All language subtitles for New.Tricks.S07E02.It.Smells.Of.Books.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-squalor_Track03

♪ Row, row, row your
boat gently down the stream

♪ merrily, merrily, merrily,
merrily life is but a dream!

Shouting: ♪ row, row, row
your boat gently down the stream

♪ merrily, merrily,
merrily, merrily

♪ life is but a dream!

♪ Row, row, row your boat... ♪

oh, baby! You're
really turning me on!

You really shouldn't
say these things.

♪ Row, row, row your boat... ♪

you don't know what you're doing to
me. But you're making me really hot.

You know what I mean.

Children squeal
and trolley trundles

what, the red ones? You
know I love those, baby!

♪ Row, row, row your boat
gently down the stream... ♪

silence! This is
a bloody library!

Alarm sounds oh, Brian.

Come on.

Alarm continues

♪ 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

♪ we're getting to
the end of the day. ♪

Hold on, we've seen
all these. And these.

Yup, we've read all of them, and
none of them seemed worth pursuing.

Well then. So now we're going
to read them all again. Why?

Because the dac noticed that a
bunch of these files never seem to get

to the top of the pile, and he'd
like to see some of them progressed.

So that's what's
going to happen.

Smashing.

Well, is this all
right? This is heaven!

They've got over a million volumes,
and, unlike the British library,

they're on open shelves, so you can browse them
yourself. Terrific. And you can take them home!

What, like a library, you mean?

Look, there's no racks of
cds, DVDs, no misery memoirs.

No fun at all, then? It's a
proper library. It smells of books!

Any progress with these files?
Nah. Yeah, this one's interesting.

Richard symes,
2007, suspicious death.

Died from traumatic injuries
apparently sustained in a fall.

It wasn't interesting the
last time we looked at it.

Well, among the deceased's possessions
was a London library card. Do leave off!

Don't you think you're getting a bit,
forgive the expression, obsessive?

Hang on, Brian's got a
point to make. Thank you.

At least, I hope he has.

Richard symes had a load of
books out from the London library,

some of which he'd taken
out just before he died.

Which seems a bit odd if
you're feeling suicidal. Accident?

What's he doing falling off a roof
on a cold, wet night in November?

Any motive for murder? Not
according to the original inquiry.

Coroner recorded
an open verdict.

What makes you think we'll do any better? Is
there any new evidence? No, but I was wondering,

did anybody ever
read these books?

Reading the books might tell an investigator
something. You go and read them.

You're a member. Oh, now, Sandra,
hang on a minute. I've only just joined.

If I go barging in there with my ex-copper's
boots on, I'll put everyone's backs up.

Just find the books and have a
look at them. Any reader can do that.

Basically, Brian, you'll be drawing your salary
for sitting on your arse with your nose in a book.

Enough said.

Dr Richard symes, head of the department
of the history and philosophy of science,

London municipal university.

He was an authority on botanical
sciences in the 18th century.

I've solved this already.
He died of boredom.

The body was discovered
November 2007.

Now, the post-mortem
found injuries consistent with

a fall from the roof terrace of the
university library building. Witnesses?

No, nobody saw the fall.

Body discovered by pavel
illich, a security guard.

Family? Yes, a
widow, Paula symes.

Ooh, hello! Maybe he didn't die
of boredom. So predictable, Gerry.

Described as an
antiquarian book dealer.

No children. I'll talk to her.

I'll come with you. Jack, you can go to the university
and check if the security guard's still around,

and see if any of his colleagues are
available for interview. Yeah. And Brian...

I'll get my reading boots on.

Pavel illich? Yes. My name's Jack
halford. I'm with the metropolitan police.

We're reinvestigating the death of
Richard symes. You found the body?

Ah, yes, about where
you're standing now. Hmmm.

Can we get access
to the roof terrace?

Sure. This way,
please. Thank you.

Come this way, please.

All this work...

Refurbishing the
library, are they?

Never. It's being turned into student
accommodation. More money that way.

So where are they
putting the library?

No more library.

Did you know Richard symes?

I knew who he was. Security, we
have to know. But not more than that.

What was he doing up here?

This "roof terrace" is hardly the
hanging gardens of Babylon, is it?

Library is a no-smoking area. Students,
staff, come out here for a cigarette.

According to my information,
symes was a non-smoker.

So what might've been the attraction
on a wet November night? A mystery.

Type in as much information as
you have about a book. Man coughs

Mr Lane?

Yeah, sorry, sorry.

The display shows we've
got it. Click on "availability".

The book's available
for borrowing.

All you do is note the
shelf-Mark and you can find it.

