Original subtitles

(dramatic music)

(thunder rumbling)

(siren wailing)

- [Policeman] He wants you to come and look at it.

- [Policewoman] I think that needs to be cordoned off.

(people chattering)

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

Book him in. - Very good, ma'am.

- [Policeman] Just put them all together.

(thunder rumbling)

(Jack gasps)

(Jack panting) (birds chirping)

- [Wyatt] Here's the prescription you asked for.

- [Gina] All right, thank you very much.

- Dosage is on the label.

(latch clicking loudly)

- Dr. Wyatt thinks these will help you sleep, Jack.

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

- [Jack] Hmm.

(sombre music) (crow cawing)

(dramatic music)

(train crossing dinging)

(people chattering)

- Just bring that box, open it.

Put it here if you can, yeah?

That's great, that's fine.

Can you put the little one in between those two?

Is that all right?

I mean, what we could do is,

if you drop that and come over here with me.

(metal clanging)

- Look at the size of those! - Over here!

- [Tommy] Can you leave it?

James, do it.

Let's have a look inside the box, that's all right.

(people chattering) (sombre music)

(Holm sighs)

(people chattering)

(people cheering)

(people applauding)

- Ladies and gentlemen, I give Mr. Ronnie Tyler.

(people cheering) (people applauding)

- Settle down, everyone, settle down.

Or you're barred.

- [All] Boo!

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

I think Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby's the only one

who has ever made me talk.

- [All] Boo!

- But by this time tomorrow,

I should be well on me way to Paris.

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

should take me all the way around the world.

Well, it's not bad when you consider where I was heading,

in and out of trouble with the police,

regular guest of Her Majesty.

(people chuckling)

But that was before I started living,

by which I mean, of course, really living here

in Midsomer Holm.

(people cheering) (people applauding)

- Perfect.

- Where's Eddie?

Where's the new boy?

Ah, Eddie's just served serious jail time.

- Give us a pint?

- But from tomorrow, he's gonna begin to find out

what it's like to start living in a halfway house.

Don't think of this village as some sort of

chocolate box, Eddie, (people laughing)

Some easy number tucked away on a country estate.

It's half a dozen cottages handed over to ex-cons

like you and me so we can let ourselves be worked to death

for board and lodging. (people laughing)

But it's also a place where you can think

about how you want to turn your life around.

It's a second chance.

(people applauding)

I'd like to thank Angie and Bob

for putting on such a fantastic spread.

(people cheering) (people applauding)

I'm even told Bob managed to smile.

(all laughing)

- The fact is, Professor, the fact is.

The fact is-- (knocking on window)

- Sorry, my lord.

I think you've forgotten the presentation.

- (gasps) Oh.

Good heavens.

(door slams shut)

- I'd also like to thank Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby

for a certain arrest.

(people laughing)

Which, as it turned out,

was the first day of the rest of my life.

- Aw. - Aw.

- And last but not least,

the owner and benefactor of this village,

the ninth Lord Holm, Victor Godbold.

(people applauding)

And its creative genius, its intelligence,

and its driving force, Professor Gina Colby.

(people cheering) (people applauding)

- (gasps) Ronnie, thank you.

(people chattering)

(dramatic music)

- I'll send you a postcard.

And it won't be from Her Majesty's prison in Timbuktu.

- You do that, Ronnie.

- Jack?

Are you good for a run to the station?

- Yeah.

Yeah, I'll take him, Tommy.

- Eddie, I'll have a word with you before I go, eh?

- All right.

- [Poulter] Look what we found, Sarge.

- Hello, Sergeant.

These nice young men have arrested me again. (clears throat)

- Lady Holm.

- (chuckling) Come to tuck me in, boys?

- [Poulter] Come on, milady.

This way, milady.

(Maria giggling)

- [Maria] Oh.

(people chattering)

- [Gina] You still don't believe it, do you?

- Oh, no.

I do, I do, I do.

But I mean, reforming Ronnie Tyler,

that's some kind of achievement.

Not quite so sure of the wisdom

of taking on Eddie Marston, though.

- Mm, you don't have to say it, Tom.

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

Look, trust me, all right?

I know what I'm doing.

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

apart from, you know, saying goodbye to Ronnie.

Is it possible to have a word with Jack?

- Ah.

Jack's been barred by Laughing Bob.

- After so many years,

isn't it time he told me what's been the problem?

- Believe me, Tom, I've done everything I can.

I mean, I'd love to see you two friends again.

But he knows you're here.

Still says he'd rather not.

(dramatic music)

(people chattering)

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

Come on. (woman chuckling)

(Jack groaning)

- Jack's not been in?

(Bob sighs)

I'm asking a question.

- [Bob] Yeah, we all know why.

- (scoffs) And what's that supposed to mean?

- It means I wasn't born yesterday.

- (scoffs) Well, more's the pity, Bob.

We could've started building your personality from scratch.

- Look, I know what you think of me.

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

So lover boy is not coming in.

(Angie scoffs)

Yes, please.

Pint?

(dramatic music) (people chattering)

- You never told me there were gonna be fireworks.

- Proper send-off, Ronnie.

- Ah, see you later. - See you.

- Tommy Crinney, estate manager.

Welcome to Midsomer Holm, Eddie.

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

- [Eddie] Thank you.

- Jack?

Jack. - Tom, I...

- I've just been talking to Gina.

Eh, look, I know it's been a long time.

