Original subtitles

- ? Without you by my side

? And let the stars to be my guide ?

? In the dark a voice that calls ?

? You're stronger on your own ?

? And I watch the clouds go by ?

? And I think about the time ?

? We didn't get the chance ?

? For us to have just one more dance ?

? To dance with you is all I wanna do ?

? And I know that's no good ?

? I'll just miss you like I should ?

? I want to take your hand ?

? And dance just like we did the night that we met ?

? I'll just miss you instead ?

? Mm, mm ?

?

- Help!

Somebody, please!

?

Help! Somebody!

?

Help!

Somebody help!

?

Please!

?

- Hey, there, you. You okay?

?

- Good morning. - Hey, boss.

Nice day for it.

- Is it? - Uh, Gina's already started.

- Considering the location,

I might actually forgive you for calling us out today.

- Right. Uh, happy new year.

Let's go.

?

- You good there? - Just a mo.

?

- The property is known as Whitecliff Manor,

and its owner, Maxwell Cornelius,

is our deceased, 79 years old.

He was found just after 7:00 a.m.

by Frodo and the young woman he's with,

Frances Martin.

She's a guest of Mr. Cornelius.

- I'll take Frodo.

?

- [ Clears throat ] - Morning, Gina.

- Daniel, happy new year.

Kristin, how are you?

- Box of birds. Thanks, Gina.

- You should not keep the birds in a box.

It's cruel.

?

- [Sighs]

Must have been a hell of a party last night.

You think he tied one on and blew a gasket?

Toxicology will tell us more.

- A few who attended the party are still in the manor.

?

- On it.

- What happened here, Maxwell?

Was it just your time, or did you get some help?

- The victim has no obvious signs of injury.

Of course, this arouses great interest in me.

- Um, sure.

Anything else to add?

- To die in this position,

it's very unusual.

I have a deep suspicion his death is unnatural.

I feel it-

- In your lagoon where the devils dwell.

- You know me so well.

Plus, I found this in his pocket.

- "Meet me in the garden. Come alone."

?

- Last night, Mr. Cornelius, the dead guy,

he hosted a masquerade ball for, like, New Year's Eve.

- That explains the pants.

Take it you've been here all night?

- Yeah, I might have overdone it a bit.

?

- You are a friend of Mr. Cornelius?

- Yeah. No.

He's always been pretty private.

But he was a regular at the coffee cart.

- Good morning, Franklin. - Hey, Mr. Cornelius.

Your usual?

- Ah, always.

A magic morning begs for a little magic.

- A magic what?

- It's a double shot of ristretto

with three quarters flat white.

They're pretty hard to make.

I think that's why I got an invite.

- Private bash to see in the New Year.

Hush, hush. Keep it close.

Loose lips sink ships.

?

- So, it was supposed to be a secret party?

- Uh, I don't know, man.

I just went for the free booze.

- Mildred Hawkins. I'm the live-in housekeeper.

- And how long have you been working for Mr. Cornelius?

- Close to 40 years.

- You must be upset by his death.

- Maxwell was a good employer.

And over time, he became a dear friend.

But at his age...

...people die.

?

- He liked extravagant parties.

- No, not really.

He mostly kept to himself,

with the exception of a few close friends.

- Then why hold a New Year's Eve event?

- Today would have been Maxwell's 80th birthday.

He wanted to celebrate.

And with New Year's Eve,

he could kill two birds with one stone.

He wasn't sure how many big milestones he had left.

- Why a masquerade party?

- Well, Maxwell had a love of the theatrical.

Stems from his art history background.

Before he retired, he was an art valuer.

- Oh.

What kind of art?

- Historical paintings, mostly.

He was incredibly well known in the fine arts world.

Some of the big name galleries hired him on a regular basis.

- They must have kept him busy.

- Why are the police interested

in the death of an elderly gentleman?

?

- It's routine.

?

So, when was the last time you saw him?

- I tried to find him at midnight

to wish him a happy birthday.

Well, I assumed he'd be on the balcony to watch the fireworks.

- Attention, everyone!

?

It's almost midnight.

Everyone needs to come out on the balcony

to see the fireworks.

?

- Ten! Nine!

Eight! Seven!

Six! Five!

Four! Three!

Two! One!

Happy New Year!

?

- He wasn't there? - No.

It was strange.

- When did you see him last?

- Honestly, I can't remember.

I was flat out all night.

- Approximation will do.

- I guess sometime around 11:00 p.m.,

I saw him chatting with Hattie.

- And Hattie is?

- Hattie Anderson, Maxwell's one-time fianc�e.

Although he called the engagement off.

I think she still holds a candle.

- Oh, Mildred.

Didn't you get the memo?

It's a masquerade ball.

- Someone needs to serve.

- And I'm ever grateful to you, Millie.

What would I do without you?

- Yes, I'm sure it would be hard to find another waitress

at short notice.

- Hattie!

- That must have been humiliating.

- I've always known my place.

?

- Come through.

?

- Sorry. I'm still... - Oh, please take your time.

Finding a body can be a very confronting thing.

- What a way to start the year.

- How did you know Mr. Cornelius?

- He's a recent acquaintance,

and I didn't have any plans for New Year's,

so I thought, why not?

- Please.

It appears Whitecliff Manor was the place to be last night.

- Yes, it was a fun party.

?

- Then you were up early this morning?

- Yes.

- Going somewhere?

- I was about to get a taxi.

- You're not from Brokenwood?

- No.

I heard that Mr. Cornelius was a bachelor.

Does that mean he's got no next of kin?

- Uh, we don't know that detail yet.

It will be part of our inquiry.

Why do you ask?

- Just curious.

- We'd appreciate if you stay in the district a little longer.

- Because?

- Well, just in case we get curious about things.

- Of course.

?

- Oh!

- Mrs. Baker. - Mrs.? Gracious.

D.C. Chalmers!

You almost gave me a heart attack.

- If I didn't know better, I'd think

you might have spent the night here.

- Well, just between you and me,

I think that someone spiked the champagne

because I barely had anything to drink.

Next thing you know, I'm waking up facedown

in the rumpus room.

- Are you a friend of Mr. Cornelius?

- No. He's a client.

But I never say no to a dress-up.

I always loved making an effort when it comes to haute couture.

As it turns out, my father was a cross-dresser back in the day.

