02x07 - The Velvet Glove

[bunniefuu]

Andrej?

Is anybody there?

Andrej? Andrej! Andrej?

Oh, Andrej...

Nora?

Thank God you came.

What have those monsters done to you?

It pleased me greatly that I would be spending my supper... discussing something other than the Universality... and the Full Implementation of the Rome Statute.

I can't imagine why. It sounds gripping.

You have that look in your eyes, Miles.

You have something more down to earth to talk about, don't you?

Fact is, I need your help.

About three years ago, a priest walks into Scotland Yard, says he thinks one of his parishioners had been m*rder*d.

Now, this elderly gent, excellent health, full possession of all his faculties and so forth, meets a girl, they get on. He breaks his leg.

She takes up residence to aid his recovery.

He sickens, and dies.

And then the girl just... up and disappears.

Evidence of foul play?

No.

That's when the priest finds out that they were married, not even a proper wedding, just some scribble in a book at some registry office.

And the priest is suspicious, especially because the deceased was a religious man and a wealthy one.

Well, gold-digging is the world's second-oldest profession, and there is no law against it.

But last year the same thing happens again.

A rich old cove meets a girl, an accident, and his maker in quick succession.

Except this time, the victim, or rather alleged victim, is a retired M.P.

Straight away I pop 'round to interview the widow, but now it's the extended family that are blocking my progress.

But you know me, I'm not one to shy away from a challenge.

No one ever accused you of being shy, Miles...

But you know as well as I do that we do not take a case unless...

Unless...

I'm sitting, having my toast this morning and... a human interest story comes on the telly.

A woman in the Czech Republic has gone to the press... saying that her beloved landlord has been m*rder*d, and it's the same story, a rich old corpse, hungry young bride.

Identical circumstances?

Pretty damning. And it's a fresh case.

The widow is still in residence. So if we move fast...

You mean, if my team moves fast.

Exactly.

I can't justify ignoring the pattern in these cases any longer.

Who knows how many men have been k*lled?

Or who could be next.

How much longer, my angel?

Not long now, darling.

Andrej Havran was a good man who fell victim to a heartless fraud, a person who led him to believe... that she cared for him more than his wealth.

Now Andrej is dead.

That has all the hallmarks of these two deaths... that Miles has been investigating in London.

Yermak Trigorin, 92-year-old former Russian Cossack.

Emigrated to London in 1958. Made his fortune in manufacturing.

Regular churchgoer, no immediate family.

When he had the misfortune to meet Josie Miller in 2011... he was a relatively healthy man.

She moved in, nine months later, he was dead.

Next, Jerome McEwan.

A widower and retired Member of Parliament for Enfield North.

He met Brittany Campion, 2012.

Dead before their first anniversary.

The widow disappeared before I was able to question her.

And now, this new case in Prague.

Same in every detail, down to the debilitating accident... not long after the flame of love was kindled, as it were.

And in each instance, the young woman... insisted that she be the one to nurse the invalid back to health.

They did a shite job of it.

And between injury and death is when the marriages happened?

Could it be a coincidence?

I have two enemies, criminals and coincidences.

And Travellers.

I already mentioned criminals.

So this Nora Skalova, she's a... she's a real game changer, publicly taking on this black widow.

Black widow?

Black widow spiders, the females mate, and then eat their husbands.

How are they doing it?

The same as spiders do, I suspect. Poison.

If this is epidemic, how has nobody noticed it yet?

Well, poison can be the most difficult thing to prove... if you're not looking for it.

The effects can mirror natural deterioration.

Exactly, if a specific toxicology test isn't ordered, cause of death can be easily misdiagnosed.

Tommy, Arabela, go to Prague, find out about this recently deceased man.

How about Eva and I go to London and check out those cold cases?

Might not find anything. Sometimes old men just die.

Old men always die, but sometimes they're hastened into their grave.

I mean, come on, do you really think they've got anything in common?

I don't know.

My grandparents had 30 years between them, and they were together their whole lives.

Ageist.

No, look, I mean, I get it from a man's perspective.

