New Tricks s12e07 Episode Script
The Russian Cousin
It's all right, it's OK Doesn't really matter If you're old and grey It's all right, I say it's OK Listen to what I say It's all right, doing fine Doesn't really matter If the sun don't shine It's all right, I say it's OK We're getting to the end of the day.
God! Bit jumpy, are we? I've been freebasing espressos for the last two hours.
It took ages to upload these photos.
Your home's supposed to be your castle.
Mine's turned out to be a financial bloody life-raft.
You're doing the right thing.
Letting a load of grubby strangers in my flat.
Eyes on the prize.
Think about the money.
Hey.
I've got all the money I need, as long as I die by tea-time.
"I'm delighted to welcome travellers "to my little part of London.
" People love that bullshit.
"Retired senior public service professional "now turned gentleman of leisure" -- why don't you just say you were a copper? Because I don't want my customers to think the drug squad is going to kick down the door every time they light an incense stick.
Right, let's get this party started.
Going live in three, two, one So what happens now? How long before I get my first booking? - 13 minutes, 27 seconds.
- Really? I don't know.
Be patient.
I really need this to work.
You renting your flat out? I know.
A friend of mine's been doing it for the last couple of years, now and then.
So where will YOU stay if you get a booking? - Er - Well, you could always stay at my old place? Danny, that'd be terrific.
I hadn't thought of that.
Yeah.
OK, can we please stop gassing and meet Dave Hooper? killed by a single stab through the heart in his office on the 21 October 2011.
Handsome sod.
Yes, the injustice of genetics.
Now his office was ransacked at the time of the murder.
We know from his "girlfriend" Carmen Creswell that he used a work notebook and used burner phones .
.
but the original investigation couldn't find them.
- Theory was "robbery gone wrong".
- Who's on his client list? Might have been one of them.
That was the brick wall.
We didn't have any records, we didn't know who he was working for.
- We had virtually nothing.
- Single stab wound.
Knife? Three-inch blade, standard issue in any kitchen or folding pocket set.
Which puts the chances of us tracing it somewhere between zero and bugger all.
Which is why we were extremely happy to receive THIS in the post -- Hooper's notebook.
Can you please just answer that! So, what, this disappeared when Hooper was killed? I've made you all copies.
Yes.
I'll make an appointment as soon as the surgery is open.
Scout's honour.
Carry on, please.
So according to Hooper's girlfriend Carmen Creswell, he never let this notebook out of his sight.
May I? Oh, yes.
Fiona uses one exactly the same.
Does hers come with an anonymous message? We don't know who sent it.
There's no match for prints or DNA.
Why should somebody hand it in four years after the event? Too afraid to come forward at the time? Wherever it came from, this is gold dust.
There's initials, postcodes, times, dates.
We know he was ultra-secretive, even these notes are written in some sort of shorthand, but maybe the entries relate to cases he was working.
You think he was killed by one of his clients? Private investigation is a murky business.
Steve and I will go and speak to Hooper's girlfriend, you two mega-minds decipher these notes and find me his clients.
Hey! You saying I'm not a mega-mind? I'm saying you have other skills.
Carmen Creswell came forward straight away but wasn't much help.
- She had a solid alibi for the night of the murder - Yeah.
But she claimed to know nothing of Hooper's life or working practices.
Are you listening to any of this? Look, I've had three page views already! - Three? Wow, I'll alert the press(!) - Sorry, sorry.
So this - Creswell.
- Creswell, yeah.
If she was his girlfriend, how come didn't she know what he was up to? Well, we were never a couple.
I hardly knew him.
He was just a bloke I met through a dating agency and had a few bunk-ups with.
Cost a fortune.
Was meant to be for high net worth individuals -- it turned out Dave wasn't one of those.
He lied to you? Everyone's at it at those places.
They're not looking for love -- they're looking for money or sex.
Which were you after? Don't sneer.
I grew up poor.
I wanted something better.
Even when you found out Dave wasn't minted, you stayed with him anyway? We were never together.
We met each other, I don't know, a handful of times -- never in the light.
Did you want more? There are happy-ever-after guys and then there are guys like Dave.
I know the difference.
Henry is the love of my life.
- When did you meet him? - A couple of years ago.
Was that through the same agency? Yes, actually.
We haven't been able to trace Hooper's e-mail or phone history.
Well, I'm not surprised.
He was secretive.
It's all part of his "man of mystery" routine.
He called cellphones and computers "bugging devices for MI5".
We did find this, though.
Is that his black book? Do you recognise it? Yeah.
He never let me near it.
His crown jewels.
What's in it? It's a sort of work diary.
It's mostly shorthand, but there are notes, abbreviations, numbers.
Does anything look familiar? It's all gibberish to me.
What about the initials? Clients, maybe? No.
I didn't even know what he did until your lot told me, you know, after he was killed.
So he never talked about work? He never let me know him.
It was like sleeping with a ghost.
I'm investigating the 2011 murder of a man called David Hooper Your number was in his notebook, so I wondered if you remember him.
He was a private investigator, very good looking.
I appreciate you're a taxi firm and get thousands of bookings, but is there anything in your system under his name? Alison Downing? So where could I contact her? Perhaps you could put me in touch with - Thanks very much.
- Hello? People are getting ruder, you know.
I blame diesel fumes.
I might have a bit of a tickle.
According to an employee at the cake shop, a guy who looked liked Hooper visited her boss, an Alison Downing, quite regularly back then.
Alison Downing? AD.
So shall we go and have a chat with her? There's only one reference to AD, though.
The person I really want to find is this BW.
Are you coming? Could be some tasty fringe benefits.
Or I could visit Downing on my own.
If you've got to go and see the doctor? Are you coming or not? Hello.
Carmen's pleading strangers in the night.
And do we believe her? 'She didn't recognise anything in the notes,' couldn't give us a single name of a client, or tell us anything specific about the nature of his business.
I don't trust her as far as I can spit.
According to her, Hooper was slippery as snot on an iceberg.
- Is she a candidate for having sent the notebook? - 'Everyone's a candidate.
' Any joy making sense of it? 'Well, we're still working through all the telephone numbers.
' I've spoken to a cab firm, an airline, even a stamp auctioneer's.
Now they must all be related to Hooper's cases, but no-one can remember dealing with him.
Keep plugging away.
'I've had a bite though.
Woman on the phone remembered him immediately.
' We're going over there now.
'That's great! 'Let us know how you get on and we'll speak later.
' That's the only appointment you're going to make today, obviously.
If Downing's cake are any good, I'll get Fiona some.
She's got a very sweet tooth.
And she's fun, fascinating and vivacious, too.
If opposites really do attract, you two have got a chance.
This is your way of showing affection, isn't it? Ah, it's just banter.
It would be much better if you were honest about your emotions -- seeing as you've not got long left.
- What do you mean? - You're clearly avoiding going to the doctor's.
That's what this whole doctor thing is about, isn't it? You're frightened of your own mortality.
Actually, this is none of your business.
Ted, I know denial when it walks my way.
I used to be an expert practitioner.
Had it been an Olympic sport, I'd have been a triple medal winner and a national hero.
Look, my life insurance company wants me to take a new test as part of my annual medical.
It's a racket.
They're trying to bump up my premiums and I'm not having it.
It's an MOT.
A 12,000-mile check.
Change your oils, change your plugs and then get you back on the road.
Yeah, well, this machine is running just fine, thank you.
OK? I do all my own maintenance.
- There you go.
- Bye! One Sugar Mountain and a Black Forest, please.
And where do I find Alison Downing? Standing right in front of you.
You'd better come round the back.
We do all our baking on site.
Make and sell over 700 cupcakes a day.
- Can we have a minute? - Sure.
- Thanks.
Didn't think I'd ever see you lot again.
We're here about Dave Hooper.
So you haven't caught Jason? The fiance who ran off with my money? We're investigating David Hooper's murder.
Figures.
Jason nicking 30 grand was never a priority for your mob.
- Can we start again? - How did you know David Hooper? I used to have terrible taste in men.
Jason Sharpe was a bit of a lad, did time for GBH, I thought I could fix him.
I was wrong.
And he stole from you? Bastard cleaned me out.
And I went to the police, but they weren't interested.
Jason hadn't left a trace.
Police thought he must have planned it -- changed his name, gone abroad.
Dead end.
So you employed Hooper after they scaled down their investigation? It was after I saw Jase again.
I was on a bus in Brixton when I saw him out the window.
Did you speak to him? Screamed my head off.
But the bus was moving away from him and by the time I'd got off He'd gone.
Just as well.
I probably would have thumped him and there'd only be one winner in that sort of fight.
Hooper was a regular here.
I asked him to look for Jase and he'd found him, too.
When? Turned out it was the day before he died.
You never came forward with this? You weren't exactly helpful to me.
Why put myself out for you? That's not good enough, Alison.
And I was scared, all right? Jason pulled me into his sewer.
The day he left, I started breathing.
Built all this.
Do you think he's capable of murder? I KNOW he is.
So Hooper found her heavy-fisted fiance and got killed for his troubles? Jason Sharpe sounds like a proper nasty bastard.
I like the sound of her, though.
He did her over for 30 grand and she got back on her feet.
And you should taste her cakes, they're out of this world.
Alison's happy to help, but the last thing she wants is Sharpe found.
We urgently need to talk to him.
Contact the team that ran the search in '09.
Was there any mention of Sharpe -- or JS -- in the notebook? No.
We were lucky to even find Alison.
There's only one mention of an AD in there.
That's weird.
Hooper worked for her for the last five months of his life.
This is a good lead.
We need to find Sharpe.
In the meantime these just arrived.
The contents of Hooper's flat.
Two boxes? Not much to show for a life.
Makes our job easier though, doesn't it? Not so much to go through.
The original investigation found nothing significant, but you never know.
Those were the most intriguing, these keys.
That was for his office, his home, his bike and that one's anyone's guess.
Could be a left luggage key? Safety deposit box? No, they tried both.
Contacted everyone within a six-mile radius of his home and office.
- Nothing.
- Nothing much of interest here, either.
Not unless you count this.
BW.
Chalk one up for the dimwits.
I asked Hooper to work for me in 2011, after the house got burgled.
Sorry about this.
Just give me a sec.
Can I get you some water? No, I'm fine, mate.
You have a beautiful family.
How old are your kids? Jane's the eldest, 20, she works in a department store in the West End.
And that's Gemma -- just 17 -- proper smarty-pants.
She doesn't want to go to college because of the fees, but I tell her she's got something special, a chance to climb the ladder.
When was the burglary exactly? We were on summer holidays, July 2011.
Toe-rags cleaned us out of all the usual -- TV, gadgets I didn't care about any of that.
But they took my granddad's box.
Your granddad's box? Letters and photos, his diaries from the trenches.
He was three years at the front.
Nan used to call him the rubber ball.
His mates got shot and killed, but he just kept bouncing back.
Three years -- that's extraordinary.
I felt like I'd let him down, you know.
I always promised him that I'd type up his diaries one day.
Maybe take them to the War Museum.
