All language subtitles for Taggart s07e01 Nest of Vipers.eng

Thank you.

Keep the kite flight that he did when I
was a boy.

Could be another Roman skull, sir.

The archaeological dig's just over the
hill there.

That's practically followed me out here.

I suppose skulls are flavour of the
month at the moment.

Tell us it was I, Claudius.

We'll go home for breakfast.

I think you'll be having breakfast here.

The Romans cremated most of their dead.

But the two skulls they found over there
last month?

They were the exception.

That's why the archaeologists are having
such a field day.

You know, I think this one had its teeth
removed and its jawbone broken

deliberately.

Hey, look, he's got another one.

Don't talk about me.

Don't look at your own head, that's it.

It's not a place to see it.

Right, excuse me. I'll take that if you
don't mind. Come on, then.

It gives a point. Come on.

Sir?

One of the truck drivers just found it.

Why did he leave it there?

Because he already had it in his hand,
sir. He was posing with it for a

photograph.

Well, put it down.

Here.

I was going to play football with it.

Exactly the same.

She's removed job once more.

Somebody's private graveyard.

Is that the last one?

Yes. Well, let's hope your project
succeeds.

We won't have to go through this every
month.

I think it's a long way off.

Just make sure you get the credit for
it, that's all.

Hello?

Is this Maryhill Police Station?

Could I speak to Inspector Jim Taggart?

I see.

When will he be available?

No, could you just tell him Mrs.
Gilmore?

Mrs. Gilmore.

Annie Gilmore.

He knows her.

Thanks a lot.

A female.

The fact that the sutures haven't closed
on top gives an approximate age between

21 and 30.

Can you narrow that down?

Got anyone in mind?

I may have.

Mid to late twenties?

Of course I can't say how long they've
been in the ground. Or if they were

buried at the same time.

That'll be up to soil analysis.

Or how they died.

I can tell you how they didn't.

There's no injuries to the cranium.

Only the jaws.

And they're definitely post -mortem.

They found hair strands in the soil
around both the skull sites, sir.

Both blonde.

Oh, there was a phone call from Annie
Gilmore.

I thought there would be.

We've widened the search area, sir.
Nothing yet.

But the rest of the bodies could be
buried somewhere else.

It's more than likely.

It's interesting that the jaw was
damaged.

As if the murderer knew enough about
forensic dentistry not just to pull the

teeth. We've done the usual checks on
missing persons.

Of course, one stands out. Janet
Gilmore.

Same age, same colour of hair.

Has her mother been in touch?

Naturally, sir.

Couldn't we superimpose a skull on a
portrait of her like they did in the

case? Well, we're informed, sir, it
wouldn't be successful for a number of

reasons. First of all, she has quite a
full faith in the photos we have.

And the way that she wears her hair
covers a great deal of her faith.

I believe in the Ruxton case, the victim
had a thin, angular face with high

cheekbones. Aren't you a bit young to
remember the Ruxton case?

It was a classic of his kind, sir.

Sorry I didn't contact you sooner. It's
been a busy day.

You think me a terrible nuisance.

I keep ringing every time.

As soon as I saw the papers, I had to
know.

The situation is we don't know yet.

The papers say two skulls were found.

That's right.

Is there a possibility?

I mean, are they female? I know you can
tell.

Annie, I don't want to build up their
hopes like last time. If there's a

possibility, Jim, I want to know.

Well, they're both female, about Janet's
age, blonde hair.

Yeah.

There's a possibility.

It's almost four years to the day.

It will be next Friday.

It'd be strange if she were found almost
four years to the day.

We won't know for some days yet. I've
been patient for four years. I can wait

few more days.

Would you like a drink or something?
Some supper? No, no, Annie. I've got to

home. I'll keep you informed.

One way or the other?

One way or the other.

About those skulls.

How would you like an opportunity to
impress your superiors?

Go on.

Large whiskey, please.

There's an old university chum of mine,
Professor Peter Huckman.

He's an expert at facial reconstruction
from skulls. Yeah, I've heard of it.

He's scored some amazing successes.

Uses a technique which is based on the
relationship between the face and the

skull contours.

There's a lot of work in America.

There's not much he stays there, is
there?

He's here.

He's just joined the Department of
Anatomy at Glasgow University.

As a matter of fact, his first job was
to put faces to the skulls of those

soldiers they found.

Excuse me, I'm looking for Professor
Peter Hutton.

I'm Hutton.

I'm Detective Sergeant Michael Jordan,
Maryhill Police Station.

Could I have a few words with you before
your press conference?

What about?

It's a private matter. It'll only take
five minutes.

My cold tournament will be about half
past ten, OK?

Stephen Andrews, eh?

He's the girl I was going out with.

Oh, well.

Has he still got that ridiculous beard?

He still has a beard, yeah.

He likes beards.

The reason he grew it.

More to the point, can you help us?

Do you know my work?

Very little.

Most of it's been in the archaeological
field.

Not long back, I put the faces on two
Egyptian mummies in Cairo.

Ours are a bit more recent.

The last criminal case I worked on was
in America, the year Chicago had done a

trunk case.

The murderer was a travelling salesman.

Kept the skulls of three hitchhikers in
a trunk in his bedroom.

I put the faces on all three. We
identified two.

What do you already have with them?

They're both in their mid -twenties,
that's about it.

Samples? Blonde, both cases.

Sorry to be mercenary, but there would
be a fee in it for the department.

That's not up to me to authorise.

Chicago police were more than generous,
I remember.

Look, it's not official yet, so I'd be
obliged if you didn't say anything.

Stephen Andrews, eh?

Someone come and see me.

I'm sure he will. Lots of things I'd
like to say to him.

Sorry to keep you waiting, ladies and
gentlemen.

Now, this is Flavius Herambulus and his
fellow artillery, whose name we don't

know. I've invented Flavius because it's
a common Christian name at the time.

Excuse me, but could you tell us more
about the work you're doing on the two

murder victim skulls found yesterday?

I haven't started yet.

But you have helped police forces
before.

Yes. And you will be able to reconstruct
their faces just as you could with the

two Roman ones.

Well, the principle's the same, yes.

I told them not to say anything.

What are you?

A one -man band?

I'm running this investigation.

I thought I was using my initiative,
sir.

Well, use it, but keep me informed.

What is this guy?

Some kind of witch doctor?

As I see it, General, we have nothing to
lose.

And one of these?

You believe to be the skull of... Janet
Gilmore.

That's right.

And for obvious reasons, I don't know
what she looks like.

Have you the hair?

Yeah.

It's the hair sample from skull number
one.

And that's for number two.

Hey, how long will it take?

Well, the two Roman skulls, I'm working
on for the exhibition at the museum next

week. Well, that can wait.

They've been about for 2 ,000 years.

You can hang with her a bit longer.

Dr. Nielsen, we have the woman on the
telephone for you. A Miss Kramer.

She wouldn't say what it's about.

Thanks, Kristen.

Dr. Nielsen?

Yeah?

I... I could be available tonight.

Dr. Nielsen? Yes.

Jill Kramer, management question. How do
you do?

Can I get you a drink?

Thanks very much.

I'll have a pint of heavy.

Could I have another mineral water,
please?

Certainly, madam. You drink dangerously.

I drive dangerously, which is why I
drink mineral water.

You're what they call in the business a
headhunter.

I'll get straight to the point.

Landsberg Chemicals in Liverpool are
looking for a toxicologist of your

qualifications, and I... Toxinologist.

I'm sorry?

I work with natural toxins, as we think
from toxic substances.

So, our biggest competitor wants to
poach me.

What exactly do you do with these
natural toxins?

Jean, I've told you before, I don't like
cats.

He keeps me company during the day.

At least you can speak to her, Doug.

And who'd walk it? You'd never find the
time.

We're having a burn supper on Friday. I
thought I'd tell you.

That'll be nice.

You will try to be there.

You know me, Jean?

Always try.

By the way, we're having a disabled
piper.

Oh, no.

He's a friend of Margaret MacDonald's.
You mean you're having bagpipes in the

house? Yes.

He will be disabled if the neighbours
come round.

Tiger. Sergeant Norwich, the skulls have
gone missing at university.

What?

Are you telling us that somebody broke
in here and stole the wrong skulls?

Someone broke in here and stole the
Roman skulls and the plaster cast I made

your skulls yesterday.

