17x23 - Mixed Messages

[bunniefuu]

♪ Heartbeat

♪ Why do you miss when my baby kisses me?

♪ Heartbeat

♪ Why does a love kiss stay in my memory? ♪

- Right. See you later. - All right, bye.

Deefer, you can't come with me. David, call her back in, will you?

DAVID: Deefer!

David!

- CAROL: Morning. - Oh.

Doctor's here again.

Another of her bad nights, I'm afraid.

The painkillers just don't seem to touch it.

Oh, dear. Your poor mother. You too. You must be exhausted.

You get used to it.

Morning, Doctor Thomas. Morning, Mrs Gray. How are you today?

Making a nuisance of myself, as usual.

CAROL: Oh, I wouldn't say that.

DOCTOR: Here we are, then.

Different painkillers this time.

- Let's see if they work. - Oh, thank you so much.

You're very kind, doctor.

I'll be back in a minute. I just need a word with the doctor.

Then we'll give you a bath, all right?

She's still losing weight, doctor.

She says she feels nauseous most of the time.

I'm pretty sure it's the side effects of the painkillers.

That's why I've changed them.

Shouldn't she at least have a check-up? Thelma's worried.

Let's try the new prescription first.

- Is everything all right? - Yeah, I think so.

I'm just bringing Mrs Gray her library books.

I hope I've got the right ones.

- Ah, Joe, I didn't know you cared. - Uh-uh. It's not for you.

It's for my girlfriend. I'd better get on.

I'll take those in.

I'm sure you don't want to see her in a bath, girlfriend or not.

- Try again. - I told you.

We should wait for nurse.

- You're hopeless. - Come on, just...

Oh, Thelma, let me do it.

All right. Ready?

Up we go. Ooh.

- There you are. - Oh, thank you.

Just look at it. The cheek of it!

You could have knocked me down with a feather.

Bricks, a mouldy old fridge, and... and this.

Absolutely disgusting.

Nobody's cleaned round that U-bend for years, by the look of it.

- Look, the thing is... - I mean, why would anybody do this?

We didn't hear a sound, did we, David?

- No. - And I'm a very light sleeper.

The slightest thing and I'm wide awake.

Could we start at the beginning? I wouldn't touch that, David.

- You don't know what's in there. - What's this?

Let's have a look.

Headed notepaper.

- This is it. This is who did it. - Heston House.

Yes, and I'm going round there

to give whoever lives there a piece of my mind.

Just calm down, Mrs Armstrong.

Let's not go at it like a bull at a gate.

- I'm not, but I am going to... - You're not going to do anything.

Just leave this with me. All right?

Alf, have you heard of a place called Heston House?

Heston House? Oh, it's outside Ashfordly on the Elsinby Road.

That bloke that used to sit on the bench lives there.

- Carruthers is his name. - Right, you lot.

Let's have those crime sheets. I'm just off.

Sarge, if someone dumps a load of rubbish

onto someone else's property, what's the legal position...

Litter Act. Look it up.

All I ever hear from you lot is natter, natter, natter.

I hope it's about something useful.

DON: Oh, yes, Sarge. Very.

- Geoff's love life. - Oh?

Don thinks I stand a chance with Dawn, but I'm not so sure.

Geoff, what have I been telling you? She definitely likes you.

Definitely. All it needs is something

to throw the two of you together and you'll be away.

- Yes, but what? - DON: Something'll turn up.

SONG: 'Quid Sum Miser'

♪ Quid sum miser

♪ Tunc dicturus

♪ Quem partonum

♪ Rogaturus... ♪

- OSCAR: Where's Dawn got to? - Don't ask.

- GINA: She's over at the garage. - Doing what?

- Reorganising the filing system. - Hey?

Tried to stop her. But she wouldn't be restrained.

Anyway, I'm quite capable of pouring a few drinks.

Joe Mason?

I thought you were going to get that rubbish shifted.

- Yes, well... - I've waited in all day.

