Season 2024 | Episode 2

♪ ♪ LAWRENCE: Did you ever read about the murder of a man called Frank Parris?

PAULINE: At our hotel?

Branlow Hall?

(gasps) He's dead!

LAWRENCE: We called the police.

His name was Detective Superintendent Locke.

SUSAN: Why was I afraid you were going to say that?

CECILY: Stefan Leonida-- he wasn't guilty.

You began by saying that your daughter had disappeared.

The real killer is named in the book.

PAULINE: "Atticus Pünd Takes the Case."

Susan, we'll pay you £10,000 if you help us find Cecily.

Just a week.

ALAN: Melissa James, the British actress, had an accident which brought a sudden end to her career.

MELISSA: Even when the hotel is full, we are still losing money hand over fist!

OSCAR: I have the scripts, the director, the contract... You'll just have to find somebody else.

MELISSA: I need to cash in my shares.

JOHN: I gave up everything for you.

I don't want to have this argument now!

(Melissa screams, glass breaks) SUSAN: I should leave this alone.

But you won't.

(sighs) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (thunder claps) (whimpering) (click) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (plane chime rings) FLIGHT ATTENDANT (on intercom): Dear passengers, in a few moments, you will be able to purchase refreshment, nuts, and a selection of alcoholic drinks.

(plane chime rings) (people talking in background) Alan Conway!

I'm sorry?

I've read all his books.

Ah.

You know, he died last year.

Yes, I heard.

A great shame.

He was a brilliant writer.

So clever, and I'm sure he was a lovely man.

♪ ♪ (thunder rumbling, rain falling, Alan slurps) ♪ ♪ (door opens, Susan exhales) (groans) (panting) I'm so sorry I'm late, I couldn't, I couldn't get a taxi.

Have you been here long?

Since the time we agreed.

I see you already ordered.

Oh, what can I get you?

Uh, no, no, no, no, I'm, I'm getting all this!

Oh, could I have a, a hot chocolate, please?

Yeah, sure.

Thanks.

Yes, it's good to see you, Alan.

How have you been?

Well, thank you.

Good.

And the new book?

God, it didn't take you long, did it?

I'm not a machine, you know.

(chuckling): That's hardly fair, Alan.

I mean, it's been nearly two years since "No Rest for the Wicked."

And we do have a three-book contract.

I think we've been more than patient.

It's not that easy, Susan.

I mean, have you any idea what it's like being a writer?

Do you really think you can push a button and another idea will simply pop out?

No, I...

I work with a lot of writers, Alan, and yeah, it's actually your interests I'm trying to protect.

You have to think of the market.

Your first two books have done fantastically well.

But we have to keep up the momentum.

Yeah, we also have to keep up standards.

I mean, what do you want, someone kills someone else, there are clues and suspects and a detective, and it's all so boring?

I'm trying to do something new.

Mm.

(mouths) I thought you'd be more cheerful.

You've got a huge following.

(quietly): You've made a ton of money.

(sighs) Oh, and I heard that you're leaving the school.

Who told you that?

My sister Katie.

Well, at least I won't have to spend any more time with those over-privileged, stuck-up kids.

(door opens) My niece and nephew go there.

Well, I didn't mean them.

Not Jack and... Lucy.

Daisy.

Daisy.

Look, if you're blocked, maybe...

I didn't say I was blocked.

I'm just waiting for the right idea.

Right.

Something that actually sparks my interest.

Mm-hmm.

And putting pressure on me will... Frank Parris!

What?

ALAN: No, the man in that paper, I once knew him.

May I?

WOMAN: Um, yeah.

He was murdered.

Oh, my God, I'm so sorry.

Was he a friend of yours?

No, I hardly knew him.

Killed in a hotel!

A hotel.

(slowly): That would be a good setting for a book.

Do you think so?

Hmm.

At a wedding.

Oh, I like that.

That would be a great opening.

Bloodstains on the bridal gown.

(gasps) That's Gothic.

Well, I might give it a think.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ALAN: It was the start of a quiet day for Atticus Pünd.

(bicycle bell rings) It seemed that no one had been murdered for a while, and he found himself unusually at a loose end.

(murmurs) (chuckles): Oh, yes, oh.

Thank you, Miss Cain.

Now, I believe I have a fairly quiet week, which will allow me to continue with my book.

Yes-- here is chapter four.

You have already typed it for me.

I had nothing to do last night, so I thought I'd get ahead.

Oh!

I have some news for you.

