Hidden Depths

Series Eight, Episode Six

Hidden Depths

Airdate

13 March 2005

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Hidden Depths is the sixth episode of the eighth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and was originally aired on 13th March 2005.

Synopsis[]

DCI Barnaby and DS Scott investigate the death of a man who fell—or was pushed—off the roof of his house. He was a well-known local solicitor. His downstairs neighbour is also missing. The solution to the crime rests with locating a hidden wine cellar, uncovering a clever con and resolving a case of mis-identification.

Plot, Part 1[]

In the back yard of Sandford House, Steve Hope is staining a bench. His partner, Sarah, comes up behind him and squeezes his butt. Steve says, "Mmm, Yes! ..Oh, it's you." Sarah says, "Cheeky sod! Who else would it be?" Steve says, "I have my admirers." Sarah says, "In your dreams you do. Anyway, get a move on. I want to do that shopping on the way back." Steve asks, "How's it going inside?" Sarah, says, "Mr Turner hasn't got up yet. Mrs Turner's downstairs taking coffee with Mrs Wilmot. They're just rushed off their feet!"

Antonia Wilmot and Felicity Turner are having coffee in the Wilmot home. Felicity is worried about her husband, Nick Turner. He used to get up early to go to work and had enthusiasm. She wonders if Jack Wilmot has told Antonia anything. Antonia says Jack never confides in her about financial matters.

Nick Turner puts a flower in his lapel and goes upstairs. Sarah, who is cleaning, watches him go.

MURDER 1: Suddenly, Antonia and Felicity hear, No! No, for God's sake! Outside the window, Antonia sees a body drop. Felicity runs outside and cradles the body. Steve runs to the house. Police arrive. DS Scott arrives.

At the Barnaby home, Joyce Barnaby is painting the wall. Tom Barnaby is called away to a case. He gives her a kiss goodbye. Joyce says, "You will be able to manage the dinner-dance at Fallowfields on Friday night?" Barnaby says, "Nothing is certain, Joyce. But I see no problem."

Barnaby arrives. DS Dan Scott tells him, "The victim is Nicholas Turner. A local solicitor. Took a stroll off his roof. The gardener, Steve Hope, says he heard someone calling out for help just before it happened. He says he thinks it sounded like the victim."

Dr. George Bullard says, "Bit of a bad landing, this one. Initial impression as to cause of death: catastrophic head and spinal injuries." Antonia looks at the detectives through the window. Scott says, "That's the downstairs neighbour. She saw the body hit the deck. She was having coffee with the wife Felicity Turner." Felicity is upstairs with the cleaning lady. The detectives talk to Steve. He tells them that he heard Nick saying "No! For God's sake!" Scott notice a few scuff marks on the roof.

Felicity Turner, covered in blood, is tearful and says her husband wouldn't commit suicide. Sarah tells the detectives that she saw Nick come out of the apartment and go upstairs. He had been behaving a bit odd lately. She's seen him on the roof staring off into the distance.

Antonio tells the detectives that she had been talking to Felicity right before the accident. Her husband, Jack, works in the city and he may have given Nick some bad financial advice. She tells them that Jack will be home about 6:30.

At the Shires Bank, the detectives speak to Mr. Perkins. He tells him that Nicholas Turner died in suspicious circumstances. Mr. Perkins says he knew Nick quite well. They play on the same pub quiz team. Perkins says that Nick was an exemplary customer, but he had parents-in-law who suffered greatly with their health. Nicholas insister on giving them the best healthcare available and they lingered. The only remaining asset the parents had was a house in Causton. Nick had made an enemy of Otto Benham because Nick had taken a few highly valued clients off him. Otto was casting aspersions on Nicholas' professionalism.

Jeff Martin, Nick's business partner, tells the detectives that Nick was a good friend. They ask him to check into client accounts.

The detectives go back to Antonia's house. She says Jack is not back but he will be at Quiz Night at the Crown. He never misses it.

At the pub, Barnaby and Scott walk in and the pub owner, Viv Marshall, calls out a quiz question. Scott answers it. Viv says, "You want to keep your friend under control. He'll get lynched." Barnaby says, "That would be justifiable homicide!" Viv tells them that Jack hasn't been in and probably won't be in since his neighbor died. Viv tells them to ask his team mates- the Chateau Lafites. Scott says he recognizes one of the team members. Barnaby says "You know the face and the glasses. Local celebrity and former TV quiz show host, Mike Spicer." Scott replies, "Bloody hell, he was awful!" The fellow with Spicer is Otto Benham. Barnaby and Scott speak to Spicer and Otto.