But is it possible, you know--

- I'm sorry, Tom, I can't.

- Well, don't just walk away.

Jack.

- [Jack] I can't, Tom.

I really can't.

- Sir?

(Tom groans)

Never thought I'd live to see it.

- [Tom] What?

- You rubbing shoulders with villains.

- Oh, they're ex-villains now.

- Ah.

Not all sweetness and light, though?

- Oh, no, that's not one of Gina Colby's patients.

That, that was Gina's husband, Jack Colby.

We were sergeants together.

In fact, we joined the uniform exactly the same day.

We used to be known as the Dynamic Duo.

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

And he resigned over 16 years ago.

(fireworks popping) (people cheering)

- So why did he leave?

- Jack was duty sergeant.

And he regularly found himself in charge of the Causton nick

on a Friday night.

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

called themselves the Friday Nighters.

- Friday Nighters? (train crossing dinging)

- At the time, Gina Colby, she was a,

oh, equally talented, very capable detective inspector.

And she it was who arrested Lord Holm

for the murder of his wife, Maria Godbold,

when he finally got tired

of his wife's frequent and very public affairs.

- So why did Jack Colby resign?

- Because, Jones, latterly,

those affairs took place inside the cells

of Causton Police Station.

- Okay. (Maria giggling)

You make yourself comfortable, yeah?

- [Tom] She had a habit of getting herself arrested

on drunk and disorderly.

And once word got out

exactly what was on offer behind her locked cell door,

the men queued up to work on Friday night.

- The Friday Nighters. - Yeah.

And of course, after Maria's murder,

of course the whole bloody mess became public knowledge.

Now, whether Jack didn't know about it

or did know about it and just turned a blind eye

was never established.

But what is certain is that he was duty sergeant.

And as duty sergeant-- - He should have

put a stop to it.

- Yeah, he should've put a stop to it.

And when he did shop them,

then of course they were dismissed of the force.

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

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

Oh, Jones, can you pull into that garage over there?

Well, after she resigned,

Gina Colby, she would be trained as a psychotherapist.

And it was her counselling

that got Lord Holm an early release.

He was out in eight.

And Jack Colby, well, he retrained as a probation officer.

(fireworks hissing) (people cheering)

- Goodbye. - Bye.

- Good luck, Ronnie. - Bye.

- [Ronnie] Oh, thank you.

- So what's the problem

between you and your mate, Jack Colby?

- Oh, I don't know, Jones.

The problem is that after all this time,

my mate, Jack Colby, still can't face me.

(chuckles) Thanks for the lift.

- Good night.

- Ronnie Tyler?

Who on earth is Ronnie Tyler?

- Ronnie Tyler is a reformed character,

if the evidence of tonight is to be believed.

- And that's who you dragged poor Ben

halfway across Midsomer County to see?

- Well, I thought, you know, it'd do the boy good

to see a rehabilitation scheme that actually works.

- It seems to work a bit too well.

I didn't think you were coming home.

- All right, I know it's Friday evening,

I did promise to be home by 9:30, so...

- So you bought me some flowers from the all-night garage?

(sombre music)

- Ronnie, listen.

This came about a month ago.

But it was delivered to the estate office.

Someone has got a very long memory.

- Have you spoken to Gina?

- I can't talk to Gina, not about this.

(train honks)

I need someone to talk to, Ronnie.

What are you doing?

- Catching a train.

If you need to talk to someone, call this number.

- So did you see him?

- Jack?

Yes, I did see him, see being the operative word.

Do you know he still wouldn't speak to me?

In 16 years.

- [Ronnie] If you're in trouble, he'll help.

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

(sombre music)

(phone beeping)

(phone beeps)

(whistle blowing)

(door creaking) (Jack groaning)

- [Jack] No.

(metal clanging) (Jack screaming)

(door creaking)

(birds chirping)

(melancholy music)

(gentle music)

- Hi, Mum, it's us.

No, no, we're still in London.

At the rate we're going,

we're probably not gonna to be there till lunchtime.

Well, what time did you set off?

- Oh, hang on a minute, Mum.

Yeah, I think we might have just started moving.

- Oh, Simon. - Mrs. Barnaby.

(Joyce chuckling)

I thought you might like these.

- Oh. - Surprise.

- Look, Tom, aren't they lovely?

Oh, darling.

(dramatic music)

- Seen anything of Jack Colby, Bob?

- You seen me looking?

(knocking on door)

- [Poulter] Morning, Ronnie.

- So, Postman Poulter now, is it?

Come on in.

- Did you have a good journey?

- Yeah, not bad.

We decided to leave early and miss the traffic.

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

- Oh, never mind that.

The point is you're here.

And it is so good to see you.

- Yeah, I didn't think it had been that long, Mum.

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

Your mother is eagerly awaiting your news.

- Tom, there's plenty of time.

- No, it's okay, Mum.

- Well, why not start with the audition?

- An audition?

- Yes, for "The Cherry Orchard."

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

- Starts rehearsals on Monday.

- And featuring none other than...

(Tom and Joyce cheering)

- Well done, Cully.

Well done, you.

- [Simon] I told your Mum would be pleased.

- Yes, lovely.

There was one other thing, though.

- [Simon] Can we just maybe tell them later or something.

- Yeah.

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

- Well, we've got all day, haven't we, Tom?

- Have we?

Yes, we have, absolutely.

