10x08 - Death in a Chocolate Box

[bunniefuu]

(THUNDER)

(SIREN WAILS)

(THUNDER)

He wants you to look at it.

I think that needs
to be cordoned off.

Lord Holm, I'll question you
back at the station.

Book him in.
Very good, ma'am.

Put them all together and uh...

(THUNDER)

(GASPS)

Here's the prescription
you asked for.

All right. Thank you very much.
The dosage is on the label.

(DOOR OPENS)

Dr Wyatt thinks these will help
you sleep, Jack.

I suggest you go home and do just
that, darling.

Just bring that box... Open it.
Put it here, if you can, yeah?

That's great, that's fine.

Can you put another one
in-between those two? All right?

What we could do with is if you drop
that and come over here with me...

(CLANKING OF METAL)

Leave it to Amy to do it. Let's look
in the box. That's all right.

(SIGHS)

(CHEERING)

Ladies and gentlemen,

I give you Mr Ronnie Tyler.

(CHEERING)

All right! Can you all settle down!

Or you're barred.
(GOOD-NATURED HECKLING)

I... I've never been
much of a one for speeches.

I think Detective Chief Inspector
Barnaby's the only one

who's ever made me talk.
ALL: Ooooh!

But by this time tomorrow I should
be well on my way to Paris -

the first leg of a walking tour
which, with a bit of luck,

should take me all the way round
the world.

It's not bad when you consider where
I was heading:

in and out of trouble with the
police,

regular guest of Her Majesty.

But that was before I started
living,

by which I mean, of course,
really living, here,

in Midsomer Holm.

(CHEERING)

Perfect.

Where's Eddie? Where's the new boy?
Ah!

Eddie's just served serious jail
time. Give us a pint.

But from tomorrow he'll begin to
find out what it's like

to start living in a halfway house.

Don't think of this village as
some sort of chocolate box, Eddie,

some easy number tucked away
on a country estate.

It's half a dozen cottages, handed
over to ex-cons like you and me,

so we can let ourselves be worked
to death for board and lodging.

(LAUGHTER)

But it's also a place
where you can think

about how you want
to turn your life around.

It's a second chance.

I'd like to thank Angie and Bob

for putting on such a fantastic
spread.

(CHEERING)

I'm even told Bob managed to smile.

(LAUGHTER)

The fact is, Professor...
The fact is...

The fact is...
(KNOCKING)

Sorry, my lord. I think you've
forgotten the presentation.

Oh.

Good heavens.

I'd also like to thank Detective
Chief Inspector Barnaby
for a certain arrest...

which as it turned out was the first
day of the rest of my life.

Aw!
Aw.

And last but not least, the owner and
benefactor of this village,

the ninth Lord Holm, Victor Godbold.
(APPLAUSE)

And its creative genius, its
intelligence and its driving force,

Professor Gina Colby.

(CHEERING)

Ronnie, thank you.

Well done, Gina.

(NO AUDIBLE DIALOGUE)

Send you a postcard, and not from
Her Majesty's Prison, Timbuktu.

You do that, Ronnie.

Jack?

Are you good for a run
to the station?

Yeah.

Yeah. I'll take him, Tommy.

Eddie, I'll have a word with you
before I go. All right.

(DOOR OPENS)

Look what we found, sarge.

Hello, Sergeant.

These nice young men arrested me
again.

Lady Holm.

Coming to tuck me in, boys?

Come on, m'lady.

This way, m'lady.

Still don't believe it, do you?
Oh, no, I do, I do, I do.

Reforming Ronnie Tyler,
that's some kind of achievement.

Not quite so sure of the wisdom
of taking on Eddie Marston.

You don't have to say it, Tom.

You've got tacit disapproval written
all over your face.

Look, trust me, all right?
I know what I'm doing.

Gina, there's another reason
I've come here tonight,

apart from, you know,
saying goodbye to Ronnie.

Is it possible to have a word
with Jack?

Ah. Er... Jack's been barred
by Laughing Bob.

After so many years, isn't it time
he told me what's been the problem?

Look, believe me, Tom, I've done
everything I can.

I'd love to see you two friends
again.

GINA: But he knows you're here.
He still says he'd rather not.

You can put mine on
if you get too cold. Come on.

Agh.
Jack's not been in?

I'm asking a question.
Yeah, and we all know why.

And what's that supposed to mean?

It means I wasn't born yesterday.

More's the pity, Bob.

You could have started building
your personality from scratch.

Look.

I know what you think of me.

But it's my name over that door,
not lover boy's.

So lover boy is NOT coming in.

(SIGHS)

Yes, please? Pint?

You never told me
there were gonna be fireworks?

Proper send-off, Ronnie.

See you later.
See you.

Tommy Crinney, Estate Manager.
Welcome to Midsomer Holm, Eddie.

After the fireworks,
I'll show you your digs. Thank you.

Jack?

Jack.
Tom, I...

I've just been talking to Gina.

Er... Look, I know
it's been a long time,

but is it possible, you know...?
Sorry, Tom, I can't.

Don't just walk away.

Jack.
I can't, Tom.

I really can't.
Sir.

Never thought I'd live to see it.
What?

You rubbing shoulders with villains.
Oh, they're ex-villains now.

Right.
Not all sweetness and light, though.

Oh, that's not one of Gina Colby's
patients.

That... That was Gina's husband.

Jack Colby. We were sergeants
together.

In fact, we joined uniform
exactly the same day.

We used to be known
as the "dynamic duo".

He stayed on as a sergeant in
uniform, but I moved on to CID.

And he resigned...over years ago.

(FIREWORKS CRACKLE)

(GASPS OF DELIGHT)

So why did he leave?