I think I've got
the hang of that.

Thanks very much... Emma.

Just ask if there's
anything you need help with.

What's your particular
area of interest?

Yeah, well... books, really.

Well, you've come
to the right place.

Knock at door

mr halford, the vice chancellor.

Jeremy ventham. Jack halford.

Thank you for seeing
me, mr ventham.

It's doctor, actually, but we
don't go in for formality at lmu.

Oh, not being a varsity man myself,
I don't grasp all the distinctions.

Sit down, Jack. Thank you.

I told your secretary, that we're, um, investigating
the circumstances of the death of Richard symes.

Yes, er...

Very sad business.

Can you think of any reason why he would've
been on the roof terrace that night?

Your guess is as good as mine.

I was hoping to see some of his
old colleagues, but of course his

department doesn't exist any
more, does it? That's right, Jack.

"History and
philosophy of science".

Bit ivory tower for us.

Doesn't cut it with lmu's
target demographic. Really?

A bright kid with straight as or the
international baccalaureate wants to

hear about accountancy, management
economics, company and commercial law.

She's made an investment, she's heavily
leveraged, she wants to see big-time pay-back.

When was the symes department
closed down? Just after his death.

How did he feel about the department closing
down, and the imminent end of his career?

Well, nobody wants to be in a situation
like that, but I mean the fact is,

poor old Richard wanted to go on living
in the 1960s, when he was a student.

Academia was a
different world back then.

Jobs for life.
"Grants, not loans".

Cloud cuckoo land. It couldn't
last. We all had to grow up.

And he accepted it?

I think he found
ways to live with it.

Yes, all right, till
after lunch, yes.

Am I right for bibliography?

Dear me, no, this
is biography, a to h.

Two more floors to go!

You're new here, aren't you?

Yes. Don't worry,
we still get lost.

And we've been regular
users for 30 years!

Follow us! Thank you.

I'm Jasper urquhart, by the way.

This is my wife, Sophie.

Brian Lane. How d'you do?

What's your field, Brian? Sorry?

What are you researching
into? If it's not a secret!

Oh, well, er, history and
philosophy of science, and so forth.

Oh, how interesting. That's
rather close to our own field.

Oh? What's that
then? The corn field.

Oh, Jasper, you wicked man.
Or the fallow field, or the pasture.

We're economic historians, mr Lane, and we
specialise in the agricultural revolution. Fantastic!

Not a fashionable topic in today's
academic world, but we struggle on.

Religion, that way.
Bibliography, this way.

I must say I'm a bit surprised at
the university closing its library.

Wasn't cost effective,
given the overheads.

If the students need books, there's
our excellent and highly profitable shop,

but, quite frankly, Jack, lmu's new
multi-media learning resource centre

is a far better source of information
access than any old library.

This is the digital age
- books are history.

Yes, well, thanks
for your time, Jeremy.

We may need to talk again.

Of course, Jack.

Er, as a matter of interest,

what's your academic discipline?

I came up through
the business school.

Before I became vice chancellor, I was head
of the department of financial control.

No end to what people
study these days, is there?

Check out our prospectus, Jack.

You might find something
that appeals. Oh, thank you.

I hope this might help. Thanks.

Thanks. Any assistance
we can give feel free to ask.

Thanks very much.

Oh, that's a bit posh.

I've never met a rich widow.

She doesn't own the
business, she just works here.

Well, maybe some day...

Richard's sudden death was a
deeply traumatic experience for me.

These past three years, I've moved on. I
really see no purpose in reopening the matter.

The cause of death
was never established.

The cause of death
was Jeremy ventham.

What exactly do you mean by that? I don't
mean that he pushed him off the roof...

He just destroyed
Richard's life, that's all. How?

Richard believed in giving his students the
very best, and he expected the best from them.

I know that because he was
my teacher, 20 years ago.

Richard believed in academic standards.
So, what did Jeremy ventham do wrong?

Ventham thinks that the university is a degree
factory, and that the students are customers.

So they should get what
they want for their money.

Meaning? Meaning high marks for average achievements,
and pass marks for no achievement at all.

Richard objected to this, but ventham
told him to "teach to their expectations".

When Richard tried to defend his department's
integrity, ventham decided to close it down.

When you say this was the
cause of your husband's death...?

I don't know whether
he took his own life,

but I know he felt
betrayed and abused.

Brian.

Y'know, Esther, I ask myself if i'm not wasting my
talents in the rough and tumble of criminal investigation.

I'm sure I'm better suited
to the life of the mind.

Quite possibly. Look, will you please come and have
a look at the cracks in the plasterwork upstairs?

