1. EXT. RAVENS HOUSE EVENING.

1955…

The opening sequence is highly stylised…perhaps even black and white. Short

scenes cut together in a jagged, nightmarish way. The house is Victorian

Gothic…in an isolated setting, grim and forbidding. There is a 1950’s car

parked outside.

ANNABEL

(Voice only)

I don’t want you to go. Why do you

have to go?

CLOSER ANGLE

MICHAEL and RUTH WESTON are a well-off couple, going out for a tenth

anniversary dinner. ANNABEL is their seven-year-old daughter. A rather

frightening child whose anger borders on the psychotic.

RUTH

Come on, Anna. We talked about

this. It’s mummy and daddy’s anniversary.

ANNABEL

I don’t care! I don’t want you to go!

MICHAEL

We’ll be home later. Don’t you want

us to have a nice time?

ANNABEL

No!

MICHAEL glances at RUTH. She’s worried. They both are. Then MRS

FOSTER appears in the doorway. She’s a woman in her fifties - solid and

dependable. A housekeeper and nanny to ANNABEL.

MRS FOSTER

Are you off then?

RUTH

We’re just going.

CUT TO 

- 2 -

RUTH leans down - she’ll have one last try with ANNABEL.

RUTH

You’ll be all right with Mrs Foster.

You’ll have a nice time.

ANNABEL

No I won’t!

ANNABEL flounces round and storms into the house, pushing past MRS

FOSTER, who looks on helplessly.

2. EXT. LANE FROM RAVENS HOUSE EVENING.

RUTH and MICHAEL drive off down the rough, bumpy track. Neither of them

are speaking.

3. INT. RAVENS HOUSE - KITCHEN EVENING.

Crash! ANNABEL has dropped a plate of food onto the floor…on purpose. MRS

FOSTER towers over her, stern and angry. The whole scene is distorted, the

prelude to something horrible.

MRS FOSTER

You naughty child! You go straight

to your room. You’ll watch no

television tonight!

ANNABEL

I don’t care. I hate you!

ANNABEL rushes out of the room. MRS FOSTER calls after her.

MRS FOSTER

You just wait until your parents

come home. You wait until I tell

them!

CUT TO

- 3 -

4. INT. RAVENS HOUSE - LIVING ROOM NIGHT.

MRS FOSTER is watching the (black & white) television. The very earliest

days of ITV! The bulky cathode ray tube throws strange shadows across the

rather claustrophobic living room.

CUT TO

5. INT. RAVENS HOUSE - ANNABEL’S ROOM NIGHT.

A pretty child’s bedroom - sloping eaves, rocking chair etc…but it’s still rather

creepy. Lots of stuffed toys including a huge gollywog which stares at the

camera with eyes that are somehow too large. The bed is empty. There is no

sign of ANNABEL.

CUT TO

6. INT. RAVENS HOUSE - UPPER CORRIDOR NIGHT.

The corridor is also empty. It seems to stretch on for ever.

CUT TO

7. INT. RAVENS HOUSE - KITCHEN NIGHT.

A kitchen drawer opens. Inside the drawer we see a long, wicked-looking

kitchen knife.

CUT TO

8. INT. RAVENS HOUSE - LIVING ROOM NIGHT.

MRS FOSTER is watching television. She doesn’t hear the door open behind

her. She doesn’t hear the footsteps approach. She looks up only when it is too

late. The blade of the kitchen knife hovers above her. She can see herself

reflected in it. The knife slashes down. MRS FOSTER screams.

CUT TO

9. EXT. RAVENS HOUSE NIGHT.

 - 4 -

Later. RUTH and MICHAEL return from their dinner. RUTH is the first out of

the car.

CUT TO

10. INT. RAVENS HOUSE - HALLWAY NIGHT.

CLOSE SHOT

On RUTH as she turns the light on. MICHAEL with her. Why was the light

off? Why is the house so quiet?

MICHAEL

What is it?

RUTH

I don’t know…

But RUTH is worried. Already she knows something is wrong.

