02x02 - The Mask Murders

[bunniefuu]

MUSIC: 'Luna d'estate!'

HE MOANS

g*nshots

Mother?

GUNSHO

Mother!

g*nsh*t, CLATTERING OUTSIDE

Jasper, you startled me.

Your sights need adjusting.

You shouldn't go creeping up

on people like that.

It's frightfully reptilian of you.

What are you doing, Mother?

I'm experimenting with a new technique.

Isn't it marvellous?

It is also 23 minutes past seven

in the morning.

My muse doesn't wear a wristwatch, darling.

Well, perhaps it might be better

for friendly neighbourhood relations

if she did.

Are you all right, darling?

I thought you were looking

a trifle peaky.

A moment of discomfort, nothing more.

It's your therapy.

If you will go stirring up

the ghost of birthdays past,

what do you expect?

Evolve or die, Jasper.

Evolve or die.

Christ.

I need to get the boss down here.

She's gonna want to see this.

Son of the family.

Came back at 9pm and found them.

William Tidswell.

You'll recognise the name, of course.

Of course.

The other victim's been

identified as Jean Tidswell.

She's his second wife,

according to the son.

CAMERAS CLICK

Boss, we've found something.

No sign of a break-in? Nothing obvious.

It all seems a bit extreme

if the motive is just a robbery. Mm.

What about other family members?

There's a teenage daughter, Stephanie.

The son says she lives at home.

Her phone's going to voicemail.

All right, let's, er,

leave forensics to finish up.

We'll regroup first thing

in the morning. Get some rest.

FAINT SOBBING

Guys, guys.

WHISPERS: What?

Pass me your torch, please.

What about Dame Tabitha?

Doesn't work days with an S in them.

Well, then Professor Yardley?

He's in court today, remember?

HE SIGHS

Sabbatical. Compassionate leave.

Currently suspended.

Not seen or heard of since February.

Uninsurable. Declared mentally unfit.

Ooh, what about him?

Dead! You got me to send flowers.

Well, there must be someone

who can teach his classes.

PHONE RINGS

He's not here. I don't know.

No, you can't leave a message.

Ingrid, you could try being

a little more emollient.

You're going to regret that.

Yeah, I already do.

Morning, is the Professor in?

He's in the hospital!

NURSE: Morning, handsome.

How are we?

'Still a bit woozy, maybe?'

Anderson's hypothesis

proposes a correlation

between temperature and violence.

HE PANTS

The cause and effect, if you will

between heat and hostility.

NURSE: 'Not at our best?

'Come on, Sleeping Beauty.'

Suggesting that one of

the unforeseen consequences

of global warming

may be an increase 'Wake up.'

CLICKING FINGERS

Come on.

There we are. That's better.

Now, open nice and wide for me.

Nice and wide.

There's a good boy!

Now, you're probably feeling

a bit poorly,

which is only to be expected

with acute appendicitis.

The surgeon said it almost looked

radioactive when she took it out.

SHE CHUCKLES

Neon green and full of pus.

Now, eat up every last mouthful

like a good boy,

or I shall come back

and spoon-feed it to you.

BEEPING

38.5, that's good.

It's coming down.

I have an IQ of 160.

That is 4.156 times

greater than my temperature.

Ergo there is no need to treat me

like an infant.

SHE LAUGHS

This was taken at the home of

Edward and Genevieve Lansing,

the scene of another

double m*rder 15 years ago.

It's almost identical

to the Tidswell crime scene.

Even down to Mozart's aria

about vengeance,

and the knots used to tie

the victims' hands.

So, we think it's the same guy?

Computer says no.

Danny Gedge, personal trainer,

serving 30 years

for the Lansing murders.

Then it's a copycat.

Except the music, the knots,

none of that was made public.

So maybe they put the wrong man inside.

Maybe he orchestrated it

from his prison cell.

Why would he do that?

William Tidswell was prosecuting

barrister at his m*rder trial.

So, motive.

But why wait 15 years? Who knows?

It's a total bloody mess.

Ah, Professor certainly picked

a bad time to cry off sick.

