All language subtitles for New.Tricks.S05E02.Final.Curtain.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-squalor_Track03

Alarm bleeps

radio: Raised by 0.5%,
more than expected.

Shares in the far east followed wall
street over night and Rose sharply.

Attention will now focus on the
opening of the London market.

The federal reserve's move has
raised hopes of a cut in UK interest rates.

Here's our economics
editor, Evan Davis.

Morning, Brian. Morning,
Gerry. They grunt

good morning, Sandra,
how are you today?

Why, I'm absolutely cock-a-hoop.
Thank you very much for asking(!)

Good morning. Good
morning, Sandra.

Look. I know you miss Jack,
so do I. But he'll be back.

He just feels let down and
you can't blame him for that.

No. You can blame me. Stop it,
Brian. If I hadn't gone to pieces.

When I stood up in that court in front of all
those people and completely lost the plot.

No, if anyone's to blame it's me. I mean that business
with Emily made us look a right bunch of mugs.

It was the system that failed him, not his friends.
And he knows that. Yeah, I suppose she's right.

I mean he wouldn't want to
see us like this, would he?

He'd want us to,
you know, carry on.

Bloody hell, Brian.
He's not dead!

Have you not got anything
you want to say to me?

♪ It's all right, it's ok

♪ doesn't really matter
if you're old and grey

♪ it's all right, I say it's ok

♪ listen to what I say

♪ it's all right, doing fine

♪ doesn't really matter
if the sun don't shine

♪ it's all right, I say it's ok
gettin' to the end of the day. ♪

Good morning, Sandra. Good morning,
sir. Happy birthday. Oh, thank you.

Oh, thank you.

Um, Catherine Austin.

She's the ex-soap actress. Used to
play Maggie dawes in home county?

Excellent.

Well, thanks very much.

That's very kind of you. No, no,
no. It's not a present, it's a case.

Oh, right.

I've got two others
for your team.

Look, Sandra, god knows, everyone
feels terrible about what happened

to Jack. Hanson should
never have walked.

But at the end of the day you can not
ignore Jack's subsequent behaviour.

He can't just take time
off without clearing it.

Whatever the circumstances.
No room for sentimentality, eh?

No, there's no room for
unprofessionalism in any of your team.

Ucos' reputation has been somewhat
tarnished recently to say the least.

If the unit is to be taken seriously again,
we have to start proving its worth. We will.

I've no doubt.

Anyway, it would be good
to give them the distraction.

Oh, sir...

Um, about my birthday...

I think the boys have forgotten.
And, um, I'd rather it stayed that way.

Yeah, of course. Got any
plans to celebrate? No.

Knock at door come in.

Sorry. I had to take a call.

Hello. Hello.

I'd like you to meet my
nephew, James strickland.

James is a recruit on the high potential
development scheme for graduates. The what?

It's like a fast track scheme.
Fast track to where? Well, the top.

Er, not quite, James.

Michael Austin. Not that actor bloke
who was shot dead live on stage?

March 13th, 1992.
Wimbledon theatre.

Correct. At the opening performance
of death at the masked ball.

Michael Austin was co-starring
with his wife, Helen brownlow.

Now towards the end of the
play, Michael's Austin's character,

the Butler, is shot and killed by the lady of
the house, miss swathe, played by Helen brownlow.

Now when Helen fired the
shot during the big performance,

the force from the blank discharged a metal fragment
lodged in the barrel, killing Michael Austin instantly.

Now this biography of Michael by his
daughter, Catherine, is about to go on sale.

If you turn to page 101, you'll
see what all the fuss is about.

"Dear Michael, oops,
bang you're dead. Bm." Bm?

Billy morley, allegedly. He, Austin and brownlow were
starring in the production. If you turn the page.

He's a smug looking bugger,
let's get him in for questioning.

We can't. He died as a result of Parkinson's in
1995. Was he a suspect at the time? No. No-one was.

The incident was seen as a tragic accident, the assumption
being that the gun hadn't been checked properly.

Now the stage manager, one Derek Bennett,
swore that the gun was fine when he checked it.

But it came out that he was a chronic alcoholic
whose judgement was likely to have been impaired.

And someone had to take the fall so he
served two years for manslaughter. Bit harsh.

Where's the original letter?

We had it subpoenaed from
the publishers, royal and brown.

Forensics are trying to eliminate anyone who may
have touched the letter since miss Austin found it.

She had the foresight to
seal it in zip-locked plastic

and the early indication is that
there are only eight sets of prints on it.

Which should give us a good chance of establishing
whether or not it's genuine. Yeah, but hold on.

This says here there were only two sets of prints
on the gun, Helen brownlow and the stage manager.

So, even if the letter was real and we
can prove that this morley bloke wrote it,

we can't hook him up to the
shooting without any prints.

So the best we've got is charging one dead old
geezer for threatening another dead old geezer!

What's the point in that? This letter is new
evidence, Gerry, so we are going to examine it.

Ok, we'll start with getting Catherine Austin's
fingerprints. Yeah, and her agent, Mel Simons.

He sent the letter to the book's publishers. Now,
I want you to give the samples to James here.

As part of his induction, he's going to act as
liaison between ucos, fingerprints and forensics.

I'm at your service.
Does that go for all of us?

Yeah, of course. Terrific. I'll
have a tea with two sugars.

