So why did you go to the church?
To say night prayer.
He said that he'd been a disappointment.
I spoke to a chap earlier,
and he said that he went to an art gallery.
Thing is, you'll never guess what he saw there.
I saw you talking to Anthony.
- What did he want? - Nothing important.
"Champton vicar visits victims of gay plague."
Dear me. What were you thinking?
Unless this was a random attack,
the murderer must have assumed
they knew who they were attacking.
"It's God's will. You should burn in hell."
Does that answer your question?
What do you two want?
It should have been you!
CREDITS
Reverend Clement! Reverend Clement! Daily Express.
Can you tell us about the murder last night?
Reverend Clement!
- Reverend Clement! - No. No. I...
I'm not right... No comment!
The Express wanted a quote.
I was enjoying that. It's catchy.
It's painful.
Fuddy-duddy.
So, what did you tell them?
I said, "No comment."
How exciting!
I've always wanted to say that.
They'll give up in a minute.
Yes, because that's what they do.
Listen, things are gonna be difficult enough around here
without the papers stirring things up.
So if they approach you, you won't say anything, will you?
Certainly not!
Thank you.
I wouldn't dream of talking to a rag like the Express.
Look! I told you...
May I?
How can I help you, Detective?
I'd like to talk to everyone who knew Anthony Bowness.
And I figured you'd know where to start.
Well, I expect a lot of them
will be at the service this morning.
Lord de Floures has said that we can use Champton House while Saint Mary's is...
A crime scene?
Well, you don't think the killer's here, do you?
I think it's a definite possibility.
Right.
I think we're looking at three options.
Anthony could have been killed
because he interrupted a robbery.
- Morning. - Morning.
Or he could have been the intended victim all along
and we just don't know yet why he was targeted.
And then there's option three.
The murderer made a mistake
and the person they really wanted to kill was you.
None of this makes sense,
to take a life in a church,
the house of God.
It's an abomination.
And I ask myself...
what purpose did it serve?
Was it God's plan?
Because if it was, I'm not sure that I can understand it.
I doubt any of us can.
And so for now...
I pray.
I pray for the soul of the departed.
And I pray for whoever did him wrong...
that they receive justice and mercy.
Happy Easter. Mind your step there.
Could I have a few words?
- Is this about Mr. Bowness? - Yes.
Right. See you later.
Mercy for the killer?
That won't go down well.
Yes, well, I don't believe in retribution.
Alright.
Does "MGM" mean anything to you?
You mean apart from the flicks? No. Not really.
How did Anthony ever find anything?
Yeah. I did ask him that once.
He seemed so... together.
I had no idea he was so...
Yeah.
Yeah, no one did.
So, how well did you know Mr. Bowness?
Not especially.
He kept himself to himself mostly.
We didn't have a lot in common.
I knew him from the choir,
but that's all, I'm afraid.
Well, he didn't make it easy.
Kept everyone at arm's length, like he was ashamed.
Don't think anybody disliked him.
You sort of got to have a personality to be disliked.
Tell me... will this delay the Reverend's plans
to install a toilet in the church?
You should talk to Edgy.
Edgy?
Patrick Liversedge, the gamekeeper.
There was some sort of bad blood between him and Anthony.
You know what they're like.
"They"?
Gypsies.
Right.
It's Champton House.
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. It was during the war.
Place was filled with MoD bigwigs and all that S.O.E. stuff.
All very, you know, hush-hush.
Yes.
Look at that.
That's Kath and Dora Sharman on the right.
- They worked at the house? - Yeah.
As housemaids before and after the war
and then for the MoD during it.
In fact, quite a few women from the village
actually got seconded.
My God.
- God. - What is it?
It's from the plane that crashed.
- Plane crash? - Yeah. Yeah.
The... The S.O.E. chaps used to fly across to France.
They'd rendezvous with the resistance.
They'd drop off agents, supplies, weapons,
and then come straight back,
but they used to take off and land right by the house.
So Anthony and I...
Yeah, we used to watch them from my bedroom window.
So what happened?
Yeah. No. It was... It was late.
Must have been around 11:00.
Anyway, we heard the engines fire up,
so we raced over to the window, and...
So, he took off okay, and then she...
They said it was faulty wiring, a spark,
and she just, you know, exploded.
Well, they didn't stand a chance.
Anyway, a few days later, Anthony found this,
said he wanted to keep it.
A reminder that the war was... real.
Yeah.
Have we got any of that lavender honey left?