Yeah.

CLICKING

I politely request that you

take my temperature.

You don't do anything politely.

And the answer is no.

I feel flushed.

I've taken it three times already.

I think I may have

a bacterial infection.

Ahh, ahh

Aaaargh!

There could be postoperative

complications - sepsis, MRSA.

You're going to be fine. You big baby.

Says the person trained to

give bedbaths for a living.

Pipe down or I will put you in

next door with the crack addicts.

'Danny Gedge was followed the day

before the Lansings were m*rder*d, '

for spending a fortune on their

account at some fancy clothes shop.

Bit of a flimsy motive, isn't it,

for the bloodbath that followed?

Several hundred thousand in cash

and jewellery went missing.

None of it ever recovered,

or the m*rder weapon.

How did you get a conviction?

Gedge was caught on CCTV

entering the shop

where the masks were bought.

It was enough to convince the jury,

even though we could never prove

act of purchase.

I don't get this whole masks thing.

I mean, why go to all the bother?

To imply there's something

ritualistic about the murders.

A serial k*ller, maybe,

not some gym bunny

with an addiction to haute couture

and a lust for money.

Except our gym bunny is now serving

a 30-year stretch

at Her Majesty's pleasure.

So maybe the Lansings' k*ller

really is still out there.

Or maybe that's just what

Danny Gedge wants you to think.

He's got an upcoming parole hearing.

Already?

He's served half his sentence.

If there's a hint of doubt

hanging over his conviction

It's a bit farfetched, isn't it?

It's more likely to be

a c*ck than a conspiracy.

Sorry, boss, that was out

Don't worry about it, Donckers.

It's what everybody's thinking.

How sure were you about Danny Gedge?

At the time, very. But now?

Aw. A bit bored?

I was performing

a silent mind meditation.

Oh How about a nice bit of telly?

Oh, look, it's him.

The one whose dad and step-mum

were m*rder*d.

They brought his step-sister onto

the ward a couple of nights back.

He's not left her room since.

Adjust the volume.

'Thank you for coming.

'I am Detective Chief Inspector

Christina Brand.

'With me is Robert Tidswell,

who is going to be making

'an appeal for information

in connection with the m*rder

'of his father and his step-mother,

Jean and William Tidswell.'

Before I hand you over to Robert,

I would like to say that

Jean and William

were admired and well respected

in this community.

And that their killings

are amongst the most

SOBBING senseless.

'And, erm

'Senseless and cold blooded.'

Silly little fool.

I don't know what she's

making such a fuss about.

She's only the poor boy's girlfriend.

And the step-sister

is receiving treatment

in this very institution, you say?

Yeah, practically catatonic,

the poor thing.

They think it's post-traumatic stress.

Where might she be, more precisely?

If you want that sort of information

you're gonna have to start behaving.

'We're working on a hypothesis

that Danny Gedge is attempting'

to k*ll two birds with one stone.

Revenge himself on the man who

put him away, and in the process,

cast sufficient doubt on his guilt

to secure his release.

Peter Kemp, released last month

from a nine-year stretch

for armed robbery,

spent the last four

sharing a cell with Danny Gedge.

He's the sort who might be persuaded

to sign up for a contract k*lling.

Good work. Follow up on him. What else?

We've had a verbal update

on the postmortem.

Both of them were k*lled by

a single b*llet to the head.

So, could have been the work

of a professional.

Mm. Is that it?

The wife had cancer, stage four.

All her major organs

were riddled with it.

Perhaps it was a mercy k*lling.

You know, loving husband,

couldn't bear to see his wife suffering,

puts her out of her misery,

turns the g*n on himself.

Then ties his hands behind his back?

Let's stay focused on Danny Gedge.

The money he stole from the Lansings

was never recovered.

He's certainly got the money

to order a hit.

What about the step-daughter. Is she

talking? Fit to be interviewed yet?

We're just about to go and find out.

Shall we drop in on the Professor

while we're down there?

Not even a social visit.

That's all right, Doctor. We understand.

Detectives. Miss Snares.