(door slams shut) (dramatic music)

- Whoa! (brakes squealing)

- I'm Mrs. Shrike, Mr. Marston.

Melissa Shrike, chair of The Welcome Committee.

You got my note?

- Oh, yes, thank you.

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

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

Gate.

- What?

- Gate.

Better.

(Melissa muttering)

Morning, postman.

- [Poulter] Morning.

(dramatic music)

(engine whirring)

- Looking for someone?

- Well, looking for you.

- You're early.

- First day, Mr. Crinney.

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

- The thing is, Professor.

The thing is.

- Seen this before?

- I came on my visit from prison.

- Well, this is the Midsomer Holm camera obscura,

a miracle of 18th century optical technology.

It's the eyes of the village.

It's the CCTV camera of its day,

and visitors travel miles to come and see it.

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

- Mrs. Shrike? - Good morning, sir.

- How's the new neighbour?

- He's with Mr. Crinney, sir.

If first impressions are lasting,

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

- Oh, I'm sure the professor will lick Mr. Marsden

into shape in no time.

- Marston, sir, Mr. Marston.

I dare say Mr. Crinney will be pointing out

a few dos and don'ts.

Shall we say breakfast in half an hour?

- Half an hour will suit me fine.

- Anything with money in?

- [Poulter] It's not your lucky day, I'm afraid.

Someone needs to start paying their bills.

- (sighs) Tell me about it.

Sir.

(Victor sighs)

(Victor sighs)

- Morning, Melissa.

Where is everyone?

- The fact is, Professor,

the fact is I'm in love with you, no.

I'm in love with you.

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

(Victor sighs)

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

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

I want our relationship to blossom,

if you see what I mean.

(latch clicking loudly)

Oh, Professor. - Victor.

- Ah. - Have you seen Jack?

- Is he looking for me?

- He's not been home all night.

- Is that your play? - Yeah.

- Who's this character your playing?

- Varia.

- And what is she?

- She is Madame Ranevsky's eldest daughter.

Wants to join a convent to become a nun.

And has got a thing about needing to be helpful

but in fact just ends up driving everybody mad.

- And the director thought that was you.

- Yep. (both chuckling)

- I put clean towels out for you.

And which do you think would be the best vase

for Simon's lovely flowers?

- Oh, are the others from you?

- Oh, the others are from the garage.

- Oh. - Come on.

Here, patio's looking nice. - Yeah, it's fantastic.

- What?

(Simon and Cully chattering)

New Zealand?

- Well, do you think this is just a holiday?

- Are we entertaining some other theory?

- They're going to emigrate. - Oh, no.

She can't be that serious.

She's only just met him.

- Yes.

Well, that shows how much you know about romance.

(dramatic music)

- I think we can assume that Ronnie caught his train

and that Jack, maybe Jack has just left us.

- He's cold.

Oh, my god.

Victor, call the police.

Call Tom Barnaby.

- Professor, I'm...

I'm so sorry. (Gina sobbing)

- Mum. - Yeah.

- Can you help me with my lines?

- [Joyce] Mm-hmm.

- Isn't that your job now?

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

Mum, so, just the part here,

Ubolv. (phone ringing)

- Okay. - So if you--

- Barnaby.

- It's Victor Goldbold, Lord Holm.

Chief inspector, there's been a terrible accident.

It's Jack Colby.

- Seriously, little mother, to be quite frank,

he's a good man and--

- Jack Colby's dead.

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

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

And we're still looking at the Land Rover,

but they found these inside his coat pocket.

- What's that?

- Ativan, it's a benzodiazepine, a sort of tranquilliser

used in the short-term treatment of anxiety.

I should be interested to know

how much is in his bloodstream.

- But you're saying that's not why he died.

- That's exactly what I'm saying.

And I don't think he died in the accident.

He's been belted by the proverbial blunt instrument.

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

The post mortem will tell us more,

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

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

But given what I've seen so far,

I've gotta tell you he was definitely murdered.

(dogs barking) (people chattering)

- [Man] Well, nobody's told me anything.

- Tell you what, Ange.

Don't listen to me from now on, love.

I've been telling kids for years

there's no such thing as Father Christmas.

You know what, after all this bloody time,

turns out there is. (laughing)

- Gina, did Bullard tell you how he died?

Do you feel up to answering one or two questions?

- Oh, Tom.

- That will be all, thank you.

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

Can we start with when did you last see Jack?

- Last night outside the pub

just before he left for the station.

- And did he seem his usual self?

See, what I'm getting at, Gina,

is that I really felt he wanted to speak to me last night.

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

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

which might provide us with a motive for murder.

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

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

- Eddie Marston. (Gina sighs)

Last time Eddie Marston was sent down, Jack put him away.

Second time it was me.

Both times, it was GBH.

- Eddie Marston wouldn't have done this.

If anything, Eddie owes Jack.

It was Jack who talked the parole board

into giving Eddie his early release

so he could come to Midsomer Holm.

- Did you know that Jack was on medication?

- Ativan prescribed by Dr. Wyatt.

Jack started having trouble sleeping about a month ago.

(Gina sighs)

As well as being a first class probation officer,

Jack's been a brilliant administrator at Midsomer Holm.

But lately, he's started to let things slide.

The bank have started calling in loans.

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

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

in favour of a man called Tommy Crinney.

- Was he, by whom?

- There's something called The Welcome Committee.

