Original subtitles

(car engine running)

(tyres squealing)

(car door opening)

(ominous music)

(wind whistling)

(car door closing)

(screams)

(eerie music)

- [Sarah] We could take friends out for dinner.

- [John] Bad idea.

- [Sarah] Well, then, we'll have 'em over here.

- [John] Even worse.

- Fine.

No friends.

We could go to Brighton for the weekend.

Just the three of us.

(dog barks) Sorry, four of us.

- Sounds like driving to me.

- John, you have to do something.

A bottle of wine and an old film

is a feeble way to celebrate your birthday.

- It's my way.

- Are you sure you need me there?

- Of course.

You can pour the wine.

(phone ringing)

- DCI Barnaby's phone.

- They're ufologists.

- Is that a real word?

- Seems the area around these woods is a UFO hotspot.

This lot started turning up because of the sightings.

- What sightings?

- The past week has seen reports

of strange lights in the sky.

The locals are claiming the aliens are invading.

The station took six calls about it last night alone.

- So what have we got?

- A missing person.

Um, Felicity Ford.

31-year-old forest ranger.

Last seen yesterday around 1:00 p.m.

This is her van.

Patrol car found it at six this morning.

No sign of Felicity.

The doors were open and the engine was still running.

- Personal belongings?

- There was a bag containing house keys

and a purse on the front seat.

Uniform are still searching the area,

but it's not the kind of terrain

you'd want to tackle minus a boot.

- Who reported her missing?

- [Charlie] Her mum, Veronica Ford.

- Ah.

Battery's dead.

Charge it and find out who she was in contact with

before she disappeared.

- [Officer] Sir!

Just found it, sir.

- [Charlie] What on earth is that?

- [John] Nothing very pleasant.

(suspenseful music)

Give me a knife.

(liquid gushing)

Oh. Ugh.

(John grunts)

Get Kam up here.

- [Victor] Morning.

- Mum's looking for you.

More weirdos booking in.

- Don't call them that. - Why not?

It's what they are.

- If it weren't for that tinfoil hat brigade,

this place'd be sunk.

- Orla?

Delivered this morning.

- Aren't you gonna open it?

- I'll do it later.

- Why can't you open it now?

- [Orla] I need to get to work.

- Orla!

Oh.

And where have you been?

- Where does it look like I've been?

- [Nadine] You were gone for three hours.

- I did a couple of circuits around the wood.

- Shall we ask in here?

- [Nadine] Oh, good morning.

- Come on!

Hurry up, we're gonna be late.

(engine sputtering)

- When you're ready, Nathan.

- No use.

The van's dead, Mum.

- Don't say that, she'll hear you.

- She won't, 'cause she's dead.

- [Abigail] Orla!

You need to do your thing.

- It's no use.

- Try it now?

(engine starting)

- Yay!

(passengers cheering)

Girl's got magic fingers.

- [Nathan] You're right there.

(van doors closing)

- Thanks, Orla.

- [Nathan] She's up to four tours a day.

- Still fleecing the alien chasers?

- [Nathan] Yeah.

- Are you saying she was murdered?

- We can't confirm the cause of death.

- But that's what you suspect.

My beautiful little girl.

Oh, oh.

(phone ringing)

- Sorry.

- Oh. - Nelson.

- When did you last see Felicity?

- Uh,

yesterday.

Before she left for work.

- And how was she?

- Fine, I think.

We didn't talk a great deal.

I was in bed on account of a cold.

- Veronica.

(sniffles)

I just heard.

I can't believe it.

- You worked with Felicity?

- Brogan Steele.

I was her fiance.

- They're saying she was murdered.

- [John] Just a few questions.

When did you see Felicity yesterday?

- In the morning.

She went off to deal with a camper.

- There's a campsite in the woods?

- No, but one of the UFO chasers

has set up his caravan illegally.

- The village has been overrun with that lot

ever since the lights started up.

- The so-called UFO?

- Lot of nonsense.

- Try telling Faulkner that.

- Faulkner is the owner of the caravan?

- He's some sort of UFO expert.

Flick's been trying to move him on for weeks.

- Mrs. Ford, Felicity made a call on her mobile

last night around nine o'clock.

We traced the number to a nearby MOD facility.

The RAF base at Cooper Hill.

Can you think why she called there?

- Her father?

He's the base commander.

- Felicity would never have called him.

- [John] Why not?

- She hated the man.

(moderate music)

- Chief Inspector Barnaby?

Sgt. Ali.

Welcome to Cooper Hill.

Group Captain Ford is expecting you.

- [John] I was expecting jets.

- There hasn't been a squadron

based at Cooper Hill for a good 10 years.

- So nothing flies out of this base.

- Not anymore.

- [John] Then how do you fill your time?

- We're a storage facility,

as well as one of the main radar stations.

- You must be busy these days, then.

The UFO sightings.

Cooper Hill seems to be a hot destination for aliens.

- [Yasmin] Not according to our radar.

(door closing)

- How was my daughter killed?

- We're not in a position to say.

- I'm not her mother, Chief Inspector.

I don't require careful handling.

- It's not about handling,

but until we have a pathology report.

- Do you at least have a suspect?

- It's early days.

Right now our focus is on building a picture of Felicity.

- Well, I can't help you there.

Felicity and I haven't spoken in some time.

- Her phone records show that she called the base

around nine o'clock last night.

(intercom beeping)

- Sergeant, you were in the office last night.

Did you receive a call from my daughter?

- No, sir.

I mean, there was a call,

but I didn't know it was from your daughter.

- And what exactly did she say?

- She asked for you.

I told her you were in your quarters, and she hung up.

- Why do you think she called you?

(door closing)

Given your strange relationship,

it's fair to assume it was important.

- I'd say so.

- Why wasn't the call transferred?

- What?

- Isn't there a phone in your quarters?

- I'd asked not to be disturbed.

- So you were alone all night?

I need to establish your whereabouts.

- Yes.

I was alone all night.

