01x03 - Episode 3

[bunniefuu]

CHURCH BELLS PEAL

I'll get them coming in.

You go round the back and
get some photos of the church

as per the mood board.

They'll be ready
by the main doors.

Mood board. Hear that, eh?

They're the real deal,
this lot, I tell you now.

- OK.
- Get your hair back...

- Leave it alone!
- Fine.

Sorry, sorry.

Could you get some shots
of me from the other side?

It's just my nose looks a
bit snouty from the right.

CLEARS THROAT

You sure you're all right, love?

Yeah, 'course I am.
Why wouldn't I be?

Well, you know,
last-minute jitters.

I thought you liked Aaron!

Yeah, I do. He's just a
bit uptight, isn't he?

- What?
- Eh?

Lovely lad. Cracking boy.
Welcome in the family.

One of us now.

- Dead!
- What?

Your battery's dead?
For God's sake, Ashley.

No. Body. Dead.

There's a dead body.

CAMERA BEEPS

And my battery's dead.

{\an8}Always feels more of a waste
when they're this young.

{\an8}And fit.

{\an8}Is that inappropriate?

{\an8}- Very.
- Oh.

{\an8}Well, this must be where all the
local teenagers come to drink.

{\an8}It's well posh.

{\an8}There's a bottle of
Pinot Noir there.

{\an8}- Whatever happened to strong cider and spewing?
- Yeah.

{\an8}Kids today, they can't
even get hammered properly.

{\an8}Sorry I'm late. I've been
with the Chief Super, I have.

{\an8}She called me in to praise me.

- Praise? You?
- Yeah.

She's impressed by our
recent clearance rate.

She thinks I'm
rubbing off on you.

It's pretty much all me.

Er, police work's a
team game, Mallowan.

You might put them in
the back of the net,

but I'm there in the
dugout, picking the team,

choosing the formation.

Yeah. Anyway, I thought
I'd come and help you out.

What have we got?

We have got Gethin
Bennion, best man.

Ran a digital marketing company

with the groom, called Alto
Ignite Digital Marketing.

Apparently, they're
"brand-building disruptors".

Wow. I want to k*ll him myself.

Mm.

Time of death?

Body temperature suggests either late
last night or early hours of the morning.

He was staying in the
rental cottage over there

with the groom's party.

That's the groom, Aaron James,
and his brother, Nathan.

Right. Mm.

Cause of death?

He might have been
involved in a struggle.

Could have fallen or was pushed.

He certainly hit his
head on a gravestone.

Bam.

What was he doing
in the churchyard?

Not sure. No CCTV
from the church,

but I've got Chaudhry
asking around

to see if anyone else
caught something.

But one of the glass panels

on the church's side
door was smashed.

Ah. So we're thinking

he saw someone trying to
break in from next door.

A have-a-go hero.

I don't know.

This is hardly a crime hot spot.

Something's off. It's like,
you know when you're watching,

um, Married At First
Sight and they're like...

- IN AUSTRALIAN ACCENT: -
"I'm ready for commitment."

And you're like, "No, you're
not ready for commitment."

What?

It just looks staged. Obvious.

Is this going to
take much longer?

Just a few more questions.

I need to speak to the church,

see if they can rearrange
for later in the week.

Get your speech out
of my face, Nathan.

Rearrange? You're
not going to cancel?

Why do people keep asking that?

It won't make a difference
if we wait a week or a year -

my best man's still
not going to be here.

At least this way, it feels
like Gethin's still involved.

You know, he really contributed
a lot to the project.

You call your wedding a project?

This isn't just an
ordinary wedding.

Oh?

It's a digital
marketing super-event.

They had clients from
everywhere coming -

Cardiff, London, Lincoln...

LinkedIn.

Would I know someone
from Lincoln?

Er, didn't your fiancee mind
her wedding being turned into

a digital thingy
thing-thing thing?

No. Sioned's invited
potential clients too.

Yeah, she runs a local gallery.

It's great.

It means we could write off most
of the costs as business expenses.

Wow.

What every girl dreams of.

Um, is there anything else
we should know about Gethin?

How did he seem yesterday?

He was a bit weird.

We were meant to have a meal
in the pub, but he didn't show.

Spent most of the
day in his room.

Interesting. Oh!

Ah, my notebook's full.

Let me just, um...

It's OK. It's OK.

Yeah. Um...

So, "room all day."

Got it. Um, did you
see him last night?

No, I was in my room all night.

I heard him, though.

Yeah, it was, uh, half 12.

Woke me up running the
taps in his bathroom.

Well, thank you for your time.

And do you happen to know if
there's a WHSmith's in the area?

It's just, you know, not ideal.

Do you?

Alan! You've hardly
touched your breakfast.

