11x08 - Episode 8

[bunniefuu]

Excuse me.
I'm looking for Firefly Cottage.

On the left.

Ah, OK. Thank you.
You're welcome.

Mr Rotfeld.

Find it OK?

Only just.

Come in.

Forgive me if I'm a little rusty.
It's been a while.

years.

I stopped counting long ago.

May I?

So, I think I would like to begin
with the obvious.

.

What happened?
You're years of age,

at the peak of your career.

Then you announce that you'll be

stepping back from competitive chess.

Never to be seen again, until now.

Why?

Why did I disappear?

Or why did I come back?

Both.

HEAVY METAL MUSIC PLAYS

KNOCK AT DOOR

LOUDER KNOCK AT DOOR

Hello?

Er, Mr Rotfeld is just arriving.

APPLAUSE

Welcome back, Mr Rotfeld.

Mr Rotfeld to start.

Clock?

I, uh... Would you like water?
I, I can't.

CROWD GASPS

Help!

Julius, Julius.

Mr Rotfeld. Are you all right?

Help! Help me!

Mr Rotfeld. I'll call an ambulance.

Mr Rotfeld!

Help... Help.

Sir, I'm terribly sorry
to disturb you on a Saturday,

but we've got a suspected m*rder.

The victim is Julius Rotfeld.
The chess player.

It's getting some press attention.

OK.

Naomi, what's going on?

Oh, excuse me, Officer?

Maggie Harper. UK Press. Erm, do
you know if Commissioner Patterson

will be attending
the crime scene today?

I believe he's been notified of
the situation.

OK.

Sorry again, sir. I bet your heart
sank when you saw my name

came up on your phone. Indeed.
But that's not unusual.

So, how was Mr Rotfeld k*lled?

We believe he was poisoned, sir.

It was about an hour into the game,
Mr Rotfeld started perspiring.

Struggling to breathe
and his face went red.

The paramedics were thinking it
was some kind of allergic reaction,

but then they found these marks
on his hands.

See?

That's when they were wondering if
it was a possible poisoning.

Absorbed through his skin?

The only touch poison I'm aware
of is batrachotoxin.

It's a secretion found on the skin

of a certain breed of frogs
originally in the Amazon.

I checked online and they're also
indigenous to Saint Marie.

There are poisonous frogs here?

Why didn't I know that already?

Do we know yet how or where
the poison was administered?

Well, batrachotoxin is fast-acting.

It would've kicked in within
a few minutes.

And, as Mr Rotfeld had been seated

at the table for close to an hour,

we think the poison must have been
absorbed well into the game.

Looks like neither player
drank any water,

so their glasses weren't touched.

And the pencils, notepads and clocks
were all in use from the start.

A chess piece, perhaps?

One that he didn't use until late
in the game?

Oh, that's what we thought.

Mr Rotfeld was playing white.

His opponent's being checked by
the paramedics, just in case.

Do we know when it was decided who'd
play white and who'd play black?

There was a draw made two days
ago, so it was public knowledge

which colour the victim
would be playing.

After Marlon's finished
photographing the scene,

he's going to bag everything
on the table

and have it all tested for poison.

Also, sir, the game was
being live-streamed.

Darlene's liaising with
the organisers to arrange

a copy of the footage.
It's odd, isn't it?

Julius Rotfeld lives
a relatively obscure life.

Then, within an hour of stepping
back into the spotlight...

Someone goes and murders him.

Sir, Maurice Holburne.
He helped to organise today's game.

I'm on the committee of
the British Chess Association.

And a notable player himself.

Mr Holburne is the current
UK champion.

Grigory Markoff.
I was the Arbiter of today's game.

And you laid out the chess table
this morning, Mr Markoff?

The board, the pieces, the clock.

Everything that was on
the table was laid there by me.

And I can assure you there is no way
that any of it had poison on.

How can you be so sure?

Because I was the only person who
had access to any of it.

I locked everything away inside the
case in my hotel room last night

after yesterday's game,
and it remained there all night.

And what about the game yesterday?
Who had access?

It was a warm-up match
before the big game today.

Uh, between myself
and Mr Magnussen.

But no-one came anywhere near.

I, myself, was present
the whole game.

And this morning before
the match? What happened?

I removed everything from the case,

and went and set it up for the game.

Did you leave the table
unattended at any point?

No, no. Never. Not once.

Grigory is one of the best arbiters
in international chess.