I mean, your skulls are quite safe on
the bottom of the cupboard over there.

Can I ask a simple question?

How many skulls are we talking about
here?

Two, sir.

None on the moors? Just a plaster cast.

Make them be made again.

You heard us worried there.

These skulls are one of the most
important archaeological finds in

century, and I'm responsible for them.

The box we brought our skulls in.

That isn't it.

You're interested in a box?

Ours had Strathclyde Police written on.

Now, where is it? How should I know?

I'm a professor of anatomy, not
cardboard boxes.

It's your lab.

You're responsible for everything, isn't
it? I'm not responsible for security of

the university, nor do I spend the night
with my work.

This has never happened before in any
other country.

What's going on?

Who are you?

This is Carl Young, my research
assistant.

We've been burgled, the Hamian skulls
have gone, and the police are more

interested in cardboard boxes.

We've every right to be. That is not the
box we brought our skulls in.

I must have put them back in the wrong
boxes last night.

Why, does it matter?

Of course it matters.

The person that stole them thought they
were stealing ours.

I want 24 hours surveillance on that
place from now on.

It wouldn't have been too difficult for
the thief, sir.

Button's name's in the door.

Just find the department and hide out
till night.

Is it a ghoul? Is it our murder?

I think a ghoul would have found plenty
without opening cupboards.

But on the other hand, why did the
murderer have fear of his victims being

identified? Unless he'd connected to
them in some way.

Just the man.

You know there's a quarterly work study
with the accountancy team at 5 .30?

Derek gets back from the Far East
tomorrow and wants the report.

I go home at 5 .30.

I hear you've been to Liverpool.

Yeah. School of Tropical Medith.

I was hoping to obtain an Australian
Taipan.

That's a venomous snake that grows to a
length of 12 feet.

Well, I hope I never have to meet one of
those.

You never know.

You might one day.

Have you heard?

There's a powwow with the accountants.

I heard.

It'd be nice if we could get on with the
job of being scientists.

That bloody woman wouldn't know what
sodium chloride was if she ate it.

Capetito, Tim Hilton.

No thanks, Dennis.

Oh, my God, what's in this tea?

Just the usual, Dr Mackay. I think I'll
need one of your anti -venoms after

drinking this.

You'll be replaced by a vending machine
boy.

Well?

Have you accepted?

Can't I give them my answers tomorrow?

I bet you will.

They won't be pleased here.

They'll probably top Landsberg's offer
just to keep me.

Will you stay if they do?

It's not just the money, Christine.

It's the system in this place.

I can't wait to see the look on Derek
Hamlock's face when I tell him. What

when you tell your wife?

She'll just have to accept it.

Does that belong to one of the heads?

I can't say yet.

The other one's this way, sir.

Have fun with the jigsaw puzzle.

See that woman?

Tell her to go away. I don't want her
here.

That's Janet Gilmore's mother.

Right, sir.

You notice anything about the arms, sir?

Crossed over the chest.

On both chest.

I don't know why you let a boss you
around.

I wouldn't have a woman above me.

Where are you off to?

Just meeting a new client.

He has his own catering business, but
hasn't kept any accounts for three

which should be fun.

Are you having dinner with him?

Well, we're not sitting on a street
corner, if that's what you mean.

I want to talk to you before you go out.

God, that sounds ominous.

I went to Liverpool today.

Landsberg Chemicals. They're Casco's
biggest competitor.

They've offered me a job.

Ten thousand a year more than I'm making
here.

Increased research facilities.

I'm tempted.

Only ten. I'd have thought you were
worth more than that.

I want to talk it over with you.

It would mean selling up.

Leaving Glasgow, moving to Liverpool.

Starting anew.

I don't know how you feel about that.

I have clients in Glasgow.

I can't just give them up. You could get
clients in Liverpool.

I don't want to go to Liverpool. I like
it here.

We have to disrupt our lives so you can
earn an extra 10 ,000 a year, which we

don't need. It's not just the money.

You've never complained about research
facilities before.

It's not just them.

I haven't got time to talk about it now.

I'm late as it is.

God, he will throw these things at me.

I can't make the decision on my own.

Douglas, you've made lots of decisions
in your life.

I should have thought the answer to this
one was obvious.

She wouldn't go until she's seen you,
sir.

I have to come just to see for myself.

Chief Dawkinson or something?

Kept in touch with her ever since Janet
Gillimer disappeared.

Even when there was nothing.

She wouldn't tell me what was happening.

I could see you'd found something.

You shouldn't even be down here.

Jim, I've been sitting at home for four
years, wondering, waiting. I just can't

sit at home anymore.

Ken died doing just that.

I know she's dead.

I just want to know where she is and how
she died. Annie, she may not even be

dead. You don't believe that, neither do
I.

Part of me wants to believe it.

And part of me wants you to know, well,
you know, one way or the other.

What have you found?

Two skeletons.

Clothes. What about clothes?

Annie, no evidence of clothes.

Can I just go and take a look?

No.

No, Annie.

I'm not letting you walk out here.

We can tell things from skeletons.
Measure the height.

At the moment, we have a guy putting
faces on two skulls.

I know.

I read.

I will.

You'd have read then that two skulls
were stolen.

The wrong ones.

Who would do that?

At the museum.

Still trying to placate the
archaeologists.

You better take your skulls.

And these are the new cans?

Yep.

Peter had to recreate the missing pieces
of jaw from a molding compound.

The teeth belonged to a girl of
approximately the same age.

You just have to have these things lying
around?

Sorry I asked.

What do you drill into it for?

They're just specific points where we
insert cocktail sticks to the thickness

the soft tissue before putting the clay
on.

I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but
isn't Professor Hutton meant to be

doing it?

This is merely groundwork. It's done to
calculations.

Peter takes over when it comes to the
sculpting.

I've watched him do it. He's quite a
genius.

Good afternoon, Mr. Rummler. Hello,
Rosemary.

Ah, good flight.

Oh, fine, thanks, yes.

Connection to Heathrow is the worst
part, of course.

Always is.

Dr. Nielsen wants to see you sometime
today, urgently.

Tell him it's impossible.

Can you see him? Find out what he wants?

He must think it's so important, Derek.
He wants to see you personally.

There was a phone call from a woman. She
said it was very urgent.

Wouldn't leave a name, just a telephone
number.

Did you say what about?

No, just that she wanted you to ring her
the moment you got back.

Can you give me a few minutes, please?

Sure.

They're getting careless.

To Landsberg?

Down here, yeah.

They've offered him 10 ,000 a year more.

More research facilities, more
everything.

Oh, don't worry, I'll up their offer.

There's no way I'm going to let Douglas
go to Landsberg.

By the way, did you have to leave your
home number with Caroline? I didn't know

what else to do. I had to talk to you.
Well, she could have looked it up, you

know.

Three years ago, they beat us with a
heart drug, but we still have them at

clinical trial stage.

I'm more concerned about us.

Can I see you tonight?

I've missed you.

Tonight I've got to spend it home with
the kids.

They expect Daddy to bring them back
presents.

You know what it's like.

No, I don't know what it's like.

Tomorrow? I'm doing a client's account
of tomorrow.

I suppose I could get rid of him by
nine.

Look, don't worry about it. The last
thing I'm going to do is let Douglas

you off to Liverpool.

Scientists are like children.

Give them a few presents, hmm?

He'll stay.

Just got Dr. Andrews' preliminary report
on the two skeletons, sir.

They do fit the skulls.

One would give an overall living stature
of between 5 foot 5 and 5 foot 6, and

the other between 5 foot 4 and 5 foot 5.

Danny Gilmore was 5 foot 5.

There are a lot of females, sir.

Soil samples are going off, so with any
luck we should find out how long they've

been in the ground.

So while we wait for the scientists,
Danny Gilmore waits and hopes.

Hopes that it isn't.

Hopes it is.

She wants an end to wandering, and I
can't help blame her.

I know it's not my place, sir, but
you've become pretty personally involved

her over the years.

It's not your place.

Jim, there's a spider in the bath.

Will you come and get it out, please?

Did you hear me?

Would you come and take it out for me,
please?

Aye, all right.

Come on, you. It's time you earned your
crust.

What are you doing with Timmy?

I'm going to put him in the bath. He can
eat it.

You're not going to kill it.

I want you to catch it and put it
outside.