He's got a hot young bird, nurse's outfit, pushing him around in his wheelchair. Of course he's in love.

But what about the girl?

Her friends are all at nightclubs and she's changing her husband's nappies?

Some women are comforted by having a father figure.

Not every woman wants an unreliable lad your age.

Aye, and the money doesn't hurt, either.

Along with wisdom and maturity, yes, often come wealth.

But if it helps smooth out the wrinkles, so what?

I could fall in love with an older man.

Could fall or have fallen?

You got a secret little sugar daddy there somewhere, Seeger, you're not telling us about?

Says here that the men d*ed of natural causes.

Cardiopulmonary arrest, acute gastroenteritis...

And no autopsy performed.

"Just what part of "Get it done" do you not understand, Charles?"

Did you order an exhumation?

The family of the Right Honourable M.P. McEwan forbade it.

As for the Trigorin, the Ministry insists on more than just my hunch.

Well, if we need proof of poison, the corpse is the best place to look.

No, no doubt, but I still think there's still a chance... that we could find something at their homes.

No. The Trigorin house was sold almost immediately after his death.

The McEwan estate is still held in probate.

The extended family tried to challenge the will and failed.

Then, the grieving widow, Brittany, signed over the property to a git called Tas, claiming to be her cousin.

Think he's the pimp?

He certainly looks like one.

Let's go visit this Tas.

I have copies of banking and investment records.

These are from before the victims met their new brides, and these are after.

I've highlighted the transactions of interest.

Note the high increase of withdrawals, 5,000 pounds here. 10,000 pounds there.

After the women enter their lives.

An identical pattern to Mr. Havran's statements from Czech National Bank.

Unfortunately, it is not probative.

You might be able to prove fraud, probably elder abuse, but not m*rder.

They were bleeding these men dry.

Any attorney worth their salt... will be able to get them off with the most minor of penalties.

Well, if they steal enough money maybe they can run for public office.

We need solid evidence or this investigation will not proceed.

Keep searching.

Detectives McConnell and Seeger.

We called ahead to see the body of Andrej Havran.

I'm sorry, those remains are being cremated at this very minute.

Well, call them to stop it right now.

Where's the furnace room?

I spoke with the widow myself.

She specifically requested we rush the work.

And you didn't find that odd?

It's not unusual.

She wanted the remains for a memorial service.

We made an official police request.

And there was an unfortunate mix-up.

You have just cost us very important evidence.

Well, she certainly doesn't waste any time.

Rushed to cremation, no autopsy?

A fine way to get rid of your victims.

We need to speak to the last person who saw him alive.

Nice car. Business must be good.

I see you upgraded your own ride.

Is that supposed to be funny? Is he a funny guy?

You said he was stupid, not suicidal.

I'm gonna sue your whole lot for harassment.

I noticed an outstanding warrant for Suspicion of Handling Stolen Goods.

December 11th, last year. We're here to search the house.

Bollocks. That's no grounds.

You're Anastas Cooper, right? And this is your house?

Then according to this here search warrant... it is grounds.

Am I under arrest?

No. You're free to go.

w*nk*r.

Andrej Havran. Age 93. Admitted on the 20th of last month.

Oh, renal failure, heart arrhythmia, loss of appetite.

We kept him hydrated, made him comfortable.

He d*ed four days later in his sleep.

Why no autopsy?

Nothing indicated a post-mortem exam would be necessary.

Would it have been necessary if it was your own father?

Detective, I don't care for your tone, and I owe you no explanation of my decisions.

We gave Mr. Havran the best possible care here.

The symptoms...

The symptoms were those of a very old man letting go of his life.

Quite a haul.

God, I wish people could have more respect for the elderly.

If you want respect, you gotta die young.

You never hear about the tragic death of an old person.

My father d*ed young.

There were so many old people at his funeral.

We were part of a big family.

I used to spend time when I was back home.

Believe it or not, I used to cook for them.

I remember listening to their stories.

I learned so much from them.

I'm sure they learned a lot from you, too.

Yeah... this is disgraceful.

These are men who fought wars, who served their countries.

They're just used up and thrown away like nothing.

