Original subtitles

ENGINE RUNNING OUTSIDE

Oh, that must be my delivery. I'll get it.

Thank you. If you just sign here, please.

Come in.

Oh!

Argh!

TAPS AT WINDOW

Oh!

Hi. About time!

Stupid car!

If it's going to break down,

why choose a road in the middle of nowhere?

Nice to see you, too.

Sorry. Hello.

HE TRIES TO START CAR See?

The recovery team'll be here soon. I'll take you back to the hotel.

Here, have my jacket.

I'm really glad you suggested me for the job.

Why wouldn't I? You're the best profiler in the business.

So, what are YOU working on?

Not much. The local boys don't like to give outsiders the good stuff.

One of the drawbacks of being on attachment. How's Barbara coping?

She's back in London. Now her mum's in a home, she's selling the house.

TV IS ON

Congratulations on cracking the Evans case. Oh...

Quite a result. No, it wasn't. It was sordid.

A man goes on TV, in tears,

begging whoever killed his wife to give themselves up

and he'd murdered her?

It's enough to put you off relationships for life!

MOBILE RINGS

Thanks.

Lynley.

It's me. Have you seen my lighter?

I might have dropped it in your car.

You must be psychic. Helen and I were just talking about you.

You have to work on your seduction technique!

I can't hear the clink of Champagne glasses.

We're in a country lane in Helen's car.

That was quick work!

Thanks.

Until you have all the information, it's circumstantial evidence.

Oh, come on! Moonlight, all that nature.

Have you told her how you feel?

Oops, got to go. Here comes the cavalry.

CHURCH BELL RINGS

Where is he? Hey, try and stay calm. But where is he?!

I've spoken to your dad. We'll ring round and try and find him.

MOBILE RINGS

Hello.

Yeah, this is DCI Shepherd.

Where?

DI Lynley.

DI Lynley. Tony Philips.

What do you think happened?

Not certain. Bluish tinge, lips and mouth, signs of asphyxiation.

Tony.

Lynley. Sir.

Oh! No wonder he didn't make the wedding. You know the victim, sir?

It's the Rev Robin Sage.

He was due to take a marriage service this morning.

What the hell?!

What happened to his tongue?

It's swollen, probably as a result of trauma.

It's severed. He almost bit it off.

Could he have had a fit? Thanks. I'd never have thought of that(!)

An epileptic fit maybe, possibly poisoning.

You what? Won't know until I do the postmortem.

Juliet - Mrs Spence, the vicar had dinner at her place last night.

I called in on my round. She was really ill.

SIREN BLARES

DOOR OPENS

Well? Over the worst I'd say.

I want to go back in.

In a minute, then best go and stay with Josie for a bit.

I want to see Mum. Soon.

Did you tell Mrs Spence...? No.

Tell me what? Mum.

Juliet, I need to talk to you. It's really important.

You can see your mum afterwards. Please, love.

Don't "love" me! You're not my dad.

Just give me a moment, hmm? Please? Maggie, why don't we go downstairs?

I'm sure he won't be long.

What?

I'm sorry to have to tell you but the vicar, Reverend Sage,

died last night.

No. That's not right. He - he couldn't have.

He had dinner here with your mum, didn't he?

Robin did? I thought...

What? Nothing.

So you didn't eat with the Reverend Sage and your mother?

No, she packed me off to Josie's.

What's going on? We do have to find out what happened.

Is your father around? He left when I was younger.

Are you...are you sure Robin's dead?

He's...he's really dead? I'm afraid so.

Right, Lynley, I want you to go and talk to

the vicar's housekeeper, a Miss Polly Yarkin.

Constable, you go with the inspector. Do the introductions.

We haven't been introduced. I'm DI Lynley.

Steve - Constable Steve Shepherd. DCI Shepherd? He's my father.

RINGS DOORBELL

Steve!

This is DI Lynley. He wants to ask you a few questions.

Please...come in.

After you, Constable.

Well, one minute, he was alive and the next...

They said...

he suffered.

I'm afraid so.

How long had you worked for Rev Sage?

Since he got here, four months ago.

What was he like?

Kind.

Prayed a lot.

Didn't do him much good, did it?

When was the last time you spoke with him?

I asked him if he wanted dinner. He said he was going out.

And did he tell you he was going to Juliet Spence's cottage? No.

But he put his best suit on.

What's that supposed to mean?

Nothing. I'm just remarking.

Did he ever ask you about Juliet? About Mrs Spence? No.

He never said anything? You're sure?

Why are you asking me about Juliet Spence? It's Robin Sage who's dead.

We'll leave it there for the moment, Miss Yarkin.

But... We'll take a full statement later, Constable.

I mean, don't get me wrong. She's bound to be upset.

But Polly's a bit...flaky.

So, what's next?

The SOCO sergeant may need help preserving the scene.

I'd be more use back at the Spences' cottage.

Not until we've got the results back on cause of death.

I'll call SOCO, tell them

you're on your way...Constable. Sir.

Have you seen the DCI anywhere?

He's in the shop talking to Reverend Sage's verger. Thank you.