Gene, it's a spider.

Have you never heard the saying, if you
wish to live and thrive, let the spider

run alive?

Well, let it run alive then. I don't
like touching those things any more than

you do.

Jim!

Something to keep you busy.

Casco's recess lab was broken into last
night. Could be animal livers.

What have you taken?

Sneaks. They're in the switch.

Right. You're missing two saw -stealed
carpet vipers, one eastern diamond

rattlesnake and two black mambas. Yes.

And two American violin spiders.

Right. And how dangerous are they?

They're all very dangerous.

The lunatic who took them would be lucky
not to be bitten.

You see this fellow?

Most people think the bigger and hairier
the spider, the more dangerous it is.

It's not the cave.

The ones that were taken are small, but
they're brown recluses.

Probably the most dangerous spiders in
the world.

I never realised snake venom could be
that useful.

Every species has different enzymes.

We can separate them out using different
drugs.

Sounds a dangerous job.

You ever been bitten?

I haven't. Dr. Nielsen has, though,
once.

We keep antivenoms here.

So, whoever stole the snakes must have
had some experience.

I never thought about it.

Well, they haven't been taken in their
containers.

They've been taken out and put into
something else.

Who knew the security code to the door?

Just Dr. Nielsen and me.

Though, as you can see, the door's been
forced.

Obviously, someone knew who the snakes
were.

How valuable would these specimens be?

Worth a few hundred pounds each to a zoo
or a collector.

I can think of safer ways to make money.

Thank you.

It's Valentine's Day.

We've not even had Burns Night yet.

You know this business.

As soon as that's over, it'll be
Mother's Day.

And then Christmas.

I was just passing by. I thought I'd
drop in.

Any news?

Well, there have been a couple of new
developments.

Now, this goes against my better
judgment, honey.

Tell me.

One of the bodies found was about
Janet's height.

Every day, I'm more certain.

I'm going to feel more hellish than you
if we're proved wrong.

Then we'll feel hellish together.

Well, there's one other thing.

We've had a report on the soil analysis
around the skulls.

It tells us two things.

The first body was buried for about two
and a half years.

And the second body, the one we think
was Janet's, was in the ground for about

four years.

Oh, yes, tomorrow.

Burned tonight.

Aye. The anniversaries must be
difficult.

Will you have dinner with me tomorrow
night?

I shouldn't ask. I know.

Well, Jean's having a burnt supper for
disabled people with a piper to match.

She'd be here.

Of course.

Och.

On the other hand, I don't suppose she'd
miss me.

Levius Romulus, I presume.

Hello there.

Well,

they're back where they belong, eh?

Look, I can't thank you enough.

Well, you can.

By giving me two faces I can identify.

Aha, an old pal of yours.

You haven't changed a bit.

You still look as though you can't
afford a decent pair of shoes.

Not what the Strathclyde police are
paying me for this job, I can't.

Now look, what are you doing tomorrow
night?

I've got a couple of tickets for the
Federation burn supper.

Jenny can't go, so why don't you come
along as my guest? He's got an important

job to do.

I don't want to lose you, Douglas.

Especially not to Landsberg.

I'm ready to up any offer they've made
to you. It's not just the money, Derek.

I know how you feel.

Do you?

I've given 15 years of my life to Casco.

And what do I have to show for it?

The Natalvan business, for one thing.

Uglis.

Uglis, you don't want to bring that up
again.

It was years ago.

It was my success.

And Dr.

MacDonald's name's on the paper.

This company's taken the credit for
everything I've done.

I'm sorry you feel like this.

That's why I want to go.

What does your wife, Morag, think about
this?

She's behind me 100%. Think it over,
Douglas.

Your work is far too important to us. I
have thought it over.

Nothing you can offer will make me stay,
Derek.

So hot and happy.

I wish I was.

Confirms to be thoughtful.

Someone stole the skulls to prevent
their identification.

When they found out they had the wrong
ones, they were dumped.

How's your snake inquiry?

Something not right about it.

Someone knew the most deadly species to
steal. Where they were, and how it

handled. Inside jobs.

Could entertain it.

Entertain me, eh?

Don't tell me.

It's got something to do with those
snakes we saw from Caskers.

Yeah. Can we go somewhere quieter?

Sure. Follow me.

You used to be a lab technician at
Caskers?

That's right.

Until last year.

I prefer it here, though.

Can you handle snakes?

Can I handle snakes?

He's just a rat snake.

Oh, he's all right.

We'll bring him out for the kids'
handling sessions.

Do you want to hold him?

Most people think they're slimy, but
they're not.

They're not even dry. They're kind of in
between.

Keep your hand underneath him.

Yeah, like that.

You see his tongue in there now?

That's his fencing apparatus.

Do you have many venomous ones?

No, we don't have any here.

We don't have the facilities to keep
them.

We've got a guy up from Chester Zoo at
the moment advising us on it.

You ever offered snakes to the public?

Sometimes.

Are you wondering what would happen if
someone offered to sell us venomous

snakes? And does it happen?

Well, we'd ask a lot of questions to
start with.

I think he likes you.

He's cute.

Did you ever handle venomous snakes at
caskets?

Doug Nielsen wanted to train me, but I'm
too much of a coward.

Have you seen pictures of people bitten
by snakes?

Even if you get the anti -venom, you can
get tissue damage, gangrene, even lose

an arm or a leg.

You don't risk that in a lab
technician's wages.

Do you want to see something really
venomous? Okay.

Oh, they're gorgeous.

Gorgeous, but deadly.

Well, they're quite safe to handle.

As long as you haven't got an open cut
or lick your fingers after.

Poison arrow frogs.

Some species have enough venom in them
to kill 20 ,000 mice.

You could remember you were a
policewoman or something.

I grew up taking them home with me. And
how do you do?

There has to be an end to any search,
Jim.

If I hadn't let the trail go cold four
years ago, sir, the second victim,

whoever she is, wouldn't have died. No
one could have done more to try and find

Janet Gilmore than you.

Both her and her murderer just vanish
into thin air.

Well, at least he's still around.

It's just a thing, sir.

just to prevent Hutton putting faces to
his victims.

See, if his victims were random, what's
he going to be afraid of?

At least they're looking human.

Tomorrow we should be able to see what
one of them looked like in life.

You've got clay in your suit and
cigarette ash. Come here.

Still not happy with the other side of
the face.

Oh, by the way, just boxed the wire for
you when you were out at the dress hire

shop.

Stop!

What's wrong?

I don't know.

Seemed to have cut myself when I...

Down the street?

Can't see anything in it.

Just some wood shaving.

Must be something in it.

I don't have time to worry about that
now.

I'll let this damn burn suffer.

See you in the morning.

I'm glad you could make it.

I'm sorry, Jean. I can't. I'm working.

It's always the same.

I bought you these.

They're very nice, but I prefer you.

Save me a bit of haggis.

Peter, do you know Superintendent Jack
McVitie?

This is Peter Hutton.

Ah, glad to have the pleasure.

I hear the work's progressing very well.
Yes, getting there.

You must be glad to have the two Roman
sculls back.

Yes.

It's me, isn't it? Hop in here.

They sometimes go a little mad and turn
the central heating pool up.

Tell me, how do you produce ears and
nose?

It must be the most difficult thing.

Yes, sir.

There's no exact science for telling the
shape of a nose.

No, no, a lot of guesswork.

Oh, Jack.

Ladies and gentlemen, please make your
way through to your seats. Thank you.

Are you sure you feel all right?

I think I must be coming down with
something.

A few of these will soon put that right.

Please be seated.

Therefore, your Honour's taunting face,
great chapter of the pardon race.

Cheers. Cheers.

Here's to the most courageous woman I
know.

You can't go on pretending she walked
through the door.

Because she won't.

You can't go on blaming yourself either.

Life is for the living.

That's right.

I'm sorry.

I've got the napkin.

Oh, don't worry.

Honey, I said don't worry.

I know, Arnie.

Your pin would serve to mend a mill in
time of need, while through your pores

the Jews distill like amber beet.

This knife, see your rustic labored
dick, and cut you up with ready slick,

drenching your gut and entrails break
like honey ditch, and then, oh, what a

glorious sick.

One brick.

Call an ambulance.

What's that he's saying?

Something about a box.

Like some sort of a bite.

It's okay.

