LAMP BUZZING
DOG BARKS
POLICEMAN: You mentioned a man.How would you describe him?
Rita O'Keeffe, Sir.
53, unemployed,lives with her nephew, Garry Ashe.
POLICEMAN, OUTSIDE: Harry,go upstairs and have another look.
He found her when he got backfrom a night out at 1:15.
Nephew says she drinks.
Often brings men back here.
For money? Sometimes.Well, that's what he implied.
Pathologist's on his way.
There's at least six stab wounds,maybe more.
Nothing on the hands.No sign of a struggle.
Terrific (!)
Sir, er,a neighbour, Dorothy Scully,
said she saw the nephew leavingjust after midnight.
He said he got back at 1:15.
Well, she saysshe definitely saw him,
and he was carryinga blue plastic bag.
And we just turned up this.
Mr Ashe?
I'm Chief Inspector Dalgliesh.
I'm leading the investigationinto your aunt's death.
I'm sorry for your loss.
Thank you. Remind mewhat time you arrived home tonight.
It's in my statement.
Which you took.
Is it possibleyou could have arrived home
earlier than you suggested?
"I was out riding my motorbikeuntil 1:15."
Anyone see you?
I wear a helmet.
And I don't stopto take people's names as I pass.
I need you to come to Scotland Yardwith me, Mr Ashe.
Not convenient. Tomorrow.
Garry Ashe, I'm arresting you
on suspicion ofthe murder of Rita O'Keeffe.
Oh, you don't wanna do this.
You do not have to say anythingunless you wish to do so,
but whatever you do saymay be taken down in evidence.
Disappointing scent, DS Miskin.What's the word?
HE SNIFFSVulgar.
CHATTER
'We've already heardfrom the landlord of the Royal Oak
'that Mrs O'Keeffewas one of his regulars.
'She'd been in the pub...drinking heavily,
'until 11 o'clockon the night in question.'
Let's turn to the murder weapon.
Can you remind the courtwhere it was found?
It was found in a blue plastic bag.
Hidden underneath a privet hedgeeight doors down from...
Were prints found on the knife?
No. It had been wiped clean.
So you're asking us to believethat Mr Ashe...
brutally murdered his beloved aunt,
who provided a roof over his headafter a lifetime in care,
and that he wiped the knife clean
and decided to dispose of itnot somewhere else -
somewhere in the vast realmsof the metropolis...
..but in a neighbour's hedge,eight doors down?
Perhaps he wasn't thinking clearly.
Or perhaps it was just...
arrogance.
Dorothy, I knowyou are an honest woman,
and I know you're going to tellthe truth in court.
Yes, I am.
And I think you understandthat the case for the prosecution
rests almost entirely, it appears,on your identification
of the man you sawcoming out of Mrs O'Keeffe's house
at midnight the night she died.
It was him! Her nephew.
MURMURS FROM GALLERY
You're looking very smart today,Dorothy.
Is that a new jacket?
Bought it for the court.
RIPPLE OF LAUGHTER
And your glasseslook very smart too.
They're also new.Yes.
In fact,I paid a visit to your optician.
He tells me he had need to increaseyour prescription three weeks ago.
He was also able to supply me
with a pair of glassesmade to your prescription
you were using on the nightMrs O'Keeffe was murdered.
Quickly, please.
Mr Ulrick,my highly efficient pupil...
LAUGHTER..will hand them to you.
Can you put them on, please?
Are you approximatelythe same distance from Mr Ulrick
as you were fromthe man you saw leaving
Mrs O'Keeffe's house that night?
I would say so, yes.
Can you tell mehow many fingers he is holding up?
Um...
Two?
GASPS AND MURMURSFROM GALLERY
Do you find the defendant,Garry Ashe,
guilty or not guilty of murder?
Not guilty.
CHATTER FROM GALLERY
Pleasure. Well done.
Look after yourself.Venetia?
JUDGE BANGS GAVEL
GUNSHOTS
CASINGS CLATTER
BUZZER
Not bad. Well, it's only my secondsession, so yes, it wasn't.
Daniel Tarrant.
Kate Miskin.Yes, I know.
You were with Dalglieshon the Garry Ashe case.
That must have been gutting.It was.
Knowing a dangerous man's been freedto walk the streets.
Quite something, I hear,that barrister.
Apparently, she runs ringsaround everyone.
SHE SCOFFS
BUZZER
Maybe see you around.
What are you talking about?You can't stop us. I'm 18.
No... No, no.
Aren't you supposed tocongratulate me?
