17x03 - The Ballad of Midsomer County

[bunniefuu]

(HAUNTING FOLK MUSIC)

(LEAVES RUSLTING)

MAN: ♪ Come sit by me

♪ All you fine lords and
laddies... (CLATTERING)

♪ And I'll tell you the tale

♪ Of young John Henry...

~ Who's there?
~ ♪ He met a fair maiden...

~ Is somebody there?
~ ♪ One bright May morning...

♪ Lies young John Henry

♪ As cold as can be

♪ No headstone to mark him

♪ No lover to grieve him

♪ Save for the roses

♪ Of Midsomer County...

(SPLUTTERING)

(BIRDSONG)

Police.

(CHILDREN'S MUSIC)

Will this t*rture never end?

Every morning? The same song?

It's Betty's breakfast tune.

Wouldn't she like to hear
something else once in a while?

Babies like consistency. The same song
every day makes her feel secure.

~ It makes me feel like ending it all.
~ It's not that bad.

~ (PHONE RINGS)
~ That's easy for you to say.

~ You never had any taste in music.
~ Well, that's not true.

Three words: Black Lace album.

Nelson?

(WHINES)

Toby Winning. .

k*lled some time last night.

Housekeeper found him
at seven this morning.

~ Toby Winning?
~ Music promoter.

Ran a folk festival in the village.

~ The Lower Crosby Festival?
~ That's the one.

Doesn't the festival start today?

Not for him it doesn't.

~ No Kate?
~ On her way.

Took the day off on account
of the festival starting.

Some sort of exotic stew?

~ Do people still eat eels?
~ Not live ones, they don't.

Question is... who prepared it?

Maybe Winning was a foodie.

This bloke was no gourmet.

Mr Winning employed
me to clean his house.

I wasn't his cook.

~ When did you last speak to him?
~ Yesterday afternoon.

What did you talk about?

Bleach.

~ What can you tell us about him?
~ The man was a buffoon.

A buffoon who ran a successful
folk festival for over ten years.

The festival's success is down to
his business partner - Brian Grey.

~ And he would be...?
~ My son.

Did Mr Winning have any enemies?

Only himself. His diet, you see.

What about friends or partners?

He had a wife but she left him.

Alice Winning, sir. Moved out six
months ago. Lives in the village.

It's a shame they were getting
a divorce. They were well suited.

Both as stupid as each other.

One last question, Mrs Grey.

The mixing bowl in the kitchen.

I've never seen it before.

Ah. Dragged in on your day off.

~ Happy to be dragged.
~ He's waiting for you.

~ Give me an hour to assess him.
~ Right.

Let's talk to his wife.

(LIVELY FOLK MUSIC)

~ Pick you up at four.
~ Don't bother. I'm working late.

~ OK. What time, then?
~ Dad.

I can get myself home.

~ Cutting it fine, Melody.
~ Getting worried, were you?

~ Well...
~ Remember I'm leaving early.

~ You are kidding, aren't you?
~ I've got my thing.

I asked you yesterday
and you said it was OK.

You weren't here yesterday.

No. But if I was, I'd have asked you...
and you'd have said it was OK?

Table four have been waiting an age.

I'm so sorry.

~ I need three full English.
~ Right.

~ Why didn't you wake me?
~ I thought you deserved a lie-in.

~ (PHONE RINGS)
~ We're far too busy.

Hello. George Hotel.

Table four's complaining about the wait.
They want to speak to management.

~ I'll be right out.
~ OK. Thanks for letting us know.

That was Liz Grey.

What's wrong?

Toby Winning's dead.

~ When did you last see him, Mrs Winning?
~ Last night.

He hosted a reception to kick
off this year's festival.

~ And how was he?
~ Usual Toby, I suppose.

Um... friendly... cheery.

He... was always so positive.

Hm.

And yet you were divorcing him.

Yes.

It was um... a mutual decision.

All very amicable.

Where was the reception held?

Uh, the George.

The main hotel in the village.

And can you tell us who was there?

Oh, well, everyone.

Did anything unusual happen?

Well, you could say that Toby rather
put the cat amongst the pigeons.

In what way?

He announced his intention to
move the festival next year.

Seems he'd planned to
hold it near London.

~ How did that go down?
~ Badly.

The purists... oh, they were livid.

Folk music is the heart
of this village.

The idea of it being moved away
is nothing short of sacrilege.

Did anyone thr*aten your husband?

Well... Brian had to get him
out of there pretty damn quick.

~ Er... this would be Brian Grey?
~ That's right, Toby's assistant.

Are we nearly finished? Because I'm
afraid I'm on stage in minutes.

Excuse me.

We found a bowl of eggs and eels
at the crime scene this morning.

We wondered if maybe it had some
special meaning for your husband.

I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't
um... think of anything.

You know what she forgot to do?

Ask how he d*ed?

Toby was like a father to me.

I'm as shocked as you are.

Now, luckily, I've been
working closely with Toby

and I'm across everything.

And I promise I will do all I can to make
sure that this is our best year yet.

~ And what about next year?
~ Yeah.

What about all this nonsense about
moving the festival to London?

(MURMURS OF SUPPORT)

~ This festival belongs in Lower Crosby.
~ Technically...

Technically... the festival
belongs to Toby's company.

But I'm sure Lower Crosby
will survive without it.

People who live here won't. Local businesses
depend on that income. Out of the way.

Exactly.

Who's gonna hire Danny's
PA next year, eh?

Well, let's just focus on this
year's festival, shall we?

And try to make it one that
Toby would be proud of.

Brian Grey?

(HE GRUNTS) Here you go, Ted.

The festival is going ahead, then?

It seemed the best
way to honour Toby.

So you're running the show now?

Leaders emerge in times of crisis.

We understand you were with
him at the George last night.

~ We were kicking off the festival.
~ You and Winning left together?