Are those your gloves, Mr Markoff?

The ones that you used today
to prepare the chessboard?

Er, yes, I always have a new set
of gloves for every match.

Mr Magnussen has been given
the all-clear.

I can't believe there was poison
on that board.

I've never known anything like this.

He says he has no clue either how

the poison might have got there.
Correct?

Of course. If I had known there
was poison on that board,

there's no way I would have even
sat down at the table.

Mr Holburne, do you know why
Julius Rotfeld decided

to play again after all this time?

No, all we heard was that he'd
decided to make a return

to the chess scene.
It was a shock. But, uh,

well, we were excited.
Today was a real coup.

I mean, it was supposed to be.

We should get Darlene
to see if there's any footage of

the game played the day before
the m*rder.

The more we can find out about who
did or didn't touch those chess

pieces in the last hours, the better.

Agree.

Excuse me. Inspector, Commissioner,

there is someone else you may
wish to speak to.

A journalist from London.

She interviewed Julius this morning.

Her name is Maggie Harper.

Uh...

Sorry.

Maggie Harper is here, on the island?

- I'm afraid she is.
- Hello, Selwyn.

Maggie.

I didn't know you were here.
I just got here.

I, I wasn't sure if I should let
you know or not.

You two know each other?

It's been a while.

Mr Markoff mentioned you spent time
with the victim this morning?

That's right.

Did he say anything which might be
of importance to the case?

I don't... I don't know.
Like what?

Erm, we talked for several hours.

You made notes that we could see?
Did research?

I taped the interview.
It's on my Dictaphone.

We'll need to take that from you.
If we may.

Sure, yep, that's OK. I'll go get it.

Er, Marlon?

If you could give it to Officer
Pryce, that would be great.

OK, all right, thanks.

Erm... I'm going to be here
for another couple of days.

If you had time, we could grab some
dinner maybe, and catch up a little?

I'll need to check my diary.

I'll arrange an initial press
statement to be issued tonight.

But keep me in the loop

when you hear back from the lab
in the morning.

Will do, sir. Commissioner,
is Miss Harper a friend of yours?

Of sorts.

I'll speak to you in the morning.

Harry, if you were of the opposite
sex and, you know,

human... Would you date that?

Not exactly the reaction
I was hoping for.

- Morning, sir.
- Morning, Naomi.

I've got the results through
from the lab.

Plus the postmortem. Thought you'd
want to see them. Oh, thanks.

The pathologist has confirmed
cardiac failure as cause of death,

due to poisoning.
Batrachotoxin, as suspected.

And while there was evidence
of some slight transference of

the poison on to Mr Markoff's gloves

and a few of the pieces on
the chessboard,

the most significant traces of
the poison were found...

On the white queen.

That's what they reckon's k*lled him.

Morning, Neville. Catherine.

Naomi. Hi, Catherine.

Darlene said I'd find you here.

Yeah, we've commandeered
a room here

to base the investigation from, so.

I heard what happened yesterday.

I wondered if you had a moment?

Er, I'll go help set up
the replica chess sets.

Thanks, Naomi. Oh, and see if you
can locate Grigory Markoff.

Sure. Thanks.

Is this about the case?

In a way.

I wanted to know,

is it true Maggie Harper
is connected?

Er, loosely, yeah.
She's not currently a suspect. Why?

Oh? You don't know who
Maggie is, then?

No.

She's Selwyn's ex-wife.

They got divorced a
long time ago now.

No wonder they were awkward
around each other.

I will check in with him
if I get the chance.

Yeah. Thanks, Catherine.

It cannot be.
It... it just cannot be.

Evidence doesn't lie, Mr Markoff.

The lab found significant traces
of poison on the white queen.

Inspector, I've got the footage
lined up for you.

So the pieces were laid out by
Mr Markoff at pm.

And as he said in his statement,

no-one else touched them
until the players sat down.

So the poison must have already
been on the chess piece?

Unless Lucas Magnussen added it
during the game.

He never goes near
the white queen at any point.

All right, when does Julius first
touch the white queen?

That was about minutes
into the game.

Look, he starts getting ill
a couple of minutes after.

It wasn't long before he d*ed.
Hmm, poor man.

I don't understand it.

How could it have poison on it?

I...I swear, it was locked in
the case, in my room, all night.

All right, what about the game
the day before?

I've got the practice game here, sir.