When you could still call it that.

Now, of course, that got him into all sorts of trouble.

But also, I did wonder if the rumors were true.

About Maxwell, not my father.

There were no rumors there.

Everyone knew that he was a cross-

- What rumors would they be?

?

- Drinking on the job, Mrs. B?

- Well, nothing like a bit of stress relief

when you're under pressure.

I've been tasked with organizing an extravagant birthday party.

An 80th.

And it happens to fall on December 31st.

So, as you can imagine, a lot going on.

- Anyone we know?

- Mr. Maxwell Cornelius, he owns Whitecliff Manor.

- That rich art guy.

- He is very wealthy.

The invitation list is a who's-who

of the Brokenwood elite.

- Frodo?

- I don't know how he got on there,

but everyone else-

- A bunch of snobs by the looks.

- That's a bit harsh.

- Or perhaps [Whispering] spies.

?

- Spies?

- Trudy has it on good authority

that Mr. Cornelius himself used to be a spy.

- Good authority? - Clientele.

You know ow rumors are.

Cut off one head and two grow in its place.

- So, did you find any spies? - Sadly, no.

The evening was a bit of a bust in that respect.

But the costumes were lovely,

and I- and I had a very uplifting reading with Morgana,

so it wasn't a complete waste.

- Uh, Morgana Marincovich?

- Yes, she had a table set up for palm readings

with her sister-in-law, Svetlana.

Well, ex sister in law.

They still have the same last name,

so that's a bit confusing.

- I'm gonna need that guest list.

Mrs. Baker!

?

- [Retches]

?

- Silvertons.

Lovely, aren't they?

And expensive.

- Oh, yeah.

What sort of money are we talking?

- Well, Maxwell reckons close to a million each.

For the pair, three million.

- Uh... [Clears throat] Detective-

- Second Lieutenant Philip Cradock

of the third Brigade.

Oh.

- Something wrong?

- Apology.

You remind me of someone.

You're- You're not Russian, are you?

- Not that I know of.

- Very good.

- [Clears throat]

- Are you lost? - What?

- Well, you don't live here, do you?

Or do you? Do you?

- Uh, no. I'm- I'm here because...

What is your relationship to Mr. Cornelius?

- Well, Maxwell and I are the best of friends.

We fought in the war together.

- Right.

Are you aware...

...that Mr. Cornelius was found dead this morning?

- [Laughs] Oh, jolly good!

What a wonderful adventure the old boy must be on.

- Adventure? - Near working his skills.

- Party's not started yet.

?

- Old chap, these salted peanuts

remind me of the ones we got behind enemy lines.

Do you remember? In the tins.

- Tonight is a bit off, Philip.

I've just had the strangest encounter.

- Was it the Ruskies?

- My dear friend, it's good of you

to remind me of a time

when the world was more complicated.

But I may have to utilize some of my old skills

to get to the bottom of this enigma.

- What kind of skills?

- Skills that we garnered whilst on Her Majesty's service.

He must have faked his own death

in order to solve the riddle.

- What, uh, war did you say you fought in?

- Well, the only one that mattered.

The Great War.

- The Great War, meaning World War I?

- Yes, that's right.

The Kaiser's boys,

they had us in their crosshairs, you know.

[Imitates gunfire]

[Laughs]

But, uh. Oh, well...

We, um- we defeated them.

Yes. Mint?

But not the blue ones. They're my favorite.

- Uh, no. I'm fine, thank you.

- Oh.

?

- [Clears throat]

?

- Thanks.

?

- Okay. That coffee was actually-

- God.

That is good. What did you put in there?

- Coffee.

- Okay.

- Uh, this was found in the victim's pocket.

- "Meet me in the garden. Come alone."

- So, he was lured to the folly.

- Wealthy guy. Easy motive.

- Yeah. Uh, believed to be a bachelor.

Uh, no next of kin that I can find.

- Well, he was once engaged to Hattie Anderson,

but Maxwell called off the engagement.

- Uh, we need to track down the will.

Find out who inherits.

Perhaps a close friend.

- Philip Craddock?

He's known Mr. Cornelius for years.

But, uh, I don't think he's quite playing with a full deck.

- Dementia? - Something like that.

He said I reminded him of some Russian woman he used to know.

- Gina.

- Thanks. No.

He also claimed that he and Maxwell

fought in World War I together,

which would make them around 130 years old.

- Well, for what it's worth,

Mrs. Baker has heard rumors

that Mr. Cornelius was involved in espionage.

- Maybe that's not that far-fetched,

because I found this at the crime scene.

- Is that a hammer and sickle?

- Yeah. It is.

They're a Russian brand of cigarettes.

Comrades.

- Were any of the guests Russian?

- Not according to this.

Uh, Mrs. Baker provided me with a full guest list.

There were only 39 people in attendance.

- The party was invitation-only?

- Mm. Mrs. Baker was the event planner.

Mr. Cornelius was very particular

about who could attend.

- Frodo.

- The victim had a soft spot

for his favorite barista.

- Uh, more curious,

Frances Martin claimed she only just met Mr. Cornelius,

yet she was staying with him.

- And she's not on the guest list.

?

- Mm!

- [Speaking global language]

How can I help you.

- Svetlana.

You and Morgana attended the masquerade ball

at Whitecliff Manor last night?

- Da.

- Morgana, wake up!

We have a visitor.

[Laughs]

?

- Morning, uh, Morgana.

- Daniel! How lovely.

I knew I would be seeing you today.

- Is that right?

- It's Maxwell Cornelius.

He's dead, isn't he?

- Uh, as it happens,

Mr. Cornelius was found dead this morning.

- The woman who was with him last night?

She told me it was his time.

?

- My thanks again, you two, for coming this evening.

I think your stall will provide some intrigue

to this evening's event.

- [Chuckles] You're very welcome, Mr. Cornelius.

And we're expecting payment up front.

- Oh. [Both laugh]

?

No need for the theatrics just yet, Miss Marincovich.

Guests haven't started arriving yet.

- I don't want to alarm you,

but you should watch your back tonight.

Someone has a score to settle.

?

- This woman- was she a ghost?

- A visitor from the spirit world?

Yes.

She had blonde hair, blue eyes,

and a Russian accent, I think.

- If the Russians are involved,

you best believe the death was not a natural one.

They cannot be trusted.