Jack was Duty Sergeant
and he regularly found himself

in charge of Causton nick
on a Friday night.

And as such he was responsible
for a group of...stupid sods!

Called themselves the "Friday
Nighters".

Friday Nighters?

At the time, Gina Colby,
she was a...oh...

hugely talented,
very capable Detective Inspector.

She it was who arrested Lord Holm
for the m*rder of his wife
Maria Godbold,

when he finally got tired of his
wife's frequent and very public
affairs.

So why did Jack Colby resign?

Because, Jones, latterly those
affairs took placed inside the cells

of Causton Police Station.

OK.

You make yourself comfortable, yeah?

She had a habit of getting herself
arrested on drunk and disorderly.

And once work got out exactly what
was on offer

behind a locked cell door,

the men queued up
to work on Friday night.

The Friday Nighters?
Yeah.

Of course, after Maria's m*rder,

of course, the whole mess became
public knowledge.

Now, whether Jack didn't know about
it,

or did know about it and just turned
a blind eye, was never established.

But what is certain
is he was Duty Sergeant

and as Duty Sergeant -
He should have put a stop to it.

Yeah, he should have stopped it.

And when he did shop them, then of
course, they were dismissed.

Jack, well, he was ostracised,
treated like a pariah.

And eventually he, well, both he and
Gina, resigned.

Jones, can you pull into that garage
over there?

After she resigned, Gina Colby, she
retrained as a psychotherapist.

It was her counselling that got
Lord Holm an early release.

He was out in eight. And Jack Colby,
he retrained a probation officer.

(CHEERING AND LAUGHTER)

Goodbye.
Goodbye.

Bye
Good luck, Ronnie.

Bye.
Oh, thank you.

So what's the problem between you
and your mate Jack Colby?

Oh, I don't know, Jones.

I... The problem is that...

after all this time, my mate
Jack Colby still can't face me.

Thanks for the lift.

Good night.

(STARTS CAR)

Ronnie Tyler? Who on earth
is Ronnie Tyler?

Ronnie Tyler is a reformed character,

if the evidence of tonight
is to be believed.

And that's who you dragged poor Ben
halfway across Midsomer County

to see?

Well, I thought it would do the boy
good,

to see a rehabilitation scheme
that actually works.

It seems to work a bit too well.
I didn't think you were coming home.

All right, I know it's Friday
evening.

I did promise to be home by : .
So... So.

You bought me some flowers
from the all-night garage.

Ronnie, listen.

This came about a month ago.

It was delivered to the Estate
Office.

Someone has got a very long memory.

Have you spoken to Gina?

I can't talk to Gina.

Not about this.

(TRAIN HOOTS)

I need someone to talk to, Ronnie.

What are you doing?
Catching a train.

If you need to talk to someone,

call this number.

So, did you see him?

Jack, yes, I did see him.

See being the operative word.

Do you know, he still wouldn't speak
to me.

It's been years.

RONNIE: If you're in trouble, he'll
help.

But he'll only help if you tell him
the truth.

(WHISTLE)

(GROANS)

(DULL THUD)

Aaaaagh!

Hi, Mum, it's us.

No, no, we're still in London.

The rate we're going, we probably
won't be there till lunchtime.

Well, what time did you set off?

Oh, hang on a minute, Mum.

"Yeah, I think we might have just
started moving."

Oh, Simon!

Mrs Barnaby. I er...

I thought you might like these.
Aw. Surprise!

Look, Tom, aren't they lovely?

Hello, darling.

Seen anything of Jack Colby, Bob?

You seen me looking?

Morning, Ronnie.

So.

Postman Poulter now, is it?

Come on in.

Did you have a good journey?
Yeah, not bad.

We decided to leave early
and miss the traffic.

I'm not sure how long
we'll be able to stay.

Never mind that. The point is, you're
here and it is so good to see you.

I didn't think it'd been that long,
Mum.

But there's a difference this time,
isn't there, Cully?

Your mother is eagerly awaiting your
news.

Tom, there's plenty of time.
No, it's OK, Mum.

Why not start with the audition?
An audition?

Yes, for The Cherry Orchard.

Which is about to go out
on an amazing three-months tour.

Starts rehearsals on Monday.
Featuring none other than...

Heeey!

Well done, Cully. Well done, you.
Thank you.

I told you your Mum'd be pleased.
Yes, it's lovely.

There was one other thing...
(Can we just...

maybe tell them later.)
Yeah, um...

It'll probably take a little bit
longer to explain, so...

Well, we've got all day,

haven't we, Tom?
Have we?

Yes, we have. Absolutely.

Whoa!

I'm Mrs Shrike, Mr Marston.

Melissa Shrike.
Chair of the Welcome Committee.

You got my note?

Oh, yes, thank you.

I don't want to be a bother on your
first day,

but I'd have said the same thing
to Mr Tyler.

Gate.

What?

Gate.

Better!

(MUTTERS)

Morning, Postman.
Morning.

(VEHICLE DRAWS UP)

Looking for someone?
Well, looking for you.

You're early.
First day, Mr Crinney.

Thought I'd start as I mean to go on.

The thing is, Professor...

The thing is...

Seen this before?

I came on my visit from prison.

Well, this is the Midsomer Holm
camera obscura,

a miracle of th-century optical
technology.

It's the eyes of the village.

It's the CCTV camera of its day.

Visitors travel miles
to come and see it.

And I'd like you...
to learn how to clean it.

Mrs Shrike.
Good morning, sir.

How's the new neighbour?
He's with Mr Crinney, sir.

If first impressions are lasting,

he's unlikely to be my neighbour
for very long.

Oh, I'm sure the Professor will lick
Mr Marsden into shape in no time.

Marston, sir.

Mr Marston.