Otto says, "I know he's let us down. A whole bloody round of football questions." Spicer says, "He's our sports expert. Or at least, he's supposed to be." Otto says, "Probably staying at home. Some misguided attempt at respect for the dead. His neighbour managed to fall off his roof and kill himself today." Barnaby says, "We're keeping an open mind as to whether or not Mr Turner fell off the roof all on his own." Spicer says, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are you treating Jack as a suspect, Inspector?" Barnaby says, "He's not at home. Wife doesn't know where he is. On another matter, we've been told that someone has been putting rumours about that Mr Turner was dipping into his clients' accounts." Otto says, "Nothing to do with me, guv! Never trust your money to a man who pays his bills late. Or drinks low-alcohol lager!"

Plot, Part 2[]

Barnaby goes to talk to Mr. Perkins and Scott goes to talk to the barmaid. Barnaby says, "Mr Perkins, we meet again, sir." George asks, "Do you think Otto had anything to do with what happened at Sandford House today? Otto Benham didn't get where he is by keeping to the rules. We had a minute's silence earlier, for Nick. They just carried on sipping their wine. Both of them. Arrogant so-and-so's. Everybody else comes down here for a laugh. Talk about competitive! That lot take the quiz very seriously." Perkins says, "That means they win. A lot." George says, "Otto can't stand losing at anything. Quiz night or anything." Jane Hampton comes to the table. Barnaby says, "I understand you knew Nick Turner quite well. I'd like to have a chat with you, if that's all right." Jane says, "I live at the Lodge, at the entrance to Sandford House."

At the Wilmot home, Antonia hears howling and noises. She gets up and looks around. There is thudding under the floor.

Otto and Mike Spicer head home in a taxi. The driver says he knows Mike. Mike says, "Well, just um... some trivial little game show. Mike Spicer's Ga-aaame Of Your Life?" The driver says, "Oh, that was awful." Otto says, "Just through the gates. You can pull up by the chariot. I'll give you a ring tomorrow. Mr. Spicer will pay you." Otto looks up at his house. His wife calls out from her bedroom. "Any news? Otto? About Nick Turner? Apparently, Jack's disappeared. Have you heard anything?" Otto says, "Just get some sleep, dear. You NEED your sleep."

In the morning, Antonia is out walking in a robe and slippers. She knocks on Jane Hamptons door. Jane says, "Antonia! What is it? Is something wrong?" Antonia says, "I baked you a loaf. It's a bit early, isn't it? What time is it?" Jane says, "Is Jack not back?" Antonia says, "No. No. There were some letters for Felicity in the box. I wondered if you wouldn't mind... She's staying at the Hopes'. It's a bit awkward for me, going up there." Jane invites her in.

Barnaby and Scott discuss the case. Jack Wilmot's still missing. Maybe Felicity Turner had a boyfriend. They see Antonia and Jane. Barnaby asks if Antonia has a recent photograph of Jack?

Jane tells the detectives about something that happened when she worked with Nick. A man named Peter Blagdon contacted him and they had a meeting. Anthony Blagdon, his brother, used to own Sandford House. He still owns the freehold. No-one sees him. The agents handle it all. The meeting with Peter Blagdon was away from the office. But Jane saw him- a nondescript little man. And she had the distinct feeling something... something shady was going on. And then a couple of weeks later, Nick came back into the office one afternoon, looking terrible. He said there'd been an accident. Jane asked if anyone had been hurt, and he said, with a weird look in his eyes, "You could say that." Jane had never seen him like that before. It was about that time he became depressed. And sort of...spiky and withdrawn. that. Jane says she and Nick were just friends.