RUTH

Mrs Foster…?

CUT TO

11. INT. RAVENS HOUSE - LIVING ROOM NIGHT.

RUTH opens the door of the living room. The television is still on but the

screen is blank. MRS FOSTER is lying on the carpet. She has been butchered.

RUTH stifles a scream, then runs out.

CUT TO

12. INT. RAVENS HOUSE - STAIRS NIGHT.

In a panic, the world spinning, RUTH runs up the stairs. MICHAEL sees her.

MICHAEL

Ruth…?

CUT TO

13. INT. RAVENS HOUSE - ANNABEL’S ROOM NIGHT.

 - 5 -

RUTH rushes into the room and stops dead. A flood of relief. ANNABEL is

unhurt. She’s in bed, asleep, sucking her thumb.

RUTH

Annabel! Thank God! Oh thank

God!

RUTH snatches the child up in an embrace. Then she sees it. Her eyes widen

in horror. The gollywog is holding a blood-stained kitchen knife, cradling it in

his arms. Just as RUTH takes it in, the door opens and MICHAEL is there. He

sees ANNABEL. He sees the knife. He knows. They both do…

14. OPENING CREDITS

15. EXT. MIDSOMER MALLOW - SHOP DAY.

Forty-five years later. MARY DRINKWATER, a large and indomitable

geriatric, cycles past the village butcher shop. She sees the butcher through

the window and open door and honks the horn on her bike several times.

MARY

Come on, Ray! You don’t want to be

late!

16. INT. RAY DORSET’S SHOP DAY.

Inside the shop, JACK DORSET, RAY’S twenty-one-year-old son, is

decapitating a chicken. Another butcher’s knife! JACK is pale, glum, weakwilled,

bored with village life. His father, RAY, is a widow, in his fifties, goodhumoured

and still in love with a village in which he has spent his entire life.

He takes off his butcher’s coat.

RAY

I’ll be back in an hour.

JACK

I don’t know why you’re wasting

your time going. They’re all snobs.

CUT TO

 - 6 -

RAY hesitates at the door. He and JACK have grown apart all too quickly.

RAY

It’s for the village, Jack. That’s why

I’m going.

RAY leaves.

CUT TO

17. EXT. LOTHLORIAN DAY.

Lothlorian (from the Lord of the Rings) is a large, modern house…glass sliding

doors, flowers in tubs & barrows, perhaps even a swimming pool. The lawn is

being immaculately cut by a man on one of those expensive, tractor mowers.

This is MARCUS DEVERE, a blimp in his late fifties, once something in the

city, now retired. He’s been in the village only eight years and sees himself as

a country squire.

A movement at the gate and BELLA DEVERE appears. An opinionated, bossy

woman, she is indeed rather snobbish. She bullies MARCUS…but only

because she knows he doesn’t mind.

BELLA

Marcus! It’s five to eleven. We ought

to be on our way!

MARCUS

Righty-ho!

But he keeps on mowing!

BELLA

Marcus!

MARCUS

I’m coming! I’m coming! Don’t blow

a fuse!

BELLA shakes her head. To her, MARCUS is like a naughty schoolboy. At

that moment, the door of the house opens and CAROLINE DEVERE comes

out. A punkish, not very attractive girl of about twenty, CAROLINE is also

extremely soppy.

 - 7 -

CAROLINE

‘bye mum…

BELLA

Where are you going, dear?

CAROLINE

I dunno. Just out. I’ll see you…

BELLA watches CAROLINE leave. She is faintly worried.

CUT TO

18. INT. VET CLINIC DAY.

GORDON BRIERLY is a shaggy, shabby disappointment of a man. In his

forties. He’s examining a dog which doesn’t look much better than him, feeling

its hips. A small boy - ALEX - watches the examination.

GORDON

(Feeling) There…that feels much

better. Is he still limping?

ALEX

Not really.