I dare say Mr Crinney will be
pointing out a few do's and don'ts.

Shall we say breakfast
in half an hour?

Half an hour...will suit me fine.

Anything with money in?
Not your lucky day, I'm afraid.

Someone needs to start paying
their bills.

(SIGHS) Tell me about it.

Sir.

(VAN STARTS)

(SIGHS)

Morning, Melissa.

Where is everyone?

LORD HOLM: The fact is, Professor...

The fact is...

..I'm in love with you.

I'm in love with you.

I've been in love with you
since the first moment we met.

This may come as a bit
of a shock to you,

but I don't want to spend
my life as your patient.

I want our relationship...
to blossom...

if you see what I mean.
(DOOR OPENS)

Er... Professor.
Victor.

Ah -
Have you seen Jack?

Is he looking for me?

He's not been home all night.

Is that your play?
Yeah.

Who's this character you're playing?
Varia.

And what is she?

She is Madam Ranyevskaya's
eldest daughter.

Wants to join a convent,
to become a nun

and has got a thing
about needing to be helpful,

but in fact, ends up
driving everybody mad.

And the director thought
that was you?

Yup.

I've put clean towels out for you.

And which do you think would be
the best vase

for Simon's lovely flowers?

Oh, are the others from you?

Oh, the others are from the garage.

Come on.

Patio's looking nice.
What?

They should put some plants
just over there.

New Zealand?
Do you think this is just a holiday?

Are we entertaining some other
theory?

They're going to emigrate.
She can't be that serious.

She's only just met him.
Yes.

Well, that shows how much
you know about romance.

I... I think we can assume
that Ronnie caught his train

and that Jack...

maybe Jack has just left us.

He's cold.

Oh, my God!

Victor, call the police.

Call Tom Barnaby!

Professor, I'm...

..I'm so sorry.

Mum, can you help me with my lines?
Mm.

Isn't that your job now?

God, no. He's about as useless
as you are, Dad.

Mum. So, right, just the part here.

(PHONE RINGS)
So if you...

Barnaby?

It's Victor Godbold, Lord Holm.

Chief Inspector,
there's been a terrible accident.

It's Jack Colby.

Seriously, little Mother,

to be quite frank,

he's a good man, and...

Jack Colby's dead.

We've got the usual injuries
associated with a car smash.

We've got bruising and abrasions
to the face and upper body.

And we're still looking
at the Land Rover.

But they found these
inside his coat pocket. What's that?

Ativan. It's a benzodiazapine,
a sort of tranquiliser,

used in the short-term treatment
of anxiety.

I should be interested to know
how much is in his bloodstream.

But you're saying that's not why he
d*ed?

That's exactly what I'm saying.

And I don't think he d*ed
in the accident.

He's been belted by the proverbial
blunt instrument.

You're probably looking at something
like a heavy iron bar.

A post mortem will tell us more,

but he's been struck once
and with considerable force.

Tom. I know you and Colby used to be
friends.

But given what I've seen so far,

I've got to tell you,
he was definitely m*rder*d.

Well, nobody's told me anything.
Do you know anything?

Tell you what, Ange, don't listen to
me from now on, love.

I've been telling kids for years

there's no such thing
as Father Christmas.

You know what?

After all this bloody time,
it turns out there is.

(CHUCKLES)

Gina.

Did Bullard tell you how he d*ed?

Do you feel up to answering
one or two questions?

Oh, Tom.

Could you...?

Well, you'll know what they're going
to be, won't you?

Can we start with uh...

When did you last see Jack?

Last night outside the pub.

Just before he left
for the station.

And did he seem...

his usual self?

What I'm getting at, Gina,
is that I really felt

he wanted to speak to me last night.

But he didn't, and I wondered if
there was something else

on Jack's mind, something other than
his difficulty with me...

..which might provide us
with a motive for m*rder.

We've got six ex-offenders
at the moment, Tom.

I can't see any of them wanting Jack
dead.

Eddie Marston.

The first time Eddie Marston was
sent down

Jack put him away,
second time it was me.

Both times it was GBH.

Eddie Marston wouldn't have done
this. If anything, Eddie owes Jack.

Jack talked the parole board into
giving Eddie his early release,

so he could come to Midsomer Holm.

Did you know that Jack was on
medication?

Ativan.

Prescribed by Dr Wyatt.

Jack started having trouble sleeping
about a month ago.

(SIGHS)

As well as being a first-class
probation officer,

Jack's been a brilliant administrator
at Midsomer Holm.

But lately he started to let things
slide.

The bank started calling in loans.

If we're not careful, the whole
project might have to fold.

A week ago, Jack was relieved
of some of his duties,

in favour of a man
called Tommy Crinney.

Was he? By whom?

There's something called the Welcome
Committee.

It's a council of residents, chaired
by Lord Holm's housekeeper
Melissa Shrike.

How did you feel about Jack being
elbowed out like that?

I thought easing him aside
might take the pressure off.

Tom.

I want you to find
the evil bastard who did this

and lock him up
and throw away the key.

Now that's more like
the DI we used to know.

All right, sir?
Yes, yes, I am.

Well, we'd best get going.

We made a start already.

The senior conductor on the :
from Holm Lane Junction

was a man called Lenny Leigh.
Nothing gets past him, apparently.

We're trying to get in touch with him
to see if he remembers

seeing anyone fitting Ronnie's
description.

Well, while we wait for Mr Leigh,

I'd like to get back
to Midsomer Holm.

I did one other piece of checking.

Bob Walker, the landlord
of The Safe Haven,

was involved in a bit of a domestic
last night,

whilst you were in the gents.

His wife was...asking
after Jack Colby,

if you know what I mean.
Was she? Yeah.