I gave him a lift home and then
I came here to do some work.

~ Can anyone vouch for you?
~ I'm afraid not.

I was alone.

~ How was he when you left him?
~ A bit drunk.

Elated.

Toby had some exciting
plans for the festival.

~ Not everyone shared his excitement.
~ Oh, you mean the Folk Monsters?

A few of them got a bit worked up but
it was nothing more than griping.

Are you sure about that?

In our experience, people can get very exercised
when their traditions are threatened.

This village couldn't give
a damn about tradition.

They just don't want to
lose their meal ticket.

All right?

He's here.

That's Jay Templeton.

Toby managed to book him to
close this year's festival.

He's the future of folk music.

Kate wants us back at the house.

~ Jay.
~ Hey, buddy. How's it going?

~ All done, Dr Wilding.
~ Thanks, guys.

You have something for us?

It's looking like he drowned.

Some time in the last hours.

What about the "food"?

Fresh eggs and live eels
for the young John Henry.

It's a line from an old folk song.

The song is about a hunter who meets
a maiden with flowers in her hair.

Doesn't sound too bad.

The maiden lures him to her cottage
in the wood and slits his throat
with a hunting Kn*fe.

Does this song have a name?

Ballad Of Midsomer
County. (MUSIC PLAYS)

♪ Fine lords and laddies

♪ And I'll tell you the tale

♪ Of young John Henry

♪ He met a fair maiden

♪ One bright May morning

♪ As he went a-hunting

♪ In Midsomer County

♪ Fair was the skin

♪ Of the Midsomer Maiden

♪ Blue were her eyes

♪ As blue as the sea

♪ And on her fair head

♪ Lay a garland of flowers

♪ Sweet were the roses

♪ Of Midsomer County

♪ Why, young men, don't stray

♪ This maiden

♪ Will lead you...

Ah. I b*rned you a couple of copies
of the Ballad Of Midsomer County.

Ah, that's very thoughtful of you.

Call it a tenner for the pair.

~ What's the verdict on Winning?
~ We can confirm drowning.

The water in his lungs matched
the water in the bowl.

~ No sign of any defence wounds.
~ He was taken by surprise?

Pressure marks on his face suggest
someone held his head in the bowl.

Any trace evidence?

We sent it to the lab but it will be a
day or two before we hear anything back.

~ Not much to go on, is it?
~ I did get something on your eels.

Elvers, to be precise.
Freshwater species.

~ Are they hard to come by?
~ Pretty common.

Find them in canals,
rivers, farmers' ponds.

Pretty little things, aren't they?

Check out the local angling clubs.
See if any familiar names crop up.

Anything from the crime scene?

Forensics found a power cable for
a laptop in Winning's home study.

~ And?
~ And there's no sign of the laptop.

What about his phone records.

He received a call early yesterday
morning, made from a phone box.

Do they still exist?

The one on the Crosby Road does.

It's the only call we can't identify.

You don't know. It might be
significant. Check it out.

Meantime, I've been talking
to Alice Winning's solicitor.

Is there a problem?

Her divorce wasn't as amicable
as she made out.

She was bitter about the settlement.

Accused Winning of holding
back money she was due.

~ She lied to us?
~ Mm.

And that's not all she lied about.

In , Alice Winning released
her debut album, Folk Moods.

When we asked whether eggs and
eels might be significant...

~ She said no.
~ And yet...

the very first track
just happens to be...

The Ballad Of Midsomer County.

♪ What d'ye leave to your true love

♪ Lord Randall, my son?

♪ What d'ye leave to your true
love, my handsome young man?

♪ I leave her the hellfire, Mother

♪ Make my bed soon

♪ For I'm sick in my heart

♪ And I fain wad lie doon

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

It must have slipped my mind.

They're not exactly easy lyrics
to forget, Mrs Winning.

Oh, well, I put Folk
Moods out years ago.

Mrs Winning, whoever k*lled
your husband knew that ballad.

Well, it's a folk classic

and I'm not the only
person that recorded it.

Maybe. But you are the only person
who was divorcing the victim.

And I told you that was amicable.

No.

You had accused your husband
of hiding his financial worth.

I was just determined
to get my share.

Determined enough to k*ll him?

Why would I k*ll Toby?

~ I needed him alive to get the divorce money.
~ You're not divorced yet.
You're still his wife.

Which means his estate
now transfers to you.

(MUSIC FINISHES)

Your audience awaits.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Mrs Grey. Do you have a moment?

I'm taking Brian a treat.

This is one of my favourites.

Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier.

Mr Winning's laptop. We can't
seem to find it at the house.

Well, I didn't steal it.

I didn't suggest you did.

But can you remember
when you last saw it?

Yesterday.

~ He was working on it.
~ At the house?

The living room. He wouldn't
let me in to clean.

Said he was working on his accounts.

A blatant lie.

What makes you think he was lying?

Because, when I listened in at the
door, all I could hear was folk music.

♪ Johnny has gone for a soldier

I just need a few days.

Toby's death was tragic but we
can still move on with this.

Just give me another week.

Our partners are getting cold feet.

You can talk them round, can't you?

They need more money up front.

And right now it's
money I don't have.

I'll tell you what you do have.

Your very own Belgian bun.

The icing's stuck to the bag, Mum.

Oh. I told the shop
girl to be careful.

Yeah, well, I think you'd better
go and tell her again.

What's the score with the office?

I locked it up. In case the
police want to search it.

Right. Course.

Because of Toby?

~ Was there something you needed?
~ Well, now you mention it, um...

.. there was.

~ Well?
~ Um...

Toby didn't leave anything
for me, did he?

A... package or something?

~ Package?
~ Or something.

~ Not that I know of.
~ Right.

No big deal.

(RUSTLING)

(RUSTLING)

Hey!

~ You didn't get a look at them?
~ Not really.

