Midsomer Murders (1997) s03e01 Episode Script

Go away, go away! Go away, go away, go away, go away.
PERSISTENT KNOCKING AT DOOR Go away! Go away.
I don't know you.
You leave me alone.
Mad, mad, madman! Leave me alone.
I don't know you.
I don't know you, madman.
Let me in! KNOCKING CONTINUES Leave me alone.
Go away.
Go away.
Go away.
I don't know you.
I don't know you! Let me in! EXCITED BAYING Morning.
Good morning.
I thought we'd go through Fern Fields and draw Blackthorne Wood.
That'll flush out Reynard.
I see Sarah's riding.
Oh, Lord I hope she won't be a drag.
DISTANT BAYING Seven pounds and eight pence.
(MUTTERS) You didn't bring Harry, Kate? No, I left him with Nanny.
Shame.
He'd have loved it.
Wouldn't he, Grahame? It's Kate's decision, Mother.
Start as you mean to go on, I say.
Who knows how we'd choose to go on? We'll have him on horseback before you can say 'boo'.
Boo.
I must see to my duties.
She means well, you know.
I'm sure.
(CLEARS THROAT) We're going to draw Blackthorne.
I don't want you trying those walls.
I can jump a wall, James.
No, go through the gate.
Sammy'll open them.
I don't want you making a fool of yourself.
Oh, to be in England.
We are in England, Ron.
I meant the scene, Betty.
I meant you couldn't be anywhere else.
Good morning, Superintendent.
Mrs Pringle.
Morning, Mr Fitzroy.
Have a good day.
Thank you.
HORSE WHINNIES (YOUTHS LAUGH) Grip him with your legs.
Show him who's on top.
(YOUTHS SNIGGER) All right, lads.
Let's have none of that.
It's just a bit of fun.
We're not hurting anyone.
You know who I am.
You're a copper.
I'm Superintendent Pringle.
I've just moved here to spend a happy retirement.
Soon I'll be a neighbour like anybody else and I intend to get on with everyone.
You have your work cut out to do that here.
What's your name? Gurdie.
What Gurdie? Mr Gurdie.
Billy to a chosen few.
Yes, I've heard of you.
You're known to make trouble.
Well, a word of advice.
Don't make trouble with me.
Even when I'm retired, I'll still have friends.
Git.
HOUNDS BAY HUNTING HORN HUNTING HORN WHINNYING DISTANT HUNTING HORN PHONE RINGS Hello? EXCITED BAYING, HUNTING HORN Aaaaagh! Whoa! Aaaaaaagh! HUNTING HORN, EXCITED BAYING Come on, girl.
DISTANT HUNTING HORN Aaaaagh! Aaaaagh! APPROACHING HOOVES (WHISTLES) HOUNDS BAY CONFUSED MUTTERINGS HUNTING HORN WHINNYING NIGHT BIRDS SCREECH You see this? 'Menu gastronomique.
' 'Escargots farcis, saumon fume, coquilles Saint-Jacques a l'orientale' It looks very rich.
This is France.
This restaurant has a Michelin star for its excellence.
We should honour the chef by sampling the best he has to offer.
Barnaby! Chief Inspector Barnaby, eh? Yeah, that's right.
Heh! James Fitzroy.
We were on the charity-night committee together.
Oh, yeah, that's right.
Just popped over for a couple of days.
Oh, this is my wife, Sarah.
This is my wife Joyce and my daughter Cully.
Oh, Cully Barnaby.
You're in The Importance Of Being Earnest at the Causton Playhouse? Yes, I'm rehearsing tomorrow.
Sarah's on the committee there.
The Friends of the Playhouse.
Oh, really? She'll bore you to death about it.
Well, we mustn't bore you any more.
On you go, Sarah.
Bye.
Bye.
Almost forgot.
We had a murder in Upper Marshwood.
Some old tramp.
Superintendent Pringle's on the case.
He's standing in for me while I'm here.
Damn fine chap.
Had the bloke who did it inside within a week.
That's what I call police work.
Heh! On you go, Sarah.
Go on, go on.
Bye.
Pringle solves a murder while I'm away.
Amazing.
Ron Pringle - he's an oaf! Dad, forget about Ron Pringle.
You're on holiday.
C'est decide, Monsieur? Bien sur, mon ami.
Just to help me forget.
Pour moi, c'est le menu gastronomique.
(MUTTERS) Ron Pringle! DOOR BANGS SHUT They're menthols, Mum.
It's like smoking cough sweets.
Sorry, I I knew you had a green packet.
I'll get it right next time.
I'm out of here before the 'next time'.
I've done nothing, Mum.
I didn't kill anyone.
Even that stinking old tramp.
I know you didn't.
You couldn't.
You haven't been tried yet.
Nobody's saying you're guilty yet.
That fool Pringle's saying it.
He doesn't care who did it, as long as he's got someone for it.
I'll murder that bastard if I ever get the chance.
Tom! Oh, hello, Ron.
Good holiday? Oh, yeah, yeah.
It was fine.
Good.
Ready for my farewell booze-up tonight? No.
Well, yeah, I hope so.
Is there a problem? I've caught some kind of French bug.
I'm a bit gyppy.
Overindulging on le nosh and le vino? No, it's a bug.
I'm sure of that.
