Moonflower Murders | Episode 1

♪ ♪ PAULINE: It’s about our daughter.

She’s gone missing.

PAULINE: We think it may be because of one of your books: “Atticus Pünd Takes the Case.”

ALAN: He was murdered at a wedding.

Oh, I like that.

Maybe I did say that it would make a good story, but I didn’t tell him to write it!

ALAN: Chapter One: Melissa James had made a great many enemies.

There were the hotel managers.

The film producer.

Her financial adviser.

(car skidding) Her husband.

PÜND: Murder has a pattern.

MISS CAIN: Oh, look at this!

It’s a wicked-looking thing.

So who do you think may have been responsible?

KHAN: Miss Ryeland.

Don’t tell me you’re involved in another murder.

I started all this.

And now I’m going to finish it.

You’re the key witness.

What did you see?

(engine revving, tires screeching) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (thunder claps) (whimpering) (click) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (string music playing, guests applauding) (music ends, guests talking in background) I’m the luckiest man in the world.

(guests chuckling) When I first met this beautiful, talented, gorgeous woman, I never dreamed that two years later, we’d be standing here together as man and wife.

(guests chuckling) The simple truth is, I fell in love with Cecily the moment that I saw her.

I didn’t know anything about her.

But I knew that we were made for each other.

(murmuring) And when she introduced me to her amazing family, I felt like I’d come home.

And I also want to say to my mum, I’m so glad that you were able to come down all the way from Derbyshire for today.

Literally, none of this would have been possible without you.

(murmuring, chuckling) But one thing you need to know about the Trehernes… …is that in this family, the women have a powerful voice.

(guests laughing) Which is why I’m passing the mic to my all-powerful wife, Cecily.

(applauding and laughing) I met the man who was to become my husband… (guests laugh) …on August 16, which also happens to be his birthday.

(breath trembling) …and I was trying to buy a flat in London.

(breath trembling) Well, I didn’t like the flat.

But I definitely took a fancy to the estate agent.

(guests laughing) (breath trembling) I knew from the day we met that we were 100% compatible.

And every day that Aiden’s been here, helping run the hotel with me and Lisa, I’ve had it proved over and over again.

(breath trembling) And I just want to say, I’m so proud of my mum and dad, who bought Branlow Hall all those years ago and together turned it into the most successful hotel in Suffolk.

Natasha?

I want to promise you that I… (breath trembling) (speaking Russian) (speaking Russian) (guests gasp, murmur) (crying, speaking Russian) He’s dead!

He’s dead!

He’s dead!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (bird calling) (insects buzzing) (sheep bleating, bells clanking) Kalimera.

Yassou.

♪ ♪ MAN: A cockroach.

A cockroach.

Yes, we look forward to seeing you– bye-bye.

In the bedroom.

(receiver replaced) Is that a big deal?

Well, I think so.

ANDREAS: Well, this is Greece.

It’s a hot climate.

It has nothing to do with the cleanliness of the hotel.

Is that what you want to read on Tripadvisor?

An infestation in the room?

And zero sympathy or understanding from the staff?

What is it exactly that you want?

A reduction in the bill.

50 percent.

(chuckles) (birds chirping) ♪ ♪ (car horn beeps) ♪ ♪ Yassas, kalimera.

Yassas.

ANDREAS (speaking Greek): YIORGOS: ANDREAS: YIORGOS: ANDREAS: YIORGOS (raising voice): ANDREAS (raising voice): YIORGOS: (water spraying, both shouting in Greek) (sparks erupt, all yelp) (exclaiming in Greek) ANDREAS: VANGELIS: Okay, okay.

ANDREAS (speaking Greek): (speaking Greek) (Andreas speaking Greek) ANDREAS: VANGELIS: (speaking Greek) VANGELIS: (speaking Greek) VANGELIS: Um… (water streaming) (sighing, muttering): Oh, for God’s sake.

(murmuring) (both speaking Greek) (speaking Greek) What did he say?

He’s coming.

Yeah, when?

Well, he didn’t exactly say when.

Andreas, we have no electricity.

We have plenty of water, but it’s all over the kitchen.

What are we gonna do?

We’ll manage.

We have 14 guests at the hotel.

How are we gonna cook lunch?

We’ll make salad.

(sighs) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Atticus Pünd.

♪ ♪ (computer keys clacking) (crickets chirping) Are you coming to bed?

What?