Still, it could have been
some kids messing around.

~ And nothing from the phone box?
~ Rarely used.

It hasn't been decommissioned because
the whole area's a mobile blackspot.

And the cottage?

The place is derelict.

It's registered to a...

.. Danny Carver, who
lives in the village.

Interesting.

This is a breakdown of the
festival's main contractors -

transport, catering, accommodation.

Nearly everyone in the village
provides a service.

~ Including Danny Carver.
~ Mm. He's the festival's sound man.

But the main player
is Frank Wainwright.

He runs the Captain Farrell.

Veteran of the folk scene
and quite the entrepreneur.

In addition to the pub,
he also owns the B&B

and has a stake in the
local private cab firm.

Sounds like someone
with a lot to lose.

And that's why we're
going to see him.

(FOLK MUSIC)

♪ In kisses and compliments

♪ He took her round the middle

♪ And out of his knapsack
he drew forth his fiddle

♪ And he played such a fine
tune as made the groves ring

♪ "Hark-hark" said the fair maid

♪ "How nightingales sing"

♪ "Hark-hark" said the fair maid

♪ "How nightingales sing"

Thank you. Thank you.

You wanna take over?

Well, here's one you'll...
probably all recognise.

♪ Merrily Kissed The Quaker's Wife

So you're going through
with it, then?

~ And pulling out all the stops, I see.
~ You think the dress is too much?

No, no. You look...

Well, you look like your mum.

So, what time am I on, then?

It's an open mike, so
start after this guy.

I'm nervous.

Hold on a tick.

I looked this out for you.

Is that his? Uncle Johnny's?

You think you can handle it?

We should do something for Toby.

Like what?

How about a remembrance gig?

We'll get some players together.

Drinks. Maybe even a speech.

Do you think anyone will turn up?

Most people are still
angry about the move.

Me included.

We'll lose business when
the festival goes.

Toby had his faults but
he was your friend.

He always helped you out.

I'll make some calls.

Hello?

Tom?

~ Where's Melody?
~ She left about an hour ago. For her thing.

(GUITAR BEING TUNED)

Well, this is an honour.

The future of folk music
here in my humble pub.

~ Humble's one word for it.
~ (THEY CHUCKLE)

So, what brings you and your
tiny hat to the Captain Farrell?

~ Talent spotting.
~ (MICROPHONE FEEDBACK HISS)

Um... I'm Melody Carver.

This is an old one.

Hi, there.

It wasn't my idea.

Dad.

Dad.

~ Dad, please.
~ It was just a few songs, Danny.

Just get in.

Mr Wainwright?

I wasn't the only one who
was angry last night.

Half the people out there wanted
Winning's head on a stick.

And it's not just about the money.

This festival is about who we are,
what this village stands for.

~ What happened after the reception?
~ I came back here.

Did you stop off anywhere?

You mean, did I meander by
Winning's house and k*ll him?

You take good care of your guitar.

It's not my guitar.

It belongs to someone very special.

Johnny Carver. You heard of him?

Any relation to Danny Carver?

Johnny and Danny were brothers.

Johnny was a musical genius, real
talented. We were in a band together.

Johnny was all set to make it big.

What happened?

He k*lled himself.

(RUSTLING)

(DRAWER SHUTS)

MAN: Midsomer Ballad, take one.

♪ Come sit by me all you

♪ Fine lords and laddies

♪ And I'll tell you the tale

♪ Of young John Henry

♪ He met a fair maiden

♪ One bright May morning

♪ As he went a-hunting

♪ In Midsomer County

♪ Why, young men, don't stray

♪ This maiden

♪ Will lead you...

What the hell are you doing here?

You shouldn't have come back.

You shouldn't have come back.

(POP SONG IN BACKGROUND)

That's not the breakfast song.

(BARKING) Don't you start.

♪ When the going gets tough

♪ The tough get going...

What on earth are you doing?

Broadening her musical horizons.

This is awful. (MUSIC OFF)

Awful? That's our song,
in case you've forgotten.

That is not our song.

~ You said it was your favourite.
~ When?

~ At the freshers' ball.
~ (WHINES)

Which I didn't go to with you.

Well, whoever you did go with,
she certainly left an impression.

(DOORBELL)

(BETTY GURGLES)

What?

John's forgotten our song.

OK.

He does remember the favourite song
of his old girlfriend, though.

But when it comes to me - his
wife, the mother of his child -

he draws a blank.

Would this be a good time to tell you we
got a print off the bowl? Alice Winning.

Let's go and see what she has to say.

~ I'll be home later.
~ Try not to forget.

(BIRDSONG)

I gave it a press.

I should have told you.

Why didn't you?

Because you'd have said no.

Because you don't want me to sing.

I don't mind you singing, Melody.

Just not in public, right?

That's not what this is about.

Well, what is it about?

Look...

being a singer, the music business,
it all seems glamorous...

It was a gig in a pub garden, Dad.

That's how it starts. You
start getting noticed.

The gigs get bigger. More money.
Record deals. Then you change.

~ What, like Uncle Johnny did, you mean?
~ I'm off to work.

You always do this.

Every time I ask you about
it, you just walk away.

Uncle Johnny was a hero.

The internet is full of
websites about his music.

~ They don't know a thing about it.
~ Exactly!

That's why I want to
hear about it from you.

I want to know about you, and Frank,
and the band, and what it was like.

It was nothing! I'd forget it
all ever happened if I could.

Would you forget about Mum as well?

Your mum left.

I know it's hard, but maybe
it's about time you moved on.

Says the man who still keeps
her dress in his wardrobe.

It's obviously a mistake.

There's no mistake, Mrs Winning.

We had your prints on the database.

Seems you punched a police officer
during a demonstration in London.

She manhandled me.

Nevertheless, our lab matched
your print to the bowl.