(car engine running)

(car door closing)

(door closing)

- [Charlie] I'm not leaving until you come out.

- [Dillon] Got no right to move us on.

- That's not why I'm here.

(knocking on door)

I'm looking for Carter Faulkner.

- He's out.

Won't be back till later.

- And you are?

- Dillon, his son.

- Do you know this woman, Dillon?

- [Dillon] Yeah, she's a pest.

- She was found dead this morning.

In the woods about a mile from here.

- Don't know anything about that.

- You and your dad are UFO experts.

- Dad's the expert, not me.

- [Charlie] Was he in the woods last night?

- He stayed home.

- And were you in the woods, Dillon?

- Not just me.

The place was crawling with people out looking for the UFO.

- Did you see anything unusual?

(phone chiming)

I'll be back to talk to your dad.

(ominous music)

- I can't confirm until I get her on the table,

but I'm guessing asphyxiated.

- Strangled or smothered?

- Drowned.

Looks like she was immersed in this stuff

when it was in liquid form.

- That's not a nice way to go.

- What is this stuff?

- It's fascinating, isn't it?

I mean, it's a synthetic resin,

probably a polymer, but with unusual properties.

It seems to have a low melting point,

which would certainly explain--

- What is it, Kam?

- I have absolutely no idea.

- It must come from somewhere.

- Agreed, I just don't know where.

- So you're saying this stuff's alien?

- I'm saying it's alien to me.

(ominous music)

(flames roaring)

(oxygen mask hissing)

- Uploaded videos of our strange lights.

Eight in total.

All shot in or around Cooper Hill in the past week.

This one is from last night.

A farmer on the north side of the village.

These pins represent all the recent sightings.

What do you notice?

- [Charlie] All within a mile of the village?

- Which begs the question why would an alien cross a galaxy

to visit a small hamlet in a corner of England?

Whoever killed Felicity Ford went to a lot of effort

to make it look like aliens were involved.

This part is the key.

We need to find out what this mystery substance is.

- Kam said she would need

at least a day to do a proper analysis.

She did find this, though,

attached to a chain around Felicity Ford's neck.

- Why wear a ring around your neck?

- To keep it hidden?

- What do we know about the fiance?

- Worked as a biologist until he packed it in one day

and moved to Midsomer.

- What prompted the move?

- Felicity.

They met at an environmental conference.

Steele was so smitten he dropped everything to be with her.

- [Abigail] Okay, thanks.

Could you could all gather here, please?

- [Nadine] She thinks I'm interfering.

- You could back off a bit.

- It's a university scholarship.

- Emergency, all hands on deck.

Sorry, got to bring my booking forward.

I need food for 14 now.

- You're not due till four o'clock.

- I've had to cut the tour short.

Can you come through, please, everyone?

- Reminds me of a sighting I once had in Wales.

Coast Guard closed off two miles of beach.

All very suspect.

- I swear that woman won't shut up.

- So what's happened?

- [Abigail] Well, police road blocks all over the wood.

- [Nadine] Why?

- Haven't you heard?

Felicity Ford's body was found up there this morning.

David!

Sorry, come on.

Jamie.

- [Brogan] Never saw Felicity wear jewellery.

- From what we can tell,

the ring had been around her neck for some time.

- Then that's why I never saw it.

- You and Felicity weren't intimate?

- Does that surprise you?

- [John] You were engaged.

- But not married.

My faith is important to me.

- [John] And did Felicity share your faith?

- No.

But she respected it and was happy

to wait until our wedding day.

- Did you sleep here last night?

- Yeah.

I had some work to catch up on.

- Did Felicity know you were here?

- No.

She had gone home early.

- So did you see anything last night?

- No.

It was all quiet.

- All quiet?

Your fiance was murdered.

- What I mean is

I wasn't actually out in the woods.

(static crackling)

- It keeps picking up ground signals.

- Getting interference from the base.

- Can't you sort it?

- Yeah.

Close down their radar.

(car engine running)

(car door closing)

- She was here yesterday lunchtime,

she asked us to move on, and I refused.

- And then what happened?

- [Carter] She drove off in a strop.

- Any idea where she was going?

So you're hoping to see the UFO?

- It's not about hope.

A craft's been flying the skies for the past week.

- And have you seen it?

- No.

But I will.

I been waitin' 30 years for 'em to come back to me.

- Sorry, did you say come back to you?

- Fourth of August, 1984.

Me and some mates had been camping in the woods.

One night I came out here to take a leak.

And that's when I saw it.

It was the brightest, purest light I'd ever seen.

- And this was a UFO, was it?

- It was an alien craft.

The most important close encounter

in the UK for the past 30 years.

- After about two minutes, the lights cut out,

and it flew off into the night.

I was never more alive than in those two minutes.

Nothing since has come remotely close to that feeling.

- For God's sake, Veronica,

I didn't come here to pick a fight with you.

- Then why did you come?

- I thought at least we could be civil to each other.

Felicity--

- You were hardly ever there for her.

- At least when I was there, I was sober.

(cries)

That was unfair.

Rush of blood.

- Don't you dare touch me.

- Sorry to interrupt.

The door was--

- Do you have any information for us, Barnaby?

- Actually, I was hoping you might

have some information for me.

Other than Brogan Steele,

was there anyone else that Felicity was close to?

- What's that supposed to mean?

- Did she have another lover, perhaps?

- No!

Of course not.

Where on earth would you get an idea like that from?

- Did you ever see Felicity wearing this?

- Yes.

Brogan gave it to her.

- Brogan has never seen it before.

Felicity never mentioned anyone else?

- Not to me.

- Group Captain Ford?

- This all you have, Barnaby?

Our daughter's been murdered,

you're asking about this trinket.

- This trinket meant something to your daughter.

Not only did she wear it every day,

but she lied to her mother about where it came from.

Someone gave Felicity this ring, someone important to her.

So I suggest you two put your heads together

and think who it could be.

- This is my first alien abduction.

- I don't think she was abducted.