You should have read the stuff, turn your hair white, some of it.
There were other bits and pieces.
His service medal and a rare stamp called a Russian Cousin -- he always said that was really valuable.
How valuable? Well, the police only gave me an insurance number, house burglaries weren't their priority, so it was only when I made a claim that I found out.
The stamp was worth 40k.
I know, it's madness, isn't it? But like a a muppet, I never knew.
I sense this isn't going to end well.
Hadn't declared it as a high-value item on the insurance .
.
so I got zip.
So Hooper went looking for it? I'd fixed a dish at his office, saw his sign and thought I'd give it a go.
How did he get on? I could only pay for a couple of weeks.
I thought, could be worse, at least I've got my health.
And then I got breast cancer.
Yeah, men get it too.
The Chemo diet's not all it's cracked up to be.
I didn't even lose any weight! When people have got cancer, you have to laugh at their bad jokes.
And how's your health now? I'm still here and Hooper isn't, so it just goes to show that you never know when your number's up.
The stamp is valuable, but .
.
good health and .
.
and the love of your family is priceless.
Glad he hasn't lost his sense of humour.
Hope we can find the stamp for the guy, he deserves a break.
We're not a lost property agency.
We need to find Jason Sharpe.
Not only is he a con man, he's our prime suspect.
Did you get in touch with the people who looked for him in 2009? They didn't come close to catching him, but he's a proper bad lad.
He was a mugger whose weapon of choice was a knife, so maybe stab-happy Jason finally became a murderer when Hooper came to call.
Maybe.
But either case could have got him murdered.
You're taking this stamp seriously? We pursue both lines of inquiry, just like Hooper did.
When presented with both of these two cases, what would he have done? Well, if he wanted to find Jason Sharpe, he'd have started in Brixton.
And if he wanted to find the stamp, he'd have worked out who burgled Warnock.
- Good.
We know what to do tomorrow.
- Yes! Back of the net! Sorry, I've just got my first booking! Two Italian ladies, arriving tomorrow for 48 hours in La Bella Citte.
- Bella Citta.
- Whatever.
I'll get the next round in.
- Where are these guests of yours? - They're only ten minutes late.
You do know Italians and punctuality are not even on nodding terms? For 300 quid for a two-night stay, they can be as late as they like.
- 300 quid? - Yeah! - That website is magic.
I didn't go through the website -- they wanted 20%.
No, I just called the girls direct, did a deal between ourselves.
You don't even know who these people are and you're giving them the key to your kingdom? Hey, it's the modern age, get with the programme.
Look, look at this.
I'm checking out Warnock's alibi.
Well, he was at a cancer support meeting in a church, wasn't he? Yeah, but I've not heard from any of these other group members.
But, look, his doctor's just got in touch.
'Stage III, mastectomy, hormone therapy, "remission, metastasis, "stage IV spread to nodes, bones and liver.
" What am I looking at? He's dying.
He got better and now it's all over him.
Why didn't he tell us? It's private.
People get protective about their health.
Look at Ted.
Bone and liver? Warnock's got months.
Showtime.
OK, you've got ten minutes, then we're due at the stamp house.
They haven't brought much luggage.
- You take more than that into the office.
- Maybe they're going to buy stuff here.
Just give me a minute, OK.
Ciao! Bellissimas! I'm signor Steve.
Hello.
Oh! - Isabella! - Isabella? Isabella! Just up the stairs here, and Excuse us, won't you? You'll be very comfortable.
Buongiorno.
Buckingham Palace! - Well, not exactly, but it's very nice.
- We're like the Queen.
Alison saw Sharpe in Brixton.
Yeah and, big surprise, he's not on the electoral register.
No, he'll be going under an assumed name -- that's why we're going to have to track him through his work.
Well, he studied web design when he was inside and then he freelanced for about a dozen web agencies in North London before he disappeared.
He'd still have to earn a living after, so All right, why don't we contact all the agencies around Brixton and get names of all the new free-lancers they took on after May 2009? Oh, what a slog! Surely something in Hooper's notes can help us find Sharpe.
You're welcome to another trawl, but I drew a blank.
Um Sorry to disappoint you, but these aren't Hooper's notes.
It's all about bones.
Oh! I must have picked up Fiona's notebook this morning by mistake.
Yep, here's Hooper's book.
See, exactly the same.
They're not exactly the same.
Hooper's book has fewer pages.
That's a Russian Cousin.
It's one of the great rarities of philately.
There are only 12 examples in the world.
If your man has one, it would be a sensation.
Are they really worth £40,000? The last one to come to auction went for £48,300.
But there are so many factors.
It's not just the stamp, it's the story, too.
You know the Cousin's history? It's a commemorative stamp created in 1908 by Nicholas II of Russia to mark the state visit of his nephew and our King, Edward VII.
As you can see, it features a map of Great Britain.
It was a special issue, so only 100,000 were printed and delivered to postmasters in St Petersburg, where just half an hour later, a beady-eyed cartographer noticed that the map was incomplete.
No Ireland in this version of the United Kingdom.
Nicholas went crazy and the stamps were immediately withdrawn and destroyed.
Our guy said that his grandfather swapped the stamp with a Russian soldier for a packet of cigarettes when they de-mobbed in Paris in 1918.
So the story gets better again.
on the open market, but a serious collector might pay double in a private sale.
To avoid being outbid at auction? If a genuine collector has set his heart on a particular stamp, the price can go anywhere.
Was your owner robbed deliberately? Perhaps.
I'm not sure he knew what he was sitting on.
Because a Cousin did surface briefly in the late summer of 2011.
We were approached by an anonymous vendor.
I confirmed the stamp as genuine, offered to sell it, - but never heard from the vendor again.
- Who was it? I never knew.
I was telephoned and asked to wait at a cafe in Paddington.
When I got there, an old woman showed me the Cousin.
Then I got another phone call.
Can you describe the old woman? I'm sure she wasn't part of it, just a proxy.
And the other phone call? I was told I was being watched and asked to authenticate the stamp.
Right there and then? On your own in the cafe? I said that it would be difficult, but I knew straight away it was genuine.
And that it was stolen? So you reported it to the police? I didn't know for certain.
You didn't care.
You wanted the business.
What happened to the stamp? I imagine the vendor put word out and achieved a private sale.
I'm going to need a list of any collector that you think might have been in the market for a stamp like that.
That's confidential.
I'm sure we can come to some understanding.
Yep There are 36 pages fewer in this one than in Fiona's.
Barely visible, but they've been very deliberately removed.
Hooper was meticulous about security.
Could be that he just removed those pages as he went along, as they were no longer relevant.
Alison Downing was still relevant -- there's only one mention of AD -- and none at all of Sharpe.
This notebook is all about BW -- Warnock.
Perhaps he had more than one book on the go.
The one we're working from is about the stamp and then he had another one that was all to do with his search for Sharpe.
Doesn't explain the missing pages.
Think of the implication.
If this notebook has been tampered with You knock yourself out chasing hypotheticals.
I've got to go and visit Warnock's local nick to talk about household robberies.
Yeah, yeah.
No, I haven't done anything at all.
Is that it? Yeah, OK.
Bye.
God, he's really winding me up.
This has nothing to do with the cost of insurance, has it? There's this heart defect thing that runs in my family -- - it's not important.
- No, heart defects are very trivial.
There's always been a chance that I'd inherit it, but it's never shown up on a medical, so I've just got on with my life.
But now? But now they've developed a super sophisticated test and I don't want to take it.
Ted, if you have this thing, you must find out.
What if it kills you? God, you are a miserable git.
WAS a miserable git, yes, for years.
Frightened of life, love, loss.
Look, I don't care what you do, Ted, but please don't give up the chance to be happy.
What's this? Quotes from the little book of bollocks? It's not what I need.
At our age, we should enjoy every moment.
Squeeze the last drop of juice from the lemon and don't waste time feeling trapped by uncertainty and fear.
Bollocks or not, Ted, this is making you unhappy.
No, what's making me unhappy is Pat being such a pain, telling me I'm like an ostrich sticking my head in the sand.
Actually, that's a myth, the ostrich couldn't breathe.
- But they do dig holes for their eggs.
- What? It doesn't matter, just book the doctor and put Pat out of your misery.
Take the test, simple as that? It's not about the test.
It's about showing you care for him as much as he does for you.
Right.
OK.
If they find I have a heart problem and they bump up my premiums, I'll be hitting you up for a contribution.
Did you ever collect anything? Parking tickets, debts, bad jokes.
I spent a whole summer once when I was a kid collecting butterflies.
Every hour in the fields and woods -- I was obsessed.
You are FULL of surprises.
Orange Tips, Purple Hairstreaks -- even caught a Chequered Skipper once! - Had to go all the way to Lochaber for that one.
- I'm sure it was worth it.
Made a display case.
Thing of beauty.
I gave it to Susan Brennan.
Oh! Every girl's dream -- dead insects(!) Oh, no, she was mad for botany and so pretty.
She'd let her kiss you too, if you were nice to her.
Proper ones mind, French.
You traded your whole summer's work for a kiss? I can still taste her lips on mine.
- Please, let's not go there.
- God, it was worth every minute.
All right, enough! Right, back on planet police, we've got artists, financiers, politicians and pop stars on the list.
Are we certain it was Warnock's stamp that was up for sale? months after his goes missing? All this cloak and dagger stuff at Paddington, - it sounds like a professional job to me.
- Could be, but maybe Warnock bragged about the stamp once too often down the pub and got targeted.
If it was that valuable and in the hands of career criminals, Hooper could have got killed just trying to retrieve it.
Mm.
We need to identify who this mystery vendor is.
Our best hope of doing that is try and find out who he tried to sell to.
We can't just call people up and ask them to admit to negotiating to buy stolen goods.
We'll have to find another way to smoke them out.
Welcome to our sale of Specialised Great British Stamps.
We're proud to have assembled such an exciting catalogue, so let's start with the opening lot.
This is an 1870 halfpenny Scarlet Emperor.
Very fine, unmounted, OG.
Who will open at £100? £100 -- thank you.
150? 150.
Just heard an amazing rumour.
See that lady standing back there? No, don't look.
Don't draw attention.
She's representing somebody who's got a Russian Cousin for sale.
I know! Too good to be true, right? She gave me her number.
- I don't know whether to take it seriously or not.
- May I? - Be my guest.
Next up, we have a 1 shilling Green, 1854 Very fine and fresh our OG example.
Um, very fine and fresh OG example I know someone who's got a Russian Cousin for sale.
Cool.
- I bet it's a fake, though.
- What makes you say that? You're too foxy to be real.
I don't like being hustled.
Your profiling is miles off.
He's not our sort of customer.
Watch and learn.
Sold at £1,400.
Lot 71 looks interesting, the 1864 two-shilling Mauve.
Do you think it will go for £14,000? Buyers like you, you'd probably buy it before it came to auction.
Private market is the way to go, isn't it? There's some real gems that way.
What would you say if I told you I had a beautiful Russian Cousin for sale? That's got your interest.
