Original subtitles

(rain splattering) (thunder rumbling)

(soft classical music) (water dripping)

(laboured breathing)

(gravel crunching under car outside)

- The district nurse is with him now

and the doctor's on his way.

- I'm sorry.

He's gone.

- I know he's gone.

And we all know who killed him.

(birds squawking) (pensive orchestra music)

- Troy?

- Could I have a red one, please, sir?

- I've unwrapped this one now.

- So how old's this Melissa Townsend then?

- 22 - Bit young, isn't it?

- Her father wanted her to get used to the responsibilities

of property ownership early on.

Seems she didn't do much in the way of maintenance.

- She passed the first landlord's exam then.

- Troy!

(squealing)

- What the hell do you think you're doing?

You might not mind writing off that heap of junk

but mine's just out of the showroom.

- I'm Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby,

this is Detective Sergeant Troy.

- I thought you chaps were supposed to know how to drive.

- And your name is?

- Frederick Bentine-Brown.

And I'd like to know where to write my letter of complaint.

- You have every right to do so of course.

And we have grounds, thank you,

for charging you with reckless driving.

But we're a bit busy at the moment, sir,

so why don't you just climb back into your motor car

and continue with a little more care.

- And let us get on with our investigations.

- Wouldn't want to keep you from your crime-busting.

Somebody stolen a lawn mower, have they?

- Troy, if you're going to drive innocent members

of the public off the road, try not to pick on

influential multi-millionaires, will you?

(upbeat orchestra music)

(birds chirping)

- [Troy] If Neil dies before the roof is fixed

you'll follow him close behind.

- Those two were sent before old Neil croaked.

The, no-better-than-an-animal, one arrived this morning.

- Good for nothing animals get put down.

- Melissa.

She drives me to distraction.

- Well the whole thing's absurd.

The tiny peppercorn rent he was paying.

How anyone expects me to spend thousands on a new roof.

Ridiculous.

It's not as if I have any money.

- My daughter's allowance is perfectly adequate.

I believe the young should learn the value of money.

- And that's bull-shit-ese for,

I'm a complete and utter tight-wad.

- Refuses to take anything seriously.

If her friend Sally hadn't told me about all of this,

I would never have known.

- Ah yes, the meddler.

- Sally, who is that?

- Rickworth, she was at the cottage when Neil Laxton died.

- The only reason my father hasn't made a pass at her

is he's currently besotted with a Tuscan peasant girl

who can't speak a word of English.

It's why they get on so well.

- Sally's the district nurse and a lovely person,

father's a vicar.

Quite what she sees in my daughter.

- You like them young and innocent, don't you, Daddy?

Daughter substitutes.

He's never been too keen on this one.

(upbeat orchestra music) (birds chirping)

- You'll never credit it.

They're putting a tarpaulin on Neil's roof.

I don't think that girl could be more offensive

if she tried.

- Oh.

- Well thank you, sir.

- Thank you Mr Townsend,

we'll keep you informed of any progress.

Thank you.

- Bit frosty in there.

- Distinctly.

- She doesn't seem too bothered.

I think I'd be getting the security guards in by now.

(phone ringing)

- Hello?

- Hello Joycie.

I'm just off to visit the, er, the Balcombes.

Wasn't there something you wanted me to pick up?

- Yes, the recipe.

- Oh yeah, uh, what recipe was that?

- It was that apple jelly you liked so much,

from the W.I. stand.

- Oh right.

Well I'll talk to her about it, bye.

- You know them?

- Yeah, Cherrie's a legendary jam maker

and Hugo's an ex-botanist.

He was a great explorer in his time.

They're both bats of course but she does do a very good tea.

(car engine starting)

- Melissa knew about Neil's chest infection,

we told her time and time again, didn't we Hugo?

- Endlessly and she knew that the damp conditions

were making it worse.

- Charlie, here you are, come on.

- And how did Joan Farley take it, Neil's death?

- Joan would never send threatening notes.

She's a member of the Women's Institute.

- I'm very flattered you asked.

- Of course any wife of mine would have to give up her job.

- Freddie.

- No, no, no, no, no, it's non- negotiable.

- I like my job, it's who I am.

- Well, certainly keep the uniform.

In fact I insist upon it.

Ah, Melissa.

Try and talk some sense into the girl, would you?

Sorry can't stay.

Have to be in Geneva for supper.

- He just won't listen.

- It is multi millions, you do know that?

- I don't love him.

- You're priceless.

Divorce him after a year or two.

You'd clean up.

- What did the police say?

- They think I should take the threats seriously.

- Well you should.

It might help if you looked just a little upset.

- But I've got vacant possession.

- Melissa.

- It was a joke.

God, you can be so provincial sometimes.

- I've been thinking, I'm not sure it's a good idea

you coming to the tennis do this evening.

Joan's going to be on the bar.

It's probably too provincial for you anyway.

(distant bells ringing)

- Fine.

- Melissa?

- Now just remember, one tablet in the morning

and another half in the evening.

Oh no, there'll be nothing to pay, Albert.

Just you concentrate on getting old Kezzie back on her feet.

Bye bye.

(car engine starting) (pensive orchestra music)

(animals whimpering)

(glass shattering)

(fun upbeat music)

- It's the open air life, you see.

Gives you an appetite.

And I'm not just talking about bacon and eggs,

if you get my drift.

- Yes, yes I think I do.

Would you excuse me.

- No, her backhand has seriously improved.

B team material at least.

- And this isn't just because you want to keep her away

from her husband on the away fixtures?

- We'll talk later.

- We're not going yet.

