06x01 - The Best Laid Schemes

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'There's something incredibly
fascinating about the sea.

It has inspired both dramatist
and poet alike.

It can be beautiful, sombre,

dangerous and deceptive,
a friend or a foe,

hiding its dark secrets
in its fathomless depths.'

What is it? What's wrong?

Go on, wait in my car. I'll cope.

Look at the hand. The ring.

It's him.

Who?

My uncle.

He was...missing for a week.

Now, go on, wait in my car.
I'll look after things. Go on.

Thank you.

I-I'm sorry but...who are you?

Simon Templar.

Thank you, Mrs Haggerty.

It's very cooperative of you,
Mrs Flemming,

to let me go through
your husband's private papers.

Did he seem at all worried
or depressed about anything?

What you mean, Inspector, is, do I
think my husband committed su1c1de?

Do you?

Well...he hadn't been happy
for some time.

As you can see from the accounts,

the Flemming fishing fleet hadn't
been doing well for quite a while.

The Captain... Well, he didn't take
easily to modern methods.

He held to the old ways.

The world was changing, Inspector.

My uncle couldn't change with it.

I think he...felt his life was over.

And therefore...k*lled himself.

What other conclusion is there?

Possibly several.

Thank you, Mrs Flemming,
for your time and the tea.

My sincere sympathy.

Coroner's inquest is scheduled
for the day after tomorrow.

Dr Russell, you performed an autopsy
on the late Captain Flemming?

Yes, sir.
And who identified the body?

There were three identifications.

The deceased's widow,
Mrs Arlene Flemming,

his nephew, Mr Andrew Carter,

and his niece, Miss Diana Flemming.

Positive identification
was difficult

because of the condition
of the body,

which had been in the sea
for six or seven days.

A tattoo mark on the right forearm

and a distinctive signet ring on the
fifth finger of the left hand

were positively identified.

Was alcohol found in the body?

Yes, sir.

The deceased must have been highly
intoxicated just before his death.

There was water in the lungs?

Yes, indicating the deceased was
alive before he entered the water.

Thank you, Dr Russell.
You may step down.

In the case of
Captain Charles Wallace Flemming,

the means of his death
have not been determined.

I therefore record this court
returns an open verdict

of death by drowning in unknown
circumstances yet to be determined.

Inspector.

Are you here as a mourner?

I'm here as a policeman.

Mrs Flemming.

Mr Ballard, did you come here
to sympathise or to gloat?

Your husband and I had many
differences, Mrs Flemming,

but I deeply regret his death.

I'm sure you do.

He's sailing on calm seas now
in a temperate latitude.

The finest skipper that ever lived.

God rest his soul.

Thank you, Frank, very much.

Mrs Flemming, if there's ever
anything I can do...

Yes, I know I can always
rely on you. Oh, you can that.

Goodbye. Goodbye, all.

Goodbye, Frank.

Goodbye. You'll look after her,
won't you?

I will.

Mr Templar, you've been most kind.
I-I can't thank you enough.

Hello?

'Molly? It's Charles.

Sorry not to have called earlier.'

Diana!

What is it?

'Go ahead with dinner.
I'll be home as soon as I can.'

Mrs Flemming, what's the matter?

It...it's my husband.
He's still alive.

He isn't dead after all...

It was his voice!
I recognised it!

It was him ringing on the phone.
I know it!

He's alive, I tell you! He's alive!

He's dead and buried,
that's all there is to it.

I identified the body. I couldn't
possibly have made a mistake.

Then how do you explain
the phone call?

Someone impersonating the Captain.
But why?

Do you mean that somebody could do
this as a horrible practical joke?

For what reason?

Revenge? Envy? Malice? Greed?

I can't believe it.

Why not? Goodness knows,
the old boy had plenty of enemies.

Andrew, shut up.

I've lots of faults, Templar,
but a hypocrite I'm not.

I never liked my uncle.
Or anybody else.

True. Present company not excepted.

He was a wonderful man.
Generous, good, kind -

The revered Captain was about as
kind as a hammerhead shark.

Andrew's hobby is being unpleasant.
I just face facts.