Have you come to see the Professor?

He's desperate for a visit.

We've orders not to bother him. He's

bouncing off the walls in there.

What about a bit of

reading material, at least?

For all our sanity.

Don't look at me.

TOILET FLUSHES

HE SIGHS

Thank you, Miss Snares.

MUSIC: 'Amore Addio'

I really cannot thank you enough.

I thought you could use a little help.

You're not gonna visit him either?

I don't miss him that much.

Dean, Operation Clingfilm

successfully launched and underway.

It is a simple question.

'Nothing about this is simple.

'I'm not even supposed to be

speaking to you.'

Night, boss. Night, Donckers.

Yes, DCI Brand was lead investigator

on the Lansing case, and yeah,

she's worried the wrong man's in prison.

I very much doubt that.

And to help Christina,

we are going to prove it.

'Which is why we're

working on the assumption

'that Gedge orchestrated it

to cast doubt on his conviction.'

And I very much doubt that also.

I surmise the solution to this

knotty conundrum

lies somewhat closer to home.

It can't always be the friends

or family who did it,

you know, Professor.

And yet, statistics informs us that

more frequently than not, it is.

What about the son's alibi?

It checks out.

He was playing squash with a friend,

a teacher at Stephanie's school.

Erm

What is it, Detective?

'It's probably nothing.

'He said that Stephanie

was an A-star student

'until a few months ago.

Then it all dropped off a cliff.

'About the same time as her mother's

cancer diagnosis,

'as far as we can tell.

'I'd better go.

'Professor?'

Knock-knock.

PHONE BEEPS

So rude.

Ooh, I see you've had the decorators in.

I just love what you've

done with the place.

A witticism, congratulations.

Is that the girlfriend's mum?

Most assuredly not.

That is William Tidswell's

first wife, Robert's mother.

They could be sisters.

They say men go for women

that look like their mums.

'Jasper!'

There is an exception to every rule.

Trust me, it's not the one

that looks like his mum

that he's attracted to.

LOUD MUSIC

That doesn't look like a pint of IPA.

The correct response is,

"Thank you, Uncle Calvin."

You ungrateful sod. Listen,

at least let me buy the next one.

Not a chance.

Cheers.

So come on, then,

you won the lottery or something?

You could say that! Doing some

freelancing on the side.

Pays a bloody fortune.

Your DI's all right with that?

He's the one who got me involved.

Really?

Loads of police officers

have second jobs, Dan.

What do they expect,

with the pittance they pay us?

Fair enough.

So, what's involved, then?

You know, driving, couriering,

that sort of thing.

Grown-up baby-sitting.

Sounds a lot like private security.

Is that permitted?

It is if you don't tell anyone.

You, erm, want me to put a good word in?

Get you a slice?

No, you're all right.

Well, the offer stands,

if you change your mind.

DOOR OPENS

It's in here, love.

Steph?

Steph. Hey, Steph.

How are you feeling?

Have you remembered anything yet?

Sorry. Is there

a really strong smell in here?

What? It's just the hospital food.

The smell, it's making me sick.

I'm sorry.

She insisted on coming.

Doesn't wanna be on her own.

When all this has died down,

I'll tell her.

I promise.

It won't be long now,

then nothing

and nobody can come between us.

It is that way for obstetrics,

young lady,

if you are in need of assistance.

Or maternity services, as I believe

it is now more commonly called.

It does not show yet.

Sensitivity to smells and nausea,

with or without vomiting, they are

classic early signs of pregnancy.

Candice?

Congratulations.

Or should that be commiserations,

for the lifetime of anxiety

and drudgery that awaits you?

We've got a lead on Peter Kemp.

PAUL SIGHS

The boss wants us to follow up urgently.

Well, sorry, boss, I'm about

to interview Danny Gedge's ex.

Anything I should know about?

Just tying up some loose ends.

All right.

Come on, then, Winters,

you and me can, er, share all the glory.

Enjoy. Always me.

HE SIGHS

MUFFLED: Have a nice day, OK, Lisa?

I'll see you later.