You're Gerry
standing, aren't you?

Good luck.

So what was Billy morley giving?
Eh? What character was he playing?

Mr swathe. Helen's
husband. Giving?

Yeah, it's an old
theatrical term.

Oh, I can't stand the theatre. You know when I was at
school we had this brilliant teacher mr higginbottom.

He used to be passionate
about Shakespeare.

Used to get us to read it
in class. I mean, out loud.

He'd say, "come on, lads, in
your own accents, give it welly."

We'd do Hamlet and king lear
and midsummer night's dream.

We were all enraptured.
It was quite magical.

Then we got taken to the student production
one of my favourites, Julius Caesar.

Oh, what a let down. Dreadful.

Hmm, bunch of middle-class prats pouncing around in
togas putting on these plummy accents for an audience

of other middle-class prats.
You know what I mean, Gerry?

Oh, absolutely.

Total load of gaff.

Bloody hell. I hate London.

Ah, it's nice to come up west.

See the sights.

It's not a day trip, Gerry.

No, but Catherine Austin, eh? Fancy
us rubbing shoulders with the stars.

For Christ's sake, she's a
d-list celebrity, not Julia Roberts.

She's more than likely incredibly
precious and not a little jumped up,

but is not, and I repeat not to be treated
differently from any other member of the public.

I was 17 when I saw my dad die.

Were you in the audience?

Yeah, 'course, it
was the opening night.

Oh, well, that must have
been pretty traumatic.

Yeah, too right it was. Can
you tell us about the letter?

That bastard
Billy morley sent it.

You are saying that then, cos it's just
that in the book... We don't accuse anyone.

We just invite the reader to
draw their own conclusions.

The implication is clear. Bordering on libellous
even. It's been checked by a legal team.

How did you get the letter?

I borrowed a box of props from death at
the masked ball... For research purposes.

The letter was in there.
And when was that?

About 18 months ago.

The book was only ever supposed to be about me and
my dad and about being on telly and all of that.

I never expected to find evidence
that Billy morley murdered him.

Miss Austin, as suspicious as the letter is,
it doesn't actually prove anything. What?

Are you serious?

His initials are on it!

Tell me about Billy morley.

My dad hated him.

It was no real surprise when
he went all out to steal his wife.

Helen brownlow. The black widow.

But Billy and
Helen had an affair?

She was all over Billy like a rash,
had him twisted round her finger.

You know she called him
and my dad "my two boys".

How did your dad feel
about that? How do you think?

I just wanted to make him proud.

I don't expect
you to understand.

No, I do, as it happens.

My dear fellow, as I have
stated on numerous occasions,

I have not spoken to her since
he walked out of rehabilitation

and therefore I have
absolutely no comment to make

and indeed it would be
quite improper of me to do so.

Yes. Yes, you can print that.

Yes, feel free as a bird.

I'm so terribly sorry, mr, er...

Lane. Brian Lane.

Mel Simons. How do?

Do you know,

I seem to spend the vast majority of my life
with a red hot receiver pressed to my ear.

I've got a sex scandal
to sweep under the carpet

and an actress
in an African slum

demanding a bigger winnebago
and a macrobiotic diet.

Have you been
offered a hot beverage?

Because I can only imagine the thirst one
must acquire while engaged in detection.

I'm fine, thank you.

I like to keep a very close
eye on my body temperature.

You're so right, dear Brian.

Because after all, we are
only given one vessel to inhabit.

I know you are here to make an
indelible impression of my, of my digits?

Yes, we need to check them
against any we find on the letter.

Yeah, well, anything I can do to
uncover what really happened to Michael.

Your right hand first, please.

Now, just relax it.

So, am I to take it you don't
believe it was an accident?

Well, there, I think the letter rather
implies the opposite, don't you?

Do you believe it might have
been sent by Billy morley?

It makes absolute
sense in retrospect.

The man was a complete horror.

He made poor Michael's
existence a living hell.

You knew them both? I
know everyone, mr Lane.

And besides, Michael was a client
of mine and a dear, dear friend.

I told him not to take the role
in the masked ball. Oh, why?

It was too much, the three of
them working together again.

Michael, Billy and Helen?

Unhealthy.

Anyway, it was a
shockingly bad script.

More claptrap than
mousetrap. Phone rings

Mel Simons.

Oh, my favourite dame.

Trouble is, we're dealing
with professional liars.

Well, that's what they do
for a living. Bloody actors.

How are we supposed to know
when they're telling the truth?

They're a weird bunch, mate. I hope to
god that woman hasn't got a slappable face.

That was Helen brownlow's agent.

A Tiffany barker, no less. She's just granted
me an audience with the grand dame of murder,

who is in Richmond about to reprise
the role of the killer, would you believe?

What? Same play? Same play.
Same part. Aye up. We're on.

Wimbledon theatre.

I've just pulled up a list of current
employees. There you are. Derek Bennett.

The Derek Bennett?
Stage manager?

Very same. Only now he's
head of building maintenance.

So, returning to the scene of the crime.
It's a bit weird, but it's not an offence.

Oh, here we go. The saviour
of the metropolitan police force.

Oh! Ah!

Sorry, let me just...
Excuse me... just...

Come here before detective superintendent
Pullman nicks you for wasting police time.

What's the story, James?
I've got good news.