It's not what you think.

The fact is...

I hadn't appreciated how hard being
an independent woman would be.

Financially... I mean.

I didn't realise that
living was so expensive.

I decided... I might be better off...

getting back with Toby.

You attempted a reconciliation?

Sort of.

After the reception
I was a little drunk.

Thought I'd visit Toby,
um... charm offensive.

And did he succumb to your charms?

How could he?

He was dead.

Are you saying you arrived after
your husband had been m*rder*d?

I'll never forget it...
as long as I live.

He was um...

I must have um... touched the bowl

when I checked for a pulse.

Why didn't you call the police?

Well... Well, you have to
admit, it didn't look...

very good, the um...

.. bitter ex-wife found
standing over her...

dead husband's body.

Worst thing is, it was all in vain.

He wasn't lying about the money.

I spoke to my solicitor this morning.

Toby's company is almost bankrupt.

Winning's solicitor confirms
the company was struggling.

Seems most of the available cash was being
sunk into setting up the move to London.

Apparently, the move was
being handled by Brian Grey.

He blew all the money.

Even so, can't see her staging a
corpse to reference a folk ballad.

It's the phone box that nags at me.

Find the owner of the
house - Danny Carver.

See if he knows who might have
made the phone call to Winning.

And I'll go and speak with the man
who bankrupted Winning's company.

♪ Go down, you blood-red roses

♪ Go down

♪ Oh, you pinks and posies

♪ Go down...

The move to London was Toby's idea.

You did most of the groundwork. You
were the one who put it together.

Toby asked me to put it together.

Did he ask you to plough thousands
of pounds of his money into it?

What you need to understand

is that an opportunity like this
takes some serious funding.

The partners that I'm dealing with need to
know that you're as committed as they are.

So you blew all the company
money courting these partners?

I may have overstretched Toby, but
he knew what he was getting into.

Here's what I'm going to do.

I'm going to get a team to
go through Winning's books.

All of them, right down
to the last penny.

And if they find any evidence
of wrongdoing on your part,

I will make sure you
are held to account.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

One, two, three, four.

One full English.

Thanks.

What was that all about yesterday?
Over in the beer garden.

You were all set to sing
and then you left.

I had a bit of an
emergency. That was all.

It's a pity. I had a feeling
you were gonna be good.

Better than the usual dross
they book at this festival.

You're booked for this festival.

Oh, yeah. That's a point.

Actually, maybe you could help me.

I need a support act for Sunday.

OK. Well, the Barrellers
are a good band.

Traditional. But Frank... Frank
always a crowd pleaser.

No, no, no, no, no.
I was thinking of you.

You haven't heard me play.

Toby Winning said you were good.

Almost as good as your uncle.

Excuse me.

I'm not paying you to flirt
with the guests, Melody.

I wasn't flirting.

Just do your job. All right?

Oh, well, you were right.

There wasn't much enthusiasm
for Toby's memorial.

A few of the old g*ng'll be there
but not as many as I'd hoped.

Everything OK?

This came yesterday.

"Dreams of Spain."

It was addressed to you.

Well, it must be junk mail.

So you're not thinking about
buying a property in Spain?

Why would I want to move to Spain?

We're happy here, aren't we?

I guess so.

Shower in Room is leaking.

I'll take care of it.

(HE GRUNTS)

I haven't been anywhere near
that cottage in over years.

~ That's a long time.
~ Not long enough.

Place doesn't hold
many good memories.

~ Why is that?
~ It's where my brother k*lled himself.

I'm sorry. I had heard. I didn't
realise that's where it happened.

Yeah, well... that's
where it happened.

I hear he was a gifted musician.

Can we move this on?

Did you know Toby Winning?

I do supply sound equipment
for the festival venues.

We received a call the day he d*ed.

It was made from a phone
box next to that cottage.

So?

So I was wondering if you had any
idea who might have made the call.

Look...

that cottage was Johnny's.

I only got it after he d*ed.

Got no interest in
going near that place.

Does anyone check on it for you,
anyone visit it regularly?

No.

(BLEEPING)

I was up there yesterday. I'm sure
I saw someone hanging around.

Well, you know more than I do. Sorry.
I've got to go for a sound check.

Do you fish, Mr Carver?

When I can.

Lock up when you're done.

You pulling old files?

~ The Johnny Carver report.
~ Any particular reason?

Let's just call it morbid curiosity.

.

Carver was the rising star
of the ' s folk revival.

He was working on his next album when
he sh*t himself in his home studio.

He k*lled himself at the cottage?

Since then, Carver's
become a cult figure.

Nothing like su1c1de to elevate
a musician to god-like status.

And he comes with his own myth.

An article from a folk fanzine
on the famous lost album.

The one Johnny was working
on when he d*ed.

They looked for it
but never found it.

All very interesting, but what does
this have to do with the case?

Check out who wrote the article.

Oh.

(' S POP MUSIC)

~ Love Is All Around?
~ No.

~ Wonderwall?
~ No.

~ Perfect Day?
~ Try again.

I'm Too Sexy For My Shirt?

Don't just sit there.
Help me find it.

Hey. Great job, Lassie.

This is a Spanish Language CD.

(FIDDLE MUSIC)

Hello?

(SWITCH CLICKS)

(CLICKLING)

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

(MUSIC STOPS)

(HE GASPS)

Who's there?

(HE GROANS AND WHEEZES)

Brian Grey, sir. It's not pretty.

Well, we'd best take a look.

"Sweet were the roses of Midsomer
County." We're back to the ballad.

Weight of the speaker
would have done it.

Massive internal trauma.
He would have bled out.

Slowly.

Looks like the strap securing
the speaker had been cut.

Time of death?

Within the last hours.

~ What about witnesses?
~ Can you get that, please?

Staff left around : last night.

Brian was alone from then until Liz
Grey found him at eight this morning.