How is she? Much calmer now.
I've given her some sedation.

And she's asking for you,
Mr Templar.

Yes, of course you're right.
He couldn't possibly be alive.

It would have been easy enough
to record his voice

by planting a device in his office.

Yes, but...who?

Someone who...hated you.

Or hated him.

The Captain was greatly loved and
respected by everyone who knew him.

Except, perhaps, Mike Ballard.

Ballard Fisheries?
Yes.

He owns about trawlers.

My husband's biggest competitor.

Recently he tried to buy us out.

And your husband refused?
Yes.

There's always been jealousy,
rivalry between them.

I can't think Mike Ballard would...

It's too grotesque.

Tell me again
what happened that night.

You heard it all in court.

You could have forgotten something.
Please.

Well, he came home
at about six o'clock for dinner.

Later, about .,

he said he was going to the Crown
& Anchor for a drink with the boys.

He said he'd be home about .

When it got to half-past-one,
I...I began to worry.

I phoned round to his friends
but nobody knew where he was.

Then I phoned Dr Ormsby.

Why Dr Ormsby?

Because I was treating him
for a slight cardiac condition.

Nothing serious but it has to be
watched in a man of his age.

Mrs Flemming thought he might
have had an att*ck.

Thank you, Andrew.

We drove to Pier .

Four of the Flemming trawlers
were in port that night.

The Captain sometimes went on board
to see the men... after he left the pub.

But he wasn't on any of them.
So we just came home.

What time was that?

At about three. I checked
with the hospitals. No result.

So I rang the police.

Doctor, were you satisfied
with the coroner's report?

Well, an open verdict's
never satisfying.

Well, there you are.

Do you think
somebody knocked him off?

Why do you talk like that?

It's a simple question.

Not a simple answer.

Well, I must be running along.

I'll pop in later. Give her
something to help her sleep.

Thank you, Doctor.

I'll see you out.

Did your uncle drink much?

Yes. Quite a bit.

How did he hold it?

Liquor had practically
no effect on him.

That's why I can't believe he'd get
so drunk he'd fall into the water.

I'd better be getting back to the
hotel. I'm staying at the Preston.

I'm going to do a little snooping
around, maybe find out a few things.

Our trawlers bring in tons
of fish a trip, Mr Templar.

It's a big business.
Not to be run like a schoolroom.

Is that the way he ran it?

I couldn't so much as order ink
without the Captain's personal OK.

He resisted every innovation,
every modern method.

But you made money, surely?

Precious little.

Before long we'll be begging
Mike Ballard to buy us out.

Mr Everett...you've been
general manager for some time.

Ten thankless years.

You must have been pretty close
to the Captain. Yes, I was. Why?

Was he capable of su1c1de?

I don't know.

He was very depressed.

Oh. About what?
Business.

We have a large overdraft,
Mr Templar.

The bank called it in.

Dated the day he disappeared.
Yes.

He was a moody man.

Tremendous ups and downs.

Yes, I think it's quite possible
he could have k*lled himself.

The Captain was the finest man
who ever drew breath.

You were friends a long time? Aye,
since we were deckhands together.

A fuzz just sprouting on our chins.

Sixteen we were. First voyage.

Forty years I sailed with him.

Trawl off Iceland. Spitzbergen Bank.

Guts? The Captain had miles of them.

I've seen a net hook bare his leg
to the bone and him not even wince.

Every man who knew him loved him.

Except Mike Ballard.

Ballard sabotaged the Mary Dean.

A Stern Trawler.

The Captain's pride and joy,
she were. Sank, it did.

With five hands. North Sea.

The Captain knew Ballard did it?

Yes, aye, he knew.

And the Maritime Board of Inquiry

would have cropped Ballard's mast
once and for all.

The Captain was going to testify?

Aye. And he wouldn't have spared
Ballard.

Would have got him a jail sentence,
I'll be betting.

When's the Board sitting?

It was supposed to be next week
but, er...

..without the Captain's evidence,
there's no case.

Why don't you look
where you're going!

Don't you shake your fist at me,
mate.

