Marple (2004) s03e02 Episode Script
Ordeal by Innocence
Edited & correction:lfellix [freelance.]
-credit goes to the original subber- Gwenda? Have you .
.
retyped the chapter on Medici? Yes, Mr Argyle.
It's in the tray.
Ah.
Good.
Good.
Then tomorrow we can move on.
On to the modern era.
Yes, Mr Argyle.
Ercould you .
.
turn that off, please, Gwenda? Mother why do we have to go through this charade, where I have to confess my sins to you like you're some sort of female Pope? Give me the money and I'll go! What's it for, Jacko? It doesn't matter what it's for! Is it for business, drugs? Is that Jacko again? - That's Jacko.
- It is not illegal! Just tell me what it's for, Jacko.
Mother.
Mother do you think I could come here and humiliate myself again If it wasn't important, if I look, If I had anywhere else to go? Don't you think I have any shame, Mother? No, I don't, Jacko.
I think you're shameless.
You've always treated me like a bank that will dig you out of every hole you've got into.
- Philip.
- Thank you, darling.
You can spare the money.
That is not the point.
The point is, Jacko Next time I see you I wonder how much he needs this time.
This is different.
Whatever your brother wants, she will give it to him.
How much? Two-and-a-half thousand pounds.
Don't do that! And if I don't give him the first 500 tomorrow, he's going to kill me.
Some of the thugs that work for him will pour a bottle of whisky down my throat, prop me behind the wheel of a car and roll me into a bloody crossing.
The next time you see me, I'll be dead! Is that what you want? I know you keep that sort of money in the house.
I'd like to meet this bookmaker friend of yours, please.
That's not how it's gonna work.
I am telling you how it's going to work, boy! I want this bookmaker to come here, to Sunny Point tomorrow.
And if what you say is true, he and I will discuss a way of repaying your debt.
Don't mess with this man, Mother.
You don't know -- What are you doing, Kirsten? I am standing here listening to the argument.
Mother, this man is not going to come here like a bloody kid at school to discuss over some playground spat! He's going to come up here with a gun! ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE This is not a game, woman.
Give me the money, I have nowhere else to go.
Will this ever end, Jacko? all the advantages you had, All the money and I have poured into you.
What have you become? A little man.
You're a bitch! - Give it to me! - No.
- No more! - Give it to me, I need it! I think you should leave now, Jacko.
Give me the money now, or I will kill you! Good God! Jacko! Get off! I swear to God I swear to God, she is dead! Get out, Jacko! Go on! Jacko! Jacko, wait! I'm a dead man, Hes.
Calm down.
Let's go for a walk, baby.
Has he gone? He's gone.
Will you tell your person to leave, please? Sorry? I'll take the post.
Hum, nine o'clock tomorrow, Gwenda.
Yes, sir.
I didn't give him the money this time, Leo.
No.
Jacko's a bad lot.
He always has been.
Have I done the right thing? Rachel, you've always done exactly what you wanted with these children.
I think it's a bit late to start asking for my advice.
That's all right, Leo.
Once again, I will try to do the right thing by your children and I will subsidise you as you write sub-standard books, which no-one ever wants to publish, and I will make the difficult decisions for our family.
You're the biggest parasite of the lot, Leo.
- Mother.
- Not now, Bobby.
We need to confirm what we're doing about the City trusts.
Sort it out yourself, Bobby.
Sometimes I feel I should never have bothered with you and your brother.
Ah, Kirsten.
Have you, er seen Mary? Your wife will be down at the lodge, Mr Durrant.
Right.
Maybe you should go to her.
I think I'll just have a little drink first.
Oh, God! Is she dead? Is she dead? Go and fetch Leo.
- Hello.
- What number, sir? I need the police.
"Murder at Sunny Point "Son arrested" I don't know what you're smiling for, Mr Argyle.
I have seven witnesses who heard you threaten to kill your mother not long before she died.
So what? I didn't do it.
These same family members also testify that you attacked her because she wouldn't pay off your gambling debts.
Look, everyone between here and Bristol knows the old girl kept a stash in her desk.
Now, I'm not a detective, Inspector Huish, I wouldn't dare presume.
But the whole thing looks like a burglary to me.
Mum was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Which the coroner says was about eight o'clock.
Was it? Where were you at eight o'clock, Jacko? Hitch-hiking.
Between Redquay and Drymouth.
Who was driving the car? I don't know.
He was about 35, dark hair, drove a dark blue Morris Minor.
Talked a lot about eels.
Very boring.
What can I say? He dropped me outside the pub at 8.
15.
You're a cocky little swine, aren't you? From time to time.
Is this yours? Yep.
The Southern Bank in Drymouth issued these two five-pound notes to your mother yesterday morning.
Their serial numbers are from the batch of 100 pounds that your mother collects each month to top up float she has on these days.
Yes, she gave it to me after we'd argued.
Your family are sure she didn't give you any money, Jacko.
Well, she did.
So that's that.
Isn't it? What you've got to do now, mate, is your job.
You've got to find the guy who gave me the lift.
Your alibi's a lie.
I did not murder my mother! You've lived a life of lies, haven't you, Jacko? SUNNY POINT MURDER: A LIFE OF LIES JACK ARGYLE TO HANG TWO YEARS LATER "Dear Miss Marple, It's a while since I wrote.
But as you know, I regard time I spent in service with you as the time from which my life began.
You gave me the confidence to train for a profession and seek my place in the world.
I hope I don't embarrass you, Miss Marple, when I write that you are the closest to family I have.
Fate has dealt me a curious hand since I left you.
But I am at last to be married, having found happiness in life which I always thought would elude me.
I would love it if it were possible for you to share my day of happiness with me.
" "Dearest Gwenda, of course I remember you, and would love to come to wedding.
As I grow older, nothing brings me more pleasure than to see young people I am fond of find happiness.
Of all the girls who have come to me from the orphanage, It was you who underwent the greatest transformation.
And I have often wondered what opportunities you have made with your life.
As the wedding is on Saturday, could I possibly travel down to Devon early on Thursday morning to give me time to recover from the train?" She can come.
Oh, Leo! Leo! She can come! Ah, how wonderful! That's marvellous.
When's she coming down? Ermyes, next we have we have the arctic fox.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC That's Alopex lagopus.
SOCIETY, LONDON There she is.
Cuddly little lass, unless you actually try to cuddle her when she might basically, sort of, bite your hand off.
So I suppose she's not she's not cuddly at all, really.
No, the thing that's interesting, actually, really interesting about Alopex lagopus, is its comparison to the more common European fox.
So let's have a look at her.
There we Ah, no.
Sorry, that's er I do apologise.
That's actually Miss Frobisher.
She's a colleague of mine on the Hayes .
.
Hayes what-d'you-ma-call-it.
There we go.
There we go.
Vulpes vulpes.
Now as we can see, these two foxes have adapted to live in different climates.
And the former one, here, is erbelieve me, very furry.
And has a good supply of body fat.
What helps her to survive in her very frigid environment is her short muzzle and very thick ears.
I'm so sorry.
I do apologise.
That's.
.
yes.
Marjorie, I do hope you're not with us tonight.
Sorry.
Fascinating talk, Dr Calgary.
I do hope so.
Thank you.
It was indeed, Doctor.
Most illuminating.
Very kind.
Thank you.
EXECUTED - Miss Marple.
- Gwenda! Oh, how lovely to see you again! Yes.
Yes.
Well, first of all, I must apologise for the weather.
And I also must apologisethank you for the umthe final mode of transport needed to get you over to Sunny Point.
But, you see, the house is on a little island.
The only way of getting across is on one of the little boats which are all named after Leo's children, the boats.
Oh, yes.
Slow down, slow down.
Let me have a look at you.
You look wonderful.
It's been too long.
I'm so glad that you could come, Miss Marple.
I can't tell you.
You see, Leo has five grown-up children.
Five! And you know how intimidating large families can be, especially when they're all holed up together.
But at least I'm going to get person on my side this weekend.
Oh! It's a bit muddy, isn't it? Yes, very.
Mind your step.
Gwenda, is this the same Sunny Point that had a tragedy a couple of years ago? Yes.
Yes, that's right.
Rachel's death was a terrible thing But erit's behind us now.
Anyway, mind your step, Miss Marple, on this duckboard, which is very slippy.
DANGER, DEEP WATER I do hope you're going to be comfortable, Miss Marple.
That's it.
Have you got it? - Mind the corner.
- You mind the corner.
Hold on.
Tina? Tina! Yes, sir.
Yes, Bobby, sir.
Who put these flowers here? You did, Sergeant Major, sah! - Did I? - You did, Bob.
No, I want the roses in here and I want these ones in the dining room.
Can't the new maid do it? Get Micky to ask.
He's always looking for a chance to talk to her.
Hey! Umno.
Hester, no.
No, we're using the old dinner service tonight.
We're saving the best for the wedding day itself.
Run away.
Yeah.
OK.
How much has all this cost, Bob? It's great you've arranged it all.
Well, Dad deserves it done right.
- Hello, everybody.
- Hey.
You must be the much-spoken-about Miss Marple.
Am I? Oh, dear.
These are Leo's sons - Bobby - Hello.
- Hello, Bobby.
- Nice to see you.
- And Micky.
- Pleased to meet you.
- Mickey.
And how are you, Mother? Oh, don't! May I take your bag, Miss Marple? Thank you.
These are our two youngest sisters.
- Hester and Tina.
- Hello.
- Hello, Hester.
- Hello.
Tina.
Let's see if Miss Marple can spot the family resemblance.
You see, Leo and Rachel's children are adopted.
I see.
The forecast says it's going to rain all weekend, Gwenda.
You do realise, don't you? This is Philip.
He's married to our sister Mary.
But we ignore him.
He's grumpy.
I'm the grump's wife Mary.
- So many people.
- Oh, and here Here is Leo.
Welcome to Sunny Point, Miss Marple.
Thank you.
- House! House? - A steeple? - A hat? - Roof? - A top? - Picking up? .
.
putting down? - A reindeer? - Pooh sticks? Eeyore! Eeyore! The House At Pooh Corner.
Yes! Philip has smiled! This is a truly momentous day! Here we go round the Mulberry Bush? Spinning? Carousel? Do the whole thing, Gwenda.
You're making a hole in carpet.
The maid's just left the room, Micky.
Can we concentrate on Gwenda? - A bird? - What's she doing? - A spectre? - Ghost story? - The Turn Of The Screw! - Yes! Who's that? Let the poor man in.
I thought it was a ghost.
How on earth did he make it here on a night like this? Poor man! Who are you? I'm so sorry, I'm I'm very wet.
Very sorry.
Is Mr Argyle, Mr Leo Argylein the house? Yes.
My name is Arthur Calgary.
And I'm here to tell you - Here.
- Oh, thank you.
Thank you very much, you're a you're a very kind and thoughtful lady.
ErmYes.
I'm here to tell you .
.
that there is no possible way that your son Jacko committed that murder, sir.
He's innocent.
And I can prove it.
Yes, I'm I'm a scientist.
At Cambridge University.
But for the last two years, I've been in the Arctic.
Have you been on the Hayes Bentley Expedition? Back a month.
Yes.
But we left, you see, on .
.
onon 17th October, two years ago.
But the day before, the 16th, I was here.
I was here in Redquay, saying goodbye to Nanny, who's retired to a home in the area.
Actually, Nanny's sister's been very ill recently with psoriasis.
We don't need to hear about Nanny's sister.
No, no.
So you were in the area the night my wife was murdered? Which was at about eight o'clock in the evening.
Yes.
At that time, I was driving between Redquay and Drymouth.
- In a dark blue Morris Minor? - That's right.
That's right.
And between ten-to and quarter-past, I gave a ride to a hitchhiker.
Most eels, well, most Anguilliformes, prefer to dwell in shallow waters.
Or hide at the bottom layer of the ocean in tiny holes.
Have you got the time? My God.
You're the alibi.
I'm theyes.
Theyeah, what-d'you-ma-call-it.
Who they never found.
And they never found me, because when they started looking, I was halfway round the world looking at lemmings.
Dr Calgary's with you now? I told him to wait till we came in the morning.
Is he who he says he is? I don't think he's a scientist.
He doesn't seem clever.
Checking all his story's dates seem to fit.
It looks like your brother was telling the truth all along about his alibi.
When can you get here, Inspector? The morning.