- Well, something's happened to her.

Why else would the police block the roads?

- Felicity Ford is dead,

and that lot are treating it like it's some sort of game.

- Don't let 'em get to you.

The booking system's gone haywire again.

- You were in the woods yesterday.

- So?

- Did you notice anything weird?

(computer chiming)

- Group Captain.

- Campbell.

Nadine.

- Why don't we go into the office?

- Orla!

Orla!

Orla?

You'll have to open it sometime.

- Faulkner's close encounter in 1984 is well documented.

The Cooper Hill Incident is legend among ufologists.

He's done okay from it.

Written three books on UFO phenomena,

runs a ufology website, big draw at the conferences.

You can't deny the man's dedication.

- Or that he had run-ins with Felicity.

- You find out anything about the ring?

- The fiance says he's never seen it before.

- Do you think he's lying?

- I think he's lying about something.

Speak to the local jewellers.

See if anyone's sold one like it recently.

- [Sarah] Fine, okay.

It's short notice, I know,

but I'm getting a little desperate, you see.

Yeah, I was thinking a buffet.

Keep it informal, nothing too fancy.

Now you're asking?

Let's say 10?

That's great.

Okay, I'll call tomorrow to confirm.

- Sarah?

(door closing)

- Ah, there you are.

Eat in 10 minutes.

- Someone on the phone?

- Yeah, just a work thing.

(engine sputtering)

(phone beeping)

- [Nathan] Please leave a message, thanks.

- Nathan, I need rescue, sweetheart.

(suspenseful music)

(wind whistling)

(pants)

Oh!

- Kam?

- Chemical analysis supports my original theory.

Our substance is a polymer

made of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen.

- Not so alien after all.

- Well, theoretically it could have been

synthesised on another planet.

Though chances are it wasn't.

Mind you, even if it isn't alien,

the material is still problematic.

- Problematic how?

- According to two chemistry professors

and most of the plastics industry,

our polymer here doesn't exist.

There's nothing like it

being produced commercially or industrially.

Perhaps it's experimental.

- A prototype?

- And a poor one at that.

Far too unstable.

- We're looking for a bad chemist?

Is there anything that can help us?

- Tree catkins.

Found in her hair.

- Hardly unusual for a woodland ranger.

- I still haven't been able to identify them.

As soon as I know what they are, I'll let you know.

- Kam drew a blank on the substance.

- Well, forensics pulled prints off the van.

Lab's cross checking them now.

- What about the ring?

- None of the local jewellers stock a ring

like the one Felicity owned.

However, one of them did identify the type.

Seems this is a posy ring, a sweetheart ring.

They come in pairs with a message inscribed in them.

See?

On the inside.

You can just see it faintly.

It says "huter meines herzens."

It's German.

It means "keeper of my heart."

Is that significant?

- Maybe.

Look who was on exercises in German recently.

The call Felicity made to the base on the night she died.

We assumed it was her father she was trying to contact.

But in fact she was calling you.

- Why would she do that?

- Because you were in a relationship.

We found this ring around Felicity's neck.

It was bought in Germany.

Where you trained three months ago.

But, you see, this ring is one of a pair,

and I'm betting its partner

is hanging around your neck right now.

How long had you been seeing Felicity?

- Six months.

I'm sorry.

I've spent the last two days pretending

that I'm not heartbroken.

- [John] Why the secrecy?

- Do you really have to ask?

Take a look at where we are, Chief Inspector.

- Aren't the armed forces tolerant

of same-sex relationships nowadays?

- Not when it's the CO's daughter.

But Felicity was more concerned about her mum finding out.

- Why didn't you tell us about the call?

- There was nothing to tell.

She rang to say she couldn't meet that night.

- [John] Why not?

- She said she had something on.

I just assumed it was work.

- [John] The night Felicity died,

you were on the base the whole time?

- I was on duty.

It was a memorable night.

- The UFO sightings, you mean.

- The radar readings you asked about?

We picked up some anomalous signals.

- [Jeremy] Sgt. Ali, may I see you in my office?

- One moment, please, Group Captain.

Tell me about these signals.

- It is rather pressing, Sergeant.

- Maybe you could come to the station.

(phone ringing)

Nelson?

- Abigail Tonev.

She runs UFO spotting tours out of a garage in Cooper Hill.

Seems she was out scouting new routes

for her tour last night

when she came into contact with our bright lights.

- She saw the UFO?

- Up close and personal.

- All those years, all those tours.

Dragging people through the woods, talking about UFOs.

I never believed a word of it!

- What happened, Mrs. Tonev?

- I saw it.

I saw the UFO.

- [John] Can you describe it?

- It was big, as big as a car.

And the noise from it was deafening.

And the lights, it hurt your eyes to look at it.

Sweetheart, I need water.

- Is there anything else you remember?

- Isn't a UFO enough?

- [Charlie] What about details, Mrs. Tonev?

- There was a symbol, I think, on the underside.

- What kind of symbol?

- Oh, it's hard to explain.

- Can you draw it for us?

- Well, I'm not much of an artist, but...

That's the best I can do.

There's something else.

When I ran away, that thing came after me.

- It was chasing you?

- It was hunting me.

- Despite the dramatics,

I believe Abigail saw something last night.

- But you're ruling out a UFO.

- I don't think I ever ruled it in.

I'm not saying there isn't something in the skies,

but the key to this murder is down here in Cooper Hill.

Maybe this can help us.

See if you can find out where it comes from.

(phone ringing)

- [Carter] I'm not getting in!

- [Dillon] Come on, you've hurt yourself, mate.

- [Carter] No. Get back, take it back wherever you got it.

I'm not getting in that.

Come on, we're gonna be late.

(car door opening and closing)

- That was the lab.

They found a match for one of the prints in Felicity's van.

- There you are, enjoy.

- Mrs. Campbell?

We'd like to talk to your husband.

- Oh.

This way.

- Now you come to mention it,

I think I was in Felicity's van the other day.