It's a council of residents

chaired by Lord Holmes' housekeeper, Melissa Shrike.

- And how did you feel, you know,

about Jack being elbowed out like that?

- I thought easing him aside might take the pressure off.

Tom, I want you to find the evil bastard who did this,

then lock him up and throw away the key.

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

(Gina sighs)

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

Well, we'd best get going.

- Oh, we made a start already.

The senior conductor on the 22:53 from Homeland Junction

is a man called Lenny Leigh.

Nothing gets past him, apparently.

We're trying to get in touch with him

to see if he remembers seeing anyone

fitting Ronnie's description.

- Ah, well, while we wait for Mr. Leigh,

I'd like to get back to Midsomer Holm.

- I did one other piece of checking.

Bob Walker, the landlord of The Safe Haven,

was involved in a bit of a domestic last night

whilst you were in the gents.

His wife was asking after Jack Colby,

if you know what I mean.

- Was she? - Yeah.

So I ran Mr. Walker through the computer.

Turns out he's got a bit of form.

In 1989, he ran a pub called The Feathers,

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

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

(dramatic music)

(metal clanging)

(knocking on door)

- Oh, Mrs. Shrike.

Dreadful business.

- Yes.

Yes, it is a dreadful business.

But this is not a good place for you to be.

It's not healthy.

I thought your lordship might be ready for his lunch.

It will be served in the kitchen in 15 minutes.

Steak and kidney.

- Thank you, but what with having just seen Jack dead,

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

(melancholy music)

I think the professor needs me.

- Right, Jones.

Get yourself over to the office.

Get a hold of Mr. Crinney.

He's taken over from Jack.

Ask him where we can find Mr. Eddie Marston.

- Do you know why? - No, no, come on now.

- Because I can't get far enough away from you!

- No, no, I'm all ears now.

Just listen! (Angie shouting)

Every time--

Ah, okay, okay, I'm going!

- [Angie] I can't stand the sight of you!

Get out of my house now! - Shut up!

Shut up! - No, you shut up!

- I shall be with mine hosts.

(birds chirping) (Angie sobbing)

- And you can stay up there and rot for all I care!

(door slams shut)

Just give me a minute.

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

I'm here on police business.

I couldn't help noticing that you were having an altercation

with your husband.

- (scoffs) Believe me, this is nothing.

- Well, yes, indeed.

My sergeant overheard your argument in the bar last night.

(Jones whistles)

- Ah, Mr. Crinney. - Who's asking?

- Detective Sergeant Jones.

- Oh, yes, you were here last night.

- I'm looking for your newest arrival.

- Oh, you mean Eddie Marston.

Join the queue.

(Gina sighs)

(knocking on door)

- I'm so sorry, Professor.

I'm-- - Victor--

- I just wanted to say I'm terribly sorry

about what's happened, to give you my condolences,

and to say the fact is, Professor, I'm...

The fact is,

well, it is.

What happened to Jack, I mean?

- Well, you know what happened.

You were with me when I found him.

- Yes, yes, I still have these lapses of memory.

I wanted to make sure.

I remember the presentation.

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

and drove away.

- But there were fireworks, Victor.

You remember the fireworks?

- Fireworks.

- It was fine, Victor.

Everything was fine.

- Well, as I say-- - Victor,

may I have a few moments?

- Yes, I'm terribly sorry.

I'm so sorry.

- Well, this all started a month ago.

Loneliness and Southern Comfort

at three o'clock in the morning, Chief Inspector,

it's a heady mix.

I can't get two kind words out Laughing Boy.

Haven't been able to for years.

Jack said he couldn't talk to Gina.

- So you talked to each other instead.

- Jack wasn't happy.

I mean, he really wasn't happy.

Something was getting to him.

Something so bad he couldn't even talk about it to me.

- Have you got any idea what that was?

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

Jack was his old self one minute,

and the next, he was sitting at this bar

looking as if he'd just seen a ghost.

- Mrs. Walker, did your husband know

that you and Jack were having an affair?

(Angie sighs)

- Who said we were having an affair?

(women chattering)

- No joy? - No, sir.

And Mr. Crinney's already looking.

He turned up for work this morning,

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

Do you think he's involved, sir?

- What I think, Jones,

is that Eddie Marston is a very nasty piece of work

with a long history of violence

and a long-standing grudge against Jack Colby.

So he might have a very good reason to disappear.

And since one very inviting theory

concerning an extramarital affair has just been demolished,

I'd very much like to find him.

- What's this?

- I'd like some time off.

I believe I'm due several weeks' leave.

I'm sure you and the professor will manage

once I'm out of the way.

- Mrs. Shrike--

- Well, you don't want breakfast, you don't want lunch.

I'm clearly not needed.

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

I'm sure you'll be very happy.

You've never understood women, Victor.

See?

(sombre music)

(metal clanging)

- [Officer] Yes, sir, I'll get onto it straight away.

- We've started looking,

and we want anything we can on it and we need it soon, okay?

'Cause these last pieces. - Statement serge.

- Oh, sir.

Statements from Midsomer Holm.

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

Oh, and Stevens has something interesting, sir.

- Dr. Wyatt was a consultant.

He prescribed a drug

which almost killed one of his patients.

He was nearly struck off.

- Did the GMC charge Dr. Wyatt?

- He quit before he was pushed, sir.

That's why he's at Midsomer Holm.

He was lucky enough to find someone like Professor Colby

to take him on.