The white queen was used by
Maurice Holburne

a number of times
throughout the game.

The last time it was used was
minutes before the game ends.

As you can see, he touches it
with his bare skin,

so there couldn't have been
any poison on it.

And after this?
Well, nobody else touches it

until Mr Markoff puts it back
in the case.

So if the white queen was
un-poisoned when it was returned

to the case the day before the
m*rder, and yet

the very next day when it
arrived at the table

it was coated in poison, then...

No! No, no, no, no.

I would never do such a thing.
I swear to you.

But the chess pieces were
with you all night.

No-one else touched them,
you said so yourself.

I know. But I am not a k*ller.

I'd never even met Julius Rotfeld
before yesterday.

Why would I want to m*rder him?

That'll be all for now,
Mr Markoff. We'll be in touch.

He seems genuinely
shocked by it all.

Yeah.

And if it was him,

it's a dumb old way
of murdering somebody.

I mean, he may as well have just
handed us a signed confession.

Yeah, and if there's one thing we
know about these elite chess

players, they're very smart.

They understand tactics
and gameplay,

how to outmanoeuvre an opponent.

It just seems too obvious
for Grigory to have done it. No?

So, then, someone else did.

But if that's the case, how or when
were they able to get poison on to

the white queen when no-one
else went near it?

Right, let's not discount
Grigory Markoff just yet.

You two, can you see what you
can dig up on him?

See if he's telling the truth about
not knowing Julius Rotfeld.

Got you, sir. Naomi, let's go
search the victim's house,

see if that sheds any light.

♪ There's a man that lives next
door

♪ In my neighbourhood

♪ In my neighbourhood

♪ He gets me down... ♪

Should just be up there, sir.

Do you reckon that's his regular spot?

I'll go have a chat.

I spoke to the guy at the stall.

Said the victim rarely had visitors here.

Confirmed a woman matching
Maggie's description

arrived early yesterday morning.

But also said he saw
a young man arrive in a taxi

the evening before.
Early twenties. Brown hair.

Sounds like Lucas Magnussen.

Then that is interesting.
You've got something?

Er, this is Julius's notepad,
found it here by the computer.

He was noting down the moves from
three of Lucas's recent chess games.

He was watching it online. Thing is,

he'd marked a certain point in
each game

and he'd written the word "Fritz".

Who's Fritz?

Ah. WHAT is Fritz, is the question.

Amongst other things, Fritz is
a computer chess program.

The point at which Julius has
marked each game

is the point that the players
went to the toilet.

I... I don't understand.

It's not unheard of for some
dishonourable chess players

to hide smartphones in the toilets.

So they can access chess programs,
like Fritz?

I think Julius thought that
Lucas Magnussen was cheating.

I can see how this looks.

We assume that's why you went
to visit Mr Rotfeld two nights ago?

You're right. About all of this.

Julius had been studying my
previous games

ahead of our match as preparation

when he came across some
anomalies in play.

He was correct that there had been
some cheating going on, but

there's one small aspect of this
about which you are mistaken.

Which is?

It wasn't me he thought was
cheating. It was my opponent.

Sorry, what?

Aaron Reid.

He's a player from the US.
Young, like me.

We've played each other in
many championships,

but he's never once managed
to b*at me.

Which is why Julius believed
that Aaron resorted

to accessing his phone during
our breaks.

And had he?
I can't prove it.

Not until we next play each other,
but my team are alert to it.

I don't cheat.

I never have, I never will.

For the simple reason that
I don't need to.

Well, thank you for talking to us.

There's something else I should tell
you about the night I saw Julius.

Julius took a phone call just after
seven o'clock.

Hello?

I don't know who it was,
but I could tell it was tense.

He seemed angry and defensive.

I could hear him say...

You can't blame me for that!

"It was not my fault."

I'm not responsible, I swear to you.

Any idea what he might have been
referring to?

But when he got back,
he was not the same.

He was shaken and upset.

Wasn't sure if I'd see you again.

Neither was I.

It, erm, it was a shock for me.

Yesterday. I know.

I didn't intend for it to be that way.

I'm sorry if I seemed discourteous.

I would never want you to think I
wasn't pleased to see you.

It's been such a long time.

It has.

And, erm, I would like
us to...catch up.

Properly. Over dinner perhaps,

like you suggested?

I'd like that.

Inspector? That phone call you
asked me to check.

The one to Julius Rotfeld
the night before the m*rder.