(sighing)

Thank you for making an effort as usual.

- I don't think I can take much more of the pig-farmer.

- Derek?

- Mmm, the one with shoes like Cornish pasties.

- Georgina, I'm Club Secretary,

will you please keep your voice down?

- Why do you have to be a member any way?

You've got a tennis court of your own.

- You going to be okay for tennis tomorrow?

At Melissa's?

- I've changed my mind, I'm not going.

- Do I detect a slight falling out?

- Are you sure about Georgina Canning?

Every time I try and talk to her she walks off.

- That's how you know you're in with a chance, Derek.

She likes to be pursued.

- You stirring again?

- Who me?

(people laughing)

- Nothing's wrong.

Everything's just perfect.

- Well if you want to talk, I'm always around.

- You're such a sweet man, Raif.

- I'd wondered where you'd gotten to.

Can't have you standing here all alone.

- Well, I wouldn't want to hog you.

- Oh very good. (chuckling)

Hog, pig farming.

Doesn't want to hog me!

(laughing)

I like a girl who can make me chuckle.

Same again?

- An interesting surprise.

- How's it looking?

- A bit of sport to be had.

Our sweet little meddler's a touch under the weather.

- Oh God.

Red wine.

(gasping)

Get it laundered.

Adam, may I have the use of your jacket, please?

- You've just missed all the fun.

Melissa turned up.

- Melissa?

- Quite a floor show.

She just left.

- Melissa!

(car engine starting) (pensive orchestra music)

(upbeat music on radio)

(snoring) (tyres screeching)

(eerie orchestra music)

(pensive orchestra music)

- Good night, was it?

- Well it must've been about half past 11:00.

I was absolutely sparko at the time,

didn't really register what it was.

I mean look what they've done.

- You might want to have a word with Sally Rickworth.

(phone ringing)

- Sir.

There's been a break in at the vet's at Malham.

A load of barbiturates and syringes.

Good for nothing animals get put down.

If Neil dies before the roof is fixed,

you'll follow him close behind.

What do you think, sir?

Not particularly educated?

- Or someone trying to give us that impression.

- Sweet?

- Thank you.

Ah, what's this?

What's happened here?

- It seems Sally Rickworth knocked our car

on her way back last night.

- Melissa's friend?

- A bit sloshed, I think.

- Sir?

- I hope you've got a good garage.

- The nice young girl who's too good for Melissa.

- So it seems.

(breathalyser beeping)

- Sorry, the test is positive, I'm afraid.

We're going to have to take you down the station.

(pensive orchestra music)

- Drunk driving.

Drove into the Balcombes' car last night.

Oh yes, still over the limit this morning.

(phone beeping)

- You'll never guess what?

The vicar's daughter's been done for drunk driving.

- You've worked wonders.

She was like a sack of spuds before she came to you.

- I don't think she was quite that bad.

- She was, a total transformation.

- You're very sweet, your Lordship.

- John, it's John.

That's quite sufficient.

- Actually I was wondering, we're having drinks on Thursday.

It's rather late notice

but Freddie Bentine-Brown will be coming.

Adam, do you know Lord and Lady Hislop?

This is Adam Keyne.

- How d'you do.

Have you heard about Sally Rickworth?

She's been done for drunk-driving.

Ploughed into the Balcombes' Saab last night, failed to stop.

She'll lose her job.

Well if she can't drive, district nurse.

- My God, that's awful.

- Well I think drink-driving is unforgivable.

- Oh, yes, yes, no.

When I said, I, I meant.

- Well, must get on.

- I locked up, at about 7:00

yesterday evening after surgery.

Discovered this just before eight this morning.

- If those drugs were given to humans, would they be fatal?

- Oh yes, Pentobarbitone.

We use it for large livestock, cattle, horses.

- Nothing else taken?

- Apart from the syringes, no.

You think there's any connection with the threatening notes?

Oh, it's common knowledge in the village,

good for nothing animals get put down, et cetera.

- Do you know how it became common knowledge?

- Melissa must have showed them to Adam,

Adam made a joke of it at the tennis club.

From there it's one breath away from the Post Office queue.

I mean you might as well take a megaphone

onto the High Street.

- Adam, who's that then?

- Oh, em, Adam Keyne, club captain.

- And they're good friends, are they, Adam and Melissa?

- Yes.

- You seem uncertain.

- Oh no, they're friends, two of a kind.

Anyway, I tried to phone Melissa this morning to warn her,

but there was no reply.

- Look, I'd appreciate it if you kept the, uh,

the details of this break-in to yourself

for the moment please.

Adam and Melissa, you said they were two of a kind.

What kind would that be?

- Well, I suppose you might say they both have a habit of

sailing rather close to the wind, in their personal lives.

(knocking)

(dogs barking)

- That's enough, that'll do.

That's enough, that's enough.

It's coppers, see.

Got a taste for 'em.

(dog growling)

- Morning everybody, now if you would just bear with me,

I've got to have a chat with these two gentlemen.

Thank you.

Hello, you soppy old thing.

Would you like to come with me?

- Found what looks like a fresh footprint.

It's quite small, distinct tread, looks like wellies.

I'd guess quite new.

- A woman's or a child's perhaps.

- It could be Peggy, our gardener's.

- Well, we'll need a print of it, get forensics on to it.

And we'll need to see your gardener's boots of course

if you could arrange that please, it's just for elimination.

- I'll talk to her.

One other thing.

You may have already heard about it.

The incident at the Tennis Club party last night.

- Yeah.

- It may not be related but Joan Farley.

She's clearly distraught with grief.

She may be capable of doing something she'll regret.

