13x21 - Strangers on a Train

[bunniefuu]

♪ Heartbeat

♪ Why do you miss when my baby kisses me?

♪ Heartbeat

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

TRAIN WHISTLE

WHISTLE ECHOES

No!

TRAIN WHISTLE

WHISTLE REVERBERATES

TRAIN WHISTLE

The trouble is that Mr Vernon...

DOG WHIMPERS

We'd put up an additional barn here and renovate two of these others.

That's all very impressive, Norton. It'll cost a pretty penny, though.

But it'll improve the efficiency of the farm so enormously.

I've actually prepared some figures,

an estimate of the increased revenues we might expect.

You're very thorough. As ever.

You know, I've got a chap coming up from London

from Featherstone's, the auction house.

This place is stuffed with family heirlooms,

most of which are neither use nor ornament.

I thought it was high time I had a jolly good clearout.

Less for Mrs Kellet to dust.

And it might also release some extra capital

to plough back into the estate.

You think we might go ahead with this?

Well, if I can get a decent price for the old family jumble,

I will certainly give it serious consideration.

Hello?

Mrs Merton, can you help me? David, what's happened?

He fell off the train. He rolled right down the embankment.

Liz!

Put him on the couch.

He fell off the train.

I'm Dr Merrick.

Can you hear me?

What's your name?

MURMURS

I... I don't know.

Oh, that's very kind.

Now, what about this allotment? Shouldn't you be getting on with it?

Well, the ground's still a bit chilly.

I don't want to rush things.

- Where's Crane? - I don't know, sarge.

Ventress, you can't seem to be able to keep away.

Oh, I just popped in for a quick cuppa.

I suppose from your point of view, we could be confused with a cafe.

There's been some kind of incident on the railway. Sounds serious.

Tell Crane to meet me in Aidensfield.

Right, sarge. Do you want me to stay here?

You'll have to. Unless...

Alf. You wouldn't fancy making another cuppa

and minding the shop for a bit? It's an emergency.

Well, I should really be...

Good man. Right. Get your coat on.

MUSIC: 'Green Green Grass of Home' by Tom Jones

♪ The old hometown looks the same

♪ As I step down from the train

♪ And there to meet me

♪ Is my mama... ♪

Let me give you a hand, Miss Plum.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Mr Taylor?

Lord Ashfordly, we spoke on the phone.

No, I'm Ben Norton, Lord Ashfordly's estate manager.

Of course. His Lordship must be an older man. Silly of me.

Follow me.

Good journey?

Dozed mainly. Read a little.

Thank you. I booked Scripps' taxi.

Now, where the devil is he?

DOG WHIMPERS Keep calm, Marigold.

CLATTERING

David, is that you?

I've had Miss Plum on the phone. She's stuck in the station.

Oi! Go on! Get out of it!

Get out of here! Go on! Shoo!

Shoo! BRAYING

Well, go on!

Hi. Liz is with him. They're waiting for an ambulance.

- Can he tell us what happened? - He's fairly groggy.

David found him.

Was the train heading towards Aidensfield?

Yeah.

KNOCK AT DOOR Come in.

- Lord Ashfordly. - Mr Taylor.

Thank you for taking the trouble to come all this way.

It's not often a notable collector such as Your Lordship

decides to dispose of a substantial part of his collection.

You're buttering me up, Taylor.

We both know most of it is just filling my lumber room.

No wallet, no top coat, covered in brambles from the embankment.

So it looks like he did come off the train.

- Anything else you can tell me? - He had a nasty head injury too.

- From the fall? - I don't think so.

- You think he was hit? - Yes. And more than once.

I got your message, Sarge.

There's been a serious as*ault on the train.

How long would it take to get to the level crossing at Barrow Lane?

I don't know. Across country, about ten minutes.

If you're lucky, you'll get five. I'll alert the railway police.

- I want that train stopped. - Right, Sarge.

ENGINE REVS

I have been standing here for more than half an hour.