We won't get over the crossing in this weather.
Look, Mr Argyle, Dr Calgary thinks he is doing a good thing, rushing to tell your family this.
But while he knows an unnatural amount about eels and such, I don't think he knows a lot about people.
How are they all taking the news? I er I thought you'd be pleased to know that Jacko Argyle isn't a murderer.
We are.
So, let's er .
.
jump for joy.
- You are an insensitive man, Dr Calgary.
- Kirsten.
No, what did he think he was doing? When you looked through the window, didn't you see a happy family? I did, I did, and I thought that um .
.
what I had to say would make you happier.
That our brother was executed for a murder he didn't commit? Why couldn't you have just left us all alone? Yes, thank you, Dr Calgary.
- Come on, Hes.
- Daddy.
Come on.
-credit goes to the original subber- Well-- I say Yeah, what's the quote? "Nothing is", um "Nothing is ever" I was useless at literature.
"Nothing is settled" "Nothing is ever settled until it is settled right" - Kipling.
- Yes, quite so.
The police have requested that you leave now.
Oh.
In this weather? They didn't mention the weather.
They just asked you to go.
Right.
It's true, though, isn't it, what Kipling said? Think it's true? Oh, Miss Marple, I think If you don't mind, I do think we ought to leave the family to themselves for a while.
Of course.
Would you care to have supper in my room? I'm sure Miss Marple would prefer her own company.
She's had a long journey.
No, it would be nice to have company.
Thank you.
When did Rachel Argyle realise she couldn't have children? Just after she was married.
She was an heiress.
Her father was rich as a king.
She used that money to buy her family.
And bought Viper's Point, which was original name of estate.
She changed the name to Sunny Point, and filled it like a fairground with everything a child might desire.
And over the years, she bought the children from deprived backgrounds.
Mary's the eldest, isn't she? She was from New York.
Slum tenement, parents in jail.
She's always been a particular girl.
Everything proper and in its place.
And her husband, the pilot.
He's a bag of badness, I tell you.
Rachel never liked him.
And she was right.
Why is he in a wheelchair? Pollo.
18 months ago.
Then after Mary came the twins, Jacko and Bobby.
Bobby was Jacko's twin? Oh, yes.
They came from an orphanage, about the same time I came from Denmark to take up appointment.
Then Hester was a Catholic girl's shame, and Micky and Tina during the war.
Micky from the East End, Tina's mother a if you understand what I mean.
They both live in Redquay.
The children were Rachel's obsession, the well she poured all her money and attention down.
And her love? You know, Miss Marple, Rachel meant well, but her tragedy was that I don't think she was capable of love.
At least, not towards her children.
Shall I say what we're all thinking? Is that a good idea? Why we're not looking each other in the eye.
Just eat your dinner, Tina.
'Cause if Jacko didn't kill the bitch, who did? Don't you dare use language like that against Mother.
I used it behind her back when she was alive, Mary.
I'll use it when she is dead.
Apologise.
It's what everyone's thinking, Daddy.
Tina! I think that um I think that we should maybe talk about all this when the shock has worn off, don't you? Why not? Let's all talk about the weather, shall we, Gwenda? The price of tea? How very English.
I'm sorry, sir, but Tina is right.
If Jacko didn't murder Rachel, then which one of your children did? It was a burglary.
Surely? Like Jacko always said.
I think we should leave any speculation to the police.
- Police? - Yes.
The police.
And it won't just be Jacko's movements that night they'll be investigating.
It will be all of us.
Well, I'm going to say It was a burglary.
Well, they'll accept that.
Last time we just told them it was Jacko and they accepted that straight away.
I don't think we're dealing with Sherlock Holmes here.
I will not have this talk! Yes, sir.
Sorry, Dad.
- Sorry, Daddy.
- Sorry, Daddy.
If you'll excuse us.
Did Mrs Argyle leave any of her fortune to her children? I know what you're thinking.
You old ladies, you look so benign, and yet your brain goes ticktock, ticktock, pouring over the latest murders in the newspapers looking for motives.
Well, one has few pleasures left in life.
Rachel left all her fortune in trust for her children, administered by Bobby.
They are all wealthy, and can dip into the trust with his permission at any time.
But at that time, Rachel had stopped being generous to Jacko.
He had wasted so much on illegal schemes.
We don't know half of what he got up to.
We didn't know he was married.
Jacko was married? Oh, yes.
She turned up out of the blue on the day of Rachel's funeral Yes? Hello.
Yes? I'm Maureen.
Hello, Maureen.
Yeah.
Jacko's wife.
No! Jacko's not married.
My mum said what, with him committing murder and that, I should come up to the big house and you'd see me right.
What is it, Kirsten? - Jacko's got a wife.
- Lies! Now that Jacko's going to be found guilty and all, I thought I'd come for you to see me right, Mr Argyle.
- Lies and wickedness.
- Be quiet, Kirsten.
It's a bit early to say if he's going to be found guilty.
He did have the money, sir.
And she was right, Miss Marple.
He was found with some of the money on him.
The exact same serial numbers.
Jacko was responsible.
I'm certain.
Always a wicked boy.
Her ghost comes back to haunt me.
Once again, Rachel takes away any chance of happiness.
What do you mean? You saw how suspicious everyone was of each other tonight.
Yes, but I mean, if Jacko wasn't guilty, then the police will soon discover who is.
Two years on? They won't find anything they can use.
And when the police reopen the investigation, the whole world will be suspicious of this family.
Excuse me, Bobby.
Have you seen Gwenda? No-one thought Jacko was innocent, you know.
No.
Unlike everyone else, he actually was my flesh and blood.
And even I didn't think that.
It was such a cut-and-dried case.
And he was always such a terrible liar.
And violent, if you went against him.
Do you think um .
.
Dr Calgary is mistaken? The day before my brother was was executed, Hes and I visited him in prison.
It's time to say goodbye, Hes.
No! No, don't say goodbye, Jacko! No, because I know you didn't do it, Jacko! Get off me! Come on, please.
Come on.
Get off me! I've um I've made sure that wife of yours is provided for.
I should have been more like you, shouldn't I, Bob? That's what they told me all my life.
"How could twins be so different?" There's no .
.
no chance of an appeal, is there? It's the money you had that hangs you, Jack.
Maybe this is the best thing I've ever done.
It's gone round and round in my head for two years.
And now I think I know what he meant.
I think he knewwho the real killer was.
And he was protecting them.
He was prepared to die for them.
This is ridiculous.
We should have stayed up at the house.
We're better here.
What, so you can murder me as well? Let's get you out of these wet things.
You have ice in your heart, Mary.
You're capable of murder, I've always known that about you.
Don't be silly.
Especially - the murder of her.
I loved my mother.
When the police arrive tomorrow, you'd better get your story straight, my girl Just remember exactly what you told them the first time.
Actually um .
.
Leo and I are thinking of postponing the wedding, Miss Marple.
I'm sorry, dear.
Two hours ago, I was happy.
I was so happy that you'd arrived, happy to be part of a family, happy to have found him.
And I won't have it taken away from me.
I won't! Is there anything I can do, Gwenda? Yes, leave.
That's what you can do.
I think um I just need to be on my own for a while.
We can talk at breakfast.
I'm sorry.
It's you.
Yes, er Crossing seemed rather difficult in this weather.
The truth is, it's a dangerous crossing.
Indeed.
Indeed, yes.
Tell me, shouldn't shouldn't you be inside and in the warm? Do you want another truth, Dr Scientist? Mother and Jacko dying was the best thing that happened to this family.
They were the ones who brought unhappiness here.
I loved my brother, but without him, we'd become a happy family.
Until you arrived.
We all know it wasn't a burglary, and if Jacko didn't kill her, which one of us must be guilty? Hester? Hes, are you in here? Come on, sweetheart, let's get you inside.
But it's not the guilty that matter, is it, Dr Scientist? It's the innocent.
The innocent who will suffer now.
If you can't get across, you might as well come in, too.
The first thing police will do is try to establish a motive.
Sorry, where am I sleeping? - In the study.
- The motive's easy.
Who gained most from Mother's death? Who now lives in her bedroom? - Gwenda.
- Exactly.
Who's going to share a bed with her husband? Are you heading back to London, Dr Calgary? Well, er I think yes, yes I should, but I think also I should stay and put right this .
.
this upset that I caused by blundering in last night.
That young girl Hester said yesterday that it would be the innocent who would suffer now the case has been reopened.
How perceptive of her.
Yes, that's what I thought, very perceptive.
What on earth did she mean? Eighty years ago, a man called Charles Bravo was poisoned in his London home.
There were three suspects his wife, his doctor and his best friend.
Scotland Yard never found enough evidence to bring any of them to trial, so all of them - the two who were innocent as well as the guilty were branded murderers by society and had their lives ruined.
They all died prematurely .
.
from either suicide or drink.
Goodness.
You're right not to leave, Dr Calgary.
There are innocent lives here which will be ruined if the murderer is not found.
And if the police can't find the evidence, someone else will have to.
I last saw my wife just before seven o'clock on the night.
This is documented.
What did you and she talk about it? The decision not to give Jacko any more money.
We didn't talk for long, but it was cordial.
And I will subsidise you as you write sub-standard books, which nobody wants to publish.
You're the biggest parasite of the lot, Leo.
The next time I saw her, she was dead.
So you were alone in your room for that hour and a half? Yes.
Was the rest of your family in the house at the time? Not Tina and Micky.
They have flats over in Redquay.
Jacko's wife? At that point, we didn't know Jacko was married, Inspector.
This will cheer him up.
The first edition's arrived, Father.
Ah, thank you.
Thank you.
- Well, open it.
- Later, I think.
No, open it now.
Go on.
Mr and Mrs Durrant, may I see you, please? It should have been an ecstatic moment.
It still is, isn't it, Pops? You open it.
What did they ask you in there? Anything about Tina? Look at this.
Well.
Mr and Mrs Durrant, it appears from your statement of two years ago that you were in the drawing room between the time of the argument and the body's been discovery.
Yes, it was our habit to spend the evenings here rather than down at the lodge.
Your wife will be down at the lodge, Mr Durrant.
Maybe you should go to her.
During that time, you didn't see or hear anyone go into Mrs Argyle's study? No.
No.
I knew Jacko never killed her.
I mean, he was a hothead, he was in fights.
Everyone knew that about him, but But ittakes a different kind of character to pick up a weapon and murder someone, doesn't it, Hester? A coldness.
Yes, a coldness.
Were you in the house when your mother died? Yes.
You spoke to Jacko after the argument, didn't you? I calmed him down.
I'm a dead man, Hes.
Let's go for a walk, baby.
Were you here, Tina? I was at work.
In the library in Redquay.
Micky has cold blood in him.
Hester! No, I love him, I do, Tina.
But he has the coldness.
Micky works in the motor trade in Redquay.
At the time of the murder, he was collecting a car from a dealer in Bristol.
He's told the police this.
Yes, but he hated her more than anyone, Miss Marple.
Well, he could hardly speak to her without cursing.
You left Sunny Point before seven o'clock that evening, and you went straight home? Yes.
I I took the post and erm posted it.
And then yes, home.
Miss Vaughan, had your friendship with Mr Argyle begun before his wife's death? No! So your relationship with his wife was good? Yes.
She didn't know you harboured feelings for her husband? ErwellI I didn'tat that time I didn't havefeelings, as you put it.
For Leo.
We've fallen in love since his wife's death.
In many ways, I've helped him through it.
Let the new maid do that, Kirsten.
I've let her go for a couple of days, Mr Argyle.
Best keep all this police business within the family.
Is Gwenda still in with them? Oh, yes, she'll still be in there, lying, I imagine.
Lying? About what? About what friends she and Mrs Argyle were.
About how you and her only fell in love after your wife died Well, it's the truth.
No, it is not, sir.
I've been thinking, Mr Argyle.
I've been thinking about motives.
And Rachel knew that girl was in love with you.
Rachel had confronted her before she died, said she was a cuckoo in the nest.
What's that, Miss Lindstrom? No doubt, she will deny this, Inspector.
She will try and shore up the lies she has told you in there But I heard bad words in this house between her and Rachel Argyle, one week before she was murdered.
Listen to me, you little slut! I see the way you look at him.
We all know about women like you.
You keep him to walk away from me, so you can He doesn't love you.