Hello?

It was made from this hotel.

Do we know who by?
I just spoke to reception.

The call came from Maurice
Holburne's room.

So Maurice calls Julius
the night before the m*rder

and whatever's said leaves
Julius agitated and upset.

What was that conversation about?

I've just been going through
the research Maggie Harper

collated on the victim,
and there's some notes she made

about a woman called Anna Herald.

She was a political writer and activist.

She dated Julius for a while
between ' and '. Right.

But, before that, she was in a
relationship with Maurice Holburne.

Sounds like she and Julius
did the dirty on Maurice,

if you know what I mean.

But that was years ago.

We're not suggesting that Maurice is
still bitter about that, are we?

Well, we know that Julius was
defensive on their phone call.

You can't blame me for that!

And, from the background check I
did, Mr Holburne never married.

And there's no sign of any other
girlfriend that I can find.

PHONE RINGS
Huh?

Marlon.

All right, we're on our way.

He's got something, sir.

OK. So Paulina over there overheard
some of the phone call Mr Holburne

made to our victim. She thought
Mr Holburne's room was empty,

so she went inside...

Found him on the phone, getting very
upset and heard him saying...

I was in love and you stole
that from me.

So Maurice was still bitter
after all these years?

"I can't forget what happened, Julius.

"I was in love and you stole
that from me."

Your words, Maurice.

I met Anna at a political rally.

You may not think it looking at
me now,

but, I was a very idealistic,
passionate young man.

Protested at everything, thought I
could change the world doing it.

Sounds like you and Julius were
cut from the same cloth?

Chess and politics have always
been good bedfellows.

But behind that bravado,

I, uh, I was naive, emotionally.

Inexperienced.

I was in love.

What Julius did, it hurt me. Badly.

And I did move on. I did, in time,
forget. But, uh...

..I never forgave.

Is that why you called Julius?

To finally forgive him?

We're a very obsessive sort,
us chess players.

We play things over and over
again in our minds,

desperate to make sense. We...

..we can find it hard to let go.

I guess I wanted to know if,
after all this time,

speaking to Julius, if I could find
some peace with it all.

With him.

And did you?

I didn't k*ll him over an ex-girlfriend,

if that's what you mean, Inspector.
I promise you.

Would I be right in thinking this
came from Maggie Harper?

She spoke to you about this?
Well, if you ask me,

she's looking for a story
that isn't there.

I don't know her agenda but, well,
I think she's up to something.

Slainte.

You still don't know how to
pronounce it, do you?

SHE LAUGHS

Brilliant.

So, apart from work, how's your life?

I remember reading in one of your
articles that you were married?

I was. He d*ed, a year ago.

Steven was a journalist too.

And a very loving man,

patient and loving.

I'm so sorry.

He was very ill with cancer,
so it wasn't a surprise.

Andrina and I - erm, my daughter and
I - we had...we had time to prepare.

You have a daughter?

Mm-hm.

I mean she's all grown-up now, so.

And?

And she's magnificent.

She's a proud,
confident young woman.

Knows exactly what
she wants from life.

She sounds a lot like you.

Do you know, I'm glad
that we're doing this.

When you lose someone, you...
you come to realise how precious

certain people are in your life.

I'm glad we are too.

Erm, I'll, I'll... Yep.
I'll just go and get the menus.

GROANS

Psst!

Come on!

Is something the matter, Inspector?

Er, maybe a bit.

It's just that you look quite troubled.

Well, I, I guess I am,

but it's not really anything
to do with the case.

OK...?

But it...it's just a bit personal.

Oh!

Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh!
You thinking of dating?

Yeah, well, yeah, I thought it's time

I started putting myself
out there again.

And I've written a profile,
and that's fine,

but it's, it's these photos.

I mean, look.
Everyone just looks so perfect.

Look at this guy. LovePup.
I mean, he's...

He's gorgeous!

I'm so sorry, sir.
I don't know where that came from.

Oh, I do, honey, hmm.

Well, if we can just put
LovePup aside for one second,

this is what I've got.

Oh, Lord have mercy.
What have you done there?

You know, sir, all you need is to
get the right apps on your phone.

That's all these guys did,
I promise you. Really?

Yeah. I could help, if you like?

Would that not be really boring
for you?

Course not!

I'd be really happy to.

Thanks, Naomi.

I think you better delete that one.

Yeah.

Sir.

CLEARS THROAT
Sir.