- Any Russian in particular?

- Da. Steve Fenshaw.

Has anyone ever told you that you look Russian

with this big bald head of yours and this Baltic chin?

- Okay, I didn't come here to be insulted.

- Being unattractive is the least of his problems.

- Excuse me? - [Speaking Russian]

This [Speaks Russian] couldn't build a sandcastle if you tried.

- Maybe not, but you didn't read that in his palm.

- I didn't know you could read palms as well.

- She can't.

- That's not nice.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's all a cover-up story.

- How so?

- Everyone knows that Steve is an English version

for Stepan, a Russian name.

- Steve did make a strange exit last night.

- Steve! Come back! I'll give you a proper reading.

?

- Only KGB can go poof!

?

- Thank you for meeting with me, Miss Anderson.

- Oh, Hattie, please.

- I understand that you and Mr. Cornelius

were once engaged to be married.

- Well, yes, but we didn't go through with it.

And it was a long, long time ago.

- How long ago was that?

- Ooh, close to 40 years.

We were but babes.

- And are you still unmarried?

- Not that it's any of your business,

but I received a large inheritance when my father died

and never had the need for a husband, financially.

- What about for love?

- I was once in love with Maxwell,

but he was married to his work.

- His work as an art valuer?

Or his work as a spy?

- Well, that's just simply small-town gossip.

Maxwell's career took him all over the world.

It afforded him Whitecliff

and all these incredible works of art.

- Do you know who stands to inherit?

- Why are you asking me? - Well, you were close once.

We understand that Mr. Cornelius has no living relatives.

- Well, that much is true.

For what it's worth,

a young woman turned up a few days ago,

claiming to be a distant cousin.

- Hattie, my dear.

Delighted you were able to make it.

- Oh. 80 years young, Maxwell. How could I miss it?

Although it feels like only yesterday

we were all in our 30s.

[Both chuckle]

?

- Hello. - Maxwell.

I'm Frances Martin,

your second cousin, twice removed.

- Not that I believe it,

but if she is Maxwell's closest living heir,

she would inherit Whitecliff, wouldn't she?

?

- Great. - Oh, my God.

You read my mind.

?

- What did you get up to last night?

Must have been fun.

- That's kind of personal, don't you think?

- Is it?

- I don't want to talk about it.

- We have a time of death.

?

Is that- - A pacemaker?

Yes, Mike.

- It recorded his time of death as midnight.

Exactly.

Beyond that, Gina is yet to determine a cause.

Hopefully, toxicology results will shed some light.

- Uh, Steve Fenshaw was seen entering the library

by the Marincoviches around 11:45 p.m.,

after which he completely disappeared.

- As in vanished?

- Which gave him the opportunity

to go from the manor to the folly.

- Svetlana also suggested

that Mr. Fenshaw could be a Russian operative,

although her motives seem personal at best.

- And Morgana?

- She claims a Russian ghost predicted Maxwell's death.

- [Sighs]

We need to determine where everyone living was at midnight.

- I'll talk to Mrs. Baker. She may have filmed the event.

- Yeah. Good idea.

Sims? -Yes.

Um, indeed.

Uh, and according to Hattie Anderson,

Frances Martin claimed to be a distant cousin of Mr. Cornelius.

- Yet she's only recently met him.

- I don't know many of my distant cousins.

- She knew him well enough to get a last-minute invite.

- Track her down.

?

- Hey. Usual? - Thanks, Frodo.

?

- Ms. Anderson. Good morning. - Oh, Detective Sims.

- Sorry to interrupt. - Are you?

- Do you recall where you were at midnight on New Year's Eve?

- Why?

- Well, we have reason to believe

that's when Mr. Cornelius passed away,

so we're trying to piece together

a timeline of the evening.

- I don't remember.

I hope you can wind things up soon.

I need to be getting home.

- How long ago did you receive your invite?

- Oh, I received an e-mail from a Becky Baker

while I was traveling. - Oh, traveling where?

- Gosh, you do ask a lot of questions.

- Mm, well, as you know, I'm a detective.

- South America.

It's always been on my bucket list.

Machu Picchu was breathtaking.

- Mm. - Long black, no sugar.

- Well, I really must get going.

- Oh. Who's the lucky person? - Hmm?

- Your ring. I take it you're engaged.

- It's really none of your business.

- Okay.

Uh... by the way, Frances Martin.

You don't happen to know where she's staying, do you?

- I don't.

She's hardly welcome at Whitecliff.

- Why is that?

- Because where does she come from?

What does she want?

So many questions.

Have you tried the motels?

?

- Rude, right?

Real rude.

- Yeah.

Thanks, Frodo.

- I heard you had a big one for New Year's, too.

?

- That's a private matter.

?

- Thanks for agreeing to meet.

- Well, I'd rather be at the beach,

but what can you do?

- Uh, you attended the masquerade ball

at Whitecliff Manor?

- Yeah. Why?

- Mr. Cornelius was found deceased yesterday.

- I heard. Nothing to do with me.

- You were seen on the night in question

entering the library before disappearing.

- [Laughs]

I'm a builder, man, not a magician.

- Where did you go?

- Look, I just needed to get away from those Marincovich women.

- This [Speaks Russian]

couldn't build a sandcastle if he wanted to.

- Maybe not, but you didn't read that in his palm.

?

Steve! Come back.

- Aah!

- I'll give you a proper reading.

?

- Climbing out a window.

Must have been some palm reading.

- Well, it wasn't the reading. It was the abuse.

- With this big bald head of yours and this Baltic chin-

- For the record, my mother is of Norwegian extraction.

My father's family's Finnish.

No love lost with the Russians.

- Well, that doesn't answer my question.

- Which was?

- Where did you go?

- Outside, obviously.

Then I went home.

- How did you get into the party?

You weren't on the guest list.

- I did a bit of work for Mr. Cornelius a few months back.

- What type of work?

- Doesn't matter. This was months ago.

You should be looking at the people

who were close to the old man,

like his son.

- My understanding is that Mr. Cornelius

doesn't have any children.

- That's what I thought, too.

- It's good to see you, Badger.

Try and enjoy your evening.

?

- Badger? That your real name?

- For my sins.

- So, how do you know Maxwell?

- Haven't you heard?

I'm his long-lost son.

- How's that? Maxwell doesn't have any kids.

?

- Yeah.