Stayed in specially.

I checked the address with Alf, but I don't think it helps much.

It belongs to a retired magistrate.

So?

It's a bit of an unlikely culprit.

Posh folks can break the law just like the rest of us.

And be filthy pigs.

Oh, that state of that toilet. Honestly...

Yeah, there's no need to go into all that again.

As for breaking the law, I don't think anyone has.

- Oh? - According to the Litter Act,

it's only illegal to dump stuff if it's in a public, open space.

Well!

Did you hear that? I've never heard anything so daft in my life!

- Are you all right? - No.

GINA: You see to David.

No luck, Geoff. She's over at the garage.

PHONE RINGS

Hello, Scripps's Garage?

Oh, yes, sorry. And the funeral service.

Sorry?

Oh, er... Oh, hold on one... sec.

Let me, erm... just write... OK, let me write this down. Go on.

She's dead?

Did Mrs Gray like her primroses?

Yes. And you're the best thing since sliced bread, of course.

- Of course. - Ten minutes, I had to sit through.

How handsome you are, how clever, such an asset...

GIGGLES

- There's no need to be jealous. - Cheeky.

- Carol, can I have a word? - Yeah, of course.

- Upstairs. - Right.

Sorry.

Oh, there you are! I just had a call from this lady.

She said can we pick it up tonight? I said we'd do it in the morning.

- BERNIE: Slow down, Dawn. Do what? - Pick up the body.

She said she couldn't bear to have it in the house overnight.

- She seemed really, really upset. - Dawn, what are you talking about?

- Mrs Gray. - Mrs Gray?

Well, no, it was her daughter. Mrs Gray's dead.

Mrs...? No, no, you've got the wrong end of the stick.

No, no, I haven't. Look, I've written it all down.

- Mrs Elsie Gray. Dead. - PEGGY: Let's have a look.

Me and Carol were just there this morning.

CAROL: So when did the bleeding start?

I don't know. I've just noticed it.

- And it's bright red? - Yeah.

I'm not going into labour, am I?

I mean, I'm not due for another five weeks.

- It can't happen again, Carol. - Shh. Just try to stay calm.

It's probably nothing, all right?

But we will need to get you into hospital, just to make sure.

- Yeah, OK. - I'll phone straightaway.

Get some things together, just in case they need to keep you in.

Yeah.

You're not gonna believe this.

- Mrs Gray - - Sorry, Joe.

Sorry, Bernie. Can I use the phone, please?

We need an ambulance.

- PEGGY: What's going on? - Must be Gina.

MUSIC: 'This Little Bird' by Marianne Faithfull

♪ Down to the earth

♪ To live on the wind

♪ And the only time

♪ That he touches the ground

- ♪ Is when that little bird - ♪ That little bird

- ♪ Is when that little bird - ♪ That little bird

♪ Is when that little bird

♪ Dies ♪

CHRIS: Right, let's just see who your consultant is.

Mr Roberts. Good, good. I'll give him a call.

At this time of night?

Can't it wait till the morning? Is it that serious?

Let's just wait and see what the expert says, shall we?

He's just being cautious, that's all.

Back in a minute, OK?

What do you think it is? Placenta praevia?

- Looks a bit like it. - Oh...

Hey. Don't let it get to you.

- JOE: How is she? - CAROL: We don't know yet.

I brought the car. I thought you might need a lift home.

Thanks. But I'd better stay on until the obstetrician's been.

I'll run her back, Joe. Don't worry.

No, no. I'll wait. I'll be fine.

- You take as long as you like. - Thanks.

Pleasure.

I was going to tell you about Mrs Gray.

I've got to get back to Gina. I can't think about anything else.

OK, sorry.

Hang on. What about Mrs Gray?

- She d*ed this evening. - What?

Good.

- And Mother's blood pressure is... - over , sir.

Excellent. I'll just have a little feel.

- Tell me if it's tender... there. - No.

- There? - No.

