13x18 - Difficult Times

[bunniefuu]

♪ Heartbeat

♪ Why do you miss when my baby kisses me?

♪ Heartbeat

♪ Why does a love kiss stay in my memory? ♪

♪ Little by little by little by little by little

♪ Little by little by little by little by little

♪ You're messing up my life, tearing me apart ♪

GINA: Now, there's a rarity, Vernon,

you with your head buried in a book.

You'd be surprised, Gina,

especially if the book's a good one.

- I found that for him. - Oh, yeah?

It was down the back seat of the taxi.

Must have fallen out of somebody's pocket.

I'm surprised you think you've got anything left

to learn about business, Vernon.

I thought you knew everything.

On the contrary, Oscar,

the true entrepreneur is always ready to learn.

I'll drink to that.

Another large G and T, please.

A man after my own heart, by the sound of it.

So you're a businessman, too?

CHUCKLES

Indeed.

And if I've learned anything,

it's to keep your mind open to new ideas.

Absolutely right.

Care for a drink yourself, uh...

Vernon.

Vernon Scripps.

Leonard Parks.

SCREECHING BRAKES

VERNON: Very kind of you.

Well, we don't make the money we do

just to keep it in our pockets, do we?

Indeed not.

So, what line of business are you in?

I run a high-quality chauffeur and taxi service.

However, I do diversify into other areas

when I see the opportunity.

I think I may have just the opportunity for you.

- Really? - Minimal outlay.

Massive profits in a matter of months.

And the best bit of all...

other people do most of the work.

Ever heard of...

Shinefresh?

♪ Listen, I was born by the river

♪ Just like this river

♪ I been moving ever since

♪ Ain't got nobody

♪ To call my own

♪ You know I been moving

♪ Since the day I was born ♪

Jack?

♪ Life is a game

Are you all right?

♪ Just made for fun

Jack?

♪ Don't love no one ♪

So this is basically flogging

cheap cleaning gear for a large profit.

Not quite, Vernon.

For a start, these products,

polishes, bleaches, cloths, dusters,

are all top-quality branded names.

Shinefresh isn't about diddling people.

Oh, no, no, no. Of course not.

You just can't see where the profit comes from?

Well, no.

It's all about structure.

Structure?

And where you are in it.

Essentially, I find a person of vision in a particular area.

He pays me a stake,

forms a local selling club and recruits others.

They pay him a stake.

And so on and so on...

and so on.

Everyone makes money, the regional man...

most of all.

I see.

I don't.

VERNON: It's brilliant.

And simple.

Like all the most revolutionary business ideas.

You wouldn't happen to be looking

for a person of vision in this area,

would you? - I certainly am.

Then look no further.

He went out a couple of hours ago.

He said he was going for a drive.

He came back and just collapsed.

Jack's diabetic, isn't he?

Yeah.

Do you know if he's taken his insulin today?

Late this afternoon. I saw him inject himself.

And has he eaten?

Not that I know of.

He's not been eating very much at all lately.

He's gone into a hypoglycaemic coma.

I need to get dextrose into him, fast.

He's still badly shaken, but he could be much worse.

- Don't be too long with him. - Thank you.

- Mr Shaw. - Well, then...

What's happened?

Well,

I saw him as I approached the junction.

I thought he was going to stop. It were my right of way.

Oh, driving like a lunatic, he was.

He must have seen me,

but he pulled out right in front of me.

He must have been drunk or something.

Have you got a description of the vehicle?

Oh, aye. Aston Martin.

Colour?

Er... Burgundy.

Any other identification?

No. But there can't be many cars like that in the area, can there?

No.

Whoever he was wants locking up.

Don't worry, we'll catch the culprit

and deal with him, Mr Shaw, rest assured.

Right.

Feeling better?

Thanks.

Why did it happen?

You've had your insulin injection today?

Yes.

Then if you hadn't eaten for a while

and had been overdoing it...

I'd been out for a drive, that's all.

Driving can be stressful.

For you and I, maybe, Doctor,

but for a former Formula One racing driver...

Of course.

Sorry.

Anyway, whatever the reason,

I suggest you take it easy for a day or two.

- I'll pop back tomorrow. - There's no need.

You'll have to let me be the judge of that.

Thanks, Doctor.

I still don't get it, Mr Vernon.

Look, it's quite simple, David.

This is Leonard.

DAVID: Is it?