One of these days, this thing's going to
cause an injury.

This is a bite on his finger.

Any idea what did it?

He was at a burnt supper.

Obviously, it's important we find out.

He did seem bothered by his finger.

That's right.

But he said nothing to her. When you say
bite, do you mean like an insect or a

spider?

That's what he was saying.

Something in a box.

Where are you going?

I need to get away for a few days.

It's all in this.

Away? I'm going to stay at the
Donington.

I need time to think things out.

Like that, is it? What do you expect?

You've decided without me to go to
Liverpool. Now I need some time on my

make my decisions.

I have my own career. You can pick up
your career anywhere.

I don't want to.

Hasn't that sunk in? There's nothing
except our jobs to keep us in Glasgow.

We only see any of our friends. We don't
invite people round anymore. That's not

my fault. Well, tell me, what else is
there to keep us in Glasgow?

I just want to stay here.

So you're leaving me, is that what
you're saying?

Look, why don't you take the job, get a
flat down there during the week and come

home at weekends?

I'm not leaving you up here every week
on your own.

No, you wouldn't, would you?

It arrived today.

It just seemed to be full of wood
shavings.

Peter reckoned he jabbed his finger on a
staple.

You don't expect me to open it.

You saw nothing?

No.

Like I said, I was just clearing away
and I heard them call out.

Then he dropped it and it landed just
where you're standing.

These wood shavings, they're the same as
those in the tank at Carskill, where

the spiders were taken from.

Let's get out of here, huh? I'll
probably turn up in some corner

I don't care how it feels.

Emergency.

I couldn't get a hold of Dr.

Nielsen. Do you have the antivenin for
the bite of one of those spiders?

Yes, in the lab.

Chief Inspector Taggart, Christine Gray.

Christine works as a chemist at Dr
Nielsen's lab.

It was exciting being driven at high
speed through red traffic lights.

It wasn't for him.

Morning. How was your burnt supper?

Timmy got killed. We found him out on
the road.

He must have been hit by a car.

We buried him in the garden last night.

Sorry. Apart from that, and you not
being there, it was fine.

It was one of those nights.

Superintendent Mavitti phoned here for
you about half past eight.

Oh, that'd be right. It would have done.

He caught up with me eventually, though.

Now, look, Gina, I've got to go.

I'm sorry about the cat.

I really am.

Well, if I were you, I'd take the job.

You'll kick yourself if you don't. Morag
doesn't see it that way.

Well, why don't you do as he suggests?

Get a flat in Liverpool and come home at
weekends.

She knows I couldn't do that.

Why not?

Because that's what she'd like.

To be free up here to do whatever she
wants.

Without me in the way.

What do you mean, other guys?

I wasn't going to say it.

See, if I was married and I thought that
my wife was... You're not married,

Colin.

Don't you get jealous?

It bites me to the bone sometimes.

But it would be a lot worse if I had to
lose her to someone else.

Then I'd sooner kill her.

Cobra venom?

There's a party tonight.

Jackie from allergies.

And a new chap from anti -fertility.

They're tying the knot.

Why don't you come over?

See if you're more friends.

We'll think of you together.

I might do that.

I'll see how I feel.

I've just heard.

I don't know what to say.

Well, you could start with how is he?

Um, can I see the room where you keep
these things?

Yes. Yes, of course.

This is where we extract the venom from
the snakes.

Who's we?

Christine and I.

Did you ever know a girl called Janet
Gilmore?

You mean the one who's been missing?

Four years now.

No. Should I?

It's just that somebody's trying to
prevent us identifying a skull, which

be horrible.

Are you the only two to handle him? Yes.

Shh. What's that noise?

Just the vipers hissing.

Someone knew these spiders were
dangerous.

And you went to home last night.

No, I went out.

I had a lot of thinking to do.

I've been offered a job with another
company.

My wife doesn't want to leave Glasgow.

What kept you back this morning?

Oh, I went to the zoo.

A friend works there, in the reptile
house.

I wanted to ask you for advice.

There used to be a lab technician here.

What's his name? Colin Murphy.

Look, what is this?

I just wanted to talk to him.

Invite him to a party tonight.

What party?

It's an engagement party between two of
the staff here.

I take it most of the people in the
building know about your little

Are you implying somebody in this
building stole them?

Well, it's a possibility, you have to
say.

No.

Frankly, I wouldn't.

Frankly, Dr.

Nielsen. Somebody knew where they were.

Somebody knew what to steal. Somebody
knew how to handle them.

I'm not so sure that walking out on him
was such a good idea.

I haven't walked out on him.

I just panicked him a little.

I know Douglas.

If he thinks he'll lose me because of
this, he'll stay.

Well, I hope you're right.

I lived with him for 17 years.

Besides...

I thought having a hotel would give us a
chance to be alone.

This evening.

I can't this evening, I'm afraid.

It's Denny's birthday.

I promised I'd take her out.

So I end up playing second fiddle again.

We've been through all that. We both
know the rules. I wouldn't mind playing

second fiddle if you weren't always the
conductor.

I'm beginning to feel I'm only useful
for keeping Douglas with Casco.

You know that's not true.

Come back to my room now.

Look, I'm not the bloody office boy. I
can't just take the afternoon off.

On the other hand, tomorrow would be
easier.

I spend my life waiting for tomorrow.

Are you sure it's safe now?

So they tell me.

How long will Peter be in hospital?

Too long.

Unfortunately for us.

I could carry on where he left off.

I mean, the basic facial structures on,
it's just a matter of humanising them,

giving them features.

How much experience do you have?

Well, I've done facial constructions on
eight men's skulls.

Admittedly, that's more guesswork than
these would have to be, but I've watched

Peter on jobs like this.

I worked with him in America.

And that head's in a trunk cave.

I'd welcome the chance to prove I can do
it.

Who's that confident?

I don't see what we've got to lose, sir.

Right. We want round -the -clock
protection for him. We'll not tell

Professor Hutton has an assistant.

Let this maniac think the work on the
skulls is going somewhere else.

You wanted me, sir?

I want the both of you.

I'm sending you to a party.

A party, sir?

There's an ease up at Casco's tonight
with the entire research department.

An engagement or something.

I want you to go there, keep your ears
and your eyes open, see if there's any

connection with anyone there and Janet
Gilbert.

But they know who we are, sir. So?

People get drunk at parties.

They talk.

You let them talk.

You never wish you drank at times like
this?

Not here to enjoy ourselves.

If it was a bit more effort you could
sound just like Jim Taggart.

I found her tonight.

She still wants time to think.

Go round there.

Have a out with her.

She'll turn round and say I was
expecting to find her with somebody.

Why should... Why should I give her the
satisfaction?

She treats you like shit, Douglas.

Well, I can see it. Everyone else here
sees it.

Which is not worth it. The unspeakable
crime of sending a venomous spider

through the post.

Pity somebody didn't send it to our
research director.

You don't like it, I take it?

The statement of the millennium.

If you don't take that job and get out
of the class going away from her, you're

a fool.

Hey, Colin.

I didn't know you were here.

I thought I'd come back and see you all.
Catch up on all the scandal.

The trouble is, she's spent most of her
life in what I call the cauldron. Ever

getting anywhere and always coming out
the way she came in.

Now she publishes our articles.

So they're her own.

Talk of the devil.

Hello, Dr. McDonald.

Research director.

Who are the police officers?

I was just telling them it's a pity
somebody didn't send that spider to Dr.

Nielsen's one.

There might have been a practical
solution to his problem.

Doctor?

Apparently, serious complications can
arise in some cases.

From what I can glean, the venom went to
the kidneys, which became necrotic.

Tragic end to a brilliant man.

Sorry, Stephen.

I know he was a friend.

Is there any connection between this
research lab and Janet Gilmore?

Not that I can find, sir.

I've told Michael to put her name up to
everyone.

Where is he tonight?

I'll send him to a party.

What I'm working on is trying to grow
venom cells from dead snakes' lines.

So it won't be necessary to milk them.

Sounds a lot safer.

And cheaper.

Though whether that helps people who
need antivenom is another matter.

What do you mean?

Thousands of people in the third world
die of snakebite every year.

Usually poor field workers.

By the time the middlemen have pushed
the price of antivenoms up, they can't

afford it.

Sure.

What exactly is Dr Nielsen working on?

I shouldn't really discuss that.