I knew something was up.

He didn't come down for breakfast.

He always had breakfast.

"Most important meal of the
day." That's what Brian said.

So you came looking for him?

When did you last see him alive?

He came home for his tea and
then went back out again.

Did he say where he was going?

Seeing someone about funding.

~ Did he say who?
~ (SHE MOUTHS)

They did this to him.

The village.

They never liked him.

Too clever for them.

Too dynamic.

You can say what you like about Mr Winning,
but at least he saw Brian's potential.

And, of course, that lot
hated Mr Winning, too.

They're all over there
now at the hotel.

"A memorial," they said.

But really they're celebrating.

They finally got rid of my boy.

Someone is determined to make sure
the move to London doesn't happen.

Most of our suspects are attending Winning's
memorial at the George here. Come on.

We might want to stop off at
the Captain Farrell first, sir.

We found Brian Grey's mobile.

Last call was to Frank
Wainwright at am.

This gonna take long? Supposed
to be at the George.

It's about Brian Grey.

Oh, yeah? What's he been up to?

He's dead, Mr Wainwright.

We know that he called
you late last night.

What was the call about?

An invoice I'd sent him.

He booked some musicians at the B&B.

I sent him a bill. He thought
I was overcharging him.

He called you about an invoice
at one o'clock in the morning?

It wasn't unusual for
Brian to call late.

~ That boy was always working.
~ Did you talk about anything else?

Just the invoice.

Are these yours, Mr Wainwright?

Far too small for me.

Then whose are they?

Some punter must have
left them behind.

~ I want to know what he's hiding.
~ I want to know who owns the boots.

I checked the soles.

The markings are identical to the impression
I found outside the Carver house.

Right.

♪ I am bound for Californ-i-a

♪ And it's a place I know right well

♪ So fare thee well

♪ My own true love

~ ♪ For when I return, united we will be...
~ Melody.

♪ Yes, it's not the leaving
of Liverpool...

I'd love to be able to help, Alice, but
I don't think we've got anything suitable.

~ I'll take anything I can get.
~ ♪ When I think of thee...

That was for Toby. Thank you.

Thank you. Thanks.

That was nice.

Nice? Wow. Don't go overboard.

I mean it was good.

~ Really good.
~ (HE CHUCKLES)

~ Did you think any more about the gig?
~ Melody. Let's keep it moving.

Every year, they swan in
like they own the place.

Bloody musicians.

~ Not a bad turnout in the end.
~ Mm.

You OK, Frank?

Brian Grey is dead.

~ Frank, you're up next.
~ All right. Come and see me later.

♪ In the lowlands, lowlands

♪ Sailing in the lowlands low

♪ We feared she would be
taken by the Spanish enemy

Frank!

♪ In the lowlands, lowlands

♪ Sailing in the lowlands low

Frank? Frank, where are
you? (SINGING CONTINUES)

Where is it?

I said, "Where is it?"

~ Right, come here.
~ You had no right to take it!

Mr Carver!

I want it back. Do you hear?

Come on.

~ Frank, you all right?
~ Sorry about that.

Obviously emotions running high.
How's about another song, Jay?

Jay?

Hold up.

Where are you off to?

Anywhere that isn't here.

I know just the place.

I don't know why you're here.
You should be arresting Frank!

~ Arrest him for what?
~ Theft. Burglary. Stealing.

~ What exactly did he steal?
~ Something valuable.

You might need to be more specific.

A tape. All right? He
stole an audio tape.

This tape wouldn't happen to be a
recording of your brother's music?

The lost album?

My brother hadn't been dead a day
before they started asking about it.

Record companies, manager,
so-called fans.

Ghouls couldn't wait to
get their hands on it.

That record k*lled Johnny.

The pressure. Everyone
just pushing on him.

The hype.

Drove him mad.

Why didn't you just destroy it?

I tried to but I couldn't.

~ Did you listen to it?
~ Again, I tried but I couldn't.

So I hid it under the floorboards
in the cottage, locked the place
up and... tried to forget about it.

And Frank was with me when I hid it.

Amazing, isn't it?

Come on. This is where the
great Johnny Carver lived.

It's where my uncle d*ed, you mean?

~ I don't mean to be insensitive.
~ I think that ship's sailed.

I am a huge fan of your uncle.

Johnny Carver was the greatest folk
musician of the last years.

Toby was a big fan as well.

That's how we became
friends, me and Toby.

Through Johnny's work.

I want to go back to the village.

So, when he told me he'd
found the lost album,

I came straight here.

I really have to go.

Melody.

Wait.

Melody.

You need to tell me where it is.

~ I don't know what you're on about.
~ Look...

I won't say anything to your dad.

~ This can be between you and me.
~ Let go.

Hey, hey, hey.

I can help your career.

Gigs, tours...

.. a record deal.

Just tell me where it is.

You need to think about
what's on that tape.

~ It's just music.
~ No, no, no.

It's so much more.

His last message to the world.

It's a man's su1c1de note.

OK, I was with him. I knew about
the tape but I didn't take it.

So if you didn't take it,
Mr Wainwright, then who did?

Mr Wainwright?

That call last night... Brian Grey.

~ He was asking about the tape.
~ What did he want to know?

Did it exist? Was it authentic?

And, if it was, how
much it was worth.

Do you think Brian Grey may have
taken the tape from the cottage?

I don't know.

What about the owner of the boots
in your pub? Would they know?

I'm back!

Best come down.

(FOOTSTEPS ON STAIRS)

This is Heather... Danny's wife.

So you and Danny Carver
go back a long way?

I married Danny in .

It lasted three years,
then I left him.

What made you leave?

I had problems back then.

Well, one problem, actually.
I drank too much.

It was a terrible thing to do, walking
out on them. I'll never forgive myself.

Can't change the past.

No point in dwelling.