And the blood loss is still slight?

Yes, sir.

Well, young lady, there's no immediate cause for alarm.

We'll keep you in overnight and do an X-ray in the morning,

see what's going on. Is that all right?

Get the radiologist to do a soft tissue X-ray, will you?

- We need to locate the placenta. - Yes, sir.

Should the bleeding get any worse, give me a call straightaway.

Mm.

See you in the morning, Mrs Bellamy. Meanwhile, try and get some sleep.

GINA: Why do I need an X-ray?

CHRIS: You could have something called placenta praevia,

where the placenta blocks the birth canal.

Only COULD, Gina. No-one's saying that's what it is.

If it was?

Mr Roberts would probably have to do a Caesar.

- Is my baby gonna die, Carol? - No. Of course not.

DOG BARKS

Hello?

Is there anybody there?

- DAVID: What is it, Aunt Peg? - It's nothing.

Shut up, Deefer!

Go to sleep.

BARKS

This business with Gina... How serious is it?

If it's what Mr Roberts thinks it is, very.

It can be life-threatening.

- For the baby? - For both of them.

Poor Gina.

Thank goodness Chris is there.

- At least he'll keep an eye on her. - Yeah.

This business with Mrs Gray... That's all a bit odd, isn't it?

I mean, surely you don't just suddenly die of arthritis.

Obviously, it was something else. A... stroke, or something.

Poor Thelma, though. She'll be heartbroken.

It must have happened last night

when Deefer was barking and you told her to shut up.

Yes, David.

I thought at the time there must be something up.

Yes, so you keep saying.

They've left another toilet.

That's not a toilet, it's a bidet.

- A what? - A bidet.

What's that for?

Don't ask. It's French.

Let's have a look what's in this sack.

Here! That magistrate fella again. I knew it!

SHE WEEPS

You must feel awful, you poor thing.

It was all so sudden, wasn't it?

- What happened, exactly? - I don't know.

I can't remember.

Dr Thomas came and...

- I'm sorry. - It's OK.

- I just want it over with. - The funeral? Of course you do.

ENGINE RUNNING

Dr Thomas is here now.

I'll leave you and him to have a little chat

and I'll come back later. OK?

Thelma's in a terrible state. What on earth happened?

Mrs Gray seemed fine in the morning.

Sorry, I'm in a bit of a hurry. It's all in the death certificate.

Death certificate? It's been signed already?

Yes. Yes. If you'd excuse me...

You mean there's not gonna be a post-mortem?

No, not at all, it's all quite in order.

So was it a stroke or...?

No, nothing like that. Thelma is waiting. Excuse me.

SONG: 'Lacrimosa'

Would you like a sedative?

You're my patient too, as well as your mother, don't forget.

AD Carruthers, Heston House. Look at it. Go on.

- It's all right. - It's the same bloke.

- Again. - Yes, but he's a...

- What is he, Alf? - A retired magistrate.

Well, I don't care if he's the King of England.

If he thinks he can dump a fridge and a toilet -

This is it, is it? The address found in the famous rubbish heap?

It most certainly is. And it's happened again.

An ascot and a bidet this time.

- Go and see what's going on. - Me?

Perhaps I've got a squint. I thought I was looking at you.

- JOE: No post-mortem? Are you sure? - CAROL: Yeah.

Dr Thomas signed the death certificate last night.

- So what was the cause of death? - He didn't say.

He was in a hurry to talk to Thelma.

Look, I was surprised too, to start with,

but, I mean, he is one of the best doctors in the district.

If he's happy, it must be all right.

Except that when a death is unexpected,

there's always a post-mortem.

Joe, the funeral's tomorrow.

Lovely coffin, this.

Solid mahogany, brass handles.

- Real quality. - Yeah, it should be, for the price.

Nothing but the best for Mother. That's what Thelma said.

- Is this for Mrs Gray? - It is.

The Hanoverian. Luckily we had one in stock.

Bernie, could I have a word?