His research is, well, closely guarded.

That's why Casco don't want him to
leave.

I was going to say, you must be
freezing.

Tell me the perfect Monday, OK?

You're in a police room. You might come
across it one day. Who knows?

No, tell me.

I'm intrigued.

Well, what you do is you...

You take a hypodermic full of cobra
venom and you inject it into someone's

button.

Apparently, cobra venom's impossible to
detect unless you're actually looking

for it.

And the last place you're going to find
a puncture mark is in the belly button.

So how do you get your victim to lie
still while you do it?

I will. That's the difficult part.

So where did you learn this?

Dr. Nielsen.

I worked at Casper's for two years.

Trying out a lot of things.

I think I better take him home.

Do we get the feeling that people are
too ready to talk to us? Only too well.

Here we are, Douglas.

Home.

Hey.

I think she's in.

The light just went off up the stair.

Our car's not here.

I just went out, I thought.

Come on in and have a nightcap.

No thanks.

You need your bed, Douglas.

Come on in and have a drink.

I've had enough.

Get to your bed.

All right, all right.

Thanks for the lift.

Do you, erm... Do you want to come back
with me?

If you don't mind, I'd rather go
straight home.

I'll cook a really good spaghetti
bolognese.

After quiche and pizza.

Your stomach must be lead -lined.

Just for a nightcap, then.

I've got to let the dog out.

OK.

Dr. Nielsen?

Doctor?

Got on to Christine Gracer. She's coming
out, but she's not happy about doing it

on her own.

Luckily, there's a guy at Glasgow Zoo at
the moment. He's got experience in

handling venomous snakes.

He's on his way.

Where's Nilsen's wife?

At her cell.

Marital tiff, I'm told. Some tiff?

I wouldn't go in there if I were you.

Do we know if he's dead?

I'm not sure. I'm not going to play John
Wayne to find out.

Probably more afraid of us than we are
of it.

Fill that to the poor soul that went in
there.

It comes within the definition of wild
animals, Jim.

The name's Sullivan.

I'm expecting.

There you are, my beauty.

There's no need for that.

You know something, Constable?

One of the mysteries of life are
contained in those venom glands.

He's quite safe in here.

Are we safe in there?

Well, I'd look around. I couldn't see
any others. It looks like someone broke

at the back.

Oh, he's dead.

It's unusual for a snake to kill
outright.

Sometimes it's the shock that does it.
I've seen a chap die of a heart attack

after being bitten by a harmless gopher.

Thanks for the autopsy.

He's been bitten five times.

This should interest you.

He's a snakeskin, sir.

He was under bed with them.

It would appear so.

Well, they like warm, dark places.

He'd have settled down, stayed there
till he felt cornered, then strike

repeatedly. Suddenly you know a lot
about reptiles.

Yeah, I've met one or two in my time.

Why is it so hot in here?

Well, the killer could have turned the
heating up, sir, so that the snake would

remain active.

I think I've just found out what it's
brought to the house, then.

Well, we're not far off it now.

We went home and dropped him off, that's
all.

But we didn't go in because we didn't
want to get involved with these marriage

problems. Now, you just told us his wife
left him to stay at a hotel.

Aye, that's right, but she did. But
she'd come home.

There was a light one up the stairs.

How do you know it was his wife? Well,
who else could it have been?

Mind you, he said her car wasn't there,
so maybe it couldn't have been.

So you're saying when you took them
home, there was somebody in the house,

his wife's car wasn't outside?

Aye, that's right.

Ask Christine. She was with me. She saw
it too.

Well, somebody knew how to handle the
snake that killed him, and you worked at

Casco's. Come on, you don't think I
would kill Douglas.

He was a friend.

Last night you had an interesting
conversation with my colleague about how

commit a perfect murder.

Douglas told me that, about injecting
cobra venom into someone's belly button.

don't even know if it works. Why did he
tell you that? I don't know.

He was just joking.

Well, I think he was a bit.

About how he'd kill his wife without
anyone ever knowing how she died.

Looks like maybe she got to him first.

Don't worry.

Simply don't open the door.

Two scientists dead.

Both tops in the field.

I mean, is there anything in that?

Nielsen was a boffin. A research
consultant.

His research would have been worth
millions to the company.

They don't like to lose these guys,
especially not to their competitors.

But he accepted the new job.

Yeah, with a company called Landsberg,
Casco's biggest rival.

Apparently he was approached through one
of these headhunting agencies.

Well, he definitely accepted it.

Trouble is, his wife hadn't. So Casco
benefits.

I don't think murder's a boardroom
topic, sir.

Hi. Do you know if Mrs. Nielsen's in
room 620?

There's a do -not -disturb thing on the
door.

I'll try a room for you if you like.

Right, thank you.

There's no answer, I'm afraid.

Okay, thanks very much.

Can I help you?

No, I'm just waiting for someone.

Can't you read?

Get out!

Mrs Nielsen?

Detective Constable Reek, Maryhill
Police Station.

It's about your husband.

In flagrante delicto, sir. Tell us in
plain English.

They were doing it when I walked in.

Derek Amlett's the managing director of
Casco Pharmaceuticals. It's a real nest

of vipers we have here.

Where are they now?

Well, I brought Mrs Nielsen in, sir, but
Mr Amlett had to go back to work.

And you let him go?

He was very forceful, sir.

He wasn't very happy at me interrupting.

He said he had an important meeting with
two Indian businessmen. To discuss

what? The Kavasutra?

Sir, Carol Young's just gone down.

One of the faces is ready for
photographing.

Have I interrupted something?

No, you haven't.

She's your task, I'm happy to see.

How much longer do I have to stay here?

Until we're satisfied that you've told
us everything.

I've told you everything.

Did you want your husband dead?

No.

He was a good provider.

Besides, Derek has a wife and family
which he won't leave, so you can't lay

at my door.

Why the hotel?

That coming from you is pretty rich.

You saw for yourself when you barged in.
Or do women detectives only write about

it in their notebooks? I am supposed to
be the grieving widow, remember?

We don't see much of that.

OK.

I'll tell you the truth.

I was calling his bluff, hoping he'd
realise that losing me was more than his

new job was worth.

You wanted to keep him, even though you
were having an affair with his boss.

Is it a crime to want to hang on to your
husband?

Besides, I was doing Derek a favour.

The company didn't want to lose him
either.

Mrs Nielsen, sir.

Detective Chief Inspector Taggart.

When are you going to tell me how he
died?

In our time.

I'm his wife.

I have the right to know.

Where were you last night between 11 and
12?

I can't remember.

See, we were informed.

There was someone upstairs in your house
when your husband came home.

Well, it wasn't me.

Where were you?

You give me a straight answer.

I'll give you one.

Someone put a venomous snake in his bed.
It bit him five times and he suffered a

heart attack.

I'd still sleep with him.

It could have been me.

Would he have known the difference?

One of the faces is ready, Annie.

I've not seen it with filth yet.

But before we photograph it or publish
it, I think you should look at it

yourself.

I'll look up the shop.

About last night, I'm sorry.

What's there to be sorry for?

Inviting you to dinner and making a
complete fool of myself.

We've both waited a long time for this.

Maybe we both make fools of ourselves.

That's Janet.

No doubt.

Hair's not quite as it used to be.

And her face was fuller.

But it's my Janet.

As if she'd come back from the dead.

One of the signs is now being identified
as that of Janet Gilmore, who went

missing from her home in Glasgow four
years ago.

It was on the 24th of January, almost
exactly four years ago, that Janet

Gilmore, a 26 -year -old DSS Clarkess
from Bayliston in Glasgow, disappeared

after a row with her parents.

Her car was later found abandoned, and
it was believed at the time that her

abductor had driven it to the spot.

There's Jean.

Out.

Good job you were vigilant, sir.

I could hardly have missed it, could I?

Where's your problem?

It's in the box.

It moved.

Well, have you looked inside?

Suicide's not fashionable this month.
Did nobody tell you?

Right.

Let's have a little look then, shall we?

What is it? Hello, Mrs. Taggart. I would
just stay here if I was you. What's

happening? Is it a siege?

Not exactly.

I think this is for you.

Is it for me?

Mrs. McKeever up the road must have left
it. Her cat has a litter.

She knows I don't use the front door.

With damn luck, there's two detectives
here to see you.