Leave my husband alone or I will dismiss you from this house! What does a sad little woman like you know about love? I have to tell this, Gwenda.
Can you deny it? You want a motive, Inspector? Then I think this woman heard Jacko shout "I will kill you.
You are dead.
" And she knows that if she kills Rachel that night Jacko will get the blame.
And she will get the man and the house she wants.
Can you deny this, Gwenda Vaughan? The motive, the scheme, the coldness? Leo? Leo! Leo! Thank God you have not yet married her, Mr Argyle.
Thank God she will not get away with it.
Leo! Leo? Leo? Leo? I didn't do it! Leo! You believe me, don't you? It's that hoop over there now, Hes.
That's right! Come on.
Don't you know how to play by now? Be quiet, Mary! Are you admiring my brother's ability to keep things going, Calgary? Yes, I was, rather.
He's always organising.
He's organised the whole of tomorrow's wedding, if it's to take place.
He's paid for the lot.
Yes, he made his money in the in the City, if I'm not mistaken? Yes.
The only one Mother could be proud of.
Money was important to Mother.
She bought me for 100 pounds, Doctor.
Did you know that? I was evacuated here during the war.
And afterwards, she bought me from my natural mother for 100 pounds.
From the day I came here .
.
all I wanted to do was to go home.
Yes.
It's my turn.
- Stop being such a drip, Hes.
- Bobby.
Inspector.
We haven't been introduced, but I'm Jane Marple, an old friend of Gwenda Vaughan's down for the wedding.
I wish to vouch for her character.
Yes, of course, she's kind to cats and children and like her mother, who I presume was your best friend, she'd never have done anything like this.
I have no idea who her mother was.
I'm beginning to understand what Rachel Argyle was like as a mother, and I think she, not Gwenda, is the key to solving this crime, don't you? Can we stay still for a moment? I'm too old to trot.
Now, with most crimes it's the character of the killer which is most fascinating.
But in this case it's the character of the victim which reveals more.
- Don't you agree? - Maybe.
Go on.
This is no crime of passion.
It's one ofimmaturity.
Of arrested development, most common to teenage years.
The Argyles lived under the iron control of their mother even into adulthood.
No wonder Jacko kept his wife a secret.
To get married would be too much like growing up.
Gwenda Vaughan remains my main suspect.
No, your main suspect is still Jacko.
I'm sure that's what you mean, Inspector.
He was in possession of money from that desk.
Have you asked yourself how he got it? Inspector.
Miss Marple.
Is there any chance of a lift to the Swan Hotel? Yes, of course, Doctor.
- Have you asked yourself? - I have.
His twin brother thinks Jacko went to his execution protecting someone.
Now, he hardly knew Gwenda Vaughan.
Why would he die to protect her? I'll let you get on.
- Thank you.
- Goodbye.
- Goodbye, Dr Calgary.
- Goodbye.
Who was that? Gwenda.
Gwenda? Yes, come in, Miss Marple.
- You haven't been down to supper, dear - No.
- So, I - Leo's called off the wedding.
Oh, yes, they're all talking about it downstairs.
Oh, I bet they are.
I bet they're having a sweepstake on when the police will arrest me.
They won't arrest you without any evidence.
No, but they suspect me, don't they? And I haven't got an alibi for that evening, Miss Marple.
Even Leo suspects me.
But the thing is No, you see, I was thinking, that erm Rachel's rooms haven't been touched since she died and I just thought that, you know, maybe Maybe there's something in here that's been overlooked, you know, that might point to the killer.
Like a diary or correspondence? Yes.
But I can't find anything.
Surely something like that's more likely to be found in her study, isn't it? Yes.
Yes.
Will you help me, Miss Marple? The obvious person Jacko would be protecting would be his wife.
What's she like? Maureen? Ermwell, I only saw her once.
Bobby sorted her out financially and after that no-one in family ever heard from her again.
Well, it's about time she heard from us.
Is there a safe? Allow me.
There we are.
That's it.
Where did you learn to do that? My nephew Raymond has one.
He's always losing the key.
Ah, there.
- Who was it? - Bobby.
Yes, of course, him.
He's just catching the early morning train to London.
It's been cleared out.
JOHN CROKER PRIVATE DETECTIVE What would Rachel be doing with a private detective? That's what you must find out tomorrow.
At the Swan Hotel.
There's someone there who will be willing to help you.
Yes, I was in Mrs Argyle's employ.
But I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss circumstances.
Confidentiality is my middle name, you see.
Well, yes, I understand that, Mr Croker, but you see, it's possible you might be able to help us with investig I must stop you there, young lady, and terminate this interview forthwith.
Because discretion is my middle name.
- I thought you said it was confidentiality.
- Good day.
Wait.
Wait, wait.
Listen, Mr Mr erm Erm whatever your middle name is.
If you don't sit down and answer our questions, before the end of today, you'll be having the same questions put to you by the police - The police? - Yes, the police.
I don't like the police.
Well, then, just park yourself there and, yes Thank you.
- The police? - Yes.
Now, most people hire a private detective, Mr Croker, because they're going through a divorce.
Sodid Rachel Argyle ask you to investigate her husband? No.
I was employed to investigate another member of her family.
- Who? - Her son-in-law.
Philip Durrant.
Why? Well, before his unfortunate illness, Mr Durrant was what I call a "leg-over merchant".
Right little man about town.
Rachel Argyle suspected he'd just married her daughter for her money and she was right.
That's why she kept tight rein on her daughter's inheritance Anyway, she wanted evidence from me that would force marriage to end I provided a large file containing the names of women, the dates of his assignations in hotels, photographs you know the form and I delivered it to her a few days before she died.
Hester.
Hes.
When we first married, Philip bought a maisonette in Redquay.
- Was he working? - No, he'd come out of the RAF and was ermbetween ventures.
Never very lucky.
Anyway, Mother took one look at our little place and insisted that we came here to take the lodge.
You erm You didn't want to come? Philip was something that was mine, Miss Marple.
Not hers.
But it turned out he didn't have as much money as he said he had and was eager to come and escape the mortgage.
Couldn't you take money out of your trust? Mother would never have given permission.
And now Bobby has that power and he's also reluctant.
It's been nearly two years since that awful night, Miss Marple, and yet we still haven't been able to move on.
Must have been shocking for you to have discovered your mother's body that way.
Well, it was Kirsten who actually discovered her.
Yes.
And then Philip who phoned the police.
Fortunately, I wasn't there at the time.
It has to be Philip Durrant.
He's the killer.
Rachel had confronted him with theerm - Evidence.
- Evidence.
Thank you.
From Confidentiality Croker.
And then Philip overheard Jacko threaten to kill her.
When the house was quiet, he took his chance to bang her on the head.
We should go back to Sunny Point now and make a citizen's arrest.
Bang the fellow up.
Erm, why are we seeing a film? Miss Marple said we had to find Maureen.
Who's Maureen? - Jacko's wife.
- Right, yes, of course.
Jacko did it, Miss Vaughan No doubt.
He was found with the evidence.
- Themoney from the desk? - That's right.
And he had a nasty side.
He I was pleased to be rid of him, if you know what I mean.
- Mm, yes.
- Mum said he was just a charmer, you know? Women had a thing for him.
Especially older women.
- He could play them like a piano.
- Mm.
How do you mean? Well, he'd flatter them, get them to fall in love with him, and he'd sting for money he needed for some scam or other.
He worked for this car salesman and got into trouble when a lot of money went missing.
The salesman's wife was so besotted with him that she ended up raiding her own savings so that he could give the money back to the husband.
Could he always get money out of his mother? - No.
- Uh.
He had to be desperate to go to her.
But he was desperate that night, Miss Vaughan.
He was very scared.
The bookle was really a gangster and he was gonna kill him.
I think Jacko owed much more money than he was letting on.
He was innocent and no-one believed him.
I believe Gwenda is innocent, too, Leo.
Do you? Now, you You think that because you think you know her character.
Well, I thought I knew Jacko's character and I was wrong.
And it's character I've studied my whole life.
How history is not, erm an inevitable march of time, but is shaped by the actions of particular characters, atparticular times.
How a king or politician's base motive of greed, say, or jealousy, or ambition, though ugly at the time has brought about good things when seen in the context of history.
You take You take the Medici, for example.
A despicable family, capable of great cruelty, yet their reign in Florence produced economic prosperity and art that has never been equalled.
- Good things can come out of bad deeds.
- Exactly.
And that's That's what I thought .
.
had happened when .
.
Jacko killed Rachel.
MR LEO ARGYLE & MISS GWENDA VAUGHAN How was London, Bob? Any decisions on releasing Mary's capital yet? - Not now.
- We were promised a decision 18 months ago! Look! I don't need this every time I come back from London.
It's not your money! I don't care if he's busy.
I want to see Inspector Huish now, please.
I've got vital information concerning the Sunny Point murder and I must tell him before he hangs another innocent man.
Mrs Price, would you come this way, please? Well, yes, but it's Cyril you want to talk to, Inspector.
Cyril? Cyril's come here to make a confession.
Haven't you, Cyril? Yes.
Come on.
Cyril Price, did you bludgeon Mrs Argyle to death? No! He's been scrumping again.
I clipped him round the ear and told him what for, Inspector.
But he was out scrumping by the crossing to Sunny Point on the night of the murder two years ago.
We would've come forward but we thought you found What did you see, Cyril? I sawa dragon.
A what? They call it that because of the noise it makes but he saw that motorbike.
Tina Argyle's bike.
He got back about 8.
15, so it must have been about 8.
00 when he saw it.
So, what do you think about that, then? She hasn't told you she was there at the time of the murder, has she? I told my husband the Inspector wouldn't know this.
I said that to him, didn't I, Cyril? Mm-hm? Why do we always have to play games, Bobby? We can't just mope around the house, can we? - Are youare you game, Mick? - Sure.
Come on.
You can be on my team.
I told you I didn't like this game, anyway.
- It's your serve.
- Come on.
Come on, come on.
Is there any way that Philip and Jacko could been in league? I can't see it.
Well, they both wanted Rachel out of the way, to get access to their fund.
They must have plotted this all along.
Something's happening.
Erm, Tina, the Inspector would like a word.
Miss Argyle, will you come back to the station, please? - Why? - For questioning.
What do you mean? She's not going anywhere.
If you don't come up, I'll arrest you on suspicion of involvement in your mother's death.
- What are you talking about? - It's all right.
She's done nothing wrong.
Nothing wrong! - Micky, it's all right.
- Dad! She was at work in her library at the time of the murder, wasn't she? - I'm sure the police have their reasons.
- What reasons? - What do they know, Dad? - They didn't tell me.
- Why didn't you ask? - Micky! Micky.
All of you The police are going to do their job and there's nothing we can do.
All of us are under suspicion.
But we must stick together and not let this drive us apart.
Now, I knowthat none of you could have committed murder.
I'm proud of all of you and we will get through this.
I should say something here.
And it's what we're all thinking.
Mr Argyle, I know you are thinking it.
Which is why they have arrested Tina and not arrested her.
- Absolutely.
- Am I not right? Now, nowI'm not thinking that.
No.
No, I am right.
And you have a duty now, Gwenda Vaughan, to go and confess.
This family will not stand by while another child swings on the gallows for your crime.
- Did you do it, Gwenda? - No.
No.
Leo Leo! - Leo, why don't you - I'm sorry.
I We will not have a murderer under this roof.
I am not a murderer! And I'll be able to prove it! I know things about this family and I swear What? What things? What do you know? I know that Rachel had given Philip an ultimatum to leave Mary.
- What? - Yes, because of your philandering.
She had a private detective onto you.
- Oh, this is preposterous.
- You see? You see, this family's full of secrets.
But I know things that will incriminate the killer.
I really do.
I'm in Rachel's room, remember? I found things.
You've always maintained ´ that you were at work in Redquay when your mother was murdered.
Why have you been lying to us? Why did you go to Sunny Point that night? Mother had arranged for me as assistant librarian at St Andrew's University in Scotland.
I went to tell her I didn't want the job.
So you saw your mother that night? I drove to Sunny Point but didn't cross.
Why not? Why were you really there, Tina? To see her about the job.
Then why didn't you? Tina Argyle, I'm holding you on suspicion of being involved in the murder of Rachel Argyle.
We'd have been on our honeymoon by now.
You can't throw around accusations like that, Gwenda.
- People are accusing me.
- Gwenda They're accusing me.