- That's good, Stevens.

Thank you, thanks.

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

for the time Jack Colby left the village,

anyone with an axe to grind, you know, with a grudge,

all that kind of stuff.

And then I want you to chase up the conductor of the 22:53,

our Mr. Leigh, because he may be the last person

to have seen Jack Colby alive.

- Apart from the killer, sir.

- And then there are some other people

I want you to chase up, the Friday Nighters.

George, I have discovered

why Jack Colby was on that Ativan stuff.

He started having nightmares a month or so ago,

went to see his doctor, and got it prescribed.

I'm hoping that this is the time of death.

- Around midnight, same time as the crash.

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

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

and, well, I recognise the number,

wondered if you knew why it was there.

Thought perhaps Colby was trying to tell us something.

- It's your number, sir.

- [Joyce] My husband drank himself to death on champagne.

He was a terrible drunkard.

And then, for my sins, I fell in love

and went off with another man.

- [Cully] Now just really go for it.

- Oh, the sins I've committed.

I've always squandered money, completely at random. (gasps)

Yermolai Alexeyitch!

- [Tom] Cully, I don't think you should encourage her.

(Cully laughing)

(Joyce chuckles)

(Poulter whistling)

- There you go. - Thank you.

(Poulter whistling)

- [Officer] DM Maxwell, he's the one.

Well, he's in court.

If you could leave it on my desk.

(phone ringing)

- DS Jones.

Wait, wait.

Great, wait.

Excellent, where?

- I'll leave about three, okay?

- [Cully] Okay.

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

- No, it's not.

I'm sorry, Joyce, this is gonna take a little time.

- We've begun to suspect as much.

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

- Joyce, was there a call for us last night

just before I came in?

- Phone call? - Yeah.

- No.

Who were you expecting to hear from?

- Jack Colby.

Our number was scribbled on a beer mat.

George Bullard found it.

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

- Listen, Joyce, Tom,

we were wondering if you might fancy lunch on us.

- Somewhere nice like the White Lion.

- Oh, the White Lion.

- Then we can all sit down together and talk.

- Something's come up, and Cully and I

are gonna have to head back to London tonight,

so we thought-- (phone ringing)

- Oh.

Sorry, excuse me.

Yeah, it's a wonderful idea.

Barnaby.

- Is it always like this?

- Yeah.

- See you at 1:30, White Lion.

- Right.

- So all the description fits?

- It seems like it to me, yeah.

That's the-- - And he had a rucksack?

- He did, indeed, yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Mr. Leigh?

- Ah, this is Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby.

- How do you do? - Inspector.

Your sarge has been filling me in.

You want to know about the bloke with the rucksack.

- Yeah, that's right.

What can you tell me about him?

I don't know, he was as quiet as a mouse.

It was the other bloke.

He'd got an envelope about so big.

- And did this other fella post it?

- Yeah, there is a post box at Holm Lane Junction.

- Saturday collection.

- Sorting office.

- [PA Announcer] Train from Holm Lane Junction--

- What was in that envelope then, Jones?

It's got to be something that Jack knew

about the Friday Nighters.

- I've done some checks on him, sir,

and it was an internal investigation.

They were all dismissed from the service.

No charges were laid except for one.

- PC Poulter, right? - Yeah.

Found a load of dodgy gear on his locker.

He was on remand in Causton

but he got off on a technicality.

- Where is he now? - Well, this is it.

See, he's a postman.

About a month ago, his round was changed

to include Midsomer Holm.

(dramatic music) (people chattering)

(phone beeping)

- [Eddie] What do you want?

- What we were talking about this morning, yeah.

I've got it all written out.

- [Eddie] Addressed to Barnaby?

- [Poulter] Oh, yes.

- We're in business then.

I'll call you.

- Oh, you've put on weight.

Jones.

- Okay.

- Thank you.

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

- [Jones] Let's go.

- I didn't kill him.

I haven't killed anyone.

I didn't even know Jack Colby was dead.

- Then what were you doing with this?

Mr. Poulter, you are here because of a very brutal murder.

And you must know as an ex-policeman

that the penalty for aiding and abetting in that murder

is very severe.

- I didn't write that.

Check my writing.

- Well, tell me who did.

Now, you see, that's where you're doing yourself

no good at all, Mr. Poulter, because I believe this man

whose name you aren't telling me is Eddie Marston.

You and Eddie Marston spent time together in Causton Jail,

six weeks, 16 years ago.

And yesterday morning,

Eddie Marston was released from his latest stretch

in Causton Jail on parole

on condition that he undergo a course

of reformative psychotherapy with Professor Gina Colby

whilst living at a halfway house in Midsomer Holm.

You're not saying anything, Mr. Poulter.

Is that because you suspect that I know that one month ago,

your postal round was changed to include Midsomer Holm?

My guess is that you went to the manor house,

and to your surprise and great delight,

the door was opened by Jack Colby.

- Well, well, Jack Colby.

And in the pink, by the look of it.

- This will interest you.

I'm told that from the time you started your postal round

in Midsomer Holm,

quite large sums of money have been disappearing.

And when you started your round this morning,

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

- [Poulter] Morning, Ronnie.

- So, it's Postman Poulter, is it?

- You suddenly realised you'd have to share

those rich pickings with Eddie Marston.

Oh, and here's the sergeant to tell me

who you were calling on your sorting office pay phone.