ALAN MEOWS

These are high-end marinated
salmon flakes, mate.

Don't come cheap.

You're not right, are you?

NEWS JINGLE ON TV

Today's main headlines.

Police investigating the
m*rder of Gethin Bennion

in Cwmishel on Thursday
have appealed for...

PHONE ALERT

..residents to come forward

with any information that
may aid the investigation.

Mid-Wales Police have
stated that despite...

PHONE ALERT

..a number of leads,

they are currently no
closer to making an arrest.

If you do have any information that
is pertinent to the case, then...

The k*ller shoved him, and, splat,
brains all over the headstone.

You know, my macchiato hour
used to be a sacred time.

Don't mind me joining, do you?

Mam! This is private
police business.

You won't know I'm here.
Just popped in for a nibble.

Can I have one of them
chocolate pans, please, love?

Chocolate pan?

It's pain au chocolat
- I've tried.

Right. This is the
bride and groom.

And this is the victim
- Gethin Bennion, 32,

male, six foot three.

I don't need his measurements.

I need to know about the man - how he
thinks, his preoccupations, how he breathes.

Well, he doesn't breathe
any more, cos he's dead.

And the happy couple are
off on their honeymoon soon,

so we have to act quick.

What, they're going
ahead with the wedding?

The best man's not cold yet.

They'll be lucky if it doesn't
clash with the funeral.

Right. OK.

So you say the m*rder
was face-to-face.

Intimate. But was it planned?

Planned, Chapel? No, no, no,
no, no, no, it's not planned.

This is an act of passion.

Secret, perhaps, come to light
in the darkness of the graveyard?

Yes? That's interesting.

TRANSLATED FROM WELSH

My mental faculties are
all present and correct,

thank you, Yvonne.

- Mam, sh, sh!
- Now, let's have a look.

Ah, best man's speech.

Anything interesting in this?

Nothing, except for the
dangerous level of bants,

though one of the
cards was missing.

We think he must have lost it.

Well, thank goodness the
meticulously thorough

arm of the law is on the
case. No, no, no, no, no, no.

No, look at this. Look,
look. You see these? Look.

Some actors, proper
actors, do the same.

Mark which words to emphasise,

where to leave a dramatic pause.

It's naff, but it's fastidious.

No, these are not the
preparations of a man

that would just mislay an
important part of his speech.

His big moment. No.

This card has been stolen.

This speech is significant.

You're right. The
speech was significant.

Well, it's a gift, you know.

No, no, not this speech.
Nathan, the brother.

He had a speech printed out.

Why? Unless he knew he was
going to be the new best man.

I'll have that chocolate
pan to take away, love.

Are you off? I'll come with.

As you're going to Cwmishel,
that's where my vet's are.

We can go by mine
and pick him up.

Alan's off his food.

Alan?

Stray cat. They have deep
and meaningfuls, apparently.

TRANSLATED FROM WELSH

I'll get this, shall I?

Rhiannon.

Janie.

Rhiannon.

Yvonne.

John Chapel?

Hello.

Er, can I get a latte,
please, with oat milk?

I have IBS. I can't have dairy.

I'm the same with lentils.

Tummy like a washing machine.

Mam! Come on.

All right?

A bit of a peculiar vibe
- sensing history there.

- Who was that?
- Nobody.

Rhiannon Hopkins.

She's got some nerve showing
her face around here again,

- after what she did to you.
- Mam!

Made her life hell.

I'd half a mind to give her
a right telling-off in there.

Well, you didn't. You chatted
about lentils, so drop it.

Mam, what are you doing?

Well, can't I come?
I love weddings.

This isn't a wedding. It's
a m*rder investigation.

And a taxi service
for cats, apparently.

You'd struggle to get a taxi
licence for this rolling scrapheap.

Have a good m*rder!

ENGINE STARTS

Sick everywhere.

ALAN MEOWS

You told me he was a
seasoned traveller.

I'm sorry, but he probably
found your driving alarming,

and he's not alone.

Anyway, bit of
sensitivity, he's not well.

I'm concerned about him.

Well, he can get the bus home.

My back seat will never
be the same again.

And while we're here, no
talking to my suspects.

Keep a low profile, OK?

- You off the telly, is it?
- Oh, crap.

It is you, isn't it? Caesar?

I always loved you in that
Vision Express advert years ago.

"This was m*rder.

"It's clear to see."

Ah, yes. Yes, it
was my finest hour.

Mm-hm. You lot going
to be finished soon?

All these police
comings and goings,

- it's disturbing the badgers.
- Badgers?

I'm head of the Cwmishel
Badger Watchers.

We get very rare
badgers around here.

Only, ever since this m*rder,
there's been no sign of them.

All gone underground.