Any progress, sir? Bit of a smart aleck, that Tony.

The toxicology report suggests

the Reverend Sage died of water hemlock poisoning.

Someone poisoned him?

Hemlock grows wild round here.

Juliet Spence picked hemlock, thinking it was parsnip.

Accidental death.

That's one opinion, sir. And one the coroner is most likely to share.

Until we can prove that beyond reasonable doubt,

the investigation will continue. Sir...

I don't mean to tread on your toes, but are you aware that your son

is having a relationship with Juliet Spence? You what?

I found out accidentally

and as senior investigating officer, I thought you ought to know.

You sure?

Obviously I haven't discussed this with anyone else, sir.

Well, it's never easy, working in someone else's area. Thanks.

You've probably saved me a lot of trouble down the line.

A word, Constable...now.

I stand there while some outsider tells me

about you and Juliet Spence.

What outsider? Lynley.

I had to inform the Super. He gives me an earful.

Conflict of interest, senior officer should have known.

Sage wasn't murdered. There is no case.

Not for you and me, there isn't. I had to hand it over. What?

Who to?

That southern ponce - Lynley.

It was an accident. That's obvious.

How do you know, eh? Because you're giving her one?

Why the hell didn't you tell me you were having an affair with her?

I'm grown-up... You should've warned me.

This is my career on the line.

TV IS ON

PHONE RINGS

Hello? How's the packing going?

Great.

If you feel like cutting your leave short,

Superintendent Alred has handed me a suspicious death.

I'd like you back up here, working with me.

Well, I guess if you can't crack it without me,

then looks like I've got no choice.

There's a train at seven...

er, ten past seven. Pick me up at 10.30.

See you then. Bye.

KNOCK AT DOOR

Hi. Come on in.

How was your first day? Fascinating.

I hear you're in charge of the Robin Sage case.

Come in.

Tony Philips - Helen Clyde.

Oh, the profiler on the Evans case.

Superintendent Alred has been singing your praises all day.

Well, I'm not sure why. I've only just found my way to the canteen.

Helen and I know each other from London.

I thought I'd bring you up to speed on the Robin Sage case.

If you can spare the time.

Do you want me to leave? No, of course not.

Steve Shepherd said that Juliet Spence spent the night vomiting.

Probably saved her life.

Hemlock poisoning causes delirium, convulsions and abdominal pains.

A single mouthful can kill a man.

So...how come she survived?

Because she threw up.

But hemlock doesn't make you vomit.

Hemlock doesn't cause vomiting?

No, not the way she describes.

Two people eat the same meal. One dies.

The other, conveniently, has a stomach upset and lives. Exactly.

Hi. Have you eaten?

Oh...thank you.

Yeah, I had a roasted veg sandwich with organic wholemeal.

I need a cigarette.

I found your lighter. Oh, thank you.

How's your mum settling into the home?

OK.

Sometimes I go there and she thinks I'm her sister.

Which isn't so stupid, actually.

Everyone says I look just like Auntie Joyce. Except for the nose.

Mum? Mum? The police took all the bottles away.

What happened at the hospital?

Are you OK? It's all right. I'm all right.

Why didn't you tell me Robin was coming for dinner?

I wanted to talk to him privately.

Yeah, but I mean you should have told me. I should have known.

Well, you saw me preparing supper. You could have asked.

Who did you think I'd invited?

Maggie?

You think I don't know. But I know. I've heard the two of you.

And you panting in his ear, "I love you, Steve, I love you."

I just want to be sick.

Why didn't you say you knew about me and Steve? Why didn't you tell me?

It doesn't mean anything.

It's not like you and me.

Careful who you trust, you said.

Get out, please. We need to talk.

She knows. Good. I'm glad.

She can't run your life for you.

I'm her mum.

She comes first, always. I love you.

I want us to have a future together.

I want to be able to walk into the pub with you on my arm.

I thought...

Oh, I thought just this once I could have both.

Now Maggie's found out... Oh, she might do anything.

She's a kid. What can she do?

What are the gouges in the ground?

Where he dug his heels in as he thrashed about.

You can see where he clawed at the earth.

His tongue? So swollen he'd almost chewed it in half.

If you're lucky, you die of heart failure. He wasn't lucky? No.

He asphyxiated. How long did it take?

Too long.

We know how he died - hemlock poisoning.

We know who served him the poison - Juliet Spence.

But did she deliberately give him the hemlock,

or did someone else substitute hemlock for the parsnip?

Not forgetting the terrible accident theory.

Or it wasn't Reverend Sage who was supposed to die.

But if this Spence woman made herself vomit,

she must have known she'd eaten something poisonous.

Yeah, but even if she'd deliberately made herself sick,

she could still have been the intended victim.

PC Shepherd was the first person to see her after Sage left that night.

How's it going, Lynley?

Early days, sir.

Well, if you're looking for Steve, you may have a long wait.

He's got a big area to cover.

Looks like we're in luck, sir. ..I'd like a few words, please, Constable.

Come back later. There's a trailer tipped over on the way to Landridge.

Why are you here, then? Who's she?