It’s not working, Andreas.

The hotel.

Crete.

Everything.

You’re just tired.

Yes, I’m tired.

I’m tired– I’m tired of all of it.

Come to bed.

It’ll all seem better in the morning.

We have no money.

Getting a new water tank is one thing, but the whole structure of the roof is damaged, and that means rebuilding half the kitchen.

How are we gonna manage that?

Look at that view.

(groans) This is the most beautiful place in the world, and you want to talk about plumbing.

All right, maybe you’d prefer to talk about your cousin Yannis.

Yannis.

Yes, he’s supposed to be your partner, our main investor.

We never see him– he never comes anywhere near.

We’re better without him.

Can he cook?

Why do you ask that?

Because you may have not noticed, but we just lost our chef.

Yiorgos has walked because he wasn’t paid.

We’ll find another chef.

Oh… Andreas… Get in.

I can’t think straight.

♪ ♪ I thought I saw someone that I knew today.

Who was it?

Not sure.

Get some sleep.

You’ll feel better in the morning.

♪ ♪ (talking in background) (brakes squeak) (car doors close) Thank you.

(speaking Greek) Keep the change.

♪ ♪ Oh, good morning.

Welcome to the Trifilli.

Um, I’m afraid the kitchen’s closed at the moment, but we will be serving salads and snacks on the terrace.

Actually, we’re, we’re not here for lunch.

We’re staying at the Blue Palace in Elounda.

Oh, that’s very nice.

Are you Susan Ryeland, by any chance?

Yes, that’s me.

We were wondering if we could talk to you about a personal matter– my name’s Lawrence Treherne.

This is my wife, Pauline.

I’m sorry, what’s this about?

It’s about our daughter.

Do I know her?

No, no, you’ve never met– I…

It’s not easy to explain.

She’s gone missing.

In Crete?

LAWRENCE: In England.

And we’ve traveled all this way out to speak to you, Susan, because we think it may be because of one of your books.

♪ ♪ SUSAN: What is it exactly that you want me to do, Mr. Treherne?

Lawrence, please.

I am afraid it’s a long story– I have to go back eight years.

(exhales): Lawrence, I, I’d like to help you, but this is not a good time.

The kitchen’s just flooded and there’s a lot of things that I really should be doing.

I completely understand.

We’ve run a hotel all our lives.

Rather larger one than this.

LAWRENCE: I’ll try to be as succinct as possible, Susan, but we honestly believe you’re the only person that can help us.

We have nowhere else to go.

All right.

Tell me.

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

Frank Parris– yes, yes, I did read about that.

At our hotel?

Branlow Hall?

In Suffolk?

That’s right, yes.

LAWRENCE: It was where our daughter got married in June eight years ago.

♪ ♪ We stayed open for the whole weekend, and on the Friday evening, Frank Parris checked in.

(people talking in background) Hello, sir.

FRANK: Good afternoon.

Checking in?

Yes, please.

Parris– P, A, double R, I, S. LAWRENCE: As it happened, I saw him arrive, and I knew at once he was going to be trouble.

And I was proved right a very short time later.

Can I help you?

I very much hope so.

I’m afraid I don’t much care for my room.

I’m sorry.

May I ask what’s wrong with it?

It’s small, it looks out over the car park.

You call yourself a country hotel, so a glimpse of the countryside might be nice.

(chuckles) He’s in number 23, Mr. Treherne.

I did say we were full.

LAWRENCE: Thanks, Derek.

Yeah, I’m afraid that’s true– we have a wedding this weekend.

It’s actually my daughter who’s getting married tomorrow.

Congratulations– but I have to say, if I’d wanted to stay in a shoebox with a view of a car park, I’d have stayed in Ipswich.

Is there something wrong?

LAWRENCE: Yes.

This, uh, gentleman’s not happy with his room.

But I’ve just told him we’re full.

I’m afraid it is one of our busiest weekends.

AIDEN: Uh, let me, uh… Let me have a look.

We might have something in the Moonflower wing.

Yes, we could move you to room 12.

Isn’t it taken?

Yes.

But the guests haven’t arrived yet, a, a late check-in.

I’m sure they won’t mind.

Room 12 has a, uh, a half tester and a freestanding bath.

Sounds delightful– I’ll take it.

Here you go.

(card keys rearranging) Derek will show you up, Mr. Parris.

You know my name?

I, uh, saw it on the computer.

Are you busy?