Sounds like bullshit to me, too.

?

- Uh, what did he mean by that?

- No idea.

But what kind of name is Badger, anyway?

Sounds made up.

?

- It's through here.

?

- Thanks for coming in.

- Sure. Whatever I can do to help.

?

- Uh, for the record...

?

...you were at Mr. Cornelius's masquerade party

on New Year's Eve? - Yes.

As were a lot of people.

- Well, they all had invites.

But you weren't on the list.

- I was invited by Mr. Cornelius directly.

- Good night? - Yeah, it was.

- Do you recall where you were at midnight?

- I believe I was on the balcony.

- You believe you were?

- Well, I didn't look at the clock or anything,

but I was on the balcony when the fireworks went off,

so that must have been midnight.

- You told D.S.S. Shepherd

that you'd only recently met Mr. Cornelius?

?

- I did.

?

Maxwell, I'm Frances Martin,

your second cousin, twice removed.

- Oh.

Well, well.

[Chuckles]

- Your cousin Frances, - Maxwell!

How wonderful.

Oh, you absolutely must stay.

?

- Indeed you must.

?

- That's when I met him.

- So, are you Mr. Cornelius's cousin or not?

- My mother died several months ago,

and I found a connection to Maxwell

when I was sorting through her paperwork.

- How did you know he was holding a masquerade party?

- I didn't.

But when Mr. Craddock asked me to stay,

I guess I was invited by default.

- And you just happened to have a costume?

- I got it from the hire place in town.

They have a great Renaissance section.

?

- Then the next morning, you got up and left.

- Well, after Maxwell died, it didn't feel right

for me to stay at the manor, so I got a room at the motel.

- It was my understanding that you were already leaving

before you found out he'd died.

- Well, yes, but I didn't want to be a burden,

so I thought I would slip away.

- And while you were slipping away,

you discovered Maxwell, deceased in the folly?

- Yes.

And now I'm here talking to you.

?

- Good morning. I'm D.S.S. Shepherd with-

- I know who you are, Mr. Shepherd.

And unless you have a warrant,

I'm afraid I can't show you inside.

- And you are?

- Arthur Goedler, K.C., retired.

As Maxwell's closest friend,

I've taken it upon myself to protect his legacy.

- I have no intention of disrespecting that legacy.

- Well, I find myself in the unenviable position

of being Maxwell's executor,

and all this confusion about his death is unsettling.

- Yeah, and I'm here to find out how he died.

- Well, then it's true he was murdered.

- Well, if you will allow me inside,

I'll tell you what I know.

?

We haven't confirmed Mr. Cornelius's

cause of death yet.

- But you have a pretty good idea, I'm sure.

- We have reason to believe that foul play may be involved.

- I see.

Any persons of interest?

- We're pursuing certain lines of inquiry.

- Like the spy rumors.

- That's one line of inquiry.

No matter how ridiculous it sounds.

- Well, I don't think it sounds ridiculous at all.

In fact, I'd say it was quite plausible.

- Do you know something that we don't?

?

- I suppose you want to see the will.

?

Maxwell updated his will two months ago.

?

- Who is Sam Parker?

- Your guess is as good as mine.

I asked, but Maxwell was very secretive about it.

- Did anyone else know about this?

- Mnh-mnh. Whoever Sam Parker is,

he or she is about to become exceedingly rich.

?

- Come on, Andy,

I'm leaving my fingers to do the walking here.

I'm looking for a Badger.

No, not a badger.

You don't have badgers in Aotearoa.

Someone called Badger.

Badger someone or someone Badger.

[Cellphone rings]

Uh, hang five. Another call.

I'm gonna ring you back.

Mike.

- We have a beneficiary for the will.

We need to locate a Sam Parker.

- Usual spelling?

- P-A-R-K-E-R, yeah. That's all I've got.

- Copy that.

?

- Andy, any guests under the name Parker?

?

Sam Parker?

- That depends who's asking.

- D.C. Chalmers, Brokenwood CIB.

- I don't like talking to cops.

- Technically speaking, I'm a detective.

- I know.

Bad suit gives it away.

?

Most people call me Badger.

It's from my boarding school days.

?

- Is it true you're the son of Maxwell Cornelius?

- Does it matter?

The old man's dead.

- Are you aware you're in his will?

?

- No.

- You're the sole beneficiary

of Mr. Cornelius' estate.

He's left you Whitecliff Manor and everything in it.

?

- This cigarette is Russian.

- Mm, I know.

- Where did you find it?

- Uh, at the crime scene.

Prints couldn't lift anything.

- I will send for the DNA.

That brand of cigarettes used to be very popular with the KGB.

- I, uh, don't think the KGB are operational anymore.

- Officially not.

But the KGB continues as the FSB,

and they are not to be trifled with.

If Russian spies are involved,

Mike, you must be very careful.

Trust me, I know.

?

- When you say you know, do you mean you know

or do you know?

?

- Let's just say, Mike,

there is a very good reason why I left the motherland.

?

- Mrs. Baker.

?

- It's not what it looks like.

- It looks like you're drinking wine.

- Okay, well, it is what it looks like,

but it's non-alcoholic.

- No, it isn't. - Alright.

With the stress of everything going on,

I figured I deserved a treat

to, you know, absorb the situation.

- Okay. Uh, all I wanted to know is,

do you have any footage from the masquerade ball?

- Oh, yes.

I haven't put it on my socials yet

because it seemed a bit inappropriate

under the circumstances.

- Five!

- So, was he?

- Was he what?

- A spy?

- I can neither confirm nor deny.

- Told you.

- Can you send this to me? - Of course.

[Gasps] Um, do you need it encrypted?

- It's fine as it is.

?

- Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!

[Cheering]

- It reminds me of the battle of the Somme.

We're going over the top, boys.

- So, Frances was there?

- The only people not on the balcony at midnight,

where Hattie Anderson, Artie Goedler,

Steve Fanshaw, and Badger, AKA Sam Parker.

- So, where were they?

- Let's pin these people down.

Uh, Gina advises that the Comrades brand of cigarette

is popular with the Russian secret service.

- So, we're back to spies again?

- Uh, we are. Because...

...it turns out that there was a lot of KGB activity

in New Zealand in the mid 1970s.

- Maxwell Cornelius would have been in his late 20s.

