Original subtitles

[engine revs]

[Beth Rowley's "I Walk Beside You"]

- ♪ You and me ♪

♪ Me and you ♪

♪ Somehow we made it through ♪

♪ I may be gone ♪

♪ I may be far away ♪

♪ But I walk beside you ♪

♪ Every step of the way ♪

♪ When you're used ♪

♪ Bruised ♪

♪ Black and blue ♪

♪ Don't think about it ♪

♪ Never doubt it ♪

♪ I walk beside you ♪

- [breathing heavily]

[dogs barking]

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- We need to go. Leave it!

♪ ♪

[barking continues]

♪ ♪

Hurry up, come on.

♪ ♪

- [grunts]

Oh! - Hurry.

[dog snarling]

♪ ♪

- [grunts]

[breathing heavily]

Thanks.

[barking continues]

♪ ♪

We won't make it to the car.

- The barn--head for the barn.

[barking continues]

[dog snarling]

♪ ♪

[shovel clatters]

♪ ♪

Here.

[ferocious barking]

- Ugh. - How's your hand?

- It's fine. How many are there?

- I don't know. I think there's two.

[barking continues]

Can you hold this? - Yeah.

[barking continues]

[breathing heavily]

- [grunts]

- Ah. [inhales sharply]

- [grunts]

I'm gonna make a run for it,

get the car right up to the door.

- You can't run. - It doesn't matter.

- You're limping. Let's just be practical.

- This is what we're doing.

You need to keep 'em focused here.

Make a racket. [banging]

Bad dog! No biscuit!

[imitates barking] Like that.

And whatever happens-- Robin, what are you doing?

Robin!

[bangs, snarls]

[suspenseful music]

[barking continues]

Robin, run!

♪ ♪

[engine turning over]

[barking continues]

♪ ♪

[horn honking]

♪ ♪

[barking continues]

♪ ♪

- [grunts]

[dog snarling]

♪ ♪

[barking continues]

I think I've found human remains.

I'm not giving you my name. I'll give you the location.

- [sighs]

- Company will pay for the damage.

- No need. There's nothing to fix.

Built like a tank.

- You shouldn't have done that.

- You shouldn't have told me not to.

You know I'm faster than you.

You're not gonna fire me again, are you?

- Learned my lesson there.

- So...what now?

[engine turning over]

- In an hour, the police will have a body,

and if they talk to Billy, they'll have a witness as well.

- And so Billy... - We do need to find him.

[cell phone buzzing]

Hello?

- Hi, Robin. It's Izzy.

Um, best not come into the office today.

The police are here.

- Why? What's happened? - I can't discuss it.

See you tomorrow... unless I call.

- Is there anything I can help with?

[line clicks, beeps]

[sighs]

- Was that the politician?

- Yeah, well, his office.

- [chuckles softly] What happens if you get caught

messing about there?

Like, if the security services found you out?

Have you even thought about that?

[soft dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- I've spoken to DI Wardle. - Hmm?

- He can't find out anything

about what's happening with the bones.

It's a government minister's estate,

so they're all treading on eggshells.

- Right. - He did give me this.

Billy was six when he saw the girl strangled.

He looks in his mid-20s now, so it's roughly 20 years ago.

Wardle did a check on all the missing girls around then.

- Mm-hmm. - Suki Lane fits.

She went missing from care

living less than ten miles from the Chiswell estate.

She was 12 but built small, long dark hair.

If Billy can ID her, we've really got something.

Tea? - Yes, please.

- Sam Barclay called as well.

Jimmy drove to South London this morning

to a house on Alma Grove.

He was dropping off food.

Made Barclay sit in the car, so Billy could be inside.

I'm gonna take a look.

- [sighs]

- You all right? - Yeah, I've just, um--

If Chiswell is arrested for murder,

then they'll search his houses

in London and Oxfordshire, won't they?

And they'll search his offices.

I hid the spare bugs inside a box,

but they'll find them pretty quickly,

and if they do a sweep of-- - Of the Winns' office.

Yeah, I see what you're thinking.

- My fingerprints are all over it.

[sighs]

I'll have to try and get them out.

Sorry, I know that was my-- - No, I asked you to.

- No, it's fine.

[sighs]

No, I'll take care of it, honestly.

- Fine, do it this morning.

- They asked me not to come in today.