No.

Then why don’t you show me up?

Whatever you say.

And who’s he?

AIDEN: That’s Chase.

He’s my wife’s– well, my, uh, my wife-to-be’s.

(chuckles): Nice dog.

AIDEN: Please.

♪ ♪ LAWRENCE: That was Aiden’s talent– people liked him.

He always dealt with the tricky customers.

SUSAN (chuckling): We could do with him here.

So, he was the one marrying your daughter.

LAWRENCE: Yes.

You mentioned a Moonflower wing.

Yes, the hotel has two wings.

Um, we thought it would feel more homely if we gave them names.

We call the other one Barn Owl.

That was Cecily’s idea.

Why Barn Owl?

It’s an anagram.

Oh, yes!

Of, of course, um, of Branlow.

Oh, you like anagrams?

Uh, not really.

No, I, I don’t like them at all.

So, what was Frank Parris doing in Suffolk?

Well, he’d come from Australia.

He was visiting his sister.

She lived just a few miles away, in Westleton.

So what happened?

There was a staff party at 8:00 the night before the wedding.

Hi.

LAWRENCE: Everyone would be working the next day, and Cecily wanted them to be part of the celebrations.

Hello, you– thank you.

LAWRENCE: Stefan Leonida was there.

He was responsible for general maintenance.

He’d been at the hotel for about eight months.

Before that, he’d been in prison.

My husband was running an outreach program for young offenders.

LAWRENCE: Sadly, it didn’t work out with Stefan.

We had a series of petty thefts, and it turned out he was responsible.

LAWRENCE: So our daughter Lisa gave him his notice, and this was his last week.

(people talking and laughing in background) Are you drunk?

Hm?

No.

(clears throat) I’m just tired.

(laughs): You look hammered to me, mate.

I don’t blame you, drowning your sorrows.

Don’t worry about it, you’ll be fine.

You’ll get another job.

(music playing in background) LAWRENCE: Frank Parris was murdered in his room just two hours later, and it was Stefan Leonida who became the main suspect.

(exhales) ♪ ♪ LAWRENCE: The body was discovered the next day.

There was a maid, she was a Russian girl, Natasha.

But she didn’t get to the room until midafternoon.

(knocks): Housekeeping.

LAWRENCE: That was about the same time that Aiden began his speech.

I’m the luckiest man in the world.

(beeps, lock clicks) Sorry.

Sir?

Sir?

Sir?

(gasping) (sirens blaring) LAWRENCE: So, we called the police and they arrived about 20 minutes later.

SUSAN: Out of interest, who was in charge?

LAWRENCE: His name was Detective Superintendent Locke.

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

(people talking in background) LOCKE: Frank Parris arrives from Australia and checks into your hotel.

Nobody knows him, and yet sometime after midnight, someone enters his room and murders him in a particularly violent way.

Who would do such a thing?

On this day of all days?

I’m so sorry.

I am so, so sorry.

So, here’s my first question.

The lock to room 12 wasn’t forced.

Who had a spare key?

PAULINE: We all did.

Cecily, me.

Derek Endicott was on reception.

He has a master key in case of emergencies.

LISA: And Stefan.

Stefan Leonida.

Maintenance– he still had his key.

Let’s not jump to conclusions, Lisa.

Well, he had a prison record.

And he’d been fired just a few days before.

So, I imagine the detective superintendent might be interested in talking to him.

A criminal record?

Burglary and theft.

Where is he?

I was asleep– I didn’t go anywhere near room 12.

LOCKE: Well, Derek Endicott, the night manager, says otherwise.

He says he saw you in the Moonflower wing just before midnight.

He’s wrong.

I understand you’ve been in trouble before.

I was young, I made mistakes.

So why did Ms. Treherne fire you?

She accused me of theft, but I took nothing.

She’s lying.

Well, maybe Derek Endicott’s lying, too.

Derek is a friend, he’s a good man.

Well, he saw you go into room 12, and it’s interesting.

Mr. Parris’s wallet was empty and there were bloodstains inside the fold of the leather.

Which suggests to me it was opened after he was killed.

There’s the motive.

♪ ♪ Why don’t you admit the truth, Stefan, hm?

I didn’t kill him.

All right.

Let’s take a look in your room.

Get nosebleeds, do you?

Sir.

♪ ♪ (people talking in background) LAWRENCE: It was an open and shut case.

Stefan was arrested, taken into custody.