Look at me, Octavia.
He's making a fool of you.
He wants you for your money.Right.
Yeah, that's what he said you'd say.
You're not to see him any more.
But he loves me.
He doesn't love anyone!
Just because YOU don't love me,
it doesn't meanno-one else ever will.
Just becauseno-one's ever loved you.
OCTAVIA GASPS
Sorry.
I'm sorry.
Mr Ulrick.
Have you donethe prep for Colchester yet?
Not quite, but I'm nearly therewith it. Well, get there.
I want it on my deskbefore you leave.
The partners' meeting,Miss Aldridge.
They've just started.
Have they now?PHONE RINGS
MAN LAUGHING
Gentlemen. What have I missed?
Apologies, Miss Aldridge.We weren't sure you'd be attending.
I can't think why. I've never misseda single partners' meeting.
You are 20 minutes late.
Well, some of us havecases to argue, Hubert.
We can't all stand around,looking out of the window,
trying to rememberwhat day of the week it is.
Um, we were just discussingValerie Caldwell.
We're all agreedthat we should make her contract...
I think she should go.
She's just about competent,but she's inexperienced.
And no other respectable chambershas a...
a dolly bird for a clerk.Ye gods!
Miss Caldwell is proving herself
a very efficient and organisedclerk.
You want to get your handup her skirt.
It's what everyone's whispering.It's embarrassing.
You're making a fool of us.
Madam, madam. Too far.
We should appoint people on merit,
not because of their sexor how they look
or who they're related to.
Oh, which is aimed at me, I assume?
Well, Mr Ulrick, your son'shardly shaping up well, is he?
When I become Head of Chambers,
I will systematically deconstructthe old boys' club.
Have you seta date for your retirement yet?
Or is that something elseyou were discussing behind my back?
You said you weren't interested inHead of Chambers. Changed my mind.
Everyone elsewill have to wait their turn.
The only... The only thingembarrassing this chambers is you.
Really? Why would that be?
With the casesyou choose to take on.
You mean the unwinnable ones...IRA terrorists, paedophiles.
..which I then proceed to win.
Everyone deserveslegal representation. Garry Ashe.
We're still suffering the falloutfrom that. What's next? Beelzebub?
Perhaps we could...Can I speak to you outside, please?
Drysdale, now, please.
IN HALLWAY: Because I'm asking youto. I've done enough for you.
Venetia, all I'm saying...Just bloody do it!
BELL TOLLS
PHONE RINGS
Venetia speaking.
WOMAN:'What do I do, Miss Aldridge?She's with him now.
'He won't leave.'
PHONE RINGS
Good morning,Pawlett Court Chambers.
'Hello, this is Mrs Buckley.Is Miss Aldridge there?'
I don't think so, Mrs Buckley.Miss Caldwell!
'You see,her bed hasn't been slept in...'
The florist at Hogham Stationhas lovely flowers.
As far as I'm aware, I'm first in.
I thought these might brighten upyour corner.
Thank you, Mr Langton,but you really shouldn't have.
'I'm worried.It is most unlike her...'
KNOCK AT DOORMiss Aldridge?
Miss Aldridge, I...BREATH TREMBLING
POLICEMAN: Step aside now.
..could be useful.Yes, ma'am.
DALGLIESH: DS Miskin,this is DS Daniel Tarrant.
He's joining the team.
Pleased to meet you.
Hi. It's her, sir. The barristerwho defended Garry Ashe.
The clerk, Valerie Caldwell,found the body
when she opened up this morning.
Miss Aldridge's housekeeper calledto say her bed hadn't been slept in.
Start taking names and addresses,please. Yes, Sir.
Not a sight we're likely to forget.
Designed to shock.
Well, the blood'scertainly been staged.
It's not hers.
Rigour, temperature, smell,
all say she's been deadbetween 12 and 14 hours.
So either the blood containedan anticoagulant,
or it was poured later.
This looks like our fatal wound,
a narrow slit about an inch long.
Dagger.Something sharp on both sides.
MISKIN, IN HALL:You can't go in there.
Stop that. I've got a right to knowwhat's happening.
Oh, my God.
Chief Inspector Dalgliesh.I'm from Scotland Yard.
Hubert St John Langton.I'm Head of Chambers.
This is Desmond Ulrick.
This is unspeakable.
My, er... My blood's missing.
What do you mean, Mr Ulrick?
My son has anaemia.He needs regular transfusions.
I had some takenthe day before yesterday.
It was in my fridge.
Matthew had a bad reactionto some foreign muck
he was given last year,so he only uses mine.