You gotta look to the future.

You sound like my sponsor.

How long have you been sober?

Just over a year.

Another ten and I'll be
doing as well as Frank.

And so you've come back?

To meet Melody.

Why didn't you contact her when you
first arrived here in Lower Crosby?

~ I was worried about Danny.
~ And why was that?

I walked out when Melody
was three months old.

Maybe he's still angry.

There's no "maybe" about that.

You've been staying up at the
old cottage since you arrived?

For the first few days, and then
Frank persuaded me to come here.

Did you see anyone at the cottage?

I saw you.

Apart from Sergeant Nelson.

No. I... I didn't see anyone.

Are you sure, Mrs Carver?

I was worried I wouldn't
recognise her.

After all, it's been so long.

~ So beautiful.
~ NELSON: Melody?

I'm sorry, love. All that work you
put into it and look what happened.

That's Danny Carver for you.

It's funny how things turn out.

You know? I mean, we were
all mates back in the day.

~ We all seemed so happy.
~ Life happens, Tom.

But it doesn't happen
the same for everyone.

Take Danny. I mean, he's not
exactly had a great time.

~ Well, that's no excuse for attacking people.
~ No, but...

.. it does make you think
about how lucky we are.

Which got me thinking about
your Dreams Of Spain brochure.

I told you, that was junk mail.

Yeah, I know, but...

.. maybe it might not
be such a bad idea.

A new start.

~ A new start?
~ We could do it.

Spain, I mean.

We could fund it by selling
this place, couldn't we?

~ We?
~ Well, your hotel, your decision.

I'm gonna go. I've
got to be somewhere.

Melody Carver had been in contact
with Winning for over a year.

Mostly texts, but regular.

Also I found some invoices for recording
sessions at a studio in Causton.

~ Winning was managing Melody?
~ It's hard to say.

I can't find any trace of a contract or
evidence he was making money from her.

Maybe it wasn't money that he wanted.

~ Winning was obsessed by Johnny Carver.
~ And the lost album.

But why would he think
Melody could help him?

Winning knew that her
dad found Johnny's body.

Maybe he thought Melody could
lead him to the recording.

So he gets it, then what?

Someone kills him for it.

Do some digging. Find out who had an interest
in the recording, other than Winning -

someone who would k*ll
to get their hands on it.

I'll go and speak to Melody.

Come on. No way. Melody knew she
wasn't to go anywhere near Winning.

And yet, it seems, she did.

Yeah, but she knew what he was like.

Just another crook out
to exploit musicians.

Maybe I spoke to him a few times.

You did more than speak to him. He
was funding your studio sessions.

What the hell's he on about?

Dad, it was nothing. Just a few songs
that I wanted to put down. That's all.

And you let Winning produce them?

He knew what he was doing.

And they sounded good.

Hold on a minute.

He wouldn't have paid for those sessions
without getting something in return.

What did he want, Melody?

He said he wanted to hear it, just
once, and then he'd get it back to me.

Get what back?

Your brother's last recording.

You... gave it to Winning?

Dad, I'm so sorry. I didn't think.

How did you know where to find it?

Eventually I persuaded
Frank to tell me.

At least he talks about Johnny!

(DOOR SLAMS)

You called Toby from the phone box.

He said to bring the
tape to his office.

~ You didn't listen to it?
~ No.

He promised me he would
just listen to it once

and then I would have
it back the next day.

~ Where was the harm?
~ But you didn't get it back, did you?

And where is it now?

Preliminary report on Grey.

What's all this?

Johnny Carver's file. Do you
want to see the Path report?

Not much to it.

"Victim sustained a fatal g*nsh*t
wound to the right side of the
forehead and at close range."

They didn't discover much g*nsh*t
residue around the wound.

~ Should they have?
~ I'd expect more with a close-range sh*t.

But these things vary. It's such
a shame what happened to him.

Let's say that Winning was k*lled
because he had the master tape.

Presumably, the k*ller would
have taken it from his house.

But what if Winning made
a copy before he d*ed?

~ The missing laptop.
~ If Brian Grey got hold of that,

then maybe the k*ller came after him.

Why k*ll Grey for the laptop?

Why go after a copy when you've got
the real deal on the master tape?

Presumably, the recording is far
more valuable if it's the only one.

Not that valuable. Johnny
Carver's hardly The Beatles.

What if there's something on that recording
the k*ller doesn't want anyone to hear?

(ELECTRICAL FIZZING)

(ELECTRICAL FIZZING)

(ELECTRICAL FIZZING)

♪ Ballad Of Midsomer County

♪ She led him on through

♪ The Midsomer green wood

♪ Till they came to a hut

♪ By a juniper tree

♪ She said, "Sir, won't you...

♪ Come sit by my fire?

♪ You'll eat like a king..."

Aargh!

Argh, argh!

Argh.

(CAMERA CLICKING)

Safe to say I'm fairly confident
about identifying the m*rder w*apon.

This wasn't here yesterday.

Another gift from your k*ller?

"Lived in a hut by a juniper tree."

I'm beginning to go off that song.

(CAMERA CLICKING)

I came downstairs, saw the door was
open, and that's when I found him.

What time was this?

Not long after seven.

And when did you last see him?

Around four, yesterday afternoon.

You didn't see him in the evening?

No.

~ Thank you.
~ He went out to meet someone.

I must have been asleep
when he got back.

He was a very kind man,
taking me in like he did.

Thank you.

A good friend.

Do you mind? Excuse me.

Madam.

We need to find out who he met.

I'm way ahead of you.

He was buying the hotel?

That's what it looks like.

I'll check this out.

You finish up here. I'll
see you back at the station.

Forensics are just about done.

Forensics. Can we let them go?

No.

Not yet.

Danny Carver was anti-w*r.
Yet he had a g*n?

It was nothing important.