Show them in, would you please, Karen?

Thank you.

Come in.

This must be embarrassing for all of us.

It may be embarrassing for you.

It's not embarrassing for me or him.

Sit down. Yes.

Sir, what would you like to know?

Well, you can start by telling us how
many of your scientists' wives you've

to bed with.

I have a wife and family.

I'm extremely happy with them.

Who was Dr. Nielsen working on?

Is that relevant?

If it wasn't, I wouldn't have asked.

Research consultants are free to work on
whatever projects they choose.

And very often, neither I nor even Mrs.
MacDonald, that's our research director,

knows exactly what they're doing.

Suppose he was on the verge of another
breakthrough.

Losing him to Landsberg would have been
quite a blow.

You think he was killed for that reason?

We poach scientists, too. It happens all
the time.

Unfortunately, you can't buy loyalty.

Maybe you can, by manipulating their
wives.

If that's everything, I have a meeting
in a few minutes.

Oh.

Your secretary has kindly cancelled the
meeting.

Where were you between 11 and 12 the
night before last?

With my family.

And where was Mrs. Nielsen? Well, I
don't know. I'm not a keeper.

Look, if you are going to check up with
my family, I would appreciate it if you

could be a little discreeter.

We are men of the world, after all.

Drive over to the research centre.

See what you can get out of Christine.

You don't want to talk to her too?

No.

I'm going to be a man of the world,
Mike.

I'll have a cup of tea while you're
here.

You were one of the policemen at the
party the other night.

That's right.

It's Dennis, isn't it?

It'd be terrible what happened to Dr
Nielsen.

He was really nice to me.

He used to let me watch him milk snakes
sometimes.

But not touch them, I take it?

Only once.

It got a baboon viper.

It got cold and hibernated.

And you let me touch that.

I'd like to have a snake as a pet.

But my mum won't have them in the house.

That's prejudice for you.

Born of ignorance.

Thanks for the tea.

I wondered when you'd come.

I, uh... I need to talk to you about
what Dr. Nielsen was working on.

I know you were reticent the other
night, but, well...

Things have changed.

When I got in this morning, every one of
his notebooks, every file had been

removed. Who by?

Probably Dr. MacDonald.

Do you know why?

Probably they want to know the same
things as you do.

Christine, Mr. Amlott would like to see
you across in the main building

immediately. This is police business,
Dr. MacDonald.

I appreciate that, but this is company
business.

I'll, uh...

Give you that statement later, if that's
all right.

Yeah, fine.

Dr Mackay, Allergies Department.

Good morning, Dr Mackay.

My name's Jill Kramer. I work for a
company called Management Quest.

Perhaps you've heard of us.

I'm at present representing a
pharmaceutical company who are looking

with your qualifications.

I wonder whether you'd be interested in
meeting me to discuss the matter.

It's Thorne Camfield, UK Division.

I see.

I'm extremely flattered.

What about this evening?

I'll look forward to seeing you.

I'd a hunch I'd find you here.

The flower shop was closed and you
weren't in the house.

I just didn't feel like facing the
public.

I promised Ken the day we found her, I'd
come and tell him.

As much as you promised the dead.

Did Janet ever end connection with a
company called Casco Pharmaceuticals?

No. Not that I can think of.

Did she know anybody there?

If she did, she didn't tell me.

Mind you.

That was nothing strange.

You know, when I keep going back
thinking about her, I get the feeling

whole parts of her life we never
discovered.

She never took any drugs.

I would have known.

I'm not necessarily saying she did.

Those days, you were very cynical.

You couldn't believe a girl Janet's age
could be so innocent.

Ah, well, it was just that...

After she had a row with you and her
father, she never went to her friends,

never went to the people you'd expect
her to.

She just vanished.

Where does this pharmaceutical company
fit in?

I don't know.

That young man that created Janet's
face, could you ask him, could I keep

Aye, I've no objection.

I'll ask him for you.

With a very drained feeling walking into
that room.

Mr. Bean.

As though... she'd never really been

missing at all.

Dr. Mackay?

Yes. Jill Cramer, kind of looked bad.

Can I get you a drink?

Thank you. I'll have a dry sherry.

And a mineral water for me, please.

Well, you've been very helpful,
Christine.

Dr. Nielsen was very lucky to have you
as a research assistant.

How's your project, by the way?

Fine. Good.

There is one other thing, Mr. Amlott.
Oh?

I don't feel I can go on working without
Dr. Nielsen.

We were very much a team and... Had he
left, I would have gone with him.

I've written a letter of resignation.

Have you spoken to Dr. MacDonald about
this?

No.

Well, don't you think you should?

Your project's very important,
Christine.

Makes her expensive to buy and keep.

Being able to produce venom cells in the
laboratory from dead glands could save

us thousands.

Not to say a revolutionising work with
natural toxins.

Look.

Take this back and think about it, hmm?

After all, we're all scientists, Ken.

We don't like to hurry things.

I've been working late.

Nine hours I spent with him.

Going through every file, every note.
I'm exhausted.

Yeah, I know the feeling.

Oh, do you mind if we leave it till
tomorrow?

I do, I'm afraid.

Oh, I thought you'd say that. Come on.

You always take your dog to work, do
you? He stays in the car so I can let

out. Oh, you'll be hungry, won't you,
Brandy?

Yes.

What about you?

I don't think so. I've eaten.

You don't mind if I make myself
something?

Oh, not at all.

I've been reading a copy of The New
Scientist. I didn't want it to appear

ignorant. I'll give you something to
read while I'm making supper. It's an

article on research into drugs using
enzymes and snake venom.

With all the credit taken by Dr
MacDonald, our research director.

Thanks. If you're hot, I'll turn the
heating down. It shouldn't be so high.

Randy.

Brandy, hold on.

Come on, then.

Okay, Brandy, I'm going to...

What did you say about the heating? Oh,
I've turned it down. It shouldn't be so

high.

And take off your tie.

And apply a tunic here as tightly as you
can.

It's very important I don't move around.

Sure.

Now will you take me to Casco and then
on to the hospital?

Well, I wasn't going to leave you here.

When you get to the lab, you'll find the
antivenoms in the fridge, marked.

Some are polyspecific, which means you
treat bites from a number of different

snakes.

There's a list on the inside of the
fridge door which tells you the numbers.

They're all numbered.

I think the soft -scaled viper is number
seven, but check the list. Soft -scaled

viper number seven.

Do you have any idea who'd want to do
this to you?

None at all.

I should have realised, sir. The heating
was on cool when we came in.

She told me it shouldn't have been.

Do you know why someone wanted to kill
her?

I did ask her. She couldn't think of any
reason.

She spent all of today being debriefed
on her boss's research.

Who by?

Derek Amlett, the MD, and the research
director, Dr MacDonald.

She's going to tell me all about it
tonight.

So?

So, what have you got for me this time?

Another kitten.

It's a saw -scale viper.

It's in the kitchen.

Aggressive little things.

They kill more people than any other
snake I know.

Excuse me.

He's a cheery soul, eh?

Beauty.

You can go in now. Did there be any
others?

I didn't see any.

Thanks.

I'll, um... I'll keep this one at the
zoo with the other one, so you know what

you want to do with it.

How long are you up here for?

Well, I was planning to go back south
tomorrow, but, um... I can stay a bit

longer if you want me to.

I'd appreciate that.

You don't seem to have any fear of them.

Fear?

Oh, you've got to have fear.

See that scar there?

Eastern diamond rattlesnake did that.
The one on the face?

I've had her.

You've got to have a lot of respect.

These creatures have been around on this
planet for a lot longer than we have.

Well, whoever did it must have known her
domestic routine.

The dog food in the cupboard.

And the fact that she'd feed her dog
when she came home from work.

What have you got there?

A letter.

A resignation.

She wanted to leave Catholic too?

I have visitors.

Thanks, John. Thanks, Danny.

Ah!

Young policewoman who enters bedrooms
without knocking.

I'll not be embarrassing you, then.

Christine Gray's in the hospital.

Someone tried to kill her tonight.

I'm sorry to hear that.

I believe she spent most of the day with
you and Dr. MacDonald.

filling you in on Dr. Nielsen's
research. That's right. She did. Very

she was, too.

She also wrote this.

It's a letter of resignation.

I know. I read it.

I told her not to be so stupid.

To go home and think about it.

