The Madame Blanc Mysteries (2021) s02e01 Episode Script

1
It's a long time
since anyone has given me
a Christmas present.
I just hope
it's still breathing.
Oh, it's a little
British joke.
It's a pair of gloves.
Oh, I see. Merci.
Do you want to come
for a quick drink?
No, I had better get home
to my wife.
Oh, of course.
Well, bye then.
Pardon?
You remember
the first time ♪
That my eyes set on you? ♪
Your smile
came from nowhere ♪
For sometime never
or sometime soon ♪
The road is a long one
I was only passing through
I was only passing through
- Grandad,
- Hmm?
Did you tell Uncle Dom
the right time?
Course I did, lad.
I'm not as daft as I look.
Uncle Patrick!
Archie!
Dominic!
We thought you'd forgotten us!
Oh, I'm so sorry.
My car's been
playing up again.
- It's great to see you both.
- And you, Uncle Dom.
How are you doing, Archie?
I've been dying to see you.
Did you hear they found
a new black hole near Pluto?
I know.
It's unbelievable, isn't it?
No-one around here seems
to think so. Philistines!
I'll grab these for you.
- Follow me.
- Okey-doke.
- How have you been?
- Good. Good, innit.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Hello!
Don't ask.
You were the last person
I thought would call today.
Caron specifically
asked for you.
Such a tragedy.
Did you know his wife well?
Not really.
I don't think she liked
his work very much.
In fact I don't think she
liked him very much at all.
I see.
Well, let's hope
we can help, eh?
What happened?
They must have come through
the back door.
I always told her to lock it
when I wasn't home.
Well, where were you?
I went for a walk
and when I came back,
I found her.
She'd been stabbed
in the back.
Oh, I'm so sorry,
that's awful.
You found her?
Uh, yes.
I know as a police officer
I should not have touched
the crime scene but
she's my wife.
Was my wife.
I was just trying to save her.
How could I let this happen?
You mustn't blame
yourself, Andre.
Then who do I blame?
Who would do
such an awful thing?
Estelle.
Excuse me.
This man has just
lost his wife.
English friends, eh?
Well, that makes
a whole lot of sense.
Caron and I go back
a long way.
We were
at the academy together.
I am Inspector Gauthier.
That's right,
I am an inspector now.
No thanks to you, of course.
Where is the murder weapon?
It was their
own kitchen knife.
And where is it now?
It was still in the back
of the victim
when they took the body away.
It's now at the lab.
Would you like to tell me
your side of the story?
I went for a walk,
came back
and found her
in the chair.
What time did you
go for a walk?
About 5:30 pm.
And what time did you discover
the body?
About 10:00 pm.
That's convenient.
Well, we all know
there was no love lost
between you and Sara.
You're not saying that
Caron had anything
to do with this?
Now that I think of it,
you must be this English
friend I have heard about?
Solving all of Caron's crimes.
Well, Miss Marple,
I don't think it will take
much to solve this one.
That's all.
For the time being.
Jean, you are
the only one who can help me.
My fingerprints are all over
the murder weapon
and I am covered
in my wife's blood.
If it was anyone
other than Gauthier,
I might have stood a chance.
You have to find
who murdered Sara
or I will be sent down.
What on the earth happened
between you and her?
I, uh
I left her for Sara.
Oh.
Thank you so much
for your help, Gloria.
Oh, my absolute pleasure.
I just love Christmas.
Here you go.
Ah, mon dieu!
My favourite decoration!
That is the last recording
I have of my father's voice.
I thought your dad
was a saxophonist?
He was, but when he was
on tour with Nat King Cole,
he made his own recording
in a record booth
and sent me the disc.
Record booth?
Like a photo booth,
but you could make
your own vinyl records.
Oh, you know,
I think I have heard of them.
I listened that record
until it was nearly worn out
and then last year,
Niall had it
put into the music box.
The best present
I have ever had.
Outstanding Christmas
husband credentials!
Ho! Ho!