Wasn't I the lucky one! I solved a case that should have been yours.
Talk about going out on a high! Congratulations, Ron.
Unknown tramp living in the woods got on the wrong side of the local poacher - chap with a temper.
Tramp was clubbed to death.
Poacher's fingerprints on weapon.
Good job you were away.
Wasn't worthy of your talents.
You sure you don't want? Good morning, sir.
Hello, Sergeant.
Good holiday? Yes - mountaineering in Norway.
Oh.
Very nice.
Do you want something cooked, sir? No.
Erm, look, will you excuse me? I have one or two things I ought to do.
See you at the party.
I hope so, yeah.
BAYING AND HOWLING Afternoon, Mrs Gurdie.
Sir.
I'll I'll be in soon, Cath.
Right, then.
She'll be upset.
She went to see the boy.
Well, I'm sorry about that, Ben.
Terrible business.
He's not a murderer, sir.
He's been a bad lad sometimes and you've been patient with him, but he's not a murderer.
(CLEARS THROAT) Yeah.
DOOR SLAMS SHUT Hello, darling.
Been anywhere interesting? Just Causton.
Looked around the shops, didn't like anything, so I came back.
(COOLLY) Hi, Marcia.
Didn't know you were here.
Mother's been playing with Harry.
You know I like to see him as often as I can.
Come on, darling.
Come to Mummy.
It's time for your tea.
I was just going to do that.
No, Charlotte can.
It's what we pay her for.
You love Charlotte, don't you? Charlotte! Harry wants you.
Oh, darling, I met Tilly in town.
You know - I used to work with her.
She suggested a girls' night out, take in a movie.
Is that OK? When? Tonight.
Tonight? I can cancel it, if you do.
No, of course not.
Good.
You're lovely.
Oh, Charlotte, let's give the boy his tea.
Come on, Cath.
We'll get him out of there, somehow.
DOOR CREAKS OPEN GUNSHOT BIRDS CAW WHIMPERING Hello, Tom.
Sergeant.
Hullo, Ron.
Missed a good do last night.
Er yeah.
We haven't touched anything.
I thought, as I've moved into the village, you'd like the benefit of my advice.
Thank you very much, Ron.
Cross-channel ferry didn't sink, then? Ooh Poor devil.
Ben Gurdie.
Was employed by the local hunt.
And it was the hunt who found him? No, Linda Wagstaff found him.
She's a strange old biddy.
Lives in a railway carriage in the woods.
She was here when the hunt arrived.
They made such a mess, we won't learn much from the surrounds.
OK, your turn.
Ben Gurdie was the father of Billy, the man who murdered the tramp.
The man accused of murdering the tramp.
Ben was very depressed about what happened.
So he shot himself? Seems like it.
Poor Ben There are no suicides in the animal kingdom.
I'm Chief Inspector Barnaby.
May I ask who you are? My name is Henry Carstairs.
Are you here for some purpose? I'm looking for dead bodies.
I'm a taxidermist - animals, birds I have permission from my cousin to look for dead creatures.
Grahame Tranter - he's my cousin.
This is his land.
So, you're in the woods quite often? Quite often, yes.
Were you here last night, by any chance? Yes, I was, for a while.
Quite early.
Seven, eight o'clock.
Did you see Mr Gurdie, by any chance? No.
Or hear a shot? I'm afraid not.
Did you see or hear anything at all unusual? Yes.
I saw a dead mink.
That's very unusual.
Look great mounted, especially if I bare the teeth.
Yeah, I can imagine that.
If you wouldn't mind, sir, we have work to do.
I understand.
This is like Greek tragedy.
To meet his death in front of the palace of his enemy, the origin of his black despair.
What is he talking about? I think he means that's where the tramp used to live, where he used to sleep when he was in the woods.
A strange thing to do, come all the way out here to shoot himself.
Not the tramp's fault his son's in prison.
I think it might be wise to have a word with his wife.
(FLATLY) Thank you, Ron.
Good idea.
I can't give you any more time.
I have to see a man about a horse.
I've joined the hunt.
The Joint Master is looking me out a mount.
Then I won't keep you.
Thanks.
You know where I am if you need me.
I do, indeed.
Thank you, Ron.
Bye, Dan.
Keep taking the tablets, Ron.
Anything interesting? Not very.
Died between eight and eleven last night.
You have to hang on for the autopsy.
(WOLF-WHISTLES) You're beautiful, Linda.
Hello, Sandra.
Old Holborn, please.
Heard about Ben Gurdie, Dave? Bang, bang, shot himself.
Do you reckon it was cos of Billy? Don't you know? He was caught in bed with a hound.
Dave, you are awful.
Got to go to Causton, load for my dad.
You were going to buy me a drink last night.
Sorry.
Got tied up.
Excuse me, please.
How's Mr Gurdie, Superintendent? I mean You know, the Gurdie still alive.
I'm sure he's well looked after - but I've retired.
Shame it wasn't earlier.
It's like it's been dumped by Thomas.
The tank engine.
I used to read that to Cully.
HENS CLUCK Certainly got herself organised.
Rosemary, fennel and coriander.
Some seriously good cooking goes on in there.
Miss Wagstaff? Who are you? I'm Det - Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby.
I haven't got television.
Pardon? I already told them.
What have you come back for? Go away.