- Eddie Marston, sir. - Oh, what a surprise.

- Called him on his mobile.

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

- Eddie Marston's revenge on Jack Colby

for getting him 11 years.

So was it you or Eddie Marston who killed Jack Colby?

Constable? - Sir.

- Mr. Poulter is already very familiar with our cells.

Can we find him a small one, please,

so he can do some hard remembering all by himself.

- But you did say, sir, that Jack Colby went out of his way

to get Eddie Marston into Midsomer Holm.

- I did.

That's because he was being stupid.

He thought he could stop an attempt at blackmail

by finding Eddie Marston an easy billet.

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

From Jack Colby to the Probation Service, sir,

dated last month, recommending Eddie Marston

for transfer to the halfway house at Midsomer Holm.

- Thank you, Stevens, thank you.

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

with Ronnie Tyler's writing.

See, it matches.

- Which could mean Ronnie Tyler was encouraging Jack Colby

to talk to you.

- Jack must have unburdened himself to Ronnie Tyler

on their way to the station.

And Ronnie told Jack to do what he'd really wanted to do

all that evening, that is, talk to me.

Thank you, good, good.

If Jack Colby was a target for blackmail,

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

Something that Eddie Marston knew about the Friday Nighters.

- Tom, I've just had a call.

- George.

I'm just about to arrest Eddie Marston

for the murder of Jack Colby.

- In that case, Tom, you're gonna have to think again.

I've just been called out to Midsomer Holm.

Eddie Marston's been murdered.

(dramatic music)

(siren wailing)

- [Policeman] That area's been sorted out.

- How is the-- - I'm sorry,

I can't tell you anything.

- [Woman] Yes.

- [Officer] You make sure that this area is--

- George, what happened?

- [George] Killed by a single blow to the head,

similar to the one that killed Jack Colby.

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

- Who found him? - Tommy Crinney, sir.

Says he walked in and nearly fell over him.

- Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

- Yeah, same MO, same injuries usually means same killer.

- Only question is--

- Who would want to kill Jack Colby and Eddie Marston?

Who was the last person to see him alive?

- That's Tommy Crinney again, sir.

Spotted him coming out of Jack Colby's office.

Really looked suspicious.

(people chattering) (dramatic music)

- The thing is, Professor.

The thing is,

I almost think I might be happier back in prison.

- [Tommy] Excuse me?

Do you gentlemen have any idea how long it'll be

to get back to normal?

- Jones, could you go and ask Crinney

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

- [Jones] Yes, sir.

(knocking on door) (latch clicking loudly)

- I'd like to say something.

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

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

- We first met, Victor, when I arrested you for murder.

- I've been thinking,

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

Now, I could be happy with you.

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

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

I know what you've done for me.

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

But I am a man.

I don't want psychotherapy.

I want to know whether you can love me as a person.

- I like you.

- You like me.

- I can't love you.

- You can't love me?

- No.

- But you were never happy with Jack.

- Tommy Crinney says he's got no idea

what Marston was looking for.

- Jack Colby, he's written me a letter.

Something to do with Maria Goldbold.

(Victor shouting)

- Victor, let go of me now. - Jones.

(Victor and Gina shouting)

- I used to box at Eton.

- Yeah?

Well, I did karate at Causton Comp.

- Oh.

(Victor grunting)

- That's enough. - Victor!

(Victor panting)

(tape player beeping)

- This interview timed at 16:33.

Those present Detective Sergeant Jones,

Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby--

- And Victor Charles Winston Godbold, ninth Lord Holm.

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

that you are here further to a charge of assault

following an incident in the Lodge House of Holm Manor.

- Yes.

- Well, perhaps it will be best if you tell us

in your own words what happened.

- It's quite simple.

I wanted to ask Professor Colby to marry me.

I was speaking to her, and the next thing I know,

you and the sergeant come barging in.

And without any warning,

Sergeant Jones was trying to grab me.

I warned him by telling him I used to box.

And then I tried to hit him.

- Oh, you admit trying to hit him.

- There's no point in denying it.

- But you weren't exactly speaking

to Professor Colby, were you?

- I wanted to kiss her full on the mouth.

It was clumsy and inappropriate.

Quite rightly, she tried to resist me.

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

do you recognise that?

- It's the winding mechanism from the camera obscura.

- [Tom] Yes, it is.

Are you aware that Eddie Marston has just been murdered?

- Yes.

- We have evidence to suggest

that the injuries to Jack Colby and Eddie Marston

were caused by that same winding handle,

wielded as a weapon.

- And in view of my previous conviction,

you want to know if I did the wielding.

I've always found it difficult to speak to women,

especially where feelings are concerned. (clears throat)

Background and breeding, Chief Inspector,

a man of my class can become repressed.

And as Freud says, repression leads to frustration.

And then one very, very dark night,

your frustration gets the better of you and you snap.

By you, I mean me.

By snap, I mean I murdered my wife.

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

despite the fact that the truth usually hurts.

I have no recollection whatsoever of killing Maria,

nor anything else that night.

And no amount of therapy or coaxing

has ever brought any of it back.

I have no recollection of killing Jack,

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

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

- Follow me.

- Oh.

- So what do you think?

- I'd love to know what Jack Colby was trying to tell me

about Maria Godbold and the Friday Nighters.

That's what I think.

- Mm.

(knocking on door)

- Tom.

- I'm sorry, Gina.

I can come back.