Detective Sergeant Havers.

Why don't I put the kettle on? You must be very busy, sir.

Yes. I haven't even had time for lunch.

I want it on record that at no time was my impartiality in question.

Noted.

Why did you keep your relationship with Juliet Spence quiet?

I resent this.

Were you hiding it from your wife?

My wife...

Annie is dead.

I'm sorry.

That's why he never put himself up for promotion.

He nursed her at home until she died a year ago.

If you were both free agents, why the secrecy?

Juliet didn't want to upset Maggie.

What about Juliet's relationship with Robin Sage?

What relationship? She invited him round for dinner.

To discuss Maggie. What about Maggie?

Sage wanted her to go to church, he'd started a youth club.

Juliet wasn't keen on the idea.

She slaves over a hot stove just to say Maggie can't go to a youth club?

Hasn't she got a phone?

She's a hospitable woman.

Yeah, there is something sexy about men in dog collars.

There was nothing going on!

If you died...

..I've got no-one.

I'd have to go into a home.

Oh, Maggie...

I can't produce your dad for you, sweetheart.

If I could, I would.

In your statement, you said you called at Juliet Spence's cottage

at 9.15 on the evening of Sage's death.

Juliet's cottage is very isolated. It's all part of my patrol.

Couldn't find any biscuits. Sir.

Where was Mrs Spence?

It's in my statement! On the bathroom floor, vomiting.

Did she say she'd taken anything before she was sick?

What kind of a stupid question is that...sir?

Simple enough for you to understand.

She was wrenching her guts up!

You didn't think to call Robin Sage, find out how HE was?

I thought it was just ordinary food poisoning.

I thought it would run its course.

If Mrs Spence was throwing up in the bathroom, who let you in?

I have a key.

Sage might still have been there with Juliet.

It could have been embarrassing.

He left at nine. How do you know?

How do you know, Constable?

Were you spying on Juliet Spence and Robin Sage?

Come on, Lynley, that's a hell of an accusation.

You're right. He's as jealous as hell.

And Polly, Sage's housekeeper

and the woman pretending to make the call from over there,

is suffering from unrequited love for the constable.

Poor Polly.

This place is a real hotbed of passion.

Mrs Spence? I'm Detective Inspector Lynley.

This is Detective Sergeant Havers. How are you feeling?

Dreadful. What do you expect?

Perhaps you shouldn't have discharged yourself.

About Robin!

Reverend Sage.

You remember that case,

a butcher, all those people dying of E-coli from his shop.

I remember thinking, how do you live with that?

You and Reverend Sage must have got on well

for you to invite him for dinner.

I think it's easier to discuss things over a meal, more relaxing.

Were you anticipating a row?

No.

Why didn't you want Maggie to go to his youth club?

We're not churchgoers. It seems hypocritical.

Not if Maggie wanted to and Reverend Sage didn't mind.

I was just trying to, I don't know, trying to set some moral standards.

Does that include your relationship with Steve Shepherd?

I need some advice.

What sort of advice?

Police.

Maggie told me about the house rule,

the only people you can trust are your family. Sounds a bit harsh.

Typical teenager interpretation.

We've moved around a bit. It makes it hard to sustain friendships.

She considered Reverend Sage a friend.

Mm. Well, he was a good listener and he wasn't me.

Been acting up, has she?

Look, this has nothing to do with Maggie. She wasn't even here.

Was she here when you were cooking the meal?

Yes.

Did you leave her alone in the kitchen at any time?

No.

What, you didn't use the phone? Go to the bathroom?

Maggie's my daughter. Are you suggesting...?

I'm sorry, I'm not listening to this.

I'd offer you one, but I know you hate it.

Well?

I was wondering what to do about Robin's...the vicar's things.

I don't know who his next of kin is.

Well, you just leave everything as it is for the moment.

Is that it?

I want to be friends again.

Annie knew.

I walked in and she knew.

My wife's dying and we're rolling around on that stinking barn floor.

She knew.

You make it sound disgusting, like we did something wrong.

Is that why you went with Mrs Spence? To punish me?

You and me are special.

You and me is over. It never started.

But I loved you first. I loved you before Annie,

before Juliet Spence. How much did you love me, Polly?

Enough to poison Juliet? Only you kill Reverend Sage instead? No.

Are you hoping they jail her for murder

and you can have me all to yourself?

Water hemlock poisoning doesn't present itself

in the way you've described.

I know I had to be sick.

Did you make yourself sick?

Yes, I took an emetic. It was in one of the bottles the police took away.

Why didn't you tell Steve Shepherd at the time?

I didn't have to. He could see the bottle.

In fact...yeah, he poured me the second dose.

Just to make sure.

Why did Shepherd lie about the emetic?

To protect her.

He thinks she killed Sage.

Or it was a terrible accident, but he knows how bad it would look

if we found out that she made herself sick.

How about this?

Sage is coming to dinner, Shepherd's jealous.

He swaps the parsnip for the hemlock.

We know he's watching the cottage.

He intended to call in, anyway.

If she hadn't already made herself sick, he had to,

so he encouraged her to take another dose of the emetic.