Yeah, well, someone didn't give her the
chance.

You're accusing me.

Valuable was her research.

You're getting really paranoid, you know
that?

You think just because employees want to
leave, we take contracts out on their

lives, eh?

Christine was working on a project,
that's all.

Growing venom cells from dead glands.

Research assistant stuff.

If you want to know who tried to kill
Christine, look in her personal life.

She had a boyfriend, perhaps.

Oh, yeah, that would be the same person
that killed Dr. Nielsen.

Someone put a snake in her flat.

Then I suggest you start looking for a
maniac, because only a maniac would do

something like that.

Excuse me.

More sport?

Why did you come here? I wanted to talk
to you.

I've been trying to get in touch with
you all day, but your secretary keeps

telling me you're busy.

I was.

Yeah, well, don't look. You'll only
encourage her.

Doctor, she's having a reaction.

I've racked my brains, Jim.

Janet never said anything about a
company called Casco. Or that girl,

Gray.

Well, it was a connection, Annie.

Somebody didn't want her identified.

And whoever that somebody is had strong
connections with Casco Pharmaceuticals.

That's not important now.

Janet's back with us. That's all that
matters.

Did you ask about the head?

No, I'm sorry. I forgot.

It was almost as though he'd done it
from life.

Don't you want to know who killed her?

Right, who can tell me what this snake
is?

Wrong,

he's a python.

He's just a young one, and he's very
tame.

Now, who can tell me what pythons do
with a prey?

Crush them. Aye, that's right.

And what's the one thing you should
never, ever let a python do when you're

handling it, hmm?

Well, I'll tell you before this one does
it to me. That's coil round your neck.

Oh, get off me!

Right, who'd like to touch it?

Me!

There we go.

That's very gentle now.

Oh, he's perfectly tame. He won't hurt
anyone.

It was an allergic reaction to the anti
-venom.

That's all that's very common.

It gave me adrenaline and antihistamine.

What's that in your eye?

You're bleeding.

She's bleeding.

It's coming out of her mouth and her
eye.

She's bleeding internally.

It's not your fault.

If I'd just been a few seconds quicker.

If I'd been on the ball, which I wasn't.
Look, Michael, you can't blame

yourself. The central heat was turned on
full. Full up in her flat.

Just the same as it was in Dr Nielsen's.

This is becoming a disease.

First Dr Nielsen, now you.

I hope I don't meet with the same fate.

How much are Thorne Camfield offering
you?

Ten thousand less than the figure you're
about to offer.

Oh, credit us with some generosity.

And, of course, there is the convention
in the States in March.

How would you like to spend a month over
there, at our expense?

That's very kind of you, but I've been
here a long time, and I feel the grass

has rather reached my ears.

When are we going to have dinner
tonight, hmm?

Talk about it.

Caroline, could you book a table for Dr
Mackay and I at, um... Any preference?

Well, there's a good new French
restaurant just opened.

Slightly expensive, of course.

I'll do it for you straight away.

And Chief Inspector Taggart's here.

He'd like to see Dr MacDonald.

She won't keep you a minute.

She was only talking to us a few hours
before.

For what purpose?

To find out what Dr. Nielsen was working
on before he died.

Well, you're the research director,
didn't you know?

Research consultants are the boffins in
this business. They have a roving brief

to carry out research.

Sometimes no one knows what they're up
to.

What kind of research was Dr.

Nielsen involved in?

Molecular genetics, immunization, the
use of neurotoxins to try and cure

muscular dystrophy.

All this was snake venom.

Natural toxins.

That's Dr. Mackay, one of our research
consultants into allergies.

He's just been poached by the
multinational Thorne Canfield.

Does that happen all the time?

Head hunting?

He was got at through the same agency
that approached Dr. Nielsen.

He said allergies?

Yes. He's one of the top men in his
field.

What's eating you?

Christine Grey died, sir.

Half an hour ago.

Aren't we diverging from the real
matter?

That whoever's killing these people
wants to prevent us identifying the

Yes, sir, but until the second phase is
completed, we can go no further.

And when will that be?

I hope it's completed by tomorrow, sir.

See what we've got here, sir, are three
scientists, all dead.

All working on valuable projects. Now, a
third one wants to leave Casco. This

same Dr Mackay. Yeah, we met him at the
party, sir.

Real boffin. Bit of a wag.

How vital is his work?

I've been into that too, sir.

He was regarded as one of the best
brains in the country into allergy

Aren't we being just a little paranoid?

Can we afford to ignore him?

After Christine's death, we can't afford
to ignore anything.

He blames himself, naturally.

Then in hindsight, I wish we all had it.
It was the benefit of foresight, sir.

And I did.

I didn't want to spend another whole day
trying to ring your office to be

brushed off by your secretary.

Why are you trying to avoid me, Derek?

I'm not.

Douglas is dead.

That changes my future. It changes ours.

Does it? Well, of course it does.

Aren't you curious to know who killed
him? I'd like to know who tried to kill

me. What?

The night he died, I went back there
just to collect a few things. I was in

bedroom with that creature.

Do the police know that? Of course not.

If I told them I went back to the house,
they'd think we'd murdered Douglas

together. You know how their minds work.

What about your car?

I parked it a block away for the very
reason that if Douglas came home, I

sneak out.

Well, I think you should tell the
police.

When can I see you?

Look, this is a hard decision for me to
take, but I've been thinking.

I want to spend more time with my
family.

They and this job take up so much time,
it's getting difficult.

Try and understand.

Understand?

You've been using me just to keep
Douglas with your bloody company.

That's nonsense. You know it.

What have I got?

Nothing!

The big difference between you and me is
that Douglas never meant anything to

you. My family mean a great deal.

Mr. Gregory.

Wrong.

Detective Chief Inspector Taggart,
Maryhill Police Station.

You are Jill Kramer?

Yes. I'm supposed to be meeting the
chairman of Alan King International.

Oh, well, you'll have to put up with me
till he comes.

Could I have another tonic, please? Can
I get you? No, nothing.

So, uh... This is your hunting ground?

It's where I do most of my business.

Is this where you met Dr. Nielsen from
Casco Pharmaceuticals? Yes.

I heard about his death. It was very
tragic.

I mean, does this happen often to your,
what shall I call them, clients?

I'm not sure what you mean.

Well, you're in the business of poaching
people for other firms, doing their

dirty work.

There's nothing dirty in wanting the
best people for your company.

Some people are too valuable to be sold.

Especially in the scientific field. I
mean, how does that work?

Usually, the company for which they work
offers to top the salary the other

companies offered.

Sweeteners are offered.

Sometimes they take them, sometimes they
don't.

And Dr. Nielsen didn't.

Are you suggesting he was killed to stop
him from leaving?

No such things happen.

A few years ago...

It was a suspicious death, that's all.

He was a computer services operator for
the defence contractor, Gare Lockhart. I

met him on behalf of a Dutch firm.

He was drowned in the sea off
Helensbury.

Doctor... Doctor Mackay!

I've kept you to jam donuts.

I hear you're leaving us.

You hear wrong.

You're the one who's leaving us.

You're to be replaced by a vending
machine. You're not caught.

efficient.

I'm sure you'll find another position
somewhere.

The best I can do.

As with the other one, I've had to
invent the ears and the lips and the

hairstyle, but the shape of the face is
quite striking.

Maybe Professor Hutton would have been
quicker.

No.

No, you've done very well.

It'll go in the papers tomorrow.

By the way... Janet Gilmore's mother
asked me

if she could have the bust you made of
her daughter.

She likes it that much?

Of course, it may have to be used in
evidence at any future trial.

Could do a cath of it for her.

I should be pleased with that.

We're the final addition.

We'll get her tomorrow as well.

Somebody recognizes her.

This was her room.

I've kept it just the way it was.

It's a copy.

Mr. Taggart said the original might have
to be used as an exhibit in any trial.

Trial? Yeah, of whoever killed her.

I wonder.

Do you know what you've done for me?

I only carried on where Professor Hutton
left off. You must have known her.

It's science.

That's all.

She had two.

Which one she wore depended on the mood
she was in.

She was wearing the moon the night she
disappeared.

It shouldn't be on them, eh?

Probably nobody else's, the combination.

Dr Nielsen used to change it every few
months.

There was no snakes crawling around in
there.

Snakes give me the willies.