You both look amazing!
We're doing a
little charity grotto
for the dear little kiddies
at the back of the pub.
It's to raise money
for the theatre to refurbish
the dressing rooms.
They haven't been
touched for years.
- A grotto?
- But we are an elf short.
I don't mind elfing out.
Well, you will need a costume.
I've already got one.
Tailor made.
Uh, why do you have
a tailor made elf costume?
Well, I had a fling
a few Christmases ago.
He was a tad on
the dull side,
so I thought a bit of dressing
up would rock his boat.
So to speak.
We've all been there.
And did it?
No. He finished off
my Brazil nuts
and I haven't seen him since.
Great, you can help us set up.
- Thank you!
- Follow me, troops.
Gloria, leave the glasses on.
I have no idea why,
but they really suit you.
You're camping in
Claudie's room for Christmas.
I hope you don't mind.
She sends her love,
by the way.
As does your cousin.
Ahh. How is our Sandra?
Well, she got her rota
from the hospital
and she's working
all over Christmas.
So I thought you wouldn't mind
if I brought young Archie
with me.
No, I'm dead chuffed.
Claudie's gone backpacking
with her mate, Xav,
so it's nice for us to have
family here for Christmas.
Hey! Not that one!
Don't want you peeking.
Hey, there's a lot of presents
in there!
I hope you've been
behaving yourself.
Dom, that's all in the past!
Hard earned, these presents.
Hey, Archie,
look at the ceiling.
Glow in the dark stars.
And I've arranged them all
into the correct
constellations.
Oh my God, I can't wait
till it gets dark.
At last, someone appreciates
my cosmic credulity.
You can get pills for that.
Hey, do you remember when I
bought you that kaleidoscope
when we were on holiday
and you were about,
I don't know, five or six?
Yeah, I thought
it was a telescope.
I remember looking
at the sky thinking,
"Why has no-one ever mentioned
all these colours before?"
Great days!
Oops!
Oh my God, Caron?
Alright?
Um, yeah.
Uh, an emergency's
just cropped up,
so I've got to pop out.
There's plenty of food
in the fridge.
No worries, we're on holiday.
Why don't you drop us off
at those Christmas markets
we passed?
When in Rome and all that.
Yeah, yeah, if you're sure.
Hey, Archie, there's
an amazing astronomy shop
on the Rue de Verdun,
just off the market square.
You'll love it.
- Brilliant!
- What's that noise?
Oh, it's the sound of Archie
breaking my bank.
Right, here's a spare
set of keys. Come on.
So, Sara was stabbed
in the back?
Good grief!
And what I didn't mention
is that the inspector
working on the case
hates Caron's guts.
We've got to help him.
Okay. So where are we going?
The gallery where Sara worked.
Jean, you're not interfering
in a murder investigation
are you?
I know you want to help
Caron but
I'm just breaking the news
to Sara's employers.
How is that interfering?
Don't they have
the right to know?
- Erm
- Well, don't they?
- I guess so.
- Well, let's go then.
Bonjour.
Um
Do you mind
if we speak in English?
I'd just like to clarify
a few things.
No, no, no.
Pas de probleme.
I cannot believe
she has gone.
She was a hard working woman,
so knowledgeable.
I have lost a good friend
as well as my
best salesperson.
Do you know anyone who would
have a grudge against her?
No, no. She was highly
regarded in the art world.
Not the warmest
of personalities,
but thoroughly respected
for her talent.
I know that things were
not too great at home.
That's why she spent
so much time here.
But I didn't know that
things had got that bad.
I think you might be
jumping to conclusions there,
MonsieurGelan.
Serena worked very closely
with her.
I do not know what I will do.
She was my mentor.
And I am lost without her.
Did she have any
disgruntled clients or
Everybody knew her word
was honourable.
She was a woman
of great principles.
Mmm.
Well, thank you.
Thank you for your time.
Oh, and um
May I just say
what a beautiful gallery
you have got here.
- Oh, thank you.