What, they've lifted the smoking ban or
you're being fast tracked back to hendon?

No, Billy morley was arrested for possession
of cannabis in 1993, so his prints are on file.

But they're not a match to any of
the samples taken from the letter.

Seven of the samples taken
from the letter have been identified.

Three of them were from
staff from the book's publishers.

So we aren't
interested in those.

Ah, Mel Simons
and Catherine Austin.

These are the samples
that you took earlier today.

Whose are the other two? Derek
Bennett and Helen brownlow.

Both sets of prints are on file
from the original investigation.

Both are a perfect match, leaving
only one set of unidentified prints.

Have you dated
the letter itself?

Forensics say the paper dates from
around the time of the production.

Looks like it's genuine.

Good. Ok. Right.
Um, first things first.

We need to find out why Bennett
and brownlow's prints are on the letter.

Hold on. What about Billy morley?
He's the only one with a motive.

Yeah, you go and see his wife,
Jane. She's another bloody actress.

Find out what she thinks went on between Billy
and Helen and I'll get Helen's side of the story.

Brian, you take Derek Bennett.
Ok, start of the second act.

Um, ma'am. Detective
superintendent. Yes.

Tonight.

Um, I was just wondering.

Well... i could take you
out for dinner, if you liked?

Uh, well... I don't...

Just to talk, you
know, about work.

I mean there's

lots of things I'd
like to ask you...

About your work.

"About your work!" They laugh

I'll show you how to work.

Sorry, James.

Bye-bye, James.

Hey, Sandra, you know romance in
the work place is very frowned upon.

Don't be stupid, it wasn't like
he was asking me out on a date.

Anyway, I said no. Why, did
the restaurant not have a creche?

Actually, if you must know, there was a very good
reason why he asked me out tonight. I can think of two!

Christ, you're like a pair of kids.
Grow up. Oh, we're just having a joke.

Yeah, at my expense.
The hilarity is limitless.

Ooh! He laughs

Mark Anthony's
speech to the crowd.

Julius Caesar, act two -
act three, scene two. Sorry.

Clears his throat

friends, romans, countrymen,
lend me your ears.

I come to Bury Caesar,
not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them.
The good is oft interred with their bones.

So let it be with Caesar.

(Noble brutus...)

The noble...! Sorry. If you
don't mind, I'd like to start again.

It's nothing like I did in the mirror this
morning. Sure it wasn't. That'll do, thank you.

Why don't you use
your own voice more?

You've got that lovely
northern... He wouldn't let me!

Friends, Roman's, countrymen, lend me your
ears. I come to Bury Caesar not to praise him.

Excuse me.

Sorry. Excuse me. Who are you?

Brian. Brian Lane.

You're not on my sheet.

No. No, I wouldn't be.

Do you know the
speech? Certainly do.

Known it since I
were 12-year-old.

Friends, romans,
countrymen, lend me your ears.

I come to Bury Caesar
not to praise him.

The evil that men
do lives after them.

The good is oft interred with
their bones, so let it be with Caesar.

What cause withholds
you then to mourn for him?

Oh, judgement, thou
art fled to brutish beasts,

and men have lost their reason!

Bear with me.

My heart is in the
coffin there with Caesar,

and I must pause

till it come back to me.

He sniffles

sorry, I was back in Hadley
grammar school there for a minute.

That was great. Loved what
you did with the regional accent.

Thanks very much.

No. Thank you.

Um, listen, Brian.

I know you're not on my list,

but you showed us more passion and emotion
in five minutes than we've seen all week.

There could be some smaller roles
if you fancied having a crack at it.

Think about it
and we'll call you.

Derek, Derek Bennett? Yeah.

Excuse me.

So, tell me about your
husband, mrs morley.

He died in 1995.

Yeah, so I understand. Sorry.

Don't be.

You didn't kill him.

God knows I'm not.

Would you like tea?

Or something stronger?

Well, strictly
speaking I'm on duty.

Strictly speaking, you're not
actually a policeman, are you?

No.

I cannot go out on that stage
and pretend everything's ok.

Helen, you are a
wonderful actress.

It would be the performance of a
lifetime and if anyone can do it, you can.

Let's give it one more go, yes?

"There is a knock at the door.

"Sarah raises an eyebrow."

Hello, inspector,
please come in.

Detective
superintendent, actually.

Tiffany barker. How do you do?

This is my client.

I'm Helen brownlow.

A very nice malt, mrs morley.

Miss morley.

Thank my husband.
He was a connoisseur?

No. A rich alcoholic.

And now possibly a murderer too.

Life just gets
better and better.

I'd like to ask
you to think back.

Not to last weekend, I hope?

I was at a very naughty party.

No, a little further than that.

You mean to Michael's death,
don't you? How did Billy react?

Remember that film about the
alien who couldn't find a telephone?

And drew Barrymore
gives it a geranium.

And when he dies,
the geranium wilts.

Uh, yeah...?

Well, that's what
happened to Billy.

His flower drooped.
How do you mean?

Michael and Billy were two
sides of the same coin, sweetheart.

It was no coincidence they
were cast together so often.

Went up for all the same jobs. It
had always been that way, since rada.

But it was as if one couldn't
exist without the other.

They were obsessed.

In fact, if I didn't know first
hand Billy was a womanising pig,

I'd imply an undertone
of homo-eroticism.