Oh, don't worry.

Are you sure you're not imagining it?

Her name was Mary Hume.

I interviewed her for a job with the
Lapithids two and a half years ago.

She was going to work with Dr Nielsen
and Christine.

She accepted the job, but then she never
turned up on the first day.

Anyone could be mistaken after this
length of time.

Derek, I am not mistaken. I have a very
good memory for Faith.

She came from New Zealand, Christchurch.

What do you plan to do?

Tell the police, I suppose.

Yeah, I suppose I must.

I'll call in this afternoon. I have to
collect the children from school today.

Well, excuse me. Right.

Do you know where Annie is?

I haven't seen her for two days.

She never said anything to me about
going away.

She took the lemonade, too.

Okay, thanks.

Honey?

Dear Jim, you'll want to know why.

The truth is, I've nothing left to want.

Janet's come home to me now, and I'm
happy.

We're all reunited.

Thanks for being a friend over the
years.

Annie.

Oh, I don't think so. I've got to call
in somewhere on the way.

Oh, please, listen. All right, go on,
pile in.

Come on, Susie. We don't all just barge
in in front.

Message from ambulance control.

There's been another snakebite victim.

It's Catholic's research director.

Well, it doesn't look like an eastern
diamond rattlesnake.

The soft -skilled viper's already turned
up, so it must be the other black

mamba. You'll get a degree in natural
history after this.

She said the girl's name was Mary Hume.

She planned for a job about... Two and a
half years ago, but seemingly she never

turned up for her first day.

Maureen interviewed her.

Which department was she going to work
at?

Dr. Nielsen's department, toxinology.

And you told Dr.

McDonald she might be wasting our time.

I told her she might be mistaken.

This girl must have a personnel file
somewhere.

Yeah, Maureen said she checked that.

But it was missing.

Why didn't anybody check as to what
happened here?

I don't know.

People get a better offer.

Don't bother to let you know.

It happens.

You know, if people weren't dying, this
would be exciting.

Just tell us what species it is.

Oh, it's a black mamba.

This is bitter.

Sir.

The Met have got a missing persons file
on Mary Hume.

She came here from Christchurch, New
Zealand.

A PhD in molecular genetics.

No connection with Glasgow.

No reason for her to be up here. Unless
she saw a job advertised at Casco.

Well, she left her bed fit in London.
She must have stayed up here somewhere.

Sir?

That's the connection.

Janet Gilmore walked out after a row
with her parents. She didn't stay with

friends, any of the people you'd expect
her to stay with.

Suppose she was looking for a flat or a
room, so unadvertised.

It must have been a very accurate
likeness for Dr Macdonald to recognise

after just one interview.

So was Janet, sir.

He's a very clever young man.

Aye, he's that all right.

Maybe it doesn't do to get too close to
the dead.

Or too close to the bereaved, Jim.

Sorry, but it's chucking out time. Oh,
that's all right. I've finished.

Very good.

Fascinating.

You want to see the phylobates?

They're even prettier.

What are they?

They're dendrobates.

Poison arrow frogs.

There's lots of different species.

I must have missed them.

We don't have any on display.

I keep some at home.

They're a hobby of mine.

Aren't they dangerous?

It's their skin secretions that can kill
you.

You know, the South American Indians rub
the poison on the darts.

I was watching you handling that python.

Oh, the kids love it. I think he's
dangerous, but he's a big softy. You're

good with him.

It's a knack.

I'd like to see these... Filobates. Aye.

My name's Madeline.

My friends call me Maddie.

She's receiving the anti -venom now,
sir.

Let's hope they can save her.

She's the only one that can answer the
rest.

Like why three people had to die to
prevent two faces from being identified.

Only one face, Michael.

Mary Hume.

There's no connection between Janet
Gilmore and Mary Hume.

Except they met the same murderer.

This Mary Hume died even before she
started at Catholics.

What was the point in killing Dr Nielsen
and Christine?

That's a good question. And the method?
I suppose they'd recovered.

Michael, show me these antivenoms.

They're what are called polyspecific.

One antivenom cures the bites from
several species.

What's the cure?

Well, Professor Hutton wasn't cured.

No, that was Christine Gray.

You knew enough about these creatures to
know which were the most deadly.

You'd have to know about those as well.

You could stack the cards.

Make sure your victims died.

It changed the antivenoms.

Who's that?

It's the vipers.

Somewhere in the snake room.

Uh, hello.

Dennis?

What are you doing here?

Uh... Mr.

Franks, the security man, he asked me to
wait here till the man putting the new

lock on gets back.

I should have a sheriff's badge, eh?

Dr. Nilsen, he used to let me come in
here and watch the snakes.

You've been here a lot of years, Dennis.

You must see a lot of things that
happen.

What like?

Well, people who have worked here.

Do you remember Dr Nielsen meeting a New
Zealand girl called Mary Hume?

She was going to come here and work as a
research assistant.

New Zealand?

I remember her.

She worked here for a couple of days.

Are you sure?

She was nice and friendly.

That's how I remember her.

And she worked in Dr Nielsen's lab?

Uh -huh.

What happened to her?

She never turned up for her first day.

Dennis, if she never turned up, how
could you work here?

She came in to get to know the job
before the Monday she was supposed to

I mean, she was keen.

Do you know where she lived?

With Colin.

He was a lab technician here.

I'd like to have been a lab technician.

But I haven't the brains.

Don't worry, Dennis. You're doing fine.

How did Colin explain her disappearance?

He said she'd changed her mind.

Gone back to New Zealand.

Son, we've just won your sheriff's
badge.

They're gorgeous.

Where did you get them from?

A dealer.

They're really difficult to obtain.

I'm a member of the Dendrobated Society.

Really?

While you're here, would you like to
stay for a spaghetti bolognese?

I'd do a nice one.

I'd love that.

What's the matter? You're not shy.

Kim, maybe you should go.

Oh, that's a fine thing. Ask a girl to
stay for dinner and then tell her she

should go.

Kim,

why don't you go upstairs and have a
quick wash and I'll make us a meal.

Who else holds the anti -venom to the
Black Mamba? We keep one at Chester. I

shouldn't think there's one there, eh?
Get in the phone to them. Tell them we

need one up here right now.

We'll arrange for a car. What's
happened?

Oh, never mind that. There's a life at
stake. Where's Murphy? He's gone home.

Do you live in this big house all on
your own?

It was my parents.

They used to be taking lodgers, but I
stopped.

I don't get any privacy.

I noticed a bottle of perfume in the
bathroom. That's why I asked.

I hope you don't mind. I put some on.

One of the lodgers who lived here must
have left it.

Is that all they've been to you?

Lodgers?

Yeah.

So what made you interested in frogs?

It was the toxins that interested me.

I used to work in a lab where we studied
them.

Snakes, spiders.

Don't mention that word.

Spiders, I hate them.

Phylobates terribilis, that's a really
unique poison. Would you like to hear

about it?

I have a feeling I'm going to.

It's called the batrachotoxin.

It's a neuromuscular poison.

Causes interference with the maintenance
of cell membrane electrical

polarisation. In short, muscular
paralysis.

Charming.

It's like the American Indians roast
them to extract the poison, but you can

it just by massaging their glands.

And do you think they look so harmless?

There's no antidote.

And no treatment either. It's without
doubt the most potent animal toxin

I think what fascinates me is that
something so beautiful can be so deadly.

You know, I should be scared of you.

I'm like the python.

A big softy.

Well, he had to kill his ex -colleagues
from Casco before they identified Mary

Hume and connected her with him, but he
overlooked one person.

I wonder how he met Janet Gilmer.

Well, after she walked out on her
parents, she had to have somewhere to

Stop breathing.

Please don't fight.

Thanks for meeting us.

Is he the one?

Probably.

So, Colin, anything else?

I thought a cobra venom, injecting it
into the belly button.

But it's how you get them to lie still.

Anyway, I don't even know if it works.

The mother of one of your victims took
her own life today and I'm glad.

I'm glad because she never had to know
what kind of...

Drink, sir.

I could have killed him, Michael.

God help me.

I don't think it's us that needs the
help.

Oh, shoot.

Sometimes I wonder.

Yes, I know the city like a lover.

Little bear, it's hard to love another.
But I found that there's no meaning

in time. There's no meaning in today.

City life is strange. You take your
share of...

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