It could be subsidence. Why don't
you get that Polish bloke to look at it?

He can't deal with subsidence. It might need
underpinning. It could be an insurance job!

Well, whatever you
decide, my dear.

I'm beginning to feel I could spend the
Autumn of my days in scholarly seclusion,

unearthing the mental and spiritual
riches of the world of literature.

Why not go the whole
hog and become a monk?

You've already got the haircut.

Contrary to what you said, it's been put to
us that you forced Richard symes out of a job

because he refused to lower his standards to
get more students through with higher grades.

He wasn't a martyr
for academic standards.

He took early retirement
because I gave him a choice.

Either go quietly with a generous retirement package,
or face criminal prosecution and dismissal. For what?

The theft of books from
the university library.

Some valuable items went missing. Books of the same
description appeared in the antiquarian market.

You know Paula symes is
in the rare book trade? Yes.

We believed she was in charge
of what you'd call the handling.

How did he get the books out
of the library? I have no idea.

We had an electronic
security system.

If I'd known the details I could've sacked
him instead of buying the bugger off.

Was any of this
reported to the police?

That's not what I wanted,
for the sake of lmu's image.

But, confronted
with my suspicions,

symes seemed happy enough at the
prospect of taking the money and going.

It's a sad, sordid story,
but that's all there is to it.

Look at the state of this lot.

I only hope they appreciate
what they're getting.

University wasn't an
option when I was young.

It was a privilege of the elite.

It's not much of a privilege now. Most
of them are up to their necks in debt.

I hope it inculcates a sense
of adult responsibility. I doubt it.

Now, look, is that deep,
or is it bloody obvious?

You'd have to have a degree
in philosophy to work it out.

Yeah, well, a bit
late for degrees now.

It's never too late! Come on, Sandra. How could
I possibly hold my own with all these smart kids?

When I was at university, you didn't have to be a
genius. It's certainly not got any harder. Well, maybe.

Pavel? Hello! Oh, hello.

This is pavel illich.
He found symes' body.

This is my colleague, detective
superintendent Pullman.

Off duty? Security
is a part-time job.

I'm also a phd
student in economics.

Working your way
through college? Well done.

Isn't that Jasper urquhart?

Yes, it is, yes. We were
told the urquharts had retired.

Well, yes. But they
came back, part-time.

Teach economic history as option for economics
undergraduates. Big demand for that? Not really.

As Henry Ford say,
history is punk. Bunk.

Yes. A soft option for wankers.

Economists with any brain
wants to do what I'm doing.

Learn to build mathematical models of derivative
trading, join the merchant bank and make megabucks.

So why were the
urquharts brought back?

Vice chancellor says economics students
need more breadth of cultural understanding.

If you excuse me, I have a
meeting with my supervisor.

Doesn't sound like a
Jeremy ventham line to me.

Brian, join me.

Oh, thank you.

How are you settling
in as a library member?

Very well, thank you.

Good.

Now, Brian, tell me, as
a philosopher of science,

do you support kuhn's idea of
revolutionary paradigm shifts?

Or are you tempted

by the radical
antinomianism of feyerabend?

I try to keep an open mind.

I'm sure it's very wise.

So, what brings Jasper
and yourself to the library?

We're academics,
where else would we go?

Especially since our university
library has been taken over by

a "multi-media learning
resource centre",

full of undergraduates

playing with their
mobile phones.

Point taken.

What exactly are you
researching, Brian?

Bibliographical questions
in my field of interest.

So how is the work progressing?

Mmm...

I can't quite see the wood
for the trees at the moment.

Really?

You know, sometimes it
helps to talk things over.

Oh, I think I've got to
work this one out for myself.

If symes was a thief, maybe that's
what he was doing on the roof. What?

The university library has
an electronic security system.

All the books have to
be checked at the desk,

otherwise they set off an alarm
when they go through the turnstile.

But symes may have
found a way round that.

He takes the books onto the roof,
Chucks them down to an accomplice,

who takes them off
to Paula to be fenced.

Ok, ok, if we go with that, then
we could be looking at an accident.

Symes leans over too far...

Yeah, but what about this accomplice,
the book-catcher on the ground?

At the very least he
would've witnessed the death.

Right, so we're looking for
an accomplice-stroke-witness.

And murderer. There was a
criminal conspiracy. Thieves fall out.

Nicking library books is hardly
a criminal conspiracy, is it?

I can't see middle-class professional
people killing each other over it.

There could be a
lot at stake, Gerry.

Talking about book theft's made me realise
what symes' reading list was all about.