- I'll be back
to have a proper look
in happier times.
We'll see ourselves out.
How much?
Shh!
Look at the state of them.
And they're all sold.
Look, all sold.
"Dolly Angel". Yeah, yeah,
that's her real name, innit?
She looks like
she's still at school though.
I've never heard of her.
- You've never heard of her?
- No.
Artists are being
discovered all the time.
I think the word "artist"
might be pushing it a bit.
Triangle.
The art world is a funny
old business,
it only takes one
famous art dealer
to say you're
the next big thing
and everybody starts
investing in them.
Hmm.
Say's here she's from Britain.
Well, I've not been back
in the UK
for eight months, have I?
She might be massive there.
Oh.
Come on.
Jean, I think we need
to keep an open mind
about Caron, okay?
Oh, it's a bit steep.
But he's got to have one.
Uff! Oh!
Sorry. Sorry.
Sorry, sorry.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
We don't have much time.
Inspector Gauthier could be
back at any minute.
Are you alright, mate?
This is ridiculous!
Just because you dumped her
when you were kids,
she's locked you up
in your own police station?
All the evidence
is against me, Jean.
Hang on.
You went out with her,
that's why she's got it
in for you?
It was very messy.
Blimey!
And the next time
our paths crossed,
we'd both applied for
this job.
I got it and it made her
hate me even more.
Well, I thought
she outranked you?
Now, yes, but she'll never
forgive me.
You have to help me,
I have no one else.
Of course we will.
Won't we, Dom?
Yeah, of course we will. Yeah.
The answer must be
in the house somewhere.
Pass me your phone.
My neighbour has a spare key
to my house.
I will text her to expect you.
We'll do anything we can.
Quickly! She's here!
Hide. Hide behind there!
Really? What?
Oh!
Jean.
Right, come on.
Look, I can't this time, Jean.
I've got to get back
to Uncle Patrick and Archie.
They've just got here.
Oh, right.
- Sorry.
- It's okay.
Sorry.
I'll help you, Mrs. White.
Oh, um Right, well
Let's go.
Don't worry.
Thanks, Grandad.
I've been after this meteor
slide for ages.
Whatever floats
your boat, kid!
Eh? And it's not even
Christmas day yet.
Hey, I cannot believe
that your Uncle Dom
has still got the Santa
decoration I bought him,
it must be over 40 years now.
Was that the one hanging
in his car?
Yeah.
Christmas's we had
back then.
- Grandad?
- Mmm?
I know it sounds daft,
but I can't remember you being
around at Christmas
when I was very little.
Isn't that weird?
Uh, I had to work away
for a few years around then.
What? And they wouldn't let
you home for Christmas?
It was a very, very
long way away.
Hey, do you want
another drink?
I'm an elf, with elf ears!
And good riddance to you!
With baubles on!
Let me get you
a mulled wine, darling.
Everything okay, Jeremy?
You have to call him Santa.
He's very method.
Elf Judith?
I hate to say this,
but I'm not sure
the grotto thing is working.
I think Elf Gloria
is right, darling.
Maybe we can find another way
to raise money
for the theatre.
Bonjour!
- Parlez vous Anglais?
- Yes.
Andre Caron sent me
for the key.
- For next door.
- Of course.
Oh good, thank you.
Did you see anything unusual
at the Caron's last night?
Nothing more unusual
than the normal.
Pardon?
I would not blame him at all
if he did do it.
They were always arguing.
And she wasabsolument
vile to him.
Thank you.
Merci, Madame.
Look, I know you shouldn't
go in there, Richard.
And you don't have to.
I can go in alone.
Caron is my boss.
I know he is innocent.
I want to do this.
What is Sara's password?
Who puts spiders
on a Christmas tree?
It's bizarre.
Oh! Sara must have
Eastern European family.
Pardon?
It's an Eastern European
folk tale.
The story goes
that a widowed mother is too
poor to decorate the tree,
so some friendly spiders
spin webs all over it.