- Ignore 'em.

Say you've got to do something time-sensitive.

- Hmm, they're not the type of people

that are used to being ignored.

- It'll be good for 'em, then.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

[knocking]

[knocking]

♪ ♪

Oh, come on.

♪ ♪

[cell phone chimes]

♪ ♪

[door clicks open]

- What are you doing in here? - I was borrowing a stapler.

- Show me.

- What?

- I don't believe you.

Show me it.

- Well, I couldn't find one.

Ah, huh.

- You were looking at my phone. - No, I wasn't.

- Don't lie. You were looking at it.

And what are you doing going through my--

- Look, I'm already late. I--

[scoffs] Excuse me.

- Not till you answer my question.

- How many people do you know here?

Because I know six people who could have you fired

by the end of the day,

so don't even flirt with pulling this crap on me.

- What, so you can just come in--

- Can I borrow your stapler or not?

Because if not, get out of my way

before I have you thrown out.

- You know, people like you-- - Yes.

We run things. I know.

[door slams]

[exhales heavily]

- How can this be so bloody complicated?

You are a hotel.

Of course you have my bill on file.

So is this laziness, or are you incompetent?

Come on, which is it?

Get the manager to call me urgently.

- Morning, Minister. Hi, Izzy.

- Did you not-- - Oh, I won't be long.

Essential maintenance on the you-know-what.

- Let's just get on with it.

- Okay.

Um, constituent wants to discuss his idea

for a new tax on-- - No.

[telephone ringing]

Leave it. Next.

- Two village fete requests. - No.

- Margaret Connaught asked if she could--

- Absolutely not.

[answering machine beeps]

- Kind decline with best wishes, then.

- They say they piss themselves when they die.

Is that true, Chiswell?

[answering machine beeps]

- Delete that.

- Minister, is this something we could help with?

[door squeaks open]

[door slams] What was that about?

- It's just miserable for him.

I honestly think he's done nothing wrong.

[doorbell buzzes]

[eerie music]

♪ ♪

- I think I over-ordered again.

[door slams] - No such thing.

- Hey, have you got more than two forks?

- Spoon for me. Beer?

- Mm, yes, please.

You know, we had over 50 answerphone messages.

- Yeah, I know. We need someone.

- Thanks.

- How'd you get on with the bugs?

- Mm, I got them.

So we carrying on with Chiswell as a client?

- I'd like to keep him close

until we know that Billy's safe.

- What, no luck at Alma Grove, then?

- He'd been there. He's not there anymore.

And there's traces of blood all through the house.

There's blood on the bannister too.

He maybe tried to hold on while he was being dragged off,

or he might have cut himself.

He'd carved one of those horses as well.

I did a check with the Land Registry.

It's owned by a Mrs. Collier. Does that ring any bells?

- No.

- We haven't got the money to keep it under surveillance.

- You know, you're right about trying to stick with Chiswell.

Someone left him a message today.

I think it was about the girl that Billy saw.

- What kind of message?

- It went straight to answerphone.

It was a man, and he said,

"They piss themselves when they die."

- "They piss themselves when they die,"

not, "She pissed herself"?

- No, no, I'm sure.

- And you watched him listen to this.

- Well, he just left straightaway.

I got the impression that Izzy knows something,

but she's loyal to her family; she won't talk.

- [sighs]

Maybe someone knows about the police digging.

He's done well to keep it out of the papers.

You'd hope it's still news when a dead girl

is found buried on a minister's estate.

He rang me.

He wants a report in person.

We're gonna have to drive up to his place in Oxfordshire.

Is there anything we can give him?

- I reckon Jimmy deals a bit of weed.

- Well, unless it's a kilo, that's not gonna be enough.

I've found Jimmy's ex-wife.

We can drop in on her on the way to Chiswell.

- Hi.

- I've got an appointment with Dawn.

- What do you want doing to him, pet?

Do you just want me to neaten him up all over?

- I'm not here for a haircut, but I'm happy to pay for one.

My name's Cormoran Strike. I'm a private detective.

This is my partner, Robin. - Oh, yeah, I read about you.

You caught that man who did those things.

- That's right.

We were hoping to talk to you about Jimmy Knight.

- Shit, what's he done now?

- We're just after some background.

- Right.

Sian, can you take her foils out

at ten past, please?

We can talk out back.

