Hamish Macbeth (1995) s03e02 Episode Script

Ah, terrific rates.
But the question is
do they take wee dogs?
Do you think?
I just presumed he'd like chocolate.
It never occurred to me to ask him first.
Do you talk to your dog a lot, Mr?
Macbeth, Hamish.
No, I don't really talk to him at all.
Rhetorical question, Miss?
- Mrs?
- Laura will do. Laura McDuff.
What was your question again?
St Columba's Guest House.
I wondered whether they took dogs.
They'll take your dog. I hope he's not
fussy about the company he keeps.
(Horn hoots)
- I'll need to go.
- OK.
Find yourself another place to stay,
Mr Macbeth.
Rhona.
Terrific rates, Jock. Come on.
- Mr McDuff!
- Yes.
Is she ready yet, Mr McDuff?
Is she ready?
If she was ready, I wouldn't be
stood over her like a half-shut knife.
Mr McDuff, there is a man and his dog
sitting at the harbour, as we speak,
and this man, Mr McDuff,
has phoned about lodgings.
I won't have her ready for hours yet.
Damn it, McDuff. I told this man that
I would send the house car for him.
I am applying good Protestant
rational thought
to a mechanical problem, Mr McPhail,
and, eventually, by the application
of good Protestant rational thought
I will solve this problem.
Now if you think it will speed things up
by dousing the vehicle's entrails with
your "holy" water, by all means go on.
This is no time for disputation,
Mr McDuff.
If we don't get to that man soon,
they'll turn him against us.
I agree, Mr McPhail.
Listen very carefully.
Tell this man
to go and find the Busy B
and when he finds her, to go aboard
and speak to my sister Barbara.
- Your sister. I never thought.
- Of course not. You're a Catholic.
- Mrs Scott?
- Yes?
I'm trying to get to St Columba's.
The chap on the phone
said you could run me up.
If you'll give me a minute to clean up,
we'll be on our way.
- You OK?
- Too much pulling and hauling.
- What's wrong with her?
- Och, everything. Thanks, John.
She's going for scrap, I'm afraid.
Just trying to save what I can.
- That's a shame.
- Yes, it is.
Still, I'm off to the mainland tomorrow
to look for a replacement.
- I can hang on if you want to finish.
- No. I've all I'm going to get.
(Horn beeps)
My husband. He's a Special
Constable on Largan Largan.
Do you know anything about
the Jewish religion, Mr Macbeth?
Not a lot, no.
Their clergy are called rabbis
and their churches synagogues.
Their holy book is the Torah
and Jewish men assume full religious
responsibility at the age of 13 -
their Bar Mitzvah.
Try and remember all that.
It's up to scratch then, Mr Macbeth?
- Yeah, it's perfect.
- Excellent.
Now, dinner's not till seven,
but I can get our housekeeper Claire
to do you a sandwich now if you want.
No, I'll be OK till seven.
I'll get a bit of walking in.
As you wish, Mr Macbeth.
Is that Mr McDuff, you said?
Any relation to a Laura McDuff?
He has a daughter by that name,
but Laura's been gone
for over ten years.
I met this one at the harbour. She was
picked up by a lady in a camper van.
I think I'll shove off now.
Let you get yourself settled in.
- How long are you away for?
- A few days.
There are three or four boats
I want to look at.
Are you sure you're up to it?
You look tired.
Sure I'm up to it. You worry too much.
Oh, and I've told Duncan to bring
the groceries round tomorrow.
- You needn't have troubled him.
- He won't mind.
You'll need the extra
with Mr Macbeth here.
Your sister's right, McDuff.
We have to look after our guest.
Thank you, Barbara, for bringing him.
My pleasure, Angus.
What does he think of it?
He said it was perfect.
And he also said that Laura
got off the ferry along with him.
I know. I saw her.
- Hello again.
- You found a place to stay?
- Yeah. I'm at the church.
- Oh.
And how is everyone at St Columba's?
They seem fine to me.
What are you doing?
Oh, I used to live here.
I'm thinking of rebuilding it
as a holiday home.
- Oh, right.
- Rhona.
- I thought you might be hungry.
- I am, very.
This is my aunt, Rhona Lindsay.
Hi.
- Mr Macbeth.
- That's right.
I'd better be going.
Nice to see you again.
Call round any time.
Tomorrow evening, if you like.
We can eat.
- What, here?
- It's where I'm staying.
I guess I'll be along then. Bye.
Come on, Jock.
