, you'll be working with Senior Sergeant Grossmith.
Ah oh If Miss Fisher gets in the way of this, I want to know about it.
Yes, sir.
Just a moment.
I'll call you back.
Grossmith won't do anything.
He just looks the part.
I was sure Jack would help.
I didn't expect much from the coppers.
They'll chalk Miss Christopher up as just another dead drifter.
So for your next feat, you intend to bend me as easily as you'd bend an iron bar? You always could see right through me.
I can understand why you don't want to go back to the carnival.
You think I'm afraid of ghosts? I would be.
Look at you.
I don't believe that for a moment.
It's all show.
Then I think it's time I got in on the act.
Indeed.
Anything with feathers, fur or fins, Dot! Bring it all! Why the disguise, Miss? Circus people are a very suspicious lot.
They're not likely to tell the truth to an outsider.
Hm! Oh! Thank you.
So, you caught them red-handed, sneaking under the tent.
Yes.
Yes.
Then your Miss Phryne gave me a serve.
Said it was my fault for not pegging down the tent properly.
It was such a good speech, the boss Mr Jones, let them in for free.
Every day she'd try it again, little sister in tow.
She doesn't talk about her, much.
About Janey.
No, I'm sure.
Too much? That's just enough.
Phryne, no! They'll catch us! Phryne! It's alright.
Come on.
Phryne.
Phryne? You OK? You ready to front the boss? I just lost my main attraction.
The last thing I need is you falling to pieces.
I can't go back on stage with him.
Not yet.
Then you can take over the Peep Show.
No! That's all I got, Amelia.
I can't just invent a new job for you.
Unless you've come to tell me you've struck gold, you'd better go.
Sorry, sir.
Just someone looking for work.
What's your name? Fern, sir.
What do you do, Fern? A bit of everything.
Juggling, tumbling.
Let's see your legs.
Decision time, Amelia.
It's no kind of choice.
Alright, I'll do the Peep Show.
You'll be assisting Mr Sheridan, our magician.
Welcome aboard.
I won't let you down, sir.
You come from carnival people? Not in this lifetime.
Really? 'Cause you look familiar.
People say that.
Must have a common kind of face.
Samson will show you the ropes.
She was working in a brothel when Mr Jones found her.
They'd treated her so badly she'd gone dumb.
He showed her she had value, just like the rest of us.
She wasn't just accepted here, she was respected.
Well, someone was unhappy enough to truss her up in a straitjacket, shove four daggers into her and toss in a python for good measure.
I don't know what your muscles earn you, but Miss Christopher managed to save a princely sum.
Well, we all earn the same.
One of Mr Jones' golden rules.
Well here's the wage, see? Same as everyone else.
But this one big payment here.
Could be extra dollars for the Peep Show.
I don't think anyone would begrudge Mr Jones giving her a bonus every now and then.
Rather large bonus.
And a one off, by the looks of it.
She was making regular payments to a Dr Reginald Septimus.
Any idea what for? No, what now? I want to speak to your magician, his assistant, and the snake charmer.
Doreen, you seen Miss Parkes? Shower tent.
This is Fern.
She's new.
Look after her till Miss Parkes gets back.
Safe with me, sweetie.
I just heard what happened.
Is this the one they found in the box with Miss Christopher? Must've been awful, locked up in a box with a dead body.
Poor baby.
Half man, half woman.
What a horrible life.
It's against nature, innit? My mum always said that God let those ones perish.
The ones that are born not right.
Yeah, well, I guess He let a few through to the keeper.
You've gotta feel sorry for them though, don't ya? I don't have to feel sorry for anyone.
You sound like my Sheridan, you do.
Breaks his heart over every stray in the street.
She took advantage.
Miss Christopher? Crying on his shoulder every night for hours about her troubles.
Troubles? You're a nosy one, aren't ya? What's Jones got you doing on the show? I'm gonna be assisting Mr Sheridan.
Well, you'd better be careful, little Miss Fern.
You keep your eyes on the job and your hands to yourself.
Alright? I don't want any trouble.
Come on, Collins.
You're not going to hell for taking a little break.
Ah, I don't know, sir.
Shouldn't we be investigating the carnival murder? Yeah, we'll get to it.
No hurry.
Sir, I think I might stay here and just make sure Cheer up, sunshine.
All things in their time.
Besides, it's thirsty work catching a murderer.
Where is it, eh? You bunch of maggots! Give it up! You're not listening! You Let me go! Hey! Hey! Well, well, if it isn't the Roy Boys! You and you, your back against the wall or I'll start shooting, and I'll keep shooting until someone gives me a prize.