Reduced to a few possessions.

You know, I've got to tell you, Tas hasn't left much for us to work with.

Well, if we are going to find anything, it's going to be wherever he sleeps.

Yeah.

I'd hate to see what the ScanGen could pick up in here.

Jesus Christ.

Look at that.

They look like more than just cousins.

That might be helpful, Brittney's long blonde hair.

Until we can get her in person, her hair will have to do.

Yeah.

Let's look for tickets, receipts, anything that can get us to...

Where do you think you're going?

This yours?

What were you doing in there?

Look, my great uncle is in trouble.

He married his bitch of a nurse...

Stop, whoa, whoa. Who's your uncle?

Herbert Baxendale.

Do we have a live one?

Of course I disapproved.

This little tart, Sabina, gets a ring on his finger, changes his will, starts emptying out his bank accounts...

Lawrence!

I followed Sabina to that house more than once.

She's shagging that yellow-haired Neanderthal, I'm sure of it.

Are you sure you follow her around just for your uncle's sake?

Or do you just like to... follow her around.

What are you implying?

We're cops, we don't imply.

Did you catch them?

Catch them what?

In flagrante.

No. Well, not exactly. But that's why I was there today.

So you could watch them have sex.

Look, I...

I just need something... to prove to Uncle Edward that she's not who she says she is.

I think he's going senile.

He already has advanced renal failure, and...

Are you a doctor?

No, I'm a financial analyst.

But I know he needs dialysis twice weekly.

I know these dr*gs she's giving him are... putting his only kidney under extra strain.

I... I'm worried for him.

Lawrence... are you aware of what happened to the previous owner... of the house you broke into?

Okay, bye for now, mate.

That was Hickman. Their cold case in London just got hot.

Another victim?

Victim in progress. And a suspect.

The plot thickens.

So this is the building Mr. Havran owned?

Neo-Renaissance. Very nice. Shame for the view.

I can see why he made a good mark.

Right, his flat was on the top floor, and the neighbour, Nora Skalova, was on the second.

Shall we?

I am sorry about the temperature.

My new landlady has shut off my heat. Her latest ploy.

To get you out of the building?

Payback for my press conference.

And that boyfriend of hers!

Jude he calls himself.

Dumps rubbish in front of my door and harasses me in the hallways.

Has he gotten physical with you?

Worse. Legal.

She claims I tried to att*ck her.

Yes, we're very aware of that.

Emily Havran has filed a restraining order against you.

Sounds like they're looking for grounds for eviction.

I've lived here for 18 years, and since she moved in, they have scared most the tenants and doubled the rents.

When did you first notice a change in Mr. Havran's health?

Almost immediately.

He was in magnificent condition for a man his age.

We used to ice-skate together. Can you imagine?

A 90-year-old man on ice skates?

But then he deteriorated, rapidly.

The other day, I could see all his windows open, and it was bitter cold. So I let myself into his flat.

Now that could be interpreted as breaking and entering.

It was unlocked.

And anyway, he gave me a key years ago.

The state of the place was...

It was a mess. It stank of vomit.

Emily was rarely there.

She was probably living the high life at some ritzy hotel... while poor Andrej wasted away up there, lying in his own filth.

And that's when you called the authorities?

Yes, but she was now his wife.

I had no right to interfere.

You know, she wouldn't even let me visit when he went into the hospital?

Have you left all this rubbish in the hallway again?

I'm sick and tired of your disgusting habits. his is a respectable residence.

Calm down, ma'am.

Don't come near me.

I have a good mind to call the police.

We are the police.

I want you gone by tomorrow.

I'd call this a fire hazard.

501. There.

Police. We know you're home.

You.

May we come in?

No. You may not.

Whatever you're selling, we don't want.

Just want to talk to the missus, mate.

About what?

Littering.

Either arrest her or go away.

Actually, I think we have everything we need. Detective.

See you later, ma'am.

Did you get a whiff of that place?

Lemon oil and fresh air.

Nora told us it was a complete mess.

There's been a proper cleaning. Wonder when bin day is.