Oh, yes?

Mrs. Allingham has canceled.

Oh, the missing husband-- she has found him?

No, she decided she didn't want to.

(chuckles) There is one thing, though.

A Mr. Schultz is coming in at 11:00.

And who is he?

He works for the William Morris Agency in New York-- he's a senior partner.

Oh, and he's in London?

Yes.

He called yesterday morning from the Savoy Hotel.

For what purpose?

He said it was to do with a client of his, Melissa James.

Oh, yes!

Ah, the actress who was killed two days ago.

I read in the paper.

I think he wants you to investigate.

And you agreed to an appointment.

Well, well, without Mrs. Allingham, you had nothing on your desk, and, well, he has come all the way from New York.

But even so... Melissa James was a very well-known actress, Mr. Pünd.

It's absolutely dreadful that she's been murdered.

And if you were involved in the investigation, I think it might be very good for your profile.

Mm.

Sometimes, I think you know me better than I know myself, Miss Cain.

It is my job, Mr. Pünd.

11:00.

(chuckles) The timing is of great interest to me.

♪ ♪ (footsteps climbing stairs) (breathing heavily) (panting) (exhales) It's good of you to see me, Mr. Pünd.

It's my pleasure, Mr. Schultz.

This is a bad business.

Melissa James was one of our greatest stars, a fine actress and a wonderful human being.

Did you ever see her in "Harem Nights"?

Mm, I, I do not often go to the cinema.

She was sensational.

Nominated for an Academy Award, and she should've won it, too.

I, I understood that she had retired from acting.

Mm, that's right, uh, she was injured during the shooting of a movie with Hitchcock five years ago.

And then she moved somewhere called Tawleigh?

In "Devon-shier," is that right?

But she was still our client, and for what it's worth, she was talking about making a comeback.

Mm.

So why are you here, Mr. Schultz?

For the funeral, obviously.

I got on a plane the moment I heard.

Mm, so quickly, yes.

But we want to do more than that.

We want you to help the police with their investigation.

We at William Morris, we're not gonna let the killer get away with this.

PÜND: Well, the police, they may not welcome outside intervention, it's... (chuckles) I'm sure they know your reputation, Mr. Pünd, and they'll welcome you with open arms.

Oh... We'll pay your usual fee.

You can, uh, put your assistant in touch with our finance department.

(sighing): Melissa was one of the kindest and most considerate people I ever had the privilege to meet, and my partners agree.

We feel we owe this to her.

What do you say?

♪ ♪ (metal door clanking) ("21 Reasons" by Nathan Dawe playing) ♪ One is you make me happy, two is you set me free ♪ ♪ From all the things that held me back from just being me ♪ ♪ Thank you for all the sweetness ♪ (engine starts) ♪ Now I can finally breathe ♪ ♪ Now I can finally breathe, but, baby, don't you see?

♪ ♪ I still get frustrated, I can't lie ♪ ♪ When you keep on doing things I don't like ♪ ♪ And I hate your friends ♪ ♪ And I hate your moods ♪ ♪ And I shouldn't love you, but I got 21 reasons ♪ ♪ Why I do, do, do, do, do, do ♪ ♪ Do, do, do, do, do, do, do ♪ ♪ I got 21 reasons why I do, do, do, do ♪ ♪ Do, do, do, do, do ♪ ♪ Do, do, do, do ♪ ♪ I got 21 reasons why I do ♪ ♪ Three is the way you hold me, that's what I waited four ♪ (song continues in car, birds chittering) (song continues in car) (car horn honks, tires screech) MISS CAIN: Did you never learn to drive, Mr. Pünd?

Oh, I've no appetite for it, Miss Cain.

(chuckles) Often seemed to me we live in a world that's in too much of a hurry.

(Miss Cain chuckles) The pace of change.

(chuckles): Yeah, and not just cars.

I mean, it's fridges, washing machines, televisions, telephones.

And now these new computers.

(gasps) I do not like machines.

You could say it was the machines that won us the war.

The Spitfire, radar.

But Nazism itself was a machine, so it always seemed to me.

You mean, with no humanity?

Exactly.

The more mechanical the age, inevitably, it becomes less humane.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Susan.

Oh!

(chuckles) So glad you've come.

I can't tell you how grateful I am.

I just hope I can help.

Well, I'll show you to your room.

Oh.

I'll get someone to bring your luggage up.

Thank you.

Please.

Oh.

Is this your dog?

LAWRENCE: No.