I've finished listening to
Maggie Harper's interview

with Julius Rotfeld.
Anything of interest?

Well, he does say why he decided
to start playing again in public.

And?
He needed the money.

Said he was seriously ill and wanted
to pay for his treatment in the UK.

That tallies with the financial
check I did. Not many savings.

Anything else?
There is something towards the end.

It's like some of it's been deleted.
Here, listen.

And your decision to retire,
years ago. Why?

I was just done with it.
The pressure of playing,

competing. I wanted a simpler life.
CLICK

There. It, it just stops. Nothing.

Right.

So what about the game?
How are you feeling about it?

And the interview goes on
for about minutes or so.

It does sound like something's
been erased. Redacted.

I got a techy friend that could
look into it if you want, sir.

Recover whatever's missing.

Yeah. Do it, please.
If Maggie deleted something,

I want to know what it is
and why she lied to us about it.

THEY LAUGH

Do you, do you remember the, erm,

the parties we used to have
at the old house?

All our friends would come over.
SHE LAUGHS

I'd do all the cooking.

Mm, thank goodness!

HE CHUCKLES

I did make a pretty wicked
rum punch all the same, thank you!

People would stay all day.

And long into the night.

And then, when everyone had gone,

we'd go out into the garden and...

..and watch the sun come up.

Just the two of us.

Are you still angry with me, Selwyn?

For abandoning our marriage.
For choosing my career over us.

I was. Very angry.

And hurt, but the anger faded in time.

And when it did,

I started to think more clearly.

And I realised I could still live

a very happy life.

SHE CHUCKLES

And I have.

THEY CHUCKLE

You never married again?

There have been others,
but, erm, no.

I am sorry. You know that?

We were young.

And we were in love.

But it turns out

we had different dreams.

That's no-one's fault.

Well, you stayed on my mind.

I mean, I moved on. I had to, but...

..but you were often in my thoughts.

As you were...in mine.

AUDIO RECORDING: And your decision
to retire, years ago. Why?

I was just done with it.
The pressure of playing,

competing. I wanted a simpler life.

OK, sir, so this is the part that
was deleted by Ms Harper.

So, you're going into hiding
had nothing to do

with what happened to Ilya Petrov?

I have not been in hiding

and I don't want to talk about that.

So what about the game,
how are you feeling about it?

STOPS AUDIO

And you've heard the rest already.

Now, there's not much available
on this guy.

But it seems Ilya Petrov was
a Russian dissident.

He fled the Soviet Union
in the mid-'s.

He fled to the UK, changed his identity.

But he disappeared a few years after.

Now, no-one knows what happened
to him or where he is now.

Or even if he's still alive.

So Maggie obviously thought that
Julius had some connection

to this, and it clearly hit a nerve.
Mr Rotfeld shut it right down.

We should go and speak with her, sir.

We should, but I think maybe
I should go alone,

be a bit more discreet.

We know that Ms Harper has
a connection to the Commissioner.

She does? You never said.

Oh, yeah, there's definitely history.

He couldn't wait to get away
from her the other day.

Hmm, it sounds like
an ex-girlfriend if you ask me.

Men can be really awkward when
it comes to their exes.

Actually, it's a bit more than that.

I was really hoping I wouldn't
have to mention this,

but, since Ms Harper is now
officially part of

the investigation...

She's his ex-wife.

They were married
a number of years ago,

before getting divorced.

That's why I think a more sensitive
approach might be best.

Sir, remember she still lied to us.

Oh, I know.

Miss Harper, I'm sorry to have
to disturb you like this

but I need to ask you a few questions.

OK.

I thought it was your voice I heard.

Morning, sir.

What do you want, Inspector?

Well, sir, I need to, erm,
speak with Ms Harper.

Why?

Well, sir, it seems that, uh,

she left some important information
out of her interview

with Julius Rotfeld. Sir.

I think that when you asked for
the recording,

I panicked a little,
and I deleted that part of it.

Why? Because I'm a journalist.

I had a good story and I didn't want
your investigation compromising it.

So you obstructed our case?

I'm sorry. All right?

So, Ilya Petrov was the story,
I assume? Him and Julius Rotfeld?

I have a source in London
that has evidence

to suggest Julius Rotfeld
was in ongoing contact

with Russian intelligence services
in the 's.

He's a spy, you mean?

Well, they won't actually admit that,

but I believe he was an agent, yes.