VERNON: And these are Leonard's regional representatives.

- That's me on the end. - No.

You're a bit fatter than that, Mr Vernon.

And then these are my recruits to Shinefresh.

Right. What are they called?

Well, I don't know. I haven't found them yet.

And then these recruits are the new recruits

that my recruits recruit.

Eh?

Oh, never mind. Let's get cracking.

So he was really a racing driver?

Brilliant, apparently.

All set to be champion but then he had a bad accident at Le Mans.

DOORBELL RINGS

He tried to make a comeback,

but his confidence was never the same.

He retired when he was still in his s.

Blimey.

Mrs Maclean?

No, I'm Ruth Dalbraith, his housekeeper.

Can I help you?

Yeah. We'd like a word with Mr Maclean please.

I'm afraid he's gone shopping with his wife.

According to records, he owns an Aston Martin.

That's right.

Was he out in it last night?

CAR APPROACHING

You'd better ask him yourself.

What's going on?

Mr Maclean, PCs Bellamy and Crane, Ashfordly Police.

Were you driving this car last night?

Yes, why?

A farmer named Gary Shaw is in Ashfordly General Hospital,

following an accident last night.

He claims a burgundy Aston Martin

forced him off the road.

And you're suggesting it was me?

Well, there aren't many of these in the area.

It was nothing to do with me.

Are you sure?

You're not accusing my husband of lying?

I'm not accusing anybody, but you must see why we're here.

It was nothing to do with me.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

Is that all?

For now. But we may need to come again.

It's how they all started, Bernard.

Henry Ford.

Lord Beaverbrook.

With cleaning fluids?

No, with a sound commercial idea.

I don't know why you're telling me all this.

Because I need somewhere to store the product.

You'd better not be thinking of keeping it in here.

It looks like the first load, Mr Vernon.

Oh!

Vernon, how are you?

All the better for seeing you.

This is my brother, Bernard.

He's kindly agreed to let us use the premises for storage.

Keen to be part of Shinefresh, too, eh?

I haven't said that.

You will, Bernard.

You will.

All right, David,

give Vincent a lift.

Go on.

So, just the small matter of payment.

Of course. What did we say for the first consignment?

£, wasn't it?

Call it £ for cash.

A spot of introductory discount, hey?

VERNON: That's very generous.

So, got your recruiting strategy worked out yet?

I certainly have.

KNOCK ON DOOR

A visitor for you, Jack.

- Dr Merrick. - Thank you.

I told you not to bother.

I want to make sure you're managing

your diabetes properly.

Of course I am.

So, as well as your injections, you're eating sensibly?

- Yes. - At regular intervals?

- Yes! - And not drinking too much?

I'm not giving up alcohol.

I'm not asking you to give up, but...

One has to do something to make life manageable.

Look,

I know it's not an easy illness to cope with.

Oh, you don't say.

My eyesight's getting worse.

I can't concentrate.

I've got no energy at all.

You start to wonder what the point is.

Well, for a start, you have Sarah.

Who must be wondering

why she ended up marrying a decrepit wreck like me.

I'm sorry.

I appreciate you're trying to help.

But after last night I don't know if anyone can.

How do you mean?

I had an accident on the way home.

I was feeling faint.

My vision was blurring.

I just sailed across a junction and forced someone off the road.

I denied it when the police called earlier.

But they're coming back.

I'm going to have to come clean.

I see.

They'll take away my licence.

If I can't drive, then...

I'm sure things must seem very bleak at the moment, Jack.

But we can get you through this.

Of course we could just go from door to door

recruiting people.

But an intensive leafleting campaign,

followed by a series of selling seminars

would be far more efficient.

And you want to hold these seminars here, do you?

Exactly.

Well, I haven't got a problem with it, Vernon.

No, neither have I.

Oh. Good.

As long as the price is right.

Eh?

Well, you obviously expect to make a k*lling out of this,

so you can afford to pay us rent for the room.

It's not about me making a k*lling, Oscar.

Shinefresh promises rewards for all those who join.

You might even consider joining yourself.

Hmm. Then again, I might not.

♪ Well, they're dancing On the ceiling

♪ They're dancing on the floor

♪ Groove on, baby, we're coming through the door

DOORBELL RINGS

♪ They know it's a party going on

♪ Gonna dance and romance all night long

♪ I know it's cold outside

♪ Come on in, I'll keep you satisfied ♪

Hello?