That's Chase-- he's Cecily's.

Oh, poor dog.

(panting) How's Aiden?

Ah, it's awful for him.

There's nothing we can say or do.

Am I gonna be able to see him?

Yeah, of course-- I've told him you're coming.

He wants to talk to you; and Lisa, Cecily's sister-- she's joining us for lunch.

Right.

Uh, that wing is Barn Owl.

We've put you in Moonflower.

Hope that's all right.

(chuckling): Oh, yes.

Oh!

That's pretty.

Ah, it's been there forever.

It's a figeen, a sort of Irish brooch.

SUSAN: Mm.

That's the room Frank Parris stayed in.

Um, we don't use it as a bedroom anymore-- it's just storage.

Is there any way up here apart from the main stairs?

Yeah, there's a lift to the far end.

Takes you down to the bar.

And there's a fire escape that way.

Leads directly outside.

♪ ♪ (key reader beeps) Here you go.

I'll leave you to freshen up.

SUSAN: Thank you.

Shall we say lunch in ten?

Fine.

Uh, look, uh, there's something else I should mention, perhaps by way of a warning.

Uh, Lisa can be rather direct.

In that respect, she takes after her mother.

Where is Pauline?

She's at home-- she's, uh, she's terribly worried.

We both are.

Try to stay positive.

There might be a perfectly innocent answer.

The answer's in the book.

♪ ♪ (car approaching) (Aiden laughing) Daddy!

Oh, my God.

♪ ♪ ROXANA: Come on, Dad.

(talking softly) Hello.

You must be Lisa.

No need to ask who you are.

My father won't stop talking about you.

(chuckles): Oh.

We've ordered the set menu.

Hope that's all right.

Oh, perfect.

How's the room?

It's really comfortable, thank you.

You've a hotel in Greece?

Uh, yes, I run it with my partner, Andreas.

Surprised he didn't come, too.

He's busy.

I think I just saw Aiden-- does he live in the hotel?

No, he has a cottage in the grounds.

I used to live there.

But I moved out when he and Cecily got together.

You run the hotel with your sister?

Well, you could say that, yes.

I'm general manager, and Cecily does the accounts.

And Aiden?

PR.

Right.

Yes, he was, uh, with a child.

Roxana.

This is very hard for her, missing her mother.

She's just turned eight.

Eight?

Cecily was already expecting when she got married.

But that's Aiden for you.

Fast mover.

No need to be like that.

Well, you know how I feel about him, Daddy.

I take it you're not his number-one fan.

Well, the one thing you need to know about Aiden is, he hit the jackpot when Cess walked into his life.

Job, family, this hotel.

He had it all handed to him on a plate.

LAWRENCE: That's not fair-- Aiden was working as an estate agent when they met, and a very successful one.

He had his own flat in Bayswater.

Not bad for a young man not even out of his 20s.

And he does a brilliant job here.

(chuckles): Well, he smiles nicely.

And he swans around making friends.

Would be nice if he actually did any work.

What do you think's happened to your sister?

I think they've had a row and she's gone off.

Is that what you told the police?

They haven't found her-- the police don't know anything.

And it'd be just like her, wanting to be the center of attention.

LAWRENCE: That's not true at all.

You don't know her, Daddy-- you don't know either of them.

Madam?

Thank you.

SERVER: Sir?

LAWRENCE: Thank you.

LISA: Look if you don't mind, I have a ton of things to do, and I really don't feel like eating.

I've nothing against you, Susan.

I just find it incredible that you're being paid £10,000 to read a book.

Well, I'm glad you have nothing against me.

Enjoy your lunch.

Ooh!

(chuckles) Sorry about that.

No, no-- you did warn me.

Can I ask you, how did Lisa get her scar?

Uh, I'm afraid that was Cecily.

Um... (clears throat) They were always fighting when they were young girls.

Um, toys, clothes, boyfriends.

Cessy threw a glass at her, it broke, and, um... She didn't know what she was doing.

She certainly didn't mean for it to hit her.

Did Lisa ever want to be an actress?

No, you're thinking of the book.

Melissa had a scar.

You knew Alan Conway.

Mm.

Why would he do that?

He liked playing games.

(sighs) (keys clacking) (ringing) (phone vibrating) (speaking Greek) (vibration stops, phone chirps) Are you missing me?

We all are.

Ya, Susan.

To be honest with you, I'm amazed we're still in business.

It's been one day!

Come back!

We need you.

You need the money.

You're right, we need that more-- how's the hotel?