You gotten brazen while you were away.
Barbara?
Barbara.
- I'll never manage all this.
- Of course you'll manage it.
And when you've got it down you,
Mr Macbeth,
you tell me if Miss Claire Fleming's
not a Blue Riband cook.
Just eat what you can, Mr Macbeth.
I won't be offended if you leave some.
Enoch's saying Grace, Mr Macbeth.
The Protestant version.
I've never heard it, of course,
but I'm sure it sounds just awful.
I've finished.
- Our turn, Mr Macbeth. Let's yell it out.
- Sorry?
I spotted you for one of the faithful
the first time I saw you.
It's that look of
What would you call it?
Spiritual certainty.
It gives us all away.
Well, actually, I'm
I'm Jewish.
You can't be.
Begging your pardon, Claire.
- Jewish?
- I hope you don't mind.
(Claire) It's not a problem, Mr Macbeth.
Most of our boarders
turn out to be Jewish.
So what's your first name,
Mr Macbeth?
Is it Moshe or something?
No, no. It's Hamish.
- Hamish.
- I know. It sounds odd.
I remember once -
it was shortly after my Bar Mitzvah -
I was down in the synagogue leafing
through the Torah, as you do,
and um
Well, I came across this reference
to an ancient Jewish hero
called Hamish.
And when I spoke to my rabbi about it,
he told me that this Hamish
had been
you know, some great Hebrew soldier.
Good God.
We live and learn.
You don't mind if Claire and I?
Certainly. Go ahead.
Bless us, Lord, and these thy gifts
which we receive from thy bounty.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Oh, and bless His Holiness the Pope.
Damn it, McPhail.
Beg your pardon, Claire.
I will not have that infernal prince
mentioned. We agreed.
For the love of God, McDuff.
It just slipped out.
That was a low blow, Father.
That's a fine smelling cigarette,
Hamish.
Aye, it's herbal.
I try to stay off the old tobacco.
Puts me in mind of the old incense.
We priests waft it around the church
during certain services.
Wonderfully pungent.
It dulls the senses, you mean.
So that you and the rest of your craft
can continue hoodwinking
your poor congregation.
You don't half talk some tosh, McDuff.
We of the more ancient faiths
appreciate the importance
of ritual and ceremony.
- Isn't that right, Hamish?
- Well
Have you ever been
to a Protestant service?
- Well, I
- Dreadful affairs.
I was at one once.
Many moons ago, admittedly,
but I don't suppose it's changed much.
It was a requiem.
Oh, talk about dour.
We are talking about drabness
raised to the level of an art form.
And then this desiccated old stick
of a minister got up
and droned on and on
about hell and tortured souls
writhing in agony.
I was ready to open a vein
right there and then.
I will not sit here and listen
to your malignant chatter, McPhail.
We do not need priests
or ceremonies or damned incense -
begging your pardon, Claire.
We do not need bishops or cardinals
or P-O-P-E-Ss
We are a faith based on reason.
Reason, my arse!
Begging your pardon, Claire.
Religion is irrational, per se.
If you believe in it, you might as well
have a bit of magic in the proceedings.
Magic. That's exactly my point.
Abraca-bloody-dabra. Begging
your pardon. Claire. Charlatans.
- Deceiving people like Claire
- Deceiving?
Don't you call me a deceiver
or, by God, I'II
(Glass smashes)
Youngsters. What will
they be up to next, I wonder?
Youngsters?
The man's not a fool, McPhail.
No.
Why don't I get my coat
and Hamish can see me home?
And we can talk on the way.
- Hamish?
- Yeah, sure.
20 years ago,
Enoch McDuff's wife, Fiona
She was found dead
at the foot of these cliffs.
And as far as the people
on this island are concerned,
Enoch killed her.
So what happened is a regular thing?
No.
No, we've had nothing like that
for a long time.
Not since Laura left.
I'm so sorry, Angus.
It's a pane of glass.
How did he end up
living in the church?
His house burned down.
Rhona Lindsay - that's
his wife's sister - she took Laura in,
but there was nowhere
for Enoch to go.
So I asked Father McPhail to help
and he did.
But ever since Enoch moved in,
the local people stopped coming
to the church.
They go to St Martin's
on the other side of the island.
- No congregation, no money.
- That's right.
In order to maintain the church,
we need money from boarders.
We need the money
you're giving us, Hamish.
Well, I'm not leaving. I like the place.
I like the rates
and I especially like the cooking.