If anyone ought to be arrested, it's that awful Scripps man

for masquerading as a taxi proprietor.

- I understand how you feel... - Do you have sciatica?

No.

Then you most certainly don't understand how I feel, Constable.

We think a man was att*cked on the train.

I just need to know if you saw anything.

If I'd seen anyone att*cked,

I would have reported it immediately, wouldn't I?

MUSIC: 'Railroad' by Status Quo

♪ Railroad she left me standing on the line

- Has the train gone through? - Just missed it, Constable.

♪ Railroad

♪ She's really leaving me this time

♪ Leaving on the midnight train ♪

Where have you been?

I've been hunting high and low for you. What are you playing at?

Sergeant Merton said that I did the right thing.

I doubt if Miss Plum would agree.

GASPS

Oh, no, I forgot about her.

Forgot? Get down the station now.

And if she chews your ear off, don't blame me.

Oi! Get out of here! Go on! Shoo! Shoo!

Shoo! BRAYING

It's a bit mucky, I'm afraid.

- I hope you don't mind. - I'm used to it.

Going to take you days to go through this lot.

I suggest that perhaps to save us both time and trouble,

I compile a preliminary inventory

to give you an idea of the things which might be of interest to us.

I realise you won't want all of this. Some of it's just rubbish.

Right, I'll leave you to it, then, shall I?

If you need anything, give my housekeeper Mrs Kellet a shout.

Indeed I will.

TRAIN WHISTLE

TRAIN CHUGS

TRAIN WHISTLE

Stop!

- Oi. - Sorry about this, sir.

There's been an incident on the train.

I apologise for the delay, everyone.

But there has been an incident on the train.

Oi!

You're nicked.

I hate coppers.

The scum of the earth.

PC Crane reckons you were really scared.

- He says he saw tears in your eyes. - Yeah, in his dreams.

Where were you going on the train?

To see my girlfriend. Not that it's any of your business.

So you were on your way to visit your girlfriend.

The train got stopped. You saw a police officer

and though you were innocent of any crime, you panicked and fled.

I didn't panic.

I just got off the train to see what was going on.

Then your gorilla flattened me. KNOCK ON DOOR

Yes?

Sarge.

Thomas Edward Grant.

We're agreed that's you, yes? Yeah. So?

So, sentenced to nine months borstal six months ago.

When did you abscond, Tommy?

Yesterday morning.

I thought you was after me. That's why I ran.

KNOCK ON DOOR

We have a suspect.

When do you think he'll be up to identifying anyone?

Maybe tomorrow. He's still very confused.

Do we have a name for him yet?

No, no form of identification at all.

All right, we'll leave it till tomorrow then.

And I'd better be getting home

or Jenny will be giving me grief again.

Constraints of married life, eh?

In the end, I was there all afternoon.

Well, your retirement certainly left them short-staffed and no mistake.

Oh, did the hikers tell you anything, then?

No, a man gets att*cked, chucked off the train,

and nobody sees anything, nobody hears anything.

- I mean, are people daft or what? - I thought you'd arrested some lad?

We have. I've tracked down most of the passengers.

Just some bloke left up at the hall.

I'll make you a sandwich if you like.

That would be great.

Here, are you on duty?

- I've got a job for you. - I'm just knocking off, Vernon.

There's a donkey wandering around the village.

It's a traffic hazard.

You are joking, aren't you, Vernon?

No, I am not.

It keeps following me.

Ah, that's meant to be lucky, that is, being followed by a donkey.

That's what the gypsies reckon.

- What? - It was very lucky for Fred Hooper.

He used to run the donkey sanctuary.

- The usual? - Yeah, go on, I will.

I don't remember what happened after he died.

I'm surprised at you, Vernon.

A man with your business acumen not hitting on this one before.

What are you on about, Oscar?

Well, Fred Hooper, he made a fortune, didn't he, Alf?

He had a lovely car and a big house.

What, from a donkey sanctuary?

People are generous and they love donkeys.

I mean, he collected charitable donations far and wide.

All for the donkey sanctuary.