A bit of a gamble.

He's obviously crazy about Juliet. He wouldn't risk killing her.

Sir, not everyone's as romantic in love as you are.

If Shepherd is a psychopath, he might chance it.

Set up a meeting for me with Rev Sage's bishop.

Talk to his church wardens and the parish council.

Someone must know who his next of kin is.

Can I have a word? Yes.

Thanks, Andy.

I reread the Sage report. It says that Juliet Spence is a herbalist.

She calls herself an alternative therapist. Why?

Water hemlock roots differ

from that of other members of the Umbelliferae.

Wild parsnip has a single root.

Water hemlock has a tuberous bundle of roots.

Juliet Spence would know this.

There are other characteristics, too.

Cut lengthways, water hemlock displays nodes and internodes.

Sorry, it was either biology or communication skills at my school.

I took communication skills.

Tony Philips, our pathologist - Barbara Havers.

I finally get to put a face to the name.

Sorry? I worked with the Met last year.

They were offering 5-1

that your partnership wouldn't make it out of the paddock.

Pardon? A bit of fun.

They'll be glad Barbara's found someone to work with.

Call me a snob, Tony, but given the choice between

working with a clever, considerate man or a mouthy git,

I know who I'd choose.

Well, you've obviously got her broken in, Lynley.

If you're ever hard up, you're on to a dead cert.

No, it's OK, sir.

You see, Tony spends most of his time cutting up dead people.

He can't help having a warped, sick mind.

This warped sick mind has come to the conclusion that

Juliet Spence had to know that hemlock has chambers.

It looks like, if she did cook the hemlock,

it can't have been an accident. It had to be murder.

Tony, Juliet Spence isn't the only one with access to the cottage.

There's Maggie, Steve Shepherd.

What about Polly Yarkin? She's crazy about Steve.

Who knows what that might drive her to do?

I want another house-to-house.

Check who was in the vicinity of Juliet's cottage

on the day of Sage's death.

What exactly did Tony Philips say to her? It doesn't matter.

Come on, eat your food. Sit down! No!

Poor kid. No wonder he's miserable. He should be in bed by now.

You don't want children, do you?

I'm not sure. You?

Yes.

I suppose so.

Sometime. Do your duty?

Keep on in there till your exhausted wife

provides the next male heir of Asherton?

We're talking about love, not livestock.

I remember my dad dug in behind the paper.

He hated the noise, the mess,

the fact my mother couldn't give him her undivided attention.

One day you're going to come to me all gooey-eyed,

saying you've found the father of your children.

I don't do gooey!

Besides, before long, we won't need you men at all.

Maybe, but think of all that pleasure you'd be missing.

Everything all right? Yeah, fine, thanks.

I can have him up in front of a disciplinary board.

No. No, I'd just prefer it if you just

held him against a wall and I just hit him.

I'll leave it, then.

James! Come here! I'm tired!

I know you're tired, darling. Come on. Come on, James.

JAMES: No! No!

The joys of family life.

You'll have a wife and kids one day. Your sort always do.

Probably have them delivered from Harrods.

Night, then.

Yes, I know, I'm sorry. It's a rushed job.

Sergeant Havers could be back in a few days.

The keys are with the neighbour at number 16.

If you have any problems, get her to give me a call.

All right. Thanks.

Yeah, this is the spot. I dug it up here.

Can you see any plants now that look like wild parsnip? Um...

No, I can't. What does the book say, Sergeant?

Um...

That one maybe. Give it a go.

What do you think, Mrs Spence?

I'm not sure.

No, don't! It...

Why not?

Why not, Mrs Spence?

That isn't parsnip. It's water hemlock.

When you dug up the parsnip for Robin Sage,

did you know it was hemlock? No. I would have noticed.

You mean, someone else must have put the hemlock in your cooking pot?

No... I'm not sure.

When...Maggie was little,

and ate too much cake, like kids do,

did you used to give her an emetic?

What?

Maggie knows that the minute her mum eats something bad,

she makes herself sick. I've told you...

Do you consider yourself a good mum? Yes?

So you must have taught Maggie which plants are poisonous.

Maggie didn't do it.

I was with her all the time.

No, you weren't.

We did a house-to-house.

At 5.13 on the evening of Robin Sage's death,

you had a Parcel Force delivery.

The driver remembers it very clearly. You were his last call.

He had a cold, you suggested several remedies.

He says you were on the doorstep for almost ten minutes.

Was Maggie alone then?

Why would Maggie want to kill anyone? It's absurd!

I'd like permission to interview your daughter.

No, it's out of the question.

Why don't you want us to talk to her?

Detective Inspector Lynley would like to ask you a few questions.

What about? Robin Sage.

If she doesn't want to talk...

I'm not a kid. Just go, will you?

When you were younger, your mum used to take you with her

when she went out collecting wild plants?

Me, I'm hopeless. I don't know one plant from another.

I'm as good as Mum. So, you wouldn't make a mistake?

You'd know the difference between wild parsnip and water hemlock?

Well, maybe. It depends.