I have it takenfrom a clinic nearby.
Why store it here?
Because he's a pupil here.
It's easier for him to collect itand take it to Guy's Hospital.
When did you last see the blood?
Around 5:30 yesterday evening,I should say.
Is that when you left for the night?
No, I left at 7:15.I was the last to leave.
Except Venetia.
So you werethe last to see her alive?
Well, I don't know. Er...Probably not.
Mrs Carpenter, the cleaning lady,comes in later in the evening.
Where did you go after you left,Mr Ulrick?
I went straight to supperwith Matthew. He was...
Look, I-I'm going to say thisbecause...
you will hear it soon enough.
None of us liked her.
She wasn't a nice woman. But...Oh, God.
No, even she didn't deserve this.
You saw the wigwhich Miss Aldridge was wearing.
Is that one which belongs to her?
It looks more likea judge's wig than...
It's my grandfather's.
It should be in its wig boxin my room.
I must check to seeif Miss Caldwell is all right.
Mr Langton?
Did Miss Aldridge own a paper knife?
Well... I don't think so.
I-I don't know.
You presented her with one, Hubert.After 20 years of partnership.
Oh, yes.It was a miniature sword of justice.
Where's DS Tarrant transferred from?Vice.
You OK with it?Sure.
The Standard always has a pinkfinancial section, doesn't it?
Yes, I think so.
It's not here.
So, if the paper knife isour weapon, which is looking likely,
maybe the killer used the newspaperto wipe it or conceal it.
Venetia admits her killer.
The killer moves over to the desk.
Venetia stays by the door.
It's someoneshe's hoping to get rid of quickly.
The killer picks upthe paper knife...
..comes back over,stabs her through the heart...
..and is then... dragged...
..back over towards the chair.
And then the killer goes and getsthe blood and the wig.
Both of whichthey must have known about.
Except there's a time lapse.
Miles thinksthe blood was poured later.
E-Excuse me...What is it?
I need to speak toDetective Chief Inspector Dalgliesh
as soon as possible.
Not possible, I'm afraid,not possible.
I-I think that I, and I alone,
can unlock the identityof Venetia Aldridge's murderer.
Good for you. You can contactScotland Yard. Please!
My mother always said sweet tea'sbest for shock. Thank you.
How long have you been cleaninghere, Mrs Carpenter?
Er, about a year.
And what time did you begin workyesterday evening? Eight.
I like to be punctual. I...
..always hearthe clock on the Temple Church
as I unlock the door.
So the door to chamberswas definitely locked?
Oh, yes. Yes.
I cleaned reception firstand then the lawyers' rooms.
I did seeMiss Aldridge's light was on, but...
..I never disturb herwhen she's working.
Did you hearany noise coming from her room? No.
In Mr Ulrick's room...
..did you notice whetherthe blood in his fridge was missing?
Er, no, because he doesn't like meto clean his fridge.
He's very particular.KNOCK AT DOOR
Sir.
Looks like it's been wiped.
I didn't know it was in there.No-one ever goes in there.
It must have been very shockingfor you...
discovering Miss Aldridge's body.
When did you last see Miss Aldridge?
When she came out ofthe partners' meeting.
Yesterday afternoon. Around four.
She went straight to her rooms.I leave work at six.
I knew she was still here,and Mr Ulrick was still here.
The Evening Standard.Does chambers have it delivered?
PRAYING SOFTLYIN LATIN
Sorry.
I was told I'd find you here.
My sanctuary.
Beautiful.
These angels and saintsguard the law from corruption.
Was Venetia Aldridge corrupt?
Is that why her murderer mockedher profession in the way they did?
No.
She was honest.
Difficult, argumentative...
..but she believed in the lawas firmly as I do.
When you took herthe Evening Standard yesterday,
did it containthe pink financial pages?
I-I didn't take her a newspaper.
Your clerk saidit was a peace offering.
There'd been an argumentat the partners' meeting.
I didn't take her the paper.
When you left chambers yesterday,did you go straight home?
I was at home at the usual t...Yes.
What time would you have arrived?
Half past seven?
I'm suremy housekeeper could confirm that.
Why do you...Thank you.
What was the argument about?
At the partners' meeting.
Venetia and Drysdale Laud...
they both want to succeed meas Head of Chambers.
Venetia's next in line,
but Drysdale sees it asa stepping stone to becoming a QC.
So, how long have you workedwith the boss?
Nearly 18 months.
How long have you been on the force?
Six months. They're tryingthis new graduate fast-track idea.