- When, exactly?

- Day before yesterday.

I went for a run, got caught in the rain.

Felicity was passing and gave me a lift.

- How well did you know Felicity?

- Well, I knew her dad, really.

I served with Group Captain Ford at Cooper Hill.

- You were in the RAF?

- Came out in '05.

Bought this place.

- Felicity's call records show

that you were in regular contact with her.

Over 30 calls this year alone.

Why all the phone calls, Mr. Campbell?

- Yeah, why all the phone calls, Victor?

- Don't be stupid, Nadine.

It was nothing like that.

I was doing Ford a favour.

He and Felicity didn't talk.

After the divorce she took Veronica's side

and pretty much cut off all ties with him.

I always got on with Felicity,

so he asked me to keep in contact,

let him know how she was getting on.

- Can I have two of-- - Not now.

- So you were spying on her.

- I was helping a friend.

Look, I know Ford can come across as a bit heartless,

but underneath he's just a dad

who wanted to make sure his daughter was okay.

All I did was keep him in the loop.

- What about Felicity and Sgt. Ali?

Did you know about their relationship?

- You told Ford, didn't you?

- [John] What did Ford say?

- He wasn't best pleased.

- When did you tell him?

- The night Felicity died.

- What was Ford doing here yesterday?

- Bloody hell, Nadine.

He thought it would be best if I kept

our arrangement between him and me.

It doesn't prove anything.

(car engine running)

- You lied to me, Group Captain Ford.

You told me you were in your quarters

on the night that Felicity died,

but in fact you were meeting Victor Campbell.

- No.

I was in my quarters when Felicity called.

I'd met Campbell earlier.

- Where he told you that your daughter

was sleeping with your sergeant.

- I see, so your theory is

that I was so incensed by my daughter's lesbianism

that I sought her out and killed her.

Please.

If anybody was going to feel my anger,

it would have been Sgt. Ali.

- Where is Sgt. Ali?

- She's taking some overdue leave.

- [John] Did you ask her to?

- Why would I do that?

- Because she was about to tell me

about the base's radar readings.

- Can't think why.

They're all very routine.

- Routine?

Half of Cooper Hill has seen

a mysterious craft flying around the village.

Has your radar missed it?

- My daughter is dead.

And instead of catching her killer,

you are chasing after flashing lights in the sky.

- I assure you we're doing everything we can.

(car door closing)

Please call Sgt. Ali back and deliver her to my station.

(baby fussing)

- Thanks, Nelson. - Goodnight, sir.

- [Sarah] Shh, shh, shh, shh.

- How are my two favourite girls?

- Well, this one needs a change.

- Oh, come on.

Come here.

Aren't you coming in?

- Yeah, in a minute.

- [Charlie] Hi, Sarah, you all right?

(baby crying)

- Not exactly subtle, are they?

Oh, come on, then.

(suspenseful music)

(Cath gasps)

(Cath screams)

- [Charlie] Sgt. Ali, sometime last night.

- Same cause of death?

- I'm afraid so.

- [Officer] Sarge.

- We're missing something here.

Both victims were drowned,

which means that your resin here was in a liquid state.

- It would have hardened as it cooled.

- Right.

So in order to pull this stunt off,

you'd have to have enough liquid resin

to immerse a fully grown adult.

- And you'd need to keep it heated.

- Which means you'd need power.

- They were drowned somewhere else.

- We're looking for another murder site.

So you'd also need transport to get the bodies out here,

not to mention a good working knowledge of these woods.

Which leads us to Brogan Steele.

- They found Sgt. Ali's mobile.

And Brogan left quite the voicemail message last night.

- [Brogan] You and Felicity made a fool of me.

You had no right to take--

- You can't think it was Brogan.

- I have two murder victims.

The first was his fiance.

The second was her secret lover, Sergeant Yasmin Ali.

- Brogan?

Did you know about this?

- Not only did he know,

he threatened Sgt. Ali about the affair.

- You and Felicity made a fool of me.

You had no right to take her from me.

I was angry.

I suspected Felicity was seeing someone for a while.

When I asked her about it she just denied it.

- Making her a liar and a cheat.

- I believed her.

At least,

I wanted to believe her.

Flick was spending whole afternoons

thinning out this clearing.

- [John] Where she was meeting Sgt. Ali.

- I decided to follow her out there.

- [John] When was this?

- On the day she died?

When I got there, she had her arms around her.

Flick never looked at me the way she looked at Yasmin.

- [John] What did you do?

- I watched them until Sgt. Ali left.

- Did you confront Felicity?

- No.

I felt sick.

Numb.

So I just left her there, working in the clearing.

- Did you meet Sgt. Ali last night?

- No, I made the call because,

I don't know, I wanted to

scare her?

- Why didn't you say something before?

- I was saving myself for Felicity,

and all the while she was with her.

(glass shattering)

- It's as if I never even knew her.

- If it's any consolation,

Felicity went out of her way to keep you

in the dark about her relationship with Yasmin.

- I had no problem with her being gay.

Would I have preferred her to be with Brogan?

Yes, but

I'd never disapprove of anyone who made Felicity happy.

- Then why did she hide this from you?

- Because Sgt. Ali was RAF.

There's no

romance in being a forces wife, DCI Barnaby.

As soon as you've settled, you're moved on,

until one day they dump you

in a place like this and leave you to rot.

Felicity knew I never wanted that for her.

That's why she hid it from me.

- Brogan Steele claims that Felicity met Sgt. Ali here

on the afternoon that she died,

a place called Hunter's Clearing.

I'm thinking this was their spot.

It's remote, no chance of being discovered.

- [Charlie] And it's convenient.

Halfway between the base and the ranger's office.

- [John] Oh, you've done the pathology already?

- The victim's still being prepped.

But we did find another one of these guys.

Same catkin we found on Felicity Ford.

- And have you identified it?

- Yes, I have.

It comes from the Populus nigra.

Otherwise knows as the black poplar.