See you later.

PROFESSOR T:

'Bethany Fairfoot, his ex-wife.'

ON THE PHONE: 'Oh, I know who she is.

'I'm just not sure

how that's meant to help.'

I divined

you were looking for new evidence,

Detective Sergeant, to ensure

the Lansing conviction sticks?

Are you sure? She wasn't called

to give evidence at the trial.

'Precisely so.

'And yet, in the first instance,

she gave a statement to the police'

supporting her husband's

version of events.

What did she find out?

What caused her to stop cooperating

with the defence?

'What are you holding back, Bethany?'

You stopped visiting Danny

even before the trial had started,

and a month after his conviction,

you filed for divorce,

changed your name.

He'd been convicted of two murders.

Yes, but he always

maintained his innocence,

and almost from the get-go,

you seemed to have stopped

giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Look you don't strike me as someone

who'd be too thrilled

to see Danny out on early release.

Better for you to work with us.

Make sure he stays inside.

Professor Tempest?

You're Professor Tempest? Madam?

Are you taking an interest

in my niece's case?

Julia Delgado. I followed

your exploits in the newspapers. Mm.

Of course, I told Jean

she was a fool to marry him.

That it would all end in tears.

Wh-What are you suggesting?

Oh, not that.

He wasn't angry or violent.

He barely showed any emotion

towards her at all.

He was still in love

with his first wife.

Anyone could see that.

Kept her clothes in his wardrobe

and her picture in his wallet.

You can't compete with a dead woman.

SHE EXHALES They could be sisters.

How did the first Mrs Tidswell die?

In a car accident.

Robert was no more than a toddler.

They think she must have taken

his seatbelt off

to reach something for him.

Took her eye off the road for a second.

I think William always blamed the boy.

Never properly forgave him.

It must have been dissatisfactory

for your sister

to find so many ghosts

in her marriage. Oh

Jean walked down the aisle

with her eyes wide open.

She'd been his secretary

for the best part of a decade.

Knew him inside out.

And she married him anyway?

She was a single mother. SHE SIGHS

Stony broke.

She wanted security,

for Stephanie of course, but

mostly for herself.

I guess he just wanted a baby-sitter.

SHE LAUGHS

No Paul? complete waste of time.

Any news on Gedge's cell-mate?

HE EXHALES

Sorry, Ma'am.

Peter Kemp was deported to Canada

SHE SIGHS

a month

before the Tidswells were shot.

Oh, well, I guess being 5,000 miles

away is a reasonable enough alibi.

Almost as good

as being locked up in a prison cell.

Perhaps it's time to, erm

to face the facts.

Maybe I did put the wrong man

away in prison,

and we really do

have a serial k*ller on the loose.

Unless there's some other connection

between the two cases.

I don't suppose you happen

to have worked it out yet, Winters?

No, but we know a man who could.

No!

Stephanie?

I am Professor Tempest,

a consultant with Cambridge Police.

Silence can only protect a secret

for so long.

A secret like a terminal illness

or an illicit love affair.

I I had dinner with them.

Then I went back to my room.

GUNSHO

What is it that you saw

that left you mute, unable to talk?

Pretending not to know what we do know

is unhealthy, Stephanie.

It is a recipe for insanity.

Am I interrupting, Ma'am?

No, not at all. I could do

with the distraction to be honest.

This might do the trick.

The receipt for the masks

from the Lansings' murders,

paid with Danny Gedge's credit card.

My God, Lisa.

Where did you get this?

Danny Gedge's ex-wife Bethany.

She just brought it in.

Said she found it in a suit pocket

while she was getting it dry cleaned

for him to wear at his trial.

And she's kept it all these years? Yeah.

Some kind of insurance policy, I guess.

Not so much doubt

over that conviction now, Ma'am.

I could hug you.

I can't take all the credit.

Who, then?

I'm sorry, Ma'am.

I gave him the file. Oh, Lisa.

We would never have found this

without him.

He spotted that Bethany gave

a statement in support of his alibi

and then wasn't called

to give evidence at the trial.