Huge, expensive, classy.

Very well-run.

SUSAN: You'd hate it here.

Not if I was with you.

(chuckles) I want to help these people, Andreas.

What Alan Conway did to them was unforgivable.

He's responsible for everything that's happened.

And I'm responsible for him.

You can't blame yourself.

But I do.

I'm gonna have to get back to it.

I love you.

Love you, too-- agapi mou!

Take care of yourself.

Mm.

(call ends) (sighs) ♪ ♪ ALAN: It had taken Atticus Pünd six hours to reach the Moonflower Hotel, traveling by train from London-- the arrangements all made, of course, by his trusted assistant, Madeline Cain.

MAUREEN: Here's your keys.

Thank you.

MISS CAIN: Here you are.

Thank you-- I've put Mr.

Pound in the Captain's Room.

It's Pünd.

I'm sorry?

I did ask for the best room for Mr. Pünd.

And that's what he's got.

It's at the back of the hotel with its own bathroom en suite.

A lot of the furniture came from "The Mary Celeste."

Oh, the ship that disappeared.

And the title of Melissa James's second film.

That's right!

The film company gave us some of the props, including the captain's bed.

And I'm sure I'll be most comfortable.

Herr Pünd?

Uh...

They told me you were coming down.

Uh, can I introduce myself?

I'm Detective Inspector Chubb.

(chuckling): You're not, I think, from this part of the world.

Oh, no, sir, Suffolk-born and -bred.

(chuckles) I married a Devon girl.

Ah, and she enticed you here.

One day, I'll entice her back!

Well, it's a great pleasure, Detective Inspector.

I, I hope that you do not consider my presence here to be, um, an intrusion.

Not at all, sir.

To be honest with you, I'd be glad of the help.

Well, then, may I introduce my assistant, Miss Cain?

Pleasure to meet you, Miss Cain.

Have you checked in?

I've got a car outside.

I could drive you to the scene of the crime.

Yeah, but we've only just arrived.

You can leave your luggage down here.

Oh, could you ask someone to bring it up?

PÜND: That would be most helpful.

In which case, Detective Inspector... (desk bell rings) Okay.

Cheers, miss.

CHUBB: From what I can tell, Melissa James had no enemies.

Very much part of the local community.

(pencil scratching) But sometime between 6:28 and 6:38 in the evening, somebody broke into her house and strangled her.

Oh, you're very precise with your timings, Detective Inspector.

She called her physician, Dr. Leonard Collins, at 6:28.

He drove straight round, but by the time he arrived, she was dead.

So, who do you think may have been responsible?

Well, I, I do have a few suspects.

Lance and Maureen Gardner at the hotel.

She had her doubts about them.

And there's a film producer called Oscar Berlin.

Now, he had a row with Miss James just one hour before she was killed.

Was she making another film?

She'd strung him along, but then changed her mind.

Who else?

Well, there's her financial adviser, a man by the name of Algernon Marsh.

A dodgy customer if ever there was one.

I'm looking into him now.

But it may be, it was no one who actually knew her.

What do you mean by that, Detective Inspector?

Melissa James was still famous.

Oh, she had fans and followers all over the world, a lot of them angry with her because she'd given up the acting.

Well, maybe one of them come down here and had it out with her.

But if they loved her work, would they want her dead?

Well, if they weren't in their right mind, there's no saying what they might do.

♪ ♪ (engine stops) Oh, thank you-- oh, what a gorgeous house!

It certainly is, Miss Cain.

That's half the trouble.

Everyone knew who lived here.

When did she buy it?

Same time as the hotel.

(doorbell rings) Now, the story goes, she fell in love with it and paid twice the asking price.

(both exclaim) Oh, good afternoon, sir.

We're here to see Mr. Spencer.

Oh, I'm afraid Mr. Spencer is not here, sir.

He's gone for a walk.

Well, then we'll wait for him.

Mm.

After you.

(birds cawing) (door closes) Forgive me, your, your name is?

Phyllis Chandler, sir.

I imagine you've worked here a long time.

Since Miss James arrived, sir.

I can't tell you how sorry I am.

I'm sure.

We'll take a look upstairs, if you don't mind, Mrs. Chandler.

Let us know when Mr. Spencer returns.

Yes, sir.

(softly): That's the housekeeper.

(aloud): She lives here with her son, who works as a chauffeur and general help.

The two of them were out on the evening that Melissa James died, visiting a relative in Bideford.