When the mother and her family
wake up on Christmas morning,
the sunlight hits the tree
turning the web
silver and gold.
And the family have
good fortune from then on.
What's
What's French for "spider"?
"Araignee."
Could you type that in?
Hmm
Bingo!
Right.
Sara's last email.
Could you Could you
translate that for me?
Oui, d'accord.
"Dear Sara, further to our
conversation on December 6th,
here are our thoughts.
Even though we very much value
your position at the gallery
we are finding it difficult
to find a reason
to fire Serena Parle.
This is the fourth trainee you
have been deeply unhappy with,
one of which we have
had to settle out of court
for wrongful dismissal.
Having said that,
because your skills are so
integral to the gallery,
we will go ahead with
the dismissal of Ms. Parle,
but we gratefully request that
this does not happen again.
Yours, Llyod Gelan."
So Sara was trying
to get rid of Serena.
Why did you lie to me
about Sara?
This email suggests that you
were about to lose your job,
but you told me
she was your mentor.
I had worked hard to get here.
A career in the art
is something
that I had dreamed of
since I was a little girl,
and that jealous old witch
tried to take it away from me.
The constant bullying,
the belittling of everything
that I did.
Nothing was ever good
enough for her. Nothing.
And nobody in here challenged
her about it.
Her expertise, it was just
an excuse for bullying
and I was her latest victim.
You know,
I wish I had killed her.
I fantasised about it
many times,
but I was never brave enough
to do it.
I would love
to shake the hand
of the person that did it.
Where were you
last night, Serena?
At home with my mother,
crying in her arms
over losing my dream job.
Merci.
Could you drop me
at La Couronne?
Yes.
There must be
another way to raise money?
What about a fun run?
We used to do them in Dublin.
Get dressed up,
it was a great craic.
That's a great idea!
Run? For fun?
What on earth is funny
about running?
I completely agree!
What about Secret Santa?
They used to have one
at a garage where I worked.
- It's a great laugh.
- That's it!
We will charge everyone
in the pub Eur 2 to play
and then they have to spend
no more than Eur 5
on a present for whoever
they draw out of the bag.
And we can have a party here
on Christmas Eve
and we can all swap presents.
- Bravo!
- Great idea!
Just one thing.
Will I be able to wear
the Santa costume?
I think we all absolutely
insist on it.
Oh!
Oh, there you are!
I'll just get a drink.
I'll be over in a minute.
Alright.
- Where's your grandad?
- In the loo.
Dom, can I ask you a question?
When Grandad was away
when I was little,
- where did he go?
- Oof.
Well, he was
in Stafford first,
then they put him
in an open prison.
Prison? What?
Oh, God! Has your mum
never told you any of this?
No! My grandad was in prison?
Look, your grandad got
in a bit of trouble at work.
Times were hard back then
and he took a few things
he shouldn't have done.
My grandad?
Mmm-hmm, yeah.
I think he just wanted
people to be happy.
You know, he was always
buying presents
and rounds at the bar,
you know.
Your aunty Eunice,
God rest her soul,
always said that was his way
of loving people,
only he didn't have enough
money for all that love,
so they
put him in prison.
I can't believe this.
Archie, we'll talk about this
again alright?
Don't mention it
to your grandad.
He's a smashing fella.
He just made a few mistakes.
Alright?
Jean, you're waiting.
What can I get you?
Just a sav blanc
please, Niall.
Eh, Jean, there's gonna be
a Secret Santa here
on Christmas Eve, you in?
- Absolutely.
- Great!
Cheers, love.
- Oh! You've been shopping?
- Hey. Yes!
My music box! It's gone!
Someone must have stolen it!
Ridiculous!
No one's gonna take it!
Jean, this is my Uncle Patrick
and this my
cousin's boy, Archie.
- Lovely to meet you both.
- You too.
You alright, Patrick?
Do you know what, love,
I don't feel that great.
I think I must have
overdone it on the beignets.
Dom, do you
mind if we go?