Let go, Else.
Let go before you do something you'll regret.
They broke into my place.
I know.
I know what they were looking for.
Didn't even bloody find it, did ya? Keep your eye on the old lizard.
Someone needs to have a word with these boys about how to treat a lady.
Oh, we weren't doing any harm.
You've got some explaining to do.
Lizard? Lizard? Now, was that too hard for you, boys? So is a peep show what it sounds like? Well, on the way out, the punters can buy a little something extra.
She didn't seem too thrilled with the idea.
Miss Christopher used to do it, before Made a lot of money, half man, half woman.
Twice the price to have a gawk.
She hated it.
Last week she threatened to leave and they had a barney.
The boss had to beg her to stay.
So there was tension between Miss Christopher and Mr Jones.
The boss would never have wanted to get rid of her.
She was our greatest money spinner.
Besides, I know Mr Jones.
He kept me on when no-one else would have.
He was like a father to all of us.
Not all fathers are kind to their children.
I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.
She's a slippery customer, and those Roy Boys are a handful.
Yeah, well, it's a good thing you had your gun on you, sir.
You can't ask a crook to wait while you go back to the station, and get a permission note for your weapon.
No, sir.
Better get a wriggle on with the carnie case.
These are the files of interest, with a list of names for people at the carnival.
Just check their histories.
Nut it out.
Try and impress me.
Yes, sir! OK bah, bah, bah, bah.
Have you been drinking, Constable? Oh, just the one, sir.
Helps turn the cogs apparently.
If I ever catch you or anyone else drinking on the job, you can kiss your badge goodbye.
Now, get on with that carnival investigation.
Jones will call for numbers from the audience, and I'll endeavour to hit them.
Endeavour? You're not filling me with confidence, Mr Sheridan.
I rarely miss, Miss Fern.
That looks sore.
I fainted.
When Miss Parkes opened the cabinet, and we all saw Faint at the drop of a hat, I do.
Can't imagine seeing that happen to someone close to you.
See that Miss Parkes finds you a costume.
Good day to you.
'Course it was going to go bad.
Couldn't last.
It was stupid to think it would.
This.
Will this do? It'll be fine.
Are you have I upset you taking your job? Look at me, blubbering like this.
I've got no right.
Your friend was killed.
If ever there's a good time to blubber, I reckon this is it.
It's alright.
A good cry never hurt anyone.
I wasn't much of a friend to her while she was alive.
Can hardly come over all upset now she's dead.
Just wish we didn't have words the last time I saw her.
Think there's a headdress here somewhere.
My mum always set never to let the sun go down on an argument.
She wanted to borrow some money.
For something special.
She just needed the last £50.
When she said she was leaving, I got worried she wasn't going to pay it back and I said as much.
She was so offended, that I didn't trust her.
So, you see, I went back there to apologise.
And I saw them together.
And I don't know what came over me.
I just lost my grip on things.
Said Lord knows what.
Who did you see? Miss Christopher and? Mr Sheridan.
Miss Christopher and Mr Sheridan were lovers.
- Sir? - Hmm? I've been looking through the files of these circus people, and it looks like one of them has a prior arrest.
Drunk and disorderly? Affray? How does murder sound? Sounds like a solid gold result to me, kid.
What are you staring at? Oh, Fern.
Some dishes here with your name on it.
You wait till Mr Sheridan's plate comes back too, before you change the water.
No use wasting it.
Off you go, then.
You did the legwork.
Um Amelia Parkes, you're under arrest for murder.
- I'm ready.
- See? She knows what's what.
This isn't the first time you've been arrested, is it, love? It was all over the newspapers.
You didn't read about it? Trapeze Wife Lets Husband Take Death Plunge.
' And where did you get this, out of the Ark? Bottom of a carnival trunk, as it happens.
Miss Parkes was charged with murder after failing to catch her husband on the trapeze.
But during the trial, it came out that she has epilepsy, a condition she was unaware of at the time.
She couldn't catch him because she was in the middle of a seizure.
That's why her sentence was commuted.
Which makes this latest accusation a masterstroke in lazy policing.
I could be wrong, but I suspect wrestling your victim into a straitjacket, plunging in a set of steak knives and wrangling a python is a tall order for a woman as frail as Miss Parkes.
And I assume you have a theory as to who did the deed? Two frontrunners.
One's the magician Mr Sheridan.
Very secretive about his romantic involvement with Miss Christopher's female half.
You think she might have threatened to make the dalliance public? Possible.
That's a hell of a way to keep someone quiet.