- I gather the funeral's tomorrow. - Aye.

Why so soon?

The daughter wanted to get it over with. Why? Is there a problem?

It just seems a bit rushed, that's all.

You get to see the death certificate, don't you?

What did Dr Thomas put on it?

What is this? Idle curiosity or an official inquiry?

I'm not sure yet.

General wasting.

- I'm sorry? - That's what it said.

General wasting.

Well, my dear, good news.

We shan't be doing that Caesar this morning after all.

- Oh, so it's not... - Not placenta praevia, no.

Everything is in a normal position,

which still leaves us with the problem of this bleeding.

You see, the other thing it could be, Mrs Bellamy,

is something called abruptio placentae,

which, in layman's terms,

is when the placenta starts to come away from the uterine wall.

The bleeding is still getting less, is it?

- CHRIS: More or less stopped, sir. - That's an excellent sign.

All the same, I think we ought to keep you in a big longer,

just to play safe, all right?

Yes, Doctor.

So far so good, my dear.

He doesn't mean that, does he?

He knows there's something wrong, he's just not sure what.

Nonsense. He's very hopeful.

I haven't felt my baby kick, not once, this morning.

Stop worrying, Gina. We listened to its heartbeat a few minutes ago.

It's fine.

- Ta-dah! - Lovely, Dawn, thanks.

Oh, and I've got some cards as well.

I've got one from Bernie and one from David and Peggy.

- OSCAR: It's good to see you, Gina. - I've been worried sick, Oscar.

- CAROL: General wasting? - What is it?

It's just a kind of catch-all phrase meaning...

- I don't know, weight loss. Or... - Was Mrs Gray losing weight?

Recently, yes, but Thelma and I talked to Dr Thomas about it

and he didn't think it was that bad.

- I mean, she was thin, but... - Not thin enough to die of.

I wouldn't have thought so, no.

So why did he put it on her death certificate?

- I suppose... - Without having a post-mortem?

Perhaps he was trying to spare Thelma's feelings.

I mean, you saw how upset she was.

Perhaps he thought the strain of waiting for a post-mortem

would have been too much for her.

Right.

She did absolutely worship her mother, Joe.

He would have wanted to help her.

I mean, he's been their doctor for years and years.

He's more like a family friend than anything.

Are you thinking... he helped Mrs Gray on her way?

I don't know.

JOE: I won't be a minute.

She was a brave lady, your mother.

I never once heard her complain, even though she was in such pain.

The way you looked after her...

You were a wonderful daughter. She told me so many times.

You must have had a real shock.

It's all been very sudden. Yes.

I gather Dr Thomas put "general wasting" on the certificate.

As far as I know, that wouldn't cause a sudden death.

So I thought that perhaps he'd put that down as the cause of death

to avoid a post-mortem,

you know, to spare you the extra stress.

- What do you think? - I don't know.

Perhaps your mother d*ed of something quite different.

When the doctor was here last night,

did he give your mother any kind of treatment?

You know, like pills or an injection or anything?

I hope you won't go bothering Dr Thomas with all this.

- He's been so very good to us. - I can imagine.

"You couldn't ask for a better doctor," Mother used to say.

He's even mentioned in her will. She thought that highly of him.

MUSIC: 'Berkshire Poppies' by Traffic

♪ ..with nothing to do

♪ Hundreds of buildings that block out my view

♪ Watched by a tramp with a hole in his shoe

♪ Standing alone on the corner ♪

Yes?

- Mr Carruthers? - Yes.

Come along, I haven't got all day. What is it?

Well, it's about some... sanitary equipment.

Yes?

I-I don't suppose you've put... a fridge...

..an ascot, a toilet and a... bidet

on someone else's drive, have you?

I beg your pardon?

No.

No, I'm-I'm sure you haven't.

Sorry, I'll leave you in peace.

People die suddenly all the time, Mason. Heart att*cks, strokes.

Yeah, but it wasn't anything like that.