Go on. Well, I thought it must be about particular
subjects, or authors, or periods of history.

But that was all wrong.

All these bibliographies
and catalogues

include information about books
that are quite exceptionally valuable.

That's the common factor.

So symes was doing his
homework for the thefts?

So are we talking serious
money? For old books?

Tens of thousands of pounds.
In some cases, millions.

The university was just
a poly a few years ago.

They wouldn't have rare books lying around,
surely? They might not have known what they'd got.

Right, I want to know more about Paula, and her
book business. Jack, you haven't met her. No.

So keep an eye on her for a few
days, see how she operates. Right.

Brian, are you finished in the library?
Dear me, no. I still need to be there.

There's some very
funny stuff going on.

Like what? Well, my documents
have been suspiciously disturbed.

So have you, from time to time.

And there's something very odd about the
way the urquharts are behaving towards me.

Just who do they think you are, Brian? Just
another member of the intelligentsia, obviously.

Thank you.

Mr Lane, this is a library!

According to the original
inquiry, you were both working

in the university library the night
Richard symes died? Yes. Yes, that's right.

And you said you suspected nothing
suspicious. Is that still your recollection?

The first we knew of it was the sound
of the ambulance, and the police arriving.

Did you speak to him that evening?
Not at all. How well did you know him?

Well, we were in different departments,
but we had interests in common.

Richard was a specialist in
18th-century botanical science,

and obviously that was relevant
to our study of agricultural history.

In fact, we three collaborated on an academic paper.
In the journal of the history of economic thought.

Was there anything
in Richard's behaviour

that might lead you to believe
that he would take his own life? No.

No, not at all. But you can
never tell with people, can you?

Did he have any enemies?

None that we know of.

What can you tell us
about the allegations

that he was systematically
stealing the university's books?

Well, we were aware that books
were missing from the library,

but we never suspected Richard.

Item 17 on your list, a copy of Lewis
carroll's through the looking glass.

1872, first edition, a reserve
price of £500 had been set.

However, it's been
brought to my attention

that this item is not complete,
as described in your catalogue.

Page 63 is missing.

Due to the incomplete nature of the
item, the reserve has been removed.

Nevertheless, I'll start
by asking for £500.400?

300?

250?

250 I have. Any
advance? 260, anyone?

260 I'm bid. Any advance?

Madam?

The bid is 260.

Anyone?

Sold to the gentlemen
in the second row.

Good afternoon, sir. The
name's Timothy Mortimer.

Mortimer? Mortimer. And
the address is flat three. Three.

75 winchford road. Winchford?

Winchford road, west
hampstead. Lovely.

Great system, this, eh? What's
your particular field of interest?

Business. Yes?

Particularly my own,
and how to mind it.

Inaudible speech

His name is Timothy Mortimer. He was Richard symes'
research student at the time of symes' death.

So, symes' widow and his research student
are involved in their own book scam?

And getting up
close and personal.

And maybe Mortimer was
also involved in the library thefts.

We'll call them both in for interview. You
and I will take her, you two do the boyfriend.

Oh, no way. Wrong.

Sorry? Well, if I show me hand as an investigator,
me cover's blown at the library, isn't it?

You're not there undercover,
you're just doing a bit of reading.

This has gone way beyond that, I'm definitely
being spied on. You've said that before.

This is not about my medication!

This case is all about books and libraries, and
that's where it'll be solved. I know it is! Oi!

I'm the guvnor here! Yes, we're all
clear about that, aren't we, Brian?

There's no argument who
gives the orders around here.

But, I mean, think about
this interview with Mortimer.

It's all be about ducking and diving,
a bit of rumpy pumpy on the side.

I mean, that's my
territory, isn't it?

I mean, poor old Brian'll
be way out of his depth.

Maybe Gerry would
be better off on his own.

I'm sorry. Look, I just think
I'll be more cost-effective

if I can do another couple of
days in the library, that's all.

A couple of days. Yes!

The meter's running.

So what exactly do
you do for a living, Tim?

Well, I suppose I've got what you'd
call a portfolio career at the moment.

I'm still finishing my phd. I do a bit of teaching,
I make a bit of money as a runner in the book trade.

What does that mean?
I buy and sell books,

but I don't have a business premises,
or issue catalogues, or carry much stock.

If I see a book at a good price, I'll buy it,
try to sell it to a more established dealer.

See, we've got a little problem.

We think that you
conspired with Paula symes

to defraud the auction house and
the vendor... When this book was sold.

Well, that's putting a particular
interpretation on events.

This book was on sale in the shop where you
work, described as complete and offered at £600.