- No, no, it's fine, Tom.

Please, please come in.

I just needed to spend some time here.

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

(Gina chuckling)

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

You still on duty?

- Yes, just a large one.

To Jack? - To Jack.

(glasses clinking)

- We're hanging on to Lord Holm.

- I can't believe what's happened.

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

someone confusing dependency for love.

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

that Victor murdered Jack.

- Well, yes.

Yes, I am.

Jack's injuries were similar, very similar,

to Maria Godbold's,

and certainly to the injuries of Eddie Marston.

So it's got to be.

I'm just waiting for the forensic confirmation

that Lord Holm is indeed the killer in each case.

Gina, I really want to tell you how sorry I am.

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

whatever the reason he couldn't speak to me,

you've lost a good husband.

Now, I believe that Jack and Eddie Marston,

they were both killed because of this.

The last month or so,

your village postman has been one Mr. Lionel Poulter.

Look at this.

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

Now, I haven't got everything out of him yet,

but I do know that he was acting whilst being threatened

by Eddie Marston.

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

just before he was killed.

Now, did Jack ever mention this to you?

(dramatic music)

- God.

- You all right? - Yeah, no, I'm fine, Tom.

It's, you know, it's just the shock of seeing this again.

You've seen this before?

- Well, yes, I mean, I saw it at the time, of course.

But then it cropped up again about a month ago

in the morning post.

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

- Gina, you told me

that Jack started having trouble sleeping about a month ago.

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

you didn't know what was troubling him.

So why didn't you mention this?

- Oh, sorry.

- Oh, no, Tommy, that's fine.

You just carry on.

I don't know.

I don't know, I must have forgotten.

- [George] You all right, Tom?

- Yes, yes.

George, what can I do for you?

- Post mortem reports.

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

but the physical evidence is conclusive.

It's just as we thought.

The injuries to Jack Colby and Eddie Marston

exactly match those to Maria Godbold.

They told me at the front desk

that Lord Holm has more or less confessed?

- Listen, if there's nothing else this evening,

the custody sergeant wants to release Lionel Poulter.

- Are you with us, Tom?

- Yes, I am.

And I'm extremely grateful for all your hard work,

both of you.

But I don't think Lord Holm's our killer.

- Oh, you don't believe all that guff

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

- Why, why?

Why would he have done it, Jones, why?

- Because he wanted someone else's wife.

- And why after 16 years

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

- I've just given you conclusive forensic evidence.

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

absolutely identical to the one from the camera obscura,

blood and other materials matches the victims' skulls

in three cases.

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

also repeated in all three murders,

suggesting irrefutably to me

that those three people were killed by one man.

- Plus, by his own admission,

Lord Holm was madly in love with Gina Colby.

- All right, it's Saturday, Tom.

You've got all the evidence you need.

Close the case.

- George, look, as a crime of passion,

I can just about see Lord Holm killing Maria Godbold

in a fit of rage.

I can also, funnily enough, see him killing Jack Colby

because, as you say, Jones,

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

At a stretch,

I can also see him battering Eddie Marston to death.

But what I cannot see is this old man, who's on drugs,

on Ativan for stress, for anxiety,

sitting there calmly chatting and joking with all and sundry

just before he's about to go out and commit a murder.

You see, that is the mark of a cold-blooded killer.

And lovesick and repressed our noble lord may be,

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

And if Lord Holm didn't kill Eddie Marston or Jack Colby,

then the Holm case is all nonsense

because he couldn't have killed Maria Goldbold either.

- So what do you wanna do?

Reopen the Holm case?

- Yes, I do.

- Oh, no.

- Look, Jack Colby got Eddie Marston into Midsomer Holm

because he was being blackmailed.

And that was because, at least according to Eddie,

because Jack had used the Friday Nighters

to save his own skin.

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

I mean, Jack Colby resigned his career

because shopping the Friday Nighters

turned him into some kind of pariah.

You see, I'm having a difficulty understanding

how he could have saved himself and then resigned, hmm?

And then there's this.

Why did Detective Inspector Gina Colby,

why did she resign her wonderful career

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

- Because being married to an officer who'd become a pariah

made her own position untenable.

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

But she was a senior officer, Jones.

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

She could have ridden that out.

No, there has to have been more

to Jack's involvement, much more.

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

the night he died.

- So what do I tell the custody sergeant to do with Poulter?

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

- [Manager] This is the one.

- [Tom] Thank you.

- [Jack] Dear, Tom.

I haven't been able to face you.

But then I guess you already know that.

I should have told you,

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

I shopped Poulter and Ray

not because they let everyone down,

but because I let myself down in a cell--

- With Maria Goldbold.

- I've just come from the station.

Poulter's admitted taking a letter from the envelope

to use as insurance against Eddie Marston.

- This is it.

- He also confirmed that Jack Colby met Marston in prison.

- Hello, Eddie.

Funny old life, isn't it?

I'm your new probation officer.

- Were you the last one to shag Maria Godbold?

(Eddie chuckling)

(playful harmonica music)

- Jack Colby shopped the Friday Nighters

having become one of them.

That's why he couldn't face me.

So that answers that question.

- But who would want to kill Maria, then Jack, then Eddie?

(knocking on door)

(thunder rumbling)

- [Tom] Dr. Wyatt, you going somewhere?

- I've quit, Chief Inspector,

over my prescription of Ativan for Jack Colby.