You Ballard boys are all the same.
You want the docks to yourself.

Like dogfish, aren't they?

Fighting over nothing.

Been like that for three years now.

The Ballard camp
against the Fleming camp.

Yeah, in the old days,
we all used to be mates,

no matter who we worked for.

Every night, the Ballard crews
and the Flemming crews

used to go to the Crown & Anchor.
Some good times we had, too.

Then the bad feelings came.

Now the Ballard boys wouldn't be
seen dead in the Crown & Anchor.

They go to the Four Bells.
Oh, why can't people get along?

I've got a question for you.
Yeah?

Why would John Everett
be using a pay telephone?

When he has a perfectly good phone
in his office?

I'll see you around.

Ballard and Everett.

m*rder or su1c1de?

Thank you, Mrs Haggerty.

Is there anything else, ma'am?
Anything?

No, really. You go to bed.
You look very tired.

I'm fine.

In the ten years
since I married the Captain,

I have never once
heard you complain.

I've nothing to complain about.
Good night, ma'am.

Good night, Miss Diana.
Good night.

Feeling better?

Yes. Bit shaky but better.

Arlene...could Mike Ballard
be behind this?

Yes, I...I suppose it is possible.

He's so ruthless. And he wants
to buy the business desperately.

I'm not going to sell out ever.

Well, perhaps Mr Templar
will uncover something.

What do you mean? He promised
he'd investigate. Help us.

Oh.

If you can't sleep, wake me
and I'll keep you company.

Thank you. Take that.

Diana, it's obvious.

Somebody is deliberately trying to
drive Mrs Flemming out of her mind.

It's the only possible explanation.

Unless...You believe in ghosts.

No, Mrs Haggerty. I don't believe in
ghosts.

Did you hear this car?

No sir. But my room's at the back of
the house.

It all seems incredible.

So you don't think it's possible
that the Captain...

Mrs Haggerty! Captain Flemming is
dead, and buried.

There's no doubt about it, none.

You understand?

Yes sir.

She'll sleep for about hours.

I'll stay with her sir. There's no
necessity, really.

I know sir. But I couldn't sleep
now, anyway.

And what about the pipe?

When we found it, it was warm.

The Captain's?

His favourite.

Any particular significance in this?

Why this drawer, not the others?
What did he keep in it?

That's where he kept his passport.

Well, it's not there now. Come on.

Diana, was this your uncle's, too?

Yes, he often wore it.

Well, Doctor. How is she?

I've given her massive sedation.

In all my years of practice,
I've never seen such hysteria.

She can't stand any more.

She must get out of this house.
Anywhere.

South of France
for a couple of weeks.

I tell you, if anything
like this happens again,

I can't be responsible
for her sanity.

Is she alone?
Mrs Haggerty's with her.

She should sleep through the night.

But if she does wake up,
give me a call at once.

Thank you, Doctor, very much.
Good night.

Good night, Templar.
Good night, Doctor.

What gets me is the motive.

Why? Why would anybody do this?

What could they possibly gain
if she goes out of her mind?

She did before.

Oh?

About five years ago.

She was several months
in the sanatorium.

She recovered completely.

Have you ever seen
the Captain's will?

Yes.

It should be in the
top right-hand drawer.

That's where he always
used to keep it.

Thank you.

'I bequeath my entire estate
and my business to my beloved wife'

etcetera, etcetera.

Here, listen to this.

'In the event that my wife does not
survive me for clear days,

my business and my estate shall pass
directly to my nephew, Andrew Carter.

With the exception of £,
to my niece, Diana Flemming.'

Isn't that a fairly standard clause,
to avoid double death duties?

I suppose so.

You know, it's pretty obvious
that somebody...

..who knows your aunt's past medical
history, is trying to drive her mad.

They're doing
a very good job of it, too.

But now suppose the end object
of the exercise...

..is not to have her committed,

but to get her to the state where
she'll take her own life?

Be neat, wouldn't it?

Surely you're not suggesting
that...Andrew...?

Andrew is the heir apparent.

Place your bets.
Winning?

I usually do.

Your luck can turn, you know?