Not many around,

but according to the lovely man at the woodland website,

there's a really old one in this area,

in a place called--

- Hunter's Clearing.

- How did you know that?

- Get down there.

Check it out.

(car engine running)

- You didn't have to come with me.

- I thought you might need some help.

- Huh, I think I could find a tree on my own.

- Charlie.

Tree's this way.

She's a beauty.

Want to know how I know it's a she?

- Not really.

- Greek mythology.

Helios was god of the sun.

He'd drive his chariot across the sky each day.

One day his son-- - His son, Phyton,

stole his dad's chariot and tried to drive it,

but he lost control and plunged to his death.

- And his sisters, the Heliades, were so grief stricken

that the gods turned them into Black Poplars.

Therefore--

(leaves rustling)

- Hey!

Hey, police, get back here!

(pants)

- [Kam] Charlie!

- They disappeared.

- You mean you lost them.

- What were they doing here?

- Probably looking for this.

Looks like something or someone was buried here.

(whistle tweeting)

- Good morning, sir.

I'm here to see Group Captain Ford.

- As you can imagine,

we're all very upset about Sgt. Ali.

I've set up a formal investigation.

If we find anything, I'll pass it on.

- When did you last see Sgt. Ali?

- Yesterday afternoon in my office

after you'd finished interviewing her.

- When you granted her leave.

- At Sgt. Ali's request.

- And why would she ask for time off?

- To grieve for the death of my daughter.

- And what about the radar signal?

- Yes, we have been detecting something in the area,

and no, we don't know what it is,

but it is not extraterrestrial.

- So what is it, then?

- Best guess, a drone or a remote aircraft of some kind.

A prank.

Now, if you'll excuse me,

I have to go and inform Mrs. Ali about her daughter's death.

- So what are the chances

of us finding out who was buried here?

- Depends.

We might get lucky and find some

genetic material for DNA testing.

But I can tell you that it was originally

dug years ago but excavated recently.

- How recently are we talking?

- Within the last week.

- If Felicity Ford was working out here,

she could have discovered the grave.

- Maybe that's why she was killed.

- Someone covering up a past crime.

- But what about Sgt. Ali?

- [John] Maybe she discovered it too.

This is where she and Felicity met, after all.

- Then why didn't she say anything about it

when you spoke to her yesterday?

- She was going to come to the station.

- But we found a catkin on Sgt. Ali, which means--

- [John] She came back after Felicity died.

- So what was she doing here?

- Hm.

- Something weird happened earlier.

- They doubled back?

- No, I'd have seen 'em.

(suspenseful music)

(John grunts)

(door creaking)

Looks like some kind of bunker.

- [John] A series of tunnels.

Need some more light in here.

These tunnels must connect to the base.

During the war,

the MOD built lots of these underground networks.

Most were used to store munitions and supplies.

- [Charlie] Sir.

You might want to look at this.

- [John] Remind you of anything?

(soldiers shouting)

I'm DCI Barnaby, Causton CID.

This is DS Nelson.

Where is Group Captain Ford?

- [Jeremy] Barnaby.

Trespassing on MOD property?

- We were in pursuit of a suspect.

For all we know, they're still down there.

- Well, if they are, we'll flush them out.

- Before your officers ambushed us,

we found a panel down there

with an unusual symbol stencilled on it.

- This whole area's been non-operational for years.

There's all kinds of junk down there.

- That symbol is connected to whatever it is

that's been flying around.

I'm going to get some officers up here

to search those tunnels,

and I expect the full cooperation of this base.

- [Jeremy] You're wasting your time.

- I'm getting the feeling that you are trying

to obstruct this investigation.

- You forget, DCI Barnaby, you're out of your jurisdiction.

This is MOD property, and until you have a search warrant,

I'll ask you to leave my base.

- [Charlie] He doesn't want us in those tunnels.

- Because he's hiding something,

and you can bet we'll find out what it is.

- So tomorrow night.

Anything in particular you'd like for your birthday dinner?

- I thought we were going with a buffet.

I overheard you on the phone.

- Okay.

- When you were arranging the party?

And don't get me wrong, I appreciate you making the effort,

but I'd be much happier spending the night at home.

- [Sarah] Colin Smart is retiring.

- Sorry? - Colin Smart,

head of geography.

It's his last day tomorrow,

so I'm arranging a retirement lunch for him.

- I see.

- That's what the phone call was about.

- So you and Nelson yesterday?

- He wanted to take you and the team

out for drinks tomorrow night,

but I told him that you wouldn't want any fuss.

- Right.

Well, that's great news.

- John, if you wanted to do something special,

you should have just told me.

- And I don't, so I didn't.

Bye.

- Ooh!

The man is impossible.

Impossible!

(dog barking)

- So basically we have a small area of excavated land,

measuring 180 centimetres in length,

and about 70 centimetres in width.

Depth 50 to 60 centimetres--

- A shallow grave.

We get it, Kam.

- Well, based on the plant roots we found,

I'd say the grave was originally dug

between 20 and 30 years ago.

- So our man won't be on the database.

Then how do we identify him?

- Well, we did find something

that might help you discover the poor man's name.

Red corduroy.

From an item of clothing.

- How will that help us?

- Well, I'd imagine whoever buried him

did so to avoid reporting his death.

- He'll still be officially missing.

- I'll make a start on the files, then.

16 men went missing in Cooper Hill between 1980 and 1990,

but I think this might be our man.

- Eric Tonev?

- Husband to Abigail, father to Nathan.

Tonev went missing on the fourth of August, 1984.

Abigail reported him missing.

And check out the description she gave.

- 35 years old, six foot, brown hair,

last seen wearing a blue suit jacket

and red corduroy trousers.

Fourth of August, 1984,

that's the same date Faulkner had his close encounter.

- It was a big day in Cooper Hill.

- Let's go.

- You sure it's him?

- We can't be certain, not without a body.

But the dates correspond with his disappearance--

- Wait, so you don't have his body?

- We think your dad has been buried out there since 1984.