Don't they live underground?

- Another enthusiast, is it?
- Sorry, got to go.

Proper police
business to be doing.

What? All three of you?

ALAN MEOWS

Oh, yes. Yes. He's a
very highly-trained FSO -

Feline Special Operative.

Oh! Sorry.

Made me jump.

- Not nervous, are you?
- No.

Er, all good.

Just a busy, busy day.

God, your boot is clean.
What do you clean it with?

I only ask because, uh, my
car's covered in cat sick.

Car shampoo.

Yeah. Coconut.

Ooh. Yeah. Smells
like pina coladas.

All ready for the
best man speech?

- Honestly, I-I'm bricking it.
- Yeah.

Didn't you have a speech ready
on the morning of the wedding?

Almost like you knew Gethin wasn't
going to turn up or something?

No.

Er, just, um...

I wrote it weeks ago.

Just wanted to be prepared in
case Aaron changed his mind.

Do you know what
I smell, Nathan?

Apart from the properly
lush coconut aromas.

Honestly, you're going to have to tell
me where you get that car shampoo.

No, what I smell
is somebody lying.

All right.

I thought he'd ask
me to be best man.

I mean, I'm his brother.

Gethin was a tool, but
Aaron never saw it.

Even when Gethin got
chucked out of uni,

Aaron still thought
he was a legend.

- You really didn't like him.
- No.

And it's not just me.
Sioned didn't like him.

She thought I should
be best man, too.

I mean, why would you choose
him over your own brother?

Cos he was hot? It's
good for the photos.

Sorry, I shouldn't have said
that out loud, but, um...

Hey, you're the best man now,
and that's all that matters.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

Don't mess it up.

Joking.

Or am I?

I am.

Oh! That's, um...

HE CLEARS THROAT

Um...

HE COUGHS

HE CLEARS THROAT

Sorry.

I was in a world of my own then.

- Can I help you?
- Yeah, no, I was just admiring

this superb chiaroscuro here.

Yes. I can feel the passion
behind each brushstroke.

Oh, ta, that's, um...

- That's one of mine, actually.
- SHE CHUCKLES

- Is it?
- Yeah.

Oh, yes. Well, congratulations.

Thanks.

Hang on. Are you...?

Are you John Chapel?

- Well...
- Sioned Grant!

Um... Oh!

- How do you do?
- What are you doing here?

Well, I thought I'd pop in and
see if I could find something

that really speaks to me.

I mean, most people just want
something to match the curtains.

HE LAUGHS

I bet they do. Yeah.

No, I've always been
fascinated by how...

...how fine-art painting

and fine-art
performing are related.

We both strive to reveal
the concealed truth

of human contradictions,
don't you think?

Oh, God, yeah. Yeah, absolutely.

Mm-hm.

PHONE RINGS

Oh! Um, sorry. Just,
er, wedding stuff.

Yeah. Of course. Yeah.

Yes?

Well, what if we halve
the number of roses?

OK, dahlias.

Look, any colour!

If it's got a stalk and it
isn't dead, it'll be fine.

Sorry.

Uh, having a bit of a 'mare.
Getting married in two days.

Have you thought about
changing your florists?

Oh!

SHE LAUGHS

Yeah, well, the, um, the bigger
issue is the best man dropping out

because he's dead.

Um...

Sorry.

Um, ignore me.

It's just, er, been
a lot to take in.

I heard about it on the news.

I'm sorry.

It must have been a
terrible shock for you.

Yeah. I mean, if it was
up to me, we'd wait,

you know, and do things
properly, but, um...

Well, I don't know,
maybe that's worse.

Like we're forgetting
him or something.

- Um...
- TEARFULLY: - Oh, sorry.

Um... God, I don't
even like Gethin.

No, no, no, I understand.

No, you're an artist.

We feel things too deeply.

- It's an affliction.
- Mm.

Um, right. Why don't we
do a private viewing?

- Oh!
- Lose ourselves in some art.

POP MUSIC PLAYS

Mm. Cat sick and coconut.

Better.

PHONE RINGS

Oh...

MUSIC STOPS

Chaudhry.

Janie! I've been looking into
Gethin Bennion's financials,

- like you asked.
- Anything interesting?

Two weeks ago, Gethin Bennion paid
a classic car company two grand

- to hire the wedding car.
- Weird.

You'd think it'd be the father
of the bride who'd be paying.

He was. I took a statement
from Chris Grant,

who paid Gethin to
hire the wedding car,

but he paid him
four grand, not two.

Did he now?

Chris Grant?

- Yep.
- DS Mallowan, Trebach CID.

I know you!

You're the Carmarthen
Carpet King!

HE LAUGHS

Oh, I remember your advert!