Got a number here somewhere - Sorry, sir Need you to come with us.
- What do you mean? Hang on - I'm just talking to the guy - This way, please.
He probably thought you were a sex trafficker.
Just trying to talk to the guy.
These billionaires are so bloody imperious.
So what happens now? We keep following the Cousin.
Who stole it, who sold it, who bought it? The stunt at the auction house should smoke out the serious buyers.
Ah, Steve, you've had a few messages from your Italians.
- They want you to buy some new stuff for the flat.
- You're kidding? It's not as well equipped as it looked in the photos, apparently, and the decor is not to their taste.
They're only staying two nights -- no-one asked them to marry the place.
They can deal with what they've got.
Back in the real world, where a man was stabbed, our theory about a gang having hit Warnock's house for the stamp isn't holding.
I spoke to local police.
They tell me there was a spate of robberies in the area in the summer of '09 -- all linked to this kid.
A one-man crime-wave called Darren Gecks.
According to the local guys, it's almost certain that Gecks turned over Warnock's house.
Great.
Go talk to him.
Find out what he did with the stamp.
Bad news is that Darren died in an RTA.
Sad loss to the community.
But the good news is he fenced everything he stole through a pawn shop in Camden, so I'm going to have a little stroll over there right now.
OK.
Dan, how did you get on with Jason Sharpe? Well, I've put out a fresh alert for him and I'm building a list of freelancers in design agencies around Brixton.
There must be a quicker way! What about the notebook? Anything in there that might help us out? Zilch.
And I'm beginning to think that whoever sent it in deliberately deleted certain bits of information.
Why would they do that? To make us focus on the stamp rather than Sharpe? That's a bit of a leap, isn't it? - Whoever sent it to us wants us to clear up a murder.
- No.
- It's definitely someone involved in the case.
- Yes, I have the stamp.
But before we waste our breath, let's establish a ballpark.
It's a genuine Russian Cousin, certified by Spinks I'm looking for 100K.
Then we've got nothing to talk about.
Treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen.
No wonder you're such a hit on the dating scene.
- Hello.
- 'Your 'ouse is very nice, Mr Stevie, - 'but there are some important things missing.
' - Isabella - 'There is no speaker, docking station' - I'm not buying anything else for the flat.
'Wireless speakers? Per le musica?' Hang on, she just said LE musica.
It's LA musica.
Can we just get back to the notebook? Look, Isabella Ah.
Oh, sorry.
You ARE interested? I see.
What, right away? Let me get your details.
John Hartwell invented a smartphone app when he was a teenager that netted him 15 million.
He's just turned 30 and he's now worth over 90 million.
I bet he's not happy, though.
Show them out again! - I don't want to talk to these two.
- YOU invited US.
And in the time it took you to get here I found out that the phone I called you on is registered to the police and the IP was transmitting from a station near Embankment.
I'm DCI Sasha Miller, this is Steve McAndrew.
Do you have a stamp for sale? In which case, farewell.
You're refusing to help us with an enquiry? Well I'm pretty sure what you just did was entrapment.
We got off on the wrong foot.
We're just trying to find out if you ever heard of a stamp for sale? A Russian Cousin in 2011? Is that why you went through this whole charade? You were very quick to call us.
If you were that keen today, you must've been very keen in 2011.
Did you need the stamp to finish the set? Look, you can never be sure if you're being scammed, but I did speak to someone back then who claimed to have one, we even arranged a viewing.
But he never got back in touch.
Why not? I was too slow, probably already sold it.
Who did you speak to? I don't know.
A frontman.
- And what was his number? - He called me.
I never had a number.
The ID was hidden, I couldn't trace it.
OK, take us through from the start.
Word was on the grapevine that there was a Cousin.
I let him know that I was extremely interested, he got back in touch.
And what did he say? We talked about the stamp, arranged to meet a few days later, but he never got in touch again.
What date was this? October 20th, 2011.
That's very precise.
I took the call when I was laying flowers at my mother's grave -- it was the anniversary of her death.
Everything fits around the stamp.
Warnock's house was burgled in July.
In August, he employs Hooper to find the stamp.
Early October, Spinks authenticate it for a mystery vendor in Paddington.
October 20th, the vendor contacts our app millionaire Hartwell -- they arrange a meeting.
Two days later, Hooper is dead.
The vendor never contacts Hartwell again, either cos he's sold the stamp to someone else, or he's lying low cos he's killed the private detective who was on to him.
More important than ever that we find out who stole this stamp.
It was Darren Gecks.
He turned over Warnock's house, stole the stamp, didn't know what he had, sold it and everything else he'd got to the usual pawn shop in Camden.
- Hundred quid, job lot.
- You sure about this? Yes, straight from the pawn shop manager.
He also confirmed that Hooper bought the stamp from him the same day.
- Hooper?! - Yep.
Recognised him straight away from the picture.
He's a handsome sod, not the usual class of customer, and it fits the timeline.
Hooper definitely withdrew right across the street from the pawn shop that day, October 3rd.
To pay for the stamp? This is brilliant! So, if Hooper has the stamp on 3rd October, - is he our mystery vendor? - He's got to be.
And now he's trying to cheat his client Warnock.
This opens the whole case.
So if Hooper was trying to sell the stamp -- could somebody have killed him rather than buy it? Hartwell? We need to find out who else Hooper talked to.
We're still forgetting about Jason Sharpe.
Now I've finished talking to the design firms and I've drawn up a list of freelancers.
I'm going to show it to Downing, see if she recognises a name.
And we should talk to Warnock.
- If he found out Hooper was swindling him - Warnock has an alibi.
Maybe not.
He says he was at a cancer support meeting, but it turns out that all the five other members who were there on that night have subsequently died.
That's hardly his fault.
It means there's no-one left to corroborate.
And he didn't tell us he's dying.
The guy was having chemo -- I doubt he had the strength to stab a sausage, never mind Hooper.
It's still worth asking.
He found my stamp and he was trying to flog it? That's outrageous.
Did you ever go to his office? Only the first time, then he came to work or here.
I met him in a cafe once in Paddington.
Can you just confirm the alibi statement you gave us? I was in the support meeting.
Talk to Paul.
He's a cracking lad.
He keeps records.
Paul, the group leader? He died, I'm afraid.
No.
So have the other people who were there with you.
God.
Is there anyone else who would have seen you there? Hang on a minute.
Don't you believe me? Checking alibis is a formality, not Have you ever had chemo? I barely had the energy to get out of bed and face the world and you think I'm sorry pal, we didn't mean to If you were my PAL, you'd find my stamp, not come round here and tell me that my friends are dead as easily as chatting about the weather.
You were friends, but you didn't know? Sometimes you need a bit of distance.
You easily tire of going to funerals.
You're dying, aren't you, Barry? I really thought I'd beat it.
I was in remission for two years .
.
but it came back .
.
and now it's all over me.
Why didn't you tell us? Because that's not who I am! The "bloke who's dying of cancer".
THAT'S who I am.
Sticky toffee or chocolate chilli? We're road testing new flavours.
I'd love to know which you prefer.
Well, it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.
Have a peak at this.
Right, what am I looking for? We need to talk to Jason.
If you do find him, don't tell him I had anything to do with this.
I never want to see him again.
Don't you want your money back? He's welcome to it, as long as he stays out of my life.
He's changed his name.
These are the names and addresses of all the freelance designers in the Brixton area.
Any of them jump out at you as an alias he might use? Favourite football player, film star, musician? It could be a password, name of a pet, somewhere he grew up.
I wish I could help Maybe I could hold on to the list? Of course.
You know, I think I prefer the chilli.
Paradise Hill? Yes.
Number Pete Smith.
Do you know him? I know a Paradise Hill, I think.
We went to a party there once.
- You think? - Me and Jason had a row outside.
I can't remember why, but he was right up in my face, as usual.
- So, number 33 could be a friend's house, perhaps? - I don't know, but it's one of those things that sticks with you, you know? I was so upset.
I was in hell, but we were standing in Paradise.
Yes.
- Is Pete home? - Who's asking? Sharpe lived there for three years! The woman we just met is Deeta Khan.
Sharpe turned up on her doorstep in '09, spun her a great, big lie about there being bad men after him and how he needed to change his name.
She took him in? It was all happy families till Deeta mentioned marriage and then Sharpe legged it.
This is proper! We know his alias and where he was living.
It gets better.
Hooper visited Deeta and asked exactly the same questions as us in September 2011.
Only weeks after Sharpe had gone.
Well, the trail would still be fresh.
Hooper must've found him.
He told Alison he HAD found him.
Right, we need to make another list -- every Pete Smith in the country.
God, there's going to be thousands.
Well, if Hooper caught up with him, you can too.
Sorry I'm late, but I have been working.
Do you know what this is? This is Hooper's safety deposit box key.
The previous team explored that ages ago.
Yeah, they didn't know about Paddington, which is where I've just been, and they didn't know that Hooper used to use this cafe for his meetings.
That's also where he met Warnock and where he arranged for the woman from Spinks to see the stamp.
That's right, which is very valuable, not the sort of thing you'd want to cart around, so you'd keep it somewhere safe nearby.
What do we think we'll find? All Hooper's secrets? A tiny bit of Russia, maybe.
I'd be pleased for Warnock.
Right, we need to find records for this box -- everyone who's accessed it.
Hello.
'There are over 10,000 Peter Smiths in the UK,' but only 3,000 of them in Sharpe's age range and, of those, only 217 have moved into properties since 2011.
Now, 32 of those are in London.
'I've circulated details to other forces, but I am going to need' an extra pair of feet to help me knock on the doors of these 32.
Well, we've got a big fat nothing, here.
Ted's back at the office, get him to join you and we'll catch up later.
- Steve McAndrew's phone - 'Hello, Mr Stevie' - Oh, hi, Isabella.
Lui non e qui in momento, posso prendere un messagio? - '.
.
waiting for you to arrive.
' - I said he's not here.
Do you not understand? - You just missed Isabella.
- What did she want this time? - No idea, but she didn't seem to understand what I was saying.
- Probably your accent.
There's nothing wrong with my accent! What have you got for me? Hooper's box was last accessed on 15 May 2012.
Six months after he was killed? It's a simple key holder account.
If you turn up like we did with a key today, you're in.
- Do they have details for this person in May? - No, but there's CCTV.
Turn around.
It's like he doesn't want to be seen.
It isn't me! Don't waste our time.
If it's May, then I'm in Ibiza -- I go there every year.
Do we really have to do this? We can check flight manifests, your credit cards statements -- Let's not bother.
I have places I need to be, OK? It's me.
Hooper had something of mine, he died, I went to fetch it.
The Russian Stamp from his box.
I can see why you made detective.
But before you get over-excited, I didn't kill him.
Well, let's see about that, shall we? I'd already paid him 70 grand -- - it's as much as I could get my hands on.
- It was a deposit? Yeah, like I said, he never showed up for the balance and the exchange.
That is NOT what you said.
I assumed he'd done a runner, next thing I hear, he's dead.
But you didn't go to the police.