However, his body was dug up in the last week or so.

- Who'd dig him up?

- Whoever killed your dad may have

moved the remains to conceal their crime.

- We think Felicity Ford discovered the grave.

And Sgt. Ali too.

We understand this is difficult, Mr. Tonev,

but we need to ask you

about the time of your dad's disappearance.

- I was only 10.

- You don't remember anything?

- Not of the actual day.

I mean, nobody says your dad's run out on you.

- You never thought to try and find him?

- Why should I try and find him?

He's the one who ran out on us.

Except he didn't, did he?

My God, poor Felicity.

- You knew Felicity Ford?

- We weren't close, but children of the base,

we had a kind of connection.

- Children of the base?

Are you saying your father worked at Cooper Hill?

- Yeah, he was the chief engineer.

- Speak to Victor Campbell.

He may have known Tonev when he was at the base.

- Where are you going?

- I'll speak to Faulkner.

He's the one person we know

was in the woods the night Tonev died.

- I can't believe you opened my mail.

- It's an unconditional offer, Orla.

You've got to think of your future.

- [Orla] I have a future!

- The labs and the workshops

are on another part of the base.

The brass liked to keep the grunts and the boffins apart.

But we knew what Tonev was.

- And what was that?

- [Victor] That was a traitor.

If he hadn't run off when he did,

he was looking at life in prison.

- Sounds serious.

- Yeah, well, selling secrets to the Russians is.

Thank God for Group Captain Ford.

- Why?

- It was Ford discovered what Tonev was up to.

He was all set to arrest him.

- Then why didn't he?

- Because Tonev did a runner.

- [Carter] What time is it?

- Just after five.

- You idiot!

Why didn't you wake me up?

- Dad, I've checked it.

It's all ready.

- [Carter] The radar's not set up.

- [Dillon] I still can't get a signal.

- Just keep trying.

- There's no point-- - I said just keep trying!

I'm not having you mess this up.

Dillon!

Dillon!

You get back here now!

- Carter Faulkner?

(sighs)

Where do you suppose it came from?

- [Carter] It's hard to know.

But I reckon a nearby galaxy.

Somewhere like Andromeda.

- [John] Did you see anything else that night?

- All I saw was the spaceship.

- You ever hear of an Eric Tonev?

- No.

- [John] He was an engineer

at RAF Cooper Hill in the early '80s.

He disappeared the same night you had your encounter.

- I don't know anything about that.

- We were wondering if what you saw that night

came from the RAF base.

- It wasn't a military plane.

- Not a conventional one, no.

But it may have been an experimental craft.

- Alien markings!

(paper rustling)

- [John] Markings like this?

- Where'd you get this?

- That's not important,

but I saw that symbol up at the base last night.

Mr. Faulkner?

- Why didn't I see it?

- [John] See what?

- They must have captured it!

It all makes sense now.

That's why it took them so long to come back!

It's not the same ship!

It's another ship that's come to look for them!

- I'm not sure that's the case.

- They captured it, took it to the base,

and plundered it for technology.

I need to warn them.

Need a signal, telling them to stay away from here.

- Spying for the Russians?

- Farfetched, maybe, but Cooper Hill

was the MOD's main R&D facility in the early 1980s.

All very top secret.

- And?

- And this is the Cold War we're talking about.

- You think the security services killed Tonev

and dumped him in a woodland grave?

- Maybe.

Or maybe Ford couldn't find

the proof he needed to arrest Tonev,

so he took matters into his own hands.

- Okay, I can buy Ford murdering Tonev,

but killing his daughter seems extreme.

- Over 30 years' service, a decorated officer.

All he has is his reputation.

- He's not the only one in the frame.

We should keep an open mind.

(static crackling)

(bangs)

(door closing)

(radar pinging)

(Carter grunts)

(radar pinging)

(radar pinging)

(radar pinging)

(wind whistling)

(craft humming)

- Ha ha ha!

Yes!

Yes!

(Carter laughs)

(woodflute music)

Yes!

Wait!

Wait!

No!

Where you going?

Come back!

Come on!

(craft whooshing)

Okay, okay, okay.

Come on, come on.

(explosion detonating)

No!

(grunts)

(liquid bubbling)

(ominous music)

- [John] It's Faulkner's UFO.

- [Charlie] Yeah.

- [John] It can't be a coincidence.

- Exactly.

It's quite a sight.

- I'm sure it is.

Get forensics started.

I'll be there as soon as I can.

Oh, and Nelson, nobody gets anywhere

near that wreckage without my say-so.

- Right.

- [Firefighter] Just damp down the far end there.

- [John] Thank you, constable.

- [Officer] Sir.

- [John] You found the body.

- Yeah.

- What time was this?

- [Brogan] About six?

- What were you doing here that early?

- [Brogan] Routine, just doing the rounds.

- When did you last speak to Faulkner?

- Yesterday.

Came down to tell him to move on.

- Three people murdered

in the space of a week in these very woods,

and all of them met you just before they died.

Don't make any travel plans, Brogan.

- You know him?

- His name is Carter Faulkner.

- This one was a rush job.

Killer didn't have time to let him dry completely.

- Or to find a better dumping site.

- I'm thinking they were disturbed.

Footprints and tread marks here.

They lead up to this point, where they stop.

- Tyre tracks?

- Your killer is mobile.

Probably a van.

They keep the heated resin in the back,

get the victims in, dip them, dry them, and dump them.

Also I got some analysis back on the polymer.

The reason it degrades so quickly

is because it's an old batch.

Happy birthday, by the way.

- [Officer] That's all we have for now.

- Thanks.

The tech boys are still going over it,

but so far they back your theory

that it's some kind of military craft.

- [John] Tonev's work?

- [Charlie] It's a good bet.

Most of the technology on this thing

is decades old, apparently.

- Most of the technology?

- It seems the control panel

that was used to pilot it is state of the art.

And there was a thermal imaging camera,

but it shattered on impact.