Dr Thomas put down "General wasting" on the certificate, but she wasn't.

Wasted, I mean, nothing like. That seems really odd.

Especially as I've just learnt

that he stands to gain from her will.

You're not suggesting that he did away with her, I hope?

- I don't know. - Oh, come on, Mason.

Dr Thomas, a respected local GP of many years' standing,

k*lling a patient because he hopes to get something from her will?

I think you're letting your imagination run away with you.

All right.

Perhaps it was a mercy k*lling, because he felt sorry for Thelma.

We just think there are grounds to go to the coroner,

to suggest a post-mortem, that's all.

Yes. But what grounds? Apart from Mason's wild suspicions.

The death just doesn't seem to add up.

I suppose that's the crux of the matter.

All right.

You may be right. I'm not in a position to judge.

But the coroner is not going to go against the views

of a doctor like Dr Thomas, is he?

Not without proper medical backing.

And I'm afraid I don't think your opinion quite counts, nurse. Sorry.

That put me in my place.

He's right, though. We need a doctor on our side.

Oh, OK. How about Chris Oakley?

- Good idea. I'll sound him out. - No, I'll do it.

No, he's more likely to agree

if it's done on a professional basis.

- You know, policeman to doctor. - OK. If you insist.

PEGGY: So this Mr Carruthers said he hadn't done it?

- In no uncertain terms. - Well, he would, wouldn't he?

You should have pressed him.

Don't, Aunt Peggy. I'm sure Mr Younger did his best.

That's right, David. I did.

And Sergeant Miller says the only thing to do now

is to get rid of it yourself.

What?!

When I've got living proof that he did it?

It's all right. It's only a lorry load. I don't mind moving it.

You leave things exactly as they are.

I've got plans for this little lot.

- Could I have a word? - I'm a bit pushed.

- It's about Dr Thomas. - Oh, yes?

The thing is, a Mrs Gray, a patient of his, she d*ed last night.

I'm a bit puzzled as to why he hasn't requested a post-mortem.

Provided the death was straightforward...

Well, it wasn't. That's the point. It was sudden and unexpected.

We don't think the death certificate makes a lot of sense.

- Sorry, "we"? - Yeah, Carol and me.

We both saw Mrs Gray regularly.

Carol especially. She was round there every day.

The cause of death that Dr Thomas put down...

Which was?

Something called "General wasting."

A perfectly legitimate cause of death.

Not in this case. Not according to Carol.

Something doesn't feel quite right, Chris.

We've spoken to Sergeant Miller.

He says he can't do anything until he gets a second medical opinion.

And you're asking me to give one?

Well, just have a look at the medical records.

See if Dr Thomas's diagnosis rings true, that's all.

Joe, he's a very senior doctor.

He's worked in this area for more than years.

It's a question of medical etiquette.

I see. Doctors sticking together. That's predictable.

It's just not done to snoop on another doctor's case.

It could thr*aten my whole career.

Whatever he put on the certificate, I'm sure he's right. I can't help.

- I'm sorry. - I'm just after the truth.

Think about it!

DAWN: Right, listen. While Oscar's out, can I tell you my idea?

- Yeah, go on, Dawn. - It's his birthday coming up soon.

- He's got no friends or family. - No friends?

- He's got plenty of friends. - And a family.

- Well, son, anyway. - Well, he doesn't see him, does he?

- What I was thinking... - Why not throw him a party?

I was just about to say that! You are psychic.

Well, not really. Geoff had the same idea yesterday.

- Didn't you, Geoff? - Did I?

- You did. - Oh, yeah.

- Well, anyway... - Hang on. When is his birthday?

- About three weeks. - I don't think so, Dawn, sorry.

It'd only be two weeks from when Gina's baby's due, if all goes well.

I really don't think it's...

- CAROL: Did you find Chris? - Yeah.

And? Did he say he'd speak to Miller?

No.

Bernie, could I have a word?