Well, it sh... should be in here.
"Visit the Lavender Fields of Provence."
Don't you think it's time?
Yow.
I've heard stories, is all I'm saying.
What sort of stories?
Well, outsider comes to a small rural community.
There are always secrets which he uncovers,
and it always ends badly for him.
First of all, Anthony wasn't really an outsider.
And, second, it's not "The Wicker Man."
Who said anything about Anthony?
So... tell me about Patrick Liversedge.
Well, Edgy was a boxer once upon a time.
Fairs and the bare-knuckle circuit.
I hear he was pretty good at it,
but when he got back from the war, he was too old to fight.
So he got a job as the gamekeeper.
Not at first.
He was a debt collector for a while.
There were rumors, pub gossip mostly,
that he did more than just collect the money.
Handed out punishments, too.
And he was very good at that.
- Can we have a word? - Did you know Anthony?
What's the mood like in the village?
- How worried are you? - No comment!
I didn't know him, to be honest.
Even though you were both working at Champton House.
We said hello and that. You know, polite-like.
Margaret Porteous seemed to think that you didn't get on.
Is that right?
Yeah. "Bad blood" is what she said.
And I would say she's got a very good imagination.
When was the last time you saw Mr. Bowness?
That would be the open day, I suppose.
When?
In the morning. I was doing the parking.
Okay.
Only Mrs. Porteous says she saw you talking to him much later.
If that's what she said...
- What were you talking about? - I don't remember!
It's understandable, Edgy.
These last couple of days,
I've certainly forgotten things.
- It's the shock. - Yeah. Thanks, Reverend.
It is upsetting.
You get all churned up like.
Sorry.
- Don't do that. - Do what?
- You filled the silence. - Well, I don't see how...
You let him off the hook and you reassured him.
- No. I was simply... - I don't want them reassured.
I want them off balance.
Because that's when they're likely to say something interesting.
You know, people quite often tell me things
that they're ashamed of,
but they don't want others to know.
You don't have to trick them.
Not everybody wants to confess.
I mean, how long is the church going to be closed for?
Different jacket.
All my gardening stuff's there.
How am I meant to prune my roses? It's most inconvenient.
For Mr. Bowness, too, I should think.
What's it meant to be?
A sophisticated garden party.
They look like they're waiting for the bus.
- Hello. - Mrs. Clement.
I saw the sign outside, and I couldn't resist.
Aren't I the fortunate one?
Stella. High-class ladies fashion.
So inviting.
So literal.
We have all the labels here, you know.
Country Casuals. Sreekovil. Yaga, of course.
I can see. Very impressive.
Can I interest you in anything today?
No. Just looking.
I understand.
Quality items like these don't suit every budget.
Sometimes I have a sale rail. Come again.
You never know. You might get lucky.
I did want to say this.
Take on my son...
you take on me, too.
Good to know.
I think I'm gonna like it here.
Marvelous display!
- Excuse me! - No. I told you.
I understand. I'm sorry about earlier.
Some reporters can be a bit pushy.
A bit?
We try not to be like that at the Telegraph.
We find it pays to be a bit more respectful.
Get more that way, I think.
Don't you?
I do.
You're going to France? Both of you?
I've got a little bit aside, you know, for a rainy day.
I've always wanted to go to Provence.
To see the lavender fields?
Originally, yes, but just never happened.
So I thought... if not now, when?
Another?
Yes.
You know, she's doing all this for me.
She knows how important it is.
She's making sure there's nothing left undone.
The least I can do in return is take care of her
so that the time we have left is as good as it can be.
Thank you.
Sterling work yesterday, I thought.
On the harmonium.
Not quite the fruity tones of the church organ,
but needs must, I suppose.
Yes. Well, thank you, Stella.
And then the interview with the police straight after.
Such excitement.
Really? You think so?
Absolutely.
Unless you've got something to hide, that is.
Yeah. Well, I suppose.
I mean, I'm sure you told them
about seeing Anthony the night before he died.
I was cycling home.
I saw you coming out of his cottage.
I must say it all seemed a little furtive.
But I'm probably just imagining things.
I expect so.
Are you coming?
Ned.
- Excuse me. - Ned!
Can you just wait a minute?
Sorry. Harry?
I just wanted to say I was sorry to hear about your dad.
Thanks, Kath.
He lived a good life.
And I know he must have been so proud of you.
Anyway, I just wanted to, you know...
Seems Patrick Liversedge has a bit of form.
I thought he might.