- A Wellington man,

William Such was charged with treason

under the Official Secrets Act.

The New Zealand government suspected

that he was acting as a spy for the KGB.

Mr. Goedler was evasive as to whether

Cornelius worked for the Secret Service or not.

- Meaning he could know more than he's letting on.

- We might actually have a dead spy in our midst.

- Well, whether his past life is relevant or not

remains to be seen.

But Gina is yet to confirm the exact cause of death.

- Uh, the birth certificate came through for Sam Parker.

His mother is confirmed as Mildred Hawkins.

- Why the different surnames?

- Uh, she married a James Hawkins,

but they divorced a year before he was born.

- She gave her maiden name to Badger,

but kept her married name?

Was she trying to conceal the relationship?

- Well, maybe, but she's on the birth certificate,

and the father's name is blank.

It seems more likely that she's trying to conceal that.

- To hide that Badger's father was Maxwell.

Did Badger confirm that he was Cornelius's son?

- Well, not exactly.

And he claims he didn't know he was in the will.

- Well, yeah, he would say that.

- If Badger did know that he was Maxwell's sole heir,

that's a strong motive.

- And he was smoking from a pack

of Comrades brand cigarettes today.

- As found at the crime scene.

Could Mildred have lied to Maxwell

in order for Badger to inherit the entire estate?

- And it's tempting, right?

Because despite Philip Cradock

having a delusional view of the world,

he was right about one thing-

a single Silverton recently sold for $1.73 million.

So, those two paintings at Whitecliff

must be worth stupid amounts of money.

?

Thanks.

I'm curious. Do you smoke?

- Absolutely not.

The only smoke around here is Philip.

- And Badger.

- What?

- Well, I understand Badger smokes,

and he comes and goes, right?

- Does he?

Well, more fool him.

But Philip is always sneaking off into the garden for a smoke.

- To the garden?

- Well, he's not allowed to smoke inside.

- How long has Mr. Craddock lived here at Whitecliff?

- Several years now.

- I noticed he has an unusual relationship to... reality.

- It's sad.

He used to be one of Maxwell's closest friends.

They met in the army in the 1960s.

But in recent years, he's, um...

- Developed cognitive issues?

- Some years ago, he came to visit.

Maxwell realized he was in decline.

So, he, uh, moved him into Whitecliff.

Maxwell was a good man to those he cared about.

- Will you just excuse me a moment?

?

- If someone had told me 30 years ago

you'd still be working as Maxwell's housekeeper,

I would have laughed.

- If you've got something to say, Hattie, just say it.

- I'm just surprised you never tried to get your hooks

into him, that's all.

- Not everyone is like you, Hattie.

Thank goodness.

- Well, at least I didn't raise a son without a father.

Badger deserves better.

- Save your sympathy.

Badger's going to be very well taken care of.

- What do you mean?

What have you made Maxwell do?

- He's done what any father would do for his son.

He's made sure that Badger will be provided for

when the time comes.

- I don't know what lies you've told Maxwell,

but we both know he's not Badger's father.

?

- Do we?

?

- Mr. Craddock.

What are you up to?

- Well, just keeping my eye on things, you know.

There are goons around.

- Um... you might want to...

- Oh!

- I can take that for you if you like.

- Oh. - Yep.

- Thank you.

- Comrades.

- What?

- I notice it's a Comrade cigarette.

- Oh, well, you take what you can get, you know.

Um, are you sure you're not Russian?

- No. - Oh, don't worry,

I'm not sure about a lot of things these days.

- [Chuckles] I mean, no, I'm not-

Mm.

Mr. Craddock, you were seen here on the balcony

at midnight on New Year's Eve.

- Was I? - Yes.

Someone was filming the festivities.

- Oh.

- Keeping their eye on things, were they?

- Can you recall where you were just prior to that?

- Could- Could- Could you give me a clue?

As I was saying, my old memory banks

are a lot slower than they used to be.

- Uh, were you inside or perhaps outside?

- No, the fireworks! Yes!

- They were wonderful.

They reminded me of the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor.

[Chuckles]

- Right.

Well, thank you. I will leave you to it.

?

Sorry about that.

- Bird watching, was he?

- [Chuckles] Yeah, in a manner of speaking.

Yes, he was. - He's harmless.

Bit of an old fool.

- Miss Hawkins, why didn't you tell us Badger is your son?

- No one asked.

- Well, sure,

but he's listed in Mr. Cornelius' will.

In fact, he's the sole beneficiary.

?

You already knew.

- It has nothing to do with Maxwell's death.

- Well, it does if it's a motive.

- Badger's not involved.

You're looking in the wrong direction.

?

- Thanks for coming in, Mr. Goedler.

- Not at all.

?

- Did you know that Badger was Mr. Cornelius son?

- The housekeeper's boy? What makes you say that?

?

Badger is Sam Parker?

I always knew the boy as Badger.

- But he grew up at Whitecliff.

- He was away at boarding school most of the time.

Maxwell was kind enough to foot the bill.

I always thought he was being too generous.

- Is there any way that Mr. Cornelius

could have been Badger's father?

- I don't see how it's possible.

Mildred was already pregnant

when she first arrived at Whitecliff.

- Okay, let's say he's not Mr. Cornelius' son.

Would that be enough to negate the will?

- Unfortunately not.

Maxwell's will is airtight.

If Badger really is Sam Parker, he'll inherit everything.

[Cellphone rings]

- Excuse me.

?

Gina. - Mike.

I figure out where the dog is buried.

- What dog? - No, Mike.

Where I come from, to dig up a dog is to find the truth.

Because by digging up the dog, you know it's actually dead.

- Uh, thanks. Uh, I'll be there shortly.

[Clears throat]

I have to ask- the spy thing.

- Look, you didn't hear this from me,

but I'm sure the statute of limitations has passed by now.

- Mr. Cornelius did work

for the New Zealand Intelligence Service?

- Briefly, after he left the army in 1972.

He was recruited by the SIS,

but he resigned in '74 after an incident.

- What kind of incident?

- A young woman died.

?

Maxwell felt responsible.

That's when he realized he wasn't cut out

for the espionage business.

?

- What time did you see Mr. Cornelius last?

- Um, maybe 11:00 or 11:30.

We got into an argument.

- About what?

- I don't like being lied to.

- Your mother is pleased you could make it back

for New Year's.