"Underlay, underlay,
offer ends tomorrow!"

"Your King commands it!"

SHE SQUEALS

My mam had one of your carpets.

Really? Did you say
your name was Mallowan?

- Yeah.
- Yeah, I remember it well.

Loop pile, penthouse grey.
Good carpet. Good choice.

- Wow.
- Nice one.

Anyway, what can I
do for you, love?

Oh, just tying up
a few loose ends.

Um, you paid Gethin
for the wedding car?

Yeah.

Yeah, he said he'd
get me a deal.

You know, save a bit on the tax.

I shouldn't be saying that to a
copper, but you seem all right.

Can't believe the Carpet
King thinks I'm all right!

Oh, buzzing!

Yeah. Thing is, though,
er, you paid him 4,000,

and he only paid two.

He was ripping you off.

- Really?
- Mm.

You know, he was a
slimy little get.

Sioned wasn't a fan. He
had a massive fallout

with Aaron's brother
the night of the stag.

Yeah, he probably
had all this coming.

I shouldn't have told you
that either. But anyway. So...

Pretty careless, you know,
throwing your money around.

The king should be more
careful with "the royal coin!"

Sorry. I'm annoying myself.

Um, where were you the
night of the m*rder?

Oh, um...

Well, I'm staying with Sioned
till after the wedding.

And Sioned can verify
your movements?

Yeah, till about nine o'clock.

She's been going up early
since I've been here.

She says I've got the
telly on too loud.

She goes up with
her earplugs in.

Between you and me, I think
I'm getting on her wick a bit.

Oh, poor you...

..Your Majesty.

Sorry, sorry, I know, I
know you're not a real king.

You're not. I know that.

Anyway, she's a grown woman.

She doesn't want me
under her feet, so...

It's only temporary.

Like one of these sad adults still
living at home with their parents, eh?

Ooh.

Yeah, I still live with my mam.

Ooh, look at that. Yep.
Well, I'll be late for AA.

Yeah. Got a faulty carburettor.

BOTH LAUGH

Yeah. No, I'm an alcoholic.

So...

...there we are.

- Um, well, all the best.
- Yeah.

- Good luck with it all.
- Thanks.

It's not forever, living
with my mam. Just...

Just saving till I've
got the deposit. Yeah.

I'm going to start looking
at flats pretty... pretty...

He's gone. Gone.

It's very striking.

Sioned felt that I really
responded to it viscerally.

All right, Van Gogh.

I told you to stay
away from my suspect.

A transparent cry for help.
Couldn't have made it clearer

that subconsciously,
you wanted me involved.

Luckily for you, I found
an elegant way to do so.

Oh, by spending a fortune
on a painting of squares.

Lifting the veil on the
bride's true character.

An invigorating conversation
on the contemporary arts

- was merely an added bonus.
- Oh, I bet.

Pretty woman telling you what amazing
taste you have in paint blobs.

Of course you don't
understand, you barbarian.

Yeah, must have
been a nice change

from all the trivial chats
with me about m*rder.

Do you want to know
what I found out?

Well, please, furnish me with
your rudimentary deductions.

Oi, why are you being
more rude than normal?

Because somebody's keeping me
from my morning double espresso.

This is my cafe hour!

And you know I don't like
changing my schedule.

But, no, we have to meet here

because you're avoiding
some girl from the past.

This has nothing to
do with Rhiannon, OK?

So just zip it and listen.

Now, Gethin was ripping
off the father of the bride

for two grand.

Well?

Mildly interesting, yes.

- Yes.
- It tells us a little about Gethin's psychology,

but a petty cash crime?
Oh, no, it's, er...

It doesn't ring
true as a motive.

The real enigma here is the groom
charging ahead with the wedding.

Yes, Chapel, yes.
That's interesting.

Aaron did just
lose his best mate.

People can get a bit weird when
something like that happens.

But still, it's hardly
fitting for what's meant to be

the happiest day of your life.

No, it's Aaron's behaviour
that doesn't add up here.

Mm.

No, I shall, uh, dive a little
deeper with Sioned later.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no,
you're not seeing her again.

Mm, could be tricky.

Oh, thank you so much.

This is going to be
amazing for my portfolio.

Oh, please, no, it's...

Pleasure's all mine.

SHE LAUGHS

Um, so...

Where would you like
me to, er, to face?

Er...

I don't want to interfere
with your choices,

but I have been told that, er...

..this is my most
impactful side.

Yeah. Lush.

Oh, this already feels like a
really fruitful collaboration.

I don't...

Right. Pop your
clothes on the stool.

I didn't think that we were...

SIONED LAUGHS

I'm joking!

- Your face!
- Oh!

Shake It Off is a kind of hymn.

Well, can you try it?