- There you go, cock.

- Thanks, very kind.

- I've not seen Jimmy in years.

- Well, we're interested in his family

as much as anything else.

When was the last time you saw Billy?

- Oh, not since Jimmy and I split.

He used to come and stay sometimes,

but he'd scream the place down.

I'm talking 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning.

He pissed the bed more than once.

- Did he ever say why?

- What, why he pissed the bed?

- Well, what he was frightened of.

- He said he woke up and he couldn't breathe

because of what he'd done.

- What had he done?

- It were ridiculous. I mean, it was all...

Where they grew up, the local kids,

they used to go up to this old chalk horse

and make a wish on it,

and Billy said he wished that he were dead

so that he could be with his mum again,

only the horse took some other kid instead.

I mean, how cracked is that?

I were giving him a cuddle and, like, trying to tell him,

and then Jimmy came in, and he started shouting at him.

He was like, "Shut your fucking mouth

about that horse."

- Did you ever meet his dad?

- Oh, Jack Knight were horrible.

Drunk, got barred from everywhere.

Used his fists on his kids more than once.

I know that much.

One time,

Jimmy said his old man were going to hell

for what he'd done.

I mean, the big joke of it were that his dad worked for a Tory.

You ever heard of Jasper Chiswell?

- I have, actually.

Did Jimmy talk about the Chiswell family?

- [chuckles] That's the hypocrisy of him.

I mean, he used to go to all their parties, didn't he?

Freddie Chiswell's 18th, big marquee and all that.

I mean, he even hired a tuxedo. I've seen the pictures.

I wish I had them now; I'd stick 'em on the Internet

and show all his mates what a lick-ass he was

around posh kids.

They'd have only had him around because, well,

he could always get drugs.

They needed a dealer.

That's all he was.

- You know how Billy said his dad helped them bury her?

- Mm-hmm.

- Well, if Jimmy really was that desperate

to fit in with Freddie and his crowd...

- He helped him cover up a murder?

- Well, if he was involved in it, he might've.

I mean, he's obviously desperate

to stop Billy talking, and it'd explain

why Jack Knight helped to bury the girl

if Jimmy was mixed up in it

and why Billy took so long to tell anyone what he saw.

- Yeah.

- You're not convinced.

- No, I see what you're saying.

I just don't see how Geraint Winn

fits into that picture.

And I'm hungry.

- [clears throat] I've got some biscuits here.

- Mmm.

What?

- You, you're like one of those old-fashioned payphones,

except you take biscuits instead of coins.

- I like your idea.

But Chiswell told me Geraint wants to destroy him,

and if Geraint has something linking Chiswell to a murder,

why wouldn't he go to the police,

let them do the work?

[spirited music]

♪ ♪

- Is there only so much they can do

once the bones are removed?

Do they not tape off the scene if it's on private land?

- There should still be people here.

For a buried child,

you'd dig up half the wood.

- Chiswell couldn't have just sent them away, though.

Could he?

♪ ♪

- "Mare Mourning."

- The foal's got lethal white syndrome.

Looks healthy, but the bowels don't work.

Kinvara likes it. Reminds her of Lady.

- Who's that? - A mare she had.

Had it put down.

Happens with animals.

Now, look here.

Events are accelerating.

- I gather the police have been here.

- Who told you that?

- Do you know what they were looking for?

- That's irrelevant.

- Jimmy Knight was brought up in Steda Cottage, wasn't he?

Where the police have been digging.

- Knight's past is irrelevant.

I know all about his childhood.

I'm paying you to find out what he's up to now.

So where are we?

What exactly have you got for me?

- We've got some promising leads on Geraint.

Looks like he's hiding some damaging stuff.

And the Jimmy Knight deep-cover work

has revealed drug-dealing.

We think there's more to come.

We just need a little more time.

- Time? That's what we lack.

I can't give you more time.

- We just need a few more days.

Freddie was awarded the CGC posthumously, wasn't he?

- Yes, what of it?

- I'd love to see it for personal reasons.

Do you happen to have it here?

- Only 60 of these awarded since it was created.

- Did Freddie always want to join up?

- Family tradition,

and that goes a long way with us Chiswells.

The country's been good to us,

so we have to do our bit in return,

and he did more than his bit.

[sighs] Well, you've seen it now.

- Thank you.

I do appreciate that.