Dating back to the '50s,
a couple of arrests for ABH
and one for demanding money with menaces.
- Convictions? - None that I could find.
Also, I got a list of the phone calls
made to and from Anthony Bowness' phone
the month before his death.
Right.
The day before Anthony Bowness was killed,
five phone calls were made to him.
Okay. And?
That number's a direct line
to the editor of The Gazette.
Ned Thwaite.
Ned. I'm sorry!
Please!
Ned!
Ned.
Look. I know. I promised.
I said I wouldn't see him, and for a long time I didn't.
Honest.
But, Anthony, he needed me.
I couldn't just abandon him. It doesn't work like that.
I had no choice.
How long?
A couple of months.
And you kept it secret. All that time.
Nothing happened. I swear.
I never meant to deceive you.
And I would never do anything to hurt you.
Forgive me.
Please?
Alex.
Gin and tonic.
Meeting someone?
Just dropped in for a quick one.
Well, I'll get this.
- Thank you. - Cheers.
Listen, I know it's probably nothing,
but I saw you with Anthony at the end of the open day.
And it looked like you were having a row.
Were you?
He was just being a bit arsey.
Why?
My guess, he was pissed off with Pa.
They'd had a row, and he ended up taking it out on me.
You know, kick the cat.
Surprising how often that happens.
Take care walking home.
Haven't you heard?
There's a killer about.
_
Daniel!
Dear me. That's rather horrid.
Did you hear anything?
No. Not a peep.
Right. That's it.
They've gone too far this time.
How dare they upset you like this.
That's my job.
_
I can't believe he's in the paper.
- Good morning, ladies. - Morning, Rector.
It's okay, Rector. We was only chopsing.
Stamps, please, Mrs. Braines. 21st and 22nd.
Your orders arrived, too.
Those fancy pens.
But, you know, paper won't arrive before Thursday.
_
Gay plague pastor?
You know what they're like.
"His support for the gays is controversial,
even among those closest to him."
Well, they could have got that from anywhere.
"He was always one for lost causes,
said his mother, Audrey, 67."
He said he was from the Telegraph.
What time will you be home?
Not late. Why? What have you got planned?
Peace offering.
Jane, you really don't have to.
I know, but I want to.
Yeah, okay. Alright. Well, I've got to go.
Okay. Bye.
Hey. Thanks for coming in.
I feel a bit of a fraud, to be honest.
I took a look like you asked,
but I'm afraid I couldn't see anything unusual.
Right.
- Canon Clement. - Detective.
And it was pinned to a dead rat?
Hanging outside the front door.
Well, whoever it was has a taste for the Gothic.
And access to a dead rat.
Someone like Patrick Liversidge.
Maybe there's some truth to the pub gossip after all.
I'll get it tested. You never know.
I spoke to Alex de Floures last night.
He said that Anthony had rowed with his father at the open day.
Bernard never mentioned a row.
Didn't, did he?
Listen...
yesterday I came down on you a bit hard.
It's fine. I shouldn't have jumped in.
You were right.
There are other ways of getting people to talk.
Well, the collar helps.
Listen, I'm going over to The Gazette.
Ned Thwaite was all over Anthony's phone records.
You want to tag along?
Yes.
- Hello, Kath. - Hello, Rector.
Mr. Thwaite. DS Vanloo.
Can we have a word?
Er, yeah. Yeah, sure. We'll have to walk and talk.
Anthony Bowness was a pain.
On and on about his bloody Champton at war stuff.
He was always here wanting to go through the archive.
And that's a problem?
It is if you don't pay for it.
Look, we've been putting a paper out every week since 1907.
That's a lot of back numbers, and it takes up a lot of space.
I've been trying to put it all on microfiche,
but it's expensive, so I started charging for access.
Only Anthony Bowness thought
that because he was de Floures' cousin,
he should somehow get it for free.
He's taken editions home with him like it was his own private archive.
So you denied him access?
Yeah. Didn't stop him from coming, making a fuss.
Last week he went off on one.
Actually made the receptionist cry.
Well, I wasn't having that, so I gave him a call.
Told him not to come here anymore. Nothing sinister.
Do you know specifically what he was researching?
Something about the war.
Appears to be a popular subject right now.
New copy for page seven.
Doing a piece myself actually.
The one that got away.
Captain Philip Kerling.
He was at Champton running S.O.E. operations.
He was a suspected double agent,
but it appears he hightailed it back to Germany
before he could be unmasked.
They covered it up at the time.