So, Miss James was here on her own.

Until she let someone in.

(gasps) Oh!

Look at this!

That's a prop from one of her films.

(quickly): A Turkish dagger.

It's a wicked-looking thing.

She was strangled, not stabbed.

15 minutes after the Chandlers had gone, Miss James called her doctor.

Dr. Collins.

That's right, Mr. Pünd.

She said she was terrified.

There was somebody in the house and she was in danger.

Would it not have been more sensible to call for the police?

Nearest police station's ten miles away.

Doctor was nearer.

Dr. Collins came straight round, but by the time he arrived, it was too late.

This is Melissa James's bedroom, and this is where he found her, on the bed.

Room's been cleaned up, but, uh, you get the general idea.

The telephone cord has been torn from the wall.

That's right-- it seems she called the doctor from downstairs.

Why do you believe that?

There's a second telephone in the living room, and we found several tissues there impregnated with her lacrimal fluid.

It's tears.

Oh.

She makes the call downstairs.

She comes upstairs to hide, and the intruder-- and, you know, I'm assuming it's a man-- follows her, and finds her here and strangles her with the telephone cord... (imitates): ...tearing it from the wall.

(breath trembling) She must have put up quite a fight.

The sheets were crumpled, one of the lamps was broken, and there was two sets of abrasions round her neck.

Ah.

At some stage, she hits her head on the bedpost.

There's a bloodstain-- look.

MISS CAIN: Excuse me, Mr. Pünd.

Do you think you could, um... (clears throat) Do you think you could just open the window?

Miss Cain?

It's just so...

Uh, open the window, Pünd.

(yelps) Oh!

Ooh!

(exclaims) (vase shatters) Miss Cain!

Up you get.

(both exclaim) Come and sit on the bed.

Not the bed!

No!

(panting): It's all right.

It's just too much... CHUBB: Ooh...

I'm sorry, it's just horrible, what you're describing.

Oh.

Okay, let's get you outside.

CHUBB: You are in the wars.

Take a seat, Miss Cain.

(catching breath) I worked with Associated Biscuits for 12 years before I came to Mr. Pünd, and I can assure you I have never experienced anything like this.

Shall we call the doctor?

No, no, I just need a...

I just need a minute to catch my breath.

JOHN (calling): Hello?

(front door closes) That's John Spencer.

Oh, you go ahead and see him.

I'll just wait here for a moment.

You're sure?

Yes, yes.

I'll just wait in the car-- you go ahead without me.

Oh, sorry.

Yeah.

(breathing deeply) Um... Oh, thank you.

(breathing deeply) Oh, Mr. Chubb-- I saw your car.

Do you have any news?

This is Mr. Pünd, sir.

He's come down from London to help.

Can we have a word?

Well, of course.

Do come through.

I want you to know that I...

I loved her more than anyone in the world.

May I ask, Mr. Spencer, how did you meet?

Uh, well, it was six years ago.

She was working down here.

It was actually her last film.

They shot some of it on my father's estate, and...

The moment I saw her... Well, I knew straight away there was nobody else.

PÜND: You were not here on the evening of her death.

No, I was, uh, at the opera, "The Marriage of Figaro."

There was a performance in Barnstaple.

She did not like the opera?

(chuckles) No, she had a meeting.

Her... (inhales deeply) ...financial adviser was looking into the hotel, so I went alone.

(inhales) Oh, I wish to God I hadn't.

I wish I'd stayed with her, but... Do you have any idea who may have attacked her, Mr. Spencer?

I already told the detective inspector.

You should talk to Lance Gardner.

You know, she knew they were cheating her-- him and his wife.

The hotel's been losing money hand over fist.

She threatened to expose them, and then, uh... You know, and then this happened.

You should talk to them.

♪ ♪ Forgive me, Detective Inspector, but, um, have you actually confirmed that he did indeed attend the opera?

I hadn't thought to do that, Mr. Pünd.

Well, perhaps you should.

(snaps) ♪ ♪ I'll, uh...

I'll wait to hear from you, Mr. MacNeil.

Do you really think it'll help find Cecily, Detective Superintendent?

A public appeal can't do any harm, sir.

What if someone's holding her against her will?

Well, they'll see it, and they'll know we're looking for her.

These sorts of broadcasts have helped in the past, sir.

All right.

Yeah, I'll, I'll do it.

The television people will be here tomorrow morning.

Shouldn't take too long.