Barnaby goes to Otto Benham's house. Outside of his house he has reproductions of a chariot and a catapult. His wife, Bernie Benham, is in an electric wheelchair. She says, "Otto has his own private museum. He can spend whole days in there sometimes. Which seems to suit us both quite well." Otto yells at her not to drive across the lawn in the wheelchair. Otto asks Barnaby if he has found Jack yet? Barnaby says no, but a name has come up. "Do you know a Peter Blagdon?" Otto denies knowing Peter- he lives abroad somewhere. Otto asks if the delicious Jane Hampton has an alibi? He says, "You were talking to her last night. You know she was in love with him? With Nick Turner. And we all know how quickly love can turn to hate. That's why she left Turner & Martin. Couldn't bear being so close to him and not being able to show her true feelings. Everyone could see it! Apart, of course, from the idiot Turner himself. He had no idea. Why she fell for him... She used to have a high-powered job in the City, you know. Couldn't cut the mustard. Had a nervous breakdown. That's probably why she was so attracted to Nick Turner. The human equivalent of a comfort blanket! Huh! A rather wet one, at that!" ( Laughs )

Jane goes to bring mail to Felicity. Sarah tells Jane, "I think you'll find her on the bench at the end there." Jane sees Felicity laughing and talking on the phone. Jane gives her the post.

Mike Spicer is watching TV at his house. He is watching an old recording of Princess Diana greeting him. He gets a phone call from Otto Benham. Otto says, "I've had Barnaby round here, asking if I know Peter Blagdon. He's just fishing. So when he mentions Peter Blagdon to you, don't react. You've never met him. Understood?"

Antonia gives the detectives a photo of Jack. Antonia tells Barnaby that she keeps hearing noises. She says, "When we first moved here, Jack heard stories at the pub about there being an old wine cellar that was supposed to be under the house. He became a bit obsessed by it. Trying to find the entrance. Anyway, he... He suddenly stopped looking. It was odd. I had a nightmare, last night, that he was locked in. He was trying to communicate with me somehow. Trying to get me to find the entrance. And now I keep hearing these noises." Barnaby asks, "Do you know a Peter Blagdon?" Antonia says, "Anthony Blagdon's brother? I've heard of him vaguely but... You might try the agents. They handle everything for Anthony. Morgan & Associates."

Olive Beauvoisin, estate agent tells Scott that Peter moved abroad shortly after Anthony's wedding. There was some sort of scandal in all the tabloids at the time. She says, "I know for a fact they haven't spoken in ten years. No idea whether he's alive or dead. Cares less."

Barnaby goes to Mike Spicer's house. Mike says he doesn't know Peter Blagdon.

Plot, Part 3[]

At the police station, Scott tells Barnaby that "Peter Blagdon's proving a bit evasive, sir. He fell out with his brother, Anthony, big time. After he got caught on the job with Anthony's wife at Anthony's wedding reception! No-one knows where he is." Scott tells Barnaby that he got a photo of the man from a tabloid contact. They take the photo over to Jane Hampton's. Jane says the man in the photo is not the man she saw with Nick Turner.

Mr. Martin comes to speak with the detectives. He tells them there is some money missing from the client accounts. £150,000.

At the Benham house, Bernie Benham is chopping vegetables in the kitchen. Someone opens the window and puts some powder in the wine carafe. Antonia is walking home with groceries and hears a noise from a building. Out come Otto and Mike. They want to know where Jack is. She tells them to go away.

At the pub, Barnaby asks about a secret cellar under Sandford House. Viv doesn't know, but George says he knew someone who has been down there. Scott is busy chatting up the barmaid, Zara. He tells Barnaby he will have to take her out for dinner where they can talk. Steve Hope walks in the pub and says he is supposed to mark up the football pitch, but someone has nicked the white line machine. Steve tells Barnaby that when he was working on the bench the day Nick died, usually he decides for himself where he's going to work. That day Felicity told him to work on the bench.

At the Benham home, Otto and Bernie have dinner. Otto pours himself wine from the carafe. Outside someone pulls up all the croquet hoops and marks the yard with the white line machine. Otto noisily chomps on celery. Then he has a cigar. Outside someone loads wine bottles in a cart. Inside, Otto smokes his cigar and drinks his wine. Someone taps on the window. Otto looks out the window. He sees the lines on the yard. He walks out to the middle of the bullseye marked on his lawn. He collapses in the middle. Inside Bernie loads the dishwasher. Outside, someone hammers in croquet hoops over Otto's feet and hands. The man, wearing a black mask, comes inside and duck tapes Bernie to her wheelchair. He parks her in front of a window and locks her in place.