We're not here about your television.
It's about Ben Gurdie, the man you found dead.
Elderberry cordial? No thanks, not for me.
Yes, please.
Get the door.
What are you looking at? I was just admiring your home.
Aah.
Very comfortable.
Got everything I need: bed, wood stove, toilet round the back.
I recycle everything.
Thank you.
Would you tell me how you came across Ben Gurdie's body? I trod on it.
That must have been a shock.
No.
I saw another man dead not long ago.
You mean the tramp? Ugh! Nasty, filthy creature.
Did you know him? He used to bang on my door asking to come in.
Did he think I was born yesterday? How long did he live in the woods? Oh, not long.
I wouldn't speak to him.
Miss Wagstaff My name is Linda.
I'm not an old maid.
Oh, I'm sorry - Linda.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Were you out in the woods last night? No.
Did you hear a shot? I often hear shots.
When did you hear a shot last night? When I was in bed.
What time did you go to bed? When I was tired, of course.
You found Ben Gurdie's body in the morning.
What time was that? When I got up.
When you got up? Mm-hm.
Linda, were you surprised that he shot himself? Not really.
They're a funny lot.
Who? Them down there.
They kill things for pleasure.
Of course, I have to be careful what I say.
I do needlework for them and I need the money.
But I don't trust them.
There's hatred down there.
Why is there hatred? I just feel it, that's all.
Linda, do you feel hatred for the man who killed the tramp? Who did kill the tramp? Billy Gurdie.
Oh, don't be daft! Billy Gurdie's a lovely boy.
You'll have to go to London tomorrow.
For God's sake, I've been up once this week.
It's the Founder's Night tomorrow.
You'll be back in time for that.
James, it has to be done.
Hello, Chief Inspector.
Mr Fitzroy, this is Det Sgt Troy.
Hello, Sergeant.
Yeah.
Hello, sir.
It's about Ben Gurdie's death.
I'm here to see Mrs Gurdie.
She lives in a cottage over there.
Dreadful business.
This is Marcia Tranter.
She and I are joint MFH.
Masters of Foxhounds, old boy.
How do you do? Pleased to meet you.
Is it your husband that owns the land where the body was found? My husband is dead.
Oh, I'm - I'm sorry.
My son Grahame owns the land.
There was a man in the woods who said he had Mr Tranter's permission to look for dead animals there.
Oh Handbag Henry.
It's just an affectionate nickname.
He's always carrying a bag, right? And Ben Gurdie was an employee of the hunt, yes? Yeah.
A jolly good one, too.
You didn't see him last night before he went out? What mood was he in? No.
I didn't see him at all.
And Mrs Tranter, you didn't see him? I was at home in the Dower House.
On my son's estate.
HOUNDS YELP They're not very happy bunnies today.
All right.
Right.
Antony.
There, there.
It's so unfair on them! They've had the excitement of the chase without the satisfaction of the kill.
I didn't even know he was missing.
He went out last night about nine o'clock.
Why did he do that? Searching.
He's been trying to find something to help Billy.
He knew who did it is still out there somewhere.
Did you wait up for him? Ten o'clock or so I went to bed.
I took this pill the doctor gave me because what with Billy's trouble, I couldn't sleep.
When I woke up, he wasn't there.
I thought he'd gone off to work.
Didn't anybody come looking for him when he didn't arrive for work? He does different jobs.
Everybody thought he was somewhere else.
And nothing else unusual happened? Nothing at all? Well, young Mrs Tranter from the big house - her car went past.
I think it was hers, but it's not very unusual.
What time was that? Just after Ben went out.
We'll be all right.
KNOCK AT DOOR (Mrs Fitzroy's here, sir.
) Hello, Sarah.
I didn't mean to disturb you.
No, Harry was having a nap.
Such a wonderful sight, I couldn't resist watching him.
I envy you.
I'm on my way to Causton - Playhouse Committee.
James wanted you to have the final list of guests for Founder's Night.
He needn't have bothered to send it.
You know James - dot the i's and cross the t's.
How's Kate? Oh, she's fine, thanks.
She's gone to Causton with an old friend she used to work with.
They're buying a dress, I think.
Oh, she'll enjoy that.
I like Kate.
Do you? Oh, yes! And I sympathise.
I mean, coming from the real world to Upper Marshwood and all of us It's not easy for her.
I was the same when I first married James.
I fitted in eventually.
And so will Kate.
Let's hope so.
TROY: 'You were heard threatening the tramp.
' I threaten lots of people.
I've killed none of them.
And your prints were on the weapon.
I explained that to him! I found the tramp dead when I was poaching.
I picked up the stick, I saw the blood and I threw it away.
Billy, you were seen in the woods that morning.
I was having a laugh.
A laugh? I was trying to get back at those snobs.
HUNTING HORN BARKING AND YELPING HUNTING HORN Did you tell Superintendent Pringle that? Of course I did.
That just made up his mind I must have done it.
You're worse than a murderer here if you make a fool of the hunt.
I did not kill him.
I did not kill him.
I did not kill him.
Quite a well-kept garden, Miss Cardew.
'So glad you like it, Miss Fairfax.
' I had no idea there were any flowers in the country.
'Oh, flowers are as common here as people are in London.
' Dad, it's meant to be funny.