I didn't do it, Leo.
I didn't.
- Yes - Look me in the face and tell me that you think I did it.
- Leo, look at me! - Gwenda Gwenda.
I think it's best if you move out of Sunny Point tomorrow.
I think it's best for everyone that I just have family here.
- Family? - Yes.
Leo, I am still the same person that I was two days ago.
- I'm still the same woman - Yes.
.
.
you wanted to be part of this family, you wanted to marry.
I know, but I think it's best that you that you leave herein the morning.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Leave in the morning? What am - Night, Micky.
- Are you going down the police station? They said to go in the morning.
- Miss Marple.
- Yes? Miss Marple I don't know how to say this.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry for the things I said about her.
Gwenda? She's been killed in the night.
You must be careful, Miss Marple.
If Gwenda found something out, then maybe that's why she was killed.
And if she told you No.
She didn't.
- Nothing.
- You must be careful, Miss Marple.
I found her just before seven this morning.
I asked her to leave the house today and I'd .
.
taken her a cup of tea to wake her up.
I wanted her gone before the children woke up.
We need to inform Miss Vaughan's family of her death.
- Do you have? - She had no family.
This is where she thought she'd found a family.
- I want my daddy! - Hester.
I want my daddy! - It's all right.
- I can't stand it any more.
- I know.
- I can't stand it.
- It's going to be fine.
- It's not going to be fine! All right.
All right, all right.
All right.
- Has she had her tablets? - No, sir.
- Stay with me.
- Yes, I'll stay with you.
Come on.
Come on, come on.
Come on.
What weapon do you think was used, if I may ask? Well entry wound is very small.
Pen knife, maybe.
A letter opener.
Daddy? Daddy, what's happening? It will be fine.
You take care of Hester.
Make sure she's all right.
No, Miss Marple, if I hadn't have come here, none of this would have happened and that poor girl would still be alive.
I blame myself.
I do, I do.
I blame myself.
- Dr Calgary - I know It wasn't my fault, but really, I blame myself.
One can't help feeling that that Take me back to the Arctic.
That's where I belong.
Lemmings don't go round murdering each other.
Pull yourself together, Dr Calgary.
There are some things I need you to do.
How are you? Go away, Philip.
I'm just being nice.
You were never nice.
I think we may have a problem.
I think they might be onto us.
You can let Tina go, now that you've arrested the old man, can't you? - Why can't you just let her go?! - Hey, hey, hey.
Come on! Are these yours? I don't know how those got into my room in that state.
- But they're yours? - Yes! Yes.
Mr Argyle, if you say you didn't put these in your study, you're implying that a member of your family is trying to frame you for murder.
When did you last see Gwenda Vaughan alive? Ermin my study.
Last night, at about eleven o'clock.
And when did your relatlonship with her begin? Ermabout erm .
.
four months after my wife died.
Gwenda was very .
.
kind.
She was .
.
loving in a way .
.
in a way that no-one ever had been .
.
loving Oh, Gwenda.
Have you read Leo's book? He was talking to me about it.
And this is what it's all about, isn't it? Did he talk to you, Miss Marple? "Good things come from bad deeds.
" - Kirsten.
- No, it has to be said.
He was a shadow of a man with Rachel and when she died, he became alive again, didn't he, Mary? Yes.
And he'd never loved Jacko like we did Bob.
And he'd already started his affair with Gwenda.
I'm the eyes of this house.
I see what I'm not supposed to see.
Mrs Lindsay.
- Mrs Lindsay.
- Where's your car, love? I can't go filling you up with petrol.
My My car? - It was a joke.
- Right.
Right! Yes, I understand it.
Mrs Lindsay, I wondered if I could have a rather delicate word with you.
Jacko.
What a boy.
He was the kind of bloke who could get under skin, you know? Naughty.
Dangerous.
You knew you shouldn't but He was like a drug.
He could make you feel 22 again.
You ever had a girl like that, Professor? There was a young erm young lady atchurch once, but we never reallyspoke.
What was her name? I I believe erm I believe you gave Jacko Argyle some money.
I knew what he was up to.
He pinched a wad off my husband and needed to pay him back.
And you knew about this and yet you went along with it.
I didn't want him to go away.
Ever.
Even though you knew you weren't the only one, even though you knew he was gonna end badly I went up to the prison once, where they were holding him.
He wouldn't see me.
Yet I cried like a child the day they hanged him.
Even now.
Miss Marple.
Can we talk? I know who killed Gwenda.
I know who killed Mother but I have no evidence.
I don't think the police will believe me.
Will you believe me? What do you know? Miss Marple, who's the weakest in this family? Who have they always tried to protect, especially from Mother? And who followed Jacko out the night of the murder? Jacko! Jacko, wait! Mother had been bullying Hester for years.
And Hester adored Jacko.
Would've killed for him, I'm sure.
You know what they say about timid people when pushed to violence.
And now she's killed Gwenda because Gwenda said she'd discovered the truth.
Mary, why did you tell the police you were with Philip when your mother was murdered, and yet yesterday you told me you left the big house much earlier that evening? Hester's a very attractive girl, isn't she, Mary? Would you want the world to know your husband was sleeping with your sister? I lied to the police, Miss Marple, because I have a sense of shame.
But it doesn't change the fact that Hester did this and she's now trying to frame my father for murder.
- Hello.
- Sir.
- May I have my key, please? - Certainly.
Yes, sir.
Oh, sir, you forgot your key.
Going to London, Bobby, on a Sunday? Your father might need you today.
You're not my keeper, Philip.
Now, listen, you little chump.
According to my calculations, Mary's share of the trust should be a quarter of a million.
I know we've asked for 20 grand to buy a house, but I think we should have all of it now and we should stop being treated like children! Known the condition was the trust, Philip.
- You are entitled to half - Yes, but when, Bob? Bobby.
Bobby! Miss Argyle.
Miss Argyle? Miss Argyle.
Why don't we go back to the house? I know what I wanted to ask you .
.
Dr Scientist.
You know about animals and environments, don't you? You take an animal out of its environment and it suffers, doesn't it? It dies inside.
Zoos try and reinvent it but - Mr Argyle! - .
.
they die inside.
Mr Argyle, can you help us? Even animals need love, Dr Scientist.
If we juststep away from the water I'll be more than willing to give you seminar on the subject .
.
back at the house.
Probably even I'll set up a slide show.
Money is the cause of this family's misery.
All of us were from poor backgrounds.
Yes.
Yes, that's lovely.
If you can just step away - Money has not made us happy.
- It never does.
Animals don't have money, do they? Not a penny.
Why is that? Why have human beings turned unhappiness into coins that you can actually touch? Where's Bobby? Bobby! No! - Bobby! - Miss Argyle! - Bobby! - No! Bobby! Bobby! I don't think you're going to find a suicide note, inspector.
That is what you're looking for, isn't it? A confession.
Why won't I find one? 'Cause I don't think Bobby really intended to kill himself.
At leastnot until he was halfway over the crossing.
What do you know, Miss Marple? I think it's something the whole family should hear.
It seemsthat despite their differences, the twins Bobby and Jacko were more alike than anybody realised.
It always struck me as odd that Bobby was as parsimonious with the trust as Rachel had been, that since she died, he had barely parted with a penny.
But I think Bobby had been living under great stress.
So I asked Dr Calgary to get in touch with his stockbrokers, Marshalls.
Yes.
Yes, well Ermone of partners of Marshalls was arrested this morning for fraud and embezzlement and it seems that he and Bobby had their fingers in the honey pot, so to speak.
Bobby used Rachel's trust for financial scams on a much larger scale than Jacko ever got involved in.
The authorities had been closing in on his corruption for the last two years.
Which means that Rachel, as a trustee, would have had knowledge of Bobby's criminal activities shortly before she died.
Sort it out yourself, Bobby! Sometimes I feel I should never have bothered with you and your brother.
But Bobby's always been as generous as he could with us.
- Yes.
- He was paying for this whole wedding.
With money he didn't have.
Yes, it seems that for the last two years he'd been trying to keep one step ahead of financial ruin.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
And I think love he put into the wedding was a last attempt to keep the good times at Sunny Point.
You're telling me that Bobby murdered Rachel when she found out about the fraud? Bobby's about the only member of the family you never arrested, inspector Huish,.
That's enough of that.
No doubt you'd have got round to him.
Bobby was no more a killer than his brother was.
He'd been genuinely troubled by Jacko's last words.
Maybe this is the best thing I've ever done.
And why offer up information like that if you were intent on Jacko being blamed for the murder? Why not, for example, try and discredit Dr Calgary's evidence? And, besides, he wasn't the only person who benefited from Rachel's death that night, was he, Mr Durrant? Your secrets were kept safe.
Tina, why did your mother arrange for you to have a job at a university library in the north of Scotland? She doesn't know.
OK? Mum was a very controlling woman.
Let her answer, please.
When you came here that night to tell her you weren't going to take the position, who did you see coming over the crossing just after the time of the murder? Whose boat was being used, Tina? Micky's.
No, I was at work.
I was collecting from Bristol.
You checked that with my employer, didn't you, Inspector? I didn't stay because if Micky was in a temper, as he usually was after visiting Mother, he'd be in no mood to talk to me.
Why did you think Micky had come to see your mother? He was angry with her.
He didn't want her to keep controlling my life.
Why not? She'd realised you and Micky were in relationship, hadn't she? While you both lived away in Redquay and she was determined to drive a wedge between you.
We're only brother and sister by law.
She had no right to control us.
Micky.
You suspect Micky killed your mother, don't you, Tina? You're trying to protect him.
Miss Marple, his alibi does check out with his employers.
You saw Micky's boat and thought it was him.
But it couldn't have been Micky rowing, Tina.
You .
.
followed Jacko out that night, didn't you, Hester? What did you talk about? Nothing.
I'm a dead man, Hes.
Calm down.
Let's go for a walk, baby.
If I don't get the cash they really are going to kill me.
I'm sure it's not that bad, Jacko.
What do you know? I'd never seen Jacko frightened.
I couldn't calm him.
How far dld you walk with him? Just to the corner of the house.
Then I came back.
Did you see anyone else? No.
Are you sure? Because I don't think you were the only one who followed Jacko out after the fight Who, then? Who has been shifting the blame from one person to another since Dr Calgary's arrival? Jacko is responsible.
I'm certain.
Thank God you have not yet married her, Mr Argyle! Thank God she will not get away with it.
He was a shadow of a man with Rachel.
When she died, he became alive again.
Who considers herself to be the real mother of children, the one who gave them the unconditional love they were so badly short of? For what reason would I follow Jacko out, Miss Marple? Because you loved him.
Because you were the latest in a long line of middle-aged women Jacko could manipulate, Jacko could bleed dry of savings, Jacko could make feelspecial.
You said Jacko killed Rachel and I think you still believe that.
You believe that Jacko was responsible.
Make it look like a burglary and then bring me the money.
Yes.
And hit her hard.
Make sure she'll never get up.
I'll get a cast iron alibi for eight o'clock because everyone will suspect it's me.
Eight o'clock.
Yes, my darling.
Jacko did know who the real killer was, but he also knew that if he left prison he was going to get killed, anyway.
And he did the one good thing in his life by letting you go free.
The real mother that these children had.
You tell a good story, Miss Marple.
But what proof is there? No-one saw anything.
No-one heard anything.
Not even inspector Huish can arrest me on hearsay.
These children, who you've loved and protected all your life, will never be free of suspicion if you don't confess, Kirsten.
Their ordeal by innocence has already cost one of them his life and another has been pushed to the edge.
Let alone my friend whose life you thought disposable, who was not part of this family, who was never part of any family and who youdenied happiness to.
Set your children free, Kirsten.
It's the only way you can protect them now.
Kirsten Lindstrom, did you murder Rachel Argyle and Gwenda Vaughan? If she loved Jacko so much why did she let him die? She didn't know about him being married.
She thought she was the only one.
I think her love curdled to hate the moment his wife knocked on the door.
- Are you going to London? - Yes.
Then I'm travelling again to Galapagos, with new expedition.
Do you ever go home, Dr Calgary? Rarely.
Rarely.
Where's home for you, Miss Marple? Home.
Home is St Mary Mead.
I must say, what I'm looking forward to about the Galapagos is seeing species that are peculiar to those islands.