She's got 14 Grammys. I
think the Lord would approve.

Hello?

Hello!

What is the...?

- I know you.
- Yeah.

Were you at Cardiff Digital
Marketing Fest last year?

- Alas, no. I missed it.
- Oh.

This is John Chapel,
the actor. He's famous.

Oh! Oh, of course.

Yeah, from the...

..film?

He's letting me paint him.

The week of our wedding? Sion,
how long is that going to take?

Well, it takes as long
as it takes. It's art.

I can't put a time
on these things.

This is the Focus
all over again.

Oh, here we go.

Focus?

Gethin helped me buy a
second-hand car last year,

but I was too
indecisive for someone.

Ah. The demon of indecision.

Interestingly, I once...

You must have visited
every showroom in Wales.

You know what? I can't create
with your energy in here.

Why are you creating?

It's been a very difficult time
for you both, losing your friend.

Grief hits us all
in different...

Yeah, there's no time to grieve.
Wedding, honeymoon, back to work.

Digital marketing doesn't
stop because someone died.

Yeah?

I imagine yours is a
very tough industry.

ba*ls to the wall.
High pressure.

Yeah. Yeah. It's 24/7, 365.

I've always thought I'd be good
in marketing, you know. Yeah.

That ability to grasp the true
desire of the human heart,

to turn a mere object
into a collective symbol

of our deepest hopes and dreams.

Yeah.

Funny tweets help, too, but...

Mm.

PHONE RINGS

Oh, sorry.

Caterers.

Hello? Yes. If you're telling me

you can't turn around a
four-tier wedding sponge

in 24 hours, then
hang up, hombre.

SHE SIGHS

Sorry about him.

He's, um, under a
lot of pressure.

Actually, he's always like that.

I see.

OK. Where were we?

So, Chaudhry, how's
the CCTV hunt going?

Yeah, really boring. It's
like watching the telly

without knowing what
the programme is.

Keep trying. Ooh, turns out our
victim was chucked out of uni.

- See if you can find out why.
- Mm-hm.

Are you checking your socials?

Not mine. Apparently Gethin
and the groom's brother

fell out on the stag do.

"Legends On Tour 2025."

- Sick.
- Ooh.

- Has Nathan...?
- Wet himself?

- Yeah.
- Looks like it.

Why do men do that on stag dos?

We don't all wet ourselves.

Every stag do I've come
back from dry as a bone.

Actually, there was
one time, right?

But I didn't think anyone would
see it, so I just kind of, like...

PHONE RINGS

Oh, thank God.

Hi! Yeah. Coming now.

Never, ever tell me the
end of that story, OK?

Gotcha.

Cause of death, brain damage

as the result of a fractured skull
due to a severe blow to the head.

Now, a couple of interesting
things about our Gethin.

What time did you say he
was up using the toilet?

The groom and his brother
heard him in his bathroom

running the taps
at half midnight.

Yeah, well, they're
talking out their arse.

I can be more precise
about the time of death.

His watch was smashed
during the incident.

- Stopped at 11:30.
- Really?

What else?

His stomach contents.

He had a lot of
laxatives in his system.

We're talking a lot.

Surprised we can't see Armitage
Shanks imprinted on his arse,

the amount of time he must
have spent on the toilet.

Oh.

Maybe...

Yeah, I think I know
who's behind this.

Oh. You've gone.

I just wanted him out of
the way for the wedding.

And so I stuck a
load of laxatives

in with his vitamin
powder the day before.

And that's why he didn't
leave his room all day.

I went and looked for him!

And then I found the body.

I smashed the church door to
make it look like a robbery

and then I washed the glass
with the laxatives in,

you know, in case of CSI stuff.

And that's who Aaron
heard running the taps.

I didn't mean to k*ll him.

Oh, no. You... You
didn't k*ll him, Nathan.

- I didn't?
- No.

- For real?
- Yeah.

Oh!

BOTH LAUGH

- Oh!
- Yeah.

Feels so good not
to be a m*rder*r.

Yeah. Yeah.

Oh, one last thing. Um...

When you did the laxatives,

did you steal a card from
the best man's speech?

No, I never took any card.

Hmm.

Mm-hm. OK. Thanks, Chaudhry.

Got you some biscuits. I
ate them on the drive over.

What? I haven't had lunch yet.

You're almost saint-like
in your care for others.

That was Chaudhry on the phone.

He's been in touch with Cardiff Uni
about why Gethin got chucked out.

He'd been stealing exam papers
and selling them to students.

JOHN STRAINS AND GROANS

- What are you doing?
- Stretching.

I'm exhausted. I've
been sitting all day.

Oh, poor you. I've been
on my feet since six.

Oh, you'd understand
if you'd ever sat.

I mean truly sat.