But what about Billy and Helen?

What, did he shag her?

You'd have to ask her that.

Billy was in love with her.

Everyone was,

but, when Michael died,
it was like part of him died.

Yin lost its Yang.

After that, Billy's
spirit was gone.

He had no fight in him.

He got very ill, very quickly.

Another?

Catherine Austin is a busy little madam with ideas
above her station. What's she done since home county?

Eaten crocodile bollocks
in the jungle, that's what.

She's not a proper actress. She's
only worked because of you and Michael.

Have you spoken to her? I mean
about all this? Yes. Of course. Have you?

She hasn't spoken
to me for 16 years.

I shot her father dead.
By accident, I must stress.

16 years. That's how long it's taken
for me to put my life back together.

Just as I have, here she is with
her book and that ridiculous letter.

You are aware that we've
begun legal proceedings?

What do you think this is? No, I mean
proper legal action. With lawyers and money.

Miss brownlow, I'd like you to explain why we found
several samples of your fingerprints on the letter.

I have absolutely no idea. It's a
fake. There's no way in the world...

..You are really
beginning to piss me off.

I've come here to speak to miss brownlow,
not you. Could you leave us alone, please?

I'm sorry?

You heard.

Something the matter?
No. No. No. It's just that uh...

Well, yes.

Yes, I do
recognise it after all.

The motif on the watermark
is quite unmistakable.

You can't see it in
Catherine's book, see?

So, you know its origin?

Yeah, without a shadow of a doubt, that sheet of
paper came from a pad that we used in the play

and it was under my
jurisdiction at all times.

But why would your prints
be on this particular sheet?

Well, the last thing actors
need is any kind of distraction.

So before every rehearsal I would pull and
tug every sheet of that pad to make sure

that we weren't going to be upstaged
by any rogue sheet of bloody a4.

So my prints will be on
every single page of it.

Attention to detail, mr Lane.

Something I expect you
understand in your line of work.

What about during the play?

Who would handle it
then? Helen brownlow?

Oh, absolutely.

Literally hundreds of times.

See, we rehearsed
for six weeks in total

and I had virtually
every prop from day one.

Who else?

Well, um...

Helen's character, miss swathe, writes
a note in it and gives it to the Butler.

Played by Michael Austin. Yeah.

Yeah. Who then delivers it to
the Earl of heaton. Played by...?

Tommy Jackson.

Not a fan?

There's a certain breed of actor, mr
Lane, who have more confidence than talent.

Driven, selfish, capable
of being quite ruthless.

Tommy is, and always
was, one of them.

And yes, he would
have handled the pad.

I don't suppose you know
where it is now? 'Course I do.

It's in that box. With all the
other things Catherine borrowed.

Do you really
believe it was Billy?

Well, that's what
I'm here to find out.

Am I to take it you don't?

A secret of a great performance
is not to act, but to react.

To take that first impulse, and
bring it to life. In the moment.

My husband did just that.

He was a very gifted actor.

That's what first
drew me to him.

Talent is hugely
attractive, you know.

Tell me about your
relationship with Billy morley.

We didn't have a relationship.

Are you implying something,
detective superintendent?

It's been suggested that
Billy was in love with you.

That it may have been mutual.

That's just a lie.

Catherine Austin remembers her father in an idealistic
way and creates a false reality to go with it.

I've skimmed the book.

It's a wonderful
piece of fiction.

You must remember she was a child, he was
a man who wanted to protect his daughter

from things she wouldn't
have wanted to see. Such as?

Nobody's perfect. Are they?

How were things between Michael
and Billy during the production?

Fine.

Catherine seems convinced that
they hated each other. Actually no.

Despite their differences,

they were both
consummate professionals.

What was Michael's
mood during rehearsals?

Fine. He didn't seem troubled?

No. And he never
mentioned being threatened?

No. And did you see the letter?

Not until I read it in
that comic book, no.

Detective superintendent, I have
a technical rehearsal in 15 minutes.

I think I have been more than generous
with my time and my cooperation. Don't you?

Yes.

Would you ask Tiffany
to come back in, please?

I'm um... I'm sorry
to open old wounds.

Well, they never healed,
detective superintendent.

The gun was kept in a
locked box in the props room.

When was the box opened?

Five minutes before it was due to
be used. During act two, scene three,

I would set it on this table here and then went to
join Michael, who was waiting to make his entrance.

He's the mop and bucket? Correct.
Right, so he stood there in the wings?

Yes. See, he was fitted with a small explosive
charge that was connected to a little blood pack

on his chest that he had to
detonate when Helen fired the gun.

So, I checked to see
that it was rigged properly.

So the gun was left
unattended during this time?

Yes, but it was only just there.

I imagine it was dark in the wings, the lights
were down, people were dressed in black?

Correct. So where was
Billy morley at this point?

He was on stage.
He's the Greek column.

Right, so then what happened?

Well, Michael and I watched the first half
of Helen's dinner party speech together.

Which one was Helen
again? She's the fig tree.

So who else was backstage?

The assistant stage managers,
a couple of technicians. No cast?

No. No, they were all on stage.

Apart from Tommy Jackson, who was on the
other side of the stage in the opposite wings.

You could see his Benson
and hedges bobbing about.

So when did Helen
pick up the gun?