Don't you think it would be a remarkable thing, to stumble, like Darwin, across islands that contain new kinds? Yes, I do.
-credit goes to the original subber- Gwenda? Have you .
.
retyped the chapter on Medici? Yes, Mr Argyle.
It's in the tray.
Ah.
Good.
Good.
Then tomorrow we can move on.
On to the modern era.
Yes, Mr Argyle.
Ercould you .
.
turn that off, please, Gwenda? Mother why do we have to go through this charade, where I have to confess my sins to you like you're some sort of female Pope? Give me the money and I'll go! What's it for, Jacko? It doesn't matter what it's for! Is it for business, drugs? Is that Jacko again? - That's Jacko.
- It is not illegal! Just tell me what it's for, Jacko.
Mother.
Mother do you think I could come here and humiliate myself again If it wasn't important, if I look, If I had anywhere else to go? Don't you think I have any shame, Mother? No, I don't, Jacko.
I think you're shameless.
You've always treated me like a bank that will dig you out of every hole you've got into.
- Philip.
- Thank you, darling.
You can spare the money.
That is not the point.
The point is, Jacko Next time I see you I wonder how much he needs this time.
This is different.
Whatever your brother wants, she will give it to him.
How much? Two-and-a-half thousand pounds.
Don't do that! And if I don't give him the first 500 tomorrow, he's going to kill me.
Some of the thugs that work for him will pour a bottle of whisky down my throat, prop me behind the wheel of a car and roll me into a bloody crossing.
The next time you see me, I'll be dead! Is that what you want? I know you keep that sort of money in the house.
I'd like to meet this bookmaker friend of yours, please.
That's not how it's gonna work.
I am telling you how it's going to work, boy! I want this bookmaker to come here, to Sunny Point tomorrow.
And if what you say is true, he and I will discuss a way of repaying your debt.
Don't mess with this man, Mother.
You don't know -- What are you doing, Kirsten? I am standing here listening to the argument.
Mother, this man is not going to come here like a bloody kid at school to discuss over some playground spat! He's going to come up here with a gun! ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE This is not a game, woman.
Give me the money, I have nowhere else to go.
Will this ever end, Jacko? all the advantages you had, All the money and I have poured into you.
What have you become? A little man.
You're a bitch! - Give it to me! - No.
- No more! - Give it to me, I need it! I think you should leave now, Jacko.
Give me the money now, or I will kill you! Good God! Jacko! Get off! I swear to God I swear to God, she is dead! Get out, Jacko! Go on! Jacko! Jacko, wait! I'm a dead man, Hes.
Calm down.
Let's go for a walk, baby.
Has he gone? He's gone.
Will you tell your person to leave, please? Sorry? I'll take the post.
Hum, nine o'clock tomorrow, Gwenda.
Yes, sir.
I didn't give him the money this time, Leo.
No.
Jacko's a bad lot.
He always has been.
Have I done the right thing? Rachel, you've always done exactly what you wanted with these children.
I think it's a bit late to start asking for my advice.
That's all right, Leo.
Once again, I will try to do the right thing by your children and I will subsidise you as you write sub-standard books, which no-one ever wants to publish, and I will make the difficult decisions for our family.
You're the biggest parasite of the lot, Leo.
- Mother.
- Not now, Bobby.
We need to confirm what we're doing about the City trusts.
Sort it out yourself, Bobby.
Sometimes I feel I should never have bothered with you and your brother.
Ah, Kirsten.
Have you, er seen Mary? Your wife will be down at the lodge, Mr Durrant.
Right.
Maybe you should go to her.
I think I'll just have a little drink first.
Oh, God! Is she dead? Is she dead? Go and fetch Leo.
- Hello.
- What number, sir? I need the police.
"Murder at Sunny Point "Son arrested" I don't know what you're smiling for, Mr Argyle.
I have seven witnesses who heard you threaten to kill your mother not long before she died.
So what? I didn't do it.
These same family members also testify that you attacked her because she wouldn't pay off your gambling debts.
Look, everyone between here and Bristol knows the old girl kept a stash in her desk.
Now, I'm not a detective, Inspector Huish, I wouldn't dare presume.
But the whole thing looks like a burglary to me.
Mum was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Which the coroner says was about eight o'clock.
Was it? Where were you at eight o'clock, Jacko? Hitch-hiking.
Between Redquay and Drymouth.
Who was driving the car? I don't know.
He was about 35, dark hair, drove a dark blue Morris Minor.
Talked a lot about eels.
Very boring.
What can I say? He dropped me outside the pub at 8.
15.
You're a cocky little swine, aren't you? From time to time.
Is this yours? Yep.
The Southern Bank in Drymouth issued these two five-pound notes to your mother yesterday morning.
Their serial numbers are from the batch of 100 pounds that your mother collects each month to top up float she has on these days.
Yes, she gave it to me after we'd argued.
Your family are sure she didn't give you any money, Jacko.
Well, she did.
So that's that.
Isn't it? What you've got to do now, mate, is your job.
You've got to find the guy who gave me the lift.
Your alibi's a lie.
I did not murder my mother! You've lived a life of lies, haven't you, Jacko? SUNNY POINT MURDER: A LIFE OF LIES JACK ARGYLE TO HANG TWO YEARS LATER "Dear Miss Marple, It's a while since I wrote.
But as you know, I regard time I spent in service with you as the time from which my life began.
You gave me the confidence to train for a profession and seek my place in the world.
I hope I don't embarrass you, Miss Marple, when I write that you are the closest to family I have.
Fate has dealt me a curious hand since I left you.
But I am at last to be married, having found happiness in life which I always thought would elude me.
I would love it if it were possible for you to share my day of happiness with me.
" "Dearest Gwenda, of course I remember you, and would love to come to wedding.
As I grow older, nothing brings me more pleasure than to see young people I am fond of find happiness.
Of all the girls who have come to me from the orphanage, It was you who underwent the greatest transformation.
And I have often wondered what opportunities you have made with your life.
As the wedding is on Saturday, could I possibly travel down to Devon early on Thursday morning to give me time to recover from the train?" She can come.
Oh, Leo! Leo! She can come! Ah, how wonderful! That's marvellous.
When's she coming down? Ermyes, next we have we have the arctic fox.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC That's Alopex lagopus.
SOCIETY, LONDON There she is.
Cuddly little lass, unless you actually try to cuddle her when she might basically, sort of, bite your hand off.
So I suppose she's not she's not cuddly at all, really.
No, the thing that's interesting, actually, really interesting about Alopex lagopus, is its comparison to the more common European fox.
So let's have a look at her.
There we Ah, no.
Sorry, that's er I do apologise.
That's actually Miss Frobisher.
She's a colleague of mine on the Hayes .
.
Hayes what-d'you-ma-call-it.
There we go.
There we go.
Vulpes vulpes.
Now as we can see, these two foxes have adapted to live in different climates.
And the former one, here, is erbelieve me, very furry.
And has a good supply of body fat.
What helps her to survive in her very frigid environment is her short muzzle and very thick ears.
I'm so sorry.
I do apologise.
That's.
.
yes.
Marjorie, I do hope you're not with us tonight.
Sorry.
Fascinating talk, Dr Calgary.
I do hope so.
Thank you.
It was indeed, Doctor.
Most illuminating.
Very kind.
Thank you.
EXECUTED - Miss Marple.
- Gwenda! Oh, how lovely to see you again! Yes.
Yes.
Well, first of all, I must apologise for the weather.
And I also must apologisethank you for the umthe final mode of transport needed to get you over to Sunny Point.
But, you see, the house is on a little island.
The only way of getting across is on one of the little boats which are all named after Leo's children, the boats.
Oh, yes.
Slow down, slow down.
Let me have a look at you.
You look wonderful.
It's been too long.
I'm so glad that you could come, Miss Marple.
I can't tell you.
You see, Leo has five grown-up children.
Five! And you know how intimidating large families can be, especially when they're all holed up together.
But at least I'm going to get person on my side this weekend.
Oh! It's a bit muddy, isn't it? Yes, very.
Mind your step.
Gwenda, is this the same Sunny Point that had a tragedy a couple of years ago? Yes.
Yes, that's right.
Rachel's death was a terrible thing But erit's behind us now.
Anyway, mind your step, Miss Marple, on this duckboard, which is very slippy.
DANGER, DEEP WATER I do hope you're going to be comfortable, Miss Marple.
That's it.
Have you got it? - Mind the corner.
- You mind the corner.
Hold on.
Tina? Tina! Yes, sir.
Yes, Bobby, sir.
Who put these flowers here? You did, Sergeant Major, sah! - Did I? - You did, Bob.
No, I want the roses in here and I want these ones in the dining room.
Can't the new maid do it? Get Micky to ask.
He's always looking for a chance to talk to her.
Hey! Umno.
Hester, no.
No, we're using the old dinner service tonight.
We're saving the best for the wedding day itself.
Run away.
Yeah.
OK.
How much has all this cost, Bob? It's great you've arranged it all.
Well, Dad deserves it done right.
- Hello, everybody.
- Hey.
You must be the much-spoken-about Miss Marple.
Am I? Oh, dear.
These are Leo's sons - Bobby - Hello.
- Hello, Bobby.
- Nice to see you.
- And Micky.
- Pleased to meet you.
- Mickey.
And how are you, Mother? Oh, don't! May I take your bag, Miss Marple? Thank you.
These are our two youngest sisters.
- Hester and Tina.
- Hello.
- Hello, Hester.
- Hello.
Tina.
Let's see if Miss Marple can spot the family resemblance.
You see, Leo and Rachel's children are adopted.
I see.
The forecast says it's going to rain all weekend, Gwenda.
You do realise, don't you? This is Philip.
He's married to our sister Mary.
But we ignore him.
He's grumpy.
I'm the grump's wife Mary.
- So many people.
- Oh, and here Here is Leo.
Welcome to Sunny Point, Miss Marple.
Thank you.
- House! House? - A steeple? - A hat? - Roof? - A top? - Picking up? .
.
putting down? - A reindeer? - Pooh sticks? Eeyore! Eeyore! The House At Pooh Corner.
Yes! Philip has smiled! This is a truly momentous day! Here we go round the Mulberry Bush? Spinning? Carousel? Do the whole thing, Gwenda.
You're making a hole in carpet.
The maid's just left the room, Micky.
Can we concentrate on Gwenda? - A bird? - What's she doing? - A spectre? - Ghost story? - The Turn Of The Screw! - Yes! Who's that? Let the poor man in.
I thought it was a ghost.
How on earth did he make it here on a night like this? Poor man! Who are you? I'm so sorry, I'm I'm very wet.
Very sorry.
Is Mr Argyle, Mr Leo Argylein the house? Yes.
My name is Arthur Calgary.
And I'm here to tell you - Here.
- Oh, thank you.
Thank you very much, you're a you're a very kind and thoughtful lady.
ErmYes.
I'm here to tell you .
.
that there is no possible way that your son Jacko committed that murder, sir.
He's innocent.
And I can prove it.
Yes, I'm I'm a scientist.
At Cambridge University.
But for the last two years, I've been in the Arctic.
Have you been on the Hayes Bentley Expedition? Back a month.
Yes.
But we left, you see, on .
.
onon 17th October, two years ago.
But the day before, the 16th, I was here.
I was here in Redquay, saying goodbye to Nanny, who's retired to a home in the area.
Actually, Nanny's sister's been very ill recently with psoriasis.
We don't need to hear about Nanny's sister.
No, no.
So you were in the area the night my wife was murdered? Which was at about eight o'clock in the evening.
Yes.
At that time, I was driving between Redquay and Drymouth.
- In a dark blue Morris Minor? - That's right.
That's right.
And between ten-to and quarter-past, I gave a ride to a hitchhiker.
Most eels, well, most Anguilliformes, prefer to dwell in shallow waters.
Or hide at the bottom layer of the ocean in tiny holes.
Have you got the time? My God.
You're the alibi.
I'm theyes.
Theyeah, what-d'you-ma-call-it.
Who they never found.
And they never found me, because when they started looking, I was halfway round the world looking at lemmings.
Dr Calgary's with you now? I told him to wait till we came in the morning.
Is he who he says he is? I don't think he's a scientist.
He doesn't seem clever.
Checking all his story's dates seem to fit.
It looks like your brother was telling the truth all along about his alibi.
When can you get here, Inspector? The morning.
We won't get over the crossing in this weather.