I ran Mr Walker
through the computer.
Turns out he's got a bit of form.

In , he ran a pub called
The Feathers

and he cracked someone's skull
with a pool cue.

Well, I think we should...
pay him a visit.

(CLANKING OF WINDING MECHANISM)

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

Oh, Mrs Shrike.

Dreadful business.

Yes.

Yes, it is a dreadful business.

But this is not a good place
for you to be. It's not healthy.

I thought Your Lordship might be
ready for his lunch.

To be served in the kitchen
in minutes.

Steak and kidney.

Thank you, but um...

..what with just having seen Jack
dead,

I don't think I could face
steak and kidney.

I think the Professor needs me.

Right, Jones, get yourself
over to the office.

Get hold of Mr Crinney. He's taken
over from Jack.

Ask him where we can find
Mr Eddie Marston.

Do you know why? Because I can't get
far enough away from you!

No, no. I'm all ears now.

(SHOUTS AND SCREAMS)

All right! OK! I'm going!

I can't stand the sight of you!

Get out of my house now!
Shut up! Shut up!

Will you shut up!
I shall be with mine hosts.

(GASPING) And you can stay up there
and rot, for all I care!

(DOOR SLAMS)

Just give me a minute.

Pint?
Er... No, not for me, thank you.

I'm here on police business.

I couldn't help but notice you were
having an altercation with your
husband.

(LAUGHS GRIMLY) Believe me,
this is nothing.

Oh, yes, indeed. My sergeant
overheard your argument last night.

(WHISTLES)

Ah, Mr Crinney.
Who's asking?

Detective Sergeant Jones.

Oh, yes. You were here last night.

I'm looking for your newest arrival.

Oh, you mean Eddie Marston?
Join the queue.

(SIGHS)

(DOOR OPENS)

I'm so sorry, Professor.

I'm -
Victor.

I just wanted to say, I'm terribly
sorry about what's happened,

to give you my condolences,

and um...

to say um...

the fact is, Professor, I'm...

I uh...

The fact is...

Well, there it is.

Um... What happened to Jack?

Well, you know what happened.

You were with me when I found him.

Yes, yes.

I still have these lapses of memory.

I wanted to make sure.
I... I remember the presentation.

And then I presume that Jack and
Ronnie got into the car

and drove away.
But there were fireworks, Victor.

You remember the fireworks?
Fireworks.

It was fine, Victor.
Everything was fine.

Well, as I say -

Victor.

May I have a few moments?

Yes, I'm... I'm terribly sorry.

I'm so sorry.

ANGIE: This all started a month ago.

Loneliness and Southern Comfort at
three in the morning,
Chief Inspector,

it's a heady mix.

I can't get two kind words
out of laughing boy.

Haven't been able to for years.

Jack said he couldn't talk to Gina.

So you talked to each other
instead.

Jack wasn't happy.

I mean, he really wasn't happy.

Something was getting to him.

Something so bad, he...

couldn't even talk about it to me.

Have you got any idea
what that was?

I know when it happened, though -
a month ago.

Jack was his old self one minute
and...

..the next he was sitting at this
bar,

looking as if he'd just seen a
ghost.

Mrs Walker, did your husband know

that you and Jack were having
an affair?

Who said we were having an affair?

No joy?

No, sir. Mr Crinney's already
looking.

He turned up for work this morning,

but he's not been seen
since news of Colby's death.

Do you think he's involved, sir?

What I think, Jones, is that Eddie
Marston is a nasty piece of work

with a long history of v*olence
and a long standing grudge against
Jack Colby.

So he might have a very good reason
to disappear.

And since one very inviting theory
concerning an extra-marital affair

has just been demolished...

I'd very much like to find him.

What's this?

I'd like some time off.

I believe I'm due several weeks'
leave.

I'm sure you and the Professor will
manage once I'm out of the way.

Mrs Shrike -

You don't want breakfast,
you don't want lunch.

I'm clearly not needed.

You're with the Professor,
so I'm going.

I'm sure you'll be very happy.

You've never understood women,
Victor.

See!

(CLANKING OF WINDING MECHANISM)

Yes, sir. I'll get onto it
straightaway.

We've started looking and we want
anything we can on it.

And we need it soon, OK?

These last pieces...
Statement, sarge.

Oh, sir.
Statements from Midsomer Holm.

Everyone in The Safe Haven
after Ronnie Tyler's party.

Oh, and Stephens has unearthed
something interesting, sir.

Dr Wyatt was a consultant.

He prescribed a drug which almost
k*lled one of his patients.

He was nearly struck off.

Did the GMC charge Dr Wyatt?
He quit before he was pushed, sir.

That's why he's at Midsomer Holm.

He was lucky to find somebody like
Professor Colby to take him on.

That's good, Stephens, thank you.

Now, I want you to find anyone who
hasn't got an alibi

for the time Jack Colby left the
village.

Anyone with an axe to grind,
with a grudge, that kind of stuff.

And then I want you to chase up the
conductor of the : ,

our Mr Leigh,

because he may be the last person to
have seen Jack Colby alive.

Apart from the k*ller, sir.

And then there are some other people
I want you to chase up.

The Friday Nighters.

George. I have discovered why Jack
Colby was on that Ativan stuff.

He started having nightmares a month
or so ago,

went to see his doctor,
got it prescribed.

I'm hoping this is the time of death?

Around midnight, same time
as the crash.

But that's not really why I'm here.

We found this in the Land Rover
on the driver's side.

And... Well, I recognise the number.

I wondered if you knew
why it was there.

Thought perhaps Colby was trying
to tell you something.

It's your number, sir.

My husband drank himself
to death, on champagne.

He was a terrible drunkard.