You're reading it like you're announcing the Titanic going down.
Dinner's nearly ready.
Let's eat and I'll feel a bit jollier.
Wanna bet? It's plain English food from now on.
I got caught by that woman we met in France today - Sarah Fitzroy.
God, does she bore for England.
Poor old you.
I had a word with her husband today.
He said that one of his workers had just committed suicide.
Is that what's been on your mind? Well, I'm puzzled by it.
The son of the dead man's in prison on a murder charge.
I have a hunch he shouldn't be there.
Are you coming to eat? I'm doing a new boeuf bourguignonne recipe.
Oh, that's very nice.
Yes.
PHONE RINGS Hello, Barnaby.
Oh, hello, Troy.
No, no.
I'll be over right away.
DOOR SLAMS, GLASS BREAKS Sorry.
What clinched it was a schoolboy howler.
The gun was in the right hand, but Ben Gurdie's left-handed.
How do you know that? He was a manual worker.
The left hand's got the calluses and the harder skin.
That was the hand he used most.
It's easy to confirm it with his wife.
So whoever wanted to make it look like a suicide put the gun in the wrong hand.
You're dealing with a murder.
I was pretty sure.
You never said.
It didn't add up, did it? So two murders, in the same wood, within three weeks.
By two different murderers? Oh, I don't think so.
Well, if you're right, it means dear old Ron Pringle's boobed.
Can't crow yet.
It means somebody's about who's already killed twice.
Don't know who they are, or the motive.
So I don't know what might drive them to kill again.
I'd like the whole area tooth-combed, please.
Anything that's not naturally part of the wood may give us a clue as to why Ben Gurdie was killed.
Thank you, Sergeant.
Right, Troy.
Ron Pringle.
Betty! Here he is.
Well, what do you think? Good Lord.
It's very big, isn't it? He isn't big.
He's the right size for a hunter.
Oh, hell, what does he want? Hello, Ron.
Hi.
Are you looking for me? Yes, I am.
That's a big horse.
It's a hunter.
Used to be Lord Kitson's mount.
Oh, really? Hello, Betty.
Settling in OK? I think so, Tom.
Hope so.
Good.
Ron, could I have a word? What, now? Please.
I'm mounted.
Well, preferably unmounted.
What do I do with the horse? Hitch it to the rail, like in westerns.
This is a very valuable animal.
I can't leave him unattended.
Sergeant Troy will attend to it.
WHINNIES So Gurdie was probably murdered near where the tramp used to sleep.
But that doesn't begin to prove that Billy didn't kill the tramp.
I didn't say it did.
I'm relieved to hear it.
I'm just suggesting it's possible that the two murders are linked, so I have to re-examine the tramp's death.
Ben Gurdie was killed for a reason.
Or by a psychopath.
Ron, if there is a psychopath on the loose, he may also have killed the tramp.
Billy Gurdie killed the tramp.
Excuse me.
Coffee? No.
No, thank you, Betty.
The sergeant might like one.
Bit chilly out there.
Anyway, I don't think it's a psychopath.
No psychopath would make it look like a suicide.
If someone else shot him, then Ben Gurdie must have given him his gun.
Why? Maybe he was threatened with another gun or knew the other person well and didn't mind handing it over.
To go back to the tramp Yes? You could find out nothing about him? We've got nothing back on his fingerprints and dental details.
He was in the village shop just before 11.
He bought cider and some buns.
According to the doc, he died somewhere between 11am and 2pm.
Nobody saw him after he left the village? No.
But the hunt went past the spot where he was found at midday? Yes.
Look, these people had nothing to do with it.
Tom, I have to live in this village.
I'd prefer you didn't pester them about it.
Ron, I've got two dead bodies in the morgue.
Yes.
Yes, of course.
When did Linda Wagstaff say she found the body? Don't ask me.
'In the night.
' She didn't tell anyone: 'None of my business.
' It wasn't till the next day we knew about it.
Henry Carstairs reported it - the taxidermist.
It was That's very precise.
I'm always precise about corpses.
One has to be.
One has to time the process right.
And you came across the body quite by accident? I had no reason to be looking for it.
It was a terrible sight.
You wouldn't expect a stoat to be popular, would you? Huge in Japan.
DOOR SHUTS I've got to finish another fox.
Everybody wants a fox.
It's the lollipop of the taxidermy trade.
Mr Carstairs, when I asked you if you were in the woods the night Ben Gurdie was killed Oh, the body was arranged to make it look like suicide, but in fact he was murdered.
Good heavens.
Why? Well, that we have to discover.
You said you were in the area.
What did you mean by that? Well, I wasn't precisely in the woods, just round about.
But you said you found a mink that night, so surely you could be very precise? Completely stupid of me.
Yep.
Erm It's about half a mile from where they found poor Ben.
As soon as I found this, I came straight home.
And you stayed in all evening? Indeed, I did.
Had the initial preparation to do - clean the skin, that kind of thing.
Do you live on your own? That's why they call me Handbag Henry.
What they imply is far from the truth.
I'm a ladies' man.
I just haven't found somebody that I fancied who would fancy me poor.
If I had inherited the Tranter estate How would you have done that? Well, my uncle was Grahame Tranter's grandfather.
He was very rich.
He died without leaving a will.
The inheritance should've gone to his son Simon, but Simon disappeared 30 years ago.