♪ All you gotta do is move, oh, yeah

♪ Every time... ♪

Mr Maclean?

Hello?

Hello?

♪ Born under a bad sign

♪ I've been down since I began to crawl

♪ If it wasn't for bad luck

♪ I wouldn't have no luck at all... ♪

What's going on?

Sarah, I'm afraid I have some very bad news.

Jack's dead.

What?

I'm so sorry.

One of my colleagues, PC Crane,

called round about half an hour ago

to interview him again about the road traffic accident

and found him on the sitting room floor.

But how?

That'll be a matter for the police

and the coroner to establish, Sarah.

When I called round earlier to see Jack,

he was clearly in a very fragile mental state.

He admitted he'd been involved in the collision.

You think it was su1c1de.

SIGHS

I knew he was depressed,

but I never thought he'd go that far.

Come on, Sarah.

You can talk to her later, OK?

Of course.

It's not compulsory, Mrs Winstanley,

but I do think you would find

that my Shinefresh motivational seminar is most enlightening.

Oh! I'll see you there.

Oh, Mrs Hackett's coming

and Mrs Laidlaw and her sister are as keen as mustard.

David, this is looking more than promising.

It's as if the entire community

is beginning to sense a new potential.

Do you know? The people of this area

will never look at household products

in the same way ever again.

Really?

Are you all right?

Yes, I'm fine.

No, you're not.

It's Jack Maclean, isn't it?

SIGHS

I suppose it's an inevitable part of your job,

but it can't be easy when a patient dies.

Especially in circumstances like this.

I can't help thinking that maybe there was more I could have done

or said.

I'm sure you did everything you could, Liz.

He obviously just couldn't see

any other way out of his problems.

It doesn't sound like anyone

could have prevented him taking his own life.

I suppose not.

So, you get back to work, eh?

Don't dwell on it.

No.

RUTH: Cars were everything to him.

In a way, he never got over

having to abandon his racing career, but...

to be unable to drive at all

because of some advancing disease...

Yes, I'm afraid I can see why Jack would want to k*ll himself.

His marriage to Sarah, was that happy?

Apparently not happy enough to prevent him from doing this.

Has anyone else been up at the house today, Miss Dalbraith?

Um...

Dr Merrick came this morning.

I don't know about this afternoon.

It was my half day off.

And you yourself have been here at the cottage all afternoon?

Yes.

Right.

Thank you for your time.

We'll be back later to take full statements from both yourself

and Mrs Maclean.

Of course.

The beauty of it is we're not only getting richer,

but we're getting cleaner, too.

Your homes will sparkle like new pins,

as will the homes of the people you recruit.

Everyone benefits.

OSCAR: Oh, come on, Vernon.

Cut the waffle. Just tell us exactly how.

I'm just about to, Oscar.

Now, this is me.

And these shrewd future entrepreneurs are you,

each of whom give me a stake.

How much, Vernon?

Thirty quid.

Thirty quid?

Er, David.

For which you will receive high quality cleaning products

to the value of over £.

Each of you, then, will recruit five new members of the club,

taking a stake from each of them.

Of which you get what?

- A modest percentage, Oscar. - Oh, aye?

How modest?

Well, I can't say, precisely.

The exact figure is tied to, well, forward projections

and medium-term performance criteria.

Well, percent?

No more than that, initially.

Right, that's me out.

But you've just made £ for a -quid stake.

If something in life seems too good to be true,

it generally is.

Rubbish. I think it's a grand idea.

I'm willing to sign up now.

Thank you, Mrs Winstanley.

Oh.

Just one at a time, ladies.

I think they're mad.

Do you reckon?

OSCAR: Don't tell me you're tempted, Gina.

I couldn't half do with the cash.

You couldn't half lose it, as well...

with Vernon involved.

No su1c1de note, then.

If there was, we haven't found it.

When you find an empty syringe next to a body,

that has to be the most likely explanation.

Could it be possible he used the syringe

to give himself his normal injection, eventually?

Perhaps.

We won't know until we get the syringe's contents analysed.

Do you think there's a chance someone else was involved?

Well, let's not rule anything out, eh?

The marriage wasn't in trouble in any way, was it?

It didn't sound too rosy from what the housekeeper told me.

There were rumours about the couple

from the moment they moved into the area.

What kind of rumours?

Well, there was something about the death of Jack's first wife.