The focus required!

- Oh! It's a high-wire act.
- Yeah, yeah.

You're amazing.

Well, it's all Sioned, really.

Even though I said it was
taxing, you know, it's...

She makes it all
seem effortless.

Time seems to fly
when I talk to her.

What, and time doesn't fly
when you're talking to me?

Well, it's different, isn't it?

It's more cultured.

Oi! I'm cultured!

I watch BBC Four, and not just
because of the old Top Of The Pops.

I think you're getting a
bit too close to someone

- who could be our k*ller.
- No, no, no, no.

I'm remaining completely neutral
here, but Sioned, k*ller?

No, out of the question.

It's ridiculous. It's insulting.

She's a sensitive, artistic
soul. It doesn't equate.

She didn't like Gethin.

She liked him enough for
them to be having an affair.

She was having an affair with
her fiance's best friend?

Clearly!

Sioned's not a picky person.

She didn't mind what flowers
she had at her wedding,

yet she was crippled with indecision
about buying a second-hand car?

I don't know what she
was doing with Gethin,

but they weren't
looking at hatchbacks.

Poor Aaron.

Well, he's not exactly
a paragon of innocence.

He turned his wedding
into a networking event.

Yeah, well, his best friend
was sleeping with his fiancee.

Sort of swings and roundabouts.

He prioritised his
career over his partner.

- That is unforgivable.
- No, it's not.

You can't judge people
by your standards.

Not everybody has
a perfect marriage.

You don't know a thing
about my marriage.

Well, I would if you
actually spoke about it.

I bet you never shut up about
Elin to artsy-fartsy Sioned.

I would rather my late wife remained
conversationally off limits, OK?

But I want to talk about her!

I want to talk about what
you were like together.

Like who was in
charge of the remote?

I bet you can tell
a lot from that.

But you never talk
to me about it,

even though I can see
how happy you were.

Oh, yes, cos my
marriage was perfect!

I was so busy with work that I
didn't even know she was dying

until it was almost too
late. And I don't...

I don't want to hear your
amateur attempts at psychology,

thank you.

What do you know about
real human relationships?

The person you've spent
most of your time with

is a television character!

He's probably the only
reason you're even here!

Fine.

But unlike the actual
amateur in the room,

I'm going to follow
the evidence.

You can save your waffling
for your chats with Alan.

You know he's not
been well. That was...

That was in very poor taste.

DOOR OPENS AND SHUTS

OK, we did have a thing,
but it was over months ago.

You should have mentioned the
relationship with Gethin earlier.

I know, but it was embarrassing
more than anything.

Look, Gethin was cheesy.
You know? The kind of bloke

you have a really bad
one-night stand with,

- and I went and had about 15 with him.
- Why?

What's that saying about
why men climb mountains?

I don't know. Cos they're weird?

No. Because he was there.

This is mid-century and he's been
eating monkey nuts out of it.

Diolch, Dad!

TRANSLATED FROM WELSH

I even asked him to step down.

Well, not much, because we maybe
sort of slept together again.

Look, I'm not perfect, OK?

Did Aaron know about the affair?

God, no.

Of course I knew
about the affair.

I'm sure the Lord wouldn't
mind one glitter cannon.

Could ask him?

Yeah. m*rder investigation
here. Do you mind?

Thank you.

You decided to keep
Gethin as your best man,

even though he was shaking
sheets with your fiancee.

I know it seems crazy,
but it's just an affair.

Me and Sioned would
speak after the big day.

I've already got a spreadsheet
for couples counsellors.

Right. Probably a good idea.

- Yeah.
- And there's always divorce.

OK, well, if that's
everything...

No, no, no. You know
what's been bugging me?

With every fact I
learn about Gethin,

why you chose to keep
him as your best man.

He was my oldest friend.

Yeah, from uni.

Until he got chucked out
for selling exam papers.

See, now, does that sound
in character for Gethin?

A complex university
exam fraud syndicate?

He had hidden depths.

No, it has somebody else's
fingerprints all over it.

Your fingerprints.

Sorry, I should ask
before I touch you.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

OK, fine.

- Yes, it was me.
- Cool.

When that all came out, I
thought that was my future over.

I should have been thrown
out, but Gethin took the fall.

So you owed him?

Yeah, but he pushed it too far.

He stopped trying at work.
He kept upping his salary.

I mean, I had to
put my foot down.

I told him we were square.

Yeah, but Gethin said "nah"
and threatened to expose you.

I checked his best man's speech
and there were all these jokes

about, "There's no cheat
sheet for married life."

So you shut him up.

All I did was take the
card out of his speech.

- Can you move back a bit?
- Oh, yeah.

Sorry. I... Yeah, I
had falafel for lunch.