Nothing important?

It looks to me like you were
selling him your hotel.

Frank expressed an interest.

I felt it was only polite
to hear him out.

He had the contracts. He only had
to sign them to complete the deal.

I'm no estate agent but surely your hotel
is worth more than the price on this.

Any reason why it was so cheap?

TOM: She wanted a quick getaway.

Junk mail, eh?

Tom.

So when were you going to
tell me? After you'd gone?

Leave a note by the bed?
Text from the airport?

Things haven't been right between
us for a long time, Tom.

So let's fix it.

~ I don't think we can be fixed.
~ Course we can.

Only, you don't want to.
That's the truth of it.

You're right.

I don't want to.

You know, all I ever wanted
to do was to take care of you,

treat you nice, be a good husband.

To love you.

But that never did
it for you, did it?

You were only happy when you
were being treated like dirt.

Still a little scrubber after all.

~ What happened last night?
~ I should have made Frank sign, right then.

It was all set up.

~ Why didn't you?
~ Oh... Danny Carver interrupted us.

~ What did he want?
~ To talk to Frank.

About what?

About his wife coming back.

Dad.

~ What are you doing?
~ We need to get away for a while.

~ Get away where?
~ I don't know. Coast maybe.

But it's the middle of the festival.
I have shifts. You've got work.

Listen to me. You're right.

I need to talk more,
be more open and...

Hey, we'll do that
when we're away. OK?

What do you want now?

We need you down at the
station, Mr Carver.

You stay here.

I'll be back soon.

Johnny Carver had been dead three
days before Danny found the body.

I still don't get why we're here.

Johnny had principles. He was
anti-w*r, anti-nuclear, pro-peace.

Him buying a g*n doesn't make sense.

Given that he was about to k*ll himself,
we can assume he wasn't in his right mind.

He was a drug user. It's more likely he'd
take an overdose than sh**t himself.

~ You're just speculating.
~ And there was a lack of powder burns.

So?

So what if the g*n was
fired further away?

Are you telling me you've pulled a
forensic team from a live crime scene

to the site of a -year-old su1c1de,

in the hope that they might find
a minute trace of g*nsh*t residue

in a room that is positively
teeming with forensic material?

And if they find it more than
two metres away from that chair.

~ You have no chance.
~ Uh, Dr Wilding.

I hate you.

Toby Winning.

Brian Grey.

Frank Wainwright.

All dead.

All of them knew about
Johnny's master tape.

So?

Whoever k*lled them did so to stop
Johnny's recording being heard.

And that brings us to you, Danny.

Me?

~ I wouldn't k*ll anybody.
~ You att*cked Frank.

He was a friend. That
was just a mistake.

And what about last night when
you confronted him about Heather?

Was that a friendly conversation?

~ Just a chat? Or did you get angry?
~ Damn right I got angry!

He knew I didn't want her here
but he still took her in.

He couldn't see it.
He could never see it.

Her lies. How she just gets between
people and forces them apart.

What people?

People like you and Johnny?

Johnny and Heather
were having an affair.

Is that what happened?

Johnny had no self-control
when it came to women.

Couldn't resist a pretty face.

I'd like to think he had
some guilt about it, though.

And Heather...

Ohh...

She adored him. Thought
he was for keeps.

Couldn't see that she was
just another groupie to him.

Need to talk to you, sir.

~ Johnny Carver didn't k*ll himself.
~ What?

We're still testing but we're pretty sure
the g*n was fired at least two metres away.

There's no way Johnny Carver
pulled that trigger.

Someone else was there.

That's what's on the tape.

Johnny recorded his own m*rder.

Was Johnny having an affair with
Heather at the time of his death?

~ What?
~ Were they having an affair when he d*ed?

Yes.

Why? What's going on?

We think your brother was m*rder*d
and it was staged as su1c1de.

Other than Heather, was Johnny
seeing anyone else back then?

Yeah. Half the girls in the village
were sneaking up to see him.

Hold on.

If you're saying Heather is involved
in this... I've got to call Melody.

This isn't about festivals or folk
songs. It's about a woman scorned.

~ Find Heather. Bring her in.
~ Where are you going?

~ There was more than one woman.
~ Melody isn't answering her phone.

Come on!

♪ Da-dum, da-da-dum...

(KNOCKING)

HEATHER: Hello, Melody.

I'm a friend of your father's.

I'm sure Dad won't be too long.

Oh, that's OK.

I'm not in any rush.

Anyway, it gives us some time
to get to know one another.

Come on, come on, come on. Come on!

~ Tell me something about yourself.
~ Like what?

Oh, I don't know. Something
you like. Music.

I hear you're very gifted.

I'm all right. Nothing special.

OK.

What about boyfriends, then?

Look, you may be a friend of Dad's
but I don't know you from Adam, so...

You know me, Melody.

I really don't.

So who are you, then?

Melody, you all right?

~ I told her the truth.
~ What the hell were you thinking?

She deserved to know.

What did she deserve to know?

Melody's dad was Johnny Carver.

Oh, just get away from us!

Nobody wants you here! Get
back to where you came from.

Melody, please...

You should never have come back.

When I told Johnny the baby was his, he
just couldn't live with himself any more.

Johnny Carver was m*rder*d.

No...

~ It was su1c1de. Everyone knows that.
~ It was m*rder.

(BELLS CHIMING)

Mrs Asher?

Mrs Asher?

Look at me.

I'm a cleaning lady.

~ Where is Claire Asher?
~ Gone.

~ Where did she go?
~ Search me.

One minute she was going through the cleaning
rota, the next she was out the door.

~ Did she say anything?
~ No.

~ She got a call, though.
~ Which phone?

The one in the office.

If you ask me, there's something
up between her and Tom.

I mean, she didn't say anything
but I can read the signs.

I've got a sixth sense. A bit
spooky. Maybe I'm psychic.