And then, there was the suggestion

that Jack had been seeing Sarah before his first wife died

and that Sarah might have been responsible for the death.

I see.

Anyway, it was only rumours.

Pretty interesting ones, nevertheless.

Where did they move here from?

From the Bridlington area, Sarge.

In that case, get onto the local force there.

- See if you can find out more. - Sarge.

The post-mortem results should make things clearer, too.

Yes, it went far better

than I could possibly have imagined, Leonard.

We'll be ready for another delivery tomorrow.

Yes, as soon as that.

Look, why don't we meet for a drink this evening

and we can discuss the exact quantities?

Excellent.

- See you then. - Don't say it.

Say what?

Oh, ye of little faith.

This place is still jam-packed

with your wretched cleaning stuff.

Not for much longer, Bernard.

The public demand for my cleaning goods

is already voracious.

You should think about joining Shinefresh.

You'd make a lot more profit

than you do from fixing cars and burying the dead.

Well, thank you, Vernon,

but I think I'll stick with what I know for the time being.

Crane.

Any news yet?

No yet, Sarge.

Who did the post-mortem? Do you know?

Dr Craven. I'm just waiting for his report.

- Oh, dear. - Could be waiting all day, eh?

Could be.

Leave it to me. I'll order it.

SIGHS

- Ah, Merton. There you are. - Dr Craven.

What can you tell us?

WHISTLING

Ben.

How are you, Jenny?

Fine, thanks. Let me see, housemaid's knee?

No.

That in-growing toenail playing you up again?

I don't have to make excuses to see her, do I?

No.

She's just finishing with her last patient now.

- Good night, Mrs Osborne. - Bye.

- Hello. - How are you?

Feeling any better?

Not much.

Right. I suggest we go straight down the pub and unwind.

That'd be great.

Care to join us, Jenny?

Yeah, why not?

- What about Dennis? - I'll phone the station

and ask him to meet us there.

- Aha, no need. - JENNY: Dennis.

Ben's just asked us for a drink.

Maybe another night, eh?

What's wrong?

We've had the results on Dr Craven's post-mortem

on Jack Maclean.

And?

He died of a massive overdose of insulin.

What?

We also had tests done on the syringe

we found beside his body.

And it contained residues of insulin of a very high strength.

I don't understand.

This isn't the strength I prescribed.

DENNIS: You're quite sure about that?

LIZ: Yes.

You couldn't have made a mistake?

Prescribed too high a dose?

No.

Could there be any other explanation?

Well, there could only be one, couldn't there?

That I've made some kind of dispensing error.

And is that possible, Jenny?

WOMAN: It's so exciting. I can't believe it.

They look chuffed.

I'd put it stronger than chuffed, Leonard.

It must have been like this

when the French Revolution started.

The what?

The feeling of a new age of shared wealth and prosperity

just around the corner.

Or the prospect of getting your head cut off.

I take it you've decided not to come on board this project yet.

That's correct, Mr Parks.

Ah, well. It's your loss, not ours.

Eh, listen.

Oscar might have decided to look a gift horse in the mouth,

but I'm not going to.

So count me in, Vernon.

With pleasure, Gina.

Only don't let onto his nibs, though, will you?

- Of course not. - As a matter of fact,

I've been giving it a bit more thought, too.

I suppose I've got access to a lot of potential members,

through my other areas of business.

I knew you'd come round, Bernard.

Now, about our next delivery, Leonard.

Yes.

Let's talk quantities, shall we?

I would like as much as you can possibly get me.

I'll be frank with you, Vernon.

There's a major redistribution of stock

going on in the warehouses.

Space is needed.

I can let you have everything I've got

at a very favourable price.

Are you sure this is the insulin Jack was using?

I suppose it must have been.

It's labelled as being

of the strength Dr Merrick prescribed.

We'll get it analysed immediately.

I'm sorry. I'm finding all this very difficult to take in.

DENNIS: I can understand that.

Dr Merrick has always been so kind

and conscientious towards Jack.

Any suggestion that she might have been negligent...

We're not suggesting she has been.

At the moment we're just trying to establish all the facts.

Of course.

DENNIS: Can you tell me when you last saw

your husband alive, Mrs Maclean?

When I left home.

Did you see Jack give himself

his insulin injection before he left?

No.

And where did you go this afternoon?

Shopping, in Ashfordly.

Can you tell us where, exactly?

We may need to check.

Why?

Oh, look.