GORDON

Well, we’ll keep him on the steroids

a little longer but I think he’s going

to be OK. (Patting) There’s a good

boy, Jacky.

ALEX

His name’s Lucky.

GORDON

Right.

The door opens and LAURA BRIERLY comes in. A few years younger than

GORDON, she’s long been out of love with him. Rather spiteful, she needs

physical love and isn’t getting it from him. Her dress sense is “mutton dressed

as lamb”. She sees GORDON with his hand concealed somewhere behind the

dog…

 - 8 -

LAURA

(Sweetly) If you don’t mind taking

your hand out of that dog’s arse,

Gordon darling, it’s time to go.

19. EXT. THE COCK AND HOOP DAY.

ESTABLISHING SHOT

The village pub. Determinedly pretty.

MARCUS

(Voice only)

And so we come to the main item on

the agenda. The Perfect Village

Competition.

20. INT. THE COCK AND HOOP DAY.

The pub - closed - is being used as an ad hoc committee room for the selfappointed

Midsomer Mallow committee: MARCUS and BELLA DEVERE,

GORDON & LAURA BRIERLY, MARY DRINKWATER, RAY DORSET

(smoking). Coffee has been served.

MARCUS

As we all know, it’s just three days

away now.

BELLA

July 10th!

MARCUS

That’s right. And let’s not forget the

first prize of five thousand pounds

that’s at stake.

RAY

We could rebuild the village hall for

that.

CUT TO

 - 9 -

MARCUS

Absolutely, Ray. So we’re not

leaving anything to chance. Bella?

BELLA hands MARCUS a sheet of paper.

MARCUS

(Reading) The welcoming committee

of myself, Bella and Gordon will

meet the judges at ten am, for a

tour of the village. (To GORDON)

How’s the historical commentary

coming along?

GORDON

I’ve started it but actually I’ve got a

bit behind.

LAURA

(Catty) Gordon’s had a lot on his

mind, recently.

GORDON

I’ll have it done, though. Don’t you

worry!

MARCUS

We’ve got the tent going up on the

green on the 9th. Lunch to be served

at one.

RAY

I’ve got the food all taken care of,

Mr Devere. Sausages. Chicken

wings, pasties. I’ll do the village

proud.

BELLA

And at the same time I’ll be serving

Marcus’s home-made wine.

MARCUS

The apricot and elderberry has

turned out absolutely tip-top this year.

 - 10 -

BELLA

It’ll certainly make an impression.

MARCUS

And of course entertainment! A

musical gala on the green to

accompany lunch. Mary…?

MARY

Nothing to worry about there,

Marcus. I’ve been working with the

village band. In fact we’ve been

going at it hammer and tongs.

MARCUS

Not literally, I hope!

MARY

It’s important to show these judges

that there’s still some young blood

in Midsomer Mallow.

GORDON

I don’t suppose we know yet who the

judges actually are.

MARCUS

Well, Rosemary Furman, editor of

Country Matters magazine, is one of

them. I understand Frank Mannion

is also on the panel.

RAY

Frank Mannion…

MARY

He does that gardening programme

on TV. “Up the Garden Path…”

MARCUS

Apparently Annabel Croft has

agreed to join them. And then

there’s a member of the general

public.

BELLA

Oh?

 - 11 -

MARCUS

Yes. They ran a competition in

Country Matters and one of the

readers - I’ve got the name somewhere

- anyway, whoever won it,

gets to join the panel. She’ll

probably be the easiest to impress.

LAURA

(Brightly - to RAY) Bung her an

extra sausage and her vote will be

in the bag.

21. INT. BARNABY’S HOUSE - KITCHEN EVENING.

JOYCE is making dinner for BARNABY - on their own for once. JOYCE is the

lucky winner of the Country Matters competition. BARNABY is reading a copy

of the glossy rural magazine.

BARNABY

So you’re going to be a judge? What

was the first prize?

JOYCE

That was the first prize, Tom. It

means a week away from home.

First class travel. And a big dinner

at the end of it.