He realised

she must have discovered something.

Hm. SHE SUCKS HER TEETH

Maybe now we can loop him in fully?

Yeah. Why not?

PHONE RINGS

Tempest.

It's a video call, dear.

You-You've done something

unpleasant to your hair, Jasper.

'It's too bouffant.'

You look like a Lothario,

for goodness sake.

I was resting.

I suppose it's all of a piece

with this therapy business,

designed to please a certain someone,

and to hell

with what the rest of us think.

I am not seeking

relationship advice, Mother,

or a style consultation,

for that matter.

It seems only polite, however,

to thank you

for cancelling my therapy session

and sending over my things.

And did you get the reading material?

'I'm sure you'll find it stimulating.'

KNOCK ON DOOR

I have to go now, Mother. SHE SIGHS

Detectives, to my great surprise,

it is a genuine,

if long overdue, pleasure.

The feeling's mutual, Professor.

Here's the postmortem report.

Ah.

It suggests Mrs Tidswell

may have died an hour or so

after her husband,

based on body temperature, lividity

and a bunch of other stuff

that goes way over my head.

We're working on the assumption

she was kept alive

to try and force her

to reveal a combination to the safe.

Unless you have a better theory as

to why she might have outlived him?

HE INHALES DEEPLY

Not yet, Detective Sergeant.

But when I do, the case will be solved.

So, the good news

is that thanks to DS Donckers,

we no longer need to worry

about the validity

of the conviction of Daniel Gedge.

Of course, it doesn't exclude him

from our present investigation.

Maybe not yet, Ma'am,

but we're leaning that way.

He may have a motive, boss, but not

really the means or the opportunity.

So, tell me who does. These two.

Really?

SHE SIGHS

For k*lling their own parents.

They're having an affair, Ma'am.

How do we know that?

Ah. Don't tell me, I can guess.

Were their parents

aware of the relationship?

Yeah, his father went nuclear,

said it was unnatural,

threatened to cut them both off

without a penny.

Even forced Robert to move out

for a while.

He says he only took up with Candice

to try and prove to his father

that the affair was over.

Seems to me

that Robert might have a motive.

But his alibi's solid.

Well, then, what about Stephanie?

She's not been well enough

to answer any of our questions.

Well, then,

I think it's time she did. Mm.

What is it, Winters? Sorry, boss, I

I just can't see her

in the frame for a double m*rder.

Then tell me who fits it better.

Who else would have

that kind of a motive?

And who else is close enough

to William Tidswell

to know the unpublicised

details of the Lansings' murders?

PROFESSOR T: 'Who indeed?'

I'd say it was pretty obvious.

Then please do enlighten me.

Well, there's only one all-seeing

being who knows a man's affairs

as well as, if not better than,

he knows them himself.

His God?

HE LAUGHS

Oh, goodness, no. His secretary.

'Jean walked down the aisle

with her eyes wide open.'

She'd been his secretary

for the best part of a decade.

'Knew him inside out.'

You're move, Jasper.

Knight to Queen five.

THE DEAN SIGHS

Yeah, well, that's all sorted, then.

I see they're letting you out early

for good behaviour.

Is someone coming to pick you up?

I'm told that my colleagues

from the Cambridge Police

are willing to oblige.

So that you can continue

your investigation?

The case is solved

but I am not at liberty

to disclose the outcome.

Nurse, er, Graham.

You have a difficult job,

and you do it with dignity.

Sorry we're late.

Someone didn't want to pay for parking!

Did you speak to his solicitor? Yes.

And? Just as you thought.

Most gratifying. Mm.

Well, I'll take care of these, then,

shall I?

Don't mind me.

KNOCKING ON DOOR

Is Stephanie being discharged?

They're saying

there's nothing wrong with her.

Physically, at least.

She'll recuperate better

at home with me.

We need her to come to the station,

answer some questions.

She can't remember anything.

See for yourself. She's mute with shock.

It is enough to strike anyone dumb.

The awful trauma of her mother's death

exacerbating the anguish

of her cancer diagnosis.