Of course, I know you have to ask. I'm obviously a suspect.

We don't view you as a suspect.

Please, I'm not stupid.

You at least have to consider the possibility.

But the truth is, Sergeant, I loved Jack.

And, of course, I want you to find out how he died.

Do you understand?

Of course I do.

♪ You'd be so nice To come home to

♪ You'd be so nice by the fire

♪ While the breeze on high, sang a lullaby

♪ You'd be all that I could desire

♪ Under stars, chilled by the winter

♪ Under an August moon, burning above ♪

RINGING

Ashfordly Police Station.

- Alf, it's Oscar. - Oh, hello, Oscar.

Look, I wonder if you can do me a favour.

I know it must seem like there's a catch, Mr Preston,

but really there isn't one.

Yes, well, can you imagine

a cautious, old thing such as myself

getting involved otherwise?

Yes.

I'll be round in an hour or so to sign you up. Excellent.

We've got no room left, Mr Vernon.

There's nothing else for it,

the remainder will have to go in the chapel of rest.

What's Mr Scripps going to say?

Don't worry. Bernard's doing so well out of this already,

he won't complain. Go on.

Another new recruit.

What did I tell you?

This is a great credit to you, Vernon,

to make so much progress in such a short space of time.

Thanks to your help.

No, no. I'll let you into a secret.

I've nominated you for regional representative of the month.

Really?

You're sure to win.

Win? Win what, exactly?

I believe the prize is a week in Majorca.

Majorca!

What do you think of that, Bernard?

Oh, well. I'd better be off.

I suppose we ought to, um, settle up, really.

Oh! Of course.

CHUCKLES

We need to get this tested as soon as possible.

Any news from Forensics about fingerprints on the syringe?

No, Sarge.

Hurry them up, would you? We need to know if anyone else

might have administered the fatal injection.

I managed to speak with the detective in Bridlington,

who investigated the death of Amanda Maclean.

And?

Well, it seems that there were grounds for the rumours,

but they were wide of the mark.

So what actually happened?

Well, it seems that the body of Mrs Maclean

was found at the bottom of Flamborough Head.

In the end, the police decided it was probably an accident

but in the course of their investigation,

it emerged that Jack had been having an affair.

With Sarah?

No, with Ruth Dalbraith.

With Ruth Dalbraith?

What? She was the housekeeper at that time, too?

Apparently so, yes.

The police considered that she and Jack had conspired

to do away with Amanda,

but in the event they were able to provide sound alibis.

Did the wife know of the affair?

There was no evidence that she did.

So her death was an accident, not su1c1de?

That was the coroner's conclusion.

But if Jack was having an affair

with Ruth at the time of his wife's death,

why didn't he carry on with the relationship?

Why did he marry Sarah?

I think that's a question

we should put to Ruth Dalbraith, don't you?

KNOCK ON DOOR

DENNIS: Miss Dalbraith, could we have a word?

Come in.

Miss Dalbraith, we've been making some enquiries

about your relationship with Jack Maclean

at the time his first wife died.

We're looking at the possibility that someone else

may have deliberately administered

the dangerously high dose of insulin.

You're suggesting that I might have done it?

We're not suggesting anything at the moment,

but we need to know exactly what was going on in his life.

Including his relationship with you.

It sounds like you've already found out what there is to know.

It's true, then?

You two did have an affair?

Yes.

It was very brief and very foolish.

When did the affair end?

Before Amanda died.

And she knew nothing of it, I'm positive of that.

Does Sarah know about it?

I've not told her.

I can't imagine Jack would, either.

Oh! But I can see what you're implying.

That I might have had some kind of lingering jealousy

towards Sarah.

That I was so jealous, in fact, I'd be prepared to k*ll Jack.

Well, you can believe that, if you like,

but it's absolutely preposterous.

CAR APPROACHING

Miss Dalbraith, can I ask who this is?

Jack's solicitor, he was due to call on Sarah

and explain about the inquest and so on.

PHONE RINGING

Now, if you don't mind, I'm really rather busy.

That's interesting.

You mean about her affair with Jack?

No, about the guy in the car.

I'm not sure he's a solicitor.

I think I've seen him somewhere else before.

Whereabouts?

I think it was the hospital,

when I was waiting for the results of the post-mortem.

I've already had quite a few people

asking me can they join the scheme.

I knew you wouldn't be disappointed.

So, have you managed to keep it secret from Mr Blaketon then?