Isn't that Marcia's husband? She said he was dead.
May not be.
He just walked out.
A week after he left, Marcia discovered she was pregnant.
After the statutory seven years were up, she had her husband declared legally dead.
So when my uncle died without leaving a will, the inheritance went to her son.
Grahame.
So how could you have inherited? In intestacy, Sergeant.
Where there's no will, the inheritance goes to the nearest blood relative.
After Grahame, I was next in line.
There were some who suggested I was nearer than that.
Meantime, I must make my fortune the best way I can.
Oh, God Yes? I done the work.
How much? Fifty pound.
Fifty pounds? There's policemen in the woods.
What are they doing? Walking up and down, looking.
That's their job, isn't it.
Give the work to Mrs Fitzroy.
I hate him.
Murdered? Mr Tranter, did you hunt through the woods on the day Gurdie's body was found? No, not me personally.
I had a headache, so I stayed in.
Did you go to the wood the previous evening? No, I didn't go out at all.
But you did hunt on the day the tramp was killed? Yes, I did.
Did either of you notice anything unusual that day? No.
Nothing unusual at all.
Do many people use the woods? This is private land.
We don't allow trespassers.
Surely the tramp was trespassing? Well, yes, he was.
When I found out, I asked Grahame to run him off.
Well, I was intending to There didn't seem to be much hurry.
He seemed harmless.
Harmless! Just look at all the trouble he's caused.
Isn't Linda Wagstaff trespassing? Well, yes, she is.
But she's been there for over 30 years.
We tolerate her.
I don't know, really.
There was a man there for some time.
Husband, lover - nobody's sure.
But he moved on and she stayed put.
I understand Henry Carstairs was in line to inherit this estate after your husband disappeared? Well, yes, he was.
If your father suddenly turned up, would it all be his? I mean, as the nearest blood relation to your grandfather? My husband is officially dead and would inherit nothing.
And there was no news of him from the day he walked out? Well, yes.
We have a photograph of Simon sitting outside an Antwerp cafe.
He has a girl with him.
They were registered together in the local hotel.
He moved on and hasn't been heard of since.
Darling, I was wondering - Oh, I'm sorry.
Hello, darling.
This is Det Chief Inspector Barnaby.
And Sergeant? Troy.
This is my wife, Kate.
Hello, Mrs Tranter.
It appears that Ben Gurdie was murdered.
Murdered? We won't take up any more of your time.
Oh, there is one more question, Mrs Tranter.
The night before last, when Ben Gurdie was killed, could you tell me where you were going when you drove past the kennels about nine o'clock? Past the kennels? Mrs Gurdie says she saw you.
She must be mistaken.
My wife went to the cinema the night before last, with an old girlfriend.
What was it you saw? Oh Erm That sci-fi.
The Silver Planet? Yes.
Well, thank you.
I'm sorry to have troubled you.
"Fitzroy.
" James, it's me.
They've discovered that Ben Gurdie was murdered.
Oh, God.
I heard they were back in the woods.
James, this means they might - Marcia, shut up.
Sorry, but this a mobile phone.
Things are tricky enough without - Er Well, goodbye.
^ Bottle tops across the years.
Look at that, Troy.
That is an original Tizer stopper.
Bird and animal bones What do you reckon to that? Fox? Dog? Could be where they bury their hounds.
There was something else.
Not quite sure.
Might be of interest.
Good God.
The headless woman.
Where did you find this? Nothing else here? No, sir.
Drop that off at the lab.
Get it fingerprinted and copied.
Copied, sir? Well done, Sergeant.
I think we're on track.
DISTANT LAUGHTER Ah This is very nice.
Yes.
Yes, it is.
Very good punch.
Yes.
Just the fiver.
Excellent.
Thank you.
Oh, God I'll have to go and have a word with them.
Go easy on the drink.
You know how silly you get.
Hello, James.
Hi, Sarah.
Hello.
Hello, Betty.
Lovely party.
Oh, good, good.
How's the investigation going? Not down to me, I'm afraid.
I'm retired.
Damn pity, that.
That Barnaby chap Takes his time a bit, doesn't he? Well, he has his methods.
James Er Excuse me.
Can I have a word about the raffle? Yes, of course.
Would you excuse us? Business.
You're avoiding me.
I'm not, I promise.
What happened in London? Can we talk about this later? What's the prize, then? For the raffle? Oh! Erm It's a famous fox caught in 1932, I believe.
Oh Very nice.
Yes Well, we'd best have some tickets.
Top up, please.
Lovely.
Thank you.
Hello, Marcia.
Been playing hooky? Hardly.
I'm the hostess.
I was opening the windows to let the smoke out.
Great party.
Ooh, what lovely earrings.
They new? Grahame bought them for me last week.
Sweet, isn't he? Yes.
Excuse me.
DOOR CREAKS OPEN AND SHUT There's a queue at both the loos.
I'll ask if there's another one.
No! I'll find it.
FITZROY: For God's sake, Marcia.
I'm doing what I can.
There's no danger.
Why should there be? He can't last much longer.
Come on, dear.
We're the hosts.
Let's get back to the party.
Your mother's in heaven on mornings like this.
What will she do if she gets up there and finds the Lord is anti-hunting? Welcome to the Marshwood, Ron.