- I'll see you out.

- Could I just use the loo? Where's the nearest?

- Down the corridor on the right.

- Great.

- Next time I have you report back,

have something to tell me.

I'll give you till the end of the week.

Then I'll cut my losses.

[soft dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- I wonder who she was.

- He kept these photos like a trophy.

- Freddie liked humiliating people.

- Especially women.

His medal was bollocks, by the way,

purely political.

He was a terrible officer.

- CORE's occupied the building as a political protest, right?

Jimmy's got a room on the top floor,

and I'm pretty sure he's got Billy in it.

He keeps it locked.

- Is there any way I can get to it?

- The developers are trying to clear them out this weekend,

so they're having a party.

The more, the merrier.

I cannae be there. I've got a family thing.

The missus'd kill me. - That's fine. We'll do it.

Thanks for this. It's good work.

- Cheers, pal. [chuckles]

Beats delivering curries off a bike.

All right if I head off? - Yeah.

- Cool. See you.

- See you, Sam.

- [sighs] Would you mind covering this?

My leg's not great, but if there's a chance

Billy's in there-- - I'm really sorry. I'm away.

It's my anniversary.

Matt's booked a hotel.

I can't really get out of it.

- Okay, yeah, I'll cover it.

- I'm really sorry.

I mean, I could come back early Sunday.

- Robin, forget it.

Have a weekend. - Right.

[sighs]

[somber music]

♪ ♪

- Stand there.

[both chuckle] [camera shutter clicks]

And again.

[camera shutter clicks] Lovely.

♪ ♪

- I'm pretty sure I'll remember what room we're in.

- Well, I forgot I went away with a world-class detective.

- [chuckles] - It's for my Insta.

- I didn't know you were on that.

- Yeah, I've got 200 followers, mate.

- This is really nice, Matt. Thank you.

- Well, you know, technically, it's not been a year yet.

- How's that?

- We were pronounced man and wife at half-three.

Till then,

you're just some bird I was going out with.

[chuckles]

Hey.

I know I've made a mess of some things, Rob.

But it really was the best day of my life.

♪ ♪

I'm lucky to have you.

I know that.

I really do.

♪ ♪

[vase clatters]

- Sorry.

♪ ♪

- I do.

♪ ♪

- [sighs]

- Happy anniversary, Matt.

♪ ♪

[crowd shouting]

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

[shouting continues]

[muffled techno music playing]

♪ ♪

- Come on, just get down!

♪ ♪

[shouting continues]

♪ ♪

- Big fan of techno.

♪ ♪

Can I borrow that mask?

- Well, you can have it... for a tenner.

♪ ♪

- How are we feeling about capitalism?

♪ ♪

[techno music blaring]

♪ ♪

[indistinct chatter]

♪ ♪

- All right? - Yeah.

Everyone's pretty much ready for tomorrow.

- You think so? Is everything set?

- Yeah. - What's going on?

- Three or four policemen outside.

Nothing's really changed.

There's enough people outside to keep 'em occupied.

♪ ♪

Can you give me two secs? - Yeah, that's fine.

♪ ♪

- He's fine.

- What if the police come in? - They ain't getting in today.

- What if they do and they find him locked up?

- So what's your great idea, then?

Go on, let's hear it.

'Cause if he talks, we're done.

All he wants to do is fucking talk.

♪ ♪

- Billy, you in there?

- [gasps, whimpers]

- Billy?

It's good to see you, Billy. I've been looking for you.

- Who told you about me? Wh-why are you here?

- Billy, remember, you came to me.

I want to help. - No, but I can't see you.

Jimmy will kill me.

- I can keep you safe.

I'm gonna find out everything I can

about the girl you saw strangled.

That's a promise. - Don't come near me!

- You recognize this girl?

- That's Suki.

Why--why have you got that?

- She the one you saw?

- No.

Why would you ask that?

- Were any of the Chiswell family there that night?

- [gags]

[sobs]

- Billy.

It's important that you try and think back.

- [sobs]

- Do you know who strangled that girl?

- I can't say. I can't.

I c-- [sobs]

If Chiswell finds me, he'll kill me

and he'll kill Jimmy.

[door clicks open]

[groans]

[tense music]

♪ ♪

- What'd you tell him, Billy?

- Nothing. I...promise.

- Billy, listen to me.