- Questo piazza e la piu bella d'italia.

Questo piazza e la piu bella d'italia.

(phone ringing)

- Hello?

- Mr. Townsend, it's Tom Barnaby.

Is your daughter there please?

- Ah, just a second.

Melissa?

Melissa?

No, she doesn't seem to be.

- [Barnaby] Have you seen her this morning?

- Yes, about half an hour ago.

- I need to speak to her urgently please.

Could you get her to give me a ring as soon as she gets in?

- Yes, of course.

(pensive orchestra music)

- Yes, I threw wine at her.

The bitch deserved it.

- If this is a bad time for you, Mrs. Farley we could, ah.

- Clive don't mind if you don't.

He's not proud.

Are you Clive?

(cat whining)

He's a diabetic, I give him his insulin.

Is this about those threatening letters?

- Yesterday evening, Mrs. Farley.

What time did you arrive at the Tennis Club?

- 7:30, Tom Grover picked me up.

Dropped Helen off, that's his daughter,

she kept an eye on Clive for the evening

and we went straight over.

- Who is Tom Grover?

- Landlord of the Horse Shoes,

he helped set the bar up for the evening.

- And what time did you leave?

- When it all wound up, 1:30.

Why you asking?

- And he brought you back again, did he, Mr. Grover.

- Yes we came back straight back.

Dropped me off and picked Helen up.

- Mrs. Farley, I notice that you have cats.

Do you ever use the vet's surgery, Raif Canning?

- Haven't been there for years.

What's that got to do with anything?

- Mrs. Farley, do you have any Wellington boots here?

- Worn flat, sir.

- Thanks for your time.

There's just one thing, I'm sure you realise it anyway.

But if someone does murder Melissa Townsend, or tries to,

they'll be spending the rest of their days in prison.

We'll make sure of it.

- I wouldn't do a thing like that.

Ah, Clive's weekly visit.

- So that's two people who know how to use a syringe

and who know Melissa.

Joan Farley isn't exactly her biggest fan.

- But why would someone who's planning a murder

so clinically, the notes, the drugs,

why would they show such open aggression towards Melissa?

And so publicly?

- Maybe she can't help herself.

- Siamo arrivato a Venezia.

Siamo arrivato, no that's wrong, come on.

Siamo arrivati a Venezia.

La Ragazza e bello.

La bella ragazza.

La famiglia e feliche.

La famiglia e feliche.

Siamo arrivati a Venezia.

Siamo arrivati a Venezia.

La ragazza e bella.

(eerie orchestra music) (birds chirping)

(gasping) (muffled screaming)

Alore genaro la mezzo journry.

- Daddy!

(sombre orchestra music)

- Are you angry with me?

- Why would I be angry with you?

- Because I didn't go round to Neil's sooner?

- It's not your fault.

There's only one person whose fault it is.

- What time did you speak to her?

- Oh, I don't know, 10:00, she was fine.

- Archie said she'd just popped out.

Being late isn't exactly unusual for Melissa.

- I saw Georgina was getting on well with Derek last night.

- Pardon?

- Don't listen to him.

- It was a bit odd now you come to mention it.

Derek actually propositioned Georgina.

- You'll have to watch her, Raif.

- Adam.

- They'll have you round to one of those parties

before you can say car keys in the middle.

What the hell?

(pensive orchestra music)

She's dead.

(siren blaring) (sombre orchestra music)

- It looks like the contents were injected into the liver.

There's no other obvious cause.

- Time of death?

- At this stage, provisionally I'd say an hour

either side of 11:00.

- There's no sign of the father, sir.

Got the ones who found her back at the cars.

- We should've prevented this.

- Raif Canning, the vet, is one of them.

Sir.

- Mr. Townsend, I know you won't feel up to talking,

but when we were with you last, you gave the impression

that your daughter may have had a few enemies.

- There are a lot of people who'll say that

she left the world a worse place than when she came into it.

But she was my daughter.

My daughter.

- Melissa!

Melissa!

(tense orchestra music)

Melissa, Melissa!

- I'm sorry, love, you can't.

It's procedure, I'm sorry.

Why don't we take you inside?

(crying)

- Quite a performance.

- Give it a rest, Adam.

- She's devastated, on top of everything else,

the drink driving, losing her licence, her job.

And now this.

I just couldn't leave her in her house on her own.

- I think I'll put her in the guest room.

- Dead?

- [Barnaby] At her home, she has been murdered.

- How?

- It looks as if she may have been injected with something.

- We need to establish everyone's movements.

Can you tell us where you've been since we saw you earlier?

- Um, Clive's sister came over, after the nurse had gone.

I went to Neil's cottage, been doing some packing up.

Then I went to the Church Hall, about 12:00.

- About quarter past.

I noticed because she's normally right on time.

Joan enjoys the flower arranging.

Do you have a time for when Melissa was.

- Time of death was between 10:00 a.m. and midday.

What sort of mood was Mrs. Farley in when she got here,

would you say?

- Well she was a bit anxious, I suppose.

- Putting it mildly.

Well we all heard what she said, Cherrie.

- Joan blames Melissa for Neil's death.

We all know that and we have done for some time.

I can't believe that you imagine Joan's capable of murder.

It's a ridiculous concept.

- And there are one or two others would've

been tempted as well.

- Well now that is true.

Melissa had a reputation for breaking up marriages.

- Any names that you can give us?

- Two couples left the village last year,

neither marriage survived.

Then well, this year it was.

- You could try Liz Keyne.

Her husband has spent an unhealthy

amount of time with Melissa.

- Adam Keyne?