Six months later, he was found guilty of murder.

But by then, he’d confessed, so, there was no doubt in the matter.

PAULINE: He was given a life sentence.

He’s still behind bars.

SUSAN: And that was the end of it?

Yeah, we thought so, yes.

Uh, forgive me, Lawrence.

I mean, it’s a, it’s a dreadful story and I feel sorry for all of you.

But you began by saying that your daughter had disappeared.

LAWRENCE: Yes.

And that you thought it was connected to one of my books.

Yes.

Which one?

PAULINE: This one.

“Atticus Pünd Takes The Case.”

Ah.

Alan Conway came to your hotel.

Yes, he did.

And it’s clear that he used the real events that have taken place as some sort of inspiration.

PAULINE: We’re all in the book.

Lawrence and I, for example.

He calls us Lance and Maureen and he turns us into crooks.

We’re running a hotel that’s called the Moonflower.

Frank Parris, the man who was killed, becomes Oscar Berlin.

LAWRENCE: Parris, Berlin.

Our daughter Lisa becomes an actress, Melissa.

Yeah, and then there’s Aiden.

He turns up as some sort of idiot swindler, Algernon Marsh.

What about Cecily?

She’s not in it.

But she read it.

And then she disappeared?

Yes.

We all believed that the murder was far behind us.

Stefan Leonida’s been in prison for seven years, and as far as the police are concerned, it’s case closed.

PAULINE: And he had confessed.

Mm.

LAWRENCE: Cecily always liked Stefan.

She really wanted to believe that he was innocent, but even she’d accepted all the evidence against him.

Until she read the book.

Exactly.

LAWRENCE: The day after she finished it, she rang me.

(cell phone ringing) Hey, Cecily.

Dad, we’ve made a terrible mistake.

What are you talking about, darling?

CECILY (over phone): Stefan Leonida.

I was right all along.

He wasn’t guilty– he wasn’t the killer.

Cecily– Cecily, slow down.

You know that book I bought, Atticus Pünd, it’s got the answer.

What?

The real killer is named in the book.

Cecily, you’re not making any sense.

Just read it, Dad.

It’s all in there!

But if it wasn’t Stefan, who was it?

♪ ♪ LAWRENCE (voiceover): She didn’t say– someone came into her room and she ended the call.

And the next day, she vanished.

VANGELIS: Susan!

Susan!

(speaking Greek) (speaking Greek hesitantly) Have you reported her as missing?

Police are looking for her now.

What do you think’s happened to her?

PAULINE: We think she’s frightened– she’s hiding.

They’re searching the woods.

We know she’s still alive, there have been sightings.

Her face was in the newspapers, and there was someone who was sure they’d seen her in Norfolk.

What is it exactly that you want me to do?

I want you to come to the hotel.

I want you to read the book.

You worked on it– you must know what’s in it.

LAWRENCE: If you can see what she saw, maybe you can help us find her.

VANGELIS: Susan!

Susan!

Oh, my God!

What now?

(Vangelis coughing, pans clattering) Oh, God– no, I’m sorry, I, I’ve got to go.

I will think about what you said.

You’re at the Blue Palace, right?

Yeah, Susan, we’ll pay you £10,000 if you help us find her.

Just a week– that’s all we ask.

One week of your time.

VANGELIS: Susan!

I, I’ll call you.

VANGELIS: Susan!

SUSAN: Yes!

What have you done?!

It wasn’t me!

Oh, no!

SUSAN: Oh, Andreas!

What happened?!

I turned the grill off after the flood.

Yeah, and then what?

And someone turned it back on again!

(groans) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (clicking teeth) (sighs) (tapping) ALAN: Chapter one.

Atticus Pünd was the greatest detective in the world.

But his next case was going to be his greatest challenge.

No, no– too trite, too obvious.

(ashtray clanking) Yes.

(blows) ALAN: Tawleigh was a picturesque village in the county of Devonshire, known for its lush countryside and cream teas.

In the summer of 1954, its most famous resident was, without doubt, Melissa James, the British actress who had climbed to the very peak of the Hollywood heights, until an accident on the set of a Hitchcock film had brought a sudden end to her career.

♪ ♪ She had used the insurance money to purchase a small hotel one mile from the village.

She renamed it the Moonflower, which was also the title of the film for which she had been nominated for her first Academy Award and which had given her the fame which, due to the accident, she had left behind.