If you didn't know Robin Sage was coming to dinner that night,

who did you think your mum was cooking for?

Who cares? I wasn't interested.

Steve?

Your mum invites her boyfriend round

and you're shunted off to some mate's and you don't care?

Yeah.

Do you have a boyfriend?

No. Bet all your mates have.

All that stuff they have to gossip about. Did they kiss?

How far did they get?

And you're stuck on the outside.

I don't want their stupid boyfriends. They're just kids.

Oh, you mean you prefer your men older? Like Steve?

I've got it, sir. She fancies Steve Shepherd.

No, I don't. I hate him! I hate everything about him!

Margaret Spence, you do not have to say anything,

but it may harm your defence if you do not mention

when questioned something which you later rely on in court. No.

You've got it all wrong! You don't understand.

GLASS SMASHES

I spoke to Robin. What did he say?

He told me to do nothing.

He said he knew it was hard,

but it wasn't always going to be me and Mum.

That one day I'd leave. Have a life of my own.

Why didn't you want your mum just now?

She didn't like you seeing Robin Sage?

Look, Robin was MY friend.

Every time she banged on about it, it felt like she was spoiling it.

What else did you and Robin talk about?

Everything.

Books I read, favourite movies.

What I wanted to do - MY dreams.

He would say... Oh...

What did he say, Maggie?

He said I was a unique person.

If she thought Steve was coming to dinner and she knew her mum

takes an emetic whenever she feels ill,

she still could have killed Robin by mistake. OK. We don't rule her out.

I can see why Maggie liked Robin,

a father figure, her own special friend.

But why was he so interested in her?

MOBILE RINGS

Lynley. That interview you wanted with the bishop,

we've finally made contact.

DOORBELL RINGS

Would you like a drink? Tea? There's some sherry. Yours?

Alchemical Magic, Herbs And Spices.

I don't know. Possibly. Where did you get it? Your bedroom.

"H for hemlock. Dig when the plant is dormant."

I don't understand.

Quite a habit you've got, spying on Juliet's cottage. You got it wrong.

Did you see her leave the cottage? Did you slip into the kitchen?

No. And put water hemlock in her cooking pot?

L for love. A love potion!

Like she must have given you. That's why I bought the book.

I drink it, you look at me and...

But you don't, do you? You just see what you want to see.

I see a sick, twisted human being.

You made soup for my wife before she died.

What are you saying?

Not only did I try to kill Juliet, I killed Annie, too? Did you?

Like you wanted to? You what?

Admit it. You were relieved the day she died.

Nothing was good enough for Annie.

The food was too cold. The tea too strong.

She even managed to blame you for her cancer. Shut it!

The only moments of pleasure, of love you had that year were with me.

You help Annie on her way, so you can have me. You don't get me.

I meet Juliet and you decide to kill her, only you end up

murdering Robin Sage! I don't need to kill Juliet!

Deep down, you love me. You know you do.

Love?! You and me wasn't love.

Banging away on the floor like animals,

banging away like stinking, filthy animals!

SHE SCREAMS

Oh, come on!

Cake? No, thanks. We're here on police business.

You're still one of God's family.

Try an eclair. I said no.

That was a bit sharp. I'm not a flaming charity case!

She offered you a cake, that's all.

You may enjoy eating cucumber sandwiches

with your little fingers stuck out,

surrounded by...

..braying women with upturned flowerpots on their heads...

..but I don't, thank you, sir.

Sage originally came from Cornwall.

He was such a terrible loss.

He had a marvellous record -

youngest archdeacon, lecturer, fantastic fund-raiser.

And why did he give all that up to become a parish priest?

His wife...Suzanna... committed suicide.

Suicide? How?

Threw herself over the side of a ferry on the way to France.

And when was this?

About 12 years ago. I really don't know much about it.

That must have been extremely traumatic for him.

Listening to myself, I realise I didn't know Robin very well at all.

Before he moved here, he seemed quite different. How do you mean?

A man of great faith, strong convictions. He changed?

In the last few months, he seemed uncertain, distressed.

He didn't tell you what was troubling him?

God forgive me, I should have asked.

He wasn't troubled, Inspector.

He was in crisis.

What are you doing?

From now on, you only eat food that can't be tampered with.

I don't understand. You're not responsible.

It wasn't your fault.

How do you mean?

It wasn't Robin Sage that was meant to die. It was you.

Suzanna Sage committed suicide 12 years ago.

Robin Sage moves parishes often. Formed a relationship with Maggie,

an underage teenager.

Hence the crisis. Juliet kills him.

I'm sorry, sir, but why didn't she report it?

Tell PC Shepherd?

Maggie was fond of Sage, said she wouldn't testify against him.

Would that make Juliet take the law into her own hands and...kill him?

She's her mum. Who knows what she'd do to protect her daughter.

We need to talk to the housekeeper, Polly,

find out if she was in the vicarage when Maggie used to visit.

Bit dark in here.

What happened, Polly?

Oh, fell down the back steps.

Stupid! I'd just washed them. That's typical me, racing about.

Perhaps we should get you to the hospital.

No.

Would you like to talk to Barbara alone? No, of course not.