Yeah, but to be honest,

I don't think I'm going to bother any longer.

I'm already making money out of it.

It's him who's the loser.

I wouldn't be too sure about that if I was you.

So you know?

More than you might think.

How do you mean?

This, uh, cleaning gear of yours...

What about it?

It's all been nicked,

every single box of it.

Don't be ridiculous.

It was part of a massive consignment

stolen from a warehouse in Hull last month.

It was due to be shipped out to Holland,

but your friend Leonard, he got there first.

Now, if you don't believe me, you can ask Alf Ventress.

You've been stuffed, Vernon, well and truly stuffed.

Liz, Jenny, what can we do for you?

Phil, we just wondered if there was any news yet.

Well?

We had the syringe tested for fingerprints.

The only ones on it were Jack's,

which meant he must have injected himself.

Well, I didn't doubt that, anyway. Did you?

No.

There's something else, isn't there?

I'm afraid there is.

We had tests done on the bottle Jack was injecting himself from.

It's of a much greater strength than that marked on the bottle.

Then somebody must have tampered with it.

That's not what you think, is it?

You think he died because I made a mistake,

don't you?

Sarah Maclean just phoned me.

She was about to leave for the inquest

and wanted to know if there'd been any developments.

I had to tell her about the insulin in the syringe

being of a different strength to that in the bottle.

She would have heard that at the inquest anyway.

Yes, that's true.

She also volunteered that her solicitor

visited her at the house.

I see. Well, maybe I'm going mad.

Maybe I just imagined seeing that bloke in the hospital.

No, no. I think you should follow that up.

Why don't you go down there now, see if you can find him?

Sarge.

I'd like you to attend the inquest.

Keep me informed of any developments.

Sarge.

DEAD TONE

It's disconnected.

He's obviously skedaddled.

What are we going to do?

I mean, if it's stolen, shouldn't we tell the police?

So they find out I've been handling stolen goods?

It's illegal, David.

Well, we didn't know they were stolen.

Do you think that's going to make any difference

to Sergeant Merton?

The only thing for it is

we've got to get every box of cleaning goods back.

And then get onto Alf Ventress

and hope he can square it with Hull police, quietly,

so Merton doesn't find out.

But them people are going to want their money back.

Then I'll have to give it them, won't I?

Right, are we all ready?

As I'll ever be.

I feel as if I've been tried and found guilty.

It's not you that's to blame, Liz.

Neither of you is to blame.

I'm sure the coroner will see that

when he's heard the evidence.

I wish I could share your confidence, Ben.

All you can both do is tell the truth, Liz.

That's what we have been doing.

This could be the end of both our careers.

Oh, don't be silly.

I'm being serious, Ben!

SIGHS

I'm sorry.

It's OK.

Let's go, shall we?

RINGING

Mrs Winstanley's out.

Yeah, Mrs Hackett and Mrs Laidlaw are, too.

Oh, blimey. This is going to take forever.

Oh, well.

Let's try Mrs Abbott again.

Staplehurst Grange.

Are you all right, Mrs Maclean?

A bit nervous about going into the witness stand.

You'll be fine.

Oh, Constable.

I spoke to your sergeant earlier.

He told me about the bottle

containing the wrong strength of insulin.

- So I believe. - I was really shaken.

I mean, I thought Dr Merrick was totally professional.

She didn't actually dispense the insulin herself.

But her pharmacist did.

I don't know what exactly has happened,

but one way or another,

between them, they've k*lled my husband.

It's too soon for anybody to say that, Mrs Maclean.

No, it isn't. It's perfectly clear.

Excuse me.

Can you tell me your name, please?

Gareth. Gareth Dodson.

I didn't see you at Sarah Maclean's house

the other night, did I?

I'm afraid I don't know anybody of that name.

So you don't drive a blue Vauxhall then?

I can find that out,

but it would be easier if you told me.

Well, yes, I do.

Then I think you were at Mrs Maclean's house.

- I'd like you to tell me why. - That's none of your business.

I'm afraid it is.

I think you'd better come down to the station

and clarify a few things for us, don't you?

RUTH: I showed Dr Merrick into the room

and left them alone.

That was the last time I saw him.

I left the house soon afterwards.

I'm afraid, I'm not sure whether she was still there,

but I assumed she was.

I spent the afternoon at the cottage.

The first I knew that anything was wrong

was when Sergeant Merton called to tell me

that Jack had been found dead.