All you need is a field and maybe a shed.

I mean, donkeys practically feed themselves.

Oh, you two must think I'm going soft!

Morning.

I'm Sergeant Merton.

The doctor said you wanted to speak to me.

How are you feeling?

OK.

I was hoping you might be able to tell us what happened.

I wish I knew.

You don't remember?

I...

I remember being in the ambulance with Dr Merrick.

What about the train? Do you remember the train?

No.

We think you fell off the train and rolled down the embankment.

Is that how I hurt my head?

Do you remember being att*cked at all?

No.

Well, you should get some rest. Thank you.

- No name for him yet either. - He has no idea who he is

and no recollection of anything before the ambulance ride.

- It's a temporary thing? - Retrograde amnesia's quite common

after a head injury.

As he recovers, things may come back to him.

How long will it be, though? Difficult to say.

He's not about to ID my suspect within the next hours?

I doubt it.

Good grief, you must have been here most of the night.

- I like to get on with the job. - This is PC Bellamy.

You remember I was telling you about that business on the railway?

I'd forgotten about that. Some kind of incident on the train I was on.

Yeah, we think a man was att*cked.

Good Lord. How awful. Was he badly hurt?

Well, he's in hospital.

The thing is, we wondered if you heard anything or saw anything.

The sound of raised voices, carriage door being slammed.

No. But then, I was in the first-class compartment.

I had it all to myself. And to be honest, I slept mostly.

Sorry I can't be more useful.

No, don't worry.

Who is this poor chap, anyway?

Well, we don't know that either.

Difficult situation for you all round, Constable.

Yeah. Well, I can see you're busy. Sorry to have bothered you.

No trouble at all.

See you at lunch.

I did it because of Paula.

- Did what? - Ran away.

I had to see her. She's having a baby.

Paula's your girlfriend?

Her old man, he hates me. They're on at her to have it adopted.

But it's my kid. They've got no right.

Did you attack a man on the train and steal his wallet?

No!

No, I was just thinking about Paula, trying to work out what to do.

Are you telling me the truth, Tommy?

If I give you her number,

will you just call her to let her know where I am?

Hey!

- That's for my chickens! - No, no, David, leave it.

Leave it.

Have you not heard that old gypsy saying?

It's lucky to be followed by a donkey.

No, I haven't. And it sounds like a lot of old rubbish to me.

Well, maybe not.

DONKEY SCREECHES

- Here you are, lads. - Cheers, Alf.

- PHIL: Thanks, Alf - Ventress, you're here again.

Oh, just popped in for a quick cuppa.

Mrs Ventress has got the committee coming round.

Are we charging the lad then, Sarge?

The only evidence we have is circumstantial.

I phoned the borstal.

They can't get anyone over to pick him up before tomorrow anyway.

You did search the railway carriage thoroughly?

Yes, sarge.

- Oh, cheers, Alf. - If he had a stolen wallet on him,

he got shot of it before I ever saw him.

He had less than ten bob when he was arrested.

So he might well be telling the truth.

Do you know what puzzles me?

A serious attack takes place on a train and nobody hears anything.

That's assuming it did take place.

Have you gone through the victim's clothes yet?

Not much to go on, Sarge. No top coat, he'd lost a shoe.

But the other one was leather.

Oh, and nice suit too. According to the label,

it comes from a tailor's in Jermyn Street, London.

Well-off, possibly from London.

And the likelihood that he had a fat wallet in his coat pocket.

Where is he, then?

I'm going to ring his stupid neck!

"Do your time," I said.

"Keep your nose clean.

"Then we can start off wi' a fresh slate."

But no!

Hey... Look...

Here, here.

I think you should take a seat, love.

That's right. You sit yourself down.

WOMAN: Oh, no.

OK, thank you.

Ah, the lovely Dr Merrick.

I was just visiting a patient of mine

and I thought I'd call by and see how you were getting on.

Aren't I a patient of yours?

- You found me. - I suppose you are.

Well, I must belong to somebody somewhere.