A few lines before the end of the scene, she
would excuse herself from the dinner table

and leave for her secret rendezvous with the
Earl of heaton, who had just crossed the stage.

Whilst on her way,
she picks up the gun,

sweeps around the back of the
stage ready for her scene with Michael.

Now, Derek...

How can you be so sure that
your memories are that clear?

You know, unclouded?

You get used to working pissed.

I was in complete control.

Anyway, I haven't
had a drink in 16 years.

I checked that gun
at least three times.

It was left unattended
for less than two minutes.

If that was negligence,

then I was guilty.

There's no way that Billy morley
could have tampered with that gun.

The letter came from
within the theatre itself.

No, we shouldn't
waste our time with that.

This "feud" was more like a bizarre friendship and
if Billy and Helen were at it, we'd know by now.

There are no secrets at a theatre,
everyone knows everyone's business.

Billy's prints aren't on the
letter and were never on the gun.

And why would he
leave his initials?

So are we looking for somebody who
hated Austin enough to want him dead

and Billy enough to frame
him? Tommy Jackson.

Peacemaker? Eh?

You remember the peacemaker
in the '90s? The TV detective!

Woah, the dog's bollocks.

That's what Derek
Bennett said. Yeah.

Tommy was the young
star attraction of the show.

There was a lot of
bad blood apparently.

Well, the theatre's a breeding ground
for egos, in't it? It's notorious for it.

Anyway, I've tracked him down.

This week he's
working in woking.

Easy for you to say. We'll
go and see him tomorrow.

Can I show you something?

Only if she shows you hers!

Ignore him.

Just got the typeface
analysis back from forensics.

Check this shit out... ma'am.

Look, the b and the m in the
words "bang" and "Michael"

do not match the initials
at the bottom of the page.

So these were added later?

Most likely, yeah.

Then we're talking about
two typewriters. Ok, cheers.

Oh, James. Um, dinner tonight.
That would be lovely, thank you.

So, you heard. Two typewriters
means Billy morley was framed.

You're not really going
out with that wet weekend?

Just fancied some
adult male company.

Besides, who wants to
be alone on their birthday?

Oh, for...

You should have seen me,
Esther, I got quite emotional.

I bet you were majestic.

The director said I was great.

I felt so free.

I'm really pleased you've got this
new found interest in the theatre.

Yeah, I've got to
get cracking, though.

Learn all about the... Craft,
the language of the theatre.

Maybe at last we've got
something that we can do together.

You know, going
out, seeing plays.

No, no, no. I'm
talking about me,

me studying to become an actor.

A professional actor.

Have you told the others
about your um... Career change?

No, no. I don't want
to say anything just yet.

You know what Gerry's like.

She stifles a laugh

hi, Jack, it's Sandra.

Just wanted you to know that I've
been thinking of you and that's it, really.

Ok, hope to see you soon.

Take care.

Bye.

Thank you.

So, tell me about you.

What do you mean?

Well, tell me about you.

Um, what did you study?

Media studies. Oh, right.
And then you joined the met?

You can have any degree to get on to the high
potential development scheme, it doesn't matter.

I wanted a way in to forensics.

So, what happened to your interest
in, what was it? Television studies?

I combined the two.

Have you ever seen CSI?

Uh-huh.

And in the end, they found that
out he died a thousand miles away

all because of a dust mite
the guy had in his eye socket!

I know that some people think this
is geeky and weird but I don't know.

I think it's really exciting. Do you know what I
mean? Yeah, it's certainly a fascinating discipline.

And it's advancing all the time. There's
this new thing they're testing at the moment,

a way of analysing fingerprints that can tell you
how old they are, and even the sex of the person.

It's not officially approved or anything
yet but the technology is in place.

I want you to help me with this actor's trust
exercise. Put that down. I want you to stand behind me.

Put your hands up like that, hold
your hands up like that, right behind me.

And when I fall back, you'll catch
me. Yeah? Trust exercise. Ok? Ok.

Right. Right.

Thud

oh...!

Thank you for dinner.
It was a real pleasure.

Bloody hell! Ahhhhhh.

What typewriter? Act one,
scene three. A Georgian study.

Mr swathe sits at a table. On the
table, a cigar case and typewriter.

Come on, Derek,
attention to detail. Yeah.

Yes, you're right. It should be stored with
the rest of the stuff from the production.

Could I have a quick look?

Helen browlow has disappeared!
Any idea where she might have gone?

None whatsoever. This is
completely unheard of for Helen.

Though I ought to have
read the warning signs.

You left Helen in a
terrible state yesterday.

I simply conducted an interview which
your client was quite happy to give.

What she has chosen to do since
then has nothing to do with me.

But if I'm being brutally honest,
her timing looks appalling.

I know! Tell me about it. The
show bloody well goes up tonight!

When the press get hold
of this they'll have a field day

and I'll make sure you and your team
are hounded as much as my client.

I'll give you a bell,
if that's all right.

Shit. Shit!

What's the matter?
Where's Brian? Dunno.

Sandra...

Get out the way!

Mr Jackson, I suppose
you know why we're here?

Course. I've had a squint at the
book, I'm familiar with the case.

So, er, what are
we working with?

Are we looking at murder? That's what we came
to talk to you about. We'll ask the questions.

So, go on, talk. We heard you were having
problems with Michael Austin and Billy morley.

Handbags at ten bells.
Nothing I couldn't handle.