(car door closes) Have a lovely stay with us.

Thank you.

Miss James!

We weren’t expecting you today.

Do I have to phone every time I come in, Mrs. Gardner?

That’s not what I meant.

Is Mr. Gardner available?

He’s in his office– I’ll, I’ll let him know you’re here.

No.

Why don’t we surprise him?

RACE ANNOUNCER (on radio): And they’re off!

It’s a pretty good start… (exhales) (door opens) (radio continues) Miss James.

(radio switches off) Mr. Gardner.

I hope I’m not interrupting anything.

Well, it’s all part of the job, Miss James.

You gotta keep up with the news.

The racing news?

Please, take a seat.

LANCE: We were just talking about you, as it happens.

Uh, we were going through the mail and this came for you.

MAUREEN: We knew who it was from.

It was soaked in lavender– I don’t know what they’re thinking of.

(chuckles): Listen to this.

(clears throat): “How can you do it, dear Miss James?

“The screen is diminished without you.

A light has gone out of our lives.”

Oh, that’s so lovely!

It is.

But it’s not why I’m here.

I’ve been looking at the accounts up until February.

Ah, the winter months always gonna be a bit slow when you’re near the seaside.

That may well be the case, but even when the hotel is full, we are still losing money hand over fist.

Well, I don’t know what more we can do, Miss James.

We run a tight ship here.

Maybe we could put up the price of the rooms.

The rooms are already the most expensive in Devonshire– no.

I’ve asked my financial adviser to do a complete audit.

An, an audit?

When?

He’s already on his way down from London.

I’m meeting him later on today.

(“The Marriage of Figaro” overture playing) ♪ ♪ (tires skidding) (Henry grunts, music stops) (tires skid) (engine idling) ♪ ♪ (engine idling) (gears shift) (people talking in background) Will you be staying for supper, Miss James?

No, thank you, I’m going home.

(knocking) (sighs) Melissa.

Oscar.

You didn’t tell me you were coming.

If I had told you, would you still be here?

Well, there’s no need to be like that.

Six weeks and I hear nothing from you.

You make no reply to my letters, to my phone calls.

Why don’t we talk in the bar?

Hm?

I’m afraid I can’t offer you a drink.

These stupid licensing laws.

I do not want a drink, Melissa.

I want an answer.

(match strikes) It is the work of almost three years, Melissa.

OSCAR: I have the script, the director, the contract– I have the costumes.

One thing I do not have, your signature.

Why will you not sign the contract when production begins two months from now?

I’ve decided not to do it.

What?

Well, I’m sorry, Oscar, I’ve changed my mind.

What are you saying?

We are friends, Melissa.

We have an agreement.

(exhales) And everything I’ve done, the finance I have raised, without you, I have nothing!

We’re not friends, Oscar.

This is a business arrangement, and I’m sorry.

I should never have let you talk me into it.

But if you back out now, do you have any idea?

You will ruin me.

Oh, don’t be ridiculous.

There are plenty of other actresses.

It’s a good script.

It’ll be a great film.

I’m sorry to disappoint you.

You’ll just have to find somebody else.

♪ ♪ ANDREAS: What are you doing?

I was looking for you.

Why?

What’s happened?

The plumber’s here.

Can’t you deal with him, Andreas?

You know, I don’t know the Greek for “floods” and “exploding water tanks” and “going very rapidly mad.”

He speaks English.

Can you give me five minutes, please?

Yeah, sure.

(sighs) ALAN: Melissa’s journey took her past the local church of St. Daniel’s.

This was close to the home of Dr. Leonard Collins, her personal physician.

As things turned out, he would be one of the last people to see her alive.

♪ ♪ But right then, Dr. Collins was not interested in his celebrity patient.

Even as her life seemed to be collapsing around her, his had just taken a significant turn for the better.

♪ ♪ SAMANTHA: How much?

£980,000.

But that, that’s impossible.

You were her niece– she had no other relatives.

What about Algie?

Well, no other relatives she cared for.

You are the sole beneficiary.

Well, he won’t be pleased.

Does he need to find out?

Well, he’s my brother, I’ve got to tell him.

Samantha…

He will spend every waking minute trying to wheedle the money out of you.

And you are too soft-hearted, my dear– he’ll succeed.

Oh, but he’s coming here.

He’s on his way down from London.

Why?

He’s seeing Melissa.

You know, he advises her on her investments.