Look, Mr Argyle, Dr Calgary thinks he is doing a good thing, rushing to tell your family this.
But while he knows an unnatural amount about eels and such, I don't think he knows a lot about people.
How are they all taking the news? I er I thought you'd be pleased to know that Jacko Argyle isn't a murderer.
We are.
So, let's er .
.
jump for joy.
- You are an insensitive man, Dr Calgary.
- Kirsten.
No, what did he think he was doing? When you looked through the window, didn't you see a happy family? I did, I did, and I thought that um .
.
what I had to say would make you happier.
That our brother was executed for a murder he didn't commit? Why couldn't you have just left us all alone? Yes, thank you, Dr Calgary.
- Come on, Hes.
- Daddy.
Come on.
-credit goes to the original subber- Well-- I say Yeah, what's the quote? "Nothing is", um "Nothing is ever" I was useless at literature.
"Nothing is settled" "Nothing is ever settled until it is settled right" - Kipling.
- Yes, quite so.
The police have requested that you leave now.
Oh.
In this weather? They didn't mention the weather.
They just asked you to go.
Right.
It's true, though, isn't it, what Kipling said? Think it's true? Oh, Miss Marple, I think If you don't mind, I do think we ought to leave the family to themselves for a while.
Of course.
Would you care to have supper in my room? I'm sure Miss Marple would prefer her own company.
She's had a long journey.
No, it would be nice to have company.
Thank you.
When did Rachel Argyle realise she couldn't have children? Just after she was married.
She was an heiress.
Her father was rich as a king.
She used that money to buy her family.
And bought Viper's Point, which was original name of estate.
She changed the name to Sunny Point, and filled it like a fairground with everything a child might desire.
And over the years, she bought the children from deprived backgrounds.
Mary's the eldest, isn't she? She was from New York.
Slum tenement, parents in jail.
She's always been a particular girl.
Everything proper and in its place.
And her husband, the pilot.
He's a bag of badness, I tell you.
Rachel never liked him.
And she was right.
Why is he in a wheelchair? Pollo.
18 months ago.
Then after Mary came the twins, Jacko and Bobby.
Bobby was Jacko's twin? Oh, yes.
They came from an orphanage, about the same time I came from Denmark to take up appointment.
Then Hester was a Catholic girl's shame, and Micky and Tina during the war.
Micky from the East End, Tina's mother a if you understand what I mean.
They both live in Redquay.
The children were Rachel's obsession, the well she poured all her money and attention down.
And her love? You know, Miss Marple, Rachel meant well, but her tragedy was that I don't think she was capable of love.
At least, not towards her children.
Shall I say what we're all thinking? Is that a good idea? Why we're not looking each other in the eye.
Just eat your dinner, Tina.
'Cause if Jacko didn't kill the bitch, who did? Don't you dare use language like that against Mother.
I used it behind her back when she was alive, Mary.
I'll use it when she is dead.
Apologise.
It's what everyone's thinking, Daddy.
Tina! I think that um I think that we should maybe talk about all this when the shock has worn off, don't you? Why not? Let's all talk about the weather, shall we, Gwenda? The price of tea? How very English.
I'm sorry, sir, but Tina is right.
If Jacko didn't murder Rachel, then which one of your children did? It was a burglary.
Surely? Like Jacko always said.
I think we should leave any speculation to the police.
- Police? - Yes.
The police.
And it won't just be Jacko's movements that night they'll be investigating.
It will be all of us.
Well, I'm going to say It was a burglary.
Well, they'll accept that.
Last time we just told them it was Jacko and they accepted that straight away.
I don't think we're dealing with Sherlock Holmes here.
I will not have this talk! Yes, sir.
Sorry, Dad.
- Sorry, Daddy.
- Sorry, Daddy.
If you'll excuse us.
Did Mrs Argyle leave any of her fortune to her children? I know what you're thinking.
You old ladies, you look so benign, and yet your brain goes ticktock, ticktock, pouring over the latest murders in the newspapers looking for motives.
Well, one has few pleasures left in life.
Rachel left all her fortune in trust for her children, administered by Bobby.
They are all wealthy, and can dip into the trust with his permission at any time.
But at that time, Rachel had stopped being generous to Jacko.
He had wasted so much on illegal schemes.
We don't know half of what he got up to.
We didn't know he was married.
Jacko was married? Oh, yes.
She turned up out of the blue on the day of Rachel's funeral Yes? Hello.
Yes? I'm Maureen.
Hello, Maureen.
Yeah.
Jacko's wife.
No! Jacko's not married.
My mum said what, with him committing murder and that, I should come up to the big house and you'd see me right.
What is it, Kirsten? - Jacko's got a wife.
- Lies! Now that Jacko's going to be found guilty and all, I thought I'd come for you to see me right, Mr Argyle.
- Lies and wickedness.
- Be quiet, Kirsten.
It's a bit early to say if he's going to be found guilty.
He did have the money, sir.
And she was right, Miss Marple.
He was found with some of the money on him.
The exact same serial numbers.
Jacko was responsible.
I'm certain.
Always a wicked boy.
Her ghost comes back to haunt me.
Once again, Rachel takes away any chance of happiness.
What do you mean? You saw how suspicious everyone was of each other tonight.
Yes, but I mean, if Jacko wasn't guilty, then the police will soon discover who is.
Two years on? They won't find anything they can use.
And when the police reopen the investigation, the whole world will be suspicious of this family.
Excuse me, Bobby.
Have you seen Gwenda? No-one thought Jacko was innocent, you know.
No.
Unlike everyone else, he actually was my flesh and blood.
And even I didn't think that.
It was such a cut-and-dried case.
And he was always such a terrible liar.
And violent, if you went against him.
Do you think um .
.
Dr Calgary is mistaken? The day before my brother was was executed, Hes and I visited him in prison.
It's time to say goodbye, Hes.
No! No, don't say goodbye, Jacko! No, because I know you didn't do it, Jacko! Get off me! Come on, please.
Come on.
Get off me! I've um I've made sure that wife of yours is provided for.
I should have been more like you, shouldn't I, Bob? That's what they told me all my life.
"How could twins be so different?" There's no .
.
no chance of an appeal, is there? It's the money you had that hangs you, Jack.
Maybe this is the best thing I've ever done.
It's gone round and round in my head for two years.
And now I think I know what he meant.
I think he knewwho the real killer was.
And he was protecting them.
He was prepared to die for them.
This is ridiculous.
We should have stayed up at the house.
We're better here.
What, so you can murder me as well? Let's get you out of these wet things.
You have ice in your heart, Mary.
You're capable of murder, I've always known that about you.
Don't be silly.
Especially - the murder of her.
I loved my mother.
When the police arrive tomorrow, you'd better get your story straight, my girl Just remember exactly what you told them the first time.
Actually um .
.
Leo and I are thinking of postponing the wedding, Miss Marple.
I'm sorry, dear.
Two hours ago, I was happy.
I was so happy that you'd arrived, happy to be part of a family, happy to have found him.
And I won't have it taken away from me.
I won't! Is there anything I can do, Gwenda? Yes, leave.
That's what you can do.
I think um I just need to be on my own for a while.
We can talk at breakfast.
I'm sorry.
It's you.
Yes, er Crossing seemed rather difficult in this weather.
The truth is, it's a dangerous crossing.
Indeed.
Indeed, yes.
Tell me, shouldn't shouldn't you be inside and in the warm? Do you want another truth, Dr Scientist? Mother and Jacko dying was the best thing that happened to this family.
They were the ones who brought unhappiness here.
I loved my brother, but without him, we'd become a happy family.
Until you arrived.
We all know it wasn't a burglary, and if Jacko didn't kill her, which one of us must be guilty? Hester? Hes, are you in here? Come on, sweetheart, let's get you inside.
But it's not the guilty that matter, is it, Dr Scientist? It's the innocent.
The innocent who will suffer now.
If you can't get across, you might as well come in, too.
The first thing police will do is try to establish a motive.
Sorry, where am I sleeping? - In the study.
- The motive's easy.
Who gained most from Mother's death? Who now lives in her bedroom? - Gwenda.
- Exactly.
Who's going to share a bed with her husband? Are you heading back to London, Dr Calgary? Well, er I think yes, yes I should, but I think also I should stay and put right this .
.
this upset that I caused by blundering in last night.
That young girl Hester said yesterday that it would be the innocent who would suffer now the case has been reopened.
How perceptive of her.
Yes, that's what I thought, very perceptive.
What on earth did she mean? Eighty years ago, a man called Charles Bravo was poisoned in his London home.
There were three suspects his wife, his doctor and his best friend.
Scotland Yard never found enough evidence to bring any of them to trial, so all of them - the two who were innocent as well as the guilty were branded murderers by society and had their lives ruined.
They all died prematurely .
.
from either suicide or drink.
Goodness.
You're right not to leave, Dr Calgary.
There are innocent lives here which will be ruined if the murderer is not found.
And if the police can't find the evidence, someone else will have to.
I last saw my wife just before seven o'clock on the night.
This is documented.
What did you and she talk about it? The decision not to give Jacko any more money.
We didn't talk for long, but it was cordial.
And I will subsidise you as you write sub-standard books, which nobody wants to publish.
You're the biggest parasite of the lot, Leo.
The next time I saw her, she was dead.
So you were alone in your room for that hour and a half? Yes.
Was the rest of your family in the house at the time? Not Tina and Micky.
They have flats over in Redquay.
Jacko's wife? At that point, we didn't know Jacko was married, Inspector.
This will cheer him up.
The first edition's arrived, Father.
Ah, thank you.
Thank you.
- Well, open it.
- Later, I think.
No, open it now.
Go on.
Mr and Mrs Durrant, may I see you, please? It should have been an ecstatic moment.
It still is, isn't it, Pops? You open it.
What did they ask you in there? Anything about Tina? Look at this.
Well.
Mr and Mrs Durrant, it appears from your statement of two years ago that you were in the drawing room between the time of the argument and the body's been discovery.
Yes, it was our habit to spend the evenings here rather than down at the lodge.
Your wife will be down at the lodge, Mr Durrant.
Maybe you should go to her.
During that time, you didn't see or hear anyone go into Mrs Argyle's study? No.
No.
I knew Jacko never killed her.
I mean, he was a hothead, he was in fights.
Everyone knew that about him, but But ittakes a different kind of character to pick up a weapon and murder someone, doesn't it, Hester? A coldness.
Yes, a coldness.
Were you in the house when your mother died? Yes.
You spoke to Jacko after the argument, didn't you? I calmed him down.
I'm a dead man, Hes.
Let's go for a walk, baby.
Were you here, Tina? I was at work.
In the library in Redquay.
Micky has cold blood in him.
Hester! No, I love him, I do, Tina.
But he has the coldness.
Micky works in the motor trade in Redquay.
At the time of the murder, he was collecting a car from a dealer in Bristol.
He's told the police this.
Yes, but he hated her more than anyone, Miss Marple.
Well, he could hardly speak to her without cursing.
You left Sunny Point before seven o'clock that evening, and you went straight home? Yes.
I I took the post and erm posted it.
And then yes, home.
Miss Vaughan, had your friendship with Mr Argyle begun before his wife's death? No! So your relationship with his wife was good? Yes.
She didn't know you harboured feelings for her husband? ErwellI I didn'tat that time I didn't havefeelings, as you put it.
For Leo.
We've fallen in love since his wife's death.
In many ways, I've helped him through it.
Let the new maid do that, Kirsten.
I've let her go for a couple of days, Mr Argyle.
Best keep all this police business within the family.
Is Gwenda still in with them? Oh, yes, she'll still be in there, lying, I imagine.
Lying? About what? About what friends she and Mrs Argyle were.
About how you and her only fell in love after your wife died Well, it's the truth.
No, it is not, sir.
I've been thinking, Mr Argyle.
I've been thinking about motives.
And Rachel knew that girl was in love with you.
Rachel had confronted her before she died, said she was a cuckoo in the nest.
What's that, Miss Lindstrom? No doubt, she will deny this, Inspector.
She will try and shore up the lies she has told you in there But I heard bad words in this house between her and Rachel Argyle, one week before she was murdered.
Listen to me, you little slut! I see the way you look at him.
We all know about women like you.
You keep him to walk away from me, so you can He doesn't love you.
Leave my husband alone or I will dismiss you from this house! What does a sad little woman like you know about love? I have to tell this, Gwenda.