Mr Maclean, you say, had been depressed for some time.

Yes, but as I told the police,

I find it very hard to believe he committed su1c1de.

I still do.

I believe there must be some other reason for his death.

I'm sorry. I'm not sure there's much more I can add.

Thank you, Miss Dalbraith, you've been very helpful.

I've got nothing to tell you.

Oh, I think there's a lot you can tell us.

What exactly is your relationship with Sarah Maclean?

We're friends.

- Close friends? - Just friends.

Were you friends with Jack as well?

No.

Did he know about your friendship with his wife?

Are you trying to make some kind of insinuation

about my relationship with Sarah?

We're just trying to get to the truth, Mr Dodson.

Why did Ruth claim that you were a solicitor,

when, in fact, you're a lab technician at Ashfordly General?

Because...

I don't really know.

I think it's time the lying stopped,

don't you?

How's it going, Vernon?

Oh, slowly, but we're getting there.

David, finish unloading the truck, will you?

There's a few more for you there, anyway.

I'd say thanks, but I'm not in a very grateful mood. Here.

Well, it was a cracking idea, in theory, Vernon.

- I'm really sorry. - Yeah, so are we all.

The only person getting any satisfaction out of this

is Oscar Blaketon.

Apart from slippery Leonard, of course.

See you, then.

Sarah and I have been seeing each other for over a year.

She needed something...

someone.

Jack was becoming more and more impossible.

Depressed.

Demanding. Drinking far too much.

She had to do something.

And what exactly did she do?

She asked me if I knew of a way we could get rid of him.

The insulin seemed the perfect solution.

I could get it from the hospital, after all.

So she put the insulin, that you provided,

into one of Jack's own bottles...

Yes.

...knowing the next time he injected himself

it would k*ll him?

The whole thing would probably have worked

if it hadn't been for her. - You mean Ruth?

She found out about our affair a couple of months ago.

We had no idea.

But the night Jack died...

she went to see Sarah,

confronted her,

said she knew about me,

and that we'd conspired somehow or other together...

to get rid of him.

Sarah admitted it.

Ruth said she'd keep quiet,

but only if Sarah gave her a lot of money

once probate had come through.

Well, she's not going to get it now...

...is she?

I spent the afternoon shopping. I gave the police details

of which shops and I believe they verified it.

Then I went home.

The police and Dr Merrick were already there.

It's so ironic when I think about it.

Jack thought she was an excellent doctor,

that she ran an excellent practice, we both thought that.

How wrong can you be?

And yet she'll probably deny all responsibility.

Or blame her pharmacist.

The pharmacist's to blame all right,

but the ultimate responsibility is hers!

You k*lled him! You k*lled Jack!

Uh, Mrs Maclean, please take some time

to compose yourself.

Sarah, it's not true.

I don't have an explanation for Jack's death,

but I know I'm not responsible for it.

I don't believe you.

Sarah Maclean. I'm arresting you on suspicion

of the m*rder of your husband, Jack Maclean.

What?

You are not obliged to say anything

unless you wish to do so,

but what you say may be put in writing and given in evidence.

- Dennis, I don't understand. - I'll explain later, Liz.

Crane.

Miss Dalbraith! You aren't going anywhere either.

We want to question you in relation to

an allegation of blackmail.

So, I think a toast is in order.

To Aidensfield's lovely GP.

And to her equally lovely pharmacist.

Both of whom could have been out of a job, even behind bars,

if it hadn't been for you, Dennis.

Absolutely. Well, here's to all of us, I say.

To many more happy years in the village.

Here's to that. Cheers.

ALL: Cheers.

Sergeant Merton.

Mrs Winstanley.

I suppose you've heard all about it.

About what?

It's an absolute scandal.

He's made criminals out of the lot of us.

Who has?

Him. Vernon.

I'll have another, please,

I'll get these. I'm not sure you're in a position to.

You can say that again.

I'm absolutely skint.

You have got most of the gear back though, haven't you?

All of it, as a matter of fact.

Apart from Mrs Winstanley.

She was out every time I went round.

Ventress has had a word with the police in Hull

and they're not going to give you any trouble.

No. At least I ought to be grateful for that.

If Dennis Merton had got hold of it...

imagine the stink he'd have made.

So are you going to do something about it or what?

I don't think you'll need to imagine it, Vernon.

I think you're about to experience it for real.