- Is she?

- I hope one day you two will be closer.

She, uh...

She did the best she could.

- Anyway, I didn't come back for her.

I came for your birthday.

It's a big one this year.

- The prospect of turning 80

has certainly put things into perspective for me.

- Yeah? Like what?

- Like you.

- Me?

Badger, my boy, you know I've always looked at you

like a son.

I've discussed this with Mildred,

and she agrees.

You need to know the truth.

- What truth?

- About your father.

- I know everything I need to know about that loser.

He took off before I was born.

End of story.

- The truth is a lot more complicated than that.

- Well, that's the only truth I've ever known.

?

And I prefer to keep it that way.

?

Checkmate.

?

- You left before he told you?

- Well, I wasn't ready to hear it,

but I found out anyway.

- I should have told you sooner.

- So, he is my father?

?

I tried to avoid him all night,

but after a few drinks,

I confronted him.

You can't be my father.

Mom was already pregnant when she arrived at Whitecliff.

- [Sighs] I'm sorry, Sam. I wanted to tell you myself.

Your mother had just left her husband

when she arrived all those years ago.

That's true.

But she wasn't pregnant.

- What, so you knocked her up

and decided it was better to lie to me about it

for my whole life?

- Let me explain. - Why?

So you can lie some more?

?

I despise you, old man.

?

- Where were you at midnight?

?

- I didn't feel like celebrating,

so I took off for a smoke.

- Where'd you go?

?

- To the car park.

I didn't want to see anyone.

- So, when Mr. Cornelius died, you were in the car park alone?

- Yeah.

?

- Comrades is a Russian brand.

- Oh, yeah?

Well, they taste like crap.

?

- Mike, I knew something is up.

I checked again and I found it.

The victim has a tiny prick.

At first, I thought it must be a mosquito bite.

But no, this is a needle mark.

- What did the toxicology report say?

- Oh.

- Curare.

- Poison? - Not exactly.

A strong muscle relaxant.

Once in the bloodstream,

all the muscles of your body begin to relax.

- Why would that be fatal?

- A small dose wouldn't.

But with the dose Mr. Cornelius received,

he could have died

in as little as 15 minutes. - How?

- His lungs, too relaxed,

would have stopped drawing breath.

He effectively suffocated to death.

And yet, most fascinating,

his heart would have continued to pump blood

for some minutes after.

- That explains why he was found in the kneeling position.

- Imagine in the last moments of your life,

your brain is still active,

but your body is a virtual slab of meat.

For a time, he was both dead and alive.

Quite a unique death, don't you think?

- Hmm.

- Mr. Cornelius's jugular was the injection site.

- Whatever introduced the drug into his body,

it was very small.

A needle, 25, maybe 27 gauge.

- Thanks, Jim. - Mike.

Curare- it feels like the work of the KGB.

- We're looking into that. - Of course.

- But these are serious people.

You must keep your eyes open on the back of your head.

- I'll do my best with that.

?

- Good morning.

- Yes- - No!

Yours is over there.

- You're the best.

- Mr. Cornelius died of asphyxia.

It was caused by a concentrated dose of curare.

It's extracted from the Chondrodendron tomentosum vine,

which is only known to grow in Central and South America.

- Where Hattie Anderson just returned from.

- It may have taken as little as 15 minutes

for Mr. Cornelius' system to shut down.

- Well, that means the curare would have been administered

at approximately 11:45 p.m.

for his heart to stop at midnight.

- Of note, the offender used a blow dart

to administer the poison,

likely projected from a simple tube such as this.

- Very covert. - Yeah.

Mr. Goedler confirmed

that Mr. Cornelius worked for the SIS up until 1974.

- Was he suggesting our victim was involved

in all that KGB activity?

?

- I figured it out.

- What's that?

- You're with the resistance, aren't you?

Did they parachute you in?

- I'm a detective trying to understand

who might have killed your friend, Maxwell Cornelius.

- Mm.

Um... mint?

- Oh, no. Thank you.

- Have you found him yet?

- How would you feel if Maxwell didn't fake his death?

- You mean if he's actually dead?

Maxwell was a dear friend,

but he made mistakes in his life.

Everyone does, you know.

Maybe one of those mistakes led to his death.

- Any mistake in particular?

- I did see something strange the night before the party.

- [Gasps]

Mr. Craddock, you scared me.

?

- Lovely, aren't they?

They were painted in 1904.

- Yes, well, I was just getting a glass of water.

I must get back to bed.

?

- Pretty strange, don't you think?

- That she didn't have a glass?

- Very good.

Detective, indeed.

- Do you think she did something to the painting?

- I think it's worse than that.

See, I have it on good authority that she works for Stalin.

- Well, I think that's very unlikely,

because Stalin's been dead for over 70 years.

- The Cold War is not over yet.

?

- Come in. - Thank you.

?

Was Maxwell Cornelius really Badger's father?

- I had only been working for him a few weeks

when it happened.

It was a mistake.

- You fell pregnant?

- I'd just left my husband.

It was an abusive marriage,

and I'd finally found the courage to leave.

So, I wasn't looking for another relationship.

Besides, Maxwell was already engaged.

- To Hattie?

- It was just easier to pretend I was already pregnant.

For his part, Maxwell promised to always be there for Badger,

financially at least.

- Mm. Well, those Silvertons alone

must be worth as much as Whitecliff itself.

- Maxwell may not always have procured his artwork

in the most honest of ways,

but he was a good man.

- What do you mean by that?

?

- That's a Robert Knowles, worth about $350,000.

And as far as anyone knows,

it currently resides in a small gallery

in the south of France.

?

- Are you suggesting it's stolen?

- Or perhaps displaced.

?

It's easier to show you.

?

This way.

?

This was the piece Max was working on before he died.

- He was an artist in his own right?

- You could say that.

Oh, that one's coming along nicely.

- Getting there, Millie.

I believe I've finally perfected the Knowles quirk,

a curious, ever-so-delicate little flick

at the end of each brushstroke. - Oh.

?

- Maxwell was a forger?

- I understood him to be a conservationist.

Maxwell was an incredible artist,

but he sometimes appraised pieces

that were not respected by the legal owners.

- He'd create a replica and then swap them out?

- Some might see him as protecting our artistic heritage

by ensuring that certain pieces were kept

in the hands of someone who could appreciate

and protect them.