Can you deny it? You want a motive, Inspector? Then I think this woman heard Jacko shout "I will kill you.
You are dead.
" And she knows that if she kills Rachel that night Jacko will get the blame.
And she will get the man and the house she wants.
Can you deny this, Gwenda Vaughan? The motive, the scheme, the coldness? Leo? Leo! Leo! Thank God you have not yet married her, Mr Argyle.
Thank God she will not get away with it.
Leo! Leo? Leo? Leo? I didn't do it! Leo! You believe me, don't you? It's that hoop over there now, Hes.
That's right! Come on.
Don't you know how to play by now? Be quiet, Mary! Are you admiring my brother's ability to keep things going, Calgary? Yes, I was, rather.
He's always organising.
He's organised the whole of tomorrow's wedding, if it's to take place.
He's paid for the lot.
Yes, he made his money in the in the City, if I'm not mistaken? Yes.
The only one Mother could be proud of.
Money was important to Mother.
She bought me for 100 pounds, Doctor.
Did you know that? I was evacuated here during the war.
And afterwards, she bought me from my natural mother for 100 pounds.
From the day I came here .
.
all I wanted to do was to go home.
Yes.
It's my turn.
- Stop being such a drip, Hes.
- Bobby.
Inspector.
We haven't been introduced, but I'm Jane Marple, an old friend of Gwenda Vaughan's down for the wedding.
I wish to vouch for her character.
Yes, of course, she's kind to cats and children and like her mother, who I presume was your best friend, she'd never have done anything like this.
I have no idea who her mother was.
I'm beginning to understand what Rachel Argyle was like as a mother, and I think she, not Gwenda, is the key to solving this crime, don't you? Can we stay still for a moment? I'm too old to trot.
Now, with most crimes it's the character of the killer which is most fascinating.
But in this case it's the character of the victim which reveals more.
- Don't you agree? - Maybe.
Go on.
This is no crime of passion.
It's one ofimmaturity.
Of arrested development, most common to teenage years.
The Argyles lived under the iron control of their mother even into adulthood.
No wonder Jacko kept his wife a secret.
To get married would be too much like growing up.
Gwenda Vaughan remains my main suspect.
No, your main suspect is still Jacko.
I'm sure that's what you mean, Inspector.
He was in possession of money from that desk.
Have you asked yourself how he got it? Inspector.
Miss Marple.
Is there any chance of a lift to the Swan Hotel? Yes, of course, Doctor.
- Have you asked yourself? - I have.
His twin brother thinks Jacko went to his execution protecting someone.
Now, he hardly knew Gwenda Vaughan.
Why would he die to protect her? I'll let you get on.
- Thank you.
- Goodbye.
- Goodbye, Dr Calgary.
- Goodbye.
Who was that? Gwenda.
Gwenda? Yes, come in, Miss Marple.
- You haven't been down to supper, dear - No.
- So, I - Leo's called off the wedding.
Oh, yes, they're all talking about it downstairs.
Oh, I bet they are.
I bet they're having a sweepstake on when the police will arrest me.
They won't arrest you without any evidence.
No, but they suspect me, don't they? And I haven't got an alibi for that evening, Miss Marple.
Even Leo suspects me.
But the thing is No, you see, I was thinking, that erm Rachel's rooms haven't been touched since she died and I just thought that, you know, maybe Maybe there's something in here that's been overlooked, you know, that might point to the killer.
Like a diary or correspondence? Yes.
But I can't find anything.
Surely something like that's more likely to be found in her study, isn't it? Yes.
Yes.
Will you help me, Miss Marple? The obvious person Jacko would be protecting would be his wife.
What's she like? Maureen? Ermwell, I only saw her once.
Bobby sorted her out financially and after that no-one in family ever heard from her again.
Well, it's about time she heard from us.
Is there a safe? Allow me.
There we are.
That's it.
Where did you learn to do that? My nephew Raymond has one.
He's always losing the key.
Ah, there.
- Who was it? - Bobby.
Yes, of course, him.
He's just catching the early morning train to London.
It's been cleared out.
JOHN CROKER PRIVATE DETECTIVE What would Rachel be doing with a private detective? That's what you must find out tomorrow.
At the Swan Hotel.
There's someone there who will be willing to help you.
Yes, I was in Mrs Argyle's employ.
But I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss circumstances.
Confidentiality is my middle name, you see.
Well, yes, I understand that, Mr Croker, but you see, it's possible you might be able to help us with investig I must stop you there, young lady, and terminate this interview forthwith.
Because discretion is my middle name.
- I thought you said it was confidentiality.
- Good day.
Wait.
Wait, wait.
Listen, Mr Mr erm Erm whatever your middle name is.
If you don't sit down and answer our questions, before the end of today, you'll be having the same questions put to you by the police - The police? - Yes, the police.
I don't like the police.
Well, then, just park yourself there and, yes Thank you.
- The police? - Yes.
Now, most people hire a private detective, Mr Croker, because they're going through a divorce.
Sodid Rachel Argyle ask you to investigate her husband? No.
I was employed to investigate another member of her family.
- Who? - Her son-in-law.
Philip Durrant.
Why? Well, before his unfortunate illness, Mr Durrant was what I call a "leg-over merchant".
Right little man about town.
Rachel Argyle suspected he'd just married her daughter for her money and she was right.
That's why she kept tight rein on her daughter's inheritance Anyway, she wanted evidence from me that would force marriage to end I provided a large file containing the names of women, the dates of his assignations in hotels, photographs you know the form and I delivered it to her a few days before she died.
Hester.
Hes.
When we first married, Philip bought a maisonette in Redquay.
- Was he working? - No, he'd come out of the RAF and was ermbetween ventures.
Never very lucky.
Anyway, Mother took one look at our little place and insisted that we came here to take the lodge.
You erm You didn't want to come? Philip was something that was mine, Miss Marple.
Not hers.
But it turned out he didn't have as much money as he said he had and was eager to come and escape the mortgage.
Couldn't you take money out of your trust? Mother would never have given permission.
And now Bobby has that power and he's also reluctant.
It's been nearly two years since that awful night, Miss Marple, and yet we still haven't been able to move on.
Must have been shocking for you to have discovered your mother's body that way.
Well, it was Kirsten who actually discovered her.
Yes.
And then Philip who phoned the police.
Fortunately, I wasn't there at the time.
It has to be Philip Durrant.
He's the killer.
Rachel had confronted him with theerm - Evidence.
- Evidence.
Thank you.
From Confidentiality Croker.
And then Philip overheard Jacko threaten to kill her.
When the house was quiet, he took his chance to bang her on the head.
We should go back to Sunny Point now and make a citizen's arrest.
Bang the fellow up.
Erm, why are we seeing a film? Miss Marple said we had to find Maureen.
Who's Maureen? - Jacko's wife.
- Right, yes, of course.
Jacko did it, Miss Vaughan No doubt.
He was found with the evidence.
- Themoney from the desk? - That's right.
And he had a nasty side.
He I was pleased to be rid of him, if you know what I mean.
- Mm, yes.
- Mum said he was just a charmer, you know? Women had a thing for him.
Especially older women.
- He could play them like a piano.
- Mm.
How do you mean? Well, he'd flatter them, get them to fall in love with him, and he'd sting for money he needed for some scam or other.
He worked for this car salesman and got into trouble when a lot of money went missing.
The salesman's wife was so besotted with him that she ended up raiding her own savings so that he could give the money back to the husband.
Could he always get money out of his mother? - No.
- Uh.
He had to be desperate to go to her.
But he was desperate that night, Miss Vaughan.
He was very scared.
The bookle was really a gangster and he was gonna kill him.
I think Jacko owed much more money than he was letting on.
He was innocent and no-one believed him.
I believe Gwenda is innocent, too, Leo.
Do you? Now, you You think that because you think you know her character.
Well, I thought I knew Jacko's character and I was wrong.
And it's character I've studied my whole life.
How history is not, erm an inevitable march of time, but is shaped by the actions of particular characters, atparticular times.
How a king or politician's base motive of greed, say, or jealousy, or ambition, though ugly at the time has brought about good things when seen in the context of history.
You take You take the Medici, for example.
A despicable family, capable of great cruelty, yet their reign in Florence produced economic prosperity and art that has never been equalled.
- Good things can come out of bad deeds.
- Exactly.
And that's That's what I thought .
.
had happened when .
.
Jacko killed Rachel.
MR LEO ARGYLE & MISS GWENDA VAUGHAN How was London, Bob? Any decisions on releasing Mary's capital yet? - Not now.
- We were promised a decision 18 months ago! Look! I don't need this every time I come back from London.
It's not your money! I don't care if he's busy.
I want to see Inspector Huish now, please.
I've got vital information concerning the Sunny Point murder and I must tell him before he hangs another innocent man.
Mrs Price, would you come this way, please? Well, yes, but it's Cyril you want to talk to, Inspector.
Cyril? Cyril's come here to make a confession.
Haven't you, Cyril? Yes.
Come on.
Cyril Price, did you bludgeon Mrs Argyle to death? No! He's been scrumping again.
I clipped him round the ear and told him what for, Inspector.
But he was out scrumping by the crossing to Sunny Point on the night of the murder two years ago.
We would've come forward but we thought you found What did you see, Cyril? I sawa dragon.
A what? They call it that because of the noise it makes but he saw that motorbike.
Tina Argyle's bike.
He got back about 8.
15, so it must have been about 8.
00 when he saw it.
So, what do you think about that, then? She hasn't told you she was there at the time of the murder, has she? I told my husband the Inspector wouldn't know this.
I said that to him, didn't I, Cyril? Mm-hm? Why do we always have to play games, Bobby? We can't just mope around the house, can we? - Are youare you game, Mick? - Sure.
Come on.
You can be on my team.
I told you I didn't like this game, anyway.
- It's your serve.
- Come on.
Come on, come on.
Is there any way that Philip and Jacko could been in league? I can't see it.
Well, they both wanted Rachel out of the way, to get access to their fund.
They must have plotted this all along.
Something's happening.
Erm, Tina, the Inspector would like a word.
Miss Argyle, will you come back to the station, please? - Why? - For questioning.
What do you mean? She's not going anywhere.
If you don't come up, I'll arrest you on suspicion of involvement in your mother's death.
- What are you talking about? - It's all right.
She's done nothing wrong.
Nothing wrong! - Micky, it's all right.
- Dad! She was at work in her library at the time of the murder, wasn't she? - I'm sure the police have their reasons.
- What reasons? - What do they know, Dad? - They didn't tell me.
- Why didn't you ask? - Micky! Micky.
All of you The police are going to do their job and there's nothing we can do.
All of us are under suspicion.
But we must stick together and not let this drive us apart.
Now, I knowthat none of you could have committed murder.
I'm proud of all of you and we will get through this.
I should say something here.
And it's what we're all thinking.
Mr Argyle, I know you are thinking it.
Which is why they have arrested Tina and not arrested her.
- Absolutely.
- Am I not right? Now, nowI'm not thinking that.
No.
No, I am right.
And you have a duty now, Gwenda Vaughan, to go and confess.
This family will not stand by while another child swings on the gallows for your crime.
- Did you do it, Gwenda? - No.
No.
Leo Leo! - Leo, why don't you - I'm sorry.
I We will not have a murderer under this roof.
I am not a murderer! And I'll be able to prove it! I know things about this family and I swear What? What things? What do you know? I know that Rachel had given Philip an ultimatum to leave Mary.
- What? - Yes, because of your philandering.
She had a private detective onto you.
- Oh, this is preposterous.
- You see? You see, this family's full of secrets.
But I know things that will incriminate the killer.
I really do.
I'm in Rachel's room, remember? I found things.
You've always maintained ´ that you were at work in Redquay when your mother was murdered.
Why have you been lying to us? Why did you go to Sunny Point that night? Mother had arranged for me as assistant librarian at St Andrew's University in Scotland.
I went to tell her I didn't want the job.
So you saw your mother that night? I drove to Sunny Point but didn't cross.
Why not? Why were you really there, Tina? To see her about the job.
Then why didn't you? Tina Argyle, I'm holding you on suspicion of being involved in the murder of Rachel Argyle.
We'd have been on our honeymoon by now.
You can't throw around accusations like that, Gwenda.
- People are accusing me.
- Gwenda They're accusing me.
I didn't do it, Leo.
I didn't.