This is very hard. I do know that.

Have the police found out anything?

I don't really know.

But the sergeant who came in is a pal of yours, isn't he?

Well, yes, I work with his wife.

Could you speak to him for me?

Find out what's going on.

I'm sure he'll tell you himself, anyway.

I'm going crazy here.

I just need something, anything, to focus my mind on, please.

I'll call by and see Sergeant Merton now.

I'll see what he knows.

Thank you.

What are you? Brainless!

You could have been out in three months.

They'll make you give the baby away!

It isn't born yet!

I want to be with you when it comes.

I don't want you there. You're useless!

- I want my mam. - And that's the trouble.

She'll give it to some adoption people. Stupid old...

Don't you start slagging off my mam!

- Hey, come on, you two! - It's my kid, not hers.

You haven't had to lug it round for the last...

Oh, no.

- Bellamy. - Sarge?

I'm sort of used to it here.

I just pop in. They don't seem to mind.

At home, I'm just under Mr Ventress's feet.

They should employ you as their tea boy.

Alf, you don't know how to deliver... Liz.

Thank goodness you're here.

I want my mam.

It's going to be fine, Paula.

- It'll be all right. - This is all your fault.

I should have listened to my mam.

- I'll get an ambulance. - There's not going to be time.

I'll have to deliver it here. Get my doctor's bag.

I'm going to need some help.

Round here.

Yes, hello, is that... is that Ashfordly Hall?

Yes, could I speak to...

to Colin Taylor of Featherstone's, please?

You're such a bonny lad, aren't you?

Is he all right? Got all his fingers and toes?

He's perfect.

We'll take you both to hospital to get you checked over.

There you go. There you go, fella.

That's a turn-up, isn't it?

My son born in the ruddy nick.

- And he looks just like my dad. - No, he don't!

The ambulance has arrived.

I want to go with her.

In your dreams, boy.

Why can't he go with them, Sarge?

Why? Because he'll be legging it down the road

once the ambulance turns a corner. I won't!

Look, stick handcuffs on me. Do whatever.

Just let me stay with them.

Please. BABY MURMURS

- Who's going to keep an eye on him? - I will.

A father needs to be with his new baby.

All right.

There was a telephone call for you.

Mrs Kellet tried to get the chap's name, but she was cut off.

Probably just my office.

- Found anything good? - Oh, yes.

Once we get some of these to the saleroom,

I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Mm. Well, I'll let you get on, then.

Tell you what, come down before dinner

- and have a drink. - Lovely.

I don't care what happens now. At least I saw him being born.

Well, you should care. You've got responsibilities.

Yeah, I know. I'm going to marry her.

Have you asked her?

No. I've been meaning to.

But her dad... he hates me.

He's a pig farmer.

He threatened to sh**t me and feed me to the pigs.

Well, you're not marrying him. Just ask her.

You ready?

- Yeah. - Come on.

This way.

When do you reckon they'll take me back to Borstal?

When we sort this train thing out.

Look, I swear to you, on that little baby's life,

I never robbed anyone on that train.

I didn't even speak to anyone.

Except some old girl in my carriage.

- Old girl? - She was just some old biddy.

She insisted on chatting away. I didn't really mind.

- What was she like? - Oh, I don't know!

Think, Tommy.

Well, she was quite posh.

She had one of those snub-nosed dogs.

And she shared your carriage all the way?

Yeah. Well, no. She got off at Aidensfield.

I think your luck's about to change, Tommy.

Right, you. In there.

Sit tight and we'll see what we can do.

I've never had a copper take my word for anything before.

If you go straight, it might happen more often. In.

You're taking a lot of trouble over that kid.

He's just a lad. Deserves a second chance.

Now then, Vernon. What's all this, then?

I thought you wanted something doing about that donkey.

A traffic hazard, you said. DOG BARKS

As a lifelong animal lover, I've decided

that if a job needs doing, it's best to tackle it yourself.

I'm starting a donkey sanctuary.

How many donkeys have you got, then?