- D'you hear me?
- (Jock barks)
Sorry, but I think
there's someone in there.
- Everything OK?
- It seems to be.
Must have been my imagination.
I'll take a scout around outside
before I go.
(Church bell rings)
No, Father
(Church service on Walkman)
For you are the one who changes not
and whose constancy
and faithfulness never ends.
Praise be to you for revealing
(Bell continues)
Jock.
(Bell stops)
Thank you.
In the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Good morning.
Morning.
(Hymns on radio)
(Barking)
(Indistinct voices)
Lochdubh.
Can't say I've ever heard of the place.
Tell me, were you in the job
when McDuff's wife died?
- I was, mm.
- So what happened?
No one knows for certain -
in the legal sense, I mean.
So why does everyone
suspect McDuff then?
He had a pocket watch, solid gold.
It had been in the family for years.
The day before she died,
from her sister Rhona.
She told her she was going to sell
the watch and pay her back then.
Well, she was on her way to sell
the watch on the day she died.
She told her sister that.
but not the watch.
Who else would take the watch
That's what the inquiry team asked,
along with the rest of the island.
Do you think he did it?
I'm Enoch McDuff's brother-in-law,
Mr Macbeth.
Some people think that debars me
from having an opinion.
At least, an honest one.
I'm only asking for an honest opinion.
Hello, Enoch.
Duncan.
You're looking a bit the worse for wear.
I overslept and then I remembered
I had to bring the groceries.
- Barbara's gone, has she?
- She has, yes.
And so should I if I'm to make
11 o'clock service.
- It was nice meeting you.
- You too.
Oh, and in answer to your question
I'm inclined to think no.
11 o'clock service.
Never heard of that.
- Well, I'm for a refill. Fancy one?
- Yes, thank you, Hamish.
I was heartened to hear you're staying
on. You're a credit to your faith.
You must sit down and tell me
all about Judaism before you leave.
That's a definite.
Enoch?
I've finished.
Is it my eyesight or is that a crack
in the roof up there?
I can't see anything.
Then it must be my eyesight.
- Where's Hamish?
- He's um eating out.
That's very impressive.
It'd be nice to see it when it's finished.
Don't hold your breath.
I've changed my mind.
I don't see the point anymore.
You seem to know what you're doing.
I would do. I'm an architect.
You're joking?
You mean
like university qualifications, etc?
Of course.
And you can still lob a brick through
a church window to frighten people?
What is the world coming to?
I didn't mean to break the window.
I was aiming for the door.
As for the people, the object
of the exercise was to frighten them.
We are talking about a murderer
and two people who choose
to ignore that fact.
But it's not a fact, is it?
- If it was a fact, then the law
- The law?! On this island?
- My father's drunken brother-in-law.
- There were other policemen.
Listening to Duncan Scott. Do you
suppose he was honest with them?
My father married a woman
15 years his junior.
She was beautiful.
And he came to hate her for that.
She even had to dress to suit him.
The plainer, the better.
Somebody would have told the police.
My aunt told them and told anyone
that would have the inquiry reinstated.
But she's not Duncan Scott.
She's not a policeman.
For instance
Do you know who found my mother?
- No.
- Claire Fleming.
The woman who subsequently
found my father a home.
The women who's looking after him.
- You think she was involved?
- Why not?
Because you're just after telling me
your father was a jealous man.
Jealous men don't normally bump off
their wives to be with other women.
You know he actually expected me
to go on living here with him.
I begged him to let me live
with my Aunt Rhona, but he wouldn't.
This was my home, he said.
So one day I
I came in
and I took out a box of matches.
And I never had a home after that.
He took my mother.
And he took my childhood.
You could say this
puts the church window and all
my other tricks into perspective.
Aye.
I must sound like a mad axe woman.
A bit.
Have I frightened you
with talk of arson?
No, no, no.
Do you have someone?
In Lochdubh?
It's a bit unrequited at the moment.
But I live in hope.
- That was the place?
- That's the place.
Was it an accident?
I mean, could she have slipped?
It's possible.
But not suicide?
I mean, you don't
borrow money and plan
to sell a watch if you're going to
- That kind of end.
- I suppose not.
Laura's got you wondering, has she?
It's more professional curiosity, really.
Constable?
That hardly puts you
in the Charlie Chan bracket, Hamish.
I've had my moments.
What was Claire doing here
when she discovered the body?
She'd come to gather shellfish.
Do you think he did it?
I hope not.