Chiswell sent him.

- Billy, that's a lie.

- No. - Billy.

- No, no, no, no, no!

- Billy! - Please.

♪ ♪

- Billy!

Billy!

♪ ♪

No, no, no, no, no, please!

Billy, don't do it!

Billy! Billy!

♪ ♪

Billy! Billy!

♪ ♪

[muffled techno music continues]

♪ ♪

- Bastard. - [shouts, groans]

Ugh.

- Ooh. [laughter]

- [groans]

[indistinct chatter]

[door buzzes]

- Here you go.

This ought to help.

- Wow.

Wow, wow, wow, wow.

- Does it happen a lot?

- No, I pushed it. Stupid of me.

Mind if I stay here for a few days?

It's really buggered.

- I can't very well chuck you out

when you can hardly leave the bedroom.

[smooches]

- Hey, wait, what are you doing?

- Oh, nothing, just-- while you were asleep.

- Well, I'm awake now.

Come here. - Mm.

- I love you.

- I love you too.

[muffled chatter]

[soft dramatic music]

♪ ♪

[siren wailing]

- [breathes deeply]

- Did you get my message?

- Hi, Robin. How was your weekend?

- It was fine, yeah.

- Cormoran's hurt his leg.

He's just staying for a few days.

You know where he keeps his phone charger?

- Bottom drawer.

- Hmm, check you out,

right the first time.

[door clicks open]

Brought a guest with me.

I found her lurking in your office.

Want your stuff now or... - Yes, please. Thanks.

- Do you want a drink, Robin?

- Oh, yes, please.

Anything. Thanks.

So did you find him? - Briefly.

But Suki's not the girl he saw, and now he's running.

Take a seat.

- So I've been through the audio on the bugs.

The first one's a call with a woman

called Elspeth Curtis-Lacey.

She's in the charity videos. She's one of the trustees.

Resigned last month.

- You have to give me more time.

End of the month, I will cast-iron guarantee

I can put the money back.

It's a blip, and we can't go under over a blip, can we?

I don't believe you'd do that to us anyway.

You've been a friend to Della for year--

[keyboard clicks, recording stops]

- I think Geraint's been taking money

out of the charity's fund.

- This is perfect for Chiswell.

We'd need decent evidence.

- Well, I've asked Izzy for an introduction

to Curtis-Lacey.

She's gonna be at an event for para-athletes.

- That'll put hairs on your chest.

- Oh, thank you.

Mmm.

So this was later-- Geraint talking to Jimmy.

[keyboard clicks] - Wait a second, Jimmy.

Close the door, Aamir.

Jimmy, we want the same thing,

and we are very close to getting the pictures.

Aamir's taking care of it.

Then Chiswell can't hide.

[keyboard clicks, recording stops]

- That's the most useful thing so far.

- No, it's good.

Might really help us hang on to our client.

Push hard with Curtis-Lacey if you have to.

- Mm-hmm.

How are things with you?

- Well, it's not been a completely wasted day.

Look at Freddie's lapel pin.

It's a fencer,

and he had a fencer saber mounted on his bedroom wall.

I dug around.

He was part of the UK under-19 squad.

And...

so was this girl.

This is Rhiannon Winn, Della and Geraint's only child.

She's 16 in that photo.

- You don't think Billy saw her strangled?

- Rhiannon's buried in Wales.

She's definitely not the girl from the dell.

But there's this as well.

- Is that the same dress as--

- Yeah, Rhiannon's the girl Freddie humiliated

at his party.

I called their old fencing coach.

Rhiannon made it onto the team

and Freddie's girlfriend lost her spot.

What if this is all the tip of the iceberg?

What if Freddie did something really nasty later?

Jimmy was there.

He might know about other photos.

- [sighs]

What do you think he did to her?

- I don't know, but we know she hanged herself

four weeks after the party. - Mm.

- Chiswell wants everyone to respect his son's legacy,

but I was on Freddie's case.

All of his men hated him.

- Who can we talk to

without tipping the Chiswells off?

- I'm not sure.

- Um, I'd better--

I mean, I can-- I can come back tomorrow

if you're still gonna be here. - Well, let's see how it goes.

Was it a good weekend? - Yeah, it was okay.

Right, see you-- see you when I see you.

- Yep.

- Thank you, Lorelei. Bye. - Bye, darling.