Thank you, Master.
I'm looking forward to it.
Good.
Enjoy the party last night? Yes.
Excellent.
Good.
Good.
Walk on.
Oi, oi! How often do that lot go hunting? Two or three times a week.
Don't they have proper jobs? It looks like she's in.
She knows more than she's told us.
PUCCINI: Aria from Madame Butterfly It's Puccini.
Madame Butterfly.
HUNTING HORN Do you consider it good manners to look through people's windows? Sorry.
We're policemen.
We're nosy.
Couldn't help noticing the photo.
That is nothing to do with you.
You're not looking in there without a warrant.
I know my rights.
Oh, I'm sure you do, Linda.
I erm I wanted to ask you about the time just before the death of the tramp.
Did anyone ever visit him? I don't know.
Did he meet up with anyone? I don't know.
Did he sometimes leave the woods, perhaps to visit somebody? I don't know! I don't know.
You shouldn't have mentioned that photograph.
It really clammed her up.
I'm aware of that.
Think that was her lover? Yeah, quite probably.
Amazing, isn't it, him fancying her? I dare say she didn't always look like that.
People change as they get older.
Even you will.
Yeah, I suppose so.
Could even be her in that nude picture.
HUNTING HORN HORSE WHINNIES Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! WHINNIES WHINNIES Ow! WHINNYING I'm so sorry, Betty.
I had You know I had a bad feeling about this place.
But he was so full of it all.
He's not He wasn't really a snob.
He just liked to see himself mixing with those sort of people.
And the hunting He's always wanted to do that.
It was an accident, Betty.
Horse bolted.
It could happen to anyone.
He did have something on his mind.
I don't know what it was, but at the party he'd been outside to relieve himself.
When he got back, I knew something was wrong.
Did he give you a clue? He wouldn't tell me what it was.
I think it was something that suggested he'd been wrong.
Oh, Tom Oh, Tom Poor Betty.
Yes.
She really, really loved him.
God, what a bloody awful day.
Cully still rehearsing, is she? Oh, yes.
It's the opening soon.
Must keep that first night free.
Oh, yes.
Right.
Right.
PHONE RINGS I'll say you're not here.
No, no.
I'll get it.
Hello.
Barnaby.
Right.
Well, thank you very much for calling.
That was the vet.
Ron Pringle's horse was doped.
Ron Pringle was murdered.
According to the vet, it was a tranquilliser dart.
It would make the muscles convulse.
The horse would bolt before it was tranquillised.
But why? Something happened at the party.
When he went outside or on his way back, he must've seen or heard something he shouldn't have done.
MOTORBIKE ENGINE ROARS DAVE: Bye, sweetheart! Any luck? Nobody saw a thing.
I found this in the summerhouse.
What is it? What does it look like? It's the corner of a contraceptive packet.
It was under the chair.
Somebody slipped out for a bit of the other? It's possible.
Kate Tranter and her lover? If he exists.
We found no proof.
Pringle saw them, they saw he saw them and killed him.
It could fit, but how would it tie up with the other murders? Ben Gurdie might have seen them too.
That would make them a very unlucky couple.
They may as well do it on the village green.
It's not as simple as that.
I picked up the report on the photograph.
It was taken on a badly-angled self timer.
That explains cutting off the head.
They've matched the fingerprints.
They're the tramp's.
Did you think it would be? Didn't you? I always believed blackmail was on the agenda, which would mean what, Troy? What? You wouldn't get far blackmailing somebody with this.
There must have been more pictures in the tree and this one got left behind.
The others will have heads on and could involve another person.
So either person in the photographs could be being blackmailed? Or someone connected in some way with the people in the photographs.
There's something there, in the back of my mind.
Now, what the hell is it? Sir, there's a fax for you.
It's from Holland, sir.
Ta.
Oh, good God.
I've just had a communication from the Dutch police.
In January 1971 they arrested a man for dangerous driving and he went to prison for a week.
They kept his fingerprints on record.
Now, those prints match those of the tramp.
That man was your husband, Simon Tranter.
Would you like to sit down? Thank you.
Could he be Simon? Well, we believe so, and so do the Dutch police.
How tall was he? Five feet eleven, I think.
Yes.
He's five ten.
Could it be proved one way or the other? Oh, yeah - quite simply, if your son would agree to a DNA test.
I never met him, of course.
He treated my mother very badly.
I'm aware of that.
But he was my father.
Dear God, to end up like that.
You never met him while he was living in the woods? No.
I saw him once or twice from a distance, but Of course he looked nothing like - The um the last picture that I have of him Mother doesn't like it on show.
Anyway.
It's the one I told you about, the one the private detective took.
I thought of going after him, but my pride stopped me.
No, I have no objection at all to the test.
The sooner, the better.
A handbag? Yes, Lady Bracknell.
It was in a handbag.
A somewhat large, black, leather handbag with handles to it.
An ordinary handbag, in fact.
In what locality did this Mr James or Thomas Cardew - (STIFLED GIGGLING) Shh! - come across this ordinary handbag? Hold it.
Hold it.
(GIGGLES) I must ask you to leave the theatre.
(SOBS) I'm so sorry.
Don't be silly.
It was so kind of the director to let me watch and then I repay him by behaving like that.
And you're so kind to let me sit in here.