He travelled to Russia a lot
as a chess player

and had a lot of contact
with state officials.

So, where does Ilya Petrov
fit into all this?

Well, I believe it was
Julius who gave details

to Russian intelligence
of Ilya Petrov's identity,

his location in the UK,
knowing that they would k*ll him.

So you think he's dead?
According to my source,

KGB officers were on their way
to his house that night.

However, a body was never found so
it's possible he escaped.

Do you think that's why Julius moved
to the island? And became a recluse?

Yes. I think he feared repercussions.

He as good as signed Ilya Petrov's
death warrant.

Selwyn?

I really am sorry, Selwyn.

I think it best, as you're now
playing an active role in this

investigation, if we keep our distance.

OK.

Inspector.

If Julius Rotfeld did go into hiding
years ago after helping

the Russian intelligence service,

the fact that he was m*rder*d

the moment he stepped back into
the public eye must...

Suggest that the two are connected?
Agreed.

I need to go and alert our
security minister about this.

Yes, sir. Sir?

Look, obviously my lips are sealed
about this whole...

Just go, Inspector.

Well, I'm still... I can't.

I would say that is one of
the most stressful experiences

I've had in a long time. Finding
the Commissioner as I found him.

You want me to give you a nice
little shoulder rub, Inspector?

Erm, I'm not entirely sure that
would be appropriate in

the workplace, Darlene, but I
appreciate the offer. Thank you.

I'm just glad to get back down here

and focus on the case instead of
seeing the Commissioner...

Inspector? Oh, no.

In light of the recent serious
development in the case,

I want a full update of where we're at.

Oh, sure, yeah. Right you are, sir.

So, sir, erm, as far as how the
m*rder was committed...

..we're still none the wiser.
No-one went anywhere near

the white queen since it was last
used the day before.

So how the k*ller managed to get
poison on it, we have no idea.

Grigory Markoff is the only suspect
who had the opportunity to do it.

But he has no motive.
He didn't even know the victim.

It just doesn't add up.

So then there is Lucas Magnussen.

Who, also, it has to be said,
has no tangible motive either.

So, the first two suspects on your
list have no motive to speak of?

And your third suspect?
Dare I ask if he has a motive?

Maurice Holburne, sir.
He's kind of got a motive.

Julius Rotfeld kind of
stole his girlfriend.

And Maurice did say that he'd lacked

a certain amount of closure
on that score, but,

sir, it was over years ago.
It just doesn't seem likely.

So, of your three suspects,

not one has a tangible motive.

And two of them didn't even have

opportunity to commit the crime.

Hmm?

I'd say that's a fair assessment

of where things stand vis-a-vis
the case, sir. Mm-hm.

Then it's a good job I'm here
to take up the reins. Isn't it?

You're taking up the reins, sir?
Grigory Markoff.

If he is the only person who had
access to the chess pieces,

during the time the poison
must have been added,

then he has to be prime suspect.

Sir, I know it looks that way...
Tell me everything you know

about Mr Markoff.

I did the, erm, background on
Mr Markoff, Commissioner,

and he's a professional arbiter for

the International Chess Federation.

He's based in Harlow in Essex.

He's married with one child,

but he travels a lot for his job.
Obviously he's of Russian

descent, but I'm struggling to find
anything much on his younger life.

There must be something.

You'd think so, but I couldn't find
anything before .

It's almost as if he didn't
exist before that.

And if someone's past just seems
to run out like that...

..it means they've changed
their identity.

Well, sir...
What, so, Grigory Markoff

didn't used to be Grigory Markoff?

Darlene, what is the earliest
record you have of Mr Markoff?

Erm, June .

He registered with
the local authority in Harlow

and started renting a flat there.

But that's three months after
Ilya Petrov disappeared.

That can't be a coincidence.

A Russian dissident goes missing
from London.

Three months later,
in a nearby part of the country,

a new identity is created for
a man called Grigory Markoff.

Sir, with respect, that's quite a leap.

Perhaps.
But, in case you'd forgotten,

we are trying to find a motive for
Julius Rotfeld's m*rder here.

We know Mr Rotfeld tipped off
Russian intelligence

as to Ilya Petrov's whereabouts
in the UK.

That gives him motive for revenge.

It's been over years,
but there is a passing resemblance.

Maybe, sir.

We need to interview
Grigory Markoff.

I want to put this to him,
see how he reacts.