[door clicks open and shut]

- [sighs]

[siren wailing]

[keyboard clicking]

[door clicks open]

- Gorgeous dress, Izzy.

- Thanks.

You never know with these things.

Might meet someone. - Mm.

- Hopefully not another MP.

- [chuckles]

You must have had some great parties

at Chiswell House.

- When we were younger, we did. - Mm.

What was Freddie's 18th like?

Oh, your dad showed us his room while we were there.

There were some photos.

- No, there aren't,

not of that party.

Sorry, what exactly did you see?

[door crashes open]

- Is that email gone? - Yes, deleted.

- Pick me up from the ministry at 6:00.

- How was lovely Henry Drummond?

- Oh, shut up, Izzy, for God's sake!

[tense music]

♪ ♪

Four children,

only one of them worth a damn, and he's dead.

[chuckles]

He would've stood next to me.

He would've stared them down.

♪ ♪

What progress have you made?

- Oh, when I speak to Dr. Curtis-Lacy,

I might be able-- - Might, no good.

It's my head on the block, not theirs.

Please...

they're taking everything from me.

I'm begging you.

♪ ♪

[cell phone rings]

[cell phone clicks] - How you doing, Sam?

- There's something going on, pal.

Jimmy's gone to some event for athletes,

wouldn't let me go.

- Robin's heading to the same thing.

Christ! [groans]

- I've not interrupted? - I'm with the physio.

- [chuckling] Oh, okay.

Listen, they've taken a banner with them.

It's got that horse on it.

You know, the one that Billy carved on your wall.

- Right, I'll get down there.

[sighs]

- What happened to the week of bed rest?

- That happened.

- Wow.

Venetia, you look amazing.

- Thanks, Raff.

- Don't you look gorgeous too.

- I love your pendant.

- Ah, you're being treated very well, aren't you,

for an intern?

- Venetia's doing something useful,

and she's free of charge,

so she's the complete opposite of you, Kinvara.

- Oh, fuck off, you little shit.

What are my Lachesis pills doing here?

- Papa left them there earlier. Right.

We should probably push off.

[dramatic music]

[crowd cheering]

♪ ♪

- I do think we might have invited Raff.

- Didn't want him trailing after Venetia

like a dog in heat.

- It's only bitches who go into heat.

- Well, you'd be the expert.

♪ ♪

[cheers and applause]

- It's his car next.

Get ready.

♪ ♪

- Hello, Jimmy.

There's police everywhere. I wouldn't.

The girl buried behind your dad's cottage,

did you know her name?

[cane clatters]

[all grunting]

♪ ♪

- I am ready for some champers.

- What's going on? - Police!

[all grunting]

♪ ♪

[camera shutters clicking]

- Oh, my God.

- Oi! The one's with me!

Oi, the one with the stick, he's one of my guests.

Let him go.

♪ ♪

What were you doing, hmm?

- Protecting you.

- On your feet.

- Get your filthy hands off me! - On your feet!

♪ ♪

- Murderer! - Stop!

[grunts]

- Chiswell, you bastard!

Murderer! Murderer!

- What did that girl just say?

- Why don't you shut up, you stupid bitch?

- Nice dress.

He had a banner with the white horse on it.

- Someone sent Izzy this.

I got it out of her deleted emails.

The subject line was, "You owe me 40 grand."

- I put the horse on 'em.

- Chiswell's running out of time,

which means we are too.

- Mm.

You might need a stitch in this.

- [sighs]

- I didn't think you were coming tonight.

- Heard there was a buffet.

- I'm afraid they lied to you. - Well, that's politicians.

- [chuckles]

[indistinct chatter]

Hello.

Hello, I'm Venetia Hall.

You're Dr. Curtis-Lacey, aren't you?

- That's right.

Are you involved on the political side?

- Actually, I've really wanted to talk to you

about Winn's charity.

You're a trustee, aren't you?

- I was. I've resigned.

So perhaps I'm not the best person to talk to.

- Did you resign over financial irregularities?

What I'd really like to discuss is Geraint Winn.

- I'm sorry. Who are you?

- I'm a private investigator.

I'm not accusing you of anything,

but it would be in your best interests

if you were honest with me.

- That sounds rather like a threat.

- You're an old friend of Della Winn's, aren't you?

There's probably still a way for her to come out of this

with her career intact.