And then, for my sins,

I fell in love
and went off with another man.

Now just really go for it.

Oh, the sins I've committed!

I've always squandered money,

completely at random. (GASPS)

Yermolai Alexeyevich!

Cully, I don't think
you should encourage your mother.

There you go.
Thank you.

(PHONE RINGS)

DS Jones.

Wait, wait...

Great. Wait.

Excellent. Where?

Do I take it it's not exactly
case closed?

No, it's not. I'm sorry, Joyce.

This is going to take some time.

We'd begun to suspect as much.

Let's just hope they don't have
to rush off back to London.

Joyce, was there a call for us
last night, just before I came in?

Phone call?
Yeah. No.

Who were you expecting to hear from?
Jack Colby.

Our number was scribbled on a beer
mat. George Bullard found it.

Well...you always said he owed you
an explanation, Tom.

Listen, Joyce, Tom.

We... We were wondering if you might
fancy lunch on us.

Somewhere nice, like The White Lion.

Ooh, The White Lion.

Then we call all sit down together
and um...talk.

Something's come up and Cully and I
have to head back to London tonight,

so we thought...
(PHONE RINGS)

Oh. Sorry. Excuse me.

Yeah. It's a wonderful idea.
Barnaby.

Is it always like this?

Yep.

See you at : , The White Lion.
Right.

So... So all the description fits?

It seems like it to me, yeah.

And he had a rucksack?
He did indeed, yeah, yeah...

Mr Leigh? This is
Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby.

How do you do, sir?
Your sergeant's been filling me in.

You want to know
about the bloke with the rucksack.

That's right. What can you tell me
about him?

All I know,
he was as quiet as a mouse.

It was the other bloke.
He'd got an envelope about so big.

And did this other fellow post it?
Yeah.

There is a post box
at Holm Lane Junction.

Saturday collection.
Sorting Office.

(TRAIN ANNOUNCEMENT)

What was in that envelope, Jones?

It's got to be something that Jack
knew about the Friday Nighters.

I've done some checks on them, sir.
It WAS an internal investigation.

They were all dismissed
from the service.

No charges were laid, except for one.

PC Poulter, right?
Yeah.

Found a load of dodgy gear in his
locker.

He was on remand in Causton,
but got off on a technicality.

Where is he now?
This is it, sir. He's a postman.

JONES: About a month ago, his round
changed to include Midsomer Holm.

What do you want?

What we were talking about this
morning, yeah?

I've got it.

All written out.

Addressed to Barnaby?
Oh, yes.

We're in business, then.

I'll call you.

Oh, you've put on weight.

Jones.

OK.

Thank you.

I take it I don't have
to sign for this?

Let's go, eh?

POULTER: I didn't k*ll him.

I haven't k*lled anyone.

I didn't even know
Jack Colby was dead.

Then what were you doing with this?

Mr Poulter, you are here
because of a very brutal m*rder.

You must know, as an ex-policeman,

that the penalty for aiding and
abetting in that m*rder is severe.

I didn't write that.
Check my writing.

Well, tell me who did.

That's where you're doing yourself
no good at all, Mr Poulter,

because I believe this man,
whose name you're not telling me...

..is Eddie Marston.

You and Eddie Marston spent time
together in Causton jail -

six weeks,

years ago.

And yesterday morning,
Eddie Marston was released

from his latest stretch
in Causton jail, on parole,

on condition that he undergo
a course of reformative psychotherapy

with Professor Gina Colby,

whilst living at a halfway house

in Midsomer Holm.

You're not saying anything,
Mr Poulter.

Is that because you suspect
that I know

that one month ago your postal round
was changed,

to include Midsomer Holm?

My guess is that you went
to the Manor House...

..and to your surprise
and great delight,

the door was opened by Jack Colby.

Well, well.

Jack Colby.

And in the pink, by the look of it.

BARNABY: This'll interest you.

I am told, from the time you started
your postal round in Midsomer Holm,

quite large sums of money
have been disappearing.

And when you started your round
this morning,

you must have had a great shock,
mustn't you, eh?

Morning, Ronnie.

So.

It's Postman Poulter, is it?

You suddenly realised you'd have to
share those rich pickings

with Eddie Marston.
(DOOR OPENS)

Oh, and here's the Sergeant,

to tell me who you were calling on
your sorting office pay phone.

Eddie Marston, sir.

Ooh, what a surprise.

Called him on his mobile.

I'm guessing he's not as much
Royal Mail as blackmail.

Eddie Marston's revenge on
Jack Colby for getting him years.

So was it you or Eddie Marston
who k*lled Jack Colby?

Constable.
Sir?

Mr Poulter is already very familiar
with our cells.

Can you find him a small one,
please,

so he can do some hard remembering?

All by himself.

But you did say, sir,

that Jack Colby went out of his way
to get Eddie Marston

INTO Midsomer Holm.
I did.

It's cos he was being stupid.

He thought he could stop a blackmail
attempt

by finding Eddie Marston
an easy billet.

I wonder if this is what you might be
looking for, sir.

From Jack Colby to the Probation
Service, sir, dated last month,

recommending Eddie Marston for
transfer to the halfway house

at Midsomer Holm.
Thank you, Stephens. Thank you.

I also compared the handwriting
on the beer mat, sir,

with Ronnie Tyler's writing. See?

It matches.

Which could mean Ronnie Tyler was
encouraging Jack to talk to you.

Jack must have unburdened himself
to Ronnie Tyler

on their way to the station.

And Ronnie told Jack to do what he'd
wanted to do all that evening,

that is, talk to me.

Thank you. Good, good.

If Jack Colby was
a target for blackmail,

he must have had something to hide,
mustn't he?

Something that Eddie Marston knew
about the Friday Nighters.