When you laid out Mrs Gray, did anything strike you?

- How do you mean? - Were there signs of how she d*ed?

Oh, well, that's between me and the deceased, isn't it?

As I said to Doctor Oakley.

Dr Oakley?

Aye. He just rang, asking the same ques...

I don't know why you're all so interested in poor old Mrs Gray.

- PEGGY: David! - DAVID: What?

Oh, there you are.

Come on. Chop, chop.

Get your clothes back on. We're off out.

Joe? What are you doing here?

Shh! Have you any idea where I might find Chris Oakley?

- Do you know what time it is? - I need another word. Urgently.

JOE: Why did you ring Bernie Scripps?

Obviously, it was about Mrs Gray, but what did he tell you?

Look, Chris, if you know something, now's the time to speak out.

- The funeral's tomorrow. - OK.

After you'd gone, I thought about what you said.

I looked up her notes.

Not Dr Thomas's, her notes here at the arthritis clinic.

They mention various symptoms, all from the last few months.

Which were?

Weight loss, hair loss, brittle nails, itching

and a particular type of skin pigmentation called raindrop skin.

I looked them up and, well, then I spoke to Bernie

and asked him about the state of the body.

Joe, I'm in a very awkward position.

You think she's been poisoned, don't you?

The symptoms fit, that's all.

You've got to speak to Sergeant Miller.

I can't.

I mean, what if I'm wrong?

A whole lot of disgusting stuff. I want to know who put it there.

And I want it removed by lunchtime,

or else I'll go straight to the Chief Constable.

Oh, there he is, the young man who came round.

Perhaps you can tell me who these criminals are.

You certainly seemed to know a great deal about it.

All right, Mr Carruthers.

Constable Younger and I will be having a chat later on.

Leave it to me.

I'm as concerned about this as you are, believe me.

- Wetherby, show the gentleman out. - Yes, Sarge.

I'm warning you. If this stuff isn't removed...

Yes, sir. We'll be doing everything we can, sir. Rest assured.

Sounds like the same rubbish

that was dumped at Peggy Armstrong's.

It must have been her, mustn't it?

It's the sort of daft thing that she'd do.

Go and see her again, lad. Get her to move it.

DON: She'll never do that, Sarge. You know how stubborn she is.

GEORGE: Well, ask her anyway.

If she refuses, then bring her in and I'll ask her.

You'd better go too, Wetherby. You know how awkward she can get.

Dr Oakley.

JOE: I think we need to call in CID about Mrs Gray, Sergeant.

Dr Oakley has serious concerns about the cause of death.

- Coming home? - That's right. This afternoon.

- Crikey. I'd better get on. - Yeah.

Come on, Oscar. It's good news. She's all right.

You're sure? You're not just saying that?

No. It was a false alarm. Burst blood vessel in the cervix.

Sorry, I won't embarrass you.

Just take it from me, it was nothing serious.

- Will the baby be all right? - Absolutely.

Believe me, Oscar, there really is nothing to be worried about.

- So you're telling us... - I'm telling you, reluctantly,

that I'm forced to agree with Constable Mason and Nurse Cassidy

that there should have been a post-mortem.

Because the death was sudden and unexpected?

And because she recently had a number of unexplained symptoms

and because I got the impression

that the undertaker wasn't entirely happy with the state of the body.

Then there's the will. Dr Thomas being mentioned in Mrs Gray's will.

So what are we saying? That this is a suspicious death?

Whether it's suspicious or not is not the point.

It hasn't been investigated properly.

Therefore we should alert the coroner.

Exhumations need to be authorised by the Home Secretary.

- It could take months. - Mrs Gray hasn't been buried yet.

She's in the chapel of rest until o'clock this morning.

I think we should go ahead.

Let's do it.

You what? Collect up all his filthy rubbish and take it away?!

- Not on your nelly. - It's not his rubbish.

Oh, yes, it is.

And if he's denying it, he's telling whoppers.