But Mr Sheridan fainted when he saw the body.
Not likely if he'd done the handiwork himself.
A good faint, like just about anything, can be faked.
Then there's Doreen, proud owner of the python in question.
She imagines a romance with the magician that doesn't appear to be reciprocal.
So it was a jealous rage? Then there's her boss Mr Jones.
He and Miss Christopher argued when she threatened to leave the carnival.
All very interesting.
Let me know when you narrow it down.
I'd like to see Miss Parkes.
To what purpose? To check that her basic visitation rights are being respected.
I am a workmate, after all.
I don't remember what happened the night I killed my husband.
How can I be sure it didn't happen again? You've got epilepsy, Miss Parkes.
Samson mentioned you take an elixir which helps? That's the thing though, Fern.
I'm I'm supposed to take it.
But it makes me so tired, I can hardly string my words together.
You stopped taking it? The night I went and saw Miss Christopher, I had a turn.
The next thing I remember is being back in my tent.
Did Miss Christopher say why she wanted to borrow money from you? I don't like to betray a trust.
Might be important.
Does it have anything to do with the doctor she was seeing? She was tired of being a half man, half woman.
She wanted to be one or the other.
And that doctor, he said he could make it happen for her, for a price.
I want some bloody justice from you lot! - Come on, Jackie boy! Come on! - I told you, he's busy.
I want some bloomin' justice from you lot! Hello, Jack.
Elsie.
Jack Robinson.
He's the nicest copper this side of the river.
I was his first arrest.
Did you know that? Really? Do you remember that, Jack? You never let me forget, Else.
What seems to be the problem? Those stinkin' Roy Boys, they're still sniffin', around my place.
Sir, Sergeant Grossmith intervened earlier on an attempted burglary.
Fat lot of good that did.
They'll never find it.
That's Matty's stash.
What stash is that, Elsie? I thought you swore blind your boy Matthew had nothing to do with the Burns Street robbery.
Which, by logical extension, would mean there was no stash to be stolen.
My oath.
You know what I'm trying to say, though.
You know you know what I'm getting at.
Things'll seem a lot clearer once you go home and have a sleep.
In fact, Constable Collins here will take you home right now.
I'm Unless, of course, you're finally ready to interview Miss Parkes.
Sergeant Grossmith says that he wants her to sweat it out some more.
He says sweat He says sweat what? He says sweat greases the wheels on the fast track to confessions.
Dizzying insight, Constable.
Don't let him intimidate you on the way home, Else.
What, this lamb? I found out why Miss Christopher needed that extra money.
Are you going to tell me? I think it's something better seen with your own eyes.
I thought the man-woman act was a con, but she was a real hermaphrodite.
But she didn't intend to stay that way.
She'd found a doctor who was prepared to relieve her of her additional appendage for an extraordinary fee.
Ouch.
'Cause of death - asphyxiation.
' The python? No.
She was choked to death, possibly with a rope.
Then the knife wounds, the straitjacket and the python were all added afterwards.
Overkill.
To send a message, a warning.
But to whom? My place is down here.
We're nearly there.
That's the gate.
I don't see the mongrels.
Bugger! Go on, do something! Police.
If you come out with your hands in the air, there won't be any trouble.
Trouble, my backside! You come out now, you spineless maggot.
Holy smoke.
You've shot yourself in the leg, tiger.
Every night's another night.
Come on in.
Quiet, please, ladies and laddies, quiet! Complete hush, as our Duke and the Dagger, our Nobleman of the Knife, our Captain of the Cutlass prepares to throw his final knife.
Ooh! Please, give your thanks to our Target Master Mr Abel Sheridan! And our fabulously fearless Miss Fern! Coming up next You must miss her.
Miss Christopher.
- I know you were lovers.
- It's rigged! The same bloke called out all the numbers.
We have a sceptic amongst us.
A doubter named Thomas! What say you, Mr Sheridan.
Shall we prove him wrong? How about we let him call out your next number? Mr Sheridan.
I'm sorry.
I shouldn't have gone on tonight.
I understand.
I really do.
I had a lover once.
He died.
Who told you, Fern? Who told you this? Miss Parkes.
I went to see her today.
She told me all about you and Miss Christopher.
It doesn't bother me.
I know it takes all kinds.
Miss Parkes said someone was giving Miss Christopher extra money.
Do you know why? I really can't say.
'Cause you're scared of what might happen to you.
I will bid you goodnight.
Little cherub one of yours, ain't he, Jack? What happened? I've been shot, sir.
Don't turn it into a three act play.
It's only a graze.