No. Come on,
I'll take you home.
I think I just need
a little lie down.
- Yes.
- It's been a big day.
I knew you looked familiar.
Let's find out
who you really are.
Come on,
we said we'd meet Dom
for breakfast at 9 o'clock.
I'll be down
in a minute, Grandad.
I'm just looking
for my phone charger.
There's one
at the side of my bed.
O holy
It's the same person.
I don't get it.
The doctor
and Dolly Angel the artist,
it's the same person.
It took me all night,
but I found her
on her agent's website.
So, she's a doctor
and an artist?
No, she's a model called
Cathryn Harper.
Lloyd Gelan must have used
a stock photo of her
to make out that Dolly Angel
was a real person.
No. I'm still not with you.
I rang my dealer friend
back in England
and he's never heard of her.
Dolly Angel the artist
does not exist.
Blimey.
Hang on.
Where've you gone?
I lost you.
The companies that bought
and sold the paintings
are in the same
conglomerate, Dom.
What does that mean?
It means that the same person
brought the paintings
back off themselves.
Why would you want to do that?
I know who wanted
Sara Caron dead.
I'm starving,
what are you gonna have?
I might even order in French
and impress
that gorgeous landlady,
- what's her name? Celine?
- Yeah.
You alright, sunshine?
You seem a bit flat.
I was just thinking
what it'd be like never
to hear my mum's voice again.
Cor, what put that
in your head?
Well, that landlady you
mentioned, Celine
Yeah?
All that fuss
in the pub last night,
Dom told me what
she'd had stolen.
Right.
Her dad made her
a vinyl record
in a record booth
when she was a little girl.
I remember
those record booths.
It turns out
her husband had
the recording of her dad
copied into a special music
box for Christmas last year.
The record was nearly
worn out.
It was the last ever
recording of her dad's voice
and somebody stole it.
Did they now?
They probably didn't know
what it meant to her,
No one would do
that if they knew, would they?
No. No!
Oh, stomach's rumbling.
Come on.
Thank you for your tip off.
We have the suspect
in custody.
I'll take it from here.
But I know
what I'm talking about.
I've seen this kind of money
laundering back in the UK.
Surely you need me
in the interview?
Look, I am not Caron.
I don't need some
little English woman
telling me how to do my job.
So you're going to reject
my expert help
because of your personal
history with Caron?
Okay.
I will lead the interview
and you will speak
when you are asked to.
- Do you understand?
- Yes.
Good.
This interview will be
conducted in English
for the benefit
of my colleague.
Where were you on the night
of Sara's murder
between the hours
of 5:30 and 10:00 pm?
You can't remember?
Or were you murdering
Sara Caron?
So that's how
you wanna play it?
How very tedious.
My colleague here thinks
she knows why you did it.
Would you like to
hear her theory?
He's all yours.
You know,
I thought this method
of laundering dirty money
through the art world
was extinct.
God knows how you got
away with it for so long.
Small towns, eh?
- Explain it to me again.
- Of course.
This is how I see it.
Mr. Lloyd Gelan here
would display some art in
his very respectable gallery
and create a buzz around
a young up and coming artist
that actually doesn't exist.
In this case,
a certain Dolly Angel.
He would paint the canvasses,
he would frame them
and he would display them.
But conveniently,
even at an
astronomical price,
they would be shown as sold.
The deal had already
been done.
And a big bag of dirty money
had been used
to buy the paintings.
You see, in the art world,
cash is seen as a normal
method of payment.
Nobody questions it.
Mr. Lloyd Gelan has enabled
a money launderer
to sell the paintings
back to themself.
and wash
the dirty money clean.
Very clever.
And nobody ever checked on you
as you were so respectable.
And looking at the records,
only did it now and again.
I suppose those diamond rings
won't buy themselves?
Sara was on to you,
wasn't she?
She knew something wrong,
and whatever she was,
she was brutally honest.
Was she about to
expose you?
You can never prove it.