I honestly can't believe it.Where was she found?
Behind her desk.
I'm told you argued with herat the meeting yesterday.
Well, no, we were all arguing.
It's par for the course.
Did you argue about who wouldsucceed as Head of Chambers? No.
And let me save youa lot of time and effort.
Rivalries over Head of Chambers,
argumentsover which cases to take on,
they happen in every chambers upand down the land, day in, day out.
And they do not constitutereasons to commit murder.
So, what was the argument about?
It was a private matter.
Oh, God...
Sh-She wanted me to speakto her daughter, Octavia.
I know the girl a little.
Venetia and I have been friendsfor a long time.
But yesterday...
Venetia told me thatOctavia's started seeing someone.
Saying she was engaged.
Venetia wanted me to intervene,to try to stop it.
Why? Did she not approve of the boy?
Daughter's called Octavia.
SHE RINGS BELLI'll lead.
No. She didn't.
Because it's Garry Ashe.
I think it would be betterif we spoke alone. Why?
Ashe is my fiance.
What is this, anyway?
We have some very bad news, Octavia.
I'm afraid your motherwas found dead this morning.
She's not dead.
I saw her yesterday. She was fine.
It wasn't a natural death.Murder?
I'm very, very sorry.
It happenedsometime yesterday evening.
We'll know moreafter the post-mortem.
We had nothing to do with it, OK?So don't start that.
I wasn't...You can't pin this on Ashe.
He was here.
Anna Buckley was here too,cooking us supper.
You can ask her.
The three of us were hereall evening and all night.
Mrs Buckley saysshe'll come up and sit with you.
I don't want her.
I don't need anyone. I've got Ashe.
Our boss will want to see you. Both.Inspector Dalgliesh.
Chief Inspector, yes.
We very much look forward to seeinghim... Kate.
You OK?It's him. I know it's him.
Housekeeper seems sure he didn'tleave here yesterday evening.
Maybe...he got someone to do it for him.
That's not his style.
He's a loner. Most psychopaths are.
Did you do this?
Ashe knows about birds.
We're doing it together.
I didn't knowyou were an ornithologist, Garry.
You don't know anything about me,Mr Dalgliesh.
Would you wait outside, please?I want to speak to Octavia alone.
He's told me all about you. And you.
About how you tried to stitch him upafter his auntie died.
We were doing our job.There was evidence.
Yeah, which you planted.
How did you meet?
At a club. We started dancing.He bought me a drink.
He didn't even know who I was.
Octavia... Your mother is dead.
And it wasn't a random killing.
It was almost certainlysomeone who knew her.
Are you absolutely certain
that Ashe didn't leave this flatyesterday evening,
even for a short time?
Certain.
So bad luck.
He has a solid alibi.It's too much of a coincidence.
The girl, yeah, she could easilybe covering for him.
Not the housekeeper, no way.
He could have founda way to sneak out of the house.
He may be a psychopath,but he's not supernatural.
We now know from Mrs Buckley
that she spoke to Venetiajust after half past seven
on the telephone. So...with Kynaston's confirmed estimate,
we now have a window for timeof death: 7:45 to nine o'clock.
How are we doing with other alibis?
Laud and his wife definitelypicked up their theatre tickets.
The box office managerremembers Laud.
Ulrick and his son...
I called the restaurant wherethey had a reservation for dinner.
They confirmed they were there,
but the reservationwasn't until eight o'clock, so...
Carpenter.
Ample opportunity.
No clear alibi. But no motive.
Which leaves us with Langton.Yes, now we're talking.
Langton's housekeeper sayshe wasn't home yesterday
till after nine o'clock.
An hour and a half after he claims.
But his memory seems poor.
He's certainly gotsomething troubling him.
I found him praying for forgiveness.
SHE SCOFFS
Look, I'm not ruling Ashe outaltogether,
but we can't make him a priority.
He has an alibi,and he has no access to chambers.
He could have talked his way in.
Can we at least put a tail on him?No, I can't justify it.
Kate?Hi.
I was a little dismissive earlier.I shouldn't have been. I apologise.
It's me. The cardinal sin,rushing to judgement.
I know this is gonna be difficultfor you. It's fine.
It was never gonna bejust the two of us forever.
I meant about Ashe.
I know you felt responsible
when we failed to get a conviction,but you weren't.
I was. I failed to properly testthe evidence.
Look, if you want to step backfrom this case...
I don't want you to,but I would completely understand.
I don't want to step back.
OK.
Night, Sir.
Night, Kate.