Now, a page has recently been "tipped
in". I believe that's the technical term?

A repair has been effected.

That's nothing unusual. I think what I witnessed
between you and Timothy Mortimer speaks for itself.

A copy of a book
changed hands at auction.

A copy of the same book
was for sale in the shop.

You're making a lot of inferences
after snooping into my personal life.

I think you'd have a hard
time proving anything. Maybe.

But then you and the business you
work for would also have a hard time

whilst we were conducting the
investigation, don't you think?

We want you co-operation in our investigation
into the death of Richard symes.

Now, in view of your recent conduct,
you'd be well advised to come clean

about what you were doing in
the past. Do you understand?

Yeah. Richard symes was stealing
valuable books from the university,

and you were putting them
on to the market for him.

It's right, isn't it, Paula? Richard thought Jeremy
ventham was subverting the standards of the university.

He knew ventham wanted to destroy
his department and to get rid of him.

The library itself was
scheduled for closure.

Collections that had taken decades to
build up would be dispersed, probably

at knock-down value, that's if they weren't just
dumped into skips. Surely that wouldn't happen?

It's happened before, with libraries being
wiped out by bean-counting barbarians.

So, Richard decided to go for what
ventham would no doubt call "pay-back".

He smuggled out some saleable
books, and I found buyers for them.

When you say "saleable
books", what are we talking about?

Nothing very rare or precious.

Maybe, what, 50 to £100, mostly.

And can we be clear about the
method, and who was involved?

Camera clicks

Richard brought the books out onto the
roof terrace, and threw them down to me.

And then I took them to Paula
and she sold them on in the trade.

Thank you, Tim.
That's very good.

So you were in the car park
the night of Richard's fatal fall?

No. Not that night.

Oh, come on. He was at it that
night and you were his accomplice!

No, I didn't know he was taking
books that night so I didn't go.

So where were you?

That's difficult.

Oh, Brian, I wanted
a word with you.

We need a free and full
exchange of views, Jasper.

When did your affair with
Tim Mortimer begin, Paula?

Tim was very supportive in
the months after Richard's death.

Eventually, a
relationship developed.

Ok, so, just to be clear, you're saying that
it started some time after Richard died? Yes.

We don't believe you.

Paula was, what,

20 years younger than Richard?

Something like that. And you
met her when you were his student?

Graduate student, yes.

Very attractive woman, eh?

Intelligent, independent.

When did the affair start?

I tried to help Paula out as much as I
could after the shock of Richard's death.

We started seeing each other
quite frequently, and then we both

realised we were strongly attracted
to each other. I don't doubt it.

But what I do doubt
is when it started.

I think it happened
while Richard was alive.

Look, son, we're going
to be talking to people.

Friends, neighbours, colleagues.

We're going to be checking hotel registers,
credit card bills, bank accounts.

Now believe me, I've been there.

And if you were at it, someone will
know about it. Someone always does.

So you'd be better off
to come clean right now.

Ok, the truth is Paula and I started a relationship
about six months before Richard's death.

Was he aware of it?

I don't know.

So, why have you two
been spying on me?

Why are you so interested
in Richard symes?

I'm a scholar in the same field.

No, you're not, Brian. You've no
scholarly publications to your name.

And you're quite
ignorant about the basics.

Look, we're not here to
discuss my credentials!

We're here because of your
outrageously underhand conduct!

Well, the truth is,

we realised you must be looking
for the same thing as ourselves.

Yes, and you thought you'd take a
short cut by plagiarising my research.

Well, let's see just
how far you've got.

We are, of course, talking
about a particular book, aren't we?

Stolen by Richard symes
from the university library?

He shouldn't have done that.

We're the ones who found it!

We took it to Richard because it was in his
specialist field, to ask if it really was...

No, shush!

Let's see what Brian
thinks it might be.

Well, we're obviously talking about a
work of considerable value, aren't we?

We're talking
about a major work,

about 18th century
botanical science.

Look, I'm not prepared to reveal
my hand any further without...

Having some convincing
evidence of your good faith.

Bullshit.

Don't forget I could ruin your
reputations with the evidence I've got.

Right, what have
we got here? Photos.

And you've just deleted them.

Pleasure talking
with you, Brian!

It was both amusing
and instructive.

Now, you've a well-supported alibi for the
night of your husband's death. But, of course,

Tim could've killed
him, couldn't he?

The night Richard
died, Tim was with me.

The police found you at the
hotel to notify you of the death,

but they don't record the
presence of anyone else.

I got a call from reception to say that
the police wanted to speak with me.

I didn't know what it was about.