Double agents. Bad for morale. And it stayed covered.
Is that why Kath Sharman was here?
Yeah. Yeah. That's right.
I was... I was hoping she could help me with my research.
Flight logs and stuff.
Waste of time sadly.
Apparently, 40 years plays havoc on the memory.
Look, if that's... If that's everything...
A Reverso?
Yeah. That's right.
It was, it was a wedding gift from Jane.
When I was a kid, I saw John Mills with one
in Above Us the Waves.
It might just have been the coolest thing I'd ever seen.
Right. Okay. Well...
Well, look, I really do have to go.
What?
Unbelievable.
Don't forget the Battrawdens are coming for lunch.
And they're bringing Henrietta.
I'm not marrying Henrietta Battrawden.
- Why not? She's a lovely girl. - Or anyone else.
You have to marry somebody, Alexander.
You know, if you're so worried,
why don't you concentrate on Honor?
Last time I looked, she was very much single.
Because you are next in line.
God forbid the de Floureses die out.
Right?
Would it be so terrible?
You might want to tidy yourself up.
Well, she can't confirm Ned's story.
She wasn't in that day.
But she did say that Anthony had kicked up a fuss before.
And then generally, he was a right divvy
who needed taking down a peg or six.
So there's that.
- Right. You coming? - I might have something.
What?
There was a note about MGM in Anthony's house.
_
Of course I know Mr. Bowness.
He comes in every couple of months.
Buying or selling?
Selling. Is there a problem?
I'm afraid Mr. Bowness was murdered.
The day before yesterday.
Jesus.
Sorry.
When was the last time you saw him?
A couple of weeks ago.
He brought this in.
Luigi Loir, from about 1863.
- Very nice. - And you're sure it's genuine?
Of course.
I have each item individually appraised and verified.
And Mr. Bowness' paperwork,
the provenance and such like, was always excellent.
He was a pleasure.
- Mostly. - "Mostly"?
About six months ago,
he started to be more pushy on the price.
He got quite aggressive,
saying he needed to make more from the deal.
I mean, really, who's the one with the overheads?
Did he say why he wanted more?
I just thought he was being greedy,
which surprised me because he never struck me as the greedy type.
It felt wrong while Mum and Dad were still alive,
trying to find my real parents.
Disrespectful, sort of.
You didn't want to hurt their feelings.
They gave me everything.
But it's like there's this blank.
I mean, looking at all this stuff,
and last night, when people were telling me all those stories about Dad,
I realized how little I know.
- About? - How they came to adopt me.
I mean, I know they came here in 1947 from Norfolk.
They didn't tell you anything else?
Just my father died before I was born.
And my mother, you know,
they weren't married, so she couldn't...
Not in those days.
And beyond that...
You know, if you start digging,
you might not like what you find.
He was right.
Anthony didn't seem the greedy type.
If enough money is involved,
I find most people are the greedy type.
- Cynic. - Probably.
I really thought we were gonna find something,
you know, concrete that would...
- Blow the case wide open? - Yeah.
It doesn't work that way.
Mostly it's just spaghetti against the wall.
You throw it, watch and see what sticks.
Scales are falling from my eyes.
Sadly, the eureka moment doesn't happen very often.
I imagine it's pretty good when it does, though.
I'll let you know.
Do you think they'll want to talk to me?
Of course they will.
So just stick to the story
and we'll be okay.
But why would they think we had something to do with it?
Because anything bad,
someone always thinks we had something to do with it.
No one likes us, son. That's just the way it is.
They never have. They never will.
So we look after our own.
Always remember that.
Do me a favor.
Take a look at this.
It's Anthony's.
It was on him when he was killed.
We can't make head or tail of it.
Can I hang on to it?
Sure, if anything leaps out, let me know.
Well, I can't promise, but...
Spaghetti against the wall?
Yeah.
Sir, the preliminary forensic reports are back.
It's fine. Come on.
Well, they found traces of lateral meristematic
and dermal tissue in the wound.
Plant matter.
- Plants? - The stem, apparently.
The secateurs.
- Sorry? - This is the flower room.
The secateurs are kept here without fail.
Stella insists. So where are they?
Well, if the secateurs were the murder weapon,
they could be anywhere.
I doubt the killer hung on to them.
But it makes it all spur of the moment, doesn't it?
If you intend to kill, don't you bring the weapon with you?
So who knew they were there?
Any member of the church, I imagine. Wasn't a secret.
Well, then that's where we're gonna find the killer, Daniel.