If you think that's best, sir.

You...you think this is me?

On my daughter's life, it is not.

This is Ilya Petrov.

I am not Ilya Petrov. I promise you.

No, but it sounds like you know him?

I knew of him. In many ways,
we were very similar.

We both left our homeland.
But Ilya Petrov fled Russia,

fearing for his life.

I left because I was looking
for freedom.

And having found it,

I know how very precious true
freedom is.

And I would never do anything
to jeopardise it.

Certainly not k*ll someone.

Good day, Commissioner. Inspector.

It was worth a punt, sir.

And maybe you're not thinking as
straight as you normally would be.

Given everything that...
Don't, Inspector. Please.

Sir.

Sir, Commissioner. Naomi?

I've spoken to the UK Police about
the Ilya Petrov case

and they just emailed the file over.

They said although Ilya Petrov's
body was never found,

they were always convinced he
was m*rder*d.

Did they say why?
There was a friend staying

with him at his house when
it happened.

Two Russian men turned up.
Probably KGB.

They forced Ilya at gunpoint into
the boot of their car

and drove off with him. Apparently,

he'd always feared his past would
catch up with him one day.

All right, thanks, Naomi.

Well, we're back where
we started, sir.

Three suspects. No motive.

And not the first clue how
the k*ller managed to poison

a chess piece without going
anywhere near it.

In fact, we're about as far from a
checkmate as it's possible to be.

Inspector. Yes, sir?

Do shut up. Yes, sir.

And take a look at this.

Well, that's interesting.
Sir, this changes everything.

And it might mean we actually,
finally, have ourselves a motive.

But it seems Ilya Petrov was
a Russian dissident.

Julius Rotfeld was in ongoing contact

with Russian intelligence services,
back in the 's.

Although Ilya Petrov's body was
never found,

they were always convinced
he was m*rder*d.

But if we know who did it...

I'm not responsible,
I swear to you!

We still don't know HOW they did it.

No, sir. But we do know when.

Of course.

Darlene, Marlon?

I need you to bring up
the footage of both chess games.

Specifically the point at which they
first touched the white queen.

Sounds like you might have worked it
out, Inspector? Commissioner?

I think you could say we're
reaching the endgame.

Do stop with the chess
analogies, Inspector.

I'm finding them rather tedious.
Sir.

Whenever you're ready, Inspector.
Yeah.

Now this is the real game.

OK, pause it.

Of course!

All right,
this is the practice game, sir.

Yeah.

Pause it there.

Well, would you look at that!

- You know how?
- Yes, sir, I do.

Afternoon, Mr Holburne.

If you could take a seat, please?

You think I did it, don't you?

I mean, that's why you've asked me
here. Because you think it was me.

Actually, we're here because
we KNOW it was you

that k*lled Julius Rotfeld.

Well, let's hear it, then.

A m*rder carried out by a chess
grand master was always going to be

a challenge for us to solve.
What was it you said, Maurice?

That you chess players obsess over
every decision you make.

Playing it out in your head,
over and over again.

Each and every variation before
finally making your move.

It's not so different from what
we do, as detectives.

We can be pretty obsessive too.

And it was the obsessive
re-watching of

the footage from both chess games...

Of course!

..that led us to working out exactly how
you were able to poison Julius Rotfeld...

Well, would you look at that.

..even though you were nowhere near
the chess set on the day of the m*rder.

We sent the white queen to
the lab for testing,

and they confirmed that there were
significant traces of poison on it.

Now, when a lab technician
swabs a piece of evidence,

they do so by running
the swab up and down, all over,

and picking up traces
of whatever's on it.

Which is why, throughout this case,
we assumed that

the entire piece was covered
in poison. But as it transpires,

only a very small part
of it was coated in batrachotoxin.

The very, very top.
The queen's crown.

Now, I asked the lab to re-test
the original piece this afternoon.

But this time in small sections,

and they confirmed that they only
found poison on the very, very top.

Which meant that when
Julius Rotfeld was playing

and he picked up
the queen from above,

putting his fingers halfway down
the piece, as was his playing style.

The palm of his hand came into
contact with the poison,

and he was dead within minutes.

Help me!

Mr Rotfeld. Mr Rotfeld!

Now, why only poison the very top?

Well, so that you were also able
to handle it

without touching the poison.

As you did here, when you picked
it up - in the middle of the piece -

with two fingers
and didn't touch the queen's crown.