MURDER 2: Outside the man pours water in Otto's face to wake him up. The man turns on bright lights and loads wine bottles into the catapult. Otto says, "What are you doing? I order you to stop! Do you hear me?" The wine bottles are fired at Otto. The break around him. Otto says, "Right! That is it! My God! It's a '78 Margeaux! You bloody maniac!" Bernie laughs from her perch at the window. Otto says, "Bernie! Is that you? What are you doing? For God's sake, call the police! Bernie!" Bernie says, "You're in a bit of a pickle, aren't you?" Otto yells, "Oh, you stupid woman! Do something! Call the police! Do you hear me?!" Bernie says, "Can I suggest about five degrees to the left?" Bottles come raining down on Otto's head. He screams, "Noooooooooo!!!!"

The next morning, Dr. Bullard says, "The postman that found the body removed some of the glass, looking for vital signs. There were none." Scott says, "Do you think someone was making a point?" Scott spies the white line machine. "We'll be able to give Steve his white-liner back, anyway." Barnaby says, "Someone's gone to a great deal of trouble over this."

Inside Bernie is eating sausage. She welcomes the detectives and offers coffee. She says, "Brown sauce. Haven't been allowed brown sauce for 30 years." She tells them the intruder wore a black balaclava and was quite tall. Barnaby asks who inherits her husband's estate. She says she does. Mike Spicer comes charging up yelling "Otto! Otto!" The detectives go to intercept him. Spicer says, "Mocking him in death. This is a revenge killing." Barnaby says, "Yes, indeed. We are wondering what it's in revenge for." Spicer says, "How the hell should I know?"

Back inside the house, Bernie Benham has found her husband's will. She says, "It's as I thought. I knew my husband wouldn't want his wife to be seen to go without." Barnaby looks through contents of the safe. There are wine labels. Chateau Latour 1961. Barnaby says, "I take it that was a good year." Bernie says, "Who'd bother faking a bad one? They're obviously fakes. Must be. It's one of Otto's scams." Scott finds several other wine labels. Barnaby asks, "What sort of scam?" Bernie says, "It's no use asking me. I kept well out of his doings. But something's iffy. You can count on that." Barnaby asks Bernie if she thinks there was any significance of them putting her by the window, so you could witness what was happening? Bernie says, "Yes, I think there probably was. I've always been aware of what a shyster Otto was. But I decided early on to turn a blind eye. I've always been very keen on comfort. Status. Couldn't really live a life without it. I imagine, whoever it was, thought that witnessing my husband's death would be a form of punishment. But you see, I'd had my punishment already. No, I don't mean the riding accident. I mean living with the man. Sharing his appalling life. Quite punishment enough. I suppose I did feel a twinge of pity in his last shuddering squeals of agony. But... ..not a great deal."

In the car, Scott says, "Who says marriage is dead?" Barnaby tells Scott to take the wine and the labels to the auctioneer's in Causton. See what their experts make of them.

Antonia goes to visit Bernie. Antonia says, "You must feel awful." Bernie says, "Mixed feelings, really. How are you? Any word from Jack?" Antonia says, "No. Nothing." Bernie says, "Come and have a cup of tea. Or maybe something stronger." Antonia says, "Do they know who did it?" Bernie says, "Spoiled for choice in the 'enemies of Otto' department!" Antonia says, "Bernie... I'm sorry to ask. At a time like this, it must seem really selfish, when you've just lost your husband and everything, but...I'm desperate. What happened to Otto, it's... It's made me think. You see... I've been suspecting that Jack was involved with Otto in some kind of... Oh, excuse me for saying this, but... Some kind of dodgy deal." Bernie says, "Oh, please. If it involved Otto, it almost invariably was. We've just found a whole collection of faked wine labels in the safe. If that isn't a dodgy deal, I don't know what is! I'd offer champagne if there was any left. But I rather think it's all on the lawn! (Opens fridge) Ah, no! There is a bottle left! Bit of bubbly, my dear?" Antonia wanders back home. She opens a door to an out building.

Plot, Part 4[]

Barnaby goes to talk to Felicity and asks if her husband ever mentioned an old wine cellar under Sandford House. Felicity says Jack went on about that. It was just a local rumor.

Antonia sees a locked door and whacks the padlock with a shovel.