It won't.

Zero.

Blast.

See what I mean?

Another hundred.

Are you counting
on your inheritance?

Just what does that mean?

Well, we had another, what shall
we call it, visitation tonight.

Well, well.

You'd better tell me about it.

Oh, wet footprints,
dripping oilskin,

the Captain's pipe
with smoke curling out of the bowl.

It's either visions or vapours.

Arlene should have been locked up
five years ago.

Well, there's another days to go.

You ARE mysterious tonight.

You don't like her, do you?

I never knew what the old man
saw in her.

Mind you, Uncle Charles
wasn't much either.

The Captain they called him,
with a reverent look in their eyes,

as if he was one of the disciples.

They had to practically lynch him
to get him to install

modern safety equipment
in those stinking trawlers.

Well, why should he?
He was all right.

Nobody ever drowned
behind a mahogany desk.

A lot of words.

What's your angle, Templar?
Why are you involved in this?

Surely not the dimpled Diana?

I think Flemming was m*rder*d.

Whoever did it deserves a medal.

No more bets.

Thirty-two red.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.
Place your bets, please.

Thank you.

Well, cheer up. I may hang something
on you yet.

Oh, by the way.

Suppose you did inherit
the Flemming fishing fleet.

What would you do with it?

I'd hold my nose and sell it
as fast as possible to Mike Ballard.

Morning, Ballard.

Hello, Templar.

What's on your mind?

Theories. All sorts of them.

Concerning me, maybe?
You and the late Captain Flemming.

Fine man, the Captain.

Come on, now, Ballard. Everyone
knows how you felt about him.

Are you trying to say something?

The Maritime Board of Inquiry.

What about it?

Suppose it'll amount to much
without the Captain's testimony?

Wouldn't have amounted to much
WITH the Captain's testimony.

That's where you're wrong.

He had nothing on me. Nothing.

Oh, but he had.

And he wrote it all down.
Six sheets of single-space type.

I found it in the desk in his study.

Full of very ominous words.

Such as?

Ballard. Sabotage.

Lies.

The Commission won't think so.

They'll blow you right out of the
water into a nice little cell.

Don't forget five men lost their
lives when the Mary Dean sank.

Friends of yours?

Fist fights on the docks
are nothing.

What I'm interested in is what you
and Ballard were fighting about.

Inspector, you know what we were
fighting about.Flemming's death.

m*rder.
Or su1c1de.

Nobody saw him on the dock that
night and nobody saw him jump.

The blow the pathologist mentioned
could have been delivered anywhere.

That was at the Four Bells.

The Four Bells?

His wife said he went
to the Crown & Anchor.

He didn't that night.

That's important?

The Four Bells
is exclusive Ballard territory.

Flemming crews
go to the Crown & Anchor.

So why the sudden switch?

Why did the Captain drop into the pub

that was reserved and roped off
for the opposition?

Answer? He was looking
for Mike Ballard.

Possibly. Who has per cent gold
motive for k*lling him.

Yes, I know.
The Maritime Board of Inquiry.

Then there's another one
with a motive. His nephew.

Andrew Carter?

He inherits.

You're mistaken.
Mrs Flemming inherits.

You wait and see.

Well, well. Mr Everett.

Trust I didn't give you
too nasty a turn?

Ballard put you up to this?

Yes.

Which means he DID sabotage
the Mary Dean?

No. Not exactly.
He...he paid somebody else.

Who?
I don't know.

The Captain knew. That's why
he went to the Four Bells.

I suppose so.

And you're working for Ballard.

Come on, Everett. I saw you with him.

If Ballard takes over Flemming,
he's promised me a big jump up.

And...stealing the envelope
was just a little extra service.

Yes.

Well, you'd better read it.
You've come this far.

Blank paper?

It's a trick you should try,
being in the fishing business.

Fishing without bait.

Come in.

Mr Templar!

Mrs Haggerty. I wonder if I could
have a couple of words with you.

Of course, sir. Won't you sit down?

Thank you.

Can I offer you a cup of tea?
No, thanks.

You knew the Captain very well,
didn't you?