You can learn a lot about people by what's in their trash.

Ugh... including some things you'd rather not know.

Here we go. Andrej Havran.

Eastern Orthodox prayer beads.

I guess they didn't think they were worth anything.

Human remains?

If these teeth could talk...

Maybe they can.

Sabina, I've brought some people to speak with Uncle Edward.

So, Lawrence, you've contacted the police, have you?

Actually, we contacted him. We're sorry to intrude. We'd like to know if we could... speak to you for a moment, sir.

I was just about to prepare tea.

May I join you?

Of course.

Mr. Baxendale...

Edward, please.

Edward. I'm Detective Carl Hickman from the ICC, the International Criminal Court.

We have reason to believe that your wife may be...

I know! I know. I am sick of all you Calvinists telling me...

I can't buy a young woman's love. Hmm?

Why can't I?

Lawrence put you up to this, didn't he?

He's afflicted with envy and greed.

I don't have to listen to this.

He's always been a petulant boy!

Now, are you going to lecture me?

Because if you are, you can get out as well.

I don't... I don't care if you marry the Archbishop of Canterbury.

To each his own.

But if somebody is trying to k*ll you, I care a lot.

k*ll me?

You see...

That's the Taverner Problem?

Black's got, what, 19 possible moves, but all of them result in checkmate.

White to move, mate in two.

Now, tell me, what is this about me getting k*lled?

He's quite a spirited man, your husband.

He reminds me a little bit of my father.

Your father must be a lovely man.

He was.

I'm sorry to hear that.

I'm doing my best to keep Teddy with me as long as possible.

It must be really hard for you to look after him all by yourself.

Do you keep track of all this medicine on your own?

I do.

Do you go out much? I mean, do you have time for yourself?

Not much, but I don't mind. I'm a homebody.

Are you happy?

Poisoning me?

It's a possibility we are currently looking into.

Edward, your welfare is our direct concern.

You know, Detective, I don't mind if she does poison me.

Come again?

You see that picture on the mantle over there?

That's me and my dear departed Jane at our cottage.

She treated me like a king. It was bliss.

I tell you, I never thought I'd meet anyone so lovely again.

Until I met Sabina, that is.

When you're married to an angel, you're always ready for heaven.

Was your angel with you when you broke your hip?

It wasn't her, if that's what you're saying. She was miles away.

It was some bloke on a motorbike who ran me down in front of... a tobacconist's. Hair like a girl's.

We have reason to believe that there are male accomplices... involved as well. Look, I really don't care what you do with your money or your love life.

If you want to, and we would like you to, clear away any doubt about Sabina, come down to Scotland Yard, give us a blood sample.

If it's clean, she's clear.

Absolutely not.

Several men in your exact situation have already d*ed.

If Sabina does want to do away with me, at least I'll die smiling.

What was that big exit all about?

If there's one thing our family excels at, it's guilt trips.

In 2008, I finally convinced Edward to let me invest some of the money... he was stuffing the mattress with.

Six weeks later, the market crashed.

How much did you lose?

Oh, plenty.

Not as much as he's lost on that slag, mind you, but... but he'll never let me forget it.

Any news on our widows?

Yeah.

This just came in from the lab, sir.

DNA on Brittany McEwan's hairbrush in London... is a match to the saliva on Emily Havran's cigarette in Prague.

The same DNA?

And that got me thinking...

Have a look.

This is Brittany McEwan. Blonde hair, brown eyes, tan, slim build.

This is Emily, red hair, blue eyes, fair skinned, smaller nose, much larger... blouse size.

They are the same person. Or twins.

Well, if I were a betting man... which of course I'm not...

I'd say same person. Plastic surgery, dye job.

Tanning bed. Colored contact lenses.

We just got off the phone with the lab.

The dental bridge found in Emily Havran's trash... is confirmed to be that of Andrej Havran.

And the toxicology screening?

A piece of food in the teeth came back positive for Digitalis.

Yes, it's derived from the leaves and seeds of the foxglove plant.

It's a cardiac stimulant, used in the treatment of congestive heart disease.

Fatal in quantity.