- Wouldn't trust him as far as I could spit.

My God, love is blind.

- Not so blind these days, I think.

- [Gwen] Love can be a curse as well as a blessing.

- Oh true, very true.

- And you could try Sally Rickworth's.

- I thought Sally and Melissa were friends?

- Melissa had an affair with Sally's husband,

now ex-husband, Mark.

- Mark Rickworth, who's he?

- A property developer, lives in Causton.

- And Sally and Melissa fell out recently.

Wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't something to do

with Sally's new millionaire boyfriend.

- And what millionaire boyfriend would that be?

- Raif, um, I've invited Lord and Lady Hislop round

for drinks on Thursday together with a couple of

other people from the Midsomer Horse Society,

Freddie Bentine-Brown, Julia.

- Fine.

- I was wondering, do you think Sally will

still be here by then?

- [Raif] Well if she is she can join us.

- [Georgina] I'm not sure she'd really enjoy it,

though, would she?

- [Raif] You are such a snob.

- [Georgina] I don't know what you mean.

- Is Sally the wrong type to be associated with

in front of the Hislops?

- [Georgina] I'm just not sure she'd be comfortable.

That's all.

- [Raif] The thing is, Freddie Bentine-Brown has been

trying to persuade Sally to marry him.

- [Georgina] What?

- [Raif] As far as I'm concerned she's far too good for him.

(sombre orchestra music) (birds chirping)

- What's wrong?

(sighing)

Do you know something about Melissa's death?

(doorbell ringing) (knocking on door)

- [Debt-Collector] Mr. Keyne?

Open the door Mr. Keyne.

Come along sir, we know you're home.

- It's the collection agency.

- [Debt-Collector] Come on Mr. Keyne, open the door.

Next time we'll be with the bailiffs.

This is your last chance.

- It's not just the debts that are worrying you.

- Most women discover someone's been banging their old man

it'd be like cats and dogs.

Never speak again.

But Melissa and Sally were friends?

- Human nature is a curious thing, Troy.

- Not that curious, surely?

I mean the way she was at the murder scene?

I wonder whether maybe they liked their bread

buttered both sides, so to speak.

- But then she has a boyfriend

and there's talk of her re-marrying.

- Yeah but no-body's going to marry Bentine-Brown

for love, are they?

Or lust.

The only way a sub-species like that is gonna get a stunner

like Sally is when he's got a few million in the bank.

(doorbell ringing)

- Sally, the police are here to talk to you.

- I was looking for the ball that'd gone

and there she was, none of us had noticed.

- She's gone.

- Didn't want to be any trouble.

Oh, she must've overheard us.

- Overheard what?

- My wife didn't want Sally to be here

when Lord and Lady Hislop came for drinks.

- That is not true.

- Oh I think it is.

Georgina is so desperate to get onto the committee

of the Midsomer Horse Society, has been for years,

she's worried the honorables might think

she wasn't quite the right type.

- Oh right.

Well we'll try her place.

And, incidentally, do either of you know why Sally

and Melissa fell out recently?

- Well, no, not really.

- Mrs. Canning?

- Oh you don't have any interest in my friends

from the tennis club, do you?

- That's not true either.

- Well why is it every time we go to a party you spend

the entire evening asking me when we're going to leave?

- Actually on this occasion my husband's absolutely right.

I have no idea why Sally and Melissa fell out

and I'd prefer to keep it that way.

- What about the car?

- It's already sold.

When the client's get back from Hong Kong, that goes too.

- We can always start again.

There's my savings account.

- It's all gone.

- Not all of it?

- Yes, all your dear old granny's money.

Now do you understand?

(sighing)

There is a way out.

- How did it go today?

- Oh, we're not actually going to eat those are we?

- Medlar jelly, it's Cherrie's recipe.

You have to let the fruit go rotten before you eat it.

- You've got to be kidding?

- It's in the book, I checked.

(eerie orchestra music)

(saw rubbing)

- Medlar jelly, Medlar.

- What is it?

- Someone described their friend as the meddler.

I wonder if she meant one who meddles or the fruit.

- There are quite a few trees over Malham way,

in the bigger gardens.

Quite popular locally.

- Medlars, spread on straw, ripen by their own corruption.

- I didn't want to cramp Georgina's style.

I thought it was best if I came away.

- Thank you.

- We're asking everyone this. Where were you between 10:00

and mid-day yesterday morning?

- Um, I left the police station a little after 10:00.

And then I had to make a visit to the Farley's

to check on Clive.

- Yes, we saw you.

What time did you leave there?

- Um, I wasn't there long.

I was back here before 11:00.

- And after 11:00?

- I didn't do anything. I just,

I was upset about the breathalyser thing.

I didn't do anything.

- And there was no-one else here?

- I've lived alone since my marriage break-up two years ago.

- No romantic interests since then?

- No.

- And Mr. Bentine-Brown?

- It's not serious.

Okay, so he proposed to me.

- It must be quite serious.

- Not to me.

- He's a very wealthy man.

- It has been suggested that I accept just so I can

divorce him later and take him to the cleaners.

I was tempted.

Somebody ought to teach him a lesson.

He's the most arrogant man I've ever met.

- Were you and Melissa on good terms

at the time of her death?

- No, we'd had a row.

I didn't like how flippant she was being about Neil's death.

But it wasn't her fault.

Neil Laxton wouldn't let anyone into that house,

he's turned nurses away, so the idea that she

was responsible for his death, it's just not true.

- Still someone may have killed her because of it.

- May?

- May, it's a possibility, but then Melissa made enemies

in the village for other reasons as well, didn't she?