Though I see where you're
going with your line of questioning.

Yeah. Nice line of enquiry. I
would have done exactly the same.

Peacemaker nimrod.

You do know you're not actually a
copper, don't you? Do you? I was.

Yeah, so was I, you muppet!

I tell you what i'd have
my team working on.

Whether your suspect
had sent the letter or not,

to be involved in the actual killing they would've
had to have tampered with the actual shooter.

Well, Billy's got the parky's by then, ain't he? I
mean his hands are shaking like Bambi on the ice.

There's no way he could have put
that squib in the barrel of the gun.

Check his meds. That ponce
couldn't squash a grape in a fruit fight.

So, you don't think Billy
was involved? Nah. No way.

Anyway, he's got three
movies lined up after the run.

I mean they are art house
limited release, you know,

low budget bollocks, but
they're movies all the same.

He's not gonna put all that at risk. So who
else would want to threaten Michael Austin?

Well, who wouldn't? The geezer
was a right pain in the Harris.

I don't know how Helen put up with him for all
them years always pissing and moaning. What about?

Everything. I never met a more self-centred
geezer. What about Helen brownlow?

She's a good girl, great
girl, Helen. Really? Really.

Helen and Michael fought like cat
and dog all the way through rehearsals.

I mean, the night Mickey croaked
it they were at it tooth and nail.

He was giving it all of
that, effing and blinding.

Couple of times it looked like Austin
was going to mug off the whole gig.

Such a bleeding drama queen.

Anyway, I shall leave
you to mull that over.

I'm going for a slash.

Ah, eh, ee, oh, ah!

Ah, eh, ee, oh, ah, ah, ee, oh!

Ah, eh, ee, oh, ha!

Brian, you all right? Yeah.

Yeah, fine, fine. Just exercising
the organs of articulation.

So, how was Tommy Jackson?
Never meet your heroes.

Ah, the missing typewriter?

Yeah, James is on his way now to
get it. Great(!) How was last night?

Fine. So, no sign of Helen then?

No. Well, what
time do they go up?

When does who go up where?

No, what time does the show
start? Another technical term?

Gerry, you do seem to have quite an intimate
knowledge of theatrical jargon. No, I just...

Sorry? All right, then.

When I was 18, I did a bit of
work for a theatre company.

Bloody hell! Oh,
just a bit, you know!

Well, I never had you figured for
a thespian! He does like women!

Exactly, and that's why I
joined the mile end players.

12 raving fairies and me!

I cleaned up.

Got hold of the leading
lady, yeah, Sarah clacy.

Best looking bird in bow.

So were you an actor?
No, I was a technician.

Did a bit of lighting and stuff.

Did you never
try acting? Acting?

I'd rather lick the
back of a fridge.

Hi, how is everyone?

Is this the typewriter
from the theatre?

No. It's a kitten in a hat.

You know, I hate to say it,

but I think Tommy Jackson may
be right. We can't prove anything.

Anybody working at that theatre at that time
would have had access to that typewriter.

If this letter was sent to Michael Austin and
he handled it, why aren't his prints on it?

Because he never received it.

Meaning? Catherine Austin...

Has a book to sell.

She's got her father up on a pedestal
and an obvious grudge against Billy morley.

Now, Catherine reckons that she found
the letter in the box at the props lock up

where I found this typewriter.

Derek Bennett says he
left her in there on her own.

Well, she could have written the letter
herself and then put the typewriter back.

You know, faked the whole
thing to juice up her book.

There's only one
way to find out.

Can I come? No, you can get
that bloody typewriter to forensics.

How long after you started writing
the book did you discover the letter?

A couple of weeks,

two months. I'm not too sure.

And you still maintain you found it in a store
room near the wimbledon theatre? Yeah. Why?

Well, here's my problem. At the time of your
father's death, everything used in that production

was gone through
with a fine tooth comb.

Then it was put into storage
and remained there for 16 years.

So how come this letter just
turns up now? I have no idea.

Catherine, do you own a typewriter?
No, I don't. I use a computer.

What are you saying? That I
faked the letter? No, no, no.

We're not saying anything. We're
just asking you a few questions.

Well, the answer
is I don't know.

I wish I'd never seen it. I wish I'd never agreed
to write the bloody book in the first place.

Agreed? Yeah. It wasn't my idea.

Whose was it?
Mel's. Mel Simons'.

I wonder what
that's like, Gerry.

Performing when
folks are watching you?

You what?

Acting. On stage
with an audience.

Oh, I wouldn't know. Wouldn't
want to. Yeah, must be hard though.

Nah, Sarah clacy
said its no big deal.

No, she said all you've got
to do is mean what you say.

Look the other person in the eye.
And don't trip over the furniture.

But what if you're
like me? You know.

Like I was at hanson's trial?

Well, I suppose that's a bit like
stage fright. It's psychological.

She used to say you don't prepare
too much, just breathe out and let it go.

That's what she
used to say anyway.

Do you think Jack's coming back?

Don't look good, does it?

No. She's trying to
hide it. Yeah. I know.

Listen, tonight, why
don't we take her out?

Make amends for ballsing
up her birthday. Yeah, ok.

I'll give Jack a ring
though. You never know.

Helen brownlow has resurfaced. Uniform found
her wandering near the ponds on hampstead Heath

and they're pretty certain she
was about to do something stupid.