I've worked in this house nearly
twenty years. Yes, I knew him.

What sort of man was he?
Moody, sir.

Terribly moody man
and that's a fact.

Up on the mountain tops
or in the depths.

I remember the night
the Mary Dean went down.

He took it badly?
Broke his heart.

He cried, Mr Templar.

Like a child.

It was shattering to see the captain
with tears running down his cheeks.

And for days afterwards he didn't
speak, it hit him that hard.

Then you think he could have
k*lled himself?

Oh, no, Mr Templar. Not the Captain.

Why do you say that?

Well, I just knew him.

He wouldn't have given in,
not like that.

He was too determined to find out

what had really happened
to the Mary Dean.

My belief is, Mr Templar,
he DID find out.

A whisky and water, please?

The last time Captain Flemming was
seen alive as far as we know

was in this pub.

Maybe by you.

Or you? Or you?

Look, all I'm after is the truth.

So what are you all afraid of?

Well, somebody must have seen
or heard something that night.

Why the stony silence?

Why don't you go
to the Crown & Anchor?

Flemming's crew ain't welcome here.

Why not?

Because we prefer to drink
with men we can trust.

So do I.

I'd be honoured, Templar, if you
joined me in a drink. Thanks.

What is it?
Whisky.

A whisky and a pint, Fred.
Aye.

We'll sit over here
away from the smell of rotting fish.

I thought this
wasn't your territory?

It isn't.

But I heard you were here.

And I figured you might need
a bit of help.

These boys can cut up pretty rough.

And what was Flemming doing here?
He had something on his mind.

Such as?
I knew he was coming here

and I guessed there might be trouble
so I came as soon as I could.

But the Captain had already arrived.

And he was giving Joe Carney
the tongue-lashing of his life.

I'll get you for this, Carney,
I swear I will.

And Ballard too.

I'll go to the National Maritime
Board and the Ministry of Shipping

and I'll take every bit of evidence
I've got -What evidence?

You think you're the great white
father of the sea or something.

You were on the Mary Dean
an hour before she sailed.

Prove it.

Hey, come on. Let me go!
You're drunk.

Come on!

You sabotaged the Mary Dean.

And I'm gonna prove it!
Oh, sure, sure. Some other time.

All right.

Let me go!

So he left.

It was no good reasoning with him.
It's the last time I saw him alive.

Well, what was that all about?

Guilty conscience, maybe.

Who is he?

Joe Carney.

Excuse me.

Well, this town is the friendliest
place

b*at it.

Not until you and I have had a little
talk about Captain Flemming.

I've got nothing to say to you.

Oh yes you have - And I'm in the mood
to listen.

I said b*at it!

I didn't k*ll Flemming.

We just quarrelled, that's all.

What time did you leave
the Four Bells that night?

Early. I wasn't in the mood
for drinking

and I didn't feel like company
either, so I decided to go home.

I never had anything really
personally against the Captain.

You m*rder*r.

Now, Captain, will you stow it?

I'll give you the licking of your
life. Captain, you're asking for it.

You're nearly twice my age.
Now, please, don't make me do it.

'For a minute
I thought I'd k*lled him.

Then I felt his heart
and heard him breathing.'

I couldn't help it.
I didn't want to hit him.

But you did hit him. Yes.

Did you sabotage the Mary Dean?

All I meant to do was wreck the refrigeration
system so his catch would go rotten. That's all.

Something happened.
It must have blown up. I don't know.

Five men drowned.

I knew them. I never meant
for a second that the ship would...

Did Ballard pay you for this?

When it foundered,
I...I couldn't take the money.

Very noble. Inspector Mitchell
will appreciate it.

You gonna turn me in?
You're gonna turn yourself in.

Yeah. I guess I am.

I swear it's been tearing
my guts out.

But Templar, you gotta believe me
about the captain.

He was alive when I left him.

All right.

He was alive when you left him.

Is he alive now?

I tell you, he is alive.

Arlene, stop it.

The identification
wasn't conclusive.

The body was in such a state
it was impossible to be sure.

But the clothes,
the ring, the tattoo.