Tom, I've just had a call.
George.

I'm just about to arrest Eddie
Marston for the m*rder of Jack Colby.

In that case, Tom, you'll have
to think again.

I've just been called out to
Midsomer Holm.

Eddie Marston's been m*rder*d.

POLICEMAN:
That area's been sorted out.

I'm sorry,
I can't tell you anything.

Thank you.

Hi, George. What happened?

k*lled by a single blow to the head,

similar to the one
that k*lled Jack Colby.

Don't quote me, but I'd say
remarkably similar.

Who found him?
Tommy Crinney, sir.

Says he walked in
and nearly fell over him.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Yeah. Same MO, same injuries,

usually means same k*ller.
Big question is -

Who would want to k*ll Jack Colby
and Eddie Marston?

Who was the last person
to see him alive?

That's Tommy Crinney again, sir.

He spotted him coming out
of Jack Colby's office,

thought he looked suspicious.

LORD HOLM: The thing is, Professor...

The thing is...

I almost think...

I might be happier back in prison.

CRINNEY: Excuse me, do you have any
idea how long it's going to be?

Jones, could you go and ask Crinney

if he's got any idea what exactly
Marston was doing in here?

Yes, sir.

(DOOR CLOSES)

(KNOCK, DOOR OPENS)

Er... I'd like to say something.

The fact is, Professor,
I'm in love with you.

I've been in love with you
since the first moment we met.

We first met, Victor,
when I arrested you for m*rder.

(SNIFFS) I've been thinking

and I can't let an opportunity
like this go by.

Now...

..I could be happy with you.

I don't want to live life
as a patient.

I want to know
if you can be happy with me.

I know what you've done for me.

It's only been you that's stood
between me and utter madness. But...

..I am a man.

I don't want psychotherapy.

I want to know...

whether you can love me as a person.

I like you.

You like me?

I can't love you.

You can't love me?
No.

But you were never happy with Jack!

Tommy Crinney says he's got no idea
what Marston was looking for.

Jack Colby, he's written me
a letter,

something to do with Maria Godbold.

LORD HOLM: Oh... No!
GINA: Victor! Let go of me now!

Jones.
LORD HOLM: Only... Oh!

Stop it now.
No...

What the...?

I used to box at Eton.

Yeah? Well, I did karate
at Causton Comp.

Agh!

That's enough.

Victor!

(GASPS)

This interview timed at : . Those
present: Detective Sergeant Jones,

Chief Inspector Barnaby -

And Victor Charles Winston Godbold,
ninth Lord Holm.

Now, Lord Holm, you do understand,
don't you,

that you are here further to a charge
of as*ault,

following an incident in the Lodge
House of Holm Manor? Yes.

Perhaps it will be best if you tell
us in your own words what happened.

It's quite simple.

I wanted to ask Professor Colby
to marry me.

I was er...

speaking to her,
and the next thing I know,

you and the Sergeant come barging in

and without any warning,
Sergeant Jones is trying to grab me.

I warned him, by telling him
I used to box.

And um...

And I tried to hit him.

Oh, you admit trying to hit him?

There's no point in denying it.

But you weren't exactly speaking
to Professor Colby, were you?

I wanted to kiss her
full on the mouth. It was clumsy.

And inappropriate.

Quite rightly,
she tried to resist me.

Lord Holm,
I wonder if you'd tell me...

Do you recognise that?

It's the um...

winding mechanism,

from the um...camera obscura.

Yes, it is.

And are you aware that Eddie Marston
has just been m*rder*d?

He has?

We have evidence to suggest

that the injuries to Jack Colby

and Eddie Marston

were caused
by that same winding handle,

wielded as a w*apon.

And in view of my previous
conviction, you want to know

if I did the wielding.

I've always found it...

difficult to speak to women,

especially where
feelings are concerned.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Background and breeding,
Chief Inspector.

A man of my class can become...
repressed,

and as Freud says, repression leads
to frustration.

And um...

..then one very, very dark night,

your frustration gets
the better of you and you snap.

By you, I mean me.

By snap, I mean...

..I m*rder*d my wife.

I always want the truth to be
beautiful, Chief Inspector,

despite the fact that the truth
usually hurts.

I've no recollection whatsoever
of k*lling Maria...

..nor anything else that night.

And no amount of therapy or coaxing
has ever brought any of it back.

I have no recollection
of k*lling Jack...

..though I've wanted him
out of Gina's life for years.

But I...I couldn't give a damn
about that Marston man.

Follow me.
Oh.

So what do you think?

I'd love to know

what Jack Colby
was trying to tell me

about Maria Godbold and the Friday
Nighters. That's what I think. Hm.

Tom.
I'm sorry, Gina. I can come back.

No, no. It's fine, Tom, please.
Please come in.

I um... I just needed
to spend some time here.

Just sort of kidding myself
I'm tidying Jack's things.

Looks like he did a pretty good job
of tidying that himself. Hm.

Are you still on duty?
Yes. Just a large one.

To Jack.
To Jack.

We're hanging on to Lord Holm.

I can't believe what's happened.

It's not exactly unheard of,
patient to therapist,

someone confusing dependency
for love, but...

I'm hoping you're not here
to tell me

that Victor m*rder*d Jack.

Well, yes. Yes, I am.

Jack's injuries were similar,
very similar to Maria Godbold's,

and certainly to the injuries
of Eddie Marston.

So it's got to be. I'm just waiting
for the forensic confirmation

that Lord Holm is indeed the k*ller

in each case.

Gina, um...I really want to tell
you...

how sorry I am.

I mean, whatever the problem was
between Jack and me,

whatever the reason he couldn't
speak to me...

..you've lost a good husband.