Just between you and me. It might help.

What?

You think...?

I fell down the back steps, honest.

Look, you came to ask questions about Reverend Sage, so fire away.

Why don't we take a seat?

Did Reverend Sage ever talk about his wife? What wife?

She committed suicide 12 years ago. He never said.

He never even mentioned her.

He didn't seem interested in women.

What about Maggie Spence? I gather she came here quite often.

Yeah, but she's just a kid.

What did they do?

Sat in his study together and talked their heads off.

Did her mum ever come? No.

June 10th, Social Services, 12:30.

Well, why visit the Social Services?

How about he was seeing a social worker?

Same question, Havers, why?

Maybe you're right. Robin Sage and Maggie wasn't the problem.

All those heart-to-hearts together,

maybe what he learnt from Maggie was that Juliet was an unfit mother

and decided to talk to the Social Services about it.

He went to London on June 10th, 8:30 train.

Well, whoever he was seeing at Social Services was in London.

Why were they interested in a girl in Lancashire?

There she is! Her mum's a psycho!

Your mum's a psycho! She's a vicar killer.

Vicar killer!

Vicar killer! Your mum's a witch!

Go on, run away!

Inspector! PC Shepherd's got some important information

on the Sage case.

Polly Yarkin, I'm disgusted to say, has an obsession with me.

I found this in her cottage. Look under H, for hemlock.

So, you interviewed her yourself?

Give her the personal touch?

Come on, Sergeant! You took the law into your own hands.

You can't hide behind your father.

Do you get your kicks from hitting female suspects? Slanderous cow!

She punched herself in the mouth?

What is it with you?

Maggie?

Kids at school were yelling stuff.

"Your mum's a psycho."

Is that what YOU think?

No. It's all wrong. You didn't do it.

Whatever's happened, Maggie,

we'll get through this together, mm?

Yeah.

Mum, it's Barbara.

Well, I said I'd ring.

Barbara, your daughter.

No, I'm not coming to take you home.

Well, I explained, but...

You like it there! Yes, you do!

You told me you liked it last time I came.

Last week, Mum.

I came to see you last week.

It appears as if Steve Shepherd is on the verge of a breakdown.

Jealous, paranoid, violent.

But... Is he a murderer?

It all seems too premeditated.

I think he's more likely to strike out in anger.

Have you got anything on Polly Yarkin?

A cheap spell book, unrequited passion for said PC Shepherd.

I'll wait and see if something

more substantial turns up before we question her again.

What about Maggie Spence?

Angry, confused only child,

desperate to hang on to her mother's affections.

The things we put ourselves through for love.

Is there something you're not telling me? Why?

KNOCK AT DOOR

Nothing.

Come in.

The stuff on Robin Sage's dead wife - Suzanna -

it'll be here in half an hour.

Thanks.

There's no point in you staying. That's all right.

No, no. I've got loads of things to do.

There's no point in both of us hanging around.

Thank you. Marvellous.

Night, Andy. Night, governor.

Yeah, I appreciate there'll be overtime. Just send me the bill.

Thanks.

Can I give you a lift to the hotel?

Great.

I'd love a drink. Yeah.

Oh, afraid we're out of luck. Never mind.

I hadn't realised it was so late.

Hi. Room six, please.

12, please. Thanks.

See you in the morning. Yeah.

TV BLARES

KNOCK AT DOOR

Room service.

Do you think we'll be sitting together like this when we're 90?

Some knight in shining armour will have whisked you away before then.

Are you saying I need rescuing?

It's OK, you don't have to answer.

This isn't advisable behaviour for close friends.

Suzanna, Robin Sage's late wife,

committed suicide on a ferry to France 12 years ago.

It was a rough crossing and she went to the loo,

complaining of feeling sick.

She never came back.

Did the police investigate Robin Sage?

Yeah. There were no signs of a struggle. No witnesses.

Her handbag was found in the car with a note. What did it say?

"Sorry, can't carry on."

Her passport was in her bag. There was no trace of her on the ship...

..and she couldn't have got off the ferry in France.

Is it the way I tell them?

What about the body?

Um, it was...it was never found,

but here's the best bit...

I'll get them to bring a fresh pot of coffee.

Thanks, but I'm driving back to London.

London?

I've got some research to do. I don't want to disturb your work.

We'll speak later. Bye, Barbara.

I'll be back in a minute.

Thank you very much.

Why are you running away?

Don't be melodramatic. I've got a job to do, so have you.

I'll ring you later.

Did something happen last night?

Anything else?

Um, yeah, actually...

..Robin and Suzanna had a...

..a son, Joseph.

He died when he was three months old.

Get back on to the incident room.

I want everything they can find on Robin Sage's dead wife.

OK.

KNOCK AT DOOR

We've turned up a sister for Suzanna Sage, Kate Gutterman.

She's a social worker. Lives in London.

What do you think happened to your sister on that ferry?

Robin Sage killed her.

Maybe he didn't actually push her over the side, but...he killed her.

How do you mean? Joseph, their baby son, was running a temperature.

Robin insisted that he should sleep in the other room.