Well, as yet, just the one.

Right. BRAYING

David. When you found the man from the train the other day,

you were on your way to the station, to pick up an old lady?

- Oh, yeah. Miss Plum. - Oh, don't remind us.

Yeah. Well, I need to talk to her.

She's right at the top of Church Farm Lane.

Last house. Watch out for that dog of hers.

He'll go for you ankles as soon as she opens the door.

Thanks.

Of course. She's got that ugly little Pekinese, hasn't she?

I hate that dog. Alfred does as well.

Yeah, but she loves it. That's the important point.

She's wealthy,

elderly, and is an animal lover.

Perfect!

What for?

For our charity.

DONKEY BRAYS

DOG YAPS

Are you sure you won't have a glass of Madeira, Constable?

Marigold and I always have a glass before dinner.

No, thank you. I'm on duty.

- Of course. Do sit down. - Thank you.

I've heard a lot of gossip in the village about this train incident,

but as I told you before, I know nothing about it.

You shared your carriage with a young man, though.

Yes, I did.

Marigold took a great fancy to him. Didn't you?

Fed you some of his chocolate, didn't he, which was very naughty.

Don't tell me he was involved? I can't believe that.

Did he leave the carriage at any point during the journey?

No. No, I'm certain of that. He was going home.

He'd been working away, he told me,

and his wife was expecting their first child.

Did he tell you his name?

No. No. But... Oh, he might have told Marigold!

DOG YAPS Mm?

Yes, I was right! It was Tommy.

Thank you! Both of you.

You've been very helpful.

Dennis is really busy, so I said I'd try and help him out.

Well, I can certainly do a buffet.

And what are you two plotting?

We're going to give Alf a proper retirement party.

Well, Dennis feels a bit bad.

Yes, as well he might.

Oh, come on, Oscar. It's not his fault.

Division made some bureaucratic decision and he had to carry it out.

And now he's trying to man a police station with only two officers,

one of whom is based in Aidensfield.

He should have argued that he needed Alf to stay on.

Oscar, tell him, not me. I'm just trying to help out.

I'll tell you one thing. Alf won't thank you

for springing a surprise party on him. He'll be embarrassed.

What am I supposed to do, then?

Shall I go out and come in again?

No, it's not you, Alf. We were just...

It's me. Trying to play the sergeant's wife.

Only I'm not doing a very good job of it, am I?

Oh, Jenny. Jenny!

Hang on a minute! I'm sorry!

DOOR SHUTS

Women.

Well, she's a bit eccentric, but she's clear.

He never left the carriage.

Ah. Something here, Bellamy, Something doesn't quite sit right.

About Tommy? No, I accept what Miss Plum says.

Whatever happened to our mystery man on the train,

Tommy probably had nothing to do with it.

Question is, what did happen?

He was att*cked. Chucked off the train.

Why didn't he cry for help? If there was a struggle,

why did none of the other passengers hear anything?

He didn't have time? The assailant took him by surprise?

Or, he wasn't expecting it,

because he knew the person who att*cked him.

Thanks for coming with me.

I don't know if we'll achieve much.

Well, if he knew his attacker and didn't want to say,

feigning amnesia would be a way out.

And why wouldn't he want to say?

You're the one who told me he was distressed.

Not knowing who you are is pretty distressing, Dennis.

He must be in the bathroom. I'll go and have a look.

GINA: Ey up!

This one's on the house, Phil.

Why?

Steve told me what you did. Playing the midwife.

Well, I didn't have much choice, really.

Anyway, I was just helping Liz.

I heard you sorted the lad out too. Got him off the hook.

Yeah. But they've taken him back to Borstal tonight.

Merton's put a request in for him to have compassionate leave,

to go and visit his girlfriend and baby.

Well, I'm impressed.

- Are you? - Yeah. I am.

After all you've been through,

it takes a man with a big heart to put his own hurt aside.

Cheers.

I'll set up a search. We'll soon find him.

He said that no-one could help him.