I'd already paid him for the stamp, but I knew it wasn't his.
If your mob got involved, you'd just make a fuss.
- What, like return it to its rightful owner? - How did you get the key? - I finished the deal with his missus.
- Carmen? That's the one.
Pretty.
Had it all going on.
I gave her the other - everyone's a winner.
- Where's the stamp now? I lost it.
I can't find it anywhere.
I will get a warrant and search your property.
I've got ten of them, darling.
Hundreds of thousands of square feet, but that little stamp is just so damn small.
I don't think anyone's ever going to find it.
I'm not sure why you're smiling.
You've just admitted to buying stolen goods.
He thinks he can buy his way out of trouble and keep his stamp.
He's wrong.
I didn't kill him! Let's do this at the station.
No! My children are upstairs.
Then you'd better start telling the truth.
You've got 90 seconds.
How come you had a key to his deposit box? I used to work for him.
This gets better and better.
He'd give me a picture of a cheating husband and a bar to sit in, - I'd let nature take its course.
- A honey trap? It was a kiss and a cuddle at most, just enough for Dave to get a photo.
Doesn't explain the key.
I had a key of my own.
Why would he trust you with that? I thought you hardly knew him.
I loved him.
We were a proper couple.
So all that stuff about you two just fooling around was lies? I adore my husband and he's given me so much, but with Dave, it was the real thing.
You're breaking my heart.
I knew about the deal with Hartwell.
After Dave died, I waited for things to calm down and then - I contacted Hartwell.
- Out of pure kindness.
What was I going to do with the stamp? Let it sit there? You got paid 70 grand just for closing the deal -- it's not bad for a day's work.
OK, I'm not proud of what I did, but I I had nothing.
No money, no future, my man was dead.
And that makes stealing all right? That 70K changed my life.
It paved the way for everything that's good that's happened since.
And what about the other 70 grand that Hartwell had already paid? I don't know.
Time's up.
You've failed.
We're going down the station.
OK.
I took it.
And? I'm telling you the truth.
No.
Let me tell you what happened! You killed Hooper, you stole the key, sold the stamp, you pocketed 140 grand.
You had motive, means and opportunity, and I'm going to crawl through every little detail of your grubby life until I prove it.
It was Jason Sharpe -- the conman who ran off with his girlfriend's money.
Dave found him, he wanted money for his silence.
It was the thing he did.
I always told him it was a dangerous game.
So what happened? Sharpe wanted time to find the cash.
It was Sharpe.
Please, believe me.
I'm not a bad person.
He was out of the country and he was already serving time.
You've got her in custody? We're double checking her alibi.
She lied, but she's not our murderer.
We need to find Sharpe today.
We've already covered all nine Pete Smith addresses in South London and six of the 14 in West.
Right, well, me and Steve will do North and East.
Now, this man is potentially very dangerous and liable to run.
Don't knock direct.
Talk to neighbours.
If you get a verification, call for back up, OK? I don't believe it.
- What's going on? - It's from my neighbour.
There's a white van turned up outside my flat.
It's blocking the alley.
I don't understand.
Travelling light? Doesn't understand Italian? White van? - They're robbing the place.
- I'll catch up with you later.
- Never heard of him.
- OK, thanks anyway.
Stealing my stuff in my bag -- that's classy.
Che? Sorry, Mr Stevie.
Non comprende.
What have you got in the bag there, Isabella? We very late for meeting.
We will call you later.
Let's just have a look, eh? Oh, that's very interesting.
Get out of the way, old man, or we WILL hurt you.
You know I'm an ex-police officer? I've got a couple of friends here who want to say hello to you.
Bellissimo, eh? Did you get there in time? They've been pulling that stunt all over London for months, apparently.
Blimey, Steve.
You rented your flat out to some proper criminals.
I should've known.
If something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
Thank God for the nosy bizzum next door.
Curtain twitching 24/7 dot com? I've got one of those.
But I just thought, you know, have a few laughs, go with the flow.
I was always a bit of a sucker for beauty and fun.
It's who I am! Who I used to be, anyway.
Don't beat yourself up.
You got away with it.
- Just live and learn.
- I nearly lost everything.
Yeah, but you didn't and you could always claim on insurance.
Ah, don't tell me you let your flat without insurance? I'm not properly insured at the moment, not for the high-end stuff, anyway.
Christ, I'm like Warnock and his stamp.
Look, I don't want to pry Steve, but It's nothing melodramatic.
There's been no gambling, drink, loose women, sadly.
I've just been spending a bit more than I earn for quite a long period of time.
If it's money that you need, I can always Let's just carry on looking for Sharpe, OK.
Just a sec.
We've been so involved in this manhunt, we're missing the point.
If Sharpe killed Hooper, got away with it, why send us a notebook that kick-starts the investigation again? We don't know who sent the notebook.
We get anonymous tip-offs the whole time.
This isn't anonymous, it's really specific.
A notebook from the scene of the crime, that makes us re-examine the case.
Sharpe has got nothing to gain, nor Carmen, or our multi-millionaire Hartwell.
They all got away with their crimes.
- Shit.
- What? It's Warnock.
No, that would be crazy.
To reopen a case of someone that YOU murdered? He's dying.
He's got nothing to lose, everything to gain.
OK, let's say you're right and he did this whole thing to make us find his stamp.
We still don't have any evidence at all.
We'll have to outsmart him, then.
How are you getting on with Sharpe? Like digging for treasure with a toothpick.
We're never going to find him.
Stand down for a bit.
We've had a better idea.
Once upon a time, Hooper's notebook must have had Sharpe's address in.
Hooper tracked him down, went to see him.
But the pages were removed before it was sent to us, yeah.
Now, if Warnock removed them, I bet he knows the address.
You're going to use Warnock to lead us to Sharpe? If he does, it's as good as a confession.
- How can I help you? - Please don't worry, Barry.
We're just here on a social call.
We just wanted to bring you up to speed.
Between you and me, we're not getting anywhere on the murder.
We probably never will, it's the perfect crime.
In some cases, you just have to admit you're beat and move on.
But we were both really struck by your story, and how awful to lose your granddad's diaries and that stamp.
I've long given up hope of finding those.
Life's been tough, eh? What can you do? You play with the cards you're dealt.
But you've got your family to think of.
We really wanted to get that stamp for you.
I'll do anything I can to help.
A bloke called Sharpe has got it -- he's a runaway.
These days, he goes by the name of Peter Smith.
Hooper's girlfriend's admits selling him the stamp - and we could get it back tonight, if we just knew where this Sharpe lived.
- Hooper found him.
We've got his notebook -- we assumed he'd written the address in there -- but it turns out the notebook's incomplete.
Just wondered if you'd ever heard Hooper mention the guy? - Why would he do that? - Just something in passing? Something that might have seemed insignificant at the time, but I wish I could help.
OK, well It was worth a shout.
Sorry to bother you.
Is that it? I'm not going to lie to you, Barry, this is probably the end of the road for the stamp.
It's not relevant to the investigation and we just don't have the resources to pursue it.
Sorry, pal.
He played us, now we're playing him.
So what are we going to do? Just sit here? Some of us used to have homes to go to.
If he wants that stamp so badly he was prepared to kill for it, this won't take long.
I feel sorry for him.
He's got nothing.
He's a decent guy in a low-paid job with cancer and a couple of kids he loves to distraction.
I can't blame him for sticking one in the guy who stole his stamp.
It's still murder, Steve.
Yeah, but if somebody stole 40 grand off me right now, I'd You know, I've got to sell my flat.
I've been tinkering about with the problem for too long.
I've made lifestyle changes, cut corners, made savings, I'm not even touching the debts.
You'd make a mint.
Property prices these days.
You'd still be Steve.
Natty dresser.
Well, sort of(!) With an eye for the ladies and the gift of the gab.
And all your own hair and teeth -- that is VERY important.
And very handsome, according to certain deluded members of my tribe.
Hey, less of the deluded if you don't mind! Damn it, I've just got to sell my flat.
Here he is.
Better call for backup.
Look, he's slowing down.
I think he's turning off.
We can't wait.
Warnock's probably carrying.
- Peter Smith, I believe you've got something of mine.
- You what? Hi, Barry.
Do you want to empty your pockets before you have your little chat? Come here.
Here, what you doing? You can't do that.
What am I meant to have done? Sorry about this, Barry.
Nobody wanted it to be you.
I don't know why I'm here.
This is cruel.
I'm a dying man.
Let's get this over quickly, then.
- Has that bloke Smith got my stamp? - No.
But we know where it is and we can get it for you, if you cooperate and tell us how you killed Dave Hooper.
We know that you won't last long enough to stand trial, but if you help us now, we'll ensure your family get that stamp as soon as possible.
It's long gone.
It's probably locked in a private collection on the other side of the world by now.
Could have been, for all the luck you've had tracking it down, which is why you sent us the notebook, so we'd pick up the trail for you.
You knew that Hooper had got hold of the stamp.
You went to his office, you didn't mean to kill him.
You just wanted what was yours.
You were having chemo at the time.
Could hardly walk.
You tried to reason with him, but Hooper wasn't a reasonable man.
You argued, you wound up stabbing him.
Ransacked his office.
You took his phones, you took his notebooks, anything that would help your search.
That was an added bonus cos, without his stuff, the police would never connect you to Hooper.
How're we doing, pal? That stamp was my rainy day money.
As soon as I needed it most, it was nicked.
By a kid who then fenced it in Camden.
We know everything, Barry, and if you just help us close this off right now, I promise you, we will get you your stamp back, pronto.
We could be talking 100k on the private market.
Gemma could go to university for an entire decade.
Hooper was a louse.
Shit wrapped in skin.
He lied and cheated.
I killed him.
Did you get a full confession? Signed and sealed.
- That's brilliant.
- Good news? I've got loads more bookings for the flat! - I thought you were selling it? - You don't want people invading your home.
But this is ten weeks' worth.
That's a bucket-load of cold, hard cash.
You're going to rent it out again? After everything that happened? Thing is Ted, I'm desperate for the money.
That's why I haven't been going out for meals or buying a round at the bar.
I've been strolling this world for decades, got nothing to show for it.
Well, I'm sure we can all help with that.
- Hey, no, no, there's no magic bullet.
- Are those Alison's famous cupcakes? - They certainly are.
- Has anyone told her that we found Jason? Mm-hm.
She doesn't want to press charges over the money he took.
Or let him know that she helped us find him.
Well, if she wants nothing to do with him, she has nothing but my respect.
And I told her if he ever makes contact, she calls us straight away.
- They do look gorgeous though.
- No, no, no.
I've eaten one, so that means I've got to finish the lot.
Don't tell me it's another one of your superstitions.
Ted, you can't eat all those.
You'll have a heart attack.
No, I won't.
The tests are back, I'm in the clear, - so, thank you.
- Seriously? Yeah, big load off my mind.
No, no, no.
You told me to be happy, so that's what I'm doing.
This is me, squeezing the lemon.