(jeep doors closing)

- What the hell do you think you're doing?

That aircraft is the property of the Ministry of Defence.

Stand your men down immediately.

- I'm not prepared to do that.

Your jurisdiction ends at this fence here.

This wood is mine.

And you're trespassing on my crime scene.

- There's no time for point scoring, Barnaby.

You don't know what you're meddling with.

- Enlighten me, then.

- It's not something I can talk about.

- Okay.

What about Eric Tonev?

Mm.

My officers will escort you and your men off this site.

- We don't need an escort.

- I insist.

- Well, I'll admit I rather enjoyed that.

- Call me if forensics find anything.

- They're just about to discharge her.

- [John] Is she okay?

- I told her about Dad.

(knocking on door)

- It all makes sense now.

Never did understand Eric running off like that.

He wasn't the most impulsive man.

- Do you have any idea who killed him?

(sobs)

Could your husband's murder be linked

to the allegations against him?

- What allegations?

- It was all nonsense, Nathan.

Your dad was a patriot!

He loved this country!

And none of that was ever proven!

- But he was under investigation.

- It was just base politics.

Ford had an axe to grind with Eric

because he was getting more funding for Omega Four.

- Omega Four?

- It was a project Dad was working on.

- Ford resented him.

So he cooked up a pack of lies about Eric selling secrets.

Eric's parents were smuggled here

from Germany during the war.

Eric felt he owed this country a huge debt.

And he wanted to pay back that debt through his work,

and Ford wouldn't let him.

(cries)

- [Officer] Five minutes, then let's be out of here.

Get back to base.

Over here.

Stop.

(siren wailing)

- Orla?

Is Nathan about?

- No.

- Have you ever seen one of these before?

- Yeah, it's an exhaust valve.

- It's for a car, right?

What's in the rucksack?

(metal banging)

- Well?

Did you get everything?

- Pretty much.

Wow.

I must admit,

I'm impressed.

- [John] How on earth did they pull it off?

- From what I can tell,

Dillon had been exploring the tunnels for months.

One day he comes across the original Omega Four machine.

It's old, rusting, in need of an overhaul,

but otherwise intact.

So he transfers it to the sawmill piece by piece.

That's when he realises that getting airborne

is gonna require a specialist.

- Which is where Orla came in.

- Bit of a mechanical genius.

Using the original drawings,

she starts putting it back together,

nicking any parts she needs from Nathan Tonev's garage.

- [John] Did they mention the polymer?

- No. I asked them.

They didn't seem to know what I was talking about.

- Still, a lot of work for a hoax.

- I don't think it was just a hoax.

- As soon as I saw it, I knew what it was.

I'd heard it described so many times.

- Your dad's UFO.

Why didn't you tell your dad about it?

- I couldn't.

His whole life had been about that night in the woods.

It'd all be for nothing if he knew it was fake.

- Why put Omega Four in the air?

- Dad was diagnosed with cancer a year ago.

When the doctors told him it was terminal,

he started to worry about what he'd leave behind.

Wanted to give summat back

to all the people who believed in him.

- You tried to make that happen.

- I thought if enough people saw it, he'd be vindicated.

- Wasn't that risky?

What if your dad saw it, discovered it wasn't alien?

- I was careful to keep it away from him in case he sussed.

Then last night I got angry.

I guess I was sick of him blaming me when things went wrong.

I thought, screw you.

Here it is, your UFO, made right here in England.

I wish I hadn't've done that.

I hope he believed right to the end.

- [John] I'm sure he did.

- It's like, it's like they've got

my whole life mapped out for me,

and I don't even get a say in it, you know?

- [Charlie] You were trying to prove a point.

- Maybe, yeah.

I wanted to show that there's more to life than university.

Working on Omega Four was the best thing I've ever done.

When it took off the first time,

what a buzz.

I did that.

- And how do you think your mum and dad

are gonna react when they find out?

- Mum will hit the roof.

But secretly I reckon she'll be proud of me.

- What makes you so sure?

- She was part of the Omega Four team.

- I was the computer programmer on the team.

It was all pretty basic stuff.

But Omega Four was Eric's baby.

It was an unmanned, low-altitude craft

to be used for reconnaissance like a drone.

- And was it successful?

- Never got past the prototype.

Too many problems with the navigation system.

- All it needed was a GPS.

- And what about the accusation

that Eric was selling sensitive information?

- Ford made it all up.

- No. No way.

Tonev was guilty.

Ford had a witness that testified against him.

- [Nadine] The witness lied, Victor.

- How do you know?

- Because it was me.

First thing you need to know

is that Eric and Ford did not get on.

- Why not?

- Eric thought Ford was an officious jobsworth

and showed him no respect.

- [John] That would have angered Ford.

- As did Eric sleeping with his wife.

- [Charlie] Eric and Veronica Ford?

- Ford was furious when he found out.

He came to me, and he told me that Eric and Veronica

were planning to run off together.

- Why come to you?

- Because he knew I'd lie for him.

Victor and I had just started seeing each other,

and he said he'd transfer Victor

if I didn't do what he wanted.

He said all he needed was the testimony

to get the investigation rolling.

But then Eric disappeared the night they tested Omega Four,

and that was that.

I'm sorry, Victor.

- All right, thank you.

Ford's not in the office,

and nobody at the base knows where he is.

- Get an alert out.

I want him found.

- Right.

(gate creaking)

- Mrs. Ford?

Going somewhere?

- With Felicity gone, I have no reason to stay.

And someone once told me Berlin is a lovely city.

- Was it Eric Tonev?

You and Eric planned to elope.

- Yes.

Well, unfortunately Eric got cold feet.

There I was, bags packed, all ready to go.

I don't know why he never showed.

- Because he was murdered, Mrs. Ford.

- But

how?

Who would kill Eric?

- Your husband had motive.

- What?

Jeremy's not a killer.

- He knew about your affair.

- So what?

- Well, let's get you out of here.

- Just give me a moment, would you, Nathan?