I hope this doesn't mean he's planning to harm himself.

I should have thought of this before.

Don't blame yourself.

Let me top you up, Colin.

Thanks.

Who on earth could that be?

I'll go and find out.

Hello? Can I help you?

What are you doing here?

- Who on earth are you? - I'm...

C... Colin...

I'll let Sergeant Merton know we've found him.

We need to get him to hospital as soon as possible.

It's a nasty head injury.

Extraordinary business.

If he is this chap from the train, why on earth has he turned up here?

Didn't you say he was suffering from amnesia, Liz?

Yes, he appears to be.

You've no idea who he is, then?

No.

SIREN Ah, the ambulance is here.

I'll go and help.

Liz.

I don't know what to make of this,

but before he collapsed, he was trying to tell me his name.

- I think it was Colin. - Colin what?

I don't know. It seems an odd coincidence, doesn't it?

We have to find out what's going on here.

He's going to be in no fit state to be questioned tonight.

Imagine it! The Doris Plum Donkey Sanctuary!

A permanent memorial

to your generosity to our four-legged friends.

As a rule, I prefer dogs to donkeys.

As do most people.

Which is why so many donkeys are left abandoned and forlorn,

out in all weathers.

I mean, there's no end of organisations for dogs.

But stray donkeys...

I wouldn't have thought that many donkeys got lost.

How many do you have?

Well, it's...it's hard to give a totally accurate figure

at this point,

since there are more and more flooding in every day.

But with your help, Miss Plum,

we will be there to give them succour.

Well, I'll have to discuss the matter with Marigold,

since, of course, it is her inheritance that'll be affected.

Marigold?

WHISPERS: It's the dog.

Oh, of course!

VERNON LAUGHS

But she's a generous girl, aren't you, dear? Hm?

A few hundred to keep the donkeys happy.

We wouldn't mind that, would we?

How are you feeling this morning?

Still very dizzy.

This is Ben Norton. He's Lord Ashfordly's estate manager,

and a very good friend of mine.

Last night, did you try to tell me something?

I don't remember.

Didn't you say your name was Colin?

No, I was... I was confused.

Ben says that Colin Taylor is the Featherstone's expert

that's visiting Lord Ashfordly.

Are you really Colin Taylor?

No. I've no idea who I am. Now will you just go away?

- Don't get upset. - Tell us what's going on.

I don't remember anything. Now will you please just leave me alone?

Colin! Good morning! Glad to see you've finally emerged.

A bit of fresh air will do you good.

- Yes. - Are those my old cases?

What are you doing with them?

I'm awfully sorry about this, old boy,

but the fact of the matter is,

- I'm robbing you. - What?

Mm.

You'll have to forgive my atrocious manners.

I just need to borrow your car keys.

Only the two?

I was hoping you could spare more than that.

- Mr Vernon. - Hang on.

I'm talking to the man who has the donkey rides at Whitby.

Well, it's gone.

What has?

- The donkey! - No, it can't have.

It must have slipped its rope during the night.

- I told you to tie it securely. - I did, but...

he didn't like being tied up. You could tell that right away.

Listen, I'll have to call you back.

Get out there now and find it!

We've got a batty old lady

who's got hundreds of pounds to donate to a donkey sanctuary,

and we haven't got a flipping donkey!

My goodness! Are you all right?

No! I'm not! Wretched fellow's stolen my car!

And heaven knows what else!

I'm trying my best, Dennis, but I don't know what you expect.

I don't expect anything.

You asked me to arrange this party for Alf,

and I just ended up with Oscar telling me off.

Oh, take no notice of him.

He thinks he knows it all.

Give us a couple of minutes, Crane, would you?

This is urgent, Sarge.

SIGHS

Have you lost something, David?

Oh. Yeah. It's a... a donkey.

I heard about Vernon's latest scheme.

Oscar and Alf were just teasing him, you know.

How do you mean?

There's already a donkey sanctuary. It didn't close down.

Fred Hooper's daughter runs it now.