What's this? I don't know.
But he he wouldn't have meant no harm by it.
He'd just come back to find his stash, and he found it, just where he hid it.
Your son's in prison, Elsie.
Has been for years.
Well, he must have busted out.
Who else is going to leave me a bag of me favourite sweets, take the family pictures from under the mattress? Your son shot me? Strictly speaking, he made you shoot yourself.
He made me shoot myself! Aah! Jones had the most to lose.
If she'd gone through with the operation, he would have lost his star attraction.
How would I get myself into a position to take a peek through Jones' papers? No.
The boss is as straight as an arrow.
Then he'll have nothing to hide.
But if, hypothetically, we were to take a look through his papers, where would we find them? Anything important is kept in the strongbox.
Could you get into it for me? He's a good man, Phryne.
I know it's hard.
But good people, the best of people, can still be compromised.
Miss Fisher's residence, Dorothy speaking.
Where is he? I don't know whether to hug you or slap you.
Do I get a vote? Any truth to the nasty rumour that you got yourself shot? Afraid so.
Sir? This is my sweetheart Dot.
If you were any kind of senior officer, you wouldn't have sent such an inexperienced young policeman out on such a dangerous job.
Hooked yourself a regular barracks-room lawyer, I see.
I do know a bit about the law, actually.
My employer is Miss Phryne Fisher.
Detective.
Really? Well, maybe you should get your employer to sort out her facts.
I didn't send your sweetheart anywhere.
Better drive the old soak home or we'll have to fumigate.
I want her to dry out before she goes.
If you've got time to burn, you might turn your attention to Miss Parkes.
I'm officially turning the clock on.
I want movement on the circus murder first thing in the morning, or I'm letting Miss Parkes go.
Lord knows how he's managed it, but he has managed somehow to bust out of jail.
He's a clever lad.
I don't think so, Else.
I'm telling you, he has.
You call 'em, tell them go check in his cell.
He won't be there, I guarantee you.
I know my son.
Well, I promise you, if what you're saying is true, I'd know about it.
Here, sit down.
Right? If it'll help you sleep soundly, I'll ring the prison and find out.
I always liked you, Jack.
My apologies for the roommate.
Underneath the alcoholic vapour, there's a lady of considerable intellect and wit.
Unfortunately, waiting for her to reveal herself isn't going to be pretty.
I finish by ten at the latest, so you could meet me out the back of the tent.
What are you looking at? Nothing.
I thought What? That you and Mr Sheridan were You thought that was romantic? That was about money, sweetheart.
You don't make enough money in this lark without doing a a few extras.
Little Bo Peep's lost more than her sheep.
A class act in the buff.
There's the boss.
Which means that his tent is unattended.
Sam! A padlock I can get around, but this The boss will know it was me.
It's our only alternative if we want to help Miss Parkes.
Smells like some kind of medicine.
Probably animal tranquilisers from when we had the lion show.
Serialised banknotes.
What does that mean? Banks only hand these out to the stupidly wealthy, or people pointing guns at them.
I'm sure there's some kind of explanation.
But perhaps not the one you were hoping for.
I need you to take these to Jack Robinson for me.
The banknotes are definitely from the robbery Elsie's son committed.
But why did they end up at the carnival? Maybe Jones had a way to put it through his books, so they couldn't be traced.
Is there any chance Elsie was right and her son did bust out, and escape to the carnival? Put me through to the Parkreach prison administrator.
Inspector Jack Robinson here.
I want to check the status of a prisoner, Matthew Tizzard.
He what? Thank you, love.
You won't be disappointed.
I'm sure I won't.
You're not going to close us down, are you? Oh, keep your hair on, girlie.
There's only one way to find out if your little love show is breaching any decency laws, and that's for me to have a little bo-peep myself.
I'm sure we could work something out together, eh? Whatever you say, sir.
Slumming it a bit, aren't you? What are you doing here, Grossmith? I think the question is, what is Miss Phryne Fisher doing here.
Isn't that right? This is hardly the place for a well to do lady detective.
Justice, not money, determines the cases worthy of my attention.
Hm.
I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I think I've solved the murder.
Oh, does this do you out of a commission? What's that? The murder weapon.
I'm afraid, for you, show time is over.
You want to know where I found it? Miss Parkes' tent.
Which only proves that someone is trying to put her in the frame.
What was her motive? Oh, it's not for me to ask why.
No, yours to tie things up as quickly as possible and rush to the pub.
You already have one cop by the short and curlies.
Isn't that enough for you? Didn't anyone ever tell you it's dangerous to play with knives? Did you check on my boy? Not there, is he? No.