Back at the police station, Scott goes over the information he received from the auctioneer. Scott tells Barnaby, "A case of the Petrus '61 went for $90,000, apparently. Six bottles of Mouton Rothschild for $70,000. But they both had a very good...provenance. That's like a pedigree, sir. Still, the auctioneer reckons that a full bottle of clear, good quality wine like this, even without the provenance, would cost at least a grand a bottle. We're talking big money if all of these were genuine. But... The auctioneer says these aren't even very good fakes. Any expert could spot them. And the really interesting thing is that this bottle, a genuine Latour '61, was brought in for valuation a month ago. The auctioneer says he recognised the stain on the label. It was brought in by two men. They were very impressed when they found out its value. One of them had a flamboyant handkerchief in his breast pocket. They also brought in a list of other vintage wines they wanted prices for. Exactly the same wines as these fake wine labels. He offered to get back to them with more information. But they seemed strangely reluctant to give contact details. Both six foot and thirtyish. Nick Turner and Jack Wilmot was my thinking." The phones rings. Scott says, "Jane Hampton is here. Wants to talk. " Barnaby says, "That was Antonia. She reckons she's found the entrance to the cellar." Jane tells them that she went to see Felicity at Sarah and Steve's to give her some post. "She was in the garden and didn't know I was there. I heard her, laughing and happy, on her mobile to someone. When she finished her call and saw me, she was the sad, grieving widow again."

Antonia shows the detectives the door to the cellar. "I don't remember a padlock being on there before. (Elsewhere, someone is cutting up rubber.). Someone's cleared a path through here. This is what I saw. I thought I'd better call you. I wasn't sure what I might find." Scott pulls up on a trap door. There are stairs leading down. The detectives and Antonia go down the stairs. (Elsewhere, someone is fitting the rubber to a hole in a box.). The group goes through a door in the cellar. There are a lot of footprints. The door swings shut and locks.

Elsewhere someone types on a computer: "MIKE SPICER'S GAME FOR YOUR LIFE!"

Joyce calls Barnaby, " It's me. I know you haven't forgotten the Fallowfields do. Cab's picking us up at half-past seven. Just to remind you. See you soon."

In the cellar, Barnaby sees key in the lock of the door. Scott checks for phone service- there is none. Scott tries to get the door open. Antonia says, "Jack's dead...If he's not down here, he's dead. I know it. I just know it. He didn't kill Nick. He wouldn't kill anyone. And he wouldn't just disappear! Someone killed Nick. And Otto. And they've killed Jack, as well." Barnaby says, "You thought that the cellar was under the house, didn't you, before? What made you, all of a sudden, look for the entrance in the outbuildings?"

Joyce waits for Tom and then gets in the taxi and goes to Fallowfields.

Jane Hampton passes by the outbuildings and sees Barnaby's car. She goes to Sandford House and presses the doorbell for Wilmot.

Antonia says, "You asked me why I decided to look in the outbuildings for the cellar. I found Otto and Mike Spicer coming out of them yesterday evening. I'd been shopping and I'd just parked the car. When Bernie told me about the fake wine labels, I thought there might be a connection. There was some kind of con going on, wasn't there?" Barnaby says, "Looks likely. Was your husband involved in that?" Antonia says, "He was worried. I could tell. But he never confided in me about business. I knew he wasn't happy."

While Joyce is at the dinner/dance, Barnaby continues to try to get the door open. Antonia falls asleep. Barnaby explains what the con was...Nick Turner stole £150,000 of his clients' money- he was the mark. Jack found the wine cellar. It was empty. Otto orchestrated the whole thing. "We know they got someone to impersonate Peter Blagdon, because the man that Jane saw wasn't the real thing. My guess is that they installed the fake wine in the empty cellar. Probably plonk from the supermarket with the real labels soaked off. And the faked ones put on. Dusted down with... I don't know. The contents of hoover bags? To make it look like no-one had been here for decades. The whole place dressed to look like an ancient, forgotten wine cellar, full of priceless old wine. All fakes. Except one. So then they just had to prepare their story, brief the man who was going to play Peter Blagdon, and then sell the con...

Plot, Part 5[]

(Flashback: Jack talking to Nick. "I'm there in the middle of a London drinks party, and suddenly I'm talking to Peter Blagdon. Brother of Anthony. He's back from Martinique or something for a funeral. I asked if he knows about the cellar that's supposed to be here. The one I've been looking for. And he says, calm as you like, that he's been in it! With his grandfather, 40 years ago. After his grandfather had been to France on a wine-buying trip. So I ask him, "Was there anything down there?" He says, "It was packed." Packed with vintage wine. Now... This is strictly between you and me. Understood? Yes, of course. Because, strictly speaking, the contents of the cellar belong to Anthony. He doesn't know it exists? Not a clue. There were some fantastic vintages around that time. But then, his grandfather died. This Peter reckons no-one else knows of the whereabouts of the cellar. Anyway, he's obviously a bit down on his luck. He said if I was interested, we could come to some kind of financial arrangement.")