(claps shoulder) ♪ ♪ (door closes) ♪ ♪ (car door closes, engine starts) (doorbell ringing) AIDEN: You just missed the police.

Yes, I saw Detective Superintendent Locke just now.

Mm.

AIDEN: He wants me to do an appeal on TV.

Reaching out to Cecily.

Asking the public for help.

Well, might be a good idea.

I'll do anything to get her back.

Anything.

The police used that photograph in all newspapers.

Mm-- thank you.

She looks very happy.

Yeah-- that's how she is.

Please.

Thank you.

Do you mind me talking to you about her?

No, I, I want to talk about her.

Ah.

(chuckles) I can't think about anything else.

Where do I start?

I mean, she's... She's brilliant, kind, wonderful mum.

Works her guts out at the hotel.

It's one of the few things we ever argue about.

She does too much.

So, what do you think's happened to her?

I don't know.

Can't think.

It's all got something to do with that bloody book, hasn't it?

Did you read it?

Not to begin with, no.

I'm not really into murder mysteries.

Nothing personal.

Oh, no, don't worry.

I don't, I don't read them, either.

Well, not anymore.

Did she say where she got this?

Charity shop.

Alan Conway hated charity shops-- no royalties.

(chuckles) We met him-- you know that?

He came here, asked lots of questions about Frank Parris and his murder.

Mm.

Never heard from him again, and forgot all about it until she picked up the book.

What did she say about it?

Well, obviously, she recognized lots of things.

I mean, I was in it.

Her mum, her dad.

She was annoyed.

Thought we ought to sue.

I dissuaded her.

So you did read it.

Yes, yes, she asked me to.

I, I thought it was harmless.

I mean, wasn't set in Suffolk, didn't use any of our names.

The author was dead-- there was nothing we could do.

Cecily knew that Stefan was innocent.

(clicks tongue): Yeah.

The evidence was all stacked up against him.

She found the truth in the book.

We talked about it the morning she disappeared.

She said she'd read another chapter in bed, and... And she'd found something.

Oh!

Which chapter?

I don't know, Susan.

I'm sorry, I should've asked, but I was in a hurry.

I, I had to go to a meeting in Ipswich.

(door opens) New brochures.

Daddy!

Roxie!

Hello, sweetheart.

Oh!

This is Susan.

She's gonna help us find Mummy.

Hello, Roxie.

I'm Roxana.

It's a very pretty name.

Cess chose it.

Uh, this is Gwyneth Endicott.

Derek's mother.

Derek's our night manager.

Oh.

AIDEN: Gwyneth helps us with Roxie.

And we could not manage without her.

(chuckles): I'll take her up for a bath, Aiden.

And then I'll make tea for the both of you.

AIDEN: Thank you, Gwyneth.

It's nice to meet you.

And you.

Come on, my love.

Go on, sweetheart.

So, what happened when you came home?

Hm?

From Ipswich.

Oh, um... Cess wasn't here.

Um, I wasn't worried, not to begin with.

I asked Gwyneth, and she said she'd gone out with the dog.

Had she said where she'd gone?

Well, she usually walked over in Woodbridge, along the River Deben, but...

I mean, she hadn't said anything to Gwyneth, so I went upstairs with Roxie, read her a story.

Only realized something was wrong when I heard the dog barking outside the door.

He had his lead on, but he was alone.

There was no sign of Cess.

So what did you do?

♪ ♪ (claps hands softly): I'm sorry, Susan, I can't talk about this right now.

I've got to go to Roxie.

Oh...

I...

I called her on her mobile.

I looked in the hotel, I called her parents, and then I called the police.

Look, I'm, I'm sorry.

Could you, um, can you show yourself out?

Yes, sure.

It's just that I, I've been over and over this.

I just, I can't do this anymore.

(door opens) ♪ ♪ Hello, I'm Susan Ryeland.

Uh-- you must be Derek.

I think I just met your mum.

Have, have you been with Aiden?

Yes.

Feel so sorry for him.

Mm.

He and Miss Treherne are the loveliest people.

They're made for each other.

Yeah.

You were on reception the night it happened.

You mean when Mr. Parris died?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Must've been awful for you.

I actually met him.

I helped check him in.

I heard he wasn't easy.

It's not my place to say.

Well, if it was just between us two.

He wasn't very polite.

Why did I think you were going to say that?

(chuckles) Well, he wasn't.

I had to order a taxi for him.

He didn't even say thank you.

(chuckles) You were the key witness.

That's right, I had to talk to the police.

What did you see?