'What was Mr Langton's relationshipwith Miss Aldridge like?'
I don't thinkMr Langton's very well.
He can't remember things.
He gets scared. Angry.
I have to say,I think he actually hated Venetia.
I've heard him calling her all sortsof things - under his breath.
Was this because of the sortof cases she was bringing in?
Partly that.Partly that she's a woman.
And women are everywhere now.
Maybe even in Number 10 soon.
He's got a thing about me.
He findsany excuse he can to touch me.
Put his arm round my waist.
Accidentally brush against me.
He follows me sometimes.
Turns up where I am.
He comes and watches me singin the choir at Temple Church.
Stares at me like he's...
Have you spoken to him about it?No.
In a way, it's easy to deal with.
He's just an old manwho's going senile. But...
..there's a look in his eye like...
..it's not just harmless flirtation.
Look into Hubert Langton's past.Marriages, relationships.
Any complaints made against him,especially by women.
Sir. See ifthere's a pattern of behaviour.
..it's so important.Detective Chief Inspector!
May I have a word with you, please?Take him out, please.
Just... Look, just a moment, please.Sorry, sorry.
Who's that? Edgar Froggart.He was outside chambers yesterday,
claiming he hasthe key to Aldridge's murder.
I've spoken to him. All he's gotare a load of old scrapbooks.
I'll talk to him.
He's just a crankwho hangs around murder trials, Sir.
I was very close to Venetiawhen she was growing up,
VERY close indeed.
I was her mentor, in many ways.
The man who introduced herto the law.
Were you her teacher?
Strictly speaking, no.
I was a teacher at her father'spreparatory school for boys.
And ever since,I have followed her career closely,
attending many of her trials.
Recordingthe... brilliance of her arguments.
What has this to dowith her death, Mr Froggart?
I-I have a detailed chronicleof her professional life,
Detective Chief Inspector.
And it occurs to methat her murderer
may lurk within these pages.
A disappointed client,an ex-prisoner with a grievance.
This... is a loan
of my precious resource,Chief Inspector.
I know it will be of use. Good day.
'Janet Carpenter.'
She walked intoPawlett Court Chambers 18 months ago
and asked for a cleaning job.She was directed to the agency,
and they gave her a jobin a different chambers.
But she badgered them constantly
until she was transferredto Pawlett Court.
She moved to Londonfrom a village near Winchester
18 months agoand gave character references
from the local solicitorand the vicar's wife.
And she's been attendingall of Venetia's trials?
She knew aboutthe wig and the blood,
and she probably knewabout the paper knife,
and she was in chamberswhen Venetia died.
Shall we bring her in?
Not yet. We need more.
I want you to follow her.
I want you to see where she's going,who she's talking to.
We'll look into her past.
Margaret Jackson? Yes.Detective Sergeant Kate Miskin.
This is Detective Chief InspectorDalgliesh
from Scotland Yard.Oh. Right.
May we ask you some questionsabout Janet Carpenter?
We believe you provideda job reference for her?
Janet? I-Is she still alive?
RADIO CHATTER
'Janet had a daughter, Dawn.'
And Dawn's marriage broke down.
And she and Janet's granddaughtercame to live with her. Daisy.
She was a lovely little girl.
She sang in our choir.
She went out riding her bikeone afternoon and...
..didn't come back.
There was a police search.We all joined in.
She was found in the woods,about three miles away.
She'd been... assaulted.
And murdered.
This was Anthony Beale.
That's right. You remember.
Janet was remarkable, really.
She went to the trial, every day.
She saw him put away for life.
But... Dawn...
she couldn't go on.
She took her own life.
In the woods, where Daisy was found.
We lost Janet after that, really.
I tried to talk herout of going to London.
I knew she didn't know anyone there.
But...she said she wanted a new start.
RADIO:'Control to Sierra 15.'
Sierra 15 to Control, receiving.
'We need you to return to base.'
PHONE RINGS
Dalgliesh.TARRANT:'It wasn't Venetia.'
According to Beale's file,his defence was a guy called Curtis.
Local, based in Winchester.
Beale was a repeat offender,wasn't he?
Yes. Erm, Southampton, 1971.Summer, I think.
'Just a sec.'
It was a similar case.Young girl on a bike.
Here we are, Southampton,not guilty. He was represented by...
Venetia Aldridge. Shit.
She got him off,and he killed again.
OK, get over to Carpenter's now andbring her in. We'll be back by five.
'Yes, Sir.'
DOORBELL
HE RINGS BELL
Oh...