Then, they must have met up with the Peter Blagdon impersonator. And arranged to take a look. Next step, the genuine expert at the auctioneer's, whom we know they visited. A little calculation, and it looks like the collection's worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Then they move on to the next phase.

(Flashback Jack: Good! I've just been speaking to Mike Spicer. He's got a dealer contact that can take the whole lot, no questions asked. We're talking...a million plus. Mike Spicer wants in, of course. He can raise 50k, no problem. I can manage 50 as well. Just. Peter Blagdon's no fool. He's not going to ask for peanuts. If you don't want to get involved, I'll understand. I don't really know what I'm doing. It's not my normal thing. It's just... You know? It feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity. Nick: I'm in. 50k.")

Then the Peter Blagdon stand-in would name his price. It almost inevitably ups the ante. Standard con procedure. By this time, Nick's been hooked. He's probably kept up on what the wine is worth. And it all adds up to a 'can't lose' proposition. I imagine they just reeled him in. They got 150 grand. They didn't have to fool the wine experts. Just Nick. And then, destroy the wine. The accident that Nick mentioned to Jane in the office? Once they'd taken the money off Nick, they had to convince Nick that the wine was gone. They couldn't just say it was stolen. No. Much simpler to arrange a little accident in which all the wine is destroyed.

(Flashback: Jack putting fake blood on his head and lighting the van with all the wine in it on fire. Jack reaches the road and the van explodes.)

Scott says, "They had to pretend they were gutted they'd lost that money. Chalk it up to a bad experience. And all the time, they're up £150,000. Minus expenses." Barnaby says, "Otto also had the pleasure of knowing that Nick had taken the money from his clients' accounts. Spread rumours about embezzlement so it was discovered. Nick would be struck off. It doesn't explain the murders. It's half-past two. Joyce will be having kittens." Scott goes back to trying to open the door.

Joyce is home in bed. Mike Spicer locks his door and turns on his alarm. He turns off lights. The killer sneaks in and turns off the security system. Barnaby says, "The same clothing. There's going to be another murder."

MURDER 3: Mike Spicer gets up in the morning and gets his paper. He hears a song playing... ♪ Here's a little song I wrote ♪ ♪ You might want to sing it note for note ♪ ♪ Don't worry ♪ ♪ Be happy ♪ ♪ Don't worry, be happy now ♪ ♪ Don't worry ♪ The killer knocks him on the head.

Barnaby and Scott are still working on the door. Antonia wakes up. It's eight o'clock. In the morning.

Mike Spicer is duck taped to a chair and his head is inside a box. A cork pops). A TV shows his image and a sign that says MIKE SPICER GAME FOR YOUR LIFE!

Jane Hampton opens the door to the cellar. Barnaby and Troy rush to Mike Spicer's house. Scott calls Joyce for Barnaby. He says, "Mr Barnaby asked me to let you know everything was OK. We were unavoidably detained last night. But now we're... Yeah. Yeah. I'll tell him. Mrs Barnaby asked if you could get a carton of plain yoghurt on your way home, sir. You're having curry tonight." Next Scott calls Dr. Bullard. "Mr Bullard, this is Dan Scott. Mr Barnaby wants to know what make of suit Nick Turner was wearing when he died. Shoes, as well, please. To establish where he might have bought them.

Plot Denouement[]

At Mike Spicer's house, the detectives are too late. Spicer is dead in a chair. Dr. Bullard calls and says Nick Turner bought two suits and paid in cash. Barnaby calls Sarah who tells him Felicity just left. Barnaby says the body that fell from the roof was Jack. He and Nick are about the same size. Nick discovered he'd been conned and it was all payback. Felicity lured Jack to the attic on the morning of the murder. They dressed him in the identical clothes that Nick would wear later, and that he'd made sure Sarah the cleaner saw him in before he went up to the roof. Then they tied him up, gagging him in some way that wouldn't leave any marks. Later, he'd have knocked out Jack again. Wouldn't be easy to see the smaller injuries under the massive ones from the fall. Took off the gag. Manhandle him over the edge and... Let him drop. Felicity made sure she got to the body first, so she could cradle the head in a way that meant no-one else could see it properly. You can't be charged with murder if you're dead. Barnaby recalls that the only asset the parents of Felicity had left was their house in Causton.