Why did you take him in then?
I'm supposed to be a Christian.
Hate the sin but not the sinner.
And he had nowhere to go.
He's got his sister.
They seem to get on.
More than get on.
Enoch all but raised Barbara.
At the time these things happened,
Barbara Scott was not
in the best of health.
- How do you mean?
- Mental health.
She couldn't carry children full-term
and the strain of constantly trying
caused breakdowns.
Laura seemed to think
that Duncan may have influenced
the inquiry team in Enoch's favour.
Oh, there's a bitter young woman.
While that's understandable,
it undermines any theory she has.
So you don't think Enoch murdered
his wife to be with Claire?
You honestly think that a fine example
of Catholic womanhood
would take up with an old Protestant
bigot like Enoch McDuff?
- Maybe that's the bigot in you.
- Me, a bigot? Never.
I hold firm views, that's all.
Firm views based on the fact
that we Catholics were here first
and are therefore the true faith.
We Jews were here
before you Catholics.
I know that. I can answer your point.
But it would require a longwinded
theological riposte
that would bore you rigid.
I would like to get back.
Are you coming?
No. I'm off to speak to Rhona Lindsay.
Care to come along?
I doubt that I'd be welcome there.
OK.
That's her. That's my sister.
Did she never tell you
No.
We've tea in the pot, Father.
Where's Hamish? I thought
he might like to come with me.
Constable Macbeth
has gone to visit Rhona Lindsay.
- Constable?
- That's right.
And he's very interested
in past events.
- The body was found at the bay.
- That's right.
When did she die?
The estimate was
between 10 and 12 that morning.
How long did it take the emergency
services to come from the mainland?
I don't know. Why?
I was just wondering
about life on an island.
How long it would take the police
to respond to such a situation.
I really appreciate
you showing me this.
(Gunshot)
(Gunshot)
Jock!
(Gunshot)
(Gunshot)
(Gunshot)
(Car engine starts)
Oh, Hamish. I didn't hear you.
The door was open.
Since you're here, I
I've been making up a wee
shopping list for the next few days.
Is there anything in particular
you'd like me to get for you?
None I can think of.
Maybe some shellfish,
if there's a good fishmonger's.
Fishmonger's? We gather
our own shellfish here, Hamish.
If the tide is right tomorrow
I'll try and get you some mussels.
- The tide?
- Low tide.
It's the best time.
As I said, I like to get mine
from a fishmonger's.
Is Mr McDuff around?
(Vacuum cleaner hums)
Have you cleaned this?
I give them all a good dusting.
There's still muck on his sandals.
I told you - I've dusted
every graven image in this place.
Graven image? This is St Patrick.
I will not have muck
on the foot of the man
who drove the serpents out of Ireland.
That is just plain rubbish.
- It's what happened.
- Is that so?
Then you won't mind telling me
how it was done - this vanishing?
There's no mystery. The good
St Patrick simply got up on a rock,
pointed out to the sea
and said, "Out, snakes!"
And away they went.
- Out, snakes! Out, snakes!
- Or words to that effect.
I'm paraphrasing - not having
actually been there at the time.
They're deaf, you imbecile.
They have no ears.
How could they hear your man saying,
"Out, snakes" when they've no ears?
Excuse me.
I was wondering
if I could maybe borrow the car.
I promised Claire
I'd get some shopping.
Of course you can borrow the car.
Give Hamish the keys, Mr McDuff.
There's not much.
Just my report and some photographs.
- More whisky?
- No, no. I'm driving.
You're on holiday, man.
And, besides,
who's going to arrest you?
Certainly not me.
There's a mark on this one.
Do you see that?
Probably hotshots on the mainland
playing noughts and crosses.
Why are you bothering
with all this stuff, Mr Macbeth?
I'm just concerned
I could be living with a murderer.
It makes you kind of intrigued.
Know what I mean?
I dare say.
You said you didn't think he did it.
- Why?
- Because he's my brother-in-law.
Besides, I don't believe he could do it.
Your wife never had any doubts?
Her brother a killer?
Not in a million years.
- They've always been very close, eh?
- Oh, yes.
Very close.
When she was sick they gave
her drugs and electric shocks.
But for my money it wasn't that
that brought her back, it was him.
Sitting there, holding her hand
and praying over her for hours.
And hours.
- Do you like whelks, Hamish?
- No.
Yeah I'm having shellfish tomorrow.
When's she due back, Duncan?
Your wife.