Now um...I believe that
Jack and Eddie Marston,

they were both k*lled...
because of this.

Last month or so,

your village postman has been
one Mr Lionel Poulter. Look at this.

Now, he was one of
Jack's Friday Nighters.

I haven't got everything out of him
yet,

but I do know he was acting whilst
being threatened by Eddie Marston.

I think Jack wanted to talk to me
about all of that

just before he was k*lled.

Now, did...did Jack ever
mention this to you?

God!

You all right?

Yeah, I'm fine, Tom. It's um...

It's the shock of seeing this again.

You've seen this before?
Well, yes, I saw it at the time,

of course, but then it cropped up
again about a month ago,

in the morning post.

Jack said not to worry -
it was just some nutter.

Gina, you told me Jack started having
trouble sleeping about a month ago.

You also told me that you didn't know
why that was,

you didn't know
what was troubling him.

Why didn't you mention this?

Oh, sorry.

Oh, no. Tommy, that's fine.
You just carry on.

I don't know.

I don't know, I must have forgotten.

Are you all right, Tom?

Yes, yes.
George, what can I do for you?

Post mortem reports.

I've had to trawl back
through some ancient history.

But the physical evidence
is conclusive.

It's just as we thought.

The injuries to Jack Colby
and Eddie Marston

exactly match those
to Maria Godbold.

They told me at the front desk

Lord Holm has more or less
confessed.

If there's nothing else this evening,

the Custody Sergeant wants
to release Lionel Poulter.

Are you with us, Tom?

Yes, I am.

And I'm extremely grateful for all
your hard work, both of you.

But...

..I don't think Lord Holm
is our k*ller.

Oh, you don't believe all that guff

about him not being able to remember
doing it, sir?

Why? Why would he have done it,
Jones? Why?

Because he wanted
someone else's wife.

And why, after years,

is he still on this Ativan,
prescribed by his Dr Wyatt, eh?

I've just given you conclusive
forensic evidence.

Even if - it's a very big if -
there's another winding handle,

absolutely identical to the one
from the camera obscura,

blood and other materials matches
the victims' skulls in three cases.

And then there's the angle
and pattern of the injury,

also repeated in all three murders,

suggesting irrefutably to me,

that those three people
were k*lled by one man.

Plus, by his own admission,

Lord Holm was madly in love
with Gina Colby.

It's Saturday, Tom.

You've got all the evidence
you need. Close the case.

George, look.

As a crime of passion,

I can just about see Lord Holm
k*lling Maria Godbold

in a fit of rage.

I can also, funnily enough,
see him k*lling Jack Colby,

because, as you say, Jones,

he was helplessly, hopelessly,
in love with Jack's wife.

At a stretch, I can also see him
battering Eddie Marston to death.

But what I cannot see
is this old man,

who's on dr*gs, on Ativan,
for stress, for anxiety,

sitting there, calming chatting
and joking with all and sundry,

just before he's about to go out
and commit a m*rder.

You see, that is the mark
of a cold-blooded k*ller.

And love-sick and repressed
our noble Lord may be,

but he's very, very far
from being cold.

And if Lord Holm didn't k*ll
Eddie Marston or Jack Colby,

then the Holm case is all nonsense,

because he couldn't have k*lled
Maria Godbold either.

So what do you want to do?
Reopen the Holm case?

Yes, I do.

(GROANS)

Look, Jack Colby got Eddie Marston
into Midsomer Holm

because he was being blackmailed,
and that was because,

according to Eddie,

because Jack had used the Friday
Nighters to save his own skin.

But he didn't save his own skin,
did he?

I mean, Jack Colby resigned his
career

because shopping the Friday Nighters
turned him into some kind of pariah.

I'm having a difficulty understanding
how he could have saved himself

when he'd resigned, hm?

And...then there's this.

Why did
Detective Inspector Gina Colby,

why did she resign her...
wonderful career,

so soon after Lord Holm had been
convicted? Hey, why?

Because being married to an officer
who had become a pariah

made her own position untenable.

Yeah, that was the reason
given out at the time.

But she was a senior officer,
Jones.

She was never a party
to any of that Friday Night stuff.

She could have ridden that out.

No. There has to have been more
to Jack's involvement. Much more.

And that, I think, was what he was
trying to talk to me about

the night he d*ed.

So what do I tell the Custody
Sergeant to do with Poulter?

Well, you... Well, you tell him to
keep him firmly locked up.

This is the one.

Thank you.

JACK'S VOICE: "Dear Tom,
I haven't been able to face you,

but then I guess
you already know that.

I should have told you,

but I've been too busy
running from the truth.

I shopped Poulter and Wray,

not because
they'd let everyone down,

but because I'd let myself down

in a cell...

..with Maria Godbold."

I've just come from the Station.

Poulter's admitted taking a letter
from the envelope

to use as insurance
against Eddie Marston.

This is it.

He also confirmed that Jack Colby
met Marston in prison.

(CELL DOOR OPENS)

Hello, Eddie.

Funny old life, isn't it?

I'm your new probation officer.

Were you the last one
to shag Maria Godbold?

(PLAYS SHORT FLOURISH)

Jack Colby shopped the Friday
Nighters,

having become one of them.

That's why he couldn't face me.

So that answers that question.
But who would want to k*ll Maria,

then Jack, then Eddie?

(HAMMERING)

(REPEATED HAMMERING ON DOOR)

(THUNDER)

(DOOR CLOSES)

Dr Wyatt? Are you going somewhere?

I've quit, Chief Inspector,

over my prescription of Ativan
for Jack Colby.

Just like you've quit before, eh?

In common
with most prescribed dr*gs,

Ativan is largely beneficial,

but it does have some unfortunate
side effects.