Like I said, it's Geraint I'm interested in.

- I see.

Oh, God, can I have a think?

- Not really, no.

[Jasper and Kinvara arguing unintelligibly]

- Do you understand? Nothing to do with that.

Just leave me alone.

You have your life. I have mine.

Let's just leave it at that. - What are you talking about?

- Let's leave it at that. - Fine.

- She basically confirmed it.

- What did she have to say?

- We'll do better to gather hard evidence--

- Spit it out. What's he done?

- We think he's defrauded the charity.

Trustees are resigning.

- Yes, that'd do it.

- Before you do anything, we need--

- Who are you, Venetia?

- Evening, Geraint. This is Cormoran Strike.

He's a private investigator.

You've been taking money

out of your own charity, Geraint.

That'll ruin you if it gets out,

you and Della both.

- It was a loan. - No, it wasn't.

And your trustees might have tried to slip off quietly,

but they won't lie to the police.

You'll tell Jimmy Knight

that you can't get your evidence after all...

And I'll forget to call the charity commissioners

about your accounts.

Do we understand one another?

- Yes.

- Off you go, then.

Come and see me at Ebury Street tomorrow,

10:00 a.m. will you?

I think I might have another job for you.

- I feel a bit bad about that.

- Maybe it's time we went home.

See you at Ebury Street. - Yeah.

- Excuse me.

- Corm. - Charlotte.

- What are you doing here?

- Celebrity amputee. You?

- Jago's niece rides, the one with...

- Cerebral palsy. - Cerebral--yeah.

- Her father's in Hong Kong,

so her mum invited me along instead.

Are you here with anyone?

- No.

Who've you brought?

- Twins.

That's why I'm huge.

I'm not due for bloody ages.

- Oh, my God, Charlie. [laughs]

- Izzy, how are you?

- Oh, you know, sort of all over the place.

I've heard all your news from Raff.

Raff had a little wingding with one of Charlie's friends.

- Is he well? - Oh, he's incorrigible.

There's the girl who plays the trumpet,

the arty girl on the houseboat, the baronet's daughter--

- Oh, sorry. Bye, Izzy.

- I don't think I'm going your way.

- Well, unless you're tunneling out,

we're both heading for the door.

Heels--

some things, I'm not prepared to give up.

[soft dramatic music]

♪ ♪

Share a cab?

♪ ♪

- No.

♪ ♪

- Where's the cane I gave you?

- You kept it.

♪ ♪

Happy birthday.

- It's completely beautiful.

[laughs]

Not at all your usual thing.

- That's not true. - [chuckles]

♪ ♪

- Any chance I can smoke?

- [sighs]

Hiya. - Hi.

- I can smell the booze on you.

- Come on, bit of lubricant.

Let's get this thing off you.

- Um, I'm not really in the mood.

Hey. [fabric tears]

Oh, Matt!

- Come on, it's only a dress.

- Ugh, I'm tired.

I don't want to.

[sighs]

- Thank you for having me here this week.

It's been good.

- I've liked it too.

- I want you to know I really like what we have.

It's good, isn't it?

- I love you.

Did you hear me?

- Yeah, I did.

♪ ♪

[cell phone ringing]

[cell phone clicks]

- Strike.

- God... [grunts]

I wanted to say

that I'm sorry I got you involved.

- Billy? - I'm sorry.

I'm sorry if you're not what Jimmy says.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

- Billy, where are you?

- I see her every night, and I can't hack it.

I can't keep running.

And I only ever did things 'cause my dad, he made me!

I never wanted--

- What did he make you do, Billy?

- I'm sorry.

[line clicks, beeps]

[bells chiming]

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Billy!

♪ ♪

Oh, shit.

♪ ♪

I need an ambulance. I think a man's been stabbed.

Leicester Street.

Lyle Street, end of Leicester Street.

He's lost a lot of blood.

Billy, ambulance is coming. Stay with me.

I'm doing all that. I'm doing all that.

[line ringing]

- Cormoran, are you close?

It's just, he's got a real thing about punctuality.

- Go in. Tell him I'm stuck in traffic.

I'll explain when I see you.

- Okay.

[doorbell rings]

[knocking]

[door creaks]

Hello?

Minister?

Minister?

[knocking]

Minister, it's Robin from the agency.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

[suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

[engine revs]