At the house, Nick Turner and Felicity Turner watch the video he took of Mike Spicer. Spicer is seated with his head in a box. Nick pours wine on his head and continues until Mike drowns. Nick and Felicity drink and laugh at the video. Barnaby and Scott walk in and arrest them.

At the pub, Scott says, "Imagine the station not noticing we were missing, sir. Still, it's one thing for your colleagues not to realise, but for your own wife not to realise you hadn't spent the night with her, that must hurt a bit." Barnaby says, "You might be hurting a little bit too, Scott, once Zara has finished with you. I don't think that girl is as meek as you think she is. " Scott says, "Oh, no. She's a shy one, sir. You can tell. Anyway, being locked in a cellar all night by a triple murderer is a better excuse than saying the car broke down and there was no signal on the mobile." Zara walks in and says she's sorry about last night. The car broke down. She was there for hours. and couldn't get a signal on her mobile. Zara goes to meet a man. . Barnaby heads out and Scott reminds him to get the yoghurt.

Cast[]

John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby
John Hopkins as Sergeant Dan Scott
Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby
Barry Jackson as Dr. George Bullard
John Lightbody as Steve Hope
Vicki Hopps as Sarah
Lucy Russell as Felicity Turner
James Weber Brown as Nick Turner
Nancy Carroll as Antonia Wilmot
Oliver Ford Davies as Otto Benham (as Oliver Ford Davis)
Sara Kestelman as Bernie Benham
Robert Daws as Mike Spicer
Matthew Flynn as Jack Wilmot
Rebecca Charles as Jane
Simon Armstrong as Viv Marshall
Caroline Laskowska as Zara
Ian Talbot as George
Philip Bird as Jeff Martin
Robin Soans as Mr. Perkins
Eileen Davies as Olive Beauvoisin (Estate Agent)
David Hampshire as Cabbie
Charles Millham as Peter Blagdon
Nicky Lilley as Princess Diana

Galleries[]

Body Count[]

Supporting Cast[]

Episode Images[]

Arrests[]

Nick Turner for the murders of:

Felicity Turner accessory to the murders of:

Notes[]

The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes:

Eileen Davies - Death's Shadow and Dead Man's Eleven
Rebecca Charles - Strangler's Wood
Charles Millham - Ghosts of Christmas Past and Last Year's Model
John Lightbody - Death and Dust
Nancy Carroll - The Great and the Good
Robert Daws - The Curse of the Ninth
Matthew Flynn - Left for Dead
Caroline Laskowska - Left for Dead
Philip Bird - Crime and Punishment
Robin Soans - The Sword of Guillaume

Trivia[]

John Nettles has often claimed that the grotesque murder of the"Otto Benham" character - stoned to death with champagne bottles fired from a medieval trebuchet whilst he was staked out on the hoops of a croquet lawn - was his favorite of all the fiendish crimes committed in the long-running series.
Last appearance of Eileen Davies as Olive Beauvoisin.

Trials and Tribulations of DS Dan Scott:

Scott's efforts to flirt with the barmaid come to naught. He is overly confident of his charms.
Scott is now very comfortable in teasing Barnaby, "Don't forget the yogurt."

Quotes[]

Mike Spicer: "Please. <gestures inside> I'm afraid I was here...alone at the time. So there's no one to corroborate it."

DCI Barnaby: "So no Mrs Spicer?"

Mike Spicer: "Oh. Several. And all of them are far better off than me."

— Mike Spicer to DCI Barnaby

Bernie Benham: "It's as I thought. I knew my Husband wouldn't want his wife to be seen to go without. Did you get rid of him?"

DCI Barnaby: "Yes. We'll talk to Mr Spicer later. Is, uh, this stuff from the safe?"

Bernie Benham: "Mm-hmm."

DCI Barnaby: "<finds wine labels among the documents> Château Latour 1961. I take it that was a good year."

Bernie Benham: "Well, who'd bother faking a bad one?"

— Bernie Benham to DCI Barnaby as he interviews her after her husband's death.

Goofs[]

Longest river in India is quoted as Indus which is geographically inaccurate. Ganga (or Ganges) is the longest river in India.

Videos[]

Midsomer Murders Series 8 Episode 6 - Hidden Depths Preview