Or so we, so we understand.

- It's malicious gossip.

- Your ex-husband, Mark?

- Mark seduced her.

Melissa didn't know he was married.

She was just as upset when she found out about me

as I was about her.

- It was Cherrie Balcombe, wasn't it, told you this?

- Don't, please, Adam.

- You want to lose all this?

- I don't want to lose you.

- Nothing can go wrong, I've told you.

(car engine revving)

- What did she ever do to you?

- I think you should go home, Sally.

We can talk about this when you've calmed down.

- Don't you close that door.

Don't you-

She's dead. (crashing)

How can you say such things?

You come out here. (crashing)

Open it!

- Sally!

- What did she do to you?

Open the door!

- Stop it!

Come back!

- Well Troy, the drug, Pentobarbitone, that was used

to kill Melissa Townsend was the same as

that taken from the vet's surgery.

- No surprises there then.

- And the footprint does not match the gardener's.

- So this could be the footprint of our murderer?

- Indeed it could.

(pensive orchestra music)

(phone beeping)

- [Voice On Phone] Hello?

- Is this about the Balcombes?

- Afternoon Mrs. Rickworth.

They're not pressing charges.

- Well I don't like it when people talk ill of the dead.

- Have you been to the vet's surgery

for any reason recently?

- No, I haven't.

- Do you have a pair of Wellington boots?

- [Troy] We need to look at them, Mrs. Rickworth.

We're looking at everyone's.

- They're normally in here.

If I'd left them in the house they'd be here.

But I'm sure they were in the car.

(banging on door)

- Where's Adam?

- Is something wrong?

- I thought Sally might.

Sorry, it doesn't matter.

I can see you're busy.

Sorry to bother you.

- If you do find the boots, you'll call us.

- I'm sorry.

I'm not quite myself at the moment.

- Elegant, robust, good head.

Is Sally invited to your little drinks party?

- She can be.

I'm rather surprised.

I wouldn't have thought she was your type.

- She's not but I'm getting rather tired

of the perfect vowels and the saddle-spread buttocks.

Ms. Rickworth has an excellent figure, good bones,

she's not too stupid and not too bright.

Ideal breeding stock I'd say.

So if you could invite her over,

put in a good word about what a sensitive soul I am,

deep down, I'll have a word with the Hislops

about who they should vote onto their committee.

(relaxed orchestra music)

(doorbell ringing)

- Mrs. Keyne, good afternoon.

Is your husband in?

- No.

- Sir.

- Do you mind if we take a look at the soles

of those boots please?

- We have a print from a crime scene.

We have to check it against the boots

of Melissa's associates and friends.

- Fine.

- Ah, Mrs. Keyne?

We need to ask you some questions about Melissa Townsend.

Is everything all right?

- Actually I've got rather a bad headache.

I don't suppose it could wait?

- There's something she doesn't want to talk about.

And she's not very good at hiding it.

- Stop Troy.

(pensive orchestra music)

I'd like another word with Mrs. Rickworth.

- You found them then?

- Yes.

- Where were they?

- I was wondering where they could be and I remembered

that I'd thought about putting them on to walk home

across the fields the other night instead of driving.

But I suppose I couldn't face the walk.

I thought I must have taken them out of the back of the car

and then changed my mind and left them here by mistake.

- By mistake?

- Yes, they were at the back by the dustbins.

- Thank you.

When we saw you earlier and Liz Keyne came over,

she seemed to think you might know where her husband was.

Why would she think that?

- I don't know.

- You've got no idea where he might be?

- None at all.

- Or why Mrs. Keyne thought you might?

- No.

- Okay, thank you.

- I'd have put money on the print matching her boots.

Well, leaving them here by mistake.

(pleasant upbeat orchestra music)

- Evening!

(creaking) (pensive orchestra music)

- Those are Raif's and those are spares, I think.

- And there are no other boots in the house?

- Not as far as I know.

(birds chirping) (pleasant orchestra music)

(knocking)

- Oh, good evening.

- I was upstairs, um, hoovering.

I didn't hear you.

- Oh, not to worry.

Anyway um, yes, your new batch of jam jars

for the food stall, the memsahib asked me to drop them off.

- Thank you.

- Well I must ah, must get on.

- Thanks again.

- I think the police should be told.

- Maybe she was hoovering earlier.

- Oh, I don't know.

I've spent a lifetime trying to fathom the complexities

of jungle eco-systems but they are as nothing

compared to the bizarre machinations of this village.

Just extraordinary.

(reflective orchestra music)

- Sir?

- He's not back.

- Hasn't he contacted you?

Right, did he take any clothes, a bag?

- I wanted children.

But he said we still had some fun years left.

And then it was we had to build up the car business first.

Now we're bankrupt and there won't be any children.

- Why are you talking about your husband

in the past tense, Mrs. Keyne?

- Because he's dead, I can feel it.

(pleasant orchestra music)

- Hello?

Is anybody there?

(flies buzzing)

- Mrs. Keyne, if you do know anything you must tell us.

(phone ringing)

- Hello?

Where?

- Sir?

- Liz had been on the phone asking us

if we knew where Adam might be.

There he was.

(sombre orchestra music)

- Would've died just about instantly.

The joists have been sawn through.

They'd left just enough to keep the floor in place

but it would've given way as soon as he stepped on it.

- Do you think this is connected to Melissa's murder, sir?

- Well they were friends.

But where's the motive?

If Melissa was killed in revenge for

old Neil Laxton's death why this?

What's Adam got to do with that?

And what was Adam doing here?

Wouldn't be a bad spot though would it?