Tim hid out in the bathroom.

I didn't particularly want the police
in on my adulterous relationship.

Thanks, Paula.

I think we've made
significant progress.

Richard symes, married to a much younger
woman, who in turn takes a young lover.

Classic scenario for murder.

Paula gave Mortimer an alibi.
Well, she would, wouldn't she?

Yeah, but Mortimer could easily have travelled to the
book fair with her but he would still have had time

to get back in the evening
and push symes off the roof!

No, the book's the key to it. Oh,
not more bleeding books. Go on.

I fronted up the
urquharts today.

They've admitted spying on me.

They're trying to track down a book, stolen by
symes from the university library. What book?

I don't know.

They cottoned on to the fact I
was bluffing, and clammed up.

Brian, does this help
us with Tim and Paula?

Symes stole the book, symes
was killed, the book's missing.

If Tim or Paula are
now in possession of it...

We can hardly confront them
with it if we don't know what it is.

It's something the urquharts
wanted symes' opinion about.

So it's got to be in an area where they had shared
interests - history of agriculture or botany.

They did all write a paper together.
What about? Some kind of journal.

No, no, this is important!
Er, journal of the history of...

Turnips, probably. Turnips?!

No, no, no. Journal of the history
of economic thought! That's it.

The library's still open. I can check this
out tonight. It's not that urgent, Brian.

Sandra, it's the
thrill of the chase!

The journal of the history of economic
thought! Yes? Well, where is it?

Learned journals are on
level seven, right at the top.

Going-home time, Jack!
Yes, yes, I'm on my way.

I, er, had an e-mail
from the university.

There's an Emma curran.

She was the librarian on
duty the night that symes died.

I couldn't track
her down at all.

Turns out she's now using her
married name, Emma woodford.

Works for the London library.

There's a job for tomorrow.

Yeah.

Y'know, when we were still in the job, Brian
applied to a university as a mature student.

Really? What happened?
They interviewed him.

Oh.

2005!

Yes!

"Arboriculture in the
French enlightenment."

You've lost me already. Arboriculture,
the science of tree cultivation.

Richard symes and the
urquharts wrote this paper together.

I thought you were trying to work
out what this mystery book was?

Well, have a bit of
Patience and I'll get there.

Now, part of this paper is about
a fellow called Henri duhamel,

and a lot of the references are to symes'
phd thesis on French botanical scientists,

so I'm assuming that
symes wrote that bit of it.

Now, the urquharts wanted
symes' opinion on a book,

so they must've thought it was
potentially rare and valuable.

And remember, the urquharts knew
that symes was an authority on duhamel.

Hold on, hold on. So, are you saying that this unheard-of
French bloke wrote a book that was worth nicking?

A list of the top ten antiquarian
book prices of all time...

In 2006, duhamel's
"traite des arbres fruitiers,"

that's "a treatise
on fruit trees,"

sold for $4.5 million!

Good god! Bugger
me! Worth nicking, eh?

Worth killing for. Sandra?

If I had a copy of
duhamel's traite,

I would've disposed of it through the
trade, and I'd be living in The Bahamas.

As well as searching your premises, we'll
be investigating your financial records.

Waste as much time and
public money as you like.

Sit down, mr halford. Thank you.

Er, I don't think I can really add anything
to the statement I made at the time.

I was on duty at
the university library,

but I didn't know anything was wrong
until the police and ambulance arrived.

Did you speak to Richard
symes that evening?

Only to say hello. How
well did you know him?

We knew each other
professionally, but not socially.

Did you notice anything out of the ordinary
in his mood or behaviour that evening?

Not at all.

As a member of the library staff, you must've
noticed that books were going missing?

Yes. Jasper and Sophie urquhart
made a lot of fuss about it. Did they?

Yes, but books do go
missing from libraries.

Quite apart from readers failing to return them,
they can be mislaid or mis-shelved. Or stolen.

Yes.

Did you know that Richard
symes was suspected?

No.

Right.

Some decisions need to be made.

Mm.

About the work on the house.

Whatever you decide, dear.

If we don't do something, and soon,
this house could fall down round our ears.

Did you hear what I said?

House. Fall down around us.

Well, have you got
anything to say about that?

Poe! What?

"The fall of the house of Usher" -
made me think of Edgar Allen poe.

What are you looking for?
Tales of mystery and imagination.

Why? Because that's the answer!

There you are.

Esther, you're a genius!

Hey, hey, I've cracked it!

I know where the
book is! Really?

Yes, I said from the start this whole
case will be solved in the library.

Is that it? No, that's
Edgar Allen poe.