You've noticed I'm not coping, Hamish.
You miss your wife.
Nothing wrong with that.
No.
And I do miss her, Hamish. I never
thought I would.
Not this much.
But I do.
You sure about the drink?
Yeah. I have to get back.
I've got some shopping in the car.
You sit It's OK.
Thanks, Duncan.
Look at the uniformed man.
He's pegging the screen down,
so they'd not been there long.
If you say so.
According to Duncan Scott's report,
this photo was taken around 5pm.
Look at the tide. It's right in.
That means low tide would have
been 11 o'clock in the morning.
That's the same time
your mother died.
So?
Claire said she discovered
the body at three
when she was on her way
to collect shellfish.
- But the tide was halfway in at three.
- Exactly.
She told me she always
collects shellfish at low tide.
So she was either lying
about her reason for being there,
or she was lying about the time.
You believe me?
That she was in on it with my father?
Maybe.
He's definitely got something to hide.
- He took a shot at me yesterday.
- What?
Missed by a mile.
Trying to scare me off the island,
I think,
cos he knows I'm a policeman.
- You're a policeman.
- Afraid so.
I think you may be right about Duncan
Scott being less than impartial.
He showed me a photograph
that was marked right on the tide-line.
He may have worked
all this out years ago.
Suppose you're right about Claire.
You father gets back his watch
and decides it's dangerous to have.
So what does he do?
This feels a bit tacky.
This from the woman
who torched her own house.
- Is that it?
- Yeah.
I was right.
All along, I was right.
This is from your mother
to your father. She's um
She's leaving him. She's taking
the watch to help pay for a fresh start.
It's telling him who she's leaving with.
This is a statement by Claire Fleming
saying she was a witness
to the murder.
We should see Duncan.
Hello, Claire.
Let me carry that for you.
Mr Macbeth told me you might
be coming along for shellfish.
Have you seen Claire?
She's on the shore.
Seems her policeman friend
has a taste for shellfish.
I'll give her a hand I think.
(Barking)
- What's he doing?
- He wants to tell me something.
Duncan Scott.
It was him who was
in Claire's house that night.
"We have to go", she said.
"We have to go or I'll tell Barbara
what you've been up to."
She was going to do it.
Then when I tried stopping her
Duncan, you shouldn't
be telling me all this.
Enoch told me I'd been seen.
Not who'd seen me -
just that I'd been seen.
I knew it was you.
I've known a long time.
- A long time?
- Oh, yes.
Now step off.
- Duncan
- Please step off.
- Duncan!
- Duncan!
You leave Claire be!
I gave you my word, Duncan.
I promised my silence
for Barbara's sake.
Barbara's dead, Enoch.
She just went and died on me.
She went out to the freezer
and died on me.
- That's why she has to go over
- No!
Duncan, killing Claire won't help.
She left statements and my statement
goes straight to McPhail.
What are you going to do?
What I always said I would do
if anything happened to Barbara.
I have to clear my name.
It will put me in jail.
I'm sorry, Duncan.
Very sorry.
Enoch!
I'm not a bad man.
I was only protecting Barbara.
Oh, Enoch, please
- Is Duncan Scott here?
- He's back there.
Show time, McDuff.
How do I look?
You know what I think
about all this stuff, Angus.
Oh, well
Things will work out, Enoch.
I feel it in my water.
- Do you think so?
- I think so.
- I'll tell you something else I think.
- What?
I think Hamish has been telling fibs
about being Jewish.
I told you what he was
the minute he got here
and I know I was right.
He simply didn't want you
to feel out of place
in the company of three true believers.
True believers?
What are you inferring, Mr McPhail?
To believe in the true faith
is to be a true believer, Mr McDuff.
True faith? True faith?!
Who says it's the true faith?
These good people here for a start,
Mr McDuff.
- I'll be waiting for you in the off room.
- I hope so.
I knew that Barbara
would have to be protected
from the knowledge
that Duncan was a murderer.
I'd already lost one person I loved.
I couldn't bear to lose someone else.
And Claire could see
it was the right thing to do.
What about me?
I was your daughter.
Didn't that matter?
- You made me believe
- No.
I hoped you would believe
in my innocence.
When you didn't, I prayed to God
for time to make things up to you.
Now He's given us that time.
The rest is up to you and me.
Please, Laura.
Stay and build a house.
Come on, Jock.
Is that a sad sound, or what, eh?
It sure is.
- Are you Catholic yourself?
- No, Jewish actually.