In your congregation.
Afternoon.
Probably about four hours.
He hasn't changed either.
Bishop, I didn't know you were coming.
A flying visit.
Your mother's been taking care of me.
Spilling the beans in all sorts of ways.
- Has she? Indeed? - Most enlightening.
My lord. You are too kind.
Much as I'd love to hear more stories,
time and tide.
Will you excuse me?
I think the study now, do you?
So how are you?
Bearing up. Thank you, Bishop.
It's a heavy burden you're carrying.
I'm dealing with it. What else can you do?
Indeed.
Still, there's a lot of publicity.
Something like this, it's bound to attract attention.
People talk.
Even though it'd be better if they didn't.
What would be better is if they didn't have anything
to talk about in the first place.
Well, I'm sure we all wish there hadn't been a murder, but...
I'm not talking about the murder.
I'm talking about ill-advised
- photo opportunities. - _
My visit to the AIDS patient?
Well, it's a... it's a delicate situation.
But seeing their vicar mixing with people like that,
it's upsetting the congregation.
I'm sure you understand.
I'm beginning to.
Good.
Then I'm confident that's the end of the matter.
Do thank your mother for me.
I particularly enjoyed hearing about your childhood.
It's always nice to get a bit of context,
don't you think?
That was fun, wasn't it?
Well, you could have tried a bit harder.
- Why? - I don't know, good manners.
Because it's important to Pa.
What's the matter, Alex?
The police nosing around, asking questions.
Well, that is sort of their job.
The thing is, you can't choose what secrets get out, can you?
You'll be okay.
They just want to find the murderer. Anything else is...
irrelevant.
_
I'm going up to the house.
I thought lamb chops tonight?
Whatever you like.
Well, this is where Anthony did a lot of his research.
This was his hiding place.
There are records here of the house and the village
that date back to the 1700s.
I mean, it's... Yeah, there's all sorts.
Yeah. Feel free to... have a poke around.
What are these?
_
A church.
_
May I take this?
Yeah, help yourself.
My goodness.
That's us... me and Anthony.
God, I didn't know he had this.
- Is that you riding the horse? - Yeah, I used to ride all the time.
Wow.
Did you know he was writing a book?
No.
No, that's the first I've heard of it.
Maybe you could try to get it published.
- Kind of a legacy. - _
Yeah, I'd like that.
Bernard,
can you explain how I saw this painting
for sale in a gallery just a few hours ago?
Well, Anthony was... He was quite clever, really.
So we have a...
you know, a fair collection of paintings here, and...
Well, he was careful.
It was only the middle to low-ranking ones
that he had copied so as not to draw attention.
But how did he convince the gallery owner they were genuine?
Because they were.
The copies are... are hanging here.
You see, it's not illegal to copy a painting,
only to pass it off as the genuine article,
which, of course, he didn't do.
So the only person he defrauded...
Was me.
Yeah.
Alex told me that you'd had a row with Anthony
at the open day.
- Is that what it was about? - Yes.
One of the visitors been looking round the house and he'd seen the painting.
Told me there was an identical one in the gallery.
So I contacted the gallery and they told me
where they got the painting from.
Then I confronted Anthony
and said I was gonna go to the police.
- What did he say? - He rather called my bluff.
He said I wouldn't tell anyone
because I didn't want to risk a scandal.
And, of course, well, he was right.
Amazing, really.
You know, after everything I'd done for him.
Instead of being grateful, he just...
He resented it.
- I imagine you were pretty angry. - Damn right I was.
The bishop was nice.
Very smart car he's got.
- Does he? - And a chauffeur, too.
Actually, it's the gardener.
He doubles up when the bishop wants to make an impression.
He's a powerful man, Daniel.
And I think you should do what he says.
I couldn't help overhearing.
Through the door.
Just keep your head down.
Don't rock the boat.
I see.
And even if I think...
You have a nice life here, Daniel.
A beautiful church, friends.
A roof over your head. Don't mess it up.
And what if I think the bishop is wrong?
What do I say to those people out there who are all alone
and who need someone right now to be by their side?
You're right. I do have a nice life.
But it comes with a commitment, doesn't it?
To do what's hard because it's the right thing to do.
Shouldn't that be what the church is for?
I remember when it was the miners
and you were there on the picket line.
Now it's the homosexuals.
You have an admirable commitment to helping others.
Thank you.
What a shame it didn't extend to your own family.
Thanks for the chops.
Ned, supper.
I'm just cleaning up.
CREDITS