No, he's not there.
But I've got some bad news, Else.
There was a fight two weeks ago.
Matthew and another inmate.
They took him to the prison infirmary, but it was too late.
He was pronounced dead that night.
That's not true.
The prison sent a telegram, but the address they had was five years old.
So when they didn't hear back, they gave him a pauper's funeral.
That's not It's not true.
Did I ever tell you about my boy? Always such a loving thing, even when he was a little tyke.
He's got kind eyes.
He's been in a bit of strife, but he's got kind eyes.
Can I speak to you please, in private? I know it's going to sound crazy, but the man in the photograph, in Elsie's locket, I know him.
He goes by the name Matthias the Ghoul.
He joined one of the sideshow attractions, the haunted palace, two weeks ago.
I've seen him around a few times.
The strange thing is, he's always wearing his make-up.
White make-up? Greasepaint? I should have recognised the smell of the stuff.
Do you mind telling me how he goes from dead and buried to running round the carnival? The lab tested this.
It's animal tranquiliser.
Potentially fatal for humans, but if it doesn't kill you, its main side effects are suppression of the pulse and the breathing.
So they would appear dead.
Matthew Tizzard paid Jones some of the proceeds of his bank robbery for the tranquilisers.
It was smuggled into the jail.
Tizzard takes the drug, picks a fight, and by the time they get him to the infirmary, he comes over all Romeo and Juliet.
Henceforth he's dispatched to the undertaker, then to the cemetery.
It's a trick box.
Damned clever.
See you at the circus, Jack! Miss Fisher? Collins, get onto the prison.
But but, sir Find out if there have been any other suspicious deaths.
That's what I'm trying to tell you, sir.
I telephoned the prison.
They said the only other recent death was the prisoner who picked the fight with Tizzard.
His name was Foyle.
A Murdoch Foyle.
You know him, sir? Miss Fisher believes Murdoch Foyle murdered her sister.
Matthew Tizzard.
What do you want? I see the reports of your death are greatly exaggerated.
It wasn't my idea.
Don't be modest.
He was the brains.
Said he'd thought of a way to get out.
I just went along with it.
Who was this criminal genius? Another inmate.
Name of Foyle.
He worked it all out.
Said he knew about the drug.
Said he'd bought some from a carnival years before.
Then the magician built the coffins.
And Foyle? He broke out? Where is he? I don't know.
We were supposed to meet here but he never showed.
Where is he? Ditch the pop gun.
You won't need it.
That's a good girl.
We have a problem.
I'm just saying, take a minute to think things through.
Shut up, Jones.
We're only in this mess because your freak wouldn't toe the line.
But you said it was just a warning.
You didn't have to kill her.
It was a warning to everyone else.
What did Miss Christopher do? Go and dig the lady's grave over by that tree.
The freak got greedy.
One payment wasn't enough.
She wanted more to keep quiet.
It was my fault.
I should never have asked her to help.
The prison guards'll want to search you.
You'll need to hide these in a place they won't look.
I wish I'd never listened to you.
He could always dig two holes.
Where's Foyle now? On your knees, Miss Fisher.
What, Foyle double-crossed you? He didn't pay up? Where is he? You're going to kill me anyhow, why not tell me where he is? On you knees, now.
No! Yaaah! Drop it, Grossmith! Now! You wouldn't shoot a fellow copper now, would you, Constable? I'd shoot a crooked one.
- Sam, I'm sorry.
I I - Come on, Jones.
Will Mr Jones hang? I wouldn't think so.
But it's fair to say you'll be looking for a new boss.
Miss Parkes? You're free to go.
Just like that.
Life turns on a pin, eh? Take care of yourself.
Can't expect no-one else to.
And there's someone else who needs to say goodbye.
Headed back to the lockup, Ma.
I never thought I'd be pleased to hear that.
The Inspector, Miss.
Did Grossmith talk? Foyle's dead.
The plan he cooked up relied on the bodies not being claimed.
But when his mother got the news, she asked for him to be cremated.
He would have been burned alive.
I'm afraid that means you won't get your answers.
I already have the answer.
All this time and energy spent trying to find out what happened when I've known all along.
I was mesmerised by the show.
I didn't notice her go.
And when I did Janey? Jane? It was too late.
You were just a child.
It was my fault.
No.
No, I can't agree.
I dismiss the charges.
You can't.
I lost her, Jack.
I lost her.
A bit of hush now, ladies and gents! Feel the spirit move.
Will she be there, or won't she, folks? Can we bring her back, or have we lost her to the great black beyond?