- His own hands.

- I'm sure his intentions were good.

- Mm, and I'm sure it's still theft.

Why are you telling me this?

- I want you to catch his killer.

- The way I see it, you were complicit in his forgery.

- How could that be?

I'm just the housekeeper.

?

- Thanks for taking the time.

- I can think of better places to be.

- I'm sure.

You didn't say what work you did for Mr. Cornelius.

- I renovated the roof of his shed.

Alright.

Two days labor, plus supplies.

Let's call it $3,800. - Very well.

- Bit of an artist, aren't you?

- As I recall, my paintings were carefully covered

with drop cloths.

- Yeah, well, I had a look.

Seems you replicated some pretty well-known New Zealand artists.

I figured it might be worth double,

keep your little secret.

Why don't we call it an even $6K?

?

- Given you proposed this little job was under the table,

a cashy, as you called it,

I'm sure it wasn't the first.

No doubt the Inland Revenue

would be very interested in that.

?

- He didn't pay you.

- Left me no choice but to take matters into my own hands.

- That's why you attended the party.

- It was a masquerade ball.

I could get in, get out,

without anyone even realizing I was there.

- So you could kill him.

- [Scoffs] For 3,800 bucks?

No, but the guy had a lot of expensive artwork.

- So you entered the parlor

with the intention of stealing property?

- Becky, it is lovely to see you.

- Et tu, Morgana.

I've got some burning questions I'm hoping you can help with.

- Of course. Let me see.

- I see you're very in touch with the land.

You feel truly connected to the garden.

- I do.

I even have a greenhouse out back.

- How delightful!

I see a wedding on your horizon.

- Oh, my goodness!

Are you sure?

After Mr. Baker died, I really thought it was over for me.

?

- I figured if I took something of equal value,

it'd kind of negate the debt.

After that, I didn't see anyone.

Just some couple racing off towards the garden.

Then I went home. - What'd they look like?

- Guy was in a white military jacket,

and the woman was in a turquoise dress.

- What time was that?

- It must have been close to midnight

because I saw the fireworks go off

as I was driving away.

You may want to check with Beaver, though.

He saw them, too.

- Badger? - That's the one.

He pretty much crossed paths with them,

going in the other direction.

- He was leaving the garden?

Thanks.

- It's been an absolute pleasure.

- And we're gonna need that artifact back, by the way.

?

- Take a seat.

?

- I believe I speak for both of us.

We have nothing more to say without a lawyer.

- If you're looking at myself and Artie for this,

you're completely off track.

- Noted. I just have one question.

Why don't you both lie about your whereabouts at midnight?

- What makes you think we lied?

- We have a witness who saw you entering the garden

at approximately 11:45 p.m.

?

Do you deny it?

- I've seen enough innocent people get caught out

just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I thought it best to distance ourselves from the crime scene.

- He was protecting me.

- We were in the garden at midnight.

- But not to murder Maxwell.

?

- Happy New Year!

?

- It's- It's hard sometimes,

but we can barely keep our hands off each other.

- Hattie and I are devastated that Maxwell lost his life.

- But we had nothing to do with his death.

?

- You said you were in the car park at midnight,

but you failed to mention that you were in the garden

around 11:45 p.m.

- I knew it would look bad.

Uh, I was on the balcony,

cooling off after my fight with Max.

I saw Philip head inside and leave his smokes behind.

?

- You went to the folly.

?

Did you see Maxwell?

- No.

?

- How long were you there?

- Long enough to finish the cigarette.

?

I decided to head back to the motel.

New Year's sucks if you don't have anyone

you actually want to spend it with.

- Was anyone else at the folly?

?

- No, I didn't see anyone.

?

- Okay. Got it. Thanks, Chalmers.

?

Ms. Martin.

Uh, quick word?

?

That's a large suitcase for such a short stay.

- I have a lot of clothes.

- You're not really Mr. Cornelius' cousin, are you?

- [Sighs] After my mother died,

I did find a connection to him in her paperwork.

But not as a relative.

?

- He appraised the family portraits, didn't he?

The Silvertons.

- Not long after my mother's death, I received a letter

suggesting that I should have the paintings reappraised.

- Who was the letter from?

- It was anonymous.

- Uh, do you still have it?

?

I need to hold on to this for a while.

- Why?

- Uh, a line of inquiry.

And that's when you discovered they were forgeries?

?

- Maxwell Cornelius stole my family's heritage.

- Mm.

?

- May I?

?

These would be the originals. - Yes.

So, I didn't steal them. They're rightfully mine.

- We can talk more down at the station.

?

You removed the paintings the night before New Year's Eve.

- I only needed a few minutes.

?

Ooh!

Mr. Craddock, you scared me.

- Lovely, aren't they?

They were painted in 1904.

- Yes, well, um, I was just getting a glass of water,

so I must get back to bed.

?

Those paintings are rightfully mine.

- When was the last time you spoke to Mr. Cornelius?

- It must have been about 11:15 p.m.

?

You're very lucky to have those paintings, Maxwell.

I'm sure they're worth a fortune.

- I've certainly made some lucrative deals

in my time, Frances.

?

- And you didn't see him again after that?

- I mean, I saw him again, but I didn't speak to him.

- When was that? - Right after my palm reading.

About 11:30. - Was he with anyone?

- Yes. He was talking to his friend.

The one that invited me to stay, Philip Craddock.

?

- It's a matter of life or death.

?

- Thank you for coming in, Ms. Martin.

As soon as we can confirm

that you are the rightful owner of the Silvertons,

they will be returned to you.

?

Mr. Craddock.

Uh, thanks for coming in at such late notice.

- Of course, my dear fellow. Anything to help.

- [Exhales sharply]

Uh, do you recognize this note?

- I can't say. I, uh...

Should I?

The old memory banks are not what they used to be.

- You gave it to Mr. Cornelius on the night of the party.

- It's a matter of life or death.

?

- Oh, yes, I did. I did, yes. I wanted Max's help.

They were Ruskies everywhere that night.

- Or you gave him the note to lure him into the garden.

- My dear man, why would I do that?

- Because that's where you planned to kill him.

- [Scoffs] Kill him?

But Maxwell is my- my closest friend.

- That may have been true once.

You've been planning this for a long time,

haven't you, Mr. Craddock?