What's he got to do with it?

He wrote a story called
"the purloined letter".

A compromising letter goes missing,
and the great detective discovers it,

in open view, in a
domestic letter rack!

I thought we were looking for
a book? It's the same principle.

Where do you hide
a book? In a library!

And that's what
Richard symes did.

He nicked a copy of duhamel,
he re-bound it with a fake title,

and he stuck it on a shelf at the
London library. Wouldn't they notice?

No, they've got
a million volumes,

how are they going to know about
one that's not in the catalogue?

A book could sit
there for years,

especially if it's an obscure
subject with a boring title.

Why did he do this? He couldn't cash in on the book
immediately. Other people were on the trail of it.

The urquharts in particular. And he was right to be
anxious, wasn't he? He was killed over that book! Maybe.

So who is it? The
urquharts? Tim Mortimer?

Person or persons unknown?
Oh, I haven't thought about that.

Thank you. Where, amongst the
millions of volumes, is this book?

That's the question. I
haven't worked that bit out yet.

But if I could just enter into symes' mind, I'm
sure I could reconstruct his thought processes.

That would be a
very impressive trick.

In the meantime, why don't you just disappear back
into the library and leave all the dreary stuff to us?

Witness statements,
interviews, suspects.

I'm sure I'll have the nub of the matter
in my grasp. Mind you don't go blind.

Oh, er, I'm supposed to
give this to dr urquhart.

We're expecting her any minute.

Uh, thing is, I'm
late for another class.

We'll make sure she gets it.

Cool.

That's not how
you spell "plough".

It is in the states. He's probably downloaded
the whole thing from an American website.

What, is that what
they get up to?

Yeah, I told you, Jack, doing
a degree is not rocket science.

Unless you're doing
rocket science, I suppose.

Actually, there are some
bits that must be his own work.

For "must have" he's got "must
of", and he spelt "input" with an "m".

I could do better than this!
So what's stopping you?

Well, I wouldn't
come to this place.

I want to be able to stretch the old
brain a bit before it seizes up completely.

There are much better places
than this, Jack. Yes, well. Oh, hello.

Hi. Sophie, we would like you to
come down to the station with us

to do an interview about the death
of Richard symes. Oh! Very well, then.

By the way, a budding nobel
prize-winner left you this.

Thank you.

Well, he's progressing.

Really? Oh, yes. Last time, he printed out the bit
that said, "for further information, click here".

There's one thing that
puzzles us, Sophie.

Jeremy ventham seems
very keen to have got rid of

departments and teachers who, in
his terms, weren't pulling their weight.

And yet he took you two back on.

So what favours does he owe you?

For keeping quiet.

About what?

One evening, we happened to be passing through the
dogmatic theology section of the university library,

which was somewhat under-used, and we came across
dr ventham having it off with the librarian, Emma.

Who is now at the
London library? Yes.

And of course, they
are both married.

So you blackmailed him?

In a nutshell,
yes, we did, really.

What do you know about a book
written by Henri duhamel, called...

Well, in English, "a
treatise on fruit trees"?

It's very rare,
and very valuable.

We have information that you found a copy of this
book at the London municipal university library.

Is that right?

It's what we hoped we might've
found, but we couldn't be sure.

The title page
was illegibly foxed.

Foxed? Brown staining caused by metallic
or chemical impurities in the paper.

And you drew Richard symes'
attention to the book? Yes.

He was the authority on duhamel.

And you were willing
to cut him in on the deal?

We weren't thinking
about any kind of deal.

We didn't have any
notion of the potential value.

We asked a colleague to
confirm an academic discovery!

And where was this?
In the university library.

Richard was working there.

What did he say?

He wouldn't commit himself.

He asked us to leave the book
with him, said he needed to study it

and to consult some reference
books and bibliographies.

We had classes to teach.

When we looked for Richard
later, we couldn't find him

and the book hadn't been checked out of the
university library, but it wasn't on the shelves.

So we decided to do our own research
on what the book might be worth.

And you realised that you'd been
closed out of a multi-million-dollar scam?

Ah. If you want to put
it in vulgar terms, yes.

And you confronted symes on
the roof terrace the night he died?

No, no. We saw
him in his office.

He said he'd taken the book to show
to his wife, and that she'd taken the

view that it wasn't a first edition, and that so many
of the plates, the illustrations, because that's what

makes these books so valuable, were
missing, that it was almost worthless.

And you didn't believe him? Well, we said, in
that case, why isn't it back on the shelves?

Well, he didn't have an answer.

He treated us with contempt.

This gives you a
motive for killing him.

But we didn't.