BARNABY

A week away from home…

JOYCE

Don’t worry. I’ve already phoned

Cully. She’s coming tomorrow.

BARNABY

She’s not working?

JOYCE

She is, as a matter of fact. She’s

writing a book.

Lunch is ready. JOYCE and BARNABY move over to the table.

CUT TO 

- 12 -

BARNABY

A book? That’s different.

JOYCE

It’s something to do with the

theatre. I’m sure she’ll tell you all

about it.

BARNABY

The Perfect Village Competition. I

don’t suppose any of the Midsomer

Villages have made it through to the

final?

JOYCE

There is one. Yes. Midsomer

Mallow. (Pause) Don’t tell me, Tom.

You’re investigating some grisly

murder there.

BARNABY

No, no. It’s all pretty quiet at the

moment - apart from one thing.

We’ve had a spate of burglaries.

CUT TO

22. INT. WINDWHISTLE FARM - BARN EVENING.

PETER DRINKWATER, a darkly handsome and obviously roguish man aged

about twenty, rolls out of bed and starts to get dressed. Half-naked, he has a

gold chain around his neck. He was in bed with CAROLINE DEVERE. He has

a large, scruffy room in a barn. An isolated part of the farm.

PETER

I’ve got to go.

CAROLINE

Oh, Petey! Have you?

PETER

Yeah. And so have you.

CAROLINE

(Sulky) Why? Where are you going?

 CAROLINE watches as PETER draws on a black polo. She pouts at him.

PETER is fully dressed. Outside there’s the hoot of a car. He leans over and

kisses CAROLINE.

PETER leaves.

23. EXT. WINDWHISTLE FARM EVENING.

The barn stands in an old, derelict farm. Lots of outbuildings scattered around.

JACK DORSET has drawn up in a battered white van. It’s his father’s van.

Like PETER, he is dressed in black.

- 13 -

PETER

I’ve got business.

CAROLINE

You haven’t got business. There’s

someone else, isn’t there.

PETER

(A lie) No.

CAROLINE

I couldn’t bear it if there was. I

really couldn’t…

PETER

You’d better get home. Your mum

and dad would kill you if they knew

you were here.

CAROLINE

They’d kill you first.

PETER

I’ll see you.

CUT TO

PETER

Greyfriars House.

JACK

Peter…are you sure about this? 

- 14 -

PETER

You said he was going to be in

London. Not back until late.

JACK

I mean… It’s too much too soon.

We’re going to get caught.

PETER

(Menacing) You losing your bottle,

Jack?

JACK

(Faltering) No…

PETER

I hope not.

PETER gets into the van and the two of them drive off.

CUT TO

24. EXT. GREYFRIARS HOUSE NIGHT.

ESTABLISHING SHOT

A large, rather forbidding house on the outskirts of Midsomer Mallow. It is set

in its own grounds with a gravel drive leading down to a gate. The white van is

parked outside.

CUT TO

CLOSE ANGLE

Two shadowy figures run round the side of the house.

CUT TO

25. INT. GREYFRIARS HOUSE - CONSERVATORY NIGHT.

A gloved hand breaks through a window, then reaches round to unlock a door.

CUT TO

ANOTHER ANGLE

 - 15 -

PETER DRINKWATER and JACK DORSET come into the conservatory. They

are both wearing balaclava masks.

CUT TO

26. INT. GREYFRIARS HOUSE - HALL/LIVING ROOM NIGHT.

They begin to ransack the house and they’re messy and destructive with it.

JACK deals with the small stuff: a silver lighter, silver knives and forks, a

wallet, various ornaments. PETER unplugs a brand new computer with tower,

printer etc…he’ll take that along with the TV, CD player etc.

As they go, they are watched by a collection of stuffed toys. Prominent among

the toys is a gollywog that might make us think of the opening scenes.

CUT TO

27. EXT. GREYFRIARS HOUSE NIGHT.

PETER comes out with the first load and bundles it into the back of the van.