LAUGHS

Right. If he's headed south,

he'll be aiming to pick up the main road...

here.

You try and head him off, Crane, would you?

On my way, Sarge.

Failing that, we'll need road blocks here

and here.

Right, sarge. I'll get on to Division to organise some sort of backup.

Good.

Ah! Morning, all. Is the kettle on?

No, Alf. But you can put it on.

And then you can man the radio.

Bellamy will fill you in. I'll be at the hospital.

Right, Sarge.

Need a hand there, sir?

That's very kind.

It's me, Steve.

We'll have a road block in place on the Elsinby road

in about ten minutes. Phil's on his way down there now.

Back in the saddle, eh, Alf? That's great.

I'll give it another five minutes, but I've probably missed him.

How is Lord Ashfordly?

He's a bit bruised, but nothing serious.

He's planning to sue Featherstone's, though.

This is all my fault.

I take it that you are the real Colin Taylor?

Yes, for my sins.

And that you know the man who's been impersonating you?

His name is Duncan Harris.

He was blackmailing me.

How?

He used to work for Featherstone's too,

in a junior capacity.

We caught him stealing.

He was, of course, summarily dismissed.

He... He blamed me.

He started following me.

That's how he found out.

And what exactly did he find out, Mr Taylor?

About my, er...

...my private life.

I'm a h*m*, Sergeant.

I live with a male friend.

Harris threatened to tell my employers.

They're a very... very traditional firm.

My career would certainly have been over.

So you agreed to help him steal from Lord Ashfordly?

I agreed to let him pose as my assistant.

And then on the train, he announced he was going to pretend to be me.

And that's when he assaulted you?

I should have spoken out at the beginning, I know that now.

It would have been helpful if he'd been arrested

- when he stepped off the train. - I know, I know.

I mean before that, in London.

I should have denounced him as soon as he tried to blackmail me.

But the habit of secrecy is... is very difficult to abandon.

No luck yet?

No. Must have been driving fast.

I reckon we've missed him.

Unless we're looking in the wrong place.

- Delta alpha two-four to Control. - VENTRESS: Receiving. Over.

Alf, get on to Aidensfield railway station.

See if they've got his Lordship's Bentley parked outside.

Well? Have you found him?

Oh, yeah. Yeah, he's gone home.

To the donkey sanctuary.

David!

THIS is the donkey sanctuary!

No, it's not.

It's up on the Whitby road. Run by Fred Hooper's daughter.

There's about donkeys.

Hey, if you pay two bob, you can go in and look at them all.

I don't believe it.

Good morning, sir.

You won't actually be needing that.

This is where you get off.

Dr Merrick. I didn't think I'd be seeing you again.

Whyever not?

I assume I've pretty much forfeited most people's sympathy.

I don't think you should assume that.

Duncan Harris was arrested. I thought you might like to know.

That's something, at least.

I'm sorry I deceived you.

Pretending to have amnesia, it was very wrong.

Yes, it was.

But I don't think you were lying altogether.

If the world won't allow you to be honest about yourself,

how can you tell anybody who you really are?

The scheme I have in mind that means all Pekinese,

not just Marigold, will be protected.

A Pekinese sanctuary?

Exactly.

The Doris Plum Pekinese Sanctuary.

Well, he's determined, I'll give him that.

Let me get you one, Alf. To thank you for your help.

Oh! That's very civil of you, Dennis.

We were thinking of throwing a retirement party for you.

- Until we had a change of mind. - Thanks to Oscar.

- Oh! - You're at the station every day,

so it hardly feels like you have retired.

Well, I... I don't want to get under your feet.

Not at all. You've been very useful.

Vital, some might say.

Which is why headquarters have given us the go-ahead

to create a civilian administrative post in Ashfordly.

Oh. I see.

I'm surprised they'd cough up the money for that.

They recognise we need an extra pair of hands,

and they accept they'll have to pay for it.

So if you want the job, Alf, it's yours.

Are you serious?

Well! What's Mrs Ventress going to say?

My guess is, she'll cheer.