Not sure I should really tell you.

I'm trying to find Cecily, Derek.

Before it's too late.

Mm... All right.

I was over there.

Night reception.

I was on me own that night.

There'd been a party.

I'd been invited, but I'm not the party sort.

Anyway, I had my job to do.

(Chase whimpering) It was about midnight when I heard it.

(Chase barking) (whimpering) (barking) DEREK: It was Chase, Cecily's dog.

He slept in a basket upstairs.

He must have had a bad dream or something.

What is it, Chase?

What is it?

It's all right.

There, all right.

DEREK: And it was while I was there that I saw him.

Stefan?

DEREK: I wondered what he was doing in the hotel so late at night, but when I looked down the corridor, there was no sign of him.

♪ ♪ There's not much more to say.

I had to tell the police.

Didn't really like doing that.

You sure it was him?

Did look like him.

He had Stefan's woolly hat, he was carrying his maintenance kit.

Did you see his face?

Not completely.

I, I did tell Mr. Locke that.

But he didn't listen.

I just didn't want to get him into any more trouble.

Not if it wasn't his fault.

Stefan had already been fired.

For stealing.

That wasn't him.

(softly): You won't tell Lisa I said this, will you?

Oh, no.

There'd been a lot of petty pilfering.

Everyone knew it wasn't him.

Who was it, then?

It was Natasha.

Whenever she went into a room, something went missing.

It's almost a joke.

We were glad when she left.

I think she's out of the country now.

But Stefan took the blame in the end.

I mean, that must have upset you.

There wasn't anything I could do.

Anyway, after the murder happened, and he confessed and everything, hardly mattered anymore.

Thanks.

Oh, um... You said when you first met Frank Parris, he asked you to order a taxi for him.

That's right.

Do you know where it went?

I do know, 'cause the police asked me, and anyway, I always wrote these things down.

(chuckling) So where did he go?

Oh, uh... (pages turning) He went into Framlingham, had a meeting at a solicitor's office... Wesley and Khan in Framlingham.

Sajid Khan.

Ha!

We've met.

(Chase whining) Ah... Hello.

(panting) Something made you bark.

What was it, hm?

What did you see?

(chuckles) Don't think Chase will tell you anything.

(chuckles) I don't think we've met.

Liam Corby, spa manager.

I'm Susan...

I know who you are.

Whole hotel was told you were coming.

Bit of a fool's errand, if you ask me.

What, do you think Cecily's dead?

She's been missing almost a week.

A woman like Cecily Treherne doesn't just run away or go into hiding because something upset her.

So you think she's been killed?

I didn't say that.

Just because there was one gruesome murder at the hotel doesn't mean there has to be another.

When did you leave Australia?

When I came here.

When was that?

Why do you want to know?

Frank Parris lived in Australia.

(laughs): Yep.

Big country, you know.

Doesn't mean we ever met.

But you were here when he died.

Gruesomely murdered.

Only exciting thing that ever happened around here.

Were you close to Stefan?

Yeah, we were mates.

Do you think he did it?

Honestly, I've got no idea.

Police said he did.

Court said he did, he said he did, so...

Seems pretty likely.

I feel sorry for the poor bastard, the way they treated him, but it's a long way behind us now.

Nothing anyone can do about that.

I suggest you just enjoy your free stay, make the most of it.

Massages on the house.

♪ ♪ (exhales) ALAN: Who killed Melissa James?

The last person to see her alive had been her financial adviser, Algernon Marsh.

But her physician, Dr. Leonard Collins, had been the last to hear her.

And so it was Dr. Collins that Atticus Pünd had come to meet.

Are you sure you're all right, Miss Cain?

Oh, very much so, Mr. Pünd, yes.

I, I'm so sorry I made such a fool of myself.

Ooh, not at all, ooh.

Oh, this, this is the car driven by Dr. Collins?

Uh, no, his brother-in-law, Algernon Marsh.

Melissa's so-called financial adviser.

Oh, you said you didn't trust him.

That's right.

Well, it would seem he's also not reliable behind the wheel of a car.

♪ ♪ (exhales) If you've come to see Algernon, I'm afraid he's not here.

No, it is you I have come to see, Dr. Collins.

Oh, well, I have already told Detective Inspector Chubb everything I know.

And yet it would be helpful for me to hear it once again, from you.

Are you sure you won't have some cake, Mr. Pünd?

Oh, there is nothing like my wife's Battenberg.

Not for me, thank you.

I'll have another slice.