Cancer diagnosis?

She didn't tell you?

She didn't tell Stephanie either.

Jean was adamant that she was going

to wait until after her exams.

I must admit to being a trifle bemused

by this case in the first instance.

Perhaps it was the lingering effects

of the anaesthetic

or the stress

induced by my surroundings.

Whatever the reason,

I initially ascribed

the wrong relationship

between cause and effect.

Cause and effect!

I made the mistake of assuming

that your mother's cancer diagnosis

was the logical explanation

for the downturn

in your academic performance.

Whereas we now know your mother

never told you of her illness.

Is that when you found out, Stephanie?

That your step-father was having

an affair with Robert's girlfriend?

He what?

You are here at Stephanie's request.

My request is that you do not interrupt.

You haven't a shred of proof.

Except the astonishing resemblance

between Candice

and your much-loved

and lamented late mother.

Your father found it impossible

to resist

and Candice must have been

swept along by his fervour.

Are you serious?

How else do you explain

her immoderate grief

at your father's passing?

Their killings are amongst the most

WOMAN CRYING senseless

And, um

senseless and cold blooded.

Silly little fool.

I dunno what she's making

such a fuss about.

She's only the poor boy's girlfriend.

Besides, it will be easy enough

to prove my assertion in 30 weeks or so

with a simple paternity test

once her baby is born.

Robert didn't know she was pregnant. No.

Or that she was sleeping with his dad.

PROFESSOR T: 'William certainly

believed the child was his.'

He had made an appointment with

his solicitor to change his will,

making Candice and her unborn baby

the main beneficiaries

and to write you

and your step-brother out of it.

I first saw them in his car.

I was out for a run.

Some godforsaken country lane.

I knew how much

it would've hurt them both.

Robert.

My mum.

SHE INHALES SHARPLY

It was eating me up for ages.

Knowing but not being able to say.

SHE INHALES SHARPLY

I wanted to k*ll him.

But you never acted on your impulse.

Mum got it out of me in the end.

She knew something wasn't right.

She

She'd sort it out, she said.

Robert was out.

I was in my room. GUNSHO

It was like a thunder clap.

So loud. GUNSHO

So terrifying.

MUSIC: 'Der Holle Rache'

by Amadeus Mozart

SHE INHALES SHARPLY And then I saw him.

SHE INHALES SHARPLY I panicked, I guess.

INAUDIBLE

She told me that she was dying

and that Candice was pregnant.

And that this was the only way

to stop William changing his will

and throwing me and Robert out

when she was gone.

She said she'd done it for me

to secure my future.

Oh, God.

She'd already cleared the safe.

She told me all I needed to do

was get rid of the g*n

and tie her hands.

Thus creating the perfect distraction.

'Everyone would think the murders

were connected to Gedge.'

I begged her not to go through with it.

I thought she'd listened.

She told me

She told me I could call the police.

g*nsh*t Mother!

MUFFLED CRYING

STEPHANIE SOBS

PAUL:

'Did she say where she hid the g*n?'

In the toilet cistern.

No wonder she was so traumatised.

Ultimate revenge on a cheating husband,

but what cost to your child?

POLICEWOMAN: DS Donckers?

Dad? Don't be angry with me.

We found him wandering outside.

He was calling your name over and over.

It's OK. I'm not mad.

What are you doing here?

Your mother's left me.

She's found somebody else.

I-I think she doesn't love me any more.

No, Dad. Mum

Er, she

She She's probably just gone

to the shops.

Mm. I'm Lisa's friend, Dan.

Dan.

How about I make us a nice cup of tea,

and then we'll go look for her

together?

Come on.

I wanted to come and thank you for

going the extra mile on my account.

I acted solely

out of intellectual curiosity.

I also wanted to tell you how much I

admire and respect your decision to

speak to someone about your past.

You know, I-I SHE CLEARS HER THROA

I-I don't know if you are

doing this for me Jasper.

But the thought that you might be

gives me a

a warm feeling inside.

I have to do it for myself, Christina.

So that I can learn

to find happiness in

making other people happy.