CUT TO

28. INT. GREYFRIARS HOUSE - HALL/LIVING ROOM NIGHT.

JACK is on his own. Riffling through drawers. He doesn’t notice a door open a

crack. He is being watched - but we don’t see by whom. A single eye stares at

him through the crack in the door. Watching. There is something slightly

horrific about the eye.

JACK stops, a porcelain bowl in his hand. He is suddenly aware that he is

being watched. He turns towards the half-open door, begins to move towards

it.

But before he can get there, PETER suddenly returns.

PETER

(A whisper) What is it?

JACK

(A whisper) I thought I heard

something.

PETER notices the bowl.

 - 16 -

PETER

Leave that!

He knocks the bowl out of JACK’S hand. It smashes on the floor.

PETER

There’s nothing here. Let’s go.

PETER notices a portrait above the fireplace. A lean, saturnine man…an

actor. We’ll know him as EDWARD ALLARDICE. PETER takes a poker out of

the fireplace and uses it to slash the canvas.

PETER

You old fart!

He hesitates for a moment. Suddenly he’s aware, like JACK, that he’s not

alone.

ANOTHER ANGLE

The eye has been watching PETER from the door. The eye widens with fear

and indignation at the sight of the torn canvas.

ANOTHER ANGLE

PETER turns and leaves the room.

29. INT/EXT. THE VAN/GREYFRIARS HOUSE NIGHT.

JACK starts up the van. PETER gets in.

PETER

Right. Let’s go.

PETER takes off his mask. JACK does the same.

PETER

Piece of cake.

CUT TO

- 17 -

The two of them speed down the path, swerve left at the bottom (cutting up

the gravel) and disappear into the night.

30. EXT. GREYFRIARS HOUSE DAY.

ESTABLISHING SHOT

The following day. The police have arrived…and with them TROY and

BARNABY.

BARNABY

So what is this now? The sixth…?

TROY

Seventh.

BARNABY

Seventh burglary in two month.

That’s not a spate. That’s an

epidemic. Who is it this time?

TROY

His name’s Edward Allardice. He’s a

retired actor. Lives here alone.

BARNABY

It’s a big place for one man. So

where was he last night?

TROY

You can ask him yourself. He’s

inside.

31. INT. GREYFRIARS HOUSE - LIVING ROOM DAY.

EDWARD ALLARDICE is in his late fifties…older than the portrait we saw

the night before. A distinguished looking man with a scar running down one

cheek. Once again the gollywog is a silent witness of the scene.

CUT TO 

- 18 -

EDWARD

I had to go to London yesterday. A

meeting with my accountant. I

didn’t get back until one in the

morning. It’s almost as if they knew.

BARNABY

Did you tell anyone about your

travel plans, Mr Allerdice?

EDWARD

No. I keep myself to myself. (Pause)

I may have mentioned something to

Ray.

A glance from BARNABY.

EDWARD

Ray Dorset. The butcher. You can’t

go in there without chatting. I

suppose I may have mentioned it.

TROY

And there was no-one in the house.

EDWARD

(Lying) My wife died some years ago

and I live here alone. But I may be

able to help you.

TROY

Sir?

EDWARD

As I was driving home, I saw a

white van. I was quite near the

house and it was doing a ton. That’s

why I noticed it.

TROY

I don’t suppose you got…

EDWARD

…a registration number? I got most

of it. M 932. Then an L - or it could

have been an E- something F. It

went past too fast.

 - 19 -

TROY takes a note.

TROY

That may be very helpful, sir.

EDWARD

If ever I get my hands on the little

bastards who did this, I’ll kill them!

It wasn’t just what they stole. It

was the damage. That portrait was

painted by Lucien Freud. And the

bowl they smashed, it was given to

me by Olivier. Irreplaceable.

TROY

We’ll do what we can, sir.

As ever, BARNABY picks up what TROY has missed.

BARNABY

If you don’t mind my asking, sir,

how do you know there were two of

them?

EDWARD

I’m sorry?