(cake server clinking) (Samantha and Chubb chuckle) (clears throat) I'm afraid I have some questions to ask you about Melissa James.

Please, fire away.

How well did you know her?

Well, I was her doctor.

So you could say I knew her as well as anyone.

SAMANTHA: Well, she took advantage of you.

She would call my husband day or night.

And she often came here.

It never seemed to occur to her that Leonard might have other patients.

To be fair to her, she was under a lot of strain.

Yes, the hotel.

Mm.

It had been losing money.

She blamed the Gardners.

She believed that they were stealing from her.

LEONARD: Well, I don't think there's any doubt of it.

The hotel was always full, but it had never shown a profit from the day she'd bought it.

It made her quite anxious.

She told you she was being watched.

She did say that, yes.

PÜND: Watched?

Mm.

From the street?

No, at home.

And she said things were being taken from her room.

Not valuable things-- small things.

Such as?

She wouldn't say.

PÜND: Mm-- mm.

You received a telephone call from Miss James on the day that she died.

That's right-- Sam was here.

Yes, it was 6:28.

I remembered the time from the clock.

Mm.

Can you tell me exactly what occurred?

Yes, yes.

Um, I had just finished surgery... (phone ringing) Hello?

MELISSA: I have to speak to Dr. Collins, please!

Is he there?

It's urgent.

(Melissa continuing inaudibly) It's Melissa-- for you.

(Melissa sobbing) She's very upset.

Please, hurry, please!

Miss James?

Oh, my God.

Please, please, please come round.

I don't know what to do!

I'm so frightened, please.

He wants to kill me.

Please don't leave me here on my own.

Melissa-- Melissa, please.

(Melissa sobbing) Please try to calm down.

Can you leave the house?

I don't know.

He's still here.

(sobbing) Oh, my God, help me-- please, hurry!

(sobbing, murmuring) He wants to kill me!

Please hurry!

Please!

Stay right where you are.

I will be with you in two minutes.

(receiver clatters) ♪ ♪ (breathes deeply) In fact, it took me ten minutes to get there.

Finding my keys, uh, the car wouldn't start.

There was a tractor in the lane.

Mm.

I'm still kicking myself.

If only I'd gotten there sooner.

Well, you could've been killed yourself.

Well... You're certain she said, "There's a man in the house."

Well, I can't be certain, but that is what it sounded like, yes.

And you heard this conversation, too, Mrs. Collins.

Yes.

It was definitely Melissa, and she was definitely in fear of her life.

Mm-- mm.

Oh!

(clears throat) (with mouth full): Thank you for cooperation, Dr. Collins.

And very good cake.

(chuckles) Um, I'll take you to the hotel, Mr. Pünd.

You staying at the Moonflower?

Yes, we have rooms there.

Well, it won't be the same without Melissa.

(engine droning) SAMANTHA: Do you think we should've told them?

What?

About the money.

Well, I don't see that it's got anything to do with any of this.

Melissa didn't know anything about it.

Nobody did-- no, no, no, it's, it's nobody's business except ours.

I think we should leave here, Leonard.

I don't think we can stay anymore.

(exhales) This is a new chance for us, my darling.

It's a blessing.

It's a chance for us to get away from Tawleigh and build a new life for ourselves.

(exhales) (chuckles) Well, where will we go?

Wherever you want to go.

I just want to be with you.

Somewhere far away.

♪ ♪ (exhales) How do you do it?

I mean, how do you even begin?

Begin what?

To work things out.

Ah.

I'm reading the book.

I've read the book.

There is nothing in it that has anything to do with what happened here.

Is that really true?

You tell me-- except you won't, will you?

You never do.

(chuckles): I will say only this.

There is one thing that is indeed the same.

From the moment I first arrived in Tawleigh, I was aware... Something wrong.

It was, if you like, an atmosphere.

A sense of evil in the air.

It's here, too.

Do you not feel it?

You need, I think, to be careful.

It might have been better not to have come.

Yes, but... ♪ ♪ (click) ♪ ♪ I'm here because of the murder of Frank Parris.

I need the money.

Get out, Frank!

We have information that could help you.

You should've told her.

It's none of her business.

SUSAN: Why does everything have to be so complicated?

The investigation or your personal life?

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ANNOUNCER: Visit our website for videos, newsletters, podcasts, and more.

And join us on social media.

To order this program, visit ShopPBS.

"Masterpiece" is available with PBS Passport and on Amazon Prime Video.

♪ ♪