- Yes - Look me in the face and tell me that you think I did it.
- Leo, look at me! - Gwenda Gwenda.
I think it's best if you move out of Sunny Point tomorrow.
I think it's best for everyone that I just have family here.
- Family? - Yes.
Leo, I am still the same person that I was two days ago.
- I'm still the same woman - Yes.
.
.
you wanted to be part of this family, you wanted to marry.
I know, but I think it's best that you that you leave herein the morning.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Leave in the morning? What am - Night, Micky.
- Are you going down the police station? They said to go in the morning.
- Miss Marple.
- Yes? Miss Marple I don't know how to say this.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry for the things I said about her.
Gwenda? She's been killed in the night.
You must be careful, Miss Marple.
If Gwenda found something out, then maybe that's why she was killed.
And if she told you No.
She didn't.
- Nothing.
- You must be careful, Miss Marple.
I found her just before seven this morning.
I asked her to leave the house today and I'd .
.
taken her a cup of tea to wake her up.
I wanted her gone before the children woke up.
We need to inform Miss Vaughan's family of her death.
- Do you have? - She had no family.
This is where she thought she'd found a family.
- I want my daddy! - Hester.
I want my daddy! - It's all right.
- I can't stand it any more.
- I know.
- I can't stand it.
- It's going to be fine.
- It's not going to be fine! All right.
All right, all right.
All right.
- Has she had her tablets? - No, sir.
- Stay with me.
- Yes, I'll stay with you.
Come on.
Come on, come on.
Come on.
What weapon do you think was used, if I may ask? Well entry wound is very small.
Pen knife, maybe.
A letter opener.
Daddy? Daddy, what's happening? It will be fine.
You take care of Hester.
Make sure she's all right.
No, Miss Marple, if I hadn't have come here, none of this would have happened and that poor girl would still be alive.
I blame myself.
I do, I do.
I blame myself.
- Dr Calgary - I know It wasn't my fault, but really, I blame myself.
One can't help feeling that that Take me back to the Arctic.
That's where I belong.
Lemmings don't go round murdering each other.
Pull yourself together, Dr Calgary.
There are some things I need you to do.
How are you? Go away, Philip.
I'm just being nice.
You were never nice.
I think we may have a problem.
I think they might be onto us.
You can let Tina go, now that you've arrested the old man, can't you? - Why can't you just let her go?! - Hey, hey, hey.
Come on! Are these yours? I don't know how those got into my room in that state.
- But they're yours? - Yes! Yes.
Mr Argyle, if you say you didn't put these in your study, you're implying that a member of your family is trying to frame you for murder.
When did you last see Gwenda Vaughan alive? Ermin my study.
Last night, at about eleven o'clock.
And when did your relatlonship with her begin? Ermabout erm .
.
four months after my wife died.
Gwenda was very .
.
kind.
She was .
.
loving in a way .
.
in a way that no-one ever had been .
.
loving Oh, Gwenda.
Have you read Leo's book? He was talking to me about it.
And this is what it's all about, isn't it? Did he talk to you, Miss Marple? "Good things come from bad deeds.
" - Kirsten.
- No, it has to be said.
He was a shadow of a man with Rachel and when she died, he became alive again, didn't he, Mary? Yes.
And he'd never loved Jacko like we did Bob.
And he'd already started his affair with Gwenda.
I'm the eyes of this house.
I see what I'm not supposed to see.
Mrs Lindsay.
- Mrs Lindsay.
- Where's your car, love? I can't go filling you up with petrol.
My My car? - It was a joke.
- Right.
Right! Yes, I understand it.
Mrs Lindsay, I wondered if I could have a rather delicate word with you.
Jacko.
What a boy.
He was the kind of bloke who could get under skin, you know? Naughty.
Dangerous.
You knew you shouldn't but He was like a drug.
He could make you feel 22 again.
You ever had a girl like that, Professor? There was a young erm young lady atchurch once, but we never reallyspoke.
What was her name? I I believe erm I believe you gave Jacko Argyle some money.
I knew what he was up to.
He pinched a wad off my husband and needed to pay him back.
And you knew about this and yet you went along with it.
I didn't want him to go away.
Ever.
Even though you knew you weren't the only one, even though you knew he was gonna end badly I went up to the prison once, where they were holding him.
He wouldn't see me.
Yet I cried like a child the day they hanged him.
Even now.
Miss Marple.
Can we talk? I know who killed Gwenda.
I know who killed Mother but I have no evidence.
I don't think the police will believe me.
Will you believe me? What do you know? Miss Marple, who's the weakest in this family? Who have they always tried to protect, especially from Mother? And who followed Jacko out the night of the murder? Jacko! Jacko, wait! Mother had been bullying Hester for years.
And Hester adored Jacko.
Would've killed for him, I'm sure.
You know what they say about timid people when pushed to violence.
And now she's killed Gwenda because Gwenda said she'd discovered the truth.
Mary, why did you tell the police you were with Philip when your mother was murdered, and yet yesterday you told me you left the big house much earlier that evening? Hester's a very attractive girl, isn't she, Mary? Would you want the world to know your husband was sleeping with your sister? I lied to the police, Miss Marple, because I have a sense of shame.
But it doesn't change the fact that Hester did this and she's now trying to frame my father for murder.
- Hello.
- Sir.
- May I have my key, please? - Certainly.
Yes, sir.
Oh, sir, you forgot your key.
Going to London, Bobby, on a Sunday? Your father might need you today.
You're not my keeper, Philip.
Now, listen, you little chump.
According to my calculations, Mary's share of the trust should be a quarter of a million.
I know we've asked for 20 grand to buy a house, but I think we should have all of it now and we should stop being treated like children! Known the condition was the trust, Philip.
- You are entitled to half - Yes, but when, Bob? Bobby.
Bobby! Miss Argyle.
Miss Argyle? Miss Argyle.
Why don't we go back to the house? I know what I wanted to ask you .
.
Dr Scientist.
You know about animals and environments, don't you? You take an animal out of its environment and it suffers, doesn't it? It dies inside.
Zoos try and reinvent it but - Mr Argyle! - .
.
they die inside.
Mr Argyle, can you help us? Even animals need love, Dr Scientist.
If we juststep away from the water I'll be more than willing to give you seminar on the subject .
.
back at the house.
Probably even I'll set up a slide show.
Money is the cause of this family's misery.
All of us were from poor backgrounds.
Yes.
Yes, that's lovely.
If you can just step away - Money has not made us happy.
- It never does.
Animals don't have money, do they? Not a penny.
Why is that? Why have human beings turned unhappiness into coins that you can actually touch? Where's Bobby? Bobby! No! - Bobby! - Miss Argyle! - Bobby! - No! Bobby! Bobby! I don't think you're going to find a suicide note, inspector.
That is what you're looking for, isn't it? A confession.
Why won't I find one? 'Cause I don't think Bobby really intended to kill himself.
At leastnot until he was halfway over the crossing.
What do you know, Miss Marple? I think it's something the whole family should hear.
It seemsthat despite their differences, the twins Bobby and Jacko were more alike than anybody realised.
It always struck me as odd that Bobby was as parsimonious with the trust as Rachel had been, that since she died, he had barely parted with a penny.
But I think Bobby had been living under great stress.
So I asked Dr Calgary to get in touch with his stockbrokers, Marshalls.
Yes.
Yes, well Ermone of partners of Marshalls was arrested this morning for fraud and embezzlement and it seems that he and Bobby had their fingers in the honey pot, so to speak.
Bobby used Rachel's trust for financial scams on a much larger scale than Jacko ever got involved in.
The authorities had been closing in on his corruption for the last two years.
Which means that Rachel, as a trustee, would have had knowledge of Bobby's criminal activities shortly before she died.
Sort it out yourself, Bobby! Sometimes I feel I should never have bothered with you and your brother.
But Bobby's always been as generous as he could with us.
- Yes.
- He was paying for this whole wedding.
With money he didn't have.
Yes, it seems that for the last two years he'd been trying to keep one step ahead of financial ruin.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
And I think love he put into the wedding was a last attempt to keep the good times at Sunny Point.
You're telling me that Bobby murdered Rachel when she found out about the fraud? Bobby's about the only member of the family you never arrested, inspector Huish,.
That's enough of that.
No doubt you'd have got round to him.
Bobby was no more a killer than his brother was.
He'd been genuinely troubled by Jacko's last words.
Maybe this is the best thing I've ever done.
And why offer up information like that if you were intent on Jacko being blamed for the murder? Why not, for example, try and discredit Dr Calgary's evidence? And, besides, he wasn't the only person who benefited from Rachel's death that night, was he, Mr Durrant? Your secrets were kept safe.
Tina, why did your mother arrange for you to have a job at a university library in the north of Scotland? She doesn't know.
OK? Mum was a very controlling woman.
Let her answer, please.
When you came here that night to tell her you weren't going to take the position, who did you see coming over the crossing just after the time of the murder? Whose boat was being used, Tina? Micky's.
No, I was at work.
I was collecting from Bristol.
You checked that with my employer, didn't you, Inspector? I didn't stay because if Micky was in a temper, as he usually was after visiting Mother, he'd be in no mood to talk to me.
Why did you think Micky had come to see your mother? He was angry with her.
He didn't want her to keep controlling my life.
Why not? She'd realised you and Micky were in relationship, hadn't she? While you both lived away in Redquay and she was determined to drive a wedge between you.
We're only brother and sister by law.
She had no right to control us.
Micky.
You suspect Micky killed your mother, don't you, Tina? You're trying to protect him.
Miss Marple, his alibi does check out with his employers.
You saw Micky's boat and thought it was him.
But it couldn't have been Micky rowing, Tina.
You .
.
followed Jacko out that night, didn't you, Hester? What did you talk about? Nothing.
I'm a dead man, Hes.
Calm down.
Let's go for a walk, baby.
If I don't get the cash they really are going to kill me.
I'm sure it's not that bad, Jacko.
What do you know? I'd never seen Jacko frightened.
I couldn't calm him.
How far dld you walk with him? Just to the corner of the house.
Then I came back.
Did you see anyone else? No.
Are you sure? Because I don't think you were the only one who followed Jacko out after the fight Who, then? Who has been shifting the blame from one person to another since Dr Calgary's arrival? Jacko is responsible.
I'm certain.
Thank God you have not yet married her, Mr Argyle! Thank God she will not get away with it.
He was a shadow of a man with Rachel.
When she died, he became alive again.
Who considers herself to be the real mother of children, the one who gave them the unconditional love they were so badly short of? For what reason would I follow Jacko out, Miss Marple? Because you loved him.
Because you were the latest in a long line of middle-aged women Jacko could manipulate, Jacko could bleed dry of savings, Jacko could make feelspecial.
You said Jacko killed Rachel and I think you still believe that.
You believe that Jacko was responsible.
Make it look like a burglary and then bring me the money.
Yes.
And hit her hard.
Make sure she'll never get up.
I'll get a cast iron alibi for eight o'clock because everyone will suspect it's me.
Eight o'clock.
Yes, my darling.
Jacko did know who the real killer was, but he also knew that if he left prison he was going to get killed, anyway.
And he did the one good thing in his life by letting you go free.
The real mother that these children had.
You tell a good story, Miss Marple.
But what proof is there? No-one saw anything.
No-one heard anything.
Not even inspector Huish can arrest me on hearsay.
These children, who you've loved and protected all your life, will never be free of suspicion if you don't confess, Kirsten.
Their ordeal by innocence has already cost one of them his life and another has been pushed to the edge.
Let alone my friend whose life you thought disposable, who was not part of this family, who was never part of any family and who youdenied happiness to.
Set your children free, Kirsten.
It's the only way you can protect them now.
Kirsten Lindstrom, did you murder Rachel Argyle and Gwenda Vaughan? If she loved Jacko so much why did she let him die? She didn't know about him being married.
She thought she was the only one.
I think her love curdled to hate the moment his wife knocked on the door.
- Are you going to London? - Yes.
Then I'm travelling again to Galapagos, with new expedition.
Do you ever go home, Dr Calgary? Rarely.
Rarely.
Where's home for you, Miss Marple? Home.
Home is St Mary Mead.
I must say, what I'm looking forward to about the Galapagos is seeing species that are peculiar to those islands.
Don't you think it would be a remarkable thing, to stumble, like Darwin, across islands that contain new kinds? Yes, I do.