BARNABY

You said “little bastards”. Plural. It

could have been just one.

EDWARD

(Thrown) Well…I assumed. They

always come in pairs, don’t they?

CUT TO

32. EXT. GREYFRIARS HOUSE DAY.

BARNABY and TROY walk down to the gate where the tyre marks gouged

into the gravel by the van can be clearly seen.

TROY

You don’t think he was lying, do

you? About being out of the house?

 - 20 -

A shrug from BARNABY. He looks down at the tyre marks.

TROY

Those were made last night. I’ve

checked them. They don’t match his

car. They could belong to the white

van.

BARNABY

Quite possibly, Troy. But these tyre

tracks are quite clearly turning that

way. (Points) But surely the London

road is over there…

TROY

So if Allerdice was coming from

London…

BARNABY

He wouldn’t have seen it.

TROY

So he is lying.

BARNABY

Or obfuscating, certainly.

TROY doesn’t know what “obfuscating” means but doesn’t like to say so.

BARNABY

Seven burglaries in one small area.

You’d think they must have some

sort of inside knowledge.

TROY

Allardice mentioned the village

shop.

BARNABY

Ray Dorset. Yes. that’s where you

might go for information. The

butcher. The baker…

TROY

The candlestick taker?

A smile from BARNABY.

 33. INT. RAY DORSET’S SHOP DAY.

RAY DORSET confronts BARNABY and TROY. JACK is working in the

background.

RAY considers.

  - 21 -

CUT TO

RAY

So you’re police officers, are you?

Investigating all these break-ins?

BARNABY

Yes, sir. You must know quite a bit

about the village, working here.

RAY

I suppose I do.

BARNABY

Has there been anyone in here

that’s new to the area? Someone

perhaps showing an interest in

other peoples’ movements?

RAY

No. The last person to come to the

village was Mr Allardice. That was

quite recent. About five, six years

ago.

TROY

No-one more recent than that?

RAY

Well. I don’t like to point any fingers

at no-one…

TROY

Go on.

RAY

Maybe you could talk to Peter

Drinkwater. - 22 -

In the background, JACK stops working.

RAY

He’s Mary Drinkwater’s nephew.

Her great nephew. He come back at

the start of the year. Lived with her

for a while but then he moved into

the old farm. Windwhistle Farm. It’s

deserted now.

TROY

Peter Drinkwater.

RAY

He’s a young lad. A bit on the wild

side. Not that I’m saying he’d get

himself in any trouble, mind. But

you asked!

34. EXT. JACK DORSET’S SHOP DAY.

BARNABY and TROY leave.

BARNABY

Peter Drinkwater. I have a feeling

that name rings a bell.

TROY

Do you want to see him?

BARNABY

Unless you have other plans…

They get into the car.

35. INT. RAY DORSET’S SHOP DAY.

RAY watches BARNABY and TROY leave, at the same time slicing meat.

JACK comes forward.

CUT TO

 - 23 -

JACK

Why did you have to do that? Why

did you have to talk about Peter

that way?

RAY

I could have said more than I did.

JACK

He’s my friend, dad!

RAY

He’s trouble. He’s leading you into

trouble and I wish he’d never come

here. Sometimes I want to…

JACK

What?

RAY

Nothing. Never you mind.

RAY is still holding the butcher’s knife. He slices open a joint of meat.

CUT TO

36. INT. LAURA’S BEDROOM DAY.

An almost exact replay of Scene 30. PETER DRINKWATER, half-naked, with

the gold chain in place, rolls onto his back. But this time the image is a even

seedier. He’s in bed with LAURA BRIERLY - with an age gap of about twenty

years she’s very much the older woman. Worse, this is her bedroom (Habitat

with country chintz) and her marital bed.

LAURA

What time is it?

PETER

Twelve.

LAURA

Gordon will be back soon. It’s his

afternoon surgery. You have to go.

PETER

All right.

 - 24 -

PETER gets out of bed and quickly gets dressed.