Pat, what a lovely surprise! It's all right, it's OK Doesn't really matter if you're old and grey It's all right, I say it's OK Listen to what I say It's all right, doing fine Doesn't really matter if the sun don't shine It's all right, I say it's OK We're getting to the end of the day.
God! Bit jumpy, are we? I've been freebasing espressos for the last two hours.
It took ages to upload these photos.
Your home's supposed to be your castle.
Mine's turned out to be a financial bloody life-raft.
You're doing the right thing.
Letting a load of grubby strangers in my flat.
Eyes on the prize.
Think about the money.
Hey.
I've got all the money I need, as long as I die by tea-time.
"I'm delighted to welcome travellers "to my little part of London.
" People love that bullshit.
"Retired senior public service professional "now turned gentleman of leisure" -- why don't you just say you were a copper? Because I don't want my customers to think the drug squad is going to kick down the door every time they light an incense stick.
Right, let's get this party started.
Going live in three, two, one So what happens now? How long before I get my first booking? - 13 minutes, 27 seconds.
- Really? I don't know.
Be patient.
I really need this to work.
You renting your flat out? I know.
A friend of mine's been doing it for the last couple of years, now and then.
So where will YOU stay if you get a booking? - Er - Well, you could always stay at my old place? Danny, that'd be terrific.
I hadn't thought of that.
Yeah.
OK, can we please stop gassing and meet Dave Hooper? killed by a single stab through the heart in his office on the 21 October 2011.
Handsome sod.
Yes, the injustice of genetics.
Now his office was ransacked at the time of the murder.
We know from his "girlfriend" Carmen Creswell that he used a work notebook and used burner phones .
.
but the original investigation couldn't find them.
- Theory was "robbery gone wrong".
- Who's on his client list? Might have been one of them.
That was the brick wall.
We didn't have any records, we didn't know who he was working for.
- We had virtually nothing.
- Single stab wound.
Knife? Three-inch blade, standard issue in any kitchen or folding pocket set.
Which puts the chances of us tracing it somewhere between zero and bugger all.
Which is why we were extremely happy to receive THIS in the post -- Hooper's notebook.
Can you please just answer that! So, what, this disappeared when Hooper was killed? I've made you all copies.
Yes.
I'll make an appointment as soon as the surgery is open.
Scout's honour.
Carry on, please.
So according to Hooper's girlfriend Carmen Creswell, he never let this notebook out of his sight.
May I? Oh, yes.
Fiona uses one exactly the same.
Does hers come with an anonymous message? We don't know who sent it.
There's no match for prints or DNA.
Why should somebody hand it in four years after the event? Too afraid to come forward at the time? Wherever it came from, this is gold dust.
There's initials, postcodes, times, dates.
We know he was ultra-secretive, even these notes are written in some sort of shorthand, but maybe the entries relate to cases he was working.
You think he was killed by one of his clients? Private investigation is a murky business.
Steve and I will go and speak to Hooper's girlfriend, you two mega-minds decipher these notes and find me his clients.
Hey! You saying I'm not a mega-mind? I'm saying you have other skills.
Carmen Creswell came forward straight away but wasn't much help.
- She had a solid alibi for the night of the murder - Yeah.
But she claimed to know nothing of Hooper's life or working practices.
Are you listening to any of this? Look, I've had three page views already! - Three? Wow, I'll alert the press(!) - Sorry, sorry.
So this - Creswell.
- Creswell, yeah.
If she was his girlfriend, how come didn't she know what he was up to? Well, we were never a couple.
I hardly knew him.
He was just a bloke I met through a dating agency and had a few bunk-ups with.
Cost a fortune.
Was meant to be for high net worth individuals -- it turned out Dave wasn't one of those.
He lied to you? Everyone's at it at those places.
They're not looking for love -- they're looking for money or sex.
Which were you after? Don't sneer.
I grew up poor.
I wanted something better.
Even when you found out Dave wasn't minted, you stayed with him anyway? We were never together.
We met each other, I don't know, a handful of times -- never in the light.
Did you want more? There are happy-ever-after guys and then there are guys like Dave.
I know the difference.
Henry is the love of my life.
- When did you meet him? - A couple of years ago.
Was that through the same agency? Yes, actually.
We haven't been able to trace Hooper's e-mail or phone history.
Well, I'm not surprised.
He was secretive.
It's all part of his "man of mystery" routine.
He called cellphones and computers "bugging devices for MI5".
We did find this, though.
Is that his black book? Do you recognise it? Yeah.
He never let me near it.
His crown jewels.
What's in it? It's a sort of work diary.
It's mostly shorthand, but there are notes, abbreviations, numbers.
Does anything look familiar? It's all gibberish to me.
What about the initials? Clients, maybe? No.
I didn't even know what he did until your lot told me, you know, after he was killed.
So he never talked about work? He never let me know him.
It was like sleeping with a ghost.
I'm investigating the 2011 murder of a man called David Hooper Your number was in his notebook, so I wondered if you remember him.
He was a private investigator, very good looking.
I appreciate you're a taxi firm and get thousands of bookings, but is there anything in your system under his name? Alison Downing? So where could I contact her? Perhaps you could put me in touch with - Thanks very much.
- Hello? People are getting ruder, you know.
I blame diesel fumes.
I might have a bit of a tickle.
According to an employee at the cake shop, a guy who looked liked Hooper visited her boss, an Alison Downing, quite regularly back then.
Alison Downing? AD.
So shall we go and have a chat with her? There's only one reference to AD, though.
The person I really want to find is this BW.
Are you coming? Could be some tasty fringe benefits.
Or I could visit Downing on my own.
If you've got to go and see the doctor? Are you coming or not? Hello.
Carmen's pleading strangers in the night.
And do we believe her? 'She didn't recognise anything in the notes,' couldn't give us a single name of a client, or tell us anything specific about the nature of his business.
I don't trust her as far as I can spit.
According to her, Hooper was slippery as snot on an iceberg.
- Is she a candidate for having sent the notebook? - 'Everyone's a candidate.
' Any joy making sense of it? 'Well, we're still working through all the telephone numbers.
' I've spoken to a cab firm, an airline, even a stamp auctioneer's.
Now they must all be related to Hooper's cases, but no-one can remember dealing with him.
Keep plugging away.
'I've had a bite though.
Woman on the phone remembered him immediately.
' We're going over there now.
'That's great! 'Let us know how you get on and we'll speak later.
' That's the only appointment you're going to make today, obviously.
If Downing's cake are any good, I'll get Fiona some.
She's got a very sweet tooth.
And she's fun, fascinating and vivacious, too.
If opposites really do attract, you two have got a chance.
This is your way of showing affection, isn't it? Ah, it's just banter.
It would be much better if you were honest about your emotions -- seeing as you've not got long left.
- What do you mean? - You're clearly avoiding going to the doctor's.
That's what this whole doctor thing is about, isn't it? You're frightened of your own mortality.
Actually, this is none of your business.
Ted, I know denial when it walks my way.
I used to be an expert practitioner.
Had it been an Olympic sport, I'd have been a triple medal winner and a national hero.
Look, my life insurance company wants me to take a new test as part of my annual medical.
It's a racket.
They're trying to bump up my premiums and I'm not having it.
It's an MOT.
A 12,000-mile check.
Change your oils, change your plugs and then get you back on the road.
Yeah, well, this machine is running just fine, thank you.
OK? I do all my own maintenance.
- There you go.
- Bye! One Sugar Mountain and a Black Forest, please.
And where do I find Alison Downing? Standing right in front of you.
You'd better come round the back.
We do all our baking on site.
Make and sell over 700 cupcakes a day.
- Can we have a minute? - Sure.
- Thanks.
Didn't think I'd ever see you lot again.
We're here about Dave Hooper.
So you haven't caught Jason? The fiance who ran off with my money? We're investigating David Hooper's murder.
Figures.
Jason nicking 30 grand was never a priority for your mob.
- Can we start again? - How did you know David Hooper? I used to have terrible taste in men.
Jason Sharpe was a bit of a lad, did time for GBH, I thought I could fix him.
I was wrong.
And he stole from you? Bastard cleaned me out.
And I went to the police, but they weren't interested.
Jason hadn't left a trace.
Police thought he must have planned it -- changed his name, gone abroad.
Dead end.
So you employed Hooper after they scaled down their investigation? It was after I saw Jase again.
I was on a bus in Brixton when I saw him out the window.
Did you speak to him? Screamed my head off.
But the bus was moving away from him and by the time I'd got off He'd gone.
Just as well.
I probably would have thumped him and there'd only be one winner in that sort of fight.
Hooper was a regular here.
I asked him to look for Jase and he'd found him, too.
When? Turned out it was the day before he died.
You never came forward with this? You weren't exactly helpful to me.
Why put myself out for you? That's not good enough, Alison.
And I was scared, all right? Jason pulled me into his sewer.
The day he left, I started breathing.
Built all this.
Do you think he's capable of murder? I KNOW he is.
So Hooper found her heavy-fisted fiance and got killed for his troubles? Jason Sharpe sounds like a proper nasty bastard.
I like the sound of her, though.
He did her over for 30 grand and she got back on her feet.
And you should taste her cakes, they're out of this world.
Alison's happy to help, but the last thing she wants is Sharpe found.
We urgently need to talk to him.
Contact the team that ran the search in '09.
Was there any mention of Sharpe -- or JS -- in the notebook? No.
We were lucky to even find Alison.
There's only one mention of an AD in there.
That's weird.
Hooper worked for her for the last five months of his life.
This is a good lead.
We need to find Sharpe.
In the meantime these just arrived.
The contents of Hooper's flat.
Two boxes? Not much to show for a life.
Makes our job easier though, doesn't it? Not so much to go through.
The original investigation found nothing significant, but you never know.
Those were the most intriguing, these keys.
That was for his office, his home, his bike and that one's anyone's guess.
Could be a left luggage key? Safety deposit box? No, they tried both.
Contacted everyone within a six-mile radius of his home and office.
- Nothing.
- Nothing much of interest here, either.
Not unless you count this.
BW.
Chalk one up for the dimwits.
I asked Hooper to work for me in 2011, after the house got burgled.
Sorry about this.
Just give me a sec.
Can I get you some water? No, I'm fine, mate.
You have a beautiful family.
How old are your kids? Jane's the eldest, 20, she works in a department store in the West End.
And that's Gemma -- just 17 -- proper smarty-pants.
She doesn't want to go to college because of the fees, but I tell her she's got something special, a chance to climb the ladder.
When was the burglary exactly? We were on summer holidays, July 2011.
Toe-rags cleaned us out of all the usual -- TV, gadgets I didn't care about any of that.
But they took my granddad's box.
Your granddad's box? Letters and photos, his diaries from the trenches.
He was three years at the front.
Nan used to call him the rubber ball.
His mates got shot and killed, but he just kept bouncing back.
Three years -- that's extraordinary.
I felt like I'd let him down, you know.
I always promised him that I'd type up his diaries one day.
Maybe take them to the War Museum.
You should have read the stuff, turn your hair white, some of it.
There were other bits and pieces.
His service medal and a rare stamp called a Russian Cousin -- he always said that was really valuable.