Mobile rings bloody hell.

Yes, detective
superintendent Pullman.

Yup. Ok. Right.

No, James, I
can't talk right now.

Brian, I need you to get back to ucos. I want
you there when the typewriter results come in.

How? There's a
tube round the corner.

I'm not travelling on
the tube! Get a bus.

Good god. I only went out
to put things into perspective.

I often do, this is ridiculous.

I'm perfectly fine. And you don't have
anything to tell us that you didn't before?

Don't be absurd.
Helen, how are you?

How are you feeling now? I told
you I'm perfectly all right. I'm focused.

I know what must be done.

The play will go on!

Miss brownlow, we have a witness
who swears they heard a disturbance in

your dressing room the night that
Michael died. Some sort of fight.

Oh, is it unusual for married couples to argue?
Of course not. But you told me the opposite.

You said that things were good between you and
Michael. That's because generally they were.

Yes, but Helen, this
happened on the day he died.

I just wonder why you didn't
think it was worth mentioning.

And what did you
argue about that night?

It was nothing. Well, we
heard it happened all the time.

That Michael was difficult to live with,
disagreeable and high maintenance.

You know nothing about
my husband. Or our marriage.

He was my best
friend and I killed him.

It should have been
me. Helen. Please.

Choose an animal to become.

He whoops like a chimp

Brian.

You're back. Where's Sandra?

Detective superintendent Pullman
is out of the office. Are the results in?

When will Sandra
be back? About now.

The results.

Cheers.

Ah, perfect match.

Apart from the initials
bm. Surprise, surprise.

But at least we know that the main body
of the letter was typed on that machine.

Yeah. What we
don't know is when.

Catherine Austin, Billy morley,
Helen brownlow, Derek Bennett,

Tommy Jackson,
maybe even Mel Simons.

They've all had access to that
typewriter and pad at some point.

I'm more interested in the second
typewriter and who added the initials.

Who had access to the
letter outside the theatre?

Mel Simons and Derek Bennett. Do you
remember that thing I was telling you about?

The more detailed fingerprint analysis machine
that can date test them? Yeah, vaguely.

I used my uncle's name, got
them to run the letter through it.

Go on. Well, I got some
very exciting results.

Helen brownlow, Tommy
Jackson and Derek Bennett's

prints date from '92 when the
pad was in use during the play.

Catherine Austin and Mel
Simons both match up from the time

they say they first
discovered the letter in 2006.

But. But... There are anomalies.

Both Derek Bennett and Mel Simons have left
prints that predate that by about a year, 2005.

So they're both lying about
when they came into contact with it.

Bingo! No, no, hang on. Wait a minute, didn't
you say that this thing hadn't been approved yet?

Yeah. So it's
inadmissable as evidence.

Yeah. But Simons and Bennett won't know that. Hey,
now you're starting to talk like a proper copper!

If it all goes tits up.
I'll take the blame.

That's very noble of you but I think you'll find
that the blame will rest squarely on my shoulders.

Bring them in.

Four years ago, we were
refurbishing the dressing rooms.

We tore out an old wardrobe

and it was just there. Must have
been wedged there all those years.

I couldn't believe it when I
opened it and saw what it was.

But it never had bm written
on the bottom when I posted it.

Posted it to who?
Helen brownlow.

I sent it anonymously,
care of her agent.

Tiffany barker? No, Mel Simons.

And what happened after you
posted the letter to mr Simons?

He rang me a year later, asked if Catherine
Austin could come and look in the store room.

I knew then that something
had started. Yeah. The book.

Derek, why didn't you
just take it to the police?

I was charged with manslaughter.
How seriously would they have taken it?

Look, whoever typed that
letter tampered with that gun.

I wanted Helen to see it.

It was important that she
knew it wasn't her fault.

More important than
clearing your own name?

What's going to happen now? I just hope that mr
Simons remembers it roughly the same way as you.

There's nothing to tell. Really?

That's interesting cos Tiffany barker said she
sacked you. Seemed to think it was quite acrimonious.

Helen left my agency
by mutual consent.

There were some...
Artistic differences.

Yeah. You were in love with
her and she wasn't with you.

So, when the letter arrived in the
post you saw a perfect opportunity

to profit from the split and to
exact some sort of revenge. Correct?

I don't know what you're talking about. Whose idea
was it to write the book in the first place, Mel?

Catherine's, of course.
That's not what she says.

She's lying. Oh, come on, Mel.

We both know that Catherine
is something of a lost soul.

She needs a guiding hand.
That's where you come in.

You gave it a whole year
after the letter arrived though,

before you arranged for her to
borrow the stuff from the production.

And then you slipped the
letter in the box. Am I right?

Prove it! Well, that's the
beautiful thing, though, Mel.

We absolutely can, cos your
fingerprints tell their own story.

Now, do we really need to go to all the trouble
of getting a search warrant to turn over

your home and your office just to find a
typewriter that we all know is there somewhere?

Catherine had been banging on for
bloody years about writing her memoirs.

Christ knows I
tried to put her off.

I mean, who the hell
would buy that shit?

I'd rather read a
notice of my own death.

She can barely
talk, let alone write.

And then when the
letter fell into my lap...

You planted the seed of making
the book more about her father.

You waited a few weeks and bang, you slipped
in the death threat. Potential bestseller.