LAURA

You don’t care, do you.

PETER

What.

LAURA

Stay or go. You don’t care. (A smile)

But maybe that’s what I like about

you, Peter. You’re so bloody heartless.

You’re like an animal.

PETER

Watch it…

LAURA

I’m complimenting you. (Pause) If

Gordon ever found out about us,

he’d neuter you, do you know that?

He’s good at that.

PETER

If you don’t like Gordon, why do you

talk about him so much?

LAURA

Good question.

She reaches out and kisses him.

LAURA

Don’t you ever change. I like you

just the way you are.

PETER catches her wrist.

PETER

And you know what I like about

you?

LAURA

What?

PETER

Your generosity.

 - 25 -

LAURA

I hadn’t forgotten.

He releases her. She gets out of bed, finds her handbag and takes out fifty

pounds. She’s hurt and decides to bite back…

LAURA

Are you still seeing that girl? The

Devere girl? Caroline…?

A slight reaction from PETER. LAURA presses on, knowing she’s scored a

point.

LAURA

Yes. You’ve got plans there, haven’t

you. Well, a word from me and that

would be all over. I wonder what

she’d say if she knew about me?

PETER

(Angry) Get lost, Laura. Just piss

off, all right? You start threatening

me, you can look for your fifty quid

thrills elsewhere. Right…?

LAURA

(Dismayed) Peter…

PETER

(Ignoring her) Maybe you should try

Jack. He’ll do it for thirty and he

might even enjoy it.

LAURA

God! You little bastard…!

LAURA slaps PETER across the face. PETER freezes for a moment, then he

snatches the money and walks out. LAURA is left alone with her rage.

CUT TO

37. EXT. GORDON BRIERLY’S HOUSE DAY.

PETER strolls nonchalantly out of the house. We might see the plaque:

GORDON BRIERLY - VETINERARY SURGEON. The nearest house is

 - 26 -

MARCUS DEVERE’S and PETER glances in that direction to make sure he

isn’t being seen.

CUT TO

ANOTHER ANGLE

PETER doesn’t notice pull in on the other side of the road. GORDON

BRIERLY has got home early. He sees PETER come out of the house and -

from his manner, his cocky walk, guesses what has been happening. GORDON

stares with growing disgust and fury.

CUT TO

GORDON’S P.O.V.

PETER gets into his car, a beaten-up Morris. He drives off.

CUT TO

38. EXT. WINDWHISTLE FARM DAY.

BARNABY and TROY have arrived at the farm and get out of their car. They

are in a yard with out-buildings dotted around. Windwhistle Farm is empty,

already quite derelict.

BARNABY

Windwhistle Farm. If you were

going to hide stolen loot, this would

be the place to do it.

TROY

All these out-buildings. It’s got to be

him.

BARNABY

Here he is now…

PETER DRINKWATER has arrived, driving home in his Morris. He stops the

car but doesn’t get out. BARNABY and TROY walk over to him.

PETER

Yes?

TROY

You’re Peter Drinkwater?

 - 27 -

PETER

And you’re police, aren’t you.

TROY takes out his ID.

TROY

Detective Sergeant Troy. Causton

CID. This is Detective Chief

Inspector Barnaby.

PETER

It’s the same smell. You can always

tell.

TROY

Would you mind stepping out of the

car? We’d like to talk to you in

connection with a break-in at Greyfriars

House last night.

PETER

Would you? And what if I don’t want

to talk to you?

BARNABY

Do you realise we could be back

here in six hours with a warrant to

search this entire place?

PETER

Search it. I don’t give a damn.

PETER throws his car into reverse, then spins forward, driving between TROY

and BARNABY who have to get out of the way hurriedly. Then he’s off, back

down the drive.

TROY

Charming.

BARNABY

Yes.

TROY

Do you want me to take a look

around?

 - 28 -

BARNABY

No. Let’s do this by the book, Troy.

We’d better get that warrant first.

BARNABY and TROY move back towards their car.

CUT TO

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