How valuable? Well, the police only gave me an insurance number, house burglaries weren't their priority, so it was only when I made a claim that I found out.
The stamp was worth 40k.
I know, it's madness, isn't it? But like a a muppet, I never knew.
I sense this isn't going to end well.
Hadn't declared it as a high-value item on the insurance .
.
so I got zip.
So Hooper went looking for it? I'd fixed a dish at his office, saw his sign and thought I'd give it a go.
How did he get on? I could only pay for a couple of weeks.
I thought, could be worse, at least I've got my health.
And then I got breast cancer.
Yeah, men get it too.
The Chemo diet's not all it's cracked up to be.
I didn't even lose any weight! When people have got cancer, you have to laugh at their bad jokes.
And how's your health now? I'm still here and Hooper isn't, so it just goes to show that you never know when your number's up.
The stamp is valuable, but .
.
good health and .
.
and the love of your family is priceless.
Glad he hasn't lost his sense of humour.
Hope we can find the stamp for the guy, he deserves a break.
We're not a lost property agency.
We need to find Jason Sharpe.
Not only is he a con man, he's our prime suspect.
Did you get in touch with the people who looked for him in 2009? They didn't come close to catching him, but he's a proper bad lad.
He was a mugger whose weapon of choice was a knife, so maybe stab-happy Jason finally became a murderer when Hooper came to call.
Maybe.
But either case could have got him murdered.
You're taking this stamp seriously? We pursue both lines of inquiry, just like Hooper did.
When presented with both of these two cases, what would he have done? Well, if he wanted to find Jason Sharpe, he'd have started in Brixton.
And if he wanted to find the stamp, he'd have worked out who burgled Warnock.
- Good.
We know what to do tomorrow.
- Yes! Back of the net! Sorry, I've just got my first booking! Two Italian ladies, arriving tomorrow for 48 hours in La Bella Citte.
- Bella Citta.
- Whatever.
I'll get the next round in.
- Where are these guests of yours? - They're only ten minutes late.
You do know Italians and punctuality are not even on nodding terms? For 300 quid for a two-night stay, they can be as late as they like.
- 300 quid? - Yeah! - That website is magic.
I didn't go through the website -- they wanted 20%.
No, I just called the girls direct, did a deal between ourselves.
You don't even know who these people are and you're giving them the key to your kingdom? Hey, it's the modern age, get with the programme.
Look, look at this.
I'm checking out Warnock's alibi.
Well, he was at a cancer support meeting in a church, wasn't he? Yeah, but I've not heard from any of these other group members.
But, look, his doctor's just got in touch.
'Stage III, mastectomy, hormone therapy, "remission, metastasis, "stage IV spread to nodes, bones and liver.
" What am I looking at? He's dying.
He got better and now it's all over him.
Why didn't he tell us? It's private.
People get protective about their health.
Look at Ted.
Bone and liver? Warnock's got months.
Showtime.
OK, you've got ten minutes, then we're due at the stamp house.
They haven't brought much luggage.
- You take more than that into the office.
- Maybe they're going to buy stuff here.
Just give me a minute, OK.
Ciao! Bellissimas! I'm signor Steve.
Hello.
Oh! - Isabella! - Isabella? Isabella! Just up the stairs here, and Excuse us, won't you? You'll be very comfortable.
Buongiorno.
Buckingham Palace! - Well, not exactly, but it's very nice.
- We're like the Queen.
Alison saw Sharpe in Brixton.
Yeah and, big surprise, he's not on the electoral register.
No, he'll be going under an assumed name -- that's why we're going to have to track him through his work.
Well, he studied web design when he was inside and then he freelanced for about a dozen web agencies in North London before he disappeared.
He'd still have to earn a living after, so All right, why don't we contact all the agencies around Brixton and get names of all the new free-lancers they took on after May 2009? Oh, what a slog! Surely something in Hooper's notes can help us find Sharpe.
You're welcome to another trawl, but I drew a blank.
Um Sorry to disappoint you, but these aren't Hooper's notes.
It's all about bones.
Oh! I must have picked up Fiona's notebook this morning by mistake.
Yep, here's Hooper's book.
See, exactly the same.
They're not exactly the same.
Hooper's book has fewer pages.
That's a Russian Cousin.
It's one of the great rarities of philately.
There are only 12 examples in the world.
If your man has one, it would be a sensation.
Are they really worth £40,000? The last one to come to auction went for £48,300.
But there are so many factors.
It's not just the stamp, it's the story, too.
You know the Cousin's history? It's a commemorative stamp created in 1908 by Nicholas II of Russia to mark the state visit of his nephew and our King, Edward VII.
As you can see, it features a map of Great Britain.
It was a special issue, so only 100,000 were printed and delivered to postmasters in St Petersburg, where just half an hour later, a beady-eyed cartographer noticed that the map was incomplete.
No Ireland in this version of the United Kingdom.
Nicholas went crazy and the stamps were immediately withdrawn and destroyed.
Our guy said that his grandfather swapped the stamp with a Russian soldier for a packet of cigarettes when they de-mobbed in Paris in 1918.
So the story gets better again.
on the open market, but a serious collector might pay double in a private sale.
To avoid being outbid at auction? If a genuine collector has set his heart on a particular stamp, the price can go anywhere.
Was your owner robbed deliberately? Perhaps.
I'm not sure he knew what he was sitting on.
Because a Cousin did surface briefly in the late summer of 2011.
We were approached by an anonymous vendor.
I confirmed the stamp as genuine, offered to sell it, - but never heard from the vendor again.
- Who was it? I never knew.
I was telephoned and asked to wait at a cafe in Paddington.
When I got there, an old woman showed me the Cousin.
Then I got another phone call.
Can you describe the old woman? I'm sure she wasn't part of it, just a proxy.
And the other phone call? I was told I was being watched and asked to authenticate the stamp.
Right there and then? On your own in the cafe? I said that it would be difficult, but I knew straight away it was genuine.
And that it was stolen? So you reported it to the police? I didn't know for certain.
You didn't care.
You wanted the business.
What happened to the stamp? I imagine the vendor put word out and achieved a private sale.
I'm going to need a list of any collector that you think might have been in the market for a stamp like that.
That's confidential.
I'm sure we can come to some understanding.
Yep There are 36 pages fewer in this one than in Fiona's.
Barely visible, but they've been very deliberately removed.
Hooper was meticulous about security.
Could be that he just removed those pages as he went along, as they were no longer relevant.
Alison Downing was still relevant -- there's only one mention of AD -- and none at all of Sharpe.
This notebook is all about BW -- Warnock.
Perhaps he had more than one book on the go.
The one we're working from is about the stamp and then he had another one that was all to do with his search for Sharpe.
Doesn't explain the missing pages.
Think of the implication.
If this notebook has been tampered with You knock yourself out chasing hypotheticals.
I've got to go and visit Warnock's local nick to talk about household robberies.
Yeah, yeah.
No, I haven't done anything at all.
Is that it? Yeah, OK.
Bye.
God, he's really winding me up.
This has nothing to do with the cost of insurance, has it? There's this heart defect thing that runs in my family -- - it's not important.
- No, heart defects are very trivial.
There's always been a chance that I'd inherit it, but it's never shown up on a medical, so I've just got on with my life.
But now? But now they've developed a super sophisticated test and I don't want to take it.
Ted, if you have this thing, you must find out.
What if it kills you? God, you are a miserable git.
WAS a miserable git, yes, for years.
Frightened of life, love, loss.
Look, I don't care what you do, Ted, but please don't give up the chance to be happy.
What's this? Quotes from the little book of bollocks? It's not what I need.
At our age, we should enjoy every moment.
Squeeze the last drop of juice from the lemon and don't waste time feeling trapped by uncertainty and fear.
Bollocks or not, Ted, this is making you unhappy.
No, what's making me unhappy is Pat being such a pain, telling me I'm like an ostrich sticking my head in the sand.
Actually, that's a myth, the ostrich couldn't breathe.
- But they do dig holes for their eggs.
- What? It doesn't matter, just book the doctor and put Pat out of your misery.
Take the test, simple as that? It's not about the test.
It's about showing you care for him as much as he does for you.
Right.
OK.
If they find I have a heart problem and they bump up my premiums, I'll be hitting you up for a contribution.
Did you ever collect anything? Parking tickets, debts, bad jokes.
I spent a whole summer once when I was a kid collecting butterflies.
Every hour in the fields and woods -- I was obsessed.
You are FULL of surprises.
Orange Tips, Purple Hairstreaks -- even caught a Chequered Skipper once! - Had to go all the way to Lochaber for that one.
- I'm sure it was worth it.
Made a display case.
Thing of beauty.
I gave it to Susan Brennan.
Oh! Every girl's dream -- dead insects(!) Oh, no, she was mad for botany and so pretty.
She'd let her kiss you too, if you were nice to her.
Proper ones mind, French.
You traded your whole summer's work for a kiss? I can still taste her lips on mine.
- Please, let's not go there.
- God, it was worth every minute.
All right, enough! Right, back on planet police, we've got artists, financiers, politicians and pop stars on the list.
Are we certain it was Warnock's stamp that was up for sale? months after his goes missing? All this cloak and dagger stuff at Paddington, - it sounds like a professional job to me.
- Could be, but maybe Warnock bragged about the stamp once too often down the pub and got targeted.
If it was that valuable and in the hands of career criminals, Hooper could have got killed just trying to retrieve it.
Mm.
We need to identify who this mystery vendor is.
Our best hope of doing that is try and find out who he tried to sell to.
We can't just call people up and ask them to admit to negotiating to buy stolen goods.
We'll have to find another way to smoke them out.
Welcome to our sale of Specialised Great British Stamps.
We're proud to have assembled such an exciting catalogue, so let's start with the opening lot.
This is an 1870 halfpenny Scarlet Emperor.
Very fine, unmounted, OG.
Who will open at £100? £100 -- thank you.
150? 150.
Just heard an amazing rumour.
See that lady standing back there? No, don't look.
Don't draw attention.
She's representing somebody who's got a Russian Cousin for sale.
I know! Too good to be true, right? She gave me her number.
- I don't know whether to take it seriously or not.
- May I? - Be my guest.
Next up, we have a 1 shilling Green, 1854 Very fine and fresh our OG example.
Um, very fine and fresh OG example I know someone who's got a Russian Cousin for sale.
Cool.
- I bet it's a fake, though.
- What makes you say that? You're too foxy to be real.
I don't like being hustled.
Your profiling is miles off.
He's not our sort of customer.
Watch and learn.
Sold at £1,400.
Lot 71 looks interesting, the 1864 two-shilling Mauve.
Do you think it will go for £14,000? Buyers like you, you'd probably buy it before it came to auction.
Private market is the way to go, isn't it? There's some real gems that way.
What would you say if I told you I had a beautiful Russian Cousin for sale? That's got your interest.
Got a number here somewhere - Sorry, sir Need you to come with us.
- What do you mean? Hang on - I'm just talking to the guy - This way, please.
He probably thought you were a sex trafficker.