When Suzanna went in the next morning, Joseph was dead.

How was their relationship after that?

How do you think? Terrible.

That's why I know he did or said something to make her end it.

That's a very serious accusation.

Suzanna came to see me weeks before she died.

She'd been a social worker, too,

before she was married. She'd decided to write a book.

I let her borrow some of my case notes. That's illegal.

She was my sister. I trust her with my life!

What's this got to do with her state of mind?

Suddenly, she was the old Suzanna again. Energised, focused.

Then she committed suicide?

Her only epitaph, a note saying, "Sorry, I can't carry on."

Have you seen anything of Sage since?

He did come to visit me a couple of months ago.

After all this time, suddenly he cares.

He wanted to know what Suzanna and I had talked about

in the last weeks of her life.

Who she saw, where she went... How often did he come?

Once was enough.

We found tickets for several trips to London.

Did he have any friends here?

No, not that I know of.

There were no photographs of Suzanna in the vicarage.

I never go anywhere without it.

They never found her.

If I'd had a body to bury, maybe things would have been easier.

Do you know a woman called Juliet Spence?

No.

How old would Joseph have been if he'd lived? Nearly 13. Why?

Did Suzanna have any children before Joseph?

No, he was a bit of a miracle.

They'd been trying for years to have a baby.

Somehow, it just hadn't happened.

Juliet Spence is Suzanna Sage,

Robin Sage's supposedly dead wife.

She must have got a passport in the name of Juliet Spence,

faked suicide, slipped into France,

then come back here and started a new life.

With a new child.

Maggie can't be her biological daughter.

She's only 14 years old!

She didn't have any kids before Joseph.

If she isn't Juliet's child, who is she?

Dodgy adoption deal?

Juliet comes to London, sees her sister's files. She's her old self.

She buys Maggie off one of her sister's clients.

Look, it's getting late. Why don't you go home?

I'll organise a check on Kate's clients 12 years ago,

make sure all their children are accounted for.

I don't believe this!

Get me a discreet check on all these families.

Oh, and...all reported cases of missing babies in London

12 to 14 years ago,

with special attention to the area that Juliet Spence's sister worked.

FIRE ALARM RINGS

Not now.

Helen...

Why don't we go over there?

We're not supposed to leave our assembly points.

All right, let's have the conversation here.

Last night... It was fun.

Yes. It was a lot of other things, too. You know that.

I'm just trying to put things in perspective.

Two mates, away from home.

You never lie to me.

See. Sex changes everything.

No, it doesn't. Fear does, and you've nothing to be frightened of.

You're my confidant, my...

Oh, the best friend speech.

I've been rehearsing it all day.

And there was me thinking

you were basking in the glow of last night's passion.

You know too much about me.

You can't honestly think I'd abuse that. No, not deliberately.

It's... It's myself I don't trust, MY judgment.

Oh, you think I'm a bad choice? Maybe. For me, yes.

I'll ruin it. I always do. I won't let you ruin it,

if you don't let ME.

I'm sorry, Tommy. The answer's no.

GUARD: It's safe to go back in the building.

Well, if that's what you want... I have to respect that.

It doesn't mean I'm giving up.

Sir!

How much did it cost?

I don't think we should have this conversation in public.

I don't believe you.

I mean, how could you do that? You totally redecorated my house!

Who do you think you are, interfering in my life?

I didn't mean to upset you. I thought I was helping.

Oh, the eighth Earl of Asherton, patronising the peasants?!

KNOCK AT DOOR

Go away!

Come in.

You might find these interesting, sir. Thank you very much.

All right. Come on, then, explain.

How does letting a bunch of decorators

loose in my house help me?

You couldn't sell it till you'd done it up.

And you're paying a mortgage for a flat you're not living in.

That is MY business, not yours!

I thought we'd forged some sort of a bond, however bizarre.

I thought showing some concern was permitted.

Concern?

This is fascism. I don't even like duck white!

Concern because you're sitting there, avoiding the inevitable.

If I hadn't done it, you never would.

You patronising, sanctimonious...

OK.

I have been stalling.

I am a coward.

I'm panicking about leaving

because the thought of coming home to nothing

is more scary than coming home to a mother who doesn't know who I am.

I keep putting off visiting my mum because she doesn't understand

I am dismantling her life and packing it into cardboard boxes.

Now that is MY problem and I don't need you to show me

that I am an inadequate human being.

All right.

What I did was inexcusable.

I'm very sorry.

But one thing you are NOT is an inadequate human being.

And another thing.

The brushwork on the pipes in the bathroom is really sloppy.

I'll tell them.

Work?

Please.

Two little girls went missing from the area

that Juliet's sister covered.

According to these, if they were alive now,

they would be the same age as Maggie Spence.

You can have another juice when you've finished that!

Detective Sergeant Havers. Have you found her? Oh, no. Sorry.

I'm just going through old case notes, seeing if we missed anything.

There's no end to it. I wake with this piece of me missing.

She's got three brothers now.

We kept trying for another girl, but it didn't happen.

Hi. Is your mum in?

Mum...!