Anyone can wear the clothes
and the ring

and there's hundreds of sailors
with a right-forearm anchor tattoo!

You could talk yourself
into believing anything.

Don't shout at her.
Why not? Somebody should.

If he's not alive, how do you
explain what's been happening?

Anybody can hang a raincoat
on a coat rack. Who?!

I don't know but it certainly wasn't
him.

What was that?
I didn't hear anything.

I did.

There's someone upstairs. It's him.
It is. He must be here in the house!

All right. You go and have
a little chat with him.

And tell him I could do
with a small loan.

Don't humour her. She's making
something out of nothing.

She is not.
There is nobody upstairs.

If you're so positive,
go and see for yourself.

It was no hallucination, believe me.
I saw it for myself.

Pyjamas on the floor,
bath running over.

Even his clothes stacked up
on the stool.I saw it too.

Arlene went completely to pieces.

So much so we simply
couldn't handle her here.

Where is she now?

Dr Ormsby's taken her to hospital.
The Millwell Sanitorium.

I brought her in. She was on the
edge of a nervous breakdown.

I gave her a massive dose
of sodium amytal,

enough to knock an elephant out.

You can see her but I don't think
you'll be able to wake her up.

She looks so pale.

She'll be out
for at least ten hours.

And then what? When she wakes up?

I honestly don't know.

She certainly can't go back
to that house.

I think she's on the verge
of a schizoid break.

And when the break actually happens,

the patient retreats into a fantasy
world of complete unreality.

Oh, excuse me, Dr Ormsby -
Just a minute, nurse.

I'll call you tomorrow. Don't worry.
She'll have every possible care.

Yes, we know. Thank you, Doctor.

Good night.
Good night.

Good night.

Now, then, nurse.

It's Mrs Miller. She was transfused
yesterday, wasn't she?

Blood count's up.
She's asking for sedation.

Says the pain in her leg is worse.

I'll be with her in a minute.
Yes, Doctor.

They've gone.

Very romantic.
Quite a bedside manner, Doctor.

No, I didn't leave.

Diana did. She went
for Inspector Mitchell.

How did I guess?

Very simple, dear lady. Your pulse.

When I held your hand, it was racing.

A massive dose of sodium amytal
would have slowed it down.

Try to understand -
I do, perfectly, Doctor.

When the coroner brought in
that open verdict

and Inspector Mitchell started
snooping around, you panicked.

There was only one thing
working in your favour.

The identification of the body
was not per cent conclusive.

So you decided to make it appear
as if the Captain were still alive.

You made the phone call.

Yes.

You planted the dripping oilskins,
the burning pipe.

Very impressive.

Then, if they didn't buy that story,
you decided on a secondary motive.

To plant the suspicion on Andrew.

You made it appear to people
that he was driving you mad.

Trying to get you to jump out of a
window or throw yourself under a car.

Why? Because if anything happened
to you, Andrew inherited the loot.

Look, we were caught in something...

Indeed you were.

You spread suspicion all around,
even on Ballard...

..so there would be less on you.

Because you k*lled him.

We...we didn't mean to.

But you did.

You k*lled him
and threw him in the water.

Cold, premeditated m*rder.

But it wasn't like that at all.

That night we went to look for him.

He'd been drinking heavily.

He was violent, abusive.
We tried to get him to come home.

Come home? What for?

So I can watch you two being lovers?

Shut up, Flemming.I'll go to the
Medical Association about you.

And when I'm through,
you'll never practice again.

You don't know what you're saying.

You think I'm a carp maybe?

That I can sink into the mud
and bury myself

so I won't see how the water's
stinking and contaminated.

You've k*lled him.

No, he's alive.

Arlene...he'll ruin me.

He'll ruin both of us.

You hate him.

Yes, but...

..I can't.

Well, I can.

'He was a vindictive, cruel man and
he meant what he said that night.'

He would have carried out
his thr*at.

Ruined both of us.

Instead we've...done it ourselves.

We planned it all so carefully.

As Robbie Burns said,

'The best laid schemes
of mice and men, g*ng aft agley.'