Just trying to talk to the guy.
These billionaires are so bloody imperious.
So what happens now? We keep following the Cousin.
Who stole it, who sold it, who bought it? The stunt at the auction house should smoke out the serious buyers.
Ah, Steve, you've had a few messages from your Italians.
- They want you to buy some new stuff for the flat.
- You're kidding? It's not as well equipped as it looked in the photos, apparently, and the decor is not to their taste.
They're only staying two nights -- no-one asked them to marry the place.
They can deal with what they've got.
Back in the real world, where a man was stabbed, our theory about a gang having hit Warnock's house for the stamp isn't holding.
I spoke to local police.
They tell me there was a spate of robberies in the area in the summer of '09 -- all linked to this kid.
A one-man crime-wave called Darren Gecks.
According to the local guys, it's almost certain that Gecks turned over Warnock's house.
Great.
Go talk to him.
Find out what he did with the stamp.
Bad news is that Darren died in an RTA.
Sad loss to the community.
But the good news is he fenced everything he stole through a pawn shop in Camden, so I'm going to have a little stroll over there right now.
OK.
Dan, how did you get on with Jason Sharpe? Well, I've put out a fresh alert for him and I'm building a list of freelancers in design agencies around Brixton.
There must be a quicker way! What about the notebook? Anything in there that might help us out? Zilch.
And I'm beginning to think that whoever sent it in deliberately deleted certain bits of information.
Why would they do that? To make us focus on the stamp rather than Sharpe? That's a bit of a leap, isn't it? - Whoever sent it to us wants us to clear up a murder.
- No.
- It's definitely someone involved in the case.
- Yes, I have the stamp.
But before we waste our breath, let's establish a ballpark.
It's a genuine Russian Cousin, certified by Spinks I'm looking for 100K.
Then we've got nothing to talk about.
Treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen.
No wonder you're such a hit on the dating scene.
- Hello.
- 'Your 'ouse is very nice, Mr Stevie, - 'but there are some important things missing.
' - Isabella - 'There is no speaker, docking station' - I'm not buying anything else for the flat.
'Wireless speakers? Per le musica?' Hang on, she just said LE musica.
It's LA musica.
Can we just get back to the notebook? Look, Isabella Ah.
Oh, sorry.
You ARE interested? I see.
What, right away? Let me get your details.
John Hartwell invented a smartphone app when he was a teenager that netted him 15 million.
He's just turned 30 and he's now worth over 90 million.
I bet he's not happy, though.
Show them out again! - I don't want to talk to these two.
- YOU invited US.
And in the time it took you to get here I found out that the phone I called you on is registered to the police and the IP was transmitting from a station near Embankment.
I'm DCI Sasha Miller, this is Steve McAndrew.
Do you have a stamp for sale? In which case, farewell.
You're refusing to help us with an enquiry? Well I'm pretty sure what you just did was entrapment.
We got off on the wrong foot.
We're just trying to find out if you ever heard of a stamp for sale? A Russian Cousin in 2011? Is that why you went through this whole charade? You were very quick to call us.
If you were that keen today, you must've been very keen in 2011.
Did you need the stamp to finish the set? Look, you can never be sure if you're being scammed, but I did speak to someone back then who claimed to have one, we even arranged a viewing.
But he never got back in touch.
Why not? I was too slow, probably already sold it.
Who did you speak to? I don't know.
A frontman.
- And what was his number? - He called me.
I never had a number.
The ID was hidden, I couldn't trace it.
OK, take us through from the start.
Word was on the grapevine that there was a Cousin.
I let him know that I was extremely interested, he got back in touch.
And what did he say? We talked about the stamp, arranged to meet a few days later, but he never got in touch again.
What date was this? October 20th, 2011.
That's very precise.
I took the call when I was laying flowers at my mother's grave -- it was the anniversary of her death.
Everything fits around the stamp.
Warnock's house was burgled in July.
In August, he employs Hooper to find the stamp.
Early October, Spinks authenticate it for a mystery vendor in Paddington.
October 20th, the vendor contacts our app millionaire Hartwell -- they arrange a meeting.
Two days later, Hooper is dead.
The vendor never contacts Hartwell again, either cos he's sold the stamp to someone else, or he's lying low cos he's killed the private detective who was on to him.
More important than ever that we find out who stole this stamp.
It was Darren Gecks.
He turned over Warnock's house, stole the stamp, didn't know what he had, sold it and everything else he'd got to the usual pawn shop in Camden.
- Hundred quid, job lot.
- You sure about this? Yes, straight from the pawn shop manager.
He also confirmed that Hooper bought the stamp from him the same day.
- Hooper?! - Yep.
Recognised him straight away from the picture.
He's a handsome sod, not the usual class of customer, and it fits the timeline.
Hooper definitely withdrew right across the street from the pawn shop that day, October 3rd.
To pay for the stamp? This is brilliant! So, if Hooper has the stamp on 3rd October, - is he our mystery vendor? - He's got to be.
And now he's trying to cheat his client Warnock.
This opens the whole case.
So if Hooper was trying to sell the stamp -- could somebody have killed him rather than buy it? Hartwell? We need to find out who else Hooper talked to.
We're still forgetting about Jason Sharpe.
Now I've finished talking to the design firms and I've drawn up a list of freelancers.
I'm going to show it to Downing, see if she recognises a name.
And we should talk to Warnock.
- If he found out Hooper was swindling him - Warnock has an alibi.
Maybe not.
He says he was at a cancer support meeting, but it turns out that all the five other members who were there on that night have subsequently died.
That's hardly his fault.
It means there's no-one left to corroborate.
And he didn't tell us he's dying.
The guy was having chemo -- I doubt he had the strength to stab a sausage, never mind Hooper.
It's still worth asking.
He found my stamp and he was trying to flog it? That's outrageous.
Did you ever go to his office? Only the first time, then he came to work or here.
I met him in a cafe once in Paddington.
Can you just confirm the alibi statement you gave us? I was in the support meeting.
Talk to Paul.
He's a cracking lad.
He keeps records.
Paul, the group leader? He died, I'm afraid.
No.
So have the other people who were there with you.
God.
Is there anyone else who would have seen you there? Hang on a minute.
Don't you believe me? Checking alibis is a formality, not Have you ever had chemo? I barely had the energy to get out of bed and face the world and you think I'm sorry pal, we didn't mean to If you were my PAL, you'd find my stamp, not come round here and tell me that my friends are dead as easily as chatting about the weather.
You were friends, but you didn't know? Sometimes you need a bit of distance.
You easily tire of going to funerals.
You're dying, aren't you, Barry? I really thought I'd beat it.
I was in remission for two years .
.
but it came back .
.
and now it's all over me.
Why didn't you tell us? Because that's not who I am! The "bloke who's dying of cancer".
THAT'S who I am.
Sticky toffee or chocolate chilli? We're road testing new flavours.
I'd love to know which you prefer.
Well, it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.
Have a peak at this.
Right, what am I looking for? We need to talk to Jason.
If you do find him, don't tell him I had anything to do with this.
I never want to see him again.
Don't you want your money back? He's welcome to it, as long as he stays out of my life.
He's changed his name.
These are the names and addresses of all the freelance designers in the Brixton area.
Any of them jump out at you as an alias he might use? Favourite football player, film star, musician? It could be a password, name of a pet, somewhere he grew up.
I wish I could help Maybe I could hold on to the list? Of course.
You know, I think I prefer the chilli.
Paradise Hill? Yes.
Number Pete Smith.
Do you know him? I know a Paradise Hill, I think.
We went to a party there once.
- You think? - Me and Jason had a row outside.
I can't remember why, but he was right up in my face, as usual.
- So, number 33 could be a friend's house, perhaps? - I don't know, but it's one of those things that sticks with you, you know? I was so upset.
I was in hell, but we were standing in Paradise.
Yes.
- Is Pete home? - Who's asking? Sharpe lived there for three years! The woman we just met is Deeta Khan.
Sharpe turned up on her doorstep in '09, spun her a great, big lie about there being bad men after him and how he needed to change his name.
She took him in? It was all happy families till Deeta mentioned marriage and then Sharpe legged it.
This is proper! We know his alias and where he was living.
It gets better.
Hooper visited Deeta and asked exactly the same questions as us in September 2011.
Only weeks after Sharpe had gone.
Well, the trail would still be fresh.
Hooper must've found him.
He told Alison he HAD found him.
Right, we need to make another list -- every Pete Smith in the country.
God, there's going to be thousands.
Well, if Hooper caught up with him, you can too.
Sorry I'm late, but I have been working.
Do you know what this is? This is Hooper's safety deposit box key.
The previous team explored that ages ago.
Yeah, they didn't know about Paddington, which is where I've just been, and they didn't know that Hooper used to use this cafe for his meetings.
That's also where he met Warnock and where he arranged for the woman from Spinks to see the stamp.
That's right, which is very valuable, not the sort of thing you'd want to cart around, so you'd keep it somewhere safe nearby.
What do we think we'll find? All Hooper's secrets? A tiny bit of Russia, maybe.
I'd be pleased for Warnock.
Right, we need to find records for this box -- everyone who's accessed it.
Hello.
'There are over 10,000 Peter Smiths in the UK,' but only 3,000 of them in Sharpe's age range and, of those, only 217 have moved into properties since 2011.
Now, 32 of those are in London.
'I've circulated details to other forces, but I am going to need' an extra pair of feet to help me knock on the doors of these 32.
Well, we've got a big fat nothing, here.
Ted's back at the office, get him to join you and we'll catch up later.
- Steve McAndrew's phone - 'Hello, Mr Stevie' - Oh, hi, Isabella.
Lui non e qui in momento, posso prendere un messagio? - '.
.
waiting for you to arrive.
' - I said he's not here.
Do you not understand? - You just missed Isabella.
- What did she want this time? - No idea, but she didn't seem to understand what I was saying.
- Probably your accent.
There's nothing wrong with my accent! What have you got for me? Hooper's box was last accessed on 15 May 2012.
Six months after he was killed? It's a simple key holder account.
If you turn up like we did with a key today, you're in.
- Do they have details for this person in May? - No, but there's CCTV.
Turn around.
It's like he doesn't want to be seen.
It isn't me! Don't waste our time.
If it's May, then I'm in Ibiza -- I go there every year.
Do we really have to do this? We can check flight manifests, your credit cards statements -- Let's not bother.
I have places I need to be, OK? It's me.
Hooper had something of mine, he died, I went to fetch it.
The Russian Stamp from his box.
I can see why you made detective.
But before you get over-excited, I didn't kill him.
Well, let's see about that, shall we? I'd already paid him 70 grand -- - it's as much as I could get my hands on.
- It was a deposit? Yeah, like I said, he never showed up for the balance and the exchange.
That is NOT what you said.
I assumed he'd done a runner, next thing I hear, he's dead.
But you didn't go to the police.
I'd already paid him for the stamp, but I knew it wasn't his.
If your mob got involved, you'd just make a fuss.
- What, like return it to its rightful owner? - How did you get the key? - I finished the deal with his missus.