For a secret tryst, all that straw.

- Mmm. - What?

- Personally I think straw's a bit over-rated, sir.

- Why?

- It's prickly.

What if Melissa and Adam were having an affair?

And Liz Keyne decided she'd had enough?

Of the pair of them.

- And all that anxiety was what, an act?

- Enemies, Adam?

You mean apart from the legions of debtors,

the cuckolded husbands and the cheated lovers?

Yes, I have been a complete and utter fool.

- Mrs. Keyne, do you know whether your husband

was having an affair?

With Melissa Townsend?

- With Melissa?

Not lately.

Their relationship had developed into something much closer.

I'm sorry, I can't do this.

- Hugo has got something to tell you.

Something rather important.

- Well, I just had Raif round here in his tennis togs.

He wanted to know what had happened about Adam.

So I told him how I found the body.

And suddenly he became most peculiar.

When I asked him what was the matter and he just ran off.

- Did he say where he was going?

- No, he literally ran to the car.

- You think what you said made him realise something?

What exactly did you say?

- Well I told him how I found the body, sort of,

laid out on the plough and how the flies were tucking in

and how he must have fallen through the loft floor

because the way the beam was sawn through.

- Do you have the Cannings' number?

- Yes, yes of course.

Tell them about Joan.

- Yesterday evening, Cherrie asked me if I'd drop off

a few empty jam jars at Joan Farley's.

When I got there I noticed that she was digging

what looked like quite a large hole in her back garden.

Not in itself necessarily odd.

But when she answered the front door.

Good evening.

- Sorry, I was upstairs hoovering.

- She lied to you.

- Oh, it may have been entirely innocent.

- This is the Cannings' number.

- Thank you.

Troy, I want you to go over to Joan Farley's place please.

(phone beeping)

Hugo, can you go with him?

Raif Canning?

It's Tom Barnaby, look I need to talk to you.

It's rather urgent so I'm coming straight over, okay?

(pensive orchestra music)

(balls thumping out of machine)

(tense orchestra music)

- Mrs. Canning?

Hello?

Mrs. Canning?

Hello?

Georgina?

Mrs. Canning?

Mrs. Canning?

- (inhaling sharply) Oh my God.

What are you doing here?

(sirens blaring)

It appears his wife was asleep when it happened.

- Well that's one less suspect.

They're getting a bit thin on the ground now, sir.

- [Barnaby] Have you found anything?

- She's not here.

Just her sister-in-law looking after Clive.

We didn't want to start digging without her.

Hang on.

She's just arrived.

- [Barnaby] Find out where she's been.

- Yes, Sir. (phone beeping)

- Sir.

- Why did you bury these, Mrs. Farley?

- There's something else here, sir.

(phone ringing)

- [Troy] It's Troy, sir.

- Troy, what have you got?

- We've dug up a pair of boots

that look like a match for the print.

- [Barnaby] What's Joan said about it?

- Nothing.

- Did she say where she's been?

- She's not saying anything at all, sir.

- Right, get her down to the station,

I'll see you there later.

- There is something else, sir.

- [Barnaby] What's that?

- There was a cardboard box in the hole.

It contains bottles of Pentobarbitone

and a number of syringes.

- I admit I did think about killing her.

But I changed my mind.

- You wrote those threatening letters

to Melissa Townsend didn't you?

- Yes.

- So, you broke into the vet's surgery

and stole the syringes, the drugs to carry out your threat

and then you just changed your mind?

Just like that.

- I got to thinking how maybe it was my fault as well,

Neil's death.

I should've checked on him sooner at the cottage.

Got the doctor round before the pneumonia set in.

I was as much to blame as that stuck up little madam.

I should've, he was my family.

- Burying the drugs and the boots doesn't look

like the action of an innocent person.

- But I couldn't take them back, could I?

- What about the boots?

- I heard about you at the vet's, being interested

in a footprint out the back.

So I showed you an old pair when you came round that time.

Can't you see?

Someone used the notes I sent

as an opportunity to kill Melissa.

That's what's happened.

(phone ringing)

- They'll laugh it out of court.

- Cherrie, what is it?

- I heard about Raif.

And I heard that you'd arrested Joan.

Now the thing is I saw Joan's car outside Neil's house,

just after you'd spoken to Raif on the phone.

So if you think she was responsible.

- You saw Joan at the cottage?

- She was in the kitchen, I saw her through the window.

Clear as day.

So you see, Joan couldn't possibly have been

at the Cannings' when Raif was murdered.

- There's no way she could be protecting Joan?

- Like some sort of Women's Institute Mafia?

It's unlikely Cherrie Balcombe would fabricate an alibi

for anyone, not impossible of course but.

- If Joan isn't our murderer,

it means we're back to square one.

- No, not entirely.

It means that revenge for Neil Laxton's death

is not going to be the motive.

But why was Adam Keyne killed like that?

Why not use a needle like with the others?

- He would've been expecting it?

So the murderer did it another way.

- But this is so very different.

And the difference is that the murderer

didn't have to be at the barn at the time.

- How do they know he'd step on the weakened spot?

- He went there to pick something up.

Adam went there to pick something up.

And what if that something, whatever it was,

was placed on the weakened area above the plough.

(tense orchestra music) (floor creaking)

(crashing)

(gasping) (creaking)

(yelling)

A blackmail payment perhaps?

- But we didn't find anything.

- The killer came back and took it away

and if Adam Keyne were trying to blackmail someone,

and his wife knew about it, then that would explain

her evasive behaviour when we asked about

her husband's disappearance wouldn't it?

What's going on?

- Meet the bailiffs.