What, you just
shrugged your shoulders?

I find that very
hard to believe!

We're not violent people.

We didn't try to hurt him.

We just grassed him up.

Grassed him up?

Isn't that what you say?
Or is it "dobbed him in"?

We denounced him to
the authorities, anyway.

What authorities
are we talking about?

We said to the security officer, the
nice Russian boy. Pavel illich? That's it.

We said, we're terribly sorry, but we have an awful
suspicion that dr symes has taken a very valuable book.

Then you tried to find out
what happened to the book?

Yes.

To no effect, sadly. Of course, we realised
he'd probably hidden it in the London library.

What, you worked that out?

Well, any idiot could
have guessed that.

We'd like you to tell us what you know about the
death of Richard symes. All of it, this time.

We've been checking
your immigration status.

You're here on a student visa. And you shouldn't be
working. Anyhow, that visa expired some years ago.

Where is accountancy
and financial control?

We don't get many
requests for that.

That's what I
thought. Where is it?

The basement, the rolling cases.

You were told that symes had stolen a valuable
book from the university, and next thing,

symes was found dead, and
the book was never seen again.

And you kept quiet about it.

That'll take a lot of
explaining, pavel. Yes.

Well? You think
I killed Richard?

Richard and me, we
were like this. How come?

He comes to me, maybe
three months before he dies.

He says he wants me for
private security job, cash in hand.

Thinks his wife is shagging
that research student, Tim.

I follow them
both. And it's true.

Richard gives me
a big bung. Yeah?

Then Richard says, "I have this
little earner going, do you want some?"

And I say yes.

He was stealing books from the library, throws them
off roof to Tim, and his wife, Paula, sells them.

But Richard says, "they're
cheating on me, I owe them nothing!"

So I become his partner. And you became the
book catcher? Yes, I became the book catcher.

So the urquharts weren't
actually giving you any news?

No. I had caught
that book myself.

What d'you do with it?

I gave it back to Richard.

He says, "I'll hide this until
I can put it on the market."

It's worth megabucks. And the
night he died, you were there? Yes.

I'm waiting in the car park.

Richard throws some
books, I take them to the car.

Then, I look up and there is a
fight going on. Richard and...

Vice chancellor. Ventham
was up there? Yes.

Richard falls, vice
chancellor disappears.

I check the body

and Richard is dead. How did
ventham know he'd be there?

The only person who
could've told him was you.

The small problem
with my student visa,

vice chancellor
also knew about that.

He says he'll keep quiet if I give information
about Richard, so he could give him the sack.

Oh, so you were spying
on symes for ventham?

Busy little bugger, weren't you? Did you tell
ventham about the really big scam, the duhamel book?

Yes, I did.

You've missed the vice chancellor. He's flying out
to Geneva for a conference. Is he at the airport?

He had something to do in
town on the way. Thank you.

Knocking

oi!

I'm in here! Oi,
I'm still in here!

Excuse me!

Help!

There's no-one
here but us, mr Lane.

You've found it, haven't you?

Found what? Don't
play silly buggers!

Give me the book and this
will all be over. I can't move!

Slide the book along the floor.

What book? There's
hundreds in here!

Ahh! Ahh!

Where's Brian Lane? I believe he's in the library.
He's an investigator for the metropolitan police.

Look, I really don't know
where... Yes, you do.

You've been watching him! And reporting to
your boyfriend, Jeremy ventham. So where is he?

The basement.

Jeremy said he was just trying
to recover university property.

Oi! Hey, no!

Ah! No! Aaahhhh!

Come here! All right,
that'll do, that'll do!

Are you all right? I've
got it, I've got the book!

Look, it's French. It's 18th century,
and it purports, according to the

cover, to be an exposition of the
merits of double entry book-keeping!

That's mine! Get
off. Whereas in fact...

It is an exposition of the merits of
double-entry book-keeping. Shit!

Come on. Well,
never mind, Brian.

Only another
999,999 volumes to go.

Well, I'm going for a pint.
You going to the library?

I've had it with libraries. Eh?

They're full of weirdos. I thought
that's why you felt so at home?

Anyway, they're
a thing of the past.

Oh, really? This
is the way forward!

Linked to the Internet, it allows me
to access the world's literary culture

from the comfort of my own
armchair! Cool, let's have a go.

Can you play football
manager on it?

No, you can't. Be careful.

I've just downloaded the
complete poems of Philip Larkin.

Now there's a man who
spent his life in libraries.

Here's a good quote.

What's that then?
"Books are a load of crap".

I think you'll find that's an
example of Larkin's use of irony.

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