I should've gone home.
I couldn't go home like that.
Oh, God, I'm such a boring woman! I never used to be.
The truth is, sometimes I never want to go home again to that awful man and that bloody woman whom he'd much rather be with than me.
And I'm frightened, Cully.
There's been three murders.
Why not four? Did she say she thought James and Marcia were involved in the murders? No.
It's more the impression I got.
What did she actually say? That they'd been behaving oddly recently, that they'd been rowing and that he goes to London more and more often.
What for? A charity committee, he says.
She can't believe the committee meets every couple of days.
Another woman? She overheard Marcia telling him he must go to London again.
Marcia wouldn't tell him to go and see another woman.
She wants him all to herself.
DOORBELL RINGS Hello, late caller.
Come for cocoa (?) Oh, don't be stupid.
Let me in.
You know what I'm here for.
But do you have your share of the bargain? Fifty thousand.
Well, that was easy, wasn't it? Business complete.
We'd better give him space.
We don't want to be seen.
Oh, right.
If Simon was legally dead and couldn't inherit, why would Marcia Tranter kill him or get him killed? If she did.
And where's the blackmail? And where does Fitzroy come into it? That's what I hope to find out.
Well, well.
So what's all that about? He must be visiting somebody.
Good guess, Troy.
Perhaps the woman in the photo.
She'd be about the right age now, sir.
Yeah, well, I suppose it's possible.
Oh, God.
How stupid can I get? What? Get out.
When Fitzroy leaves, go inside, find out what he was doing there.
I've got to see Linda Wagstaff.
Go! How am I going to get back? Well, hitch a lift.
Go on! Mr Fitzroy is such a generous man.
Fred Rodale is an ex-employee of his and Mr Fitzroy pays for all of his expenses and visits him often, too.
Unfortunately, Mr Rodale is seriously fading and wandering in his mind, poor man.
You won't get much out of him.
Mr Rodale? You have a visitor.
Yes! Search the woods.
If you find her, call me at once.
How are the hounds, sir? Er They're fine.
Fine.
Never never, never forget that day.
I thought the hounds were going mad that day.
Mad.
Mad.
Sir, sir, sir Sir, the hounds are going berserk.
I was out exercising them, sir and and they found They found They found something.
FRANTIC YELPING We shot the hounds and I never said.
You've always been so good to me, sir.
I swear I swear I swear I never said.
Never said what, Fred? I swear Who are you? (SQUEALS WITH EXCITEMENT) Hello, darling.
Come on.
Come on.
Mr Tranter's at a business meeting in Causton and won't get back until late.
I'll take Harry out for a while.
Oh, where, Mrs Tranter? I don't know.
Just out.
Taken him where? Well, didn't you ask her? She just said I've been worried.
Where were you? You said you'd be late.
I got fed up.
Where's Harry? Excuse me, what dressing room is Michael in? Michael? Michael Darrow.
There isn't a Michael Darrow in this production.
Don't be silly.
I got his clothes.
MURMURING Evening, Mrs B.
Evening, Gavin.
Let's go in.
Michael! ^ Where the hell is it? I'm on soon.
Is that my suit? Yes.
What on earth are you doing? It's Michael's.
So what's it all about? Whatever it is, the old boy has nightmares about it.
And Fitzroy's scared he might say something he shouldn't.
As he almost did to me.
There is one clue, though.
I've seen the report on those things they found in the wood search.
There were several dog bones.
What, the hounds that were shot? Yeah.
There was also something else.
Fragments of a human collarbone.
Harry's safe.
I'm taking him with me.
Look, Kate, please don't take him.
Please don't go.
I've had enough.
You, this place, your mother - I've had it.
I want a new life.
With Dave Hedges (?) With him? I know about him, Kate.
You don't have to give him up.
You can carry on, just as you are.
Just as long as you stay with me.
You're pathetic.
For God's sake! You don't think he loves you, do you? He thinks you'll get half my money.
I'll get my share of it.
If you run off with him, I'll fight you to hell before you get a penny.
You'll be generous.
Remember, I've got Harry to trade.
I am always smart, am I not, Mr Worthing? You are quite perfect, Miss Fairfax.
I hope I'm not that.
It should leave no room for developments.
And I intend to develop in many directions.
Now, please, out of my way.
I'll kill you before I let you go.
Don't be stupid, Grahame.
No, I will.
I'll kill you.
Charlotte! Charlotte? Would you take my case for me? I'm going away for a couple of days.
Yes, Mrs Tranter.
Goodbye, Grahame.
It's going well, isn't it? Very well.
Cully's very good.
There's some pictures of the last time they did it.
There's the girl who played Cully's part.
She's nowhere near as - What's the matter? 'Michael Darrow.
' PUCCINI: Aria from Madame Butterfly Good God.
That's it.
He's beautiful.
That's when he fell in love with me.
It weren't him out there.
He wasn't beautiful.
He was filthy.
It wasn't him.
Wasn't who, Linda? (It wasn't.
) You must tell me, Linda.
Who wasn't who? Yes, of course.
Right away.
That was Marcia.
There's a problem with Grahame.
I've got to go and help her out.
James I want a divorce.
Don't be stupid, Sarah.
We'll talk when I get back.
I won't be here when you get back.
DOOR SHUTS Marcia gave her the shawl recently.