They're only taking what's owed them.

- Ah, gentlemen, I'm Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby.

Mrs. Keyne's husband was unfortunately killed yesterday.

Do you think you could come back at a better time please?

- I see, sir.

- Those were my grandmother's.

- Is it really as bad as this?

- It seems Adam spent a lot of other people's money

as well as all mine.

They've been very patient really.

- I'm sorry but I've got to ask this.

Was Mr. Keyne, was Adam trying to blackmail someone?

(tense orchestra music)

- I found this in the desk after he'd gone.

I tried to stop him, not hard enough.

- There is a way out.

You know Melissa had some rather extensive debts as well,

the credit cards?

Well she and I were involved in a little blackmail.

The person in question-

- I don't want to know.

- Look, 20 grand by tomorrow and that's just for starters.

It could save us.

This person will pay good money to suppress what we've got.

- For God's sake, Adam, Melissa has been murdered.

- Melissa's death had nothing to do with the blackmail.

She was killed by the nutter who sent

the threatening letters about old Neil dying.

It's got nothing to do with this.

- How do you know that?

- Listen, it's going to be fine.

When I go and pick up the money, I'm going to phone,

make sure the person is at home,

nowhere near the pick-up point.

They'll never even know it's me.

- Adam didn't tell you who it was he was blackmailing?

- No.

- But you thought it was Sally.

- Well, there's the evidence.

She was obsessive about keeping her affair

with Melissa secret.

- But how much money did she have

for anyone to blackmail out of her?

She's a nurse.

- The bank'll tell you.

Unlike mine, her husband actually made money.

Sally did rather well out of her divorce, 100,000 plus.

(upbeat orchestra music)

- Sally.

Thank you so much for coming.

- I'm so sorry about Raif.

- Just awful, I'm so glad you're here.

I need a friendly face when the guests arrive.

- I'm sorry, guests?

- Didn't I mention the memorial drinks party?

- No, you didn't.

- Of course it's the last thing I want with Raif,

but it was too late to cancel.

So I thought let's make it a celebration of his life.

You know?

- Of course if we're looking for blackmail targets,

someone like Bentine-Brown's got to be pretty high up

on the list, with all his millions.

- You got a motive?

- He's bound to have his share of secrets.

A bit of insider trading, girlfriend-battering,

the list is probably endless.

- I think we'll go with something a little more

concrete at the moment.

- You think Melissa and Adam knew Sally had the money?

(doorbell ringing)

- Liz did and Melissa and Sally were close at one time.

- That's one way of putting it,

as the actress said to the bishop.

- Oh Troy.

Well she can't have gone far.

- And of course Freddie will be here.

- Freddie Bentine-Brown?

- He's a total softy, underneath that stiff exterior.

I know he's mad about you.

- I think I need some fresh air.

- Yes of course, it's all been so difficult.

Of course he's absolutely loaded.

They own most of Devon and great swathes of Chelsea.

Not that money's everything of course

but he's such a sweetie.

- Mrs. Canning, Mrs. Rickworth.

- Any news?

- We need to ask Sally a few questions please.

- We need to ask you about your relationship with Melissa.

- I've told you, we were friends, good friends.

- Wasn't it more than that?

- Where did you get this?

- It doesn't matter.

I'll ask you again, what was your relationship with Melissa?

Was it sexual?

Was your relationship with Melissa Townsend sexual?

- Yes!

Are you enjoying this?

- Mrs. Rickworth, is it true to say

you wanted to keep this lesbian relationship a secret?

- My relationship with Melissa and how I felt about it

is none of your business.

- Sally, we're trying to establish if anyone

had grounds to blackmail you.

- That's ridiculous.

- Is it?

You certainly have enough money to make it worthwhile.

127,000 pounds?

- Have you been checking my bank account?

- It seems you did quite well out of the divorce.

- Are you suggesting I didn't deserve every last penny

of that settlement?

The affairs and even when he wasn't actually doing it,

he was thinking about doing it.

Every day of our married life, with his sick eyes,

wandering over every woman's body.

You're all animals, the lot of you.

- Including Adam Keyne and Raif Canning?

- Sally, when you drove back on the night

of the Tennis club dinner.

- Oh please, I've already admitted I was over the limit.

I'm going to lose my job.

Can't we just leave it?

- Were you alone?

- Of course I was.

- You don't remember?

You don't do you?

You don't remember anything about the journey back.

That is right, isn't it?

- [Sally] Yes, I was so drunk I can't remember

a single thing from getting into the car

to waking up when I got back.

All right, happy now?

(pensive orchestra music)

- Tell my guests I'll join them in a minute

and um, make sure they all have a drink.

(phone ringing) - Yes, Madam.

- I may be a drunk driver but I'm not a murderer.

- Are you all right?

- They're accusing me of murder.

- That's ridiculous.

- They're saying someone was trying to blackmail me.

(pensive orchestra music)

- Sorry.

- Mrs. Canning, this is a police interview.

- Why should anyone want to blackmail Sally?

Nurses are not famous for being blackmail targets.

- And I remembered that I'd thought about putting them on

to walk home across the fields the other night,

instead of driving.

- Would you please, leave, Mrs. Canning.

- So why is it every time we go to a dinner you spend

the entire evening asking me when we're going to leave?

- No Troy, let Mrs. Canning stay.

When you drove back to your cottage on the night

of the Tennis Club party, was there anyone there

at your house?

- Well yes, there was actually. Melissa.

I'd fallen asleep when I got back.

She woke me.

- Sally, Sally, what happened?

- Go away.

- Sally, come on please! - Go away!