Has someone been onto the Social?

Do you have a social worker? Yeah. Kate Gutterman.

Boys, outside.

Have you had her long?

15 years or so. I got pregnant at school.

Are you still with the father of that baby?

No, I told him to sling it.

Would it be easier if your husband was here?

He left, a couple of years ago now.

Started again with a new family.

If you're a mum, you feel it differently, don't you?

Um...

..the newspaper report said that your daughter,

um, Cass, had brown hair.

Red. They got it wrong.

Red hair and green eyes...

..like her grandma.

What happened to baby Jessie?

I had her in the pram.

I met my mates, all tarted up.

They said, "Come for a quick drink."

I put the pram by the open door.

Then some moron said there was a draught.

I shut it.

I finished my drink, went out...

..and she'd gone.

What happened then?

Police came.

The scum suggested I'd done away with her.

Why did they think that?

She'd broken her leg before.

It wasn't me. It was her dad.

He always was a clumsy prat.

You were lucky the authorities gave you another chance.

My husband, Chris, he loves kids.

Kate got me off the at-risk register.

Did a vicar visit you recently?

The one writing a book about losing a kid?

I told him.

Jessie isn't dead. How do you know?

Just do.

Can you confirm for me how old Jessie would be now?

14.

Come on!

I drew a blank. I didn't.

Juliet learned of Elaine's baby from her sister's files.

She thinks, "15-year-old mum, baby's already had a broken leg.

"What chance has it got?"

She stalks Elaine, snatches the baby.

It's Inspector Lynley here, sir.

Get a team of officers to Juliet Spence's house

and arrest her on suspicion of murder - now.

Tom, Andy, come with me.

PHONE RINGS

STEVE: 'Juliet? It's me. Pick up the phone.'

'I need to talk to you.'

'I don't understand this, Juliet.'

'Lynley's lot want to talk to you again.'

Aah!

THEY PANT

Found it an hour ago, no sign of any passengers.

There's blood on the passenger side, so the girl may be injured.

Right. If I were Juliet I'd get as far as I could before the car

is discovered and we're called.

Then I'd hole up, give Maggie a rest,

move on under cover of darkness.

Where could she go, Steve?

Anywhere. Loads of outbuildings round here.

Steve, if you know, tell him - for the kid.

How about Bentham? She might try to get the train in the morning.

Oh, come on! That's the first place she'll know we'll look!

Where are we?

OK, I suggest we get men covering a six-mile radius.

If you could get them to move from the outside in, please, sir?

They'll not get very far on foot

and they'll try and avoid the open terrain.

I'll get onto it.

I appreciate how hard this is for you, Steve, but it's over.

No. Juliet pretended to be dead for 12 years,

she took another person's identity.

She stole a baby. She deceived her husband and then murdered him.

The Juliet Spence you fell in love with never existed.

Help me, Steve!

I'm sorry, Mum, I can't do it. I feel really dizzy.

It's all right, we're nearly there. It's not far.

Come on...come on.

THEY PANT

There used to be an old railway track running through the vale.

They closed it down. She could be in the old railway building.

Here. She could make it within three hours under reasonable cover.

Once you're in the vale, it's easy walking.

Anywhere else is either...too hard a hike or too exposed. Right.

She's got a shotgun with her.

Call the Armed Response Unit.

Call DCI Shepherd. Get his men to cut their engines

and pull up when they get to the corner.

Any closer, she might spot us.

Sir.

It's Maggie's. We wait for the ARU.

You can't have armed police bursting in. Think of Maggie!

Juliet's got a gun. We take no chances.

Steve!

Juliet, love.

It's me.

Don't be scared.

I'm coming in.

GUNSHOT

One man down, possible one man down. Request immediate backup.

It's Inspector Lynley, Juliet.

Why don't I just come in? No officers, no guns, just me.

Just so you know, it's loaded.

Put the gun down, Juliet, love.

Are you all right, Maggie?

She's going to learn the truth soon.

It should come from you.

Mum, please!

Everything I did...

..I did it for you.

But you can't have.

You killed him?

You really killed Robin Sage? He was going to take you away from me.

They'll put you in jail for life. I won't let them.

Get them here NOW.

Please, Mum, I want to go home now.

I love you more than anything in the whole world, sweetheart.

Is this how you intend to prove it?

By murdering two police officers in front of her?

Sergeant!

Suzanna Sage...

What? Suzanna Sage,

I'm arresting you on suspicion of murder. Trust me! I'll explain!

The caution, Sergeant.

HAVERS CAUTIONS HER

Mum! Wherever they take you,

I'm coming, too.

Come on, Maggie.

Don't make it harder than it is.

Just a few more minutes, please!

Mum!

She's my baby.

No, she isn't.

Her real mum's in London, living a nightmare every day

because you decided to play judge and jury and stole her baby.

And now Maggie, who you say means more to you

than anything in the world...

..is left with nothing. No home, no friends, no family...

..no mother.

Nothing.

Decided what colour to paint the new flat yet?

Not duck white, that's for sure.

So, what about you and Helen?

There's always tomorrow.

I suppose so.