But Havran was not taking that drug.

Neither were the other victims.

All right, let me get this straight, Emily and Brittany are the same person.

Emily was poisoning Mr. Havran, and Sabina was visiting Brittany.

Which is why Lawrence thought she was having an affair.

They are all connected.

Yes! Right, let's go order those exhumations.

And let's bring in our suspects.

They bugged out.

You guys, upstairs.

Yes, sir.

Oh, my god...

There's nobody here, sir!

They got him.

You see this?

What?

Foxglove.

Poison in plain sight.

Thank you for coming, Louis.

We need all the help we can get.

I put out an All-Ports Warning for Edward Baxendale... and the four suspects.

These women could have new aliases by now.

Stolen identities. False passports.

Well, if they're all so suspicious, why not just k*ll Edward now?

I mean, he can only slow them down. I don't really get it.

Unless they plan to hold him for ransom.

Hey!

I thought you were some sort of elite crime fighting force.

And you lose a stupid girl and a diabetic old man?

If he doesn't get his dialysis soon, he'll die, and it will be your fault.

Are you happy with that?

What's this?

Oh, I think you know, Larry.

Detective Berger here can find anything if there's a record of it.

Yet he can't seem to find where you invested 200,000 pounds... of your uncle's savings? Huh? Ring a bell?

That doesn't mean that I...

Bullshit.

You'd been shorting your own stocks for months before the market tanked.

Guess you saw it coming, huh?

You're a pusillanimous prig.

Stealing from your own family?

You're nothing more than a petty scam merchant.

You'll be hearing from my solicitors.

Do people really say that?

Assholes do.

I've got something.

Pusillanimous?

I've been tracking the Baxendale's bank and credit cards.

There was a cash machine withdrawal at a bank near Bristol.

This was recorded a few hours ago.

Just Sabina? None of her co-conspirators?

No.

No sign of Edward Baxendale, either.

But why take him to Bristol?

Wait a minute.

Edward said he had a vacation house.

Was there any mention of this in his records, tax returns, anything?

I haven't seen anything about a second home.

Well, maybe it belonged to his late wife's family?

Devon.

Miles, what do you think?

Judging by their clothes, they're off hunting.

Well, there's loads of sh**ting estates down there.

Not the best quality image, but by extrapolating the natural contours, and comparing to a topographical map of sh**ting estates in that area, I might be able to pinpoint the location.

How far by helicopter?

About an hour.

Carl.

Look at that artifact in the corner. Must be a glitch.

It's in the original photo, too, you see?

Wait a minute.

Hound Tor is an ancient granite outcrop. 414 metres tall.

Well, that's why it's visible from the cottage.

And a known quantity.

So if we use that as scale for distance from the house... the cottage is four degrees north and five kilometers... distant from the Hound Tor landmark.

Moretonhampstead, Devon.

Coordinates 50.39.37 north, 03.46.02 west.

Roger that.

What a happy couple. No kids?

Nope.

The world could definitely use more good people raising children.

I know we never talked about this...

But I really think you're gonna be an amazing father, Sebastien.

I can't help but worry I'm going to screw him up somehow.

Well, I guess that's normal, but you are a good man, yes, with a big heart, and you're honest... yes, you are.

You're going to do fine.

My father was a... a crook, and a liar, and I turned out quite well anyway.

I think I did.

Well...

There!

Go down, now.

Checkmate.

All clear.

So what is this, Sabina?

Is this some kind of Sisterhood of the Black Widows? What?

Your wife is part of a m*rder-for-profit g*ng... that's poisoned three men.

God knows how many more.

That makes them serial K*llers.

Yes, I know.

I'm sorry?

She was just telling me now about her cousin.

What a terrible woman. Not a patch on my Sabina.

I can't lie for Josie anymore.

Josie? As in Josie Trigorin?

Yeah, and Brittany McEwan, and Emily Havran, and any other aliases you'd like to share with us?

And I'm guessing that you're aware that your cousin and her two boyfriends are on the run.

I don't know where they are.

You expect us to believe that?

For all we know, you're the ringleader.