- Sally this is important. - Away, go on!

- All right.

- M'issa?

I must've flaked out again because the next thing I knew

I was being woken by the postman.

- It's interesting that you remember being woken by Melissa,

but ah, none of the journey back.

- I really must attend to my guests.

- I'd like you to stay please.

- If Sally's a suspect, why don't you just arrest her

and take her to the station.

I really can't-

- Sally is not a suspect.

(people laughing)

- Excuse me, sir.

- Dead?

Excuse me, Raif, the husband, poor chap's brown bread.

- Are you sure?

- This is his wake apparently.

Thought it was too late to cancel.

We shouldn't really impose on the poor woman.

Waiter, Waiter, this is delicious.

Could I have a drop more?

- Oh, the Manningford Alcots.

I must have a word with Pippa.

- When we asked you about your boots,

you replied that you'd thought of wearing them

to walk back from the Tennis Club.

Now if you could've used them to walk back across

the wet fields to your cottage, then presumably

you could also have used them to walk from your cottage

back to the Tennis Club.

Or someone could have.

- Who would want to do that?

- The person who drove you back that night.

Someone who lived just around the corner from you.

How did it happen?

Perhaps you were outside having a breath of fresh air,

escaping from the party when you came across

Sally asleep in her car.

And well, you were so annoyed with your husband

for not taking you home, you thought, I'll do it myself.

And driving a 2CV would be fun,

you hadn't done it since you owned one at university.

Which is where I assume you met Raif.

And driving back would've been fine.

What was it?

A cat run out in front of you?

(car horn honking)

(crashing)

You knew you were over the limit, not as much as Sally

but still enough to lose your licence.

And um, the shame of being done for drunk driving

was too much so you didn't stop.

And when you got to Sally's cottage you had a brainwave.

You dragged Sally back in front of the steering wheel.

You guessed, correctly as it turned out,

that Sally would assume that she was the one

who had driven back.

What you didn't realise was there was someone watching you.

Someone who'd been waiting for Sally's return.

Melissa.

And Melissa watched you take the boots from the back

of Sally's car and set off across the fields back to

the Tennis Club wearing them, carrying your own shoes.

And it worked like a dream.

No one even noticed you being gone.

The problem arose the next day when Melissa and Adam

discovered that you were quite prepared to let Sally,

innocent district nurse, carry the can for the accident,

failing to stop, drunk driving and let her lose her job

in the process.

So Melissa and Adam decided to blackmail you.

They knew if word of your behaviour got out

you'd certainly be ostracised socially.

And they knew that was something you'd pay an awful lot

of money to stop happening.

- So it wasn't Sally that was being blackmailed.

- No, no, no, it wasn't that.

Melissa and Adam were blackmailing Goergina.

- No, no, Melissa wouldn't do that.

Let me suffer like that just so she could make some money?

She would have told me.

Do you have any evidence at all?

- That's a good question.

When I came into this room I didn't.

But now I think I do.

(pensive orchestra music)

You see before you came in, we asked Sally to empty

her handbag and we didn't find anything incriminating.

But I have a feeling we will do now.

May I?

- Nothing personal.

- You murdered three people?

- It all just sort of snow-balled.

(eerie orchestra music)

- Your own husband?

- I didn't want to.

He noticed me taking the saw out of the tool shed.

And when Hugo told him what had happened in the barn.

(gasping)

It was either him or me.

- But Melissa, Adam.

- They were blackmailing me.

- It wasn't Sally who was driving, it was Georgina.

I saw her dragging a comatose Sally

back in front of the wheel.

- Are you sure?

- Absolutely.

And if she lets poor dear Sally take the wrap,

I think she might just pay handsomely for our silence.

- Well now that is interesting.

- They were scumbags.

- No, Adam maybe, but not Melissa.

I can't believe.

- My dear girl, Melissa took pleasure

from other people's misery.

It entertained her.

Yours included.

- You mean she never cared for me at all, ever?

- No.

She had the affair with your husband so that you'd

divorce him and she could get you on the rebound.

You were quite a challenge.

Vicar's daughter, first lesbian affair, quite a trophy.

(eerie orchestra music) (muffled screaming)

I expect you'd like to take me down to the station.

Do you think we could go out the back way?

- The ah, the drink driving of course

and all the other charges, they'll be dropped.

You'll be able to keep your job.

- Funny, it doesn't seem like much of a relief any more.

What was all that about you looking in my bag?

You lied.

- Well she was trying to frame you.

- It's anything goes, isn't it?

- I'm sorry you had to hear about it so bluntly.

- Yes.

Life suddenly seems very much clearer.

- Can we give you a lift?

- I have a drinks party to attend.

And an ego to bring down to size.

Good bye.

- Oh, hello.

- Hello.

- You look delightful in green.

- Thank you.

- Mind you, I'd still prefer you

in that nurse's uniform of yours.

- I liked the bit with the bag, sir.

- Thank you, Troy.

- Very unscrupulous.

- Oh look, there they are.

- Don't much like the look of him.

- Frederick Bentine-Brown, multi millionaire git.

- Lovely bride, she looks positively blooming.

- Ripened by their own corruption.

Your Medlar fruit.

- Ah, of course.

- The happy couple will be living at the 700 acre

Bentine-Brown estate in Midsomer Worthy.

Have a feeling it won't be an entirely strife-free union

for dear old Freddie.

- Medlar jelly?

Try some?

Go on.

- Mmmm, that's very nice.

Perhaps we should save it for special occasions.

- It's really not necessary.

We've got two dozen jars.

Just tuck in.

(mysterious orchestra music)