Ten out of ten, miss marple.

But you make it sound so easy.

I mean, my god, woman,

I had to slip into that store room
undetected like some geriatric cat burglar.

Espionage isn't easy at my
age but it is marvellous fun.

Adding Billy morley's initials must have
been the icing on the cake, I presume?

Give that man a cigar.

Dead men can't fight back.

One of the world's nice guys, aren't
you, Mel? I'm an agent, you cretin.

I saw a way of making money.

Is that a crime?
No. Not in itself.

But tampering with evidence is.

So is perverting the course
of justice, for that matter.

Well, whatever else Mel Simons is guilty
of, it certainly isn't rigging the gun.

Not even producing
the original letter.

Plus there's no proof that
Michael Austin ever received it.

Or that the gun was ever
actually tampered with.

I rang Jack before,

to see if he had any
pearls of wisdom.

So did I. Yeah. Me too.

No answer. Nah.

This is ridiculous.

Where you going? To see Catherine
Austin. Time we put this to bed.

I couldn't agree more.

I need to know what time I'm
being picked up for Richard and Judy.

Doorbell rings
come in. Thank you.

Thank you.

Waste of bloody time.

At least on this occasion
we know the Butler didn't do it.

Bloody hell! What?

Well, help me! What are we
looking for? I don't know. Anything!

Of course! What is it?

Well, what if he did
do it? Who? The Butler!

Look, in all these pictures,
the Butler, he's wearing gloves.

He could have rigged the
gun and typed the letter himself.

Suicide! Yeah, planted the
letter, to make it look like murder.

Only for it not to be found.

Where's that writing pad?

Something's been written on
one of these missing pages.

I'll take it down to forensics. Bollocks. Time
for old-fashioned detective work, sunshine.

I preferred enter the dragon.

Sorry? Bruce Lee. Oh, right. I
didn't really see either of them.

That belonged to my father,
his favourite film. Really?

Cos most people think it was
his worst, he didn't even finish it...

What?

My dearest, darling, deceitful
Helen... get that. Phone rings

unsolved crime and open... James?
Put Brian on. He's a bit busy right now.

Tell him I know what happened to Michael. So
do we. It was an elaborate suicide, wasn't it?

Tell Brian to meet me at Richmond theatre. History
might be about to repeat itself. No, you can't come!

Helen committed
the ultimate sin.

So, she did sleep
with Billy, after all?

No. She told Michael that she thought
Billy was the better actor of the two!

You remember those
films Billy was about to do?

Well, Michael had been in
contention for the same roles.

When he found out that Billy
got them, he flew into a rage

and that's what they argued
about that night, him and Helen.

She told Michael
that he should retire.

That Billy deserved
those roles more than him.

He says in this she might as well
have shot him through the heart.

And then he made
sure she did? Yeah.

Then Michael wrote the suicide
note and then typed the death threat.

Which he left in the dressing
room to try and create a mystery,

a legend.

Trouble is no-one ever saw it.

I killed... Oh, bloody hell!

Stop! Police!

Ah. Inspector.

Do come in.

I have an imprint
of that letter.

My dearest, darling,
deceitful Helen...

I know the truth.

Please. Put down the gun.
Don't come any closer, inspector.

You can't blame
yourself for what he did.

I loved him. I killed him. No.

He killed himself

to torture you.

And you're letting him win.

One last victory.

Do you know what it is to love
and hate in equal measure?

No, can't say I do.

When I first met him he
was so strong, so noble.

But he became jealous of anyone
who succeeded, of Billy or Tommy.

The jealousy changed
him, ate him up.

And yet you stood by him?

And he repaid you
with a life of guilt.

I didn't know he was going to kill
himself! He always threatened to.

I thought he loved himself far too
much to actually go through with it.

Give me the gun.

Please.

I destroyed the note.

Not just for myself
but for Catherine too.

But the truth has a
way of coming out,

and as it did all
those years ago

so now it does again.

I feel a bit sorry for her.

She did let Derek Bennett
serve two years for nothing.

I still don't get how you knew.

That Austin had
rigged the gun himself?

Bruce Lee. Eh? Bruce Lee.

Catherine Austin had a poster
of game of death on her wall.

She said it was Austin's
favourite film. And?

In the film, Lee plays an actor
who fakes his own assassination.

Get away. Yeah,
and that's not all.

Cos in real life, Lee
actually died during filming.

Exact circumstances are still a mystery but
conspiracy theorists claim it was murder.

Well, that is too
much of a coincidence.

Well, how come you know
so much about Bruce Lee?

It's like a finger
pointing at the moon.

Concentrate on the finger and
you'll miss all that heavenly glory!

Pub?

Hello. Can we have a pint of bitter, dry white
wine and a sparkling water, please? Thanks.

I'm, uh, just going
to give Esther a bell.

Have you got 10p? Haven't
you learnt your lesson? What?

All the deceits, the
agents, the love triangles.

It's hardly going to go
down well with Esther, is it?

Thought I'd find you in here.
What's that supposed to mean?

Do you mind if I have a word?

Seriously, mate, don't go there.

I just wanted to say sorry.
That's ok. Don't worry about it.

Cheers, mate. Let me get these.

Sure you can afford it? We don't
want you running up your student loan.

Oh, I assure you. This will be
my pleasure. Mind how you go. Oi!