It always repeats on me.

Yeah.

I just find 'em such
majestic creatures.

That's why I'm keen
to join, you see.

I'd really love to find out more
about the local badger population.

- Now, then, here's your card.
- Oh.

Membership number 002.

Having a famous member,
this could really help us

get local press attention.

You could be our Bono.

Oh...

HE CHUCKLES

I was actually wondering, um,

do you have, uh,
night-vision cameras

to... to, uh, to
watch the badgers?

Yeah, yeah. Got one
here in my garden.

Amazing the things you see.

Caught a badger having
a play with a fox.

HE WHISTLES

Just here.

Well, that's...

Uh, one moment, please.

So, are you suddenly
into badgers

or are you just interfering
with my investigation?

Probably the latter.

But, um, I was actually
hoping to run into you to...

..say sorry.

Bloody hell.

It's probably the only word
I've never heard you say.

Well, I... shouldn't
have taken it out on you.

But in my defence,

I was worried about Alan,
and I'd been sitting all day.

- Now, you really... - OK.
- ..don't understand the effect...

OK. Stop now, whilst the
apology's still an apology.

And for the record,

Caesar's not the only
reason why I come to you.

He couldn't do what you do -

the character, emotional
business, you know.

Plus, he is way
cleverer than you.

- Like, he's an actual genius!
- Yeah. All right.

I think your point has already
been rather succinctly made,

but I, uh...

I think I have found a
way to make it up to you.

Oh, it's not a candle,
is it? Cos, honestly,

I just... I don't understand the
hype with those sort of things.

I think it's just
like burning money.

The Cwmishel Badger Watchers
have a night-vision camera

that points towards
the churchyard.

We asked everyone in the
area if they had CCTV.

It's not CCTV.

It's an infrared badger-cam.

Ugh!

Right. Well, I think we've
got some evening viewing.

Yeah.

- Do you think we'll ever actually see a badger?
- Hmm...

Oh!

No...

Another crisp packet.

Wow!

Arty Sioned really
can't do hands.

No.

An artistic soul, but not the
most gifted at portraiture.

Your fingers look like sausages.

It's Sioned.

Yeah, I know. She
can't paint for sh...

- Oh, it's Sioned!
- Oh...

In your statement, you said
you were in bed from 9pm,

but you went to the
churchyard to meet Gethin

around the time he was m*rder*d.

For the tape, I have
just shown the suspect

footage of her heading to the
churchyard to meet Gethin.

For the tape, I also really
like the suspect's brooch.

Oh! Diolch. Ma'
fe o Tiger a Bear.

For the tape, the suspect
has just responded in Welsh

and named a shop that is
way out of my price range.

This does not look good.

I mean, the footage,
not the brooch.

What were you doing there?

Gethin texted me,
said he had to see me,

so I snuck out my
bedroom window.

Made me feel like a


while Dad was watching telly.

You went to see him even though
your affair had finished -

what was it you said?
- months ago?

It had! Only, that
night, Gethin said...

He said he was in love with me.

He wanted us to
run away together.

Look, I told him it was
over, it was a mistake.

And how did he react to that?

Well, not great, but he
came around eventually.

OK, fine. He threatened
to tell Aaron everything.

- So you k*lled him?
- No!

I called him an idiot and
I told him to go home.

Look, can we do
this another time?

I'm getting married
in the morning.

Let's go over the
timeline again.

- For God's sake.
- And also, out of curiosity,

how much was the brooch?

We didn't have
enough to arrest her.

Chris dismissed
the duty solicitor,

brought in some big hotshot.
Must have cost a b*mb.

Well, money's no object when it
comes to protecting his little girl.

It's at the core
of his character.

I just... I just can't
see it being Sioned.

The evidence is there!

She went sneaking out of the
house to meet her former lover

around the time he was m*rder*d.

Yes, but she wouldn't k*ll
to protect her secret.

If anything, she's the victim
of a work-obsessed fiance.

Is it possible this is
a little bit about you?

I just think Sioned deserves
someone who cares about her,

who'd do anything
to make her happy.

Of course.

What?

The television.

Something was off
about her story.

- I think...
- BOTH: - We have to stop a wedding!

I said it first.

CHURCH BELLS PEAL

You look stunning, love.

Thank you.

What are you doing here?

OK. Settle down.

TRANSLATED FROM WELSH

We can't cancel
the wedding again.

Nah. It looks amateurish.

I'm afraid your grand vision
has to give way to something

even more precious.

The truth.

Is that Caesar?
What's he doing here?

Mr Chapel came to me as
a concerned citizen...

..very quietly and
in the background.

I'm not just an
aficionado of the arts,

but aficionado... of justice.

Do you understand
the word background?