Thereby avoiding the poison,

but also fooling us into believing
that it could not have been poisoned

on this piece during your
practice game

with Lucas Magnussen.

But of course it was.

Now, exactly when it was put
on there,

we can't be sure. But, today,

I re-watched the footage of that game

and I noticed that by the time
the recording started,

you were both already seated
at the table.

Which means we can only assume
that you switched in

the poisoned queen before the camera
started rolling

while no-one was watching.
Now, during the game,

a grand master like yourself
would be able

to make sure that Lucas was never in
a position to take your queen,

thus ensuring he didn't
accidentally become your victim.

And Grigory Markoff,
wearing those official gloves

that of course kept him protected
when he packed away all the pieces,

he unwittingly placed the poisoned
queen into position,

ready and primed to be used the
very next day

by your intended victim -
Julius Rotfeld.

And do you know why I did it?

You're not denying it, then?

I think we're beyond that now,
aren't we?

In ,

the night Ilya Petrov was taken
from his home

by suspected KGB officers...

They forced Ilya at gunpoint into
the boot of their car

and then drove off with him.
There was a friend staying

with him at his house
the night it happened.

..there was a friend there who
witnessed it. Gave a statement.

It was you.

We know Julius Rotfeld alerted
Russian intelligence services

to Mr Petrov's location.
He as good as actioned his m*rder.

And now, years later,

you've avenged Mr Petrov's death.

But not, we believe,
because Mr Petrov was your friend.

Because he was much more than that.
Wasn't he?

He meant so much more to me.

May I show you something?

I've carried this with me every day.

It's all I have to remember him.

When you spoke to Julius on
the phone the night before

the m*rder, it wasn't your old
girlfriend you were referring to

when you said...

I can't forget what happened, Julius.

I was in love and you stole
that from me.

DS Thomas, here, managed to get
in touch with yours and Julius' ex,

Anna Herald.

She said the two of you
were never that serious

and couldn't believe you'd still be
angry about what happened

with Julius.
She went as far as to say

that she knew, after her,
you'd fallen in love with a man

and that it made sense of
a lot of things for her.

You told us you would never forgive
Julius for what he did.

I did in time forget, but...

..I never forgave.

But what you were actually
referring to

was the fact he allowed your lover
to be m*rder*d.

When we spoke on the phone,
I asked him if he was sorry.

For taking the one person
I loved. He couldn't say it.

All this time later,
he still couldn't say it.

There was never anyone else for me.

It was, it was him. Only him.

GROANS

Everything's as it should be now.

Mr Holburne, are you all right?

Maurice?

Illy and I, we'll be together.

Maurice, what have you done?

Oh, God, I want to be with him.

Careful, the photograph!
The poison's on the photograph.

Marlon, call an ambulance.

No, no, I want to be with him.

I've waited so long.

I'm going to see him again.

GROANS

Hi, this is the Saint Marie police.

We need an ambulance at
the Arawak hotel right away, please.

Inspector. Sir?

You were right, earlier,
when you said I was distracted.

Please accept my apology.

I'll leave you to it.

Sir.

You are leaving?

Yeah. I changed my flights.

I feel I've caused you enough
trouble here already.

Look, I need to understand
what's going on.

One moment,
we are as close as we ever were.

The next, you're lying to my
officers behind my back.

Quite the homecoming, huh?

Please.

I deserve the truth.

OK, let's find somewhere quieter
where we can talk.

It was my work that brought
me here, it's true.

But if I'm honest,

after Stephen d*ed, I had thought
many times

about being in contact with you.

I mean, us sleeping together,
I didn't expect that.

I think I was hoping that you might
remember how you felt about me once.

How you used to love me.

Because I was so scared
you'd hate me.

Why would I hate you?

Andrina, my...my daughter?

That's her.

There you go. What do you think?

That's not half-bad. So, come on,
Inspector. You going to post it?

I suppose that is the natural next
step of this process, isn't it?

Go on. You can do it.

Ah, there, I'm officially out in
the dating world.

Ah, which I guess calls for drinks,
huh?

I've been wanting to check on you.

Are you OK?

It seems...

..I have a daughter, Catherine.

I'll get you a large rum.

Thank you, Inspector.

Oh, it looks like you've got a match.

What, already?

Ha!

Somebody called LovePup.

No! Oh.

I'm just joking, sir.

Ah!

But honest, she looks nice, though.