Don’t tell me.

He’s draining more money from her wallet?

Is he staying here?

You, you don’t mind, do you?

No, of course not.

Just don’t trust him, Samantha.

(softly): Don’t say a word.

♪ ♪ ALAN: And what of Melissa?

She was not in a good mood as she returned to her home at Clarence Keep.

And the sight of her husband’s car in the driveway only made things worse.

Good evening, Miss James.

Hello, Phyllis.

Mr. Spencer is waiting for you in the drawing room.

I’ve left you a light supper for after the opera.

It’s just some cold ham and salad.

You going out tonight?

Well, yes, Miss James, it’s Wednesday.

My evening off.

Oh.

I’m visiting my sister in Bideford.

Is Eric going with you?

Well, he’s driving me.

You did say we could take the car.

Yes, of course I did.

Well, have a nice time.

Haven’t you done that yet?

I’m doing it now.

You should’ve finished an hour ago.

Come on, we’re going out.

Was that her?

Well, who’d you think it was?

Marilyn Monroe?

Did she, did she say anything?

(quickly): No.

But… She knows?

I don’t know– why don’t you ask her?

I can’t do that.

Well, you’ll soon find out if she does.

And what do you think is gonna happen then?

It’s what you deserve.

(slow classical piece playing) I was waiting for you.

Sorry, I got held up.

Did you see the Gardners?

Yes.

So, what did you say?

I don’t want to talk about it.

Well, aren’t you gonna change?

Actually, John, I’m not going to join you.

I’ve got Algernon coming to the house.

What?

Well, when?

He’s on his way now.

Well, why?

I need to talk to him.

But we bought the tickets weeks ago!

Sorry.

(lighter clicks) Well, I’ll– well, I’ll stay.

(exhales) I don’t want to go without you.

I don’t need you, John.

I need Algernon– we’re talking about money?

Something you just take for granted which I’ve always worked for.

I don’t even want to go.

I don’t even like the bloody opera.

Yeah, but that’s not true.

It’s “The Marriage of Figaro”– you loved it when we saw it at Glyndebourne.

I was bored stiff when we saw it at Glyndebourne, and I don’t want to see it tonight!

(sighs) You don’t get it, do you?

You and I are from different worlds.

You and your posh friends.

(groans): A night at the opera with Mummy and Daddy and Lord and Lady So-and-so.

Black tie and political chit-chat at the interval.

It’s just not me.

I’m not interested.

I think you’re forgetting something, Melissa.

My parents cut me off when I married you.

Oh, I wasn’t good enough for them.

I didn’t care– I gave up everything for you!

As you’ve told me a thousand times!

Look, I don’t want to have this argument now.

Just go.

(music continues) Don’t do this to me, Melissa.

(music continues) And you can sleep in the spare room when you get back.

Try not to wake me.

(“Marriage of Figaro” playing) ♪ Non più andrai, farfallone amoroso ♪ ♪ Notte e giorno d’intorno girando ♪ (engine starts) ♪ Delle belle turbando il riposo ♪ ♪ Narcisetto, Adoncino d’amor ♪ (gears shift) ♪ Delle belle turbando il riposo ♪ ♪ Narciset… ♪ ♪ ♪ (doorbell rings) (doorbell rings) Oh!

Hello.

Melissa’s expecting me.

Miss James is upstairs, sir.

Would you like to go into the living room?

Sure.

I don’t suppose you could rustle up a whisky and ginger, could you?

(“Marriage of Figaro” playing) ♪ Si potrebbe ♪ ♪ Si potrebbe con l’astuzia, coll’arguzia ♪ ♪ Col giudizio, col criterio ♪ ♪ Si potrebbe, si potrebbe, si potrebbe, si potrebbe ♪ (brake engages) (breathing deeply) ♪ Il fatto è serio, il fatto è serio ♪ ♪ Il fatto è serio ♪ Uh, Mr. Marsh is waiting for you in the living room, Miss James.

Thank you, Phyllis.

I’d like to have a word with you and Eric before you leave.

If you don’t mind.

(softly): Okay.

(footsteps approaching) Melissa, darling!

Please, will you sit down, Algernon?

What’s the matter?

You, uh, you look a bit rough, ha!

I’ve been having a terrible day, if you want the truth.

Oh, well, that makes two of us.

I had a rotten journey down.

Well, so, if you’re not in the mood for a drink, what can I do for you?