- Carmen? That's the one.
Pretty.
Had it all going on.
I gave her the other - everyone's a winner.
- Where's the stamp now? I lost it.
I can't find it anywhere.
I will get a warrant and search your property.
I've got ten of them, darling.
Hundreds of thousands of square feet, but that little stamp is just so damn small.
I don't think anyone's ever going to find it.
I'm not sure why you're smiling.
You've just admitted to buying stolen goods.
He thinks he can buy his way out of trouble and keep his stamp.
He's wrong.
I didn't kill him! Let's do this at the station.
No! My children are upstairs.
Then you'd better start telling the truth.
You've got 90 seconds.
How come you had a key to his deposit box? I used to work for him.
This gets better and better.
He'd give me a picture of a cheating husband and a bar to sit in, - I'd let nature take its course.
- A honey trap? It was a kiss and a cuddle at most, just enough for Dave to get a photo.
Doesn't explain the key.
I had a key of my own.
Why would he trust you with that? I thought you hardly knew him.
I loved him.
We were a proper couple.
So all that stuff about you two just fooling around was lies? I adore my husband and he's given me so much, but with Dave, it was the real thing.
You're breaking my heart.
I knew about the deal with Hartwell.
After Dave died, I waited for things to calm down and then - I contacted Hartwell.
- Out of pure kindness.
What was I going to do with the stamp? Let it sit there? You got paid 70 grand just for closing the deal -- it's not bad for a day's work.
OK, I'm not proud of what I did, but I I had nothing.
No money, no future, my man was dead.
And that makes stealing all right? That 70K changed my life.
It paved the way for everything that's good that's happened since.
And what about the other 70 grand that Hartwell had already paid? I don't know.
Time's up.
You've failed.
We're going down the station.
OK.
I took it.
And? I'm telling you the truth.
No.
Let me tell you what happened! You killed Hooper, you stole the key, sold the stamp, you pocketed 140 grand.
You had motive, means and opportunity, and I'm going to crawl through every little detail of your grubby life until I prove it.
It was Jason Sharpe -- the conman who ran off with his girlfriend's money.
Dave found him, he wanted money for his silence.
It was the thing he did.
I always told him it was a dangerous game.
So what happened? Sharpe wanted time to find the cash.
It was Sharpe.
Please, believe me.
I'm not a bad person.
He was out of the country and he was already serving time.
You've got her in custody? We're double checking her alibi.
She lied, but she's not our murderer.
We need to find Sharpe today.
We've already covered all nine Pete Smith addresses in South London and six of the 14 in West.
Right, well, me and Steve will do North and East.
Now, this man is potentially very dangerous and liable to run.
Don't knock direct.
Talk to neighbours.
If you get a verification, call for back up, OK? I don't believe it.
- What's going on? - It's from my neighbour.
There's a white van turned up outside my flat.
It's blocking the alley.
I don't understand.
Travelling light? Doesn't understand Italian? White van? - They're robbing the place.
- I'll catch up with you later.
- Never heard of him.
- OK, thanks anyway.
Stealing my stuff in my bag -- that's classy.
Che? Sorry, Mr Stevie.
Non comprende.
What have you got in the bag there, Isabella? We very late for meeting.
We will call you later.
Let's just have a look, eh? Oh, that's very interesting.
Get out of the way, old man, or we WILL hurt you.
You know I'm an ex-police officer? I've got a couple of friends here who want to say hello to you.
Bellissimo, eh? Did you get there in time? They've been pulling that stunt all over London for months, apparently.
Blimey, Steve.
You rented your flat out to some proper criminals.
I should've known.
If something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
Thank God for the nosy bizzum next door.
Curtain twitching 24/7 dot com? I've got one of those.
But I just thought, you know, have a few laughs, go with the flow.
I was always a bit of a sucker for beauty and fun.
It's who I am! Who I used to be, anyway.
Don't beat yourself up.
You got away with it.
- Just live and learn.
- I nearly lost everything.
Yeah, but you didn't and you could always claim on insurance.
Ah, don't tell me you let your flat without insurance? I'm not properly insured at the moment, not for the high-end stuff, anyway.
Christ, I'm like Warnock and his stamp.
Look, I don't want to pry Steve, but It's nothing melodramatic.
There's been no gambling, drink, loose women, sadly.
I've just been spending a bit more than I earn for quite a long period of time.
If it's money that you need, I can always Let's just carry on looking for Sharpe, OK.
Just a sec.
We've been so involved in this manhunt, we're missing the point.
If Sharpe killed Hooper, got away with it, why send us a notebook that kick-starts the investigation again? We don't know who sent the notebook.
We get anonymous tip-offs the whole time.
This isn't anonymous, it's really specific.
A notebook from the scene of the crime, that makes us re-examine the case.
Sharpe has got nothing to gain, nor Carmen, or our multi-millionaire Hartwell.
They all got away with their crimes.
- Shit.
- What? It's Warnock.
No, that would be crazy.
To reopen a case of someone that YOU murdered? He's dying.
He's got nothing to lose, everything to gain.
OK, let's say you're right and he did this whole thing to make us find his stamp.
We still don't have any evidence at all.
We'll have to outsmart him, then.
How are you getting on with Sharpe? Like digging for treasure with a toothpick.
We're never going to find him.
Stand down for a bit.
We've had a better idea.
Once upon a time, Hooper's notebook must have had Sharpe's address in.
Hooper tracked him down, went to see him.
But the pages were removed before it was sent to us, yeah.
Now, if Warnock removed them, I bet he knows the address.
You're going to use Warnock to lead us to Sharpe? If he does, it's as good as a confession.
- How can I help you? - Please don't worry, Barry.
We're just here on a social call.
We just wanted to bring you up to speed.
Between you and me, we're not getting anywhere on the murder.
We probably never will, it's the perfect crime.
In some cases, you just have to admit you're beat and move on.
But we were both really struck by your story, and how awful to lose your granddad's diaries and that stamp.
I've long given up hope of finding those.
Life's been tough, eh? What can you do? You play with the cards you're dealt.
But you've got your family to think of.
We really wanted to get that stamp for you.
I'll do anything I can to help.
A bloke called Sharpe has got it -- he's a runaway.
These days, he goes by the name of Peter Smith.
Hooper's girlfriend's admits selling him the stamp - and we could get it back tonight, if we just knew where this Sharpe lived.
- Hooper found him.
We've got his notebook -- we assumed he'd written the address in there -- but it turns out the notebook's incomplete.
Just wondered if you'd ever heard Hooper mention the guy? - Why would he do that? - Just something in passing? Something that might have seemed insignificant at the time, but I wish I could help.
OK, well It was worth a shout.
Sorry to bother you.
Is that it? I'm not going to lie to you, Barry, this is probably the end of the road for the stamp.
It's not relevant to the investigation and we just don't have the resources to pursue it.
Sorry, pal.
He played us, now we're playing him.
So what are we going to do? Just sit here? Some of us used to have homes to go to.
If he wants that stamp so badly he was prepared to kill for it, this won't take long.
I feel sorry for him.
He's got nothing.
He's a decent guy in a low-paid job with cancer and a couple of kids he loves to distraction.
I can't blame him for sticking one in the guy who stole his stamp.
It's still murder, Steve.
Yeah, but if somebody stole 40 grand off me right now, I'd You know, I've got to sell my flat.
I've been tinkering about with the problem for too long.
I've made lifestyle changes, cut corners, made savings, I'm not even touching the debts.
You'd make a mint.
Property prices these days.
You'd still be Steve.
Natty dresser.
Well, sort of(!) With an eye for the ladies and the gift of the gab.
And all your own hair and teeth -- that is VERY important.
And very handsome, according to certain deluded members of my tribe.
Hey, less of the deluded if you don't mind! Damn it, I've just got to sell my flat.
Here he is.
Better call for backup.
Look, he's slowing down.
I think he's turning off.
We can't wait.
Warnock's probably carrying.
- Peter Smith, I believe you've got something of mine.
- You what? Hi, Barry.
Do you want to empty your pockets before you have your little chat? Come here.
Here, what you doing? You can't do that.
What am I meant to have done? Sorry about this, Barry.
Nobody wanted it to be you.
I don't know why I'm here.
This is cruel.
I'm a dying man.
Let's get this over quickly, then.
- Has that bloke Smith got my stamp? - No.
But we know where it is and we can get it for you, if you cooperate and tell us how you killed Dave Hooper.
We know that you won't last long enough to stand trial, but if you help us now, we'll ensure your family get that stamp as soon as possible.
It's long gone.
It's probably locked in a private collection on the other side of the world by now.
Could have been, for all the luck you've had tracking it down, which is why you sent us the notebook, so we'd pick up the trail for you.
You knew that Hooper had got hold of the stamp.
You went to his office, you didn't mean to kill him.
You just wanted what was yours.
You were having chemo at the time.
Could hardly walk.
You tried to reason with him, but Hooper wasn't a reasonable man.
You argued, you wound up stabbing him.
Ransacked his office.
You took his phones, you took his notebooks, anything that would help your search.
That was an added bonus cos, without his stuff, the police would never connect you to Hooper.
How're we doing, pal? That stamp was my rainy day money.
As soon as I needed it most, it was nicked.
By a kid who then fenced it in Camden.
We know everything, Barry, and if you just help us close this off right now, I promise you, we will get you your stamp back, pronto.
We could be talking 100k on the private market.
Gemma could go to university for an entire decade.
Hooper was a louse.
Shit wrapped in skin.
He lied and cheated.
I killed him.
Did you get a full confession? Signed and sealed.
- That's brilliant.
- Good news? I've got loads more bookings for the flat! - I thought you were selling it? - You don't want people invading your home.
But this is ten weeks' worth.
That's a bucket-load of cold, hard cash.
You're going to rent it out again? After everything that happened? Thing is Ted, I'm desperate for the money.
That's why I haven't been going out for meals or buying a round at the bar.
I've been strolling this world for decades, got nothing to show for it.
Well, I'm sure we can all help with that.
- Hey, no, no, there's no magic bullet.
- Are those Alison's famous cupcakes? - They certainly are.
- Has anyone told her that we found Jason? Mm-hm.
She doesn't want to press charges over the money he took.
Or let him know that she helped us find him.
Well, if she wants nothing to do with him, she has nothing but my respect.
And I told her if he ever makes contact, she calls us straight away.
- They do look gorgeous though.
- No, no, no.
I've eaten one, so that means I've got to finish the lot.
Don't tell me it's another one of your superstitions.
Ted, you can't eat all those.
You'll have a heart attack.
No, I won't.
The tests are back, I'm in the clear, - so, thank you.
- Seriously? Yeah, big load off my mind.
No, no, no.
You told me to be happy, so that's what I'm doing.
This is me, squeezing the lemon.
Pat, what a lovely surprise! It's all right, it's OK Doesn't really matter if you're old and grey It's all right, I say it's OK Listen to what I say It's all right, doing fine Doesn't really matter if the sun don't shine It's all right, I say it's OK We're getting to the end of the day.