Anyway, she never really loved him.

Poor Tom tried but... (KEYPAD BLEEPS)

Well, between you and me, there
was only ever one man for Claire.

Johnny Carver.

~ How do you know that?
~ Maybe I'm psychic, too.

This is DCI Barnaby. I
need a trace on a number.

~ I need it immediately.
~ Fire away.

~ The number is...
~ She was mourning Johnny six months later.

(HE FINISHES NUMBER) And
then she up and married Tom.

Talk about rebound.

No, it's OK. I know it.

Nelson, meet me at
Johnny Carver's house.

♪ Ballad Of Midsomer County

♪ Come sit by me

♪ All you... (DOOR CREAKING)

♪ Fine lords and laddies

♪ And I'll tell you the tale

♪ Of young John Henry

♪ He met a fair maiden

♪ One bright May morning

♪ As he went a-hunting

♪ In Midsomer County

♪ Fair was the skin

♪ Of the Midsomer Maiden

♪ Blue were her eyes

♪ As blue as the sea

♪ And on her fair head

♪ Lay a garland of flowers

~ ♪ Sweet were...
~ He really could sing, couldn't he?

(MUSIC OFF)

He was sitting right there, singing
that song, when I arrived.

I could've listened to him all night.

But then...

.. I had other business with him.

I used to watch you and
him, from out there.

Those nights when you snuck
up to be with him. Remember?

~ Tom, what is all this?
~ You have no idea...

.. how hard it was for me...

to be stood out there, seeing him
treat you the way that he did.

But you still loved him.

Even after we were married,
you still loved him.

You're scaring me.

You don't have to be
scared of me, Claire.

I'm your husband.

Round the back.

You see, all I ever wanted to do...

was to protect you...

.. keep you safe.

That's why I came up here.

To make sure that he understood that.

I didn't mean to k*ll him.

Only to get him to stop hurting you.

But him. He just kept
running you down.

I couldn't take that any more.

I had to save you from him.

Preserve your honour.

What about the others?

Did you k*ll them to preserve
Claire's honour?

You wanted to save your own skin.

Let's hear what this is all about.

JOHNNY: Midsomer Ballad, take three.

(MUSIC STARTS)

(MUSIC STOPS)

(FOOTSTEPS ON RECORDING) What...
What the hell are you doing here?

TOM: You know full well. Any
decency and you'd let her go.

JOHNNY: And if you had any taste,
mate, you'd see that she's just a...

All right, steady on, Tom. (CLICKING)

Tom? Tom! (g*nsh*t)

Oh, my God.

You...

You sh*t him.

You wiped the g*n, arranged
it like a su1c1de.

But you didn't realise that
the tape was still recording.

First I knew about it was when Toby
came up to me at the reception.

So you k*lled him, and Brian, too?

~ What else could I do?
~ (NELSON GRUNTS)

Toby wanted me to go to the police
and Brian wanted money. It was a mess.

Tom, what have you done?

I told you. I'm taking care of you.

Which brings us to Frank.

I found the contracts - Frank's
name there in black and white.

He was buying the hotel. He
was destroying my marriage.

I couldn't let him do that.

I asked him to buy the hotel.

No.

He forced you into it, Claire.

No.

I wanted to leave you.

~ You can't leave me, Claire.
~ (SHOTGUN CLICKS)

Not after everything
I've done for us.

~ Don't do it, Tom.
~ I have to. Can't you see that?

Being Claire's husband was
what made it all worthwhile.

If I'm not her husband
any more, then...

Argh!

Nelson?

Nelson!

Yeah. I'm good.

(SHE SIGHS)

Thomas Asher, I'm arresting you for the
murders of Frank Wainwright, Brian Grey,

Tobias Winning, Johnny Carver...

(POP SONG PLAYING) Right.
I've made up her bottle.

It's in the fridge. And er...

she likes... this
book before bedtime.

OK.

And if you need us, you just call.

~ Sarah, we're gonna be fine.
~ (GURGLING)

♪ It wasn't easy when
we started out...

And you thought I'd
forgotten our song.

Well, you had forgotten our song.

But then I remembered.

And not only did I remember,
I got the original vinyl.

Signed as well.

You went to so much trouble.

Thank you.

You're gonna be late.

The car keys.

~ He's quite the romantic, isn't he?
~ He certainly is.

It couldn't have been easy tracking
down an original copy.

Well, he can be very resourceful.

~ That wasn't your song, was it?
~ It's not even close.

~ No.
~ Sarah.

Coming, darling.

~ Have a good night.
~ Thank you.

~ (DOOR CLOSES)
~ Don't want this, eh?

(CHATTER)

It's so nice to be out.

~ She's on in two minutes.
~ Oh.

WOMAN: Oh, look, there's
Mary and Dora.

Good evening, and welcome
to the last night

of this year's Lower
Crosby Folk Festival.

(CHEERING)

Hey. Why don't you try this one?

Got a better sound, anyway.

ALICE: Now, I'm afraid Jay Templeton
had to cancel at the last minute.

I've tuned it for you.

We've got something very
special for you tonight.

So, as the new festival director,

I am delighted to introduce
an exciting new talent.

Here we go.

~ Melody Carver.
~ I'm proud of you.

(APPLAUSE)

Um... this one's for
my dad, Danny Carver.

♪ Come sit by me all you
fine lords and laddies

♪ I'll tell you the tale

♪ Of young John Henry

♪ He met a fair maiden

♪ One bright May morning

♪ As he went a-hunting

♪ In Midsomer County

♪ Pale was the skin

♪ Of the Midsomer maiden

♪ Blue eyes

♪ As blue as the sea

♪ And on her fair head

♪ Lay a garland of flowers

♪ Red were the roses
of Midsomer County

♪ Young men, don't stray

♪ This maiden will lead you away...