Yes, so I'm told,

one of which is
severe loss of memory,

caused by sustained and continuous
use over a long period of time.

You also prescribed Ativan
to Lord Holm, didn't you?

Dr Wyatt, this is now a crime scene.

I'm asking you, I'm telling you,

don't leave the village.

I should unload your stuff.

Tom, what are you doing here?

I wanted to tell you what happened.

I wanted to know why
Detective Inspector Gina Colby

resigned after so cleverly solving
the Holm case?

You know, I used to lie awake at
night, wondering why you did it.

Why on earth would a woman

who was surely going to make
at least Chief Constable,

why would she suddenly throw
everything away?

And Gina, I think, I've found
the answer.

(RECORDER PLAYS)

HOLM: I wanted to ask Professor Colby
to marry me.

I was...speaking to her

and the next thing I know you
and the Sergeant come barging in,

and without any warning,
Sergeant Jones is trying to grab me.

(RECORDER OFF)

And that is exactly as it happened.

Exactly.

Lord Holm finds his passion,

his capacity for extreme, intense
emotions, that may lead to v*olence,

impossible to deal with.

So much so, that he blanks
those thoughts from his mind.

But there you heard him
giving a very well remembered,

precise, detailed account
of bursting into your office,

pinning you to your couch and...

This led me to wonder why it was

he could remember the extreme
emotion of attacking you

but not of attacking his wife.

And there was something else
I didn't understand.

Why did you insist that your
Dr Wyatt went on prescribing Ativan

for Lord Holm? It's a short-term
treatment drug, isn't it, eh?

But that was your way
of keeping Lord Holm confused

and disoriented, wasn't it?

The same way
you wanted to keep Jack,

after he complained to Dr Wyatt
about having nightmares.

But he opened his post one morning
and found...and found this.

So I thought, well, I'd better drive
over there,

just as you did years ago,

the night Maria Godbold, Lady Holm,
was k*lled.

Jack wrote to me.
He wouldn't speak to me.

But he wrote to me.

And he confessed that he actually
joined in with the Friday Nighters.

And he also told me something else,
Gina.

This is the letter.

That's why I found you
in Jack's study, wasn't it?

You weren't in there coping with
grief.

You were in there looking for this.

See, Gina, Lord Holm doesn't
remember k*lling Maria Godbold,

because Lord Holm didn't k*ll
Maria Godbold - you did...

..for having sex with your husband
in one of the cells.

And then you had to k*ll Jack
and Eddie Marston,

to stop that truth coming out.

Tom, this is crazy.

It was going so well for you,
wasn't it?

years, all this and then...!

Well, you weren't to know
that your village postie

was a Friday Nighter who'd been got
at by Eddie Marston, were you?

(DISTANT THUNDER)

Do you know, Gina,

there was a time when I admired you,
I looked up to you,

wanted to be like you.

Top cop, you.

And now what are you, Gina Colby?

Eh?

You are...a murderess.

You m*rder*d Maria Godbold.
How could you do that?

The little bitch was a total whore.

You k*lled her.

All I wanted to do was tell her
to stay away from Jack.

But you k*lled her.

She att*cked me!

You k*lled her.

There was only one thing
on your mind -

find a way out.

And there was one.

LORD HOLM: Maria!

Because as Lord Holm bent over
the dead body of his wife...

..you arrested him.

And when Lord Holm said that
he couldn't remember the m*rder,

you calmly put him on your couch
and... What did you say to him?

You're suffering from traumatic
amnesia? That he was in denial?

That he should be "moving on"?
The counselling continued.

And just in case Lord Holm wanted
to dwell in the past,

you prescribed him these,
didn't you?

Get in his way. Same stuff you
prescribed Jack,

when he started having nightmares

and found that...

Did you know
that Jack had kept that?

I didn't know where it was.

But I saw him put it in the Land
Rover just before I spoke to you.

CRINNEY: Welcome to Midsomer Holm,
Eddie. After the fireworks,
I'll show you your digs.

BARNABY:
When they set off for the station,

you know, finally,
you had to do something.

Aaaagh!

Poulter, Marston, they didn't know
that you'd k*lled Maria Godbold.

But Jack knew, didn't he?

Couldn't risk the truth coming out.

Indeed you couldn't.

And for that crime,

ex-Detective Inspector Colby,

I'm arresting you for m*rder.

I feel sick.

(GASPS)

Open the door.

Aagh!

(HORN BLARES)
(GINA GASPS)

(GRUNTS)
Gina!

Noooooo!

GUARD: I can't see.

(DOOR OPENS)

Case closed, then, sir?

Yes. Thank you.

You know what I realised,

What have you realised?

We caught the woman who put
the "psycho" into psychotherapy.

(VEHICLE APPROACHES)

Are you sure you can't hang on?

Honestly, Mum,
we've really got to go.

Cully.

Simon. I'm so sorry I missed lunch
yesterday.

Are you all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Are you going?
Yeah, sorry, Dad. We have to.

It's business, Tom, a gig I can't
afford to miss.

But um...there was something
that we wanted to tell you, so -

I have a request,

sir...

..for your beautiful daughter's
hand in marriage.

Oh...

I'd have asked yesterday at lunch.
That's entirely my fault.

We do have to go, though.
You get on.

Cully.

Love you.

You take care.

Take care.

Bye.

(CAR STARTS)

Was that a tear?

No, I was just wondering
how you might feel

if I went in tomorrow morning
and asked for a few days' leave.

Leave?!
Yeah.

Just you and me,
go away somewhere for a while.

What, you mean somewhere
like Bournemouth?

No, I don't mean
somewhere like Bournemouth.

I thought, if they're going away
to New Zealand for a honeymoon...

..why don't we b*at them to it?