- Just like you've quit before, eh?

- In common with most prescribed drugs,

Ativan is largely beneficial,

but it does have some unfortunate side effects.

- Yes, so I'm told.

One of which is severe loss of memory

caused by sustained and continuous use

over a long period of time.

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

Dr. Wyatt, this is now a crime scene.

I'm asking you, I'm telling you, don't leave the village.

I should unload your stuff.

- Tom, what are you doing here?

- I'm here to tell you what happened.

I wanted to know why Detective Inspector Gina Colby resigned

after so cleverly solving the Holm case.

You know, I used to lie awake at night

wondering why you did it.

Why on earth would a woman

who was surely gonna make at least chief constable,

why would she suddenly throw everything away?

Gina, I think I've found the answer.

- [Victor] So I wanted to ask Professor Colby to marry me.

I was speaking to her, and the next thing I know,

you and the sergeant come barging in.

And without any warning,

Sergeant Jones was trying to grab me.

- And that is exactly as it happened.

- Exactly.

- Lord Holm finds his passion,

his capacity for extreme, intense emotions

that may lead to violence, impossible to deal with.

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

But there you heard him giving a very well remembered,

precise detailed account of bursting into your office,

pinning you to your couch.

It's led me to wonder why it was

he could remember the extreme emotion of attacking you,

but not of attacking his wife.

And there's something else I didn't understand.

Why did you insist that your Dr. Wyatt went on

prescribing Ativan for Lord Holm?

It was a short-term treatment drug, isn't it, eh?

But that was your way

of keeping Lord Holm confused and disoriented, wasn't it?

The same way you wanted to keep Jack

after he complained to Dr. Wyatt about having nightmares

when he opened his post one morning and found this.

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

just as you did 16 years ago,

the night Maria Goldbold, Lady Holm, was killed.

Jack wrote to me.

He didn't speak to me, but he wrote to me

and he confessed that, well, that he'd actually joined in

with the Friday Nighters.

And he also told me something else, Gina.

This is the letter.

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

You weren't in there coping with grief.

You were in there looking for this, yeah.

See, Gina, Lord Holm doesn't remember killing Maria Godbold

because Lord Holm didn't kill Maria Godbold, you did,

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

And then you had to kill Jack and Eddie Marston

to stop that truth coming out.

- Tom, this is crazy.

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

16 years, all this, and then, whew,

well, you weren't to know

that your village postie was a Friday Nighter

who'd been got at by Eddie Martson, were you?

Do you know, Gina, there was a time I admired you,

I looked up to you, I wanted to be like you, top cop you.

And now what are you, Gina Colby, eh?

You are a murderess.

You murdered Maria Goldbold.

How could you do that?

- The little bitch was a total whore.

- You killed her.

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

(Maria laughing) (dramatic music)

- [Tom] But you killed her.

- She attacked me.

- You killed her.

Then there was only one thing on your mind, find a way out.

And there was one.

- [Victor] Maria.

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

(metal clanging)

you arrested him.

And when Lord Holm said he couldn't remember the murder,

you calmly put him on your couch,

and what did you say to him?

You're suffering from traumatic amnesia,

that he was in denial, that he should be moving on,

the counselling continued.

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

you've prescribed him these, didn't you?

Get in his way, same stuff you described Jack

when he started having nightmares and found that,

did you know that Jack had kept that?

- I didn't know where it was.

Then I saw him put it in the Land Rover

just before he spoke to you.

- Welcome to Midsomer Holm, Eddie.

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

(dramatic music)

- When he set off for the station, you knew,

finally you had to do something.

(Jack screaming)

Poulter and Marston, they didn't know

that you killed Maria Godbold.

But Jack knew, didn't he?

(latch clicking loudly)

- (sighs) I couldn't risk the truth coming out, Tom.

- No, indeed, you couldn't.

And for that crime, ex-Detective Inspector Colby,

I'm arresting you for murder.

(train crossing dinging)

(Gina breathing heavily)

- I feel sick.

Open the door.

(Tom groaning)

(Gina grunting)

(train honking)

(train honking)

- Gina!

No!

(brakes squealing)

- [Ticket Inspector] I can't see.

- Case closed then, sir?

- Yes, thank you.

- You know what I realised?

- What have you realised?

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

- [Joyce] Are you sure you can't hang on?

- [Cully] Honestly, Mum, we've really got to go.

- Cully, Simon.

I'm so sorry I missed lunch yesterday.

- Are you all right?

- Yeah, I'm fine.

Are you going? - Yeah.

Sorry, Dad, we have to.

- It's business, Tom.

It's a gig I just can't afford to miss.

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

- I have a request, sir,

for your beautiful daughter's hand in marriage.

(Joyce sighs)

(Cully giggling)

I'd have asked yesterday at lunch.

- That's entirely my fault, that.

- We do have to go, though, so--

- [Joyce] You get on.

- Cully.

- [Cully] Love you.

- You take care.

Take care.

- Bye.

- Is that a tear?

- No, I was just wondering how you might feel

if I went in tomorrow morning

and asked for a few days' leave.

- Leave? - Yeah,

just you and me together, go away somewhere for a while.

- You mean somewhere like Bournemouth?

- [Tom] No, I don't mean somewhere like Bournemouth.

I thought-- - Bye!

- If they're going away to New Zealand for a honeymoon,

why don't we beat them to it?

(Joyce laughing)

(dramatic music)