I want to sell my shares in Day’s End Holdings.

(chuckling): What?

What do you mean?

I, I thought you wanted to talk about the hotel.

I do want to talk about that– I want to talk about everything!

I need money– this house, the hotel, my marriage.

I feel I’m being sucked dry.

That is why I recommended Day’s End, it’ll make you rich.

Well, so far, it hasn’t made me a penny.

When have I ever given you bad advice?

No, please don’t argue with me, Algernon.

I’ve come to the end of the road.

There’s no money in the bank.

I need to cash in my shares now.

♪ ♪ (quietly): Yes.

♪ ♪ The shares aren’t worth anything, of course, because Algernon’s ripping her off.

And Algernon is based on Aiden.

So what’s that meant to tell me?

(sighs) I’m not gonna find the answer written in a book eight years ago, am I?

And how am I supposed to know what’s happened to Cecily Treherne?

It’s got nothing to do with me!

Is that true?

Hm?

(people talking in background) All right.

Alan may have mentioned something.

He showed me a picture of Frank Parris in a newspaper, a murder on a wedding day, and maybe, maybe I did say that it would make a good story.

But I didn’t tell him to write it!

Murder is the worst of all crimes.

Not only because of the lives it destroys.

But there are also the reverberations.

Ah?

It’s like a stone dropped into the sea.

The ripples, and all the way to the shore.

(laughing) Hm?

Did you put that in your book?

Oh… “The Landscape of Criminal Investigation”?

(chuckles): Well, of course.

(chuckles) But I’m not a detective.

I can go to the hotel, but I can’t investigate.

I wouldn’t know where to begin.

Do you believe that Cecily Treherne is dead?

She’s been missing for five days.

Then that is where you must start.

(sighs) (inhales) She sees something in the book that tells her who killed Frank Parris.

She calls her parents, and someone overhears the conversation.

And that person kills her.

Perhaps.

Yes, but the, the book is set in a boutique hotel in Devonshire.

It’s about a famous actress who gets strangled.

It’s got nothing to do with what happened at Branlow Hall.

So, what was it that Cecily saw?

I don’t know.

I have no idea.

I should leave this alone.

But you won’t.

I can’t.

Not if it’s my fault.

♪ ♪ (people talking in background) MAN: Waiter!

Waiter!

VANGELIS: Two seconds, coming!

♪ ♪ What can I get you, madam?

I’ll have a glass of wine, please, barman.

Coming right up.

(chuckles) (music playing in background) Andreas, I’m going back to England.

When?

Soon.

Tomorrow.

For how long?

I don’t know.

I’ve been offered a job.

In publishing?

No.

Has it got something to do with Alan Conway?

I saw you reading the book.

Yes, it has.

You know that everything to do with that man is bad, eh?

Last time, you were almost killed.

I’ve been offered £10,000.

To find a missing chapter?

No, not this time– to find a missing person.

Cecily Treherne.

We need the money, Andreas.

Without it, we’re finished.

So, you’ll come back when you find her.

I don’t know.

I still love you, but this world is not for me.

Changing beds, chasing plumbers.

It, it’s not making us happy.

I’m happy.

We argue all the time.

We don’t have any fun, not like we used to.

I never said it would be easy.

Well, you never said it was gonna be miserable, either.

I miss books.

I miss being an editor, my old life.

Your old life burned down, Susan.

Well, I want to build another one.

But I’m not sure I want it to be here.

You must do what you have to do.

Let’s not make any decisions.

Let’s just take one day at a time.

But you’re still leaving?

Yeah, I have to do this.

Don’t be angry with me.

Think of the money.

Can you get an advance?

(both laugh) Yammas.

Yammas.

♪ ♪ (exhales) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (people talking in background) ALAN: Melissa James had made a great many enemies in the village of Tawleigh.

There were the hotel managers, Lance and Maureen, in fear of her.

The film producer, Oscar Berlin, whose life had been ruined by her.

What was Algernon Marsh, her financial adviser, hiding from her?

And what would her husband, John Spencer, do after she had rejected him?

(engine starts) ♪ ♪ Fear and hatred lead to an inevitable conclusion.

♪ ♪ (click) ♪ ♪ SUSAN: I’m trying to find Cecily before it’s too late.

What do you think’s happened to your sister?

The answer’s in the book.

I think he wants you to investigate.

So who do you think may have been responsible?

You can’t blame yourself.

But I do.

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