You mean it's a photo of Marcia? And the tramp was an actor called Michael Darrow.
Who? He met Linda here.
She was the wardrobe mistress.
When the company packed up, they lived in the railway carriage.
Didn't she recognise him when he came back? He told her who he was, but he'd been so handsome, she wouldn't believe he'd turned into that.
But how did he know Marcia? He got himself a part-time job working up with the hunt.
They must have had an affair.
He took the pictures then.
So why did he leave? That photo, supposedly Simon - I'm pretty sure that was Michael Darrow.
Pretending to be Simon Tranter? He looked a lot like him, so he used his passport and got paid.
Yeah, but why? Because I bet Simon Tranter is buried in the woods.
That's what your collarbone's about.
The hounds dug it up.
You're best off without her.
She's taken Harry.
We'll get him back.
The lawyers will see to that.
We're not going to leave Harry with a slut like her! 'A slut like her.
' That's good, coming from you.
What do you mean? I've seen the pictures, Mother.
Those disgusting pictures of you with that man.
PHONE RINGS Barnaby.
Oh, thank you.
To Marshwood.
Grahame Tranter's wife called.
She's walked out with the kid.
She says he threatened to kill her.
Well, lots of people say - And they've had the DNA results.
Grahame is related to the tramp.
So the actor is his father? Then he's lost everything.
I think so - and he knows it.
He's killed three times.
He could kill again.
He said I wasn't entitled to the inheritance.
I wasn't a blood relation, he said.
'He said he'd go to the trustees and tell them.
' 'I know Kate married me for the money.
' 'She'd only stay with me for the money.
' My life's nothing without her and Harry.
I didn't know what to do.
And then, suddenly, I had the chance to kill him.
Aaaaagh! I can see why he'd want to kill the tramp, but why Ben Gurdie? Maybe Gurdie caught him looking for the photos.
He didn't have the photos on him.
I knew they had to be hidden somewhere.
FOOTSTEPS 'I said I was after badgers.
' 'It was so stupid, he couldn't have believed me.
' But I was the boss.
And when I asked to see his gun, he just handed it to me dutifully.
BIRDS CAW And Pringle? The cinema.
My wife went to the cinema with an old girlfriend.
What was it you saw? Oh Erm That sci-fi.
The Silver Planet? Yes.
He was covering for her.
But what's that got to do - The summerhouse.
Suppose it was Kate and her lover in there.
And Ron Pringle saw them? Not just that.
He saw them.
He saw them! He could put up with her being unfaithful to him, but not with Pringle seeing it.
He killed Pringle for her? But now she's left him.
It's all right, darling.
It's all over.
The police think that tramp was Simon.
The tests will prove that you're his son and everything will be as it was before.
As before? Yes, of course, darling.
Now, forget about those silly photographs.
Henry Carstairs found them and I bought them from him.
Everything will be as it was before you brought that girl here.
We'll get Harry back and we'll bring him up together.
You don't understand, do you? I don't care about the money if I haven't got Kate.
I want her and Harry.
I don't want you! Now, steady on, old boy.
She is your mother, you know.
What's he doing here? I asked him to come.
What the hell for? (Have you got the test results yet?) (Have they found out whether the tramp wasn't Simon?) No, the tramp wasn't Simon.
The tramp was my father.
Grahame! What on earth is he talking about? The tramp was my father - a man called Michael Darrow.
There's pornographic photos of them together.
But you told me You swore to me.
Oh, dear Lord.
Did she tell you you were my father? What a disgusting lot you are! Shut up.
Of course I'm your father! Simon Tranter was sterile.
He knew he was sterile.
And when your mother was pregnant That's why we had to Why you had to kill him.
Sorry, I think I'm going to be sick.
What did you tell him for? Why did you lie to me? You made me kill a man.
You made me kill him for no reason at all.
Grahame! Don't.
You ruined it for me, Mother.
I had two loves.
Because of you, they're both gone.
She'll bring him back to you.
The police will find out who I am.
She'll bring him back to you anyway.
Not with you here, Mother.
Mr Fitzroy! Mr Fitzroy.
I'd like to question you about the disappearance - GUNSHOT Oh God! DOOR SLAMS, RUNNING FOOTSTEPS Get a doctor.
She made me kill Simon.
She She made me kill him.
ENGINE STARTS UP Get away, you! She's coming with me.
Oh, my God.
Don't be stupid, Mr Tranter.
(IRATE) Stupid? If she's not staying with me, then neither of them are going with you.
Go away, Dave.
I won't hurt you.
Who are you going to hurt, then? Us? It's Daddy, Harry.
It's Daddy.
PUT HIM DOWN! No.
All right then.
All right then.
Grahame, please! (GROANS) No, Grahame, please! Are you all right? Yes.
DISTANT SCREAMING You sure you're going to be OK on your own? I'm looking forward to it.
I'll be so on my own, they'll all wonder, 'Who's that mysterious lady in Cabin 82?' Well, you take care.
Yes.
(SIGHS) You've been so kind.
What would Marcia say about something as vulgar as a cruise? Oh, thank you.
Take care.
Goodbye.
Thank you so much.
I've got some spare time.
Let's take your mother out to lunch.
How about that new French place? I'll settle for steak and chips at the Fox and Hounds.