Yeah. Can someone explain
what the hell's going on?

Between you all, there's
been a lot of secrets,

and they're going
to come out now.

There was one secret that
led to Gethin's death.

He was having an affair.

CONGREGATION MURMURS

Yeah.

With Sioned.

CONGREGATION GASPS

TRANSLATION FROM WELSH

It's OK. I knew.

CONGREGATION GASPS

You weren't exactly subtle.

Stank of Sauvage.

- CHRIS: - Right. OK. That's
the end of this circus now,

thank you very much.

I'm going to walk my
daughter down the aisle.

Not today.

Chris Grant, I'm
arresting you...

W-What's going on?

Don't listen to her, Sioni.
Doesn't know what she's saying.

You k*lled Gethin.

CONGREGATION GASPS

Over 2,000 quid?

It wasn't about the money.

But it was about the wedding.

You put a lot of pressure on
the wedding being perfect,

a way to make up for the past.

Sorry. What the hell has it
got to do with you, mate?

Hey? I mean, that's not a
sin, is it? It's not a crime.

Yeah, very much in the
foreground right now as well.

Oh, indeed, not a crime.

But the pressure built up.

Sioned went to bed.

You were feeling the stress,

your guilt over your neglect
of Sioned as a child,

your alcoholism.

- No.
- You hated yourself.

- No.
- You tried to resist, but you needed a drink.

You found one, and you went to where
the local teenagers go to drink.

The churchyard.

Oh, Dad...

You're a considerate dad.

You wouldn't have the telly on
loud the night before a wedding...

..unless...

..you wanted her to
put her ear plugs in

so you could sneak out.

You went to the churchyard
around the back.

That's why we didn't pick
you up on badger-cam.

OK, you're going to have
to explain badger-cam.

After a while, you heard
somebody coming, so you hid.

- You were there?
- No!

You heard the argument
between Gethin and Sioned.

You heard him threatening
to ruin her big day.

You wouldn't let that happen.

I wasn't there.

We found a bottle near the body.

A bottle of... Chat-o...
Pont... Balee-vet?

- IN FRENCH ACCENT: -
Chateau Pont Balivet.

That one. Yeah.

A Pinot Noir.

Goes surprisingly
well with fish.

- Does it?
- It does.

We're running forensics on it.

I think it'll prove the link
between you and the crime scene.

Dad?

It wasn't just the threat.

It was the way he
spoke to you, Sioni.

I had to do something.

You didn't have to do anything.

I told him I couldn't have
him ruining her wedding day.

But he could see I'd been
drinking, and he laughed.

And then he said he was going
to tell Sioni everything.

I just pushed him.

THUD

I didn't mean to k*ll him.

Why couldn't you just
leave things alone?

I couldn't have him treat
my little girl like that.

Please let me walk my
daughter down the aisle.

I-I'm sorry.

I feel terrible, Sioned.

Um... Truly, if...

Oh, shut up and go away.

Fair enough.

They've rearranged the
wedding for next week now.

HE CHUCKLES

Best of luck to them.

I doubt it'll last.

Mind you, no marriage
is perfect, I suppose.

You know...

Sioned doesn't care that
Aaron loves his work.

She's choosing him anyway.

- Don't.
- I'm just saying. Like...

I don't know what happened
with you and Elin, but...

..I'm sure you were
a brilliant husband.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

So consumed in my work that Elin
couldn't tell me she was ill. Yeah.

If I'd have known...

..well, I could have
been there more.

Maybe she didn't
want you there more.

Sorry, that sounds harsh, but...

..maybe what she
needed was to be alone.

Or what she thought she needed.

Either way, it was her choice.

Don't take that away from her.

Thank you.

DOOR OPENS

Don't look now, but, uh...

Yeah, very much looking
now, there, yeah. Er...

- Shall we go somewhere else?
- No.

Can I get an oat
milk latte, please?

I'm not hiding any more.

I'm going to deal with
this like an adult.

- All right?
- All right?

- You all right?
- Yeah. You all right?

Yeah, I'm all right.

SHE EXHALES

- You all right?
- Yeah.

Whoa. It, uh...

It takes the bigger person to
stand up and ignore the past.

That... that shows real growth.

Yeah. No, not that.

I, uh, switched our
drinks - full-fat dairy.

She's going to be up half the
night redecorating the bathroom.

Thanks.

I take that back about growth.

- DOOR OPENS - That was
infantile and crass.

DOOR CLOSES

Will you give me a lift, please?

I need to take my
portrait to the tip.

Aw, can I have it?
It's hilarious.

Absolutely not.

Oh, go on. It's great.

You can tell it's good
because the dodgy hands

actually follow you
around the room.

- Go on!
- Forget it!

- It's fantastic.
- Forget it!