(phone beeping)

It's me.

I'm in trouble.

Help me.

- What are we doing here?

- Abigail Tonev knew that her husband

was running away with Veronica Ford.

- [Charlie] Meaning?

- Meaning we need to find her, quickly.

Check the back.

What are you doing here?

- [Jeremy] Abigail called me.

- Why did she call?

- [Jeremy] Left a message, actually.

Said she was in trouble, needed some help.

- Yes, but why did she call you?

- We're friends, I suppose.

Of a sort.

- Friends?

She says you were the man

who falsely accused her husband of spying.

Abigail knew that Eric was having an affair with Veronica,

but you were the only one who knew

that they were eloping that night.

Did you tell her, Group Captain Ford?

- She had a right to know.

- Sir.

- [John] Open it up.

- I don't see how me telling Abigail

that her husband was leaving is relevant.

(metal clanging)

- Oh, I think it's very relevant.

- Eric Tonev, I presume.

- 1984, Eric Tonev is planning

to leave his wife for Veronica.

Abigail finds out and makes sure he's going nowhere.

Barnaby.

- [Officer] Your van, sir.

Been spotted in Cooper Hill Woods.

- Head for Hunter's Clearing.

(car door opening and closing)

- Why on earth are we stopping here?

- You know why.

I remember when they came 'round to the house

and they told us that he'd run off.

Sometimes when people can't cope,

they decide the best thing is to disappear.

But I knew what really happened.

You see, I heard the phone.

I saw you answer it from my bedroom door.

You rushed out, left me there alone.

I waited up two, maybe three hours.

And then you came back, and you were a mess.

You had mud and blood on your hands, your clothes.

You go out with him that night,

you go out with Dad, and you killed him.

- [Abigail] That's not true!

(cries)

- I forgive you, Mum.

I forgive you.

It's just time for all this to stop.

I can't do it anymore.

I'm tired.

- Can't do what?

- It's best we end it here.

Together.

You, me, and Dad, a proper family again.

(car doors closing)

- [John] He's got a gun.

- Sir.

(ominous music)

- Call for backup.

- Please, please, Nathan.

Nathan, please! - Nathan!

(gun firing)

- [Charlie] Sir!

- Get down! (gun firing)

(gun firing)

Come on!

- Ow!

Oh, Nathan, please!

Nathan, no!

No!

Where are you taking me?

(Abigail cries)

- Mum!

Stop, Mum!

Mum!

(gun firing)

- Okay.

(suspenseful music)

We know what happened, Nathan.

We know you were only looking out for your mum.

Keeping her secret safe.

Felicity found the grave, didn't she?

You knew it was your dad.

Children of the base.

Your connection.

You all knew each other's stories.

She'd have known about him

going missing all those years ago.

Came to see you.

Probably felt you should know first.

Decent of her.

And how did you repay her for her act of decency?

You murdered her, Nathan.

- [Nathan] I didn't have a choice!

She was gonna go to the police.

I managed to buy some time,

asked her to hold off until I spoke to Mum.

- [John] But instead you planned her death.

- [Nathan] I didn't want to.

I liked Flick.

- [John] What about Sgt. Ali?

- [Nathan] Bad timing.

After Flick had to move Dad's body, Ali was in the clearing.

- She went back there to mourn Felicity.

- [Nathan] I didn't mean for things to get so out of hand.

It all just happened.

- Well, it didn't just happen.

It was planned.

The bodies, the crime scenes.

It's your dad's resin.

You went to a lot of effort.

- [Nathan] I was trying to protect Mum.

- What about Faulkner?

Why did he have to die, Nathan?

- I went to dump the resin in the woods.

He saw me.

(metal clanging)

Against the wall.

Both of you.

- You need to think this through.

- I have.

Best thing is for me and Mum to end this all now.

Quick and clean.

- I don't think your mum wants that.

- What's the alternative, eh?

They'll put us both in prison.

Can't have that.

You won't cope, Mum, you know that.

Not without me to look out for you.

If I have to go through you, I will.

- I'm not moving, Nathan.

- Put the gun down, Nathan.

- Mum, just listen to me.

- Put it down, son.

- I'm trying to protect you.

- From what?

The truth?

I think it's time everyone knew what happened.

- They're gonna hate us for it.

- You're probably right.

- Why not end it here?

- Because your dad wouldn't want that.

He loved you very much, Nathan.

And I'm so sorry I took him away from you.

(cries)

Shh, it's okay, it's okay.

Oh.

Shh.

I caught up with Eric when he went to pick up Veronica.

Begged him to stay.

He wouldn't listen.

He just walked away.

So I picked up a rock and hit him.

Next thing I knew, he was bleeding in my arms.

I told Eric Nathan would never get over him leaving.

And I was right.

(ambulance engine starting)

- So

birthday night in, then?

- Well, I could manage a pint first.

- Ah.

- You have other plans.

- You know, I could change them.

- There's no need.

- Sarah said not to make a fuss.

- And she was right.

Off you go.

(door opening)

I'm back.

(door closing)

(dog barking)

Sykes?

- [All] Surprise!

- Happy birthday, darling.

- I said no party.

- What, these two?

They just popped 'round on the off chance.

Nothing to do with me.

Here.

You have to open it now.

You said you wanted to watch an old film.

- This is marvellous.

- [Charlie] Check out the title.

- Go on, then, let's get it started.

- Can I have a little hold of the cutie?

- Oh yeah, of course.

- Hello, darling.

Oh, you're gorgeous.

- Of course she's good with babies.

- That's a problem?

- Have you ever met someone

that just gets right under your skin, Sarah?

- [Sarah] Yes. Yes, I have.

- What did you do?

- I married him.

- Someone get the lights.

- [Kam] Where are we going?

Where are we going?

- [Charlie] Drinks all 'round.

- [John] Thank you.

- [Charlie] Here you go.

- [Kam] So beautiful.

(dramatic music)

- [All] Hey!

(dog whining)

(theremin music)