Mr Carruthers is threatening to go to the Chief Constable.

Friends in high places.

People like him, they're all the same.

It's David and Goliath over again, isn't it?

Well, I'm sticking to my g*ns.

Right. You'll have to come and speak to Sergeant Miller.

Oh, I see! You're arresting me, are you?

- Don't be ridiculous. - Come on, then.

Put the handcuffs on.

Lock me up because somebody else has dumped their rubbish on my drive.

- Peggy, you're not being arrested. - David.

David, look after everything for me, will you?

I may be gone for some time.

post-mortem?

I'm really sorry. May we come in and explain?

We need to talk about the night she d*ed and about Dr Thomas.

We don't want to alarm you, Thelma,

but there are some questions we need to ask him.

Could we talk with you first?

No, I'm sorry.

OK. Let's get the doctor in. I think we've got enough, anyway.

Oh, no.

- DAVID: Sorry I'm late, Mr Scripps. - Doesn't matter.

It's just that Aunt Peg's got herself into a spot of bother.

- Funeral's off. - What?

- What about the vicar? - I've just rung him.

And the grave? We've already dug the grave.

I know that.

Poor Thelma. Goodness knows what she must be feeling.

Oh, flipping 'eck.

At least it'll give me some time to help Aunt Peg.

Would you take a look at these for me?

No, we've got all this to deal with.

Mr Scripps, this is what we found on that big heap of rubbish.

Now, I'm sure that Aunt Peg's got hold of the wrong end of the stick.

Mr Scripps, you're clever. What do you think those are?

I don't know, do I?

Instructions of some sort, on Carruthers's notepaper.

Diagrams for a heating system of some sort, looks like.

From him to... well, it doesn't say.

'Ey, but you're right. She's got it all wrong.

Your rubbish tipper isn't Carruthers,

it's whoever he's doing these drawings for.

CHORAL MUSIC

PEACOCK CRIES IN DISTANCE

Not today, thank you.

Oh, we, er, just wanted to show you...

You're wasting your time. I've no wish to be converted. Good day.

It's about the rubbish.

Flaw? But there isn't a flaw in my argument.

Oh, yes, there is, Peggy.

And I spotted it the minute David showed me these.

Yeah. Mr Carruthers's notepaper left on my drive.

With instructions from him to someone else.

And this someone else left the litter?

- Is that what you're saying? - Yeah, and we know his name.

As soon as we showed this to Mr Carruthers, he remembered him.

It was Paul Piper.

- Piper the plumber? - The very same.

Paul Piper? Now, that name rings a bel...

Didn't he do a job for us a few months back?

Yes, he did all that work up in our bathroom.

And you didn't pay the bill and he got really angry.

Yes, well...

I knew I'd seen that old toilet before.

It was ours.

- It's the one he took out. - Shut up!

GEORGE: Ah, Dr Thomas. This way, please.

So why, exactly, am I here?

Just to give a preliminary statement.

Before we have the post-mortem results?

That's a bit of a waste of time.

RACHEL: We need to clear up a few concerns, that's all.

All right. Very well. Fire away.

You put "general wasting" down as the cause of death,

thus avoiding a post-mortem.

I was not avoiding anything, young man. I was stating medical opinion.

Though not, according to Dr Oakley.

Dr Oakley? What's he got to do with it?

Never mind that. Let's concentrate on Mrs Gray.

She'd recently been complaining of a number of symptoms, I believe.

Oh?

Oh, come on, Doctor. Nausea and weight loss for a start.

Nurse Cassidy drew your attention to them, yet you didn't investigate.

Because I didn't need to. They were caused by the painkillers.

RACHEL: But there were other symptoms, weren't there?

Not that I know of.

GEORGE: Hyperkeratosis of the palms and hands.

- Raindrop appearance of the skin. - Side effects of the medication.

Mrs Gray and her daughter were both your patients, yes?

Of course.

One had terrible arthritis that was getting worse by the day.