Or is it this Tas or the other guy in Prague?

They're just dumb muscle. Josie is the one in charge.

How did you get involved?

My father left us when I was 10.

Josie supported me and my mum.

She paid for my education.

So you feel you were in her debt?

At first, she told me... all I had to do was charm an old man and make him fall in love with me.

The old man was me, of course.

At least we've got that to thank her for.

The angel of death plays matchmaker.

She threatened my mum.

I told her I would do it, and that's when I found out she was k*lling them.

I even made the poison once, but I... couldn't go through with it.

Nobody's ever been so good to me as Teddy.

And Josie got suspicious?

That's when she started sending Tas round to thr*aten me.

Then Lawrence showed up, and now you guys.

I think I've heard just about enough.

Let's wrap this up and take these two down to the nick.

Let's just... hold on a second.

Josie's been doing this for three years, at least, and she probably could have gotten away with it for another decade, but she got greedy and she tried to franchise the operation.

But I'm... I'm thinking.

I thinking that she's not willing to let this big fish off the hook.

No offense.

Sabina, you must have some way worked out where you contact each other, right?

Disposable phones.

I text the number, and she calls back.

I'm so sorry, Josie. I was getting paranoid with the police hanging around all the time.

And then his wretched nephew Lawrence.

This is no time for a mini-break, Sabina.

If you can't control an old man who can hardly walk, what good are you?

I'll do better.

Well, this is why you need me, Sabina, not your daddy.

I take care of you, I offer you this amazing opportunity, and you run off when I need you most?

But I have a lead.

Lawrence has been siphoning money off of Edward for years now.

I think I can get to it, but I'll need your help.

How much?

Half a million or more.

All right.

Shall I come to the flat in Prague?

No, not there.

Let's meet someplace public.

Someplace busy. I'll let you know where and when.

Everybody in position?

Standing by.

Line of sight.

There.

Emily Havran is approaching the main entrance of the Wilsonova.

Anybody make the accomplices?

If they're here, they're staying out of sight.

Oh, they're here.

I can feel it.

Watch everybody.

Attention, please.

The 236 express service will depart from platform 14 at 15:15.

Cousin.

Thank god you came.

When have I ever let you down? Never.

So, who did you bring?

The police? The nephew?

You said to come alone.

Sabina, you never listen. Why start now?

Are you ready to go on a trip?

You didn't say anything about...

A trip where?

The end of the line.

What was that?

An att*ck.

It looks like steam, not smoke. May be a dry ice b*mb.

It's a diversion. Keep your eyes open.

Son of a bitch! Find Sabina! She can't be far.

Louis, Emily Havran is on her way. She's coming toward you.

We can't lose them!

They cannot get out this way. Watch the trains!

Guard the exits.

I've got eyes of Tas, midway down track one with Sabina in tow.

I got her, I got her, I got her.

Stop! Police Hickman!

Hickman!

Carl! Eva! Do you copy?

They're fine.

The local cops have the suspects in custody.

I just reviewed Josie Miller's deposition.

She says her mother started this whole k*lling business years ago.

We have decades of victims.

So this crime ring was more of a family affair than we thought.

"Was" being the operative word.

Miles Lennon sends his gratitudes.

Josie Miller is a bona fide psychopath.

I asked her if she had any regrets, and she said that they took up so much of her time she regretted "not having been able to k*ll them faster."

I suppose we all live with regrets.

Sir, Dorn.

Toxicology report just came in.

So, uh, that cheap pine box Josie used to bury Mr. Trigorin in... didn't do us any favors.

Unfortunately the body was too badly decomposed for analysis.

And Mr. McEwan?

Mr. McEwan was, as we know, a high-profile man, so he pre-paid all his funeral arrangements, so the body was pretty well preserved.

Tissue from his liver was positive for digitalis.

Well, that puts paid to Ms. Miller.

We have everything we need to send her to prison till... she's as old as her victims were.

What about Sabina Baxendale?

Miles struck a deal with her.

For full cooperation, she'll be released tomorrow.

Did anyone talk to Carl?

He's taking the weekend off.