It speaks!
I think you'll find we can,
Mr. Gelan.
We have seized
possession of your shop,
your bank accounts,
all your documents.
You will have
slipped up somewhere.
And we have your face on CCTV
near the Carons' house
on the night of Sara's death.
How did you work it out?
Well, um
it all started with
a charity leaflet in a pub.
The model that you used
to be the face of Dolly Angel
was also a doctor on the front
of that charity leaflet.
And I went through
Sara's accounts.
Dolly Angel's work
was sold between two companies
in the same conglomerate.
But it was your little anagram
that sealed your fate.
- Anagram?
- Yeah. Watch this.
L-L-O-Y-D
G-E-L-A-N
Lloyd Gelan.
Very clever.
I hated her.
She was sanctimonious,
patronising, angry,
you know, sacking my staff
left, right and centre.
She thought
she had me over a barrel
because of her reputation
and her client list.
I just needed this
one more deal.
But she found out.
That night, I went to her
house to confront her.
The back door was open
and I walked inside and
then I saw the knife.
She was about
to take everything from me.
I was so close.
Please spare us the sob story.
You killed a woman
in cold blood. C'est tout.
Richard.
Since when do we have
CCTV footage?
I can't believe it!
Lying in an interview
to force a confession?
Maybe you and I have more in
common than we first thought.
Can you release Caron now?
Yeah.
I think I can finally
let Andre Caron go.
I must tell Richard to check
other paintings in the gallery
there might be
even more fakes.
Oh no, I didn't spot any.
Such a crying shame.
What a beautiful shop.
Hey, Charlie,
I've got a business
proposition for you.
To his health, he made it.
I promise, I'll get you
another box.
But you said the record
was so scratched
Hey, you want the moon?
Just say the word,
I'll throw a lasso around it
and pull it down.
Christmas wouldn't
be Christmas
without you quoting
It's a Wonderful Life.
Your very own James Stewart.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
So how many Christmas costumes
have you got? Twelve?
Twelve days
of Christmas, innit?
Oh, silly me.
Jean, could you
do us a favour?
Do not leave my
side tonight, okay?
On it.
Right, ladies and gentlemen,
it's time now for
the Secret Santa to begin.
Here goes!
I can't believe he's not doing
"reaching into his sack" joke.
Now I'm gonna
reach into the sack.
Oh, there it is.
My mistake.
And the first gift is for
- Gloria.
- Ohh!
Thank you, Santa.
Oh, yes.
Oh, I love it!
Guilty as charged!
Oh, thanks Niall!
- Next is Jean.
- Oh dear.
Thank you!
- Thank you, Father Christmas.
- Oh, my pleasure.
What is it?
Oh!
Oh, that's Oh, it's lovely!
Who got me that?
I did.
I thought it might
remind you of home.
Your old home, that is.
Oh, I love it.
That's really thoughtful, Dom.
Thank you!
You're welcome,
sweetheart.
That you?
Thank you very much, love.
- Thank you.
- Right, now
We have two presents left.
Aha! And the first one
goes to
Judith.
Judging by
the tat so far,
I'm not holding my breath.
Oh, that was never a fiver!
I'll give you a tenner for it.
- Who on earth
- It's from me, darling.
Precursor to the big day.
Oh, thank you, darling.
Now then, come here, Santa.
Hang on! Hang on,
there's one present left.
It's for you.
Oh!
I don't understand? You got me
a replacement already.
No, that's the original one.
They brought it back.
O holy night
The stars are
brightly shining ♪
It is the night
of the dear Saviour's birth ♪
Long lay the world in sin ♪
How are you feeling?
Still numb.
Despite everything,
she was still my wife.
It wasn't always like that.
I understand.
Thank you both
for believing in me.
Never any doubt, mate.
You've got a nerve.
Merry Christmas, Jean.
Merry Christmas, Dom.
When will it show?
That the secret we keep
is not ours on our own ♪
When will it show?
We're in love
This Christmas
We're in love