The other was in an unbearable situation

of having to look after her.

A pretty hopeless state of affairs, wouldn't you say?

No, I would not,

and quite frankly I'm not prepared to say anything further.

Unlike Dr Oakley,

I take loyalty to patients and colleagues extremely seriously.

Did it ever occur to you that, as their doctor,

you could put them both out of their misery?

I beg your pardon?

I think you know what we're talking about.

JOE: Especially when you consider Mrs Gray's will.

- What? - And how you stood to benefit.

Right. I've had enough of this.

Unless, for some unknown reason you're going to arrest me,

I am going to leave.

Dr Thomas. Please, sit down.

FOOTSTEPS

Oh, hello. What can I do for you?

I k*lled her, Mr Ventress. I k*lled my mother.

Hey! Come back here!

Fly papers.

Fly papers?

Dipped in her drinks.

Just one or two a day.

I knew they contained arsenic.

I thought, if I did it slowly, no-one would notice.

I didn't mean to k*ll her.

I just wanted somebody else to look after her, not me.

- And on the day she d*ed? - THELMA: I gave her a big dose.

I just wanted to hurry things up.

I didn't realise what it would do. It was horrible.

I phoned Dr Thomas, but it was too late.

JOE: Did you tell him what you'd done?

She's robbed me of my life.

Thelma, did you tell Dr Thomas what you'd done?

I've got nothing.

No husband, no children, not even a job.

"Devoted daughter". That's what people said.

That's a joke.

I couldn't do it any more.

I hated it.

- I hated her. - I don't think you mean that.

Oh, yes, I do.

THELMA: Oh, yes.

You can have it all back again in your bathroom if you want.

Just say the word.

Hey, fancy you dumping it

at Mr High and Mighty Carruthers's place, though!

Ta, Mrs A. And if you'd paid me for the job when I sent the bill in,

none of this would have happened, right?

So I want £ extra, for t'interest on late payment.

I'm paying you for the work, and not a penny more.

So clear off before I go and get my g*n.

All right.

JOE: I'm sorry. Once we suspected poisoning...

You naturally suspected me.

Did you know what Thelma was going to do?

No, of course not.

Or what she'd done when she'd done it?

Dr Thomas?

When I reached the house that night, Mrs Gray was already dead.

There was nothing I could do for her.

My duty then became to look after my remaining patient. Thelma.

That doesn't answer my question.

And it doesn't have to.

My job is to do the best for my patients

and I feel I've done that all along.

It's just a shame that a fine woman is locked in a police cell.

Not such a fine woman, Doctor. She k*lled her own mother.

All right, I understand that.

But when you've reached my age and seen what I've seen,

you might be slower to reach judgement.

SONG: 'Quid Sum Miser'

♪ Quid sum miser

♪ Tunc dicturus ♪

INDISTINCT CHATTER

Did you speak to Gina about the party idea?

- She loved it. She said that we... - Here they come.

ALF: Oh, welcome home, Gina.

DAWN: Back safe and sound.

Oh, Bernie. Geoff.

Oh, thanks, everyone.

Am I glad to be back.

We're glad to have you back, because it's not the same here without you.

Thanks, David.

And no more rushing about. Doctor's orders.

DAWN: Nope. From now on, I am gonna do everything for you.

I gather Thelma Gray's been arrested

and that Dr Thomas had nothing to do with it?

That's right.

So all this stuff about him in her will...

Was irrelevant. I was wrong.

But look at it this way.

Dr Thomas was innocent, so at least you didn't shop a fellow doctor.

Maybe not, but I've had an extremely sniffy note from him

and I'm afraid my name will be mud from now on.

You did the right thing, though, going to Sergeant Miller.

Exactly.

Thanks.

Oh, love.

Oh, Aunt Peggy, did you see Mr Piper, then?

Yes, I did. Stupid man.

Still, we won't be having any more trouble from him.

CLANKING

DOG BARKS

BARKING CONTINUES