And as it turns out,

the rumors of Mr. Cornelius being a spy

were grounded in truth.

- What a fantastical tale, D.S.S. Shepherd.

Now, please go on. I'm enthralled.

- There was a lot of intelligence activity

in New Zealand in the 1970s.

Russian intelligence.

- Well, we were in the middle of the Cold War.

There were spies everywhere,

Reds under the beds and all that, you know.

- Yeah, but Maxwell left the SIS in 1974

after an incident.

?

It was a young Russian woman who died, wasn't it?

?

She was found in an alleyway in Wellington

a couple of months after a New Zealand intelligence agent

was arrested for selling secrets to the KGB.

?

All she had on her was a fake passport.

?

And a pack of Russian cigarettes.

?

- ? ...to dance with you is all I wanna do ?

? And I know that's no good ?

? I'll just miss you like I should ?

? I want to take your hand ?

? And dance just like we did the night that we... ?

- As it happens, you smoke this brand.

?

- They taste like rubbish, but...

they were her favorites.

?

- You can't smoke in here, Mr. Craddock.

?

- Her name was Tatiana.

?

Both Max and I were recruited into the SIS in 1972.

They wanted him to infiltrate the international art community,

but all they managed to teach him was

how to master the art of forgery...

and how to kill.

?

We were both there that night.

I had arranged to meet Tatiana.

Max got there first.

?

[Silenced gunshot]

?

Initially, Tatiana was just my contact.

But she was smart as a whip and as funny as hell.

- You fell for her.

?

- Didn't mean to. Lines got blurred.

- Did Maxwell know?

- He may have suspected.

After she died, he left the force

and we never spoke of it again.

?

Tatiana was dead.

?

- And you wanted revenge.

- Mm.

?

People say that revenge is a dish best served cold.

?

Is 52 years cold enough?

?

[Chuckles]

Anyway, plenty of time to plan, at least.

- Why all the subterfuge, Philip?

[Chuckles] What's going on?

- I have to show you something, Max.

It's a matter of life or death.

- Alright, my friend. But make it quick.

I need to be back before midnight.

I can't miss my own party.

?

Ah, it's a beautiful night.

- It is.

It reminds me of Tatiana Krylov.

The stars were bright that night, too.

Do you remember, Max?

?

- What is it you wanted to tell me?

We don't have much time.

- Why, time is like a book, Max.

When we first start, we think we have so much left to read.

And then one morning, we wake up and we're on the last chapter.

I can see the end of the book now, Max,

but I have one or two things to tidy up

before the epilogue.

- We have a few chapters left, my friend.

?

[Tube whistles]

What the hell was that?

- I loved you like a brother once, Max.

But I loved Tatiana more.

- That was a lifetime ago.

?

What have you done?

- You shouldn't have killed her.

- I had no choice. It was an order.

Oh, God.

?

- He was your closest friend.

- You get used to it.

I always liked using curare.

It's very difficult to detect.

- Yet you left the dart behind.

- Ah, well, these are not working as well as they used to.

It's bit like the old memory banks.

Neither are these.

And it was dark.

?

Goodbye, old friend.

?

See you in hell.

?

- And then by midnight, you were back on the balcony.

- Oh, it reminds me of the battle of the Somme.

We're going over the top, boys.

- Quite the crazy old man.

- I've had many personas over the years.

I saved the best for last.

- Where did you get the curare?

- Oh, that information is above your pay grade, D.S. Shepherd.

- Fair enough.

You've got nothing to lose now.

- This old spy still has one or two tricks up his sleeves.

?

Standard issue, part of the kit.

I kept it for a rainy day.

?

Because I always knew the road might end here.

I made my peace with that a long time ago.

- And why did you try and frame Frances Martin?

- I received a letter suggesting

that I should have the paintings reappraised.

- Who was the letter from? - It was anonymous.

- Your cousin Frances, Maxwell!

Oh, you absolutely must stay.

Old habits.

- The writing in her letter

matches the writing on Maxwell's note.

- You win some, you lose some.

?

- Philip Craddock, you will be charged

with the murder of Maxwell Cornelius.

- Of course.

?

- Mr. Craddock, we will need your personal effects.

- Of course. I know the drill.

I must say, detective, it's been a pleasure working with you.

I think you're probably wasted in this rather small town.

?

- Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Craddock.

?

- Blue one.

My favorite.

?

- Oh, after that, it's my round at the Croc.

- You know, I'll find out eventually.

- Huh? - Who you spent New Year's with.

- You will never, ever.

?

The blue ones.

?

No.

?

- Sims.

- ? And the stars make their way ?

? Across the night like soldiers ?

- Mr. Craddock?

- ? Warriors who bring light ?

? To those who sleep in darkness ?

? Ooh, ooh ?

- I'll call the medics.

?

- Cyanide pill.

?

I guess he preferred to go out on his own terms.

- I live by the sword, die by the sword?

- Yeah. Spies are a different breed.

- Mm.

- [Clears throat]

- Oh, God. - The usual?

- Thanks, Trudy. - Just a water for me, thanks.

Hello, Daniel.

It's lovely to see you outside of work hours.

- Thanks. - You're like dog in heat.

Why don't you just ask him out?

- Why are we here again?

- Uh, message from Gina.

Something about toasting New Year's 48 hours after.

Some Russian tradition.

- Oh, my God, not again.

- Don't go too hard, will you, princess?

- [Speaks Russian]

To celebrate the new year,

I have made a traditional Russian delicacy.

Kholodets.

Delicious with crackers.

- Gina, what will you have?

- Vodka. Neat.

Unlike Kristin, I can hold my liquor.

- Wait, what?

- Kristin hasn't told you?

We spent New Year's Eve together,

but only one of us made it to midnight.

The other hardly made it past 9:00.

Na zdorovye. - Na zdorovye.

?

- Again.

?

Pathetic.

?

- Really?

- No one should be alone on New Year's Eve.

- Very generous of you, Gina.

- I dare either of you to keep up with her.

She could drink an elephant under the table.

- [Gasps] You're too kind.

- What is this? Kholodets?

- Yes. Please help yourself. - Yum!

- Cheers, Daniel.

- Has anyone ever told you you have lovely eyes?

- Uh, so what exactly is kholodets?

- I thought you'd never ask.

First, you have to boil a pig's head and a rooster

to extract the fat for the jelly...

?

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