Agatha Raisin (2014–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - The Wellspring of Death - full transcript

The spring rises in my aunt's garden.

In her garden. And she has
the legal right to sell the rights
to that spring water...

It's all about the rights.
..to whichever company she chooses.

But Angela, she does not have the
rights to grant access to the water
company's tankers. That's right.

You're wrong.
She's not wrong, she's right.

Angela, they've already started
moving in as if they own the place.

Earlier, I was almost run over by
one of their trucks.

You can't block my aunt's
commercial rights.

It seems to me...

If I can interject here...

Get on with it!



As a parish council...

...we are still split on whether to
grant access through the village

to the water company's tankers.

Oh, once again, we are being chaired
by Robert Struthers

from the Institute for Stating
the Bleeding Obvious.

We are only split, Robert,

because you haven't voted yet.

And you've got the casting vote here.

Indeed I do.

So what decision have you come to?

I will consider overnight.

And I will inform you all
in the morning.

SIRENS WAIL

Are you the gentleman that called 999?



Yes. What happened, Mr Allen?

Got up early to walk the dog,
I found him lying here.

Well, who is he?

He's Robert Struthers, the chairman
of the parish council.

His head's been smashed in.

PHONE RINGS

Roy, my darling,
I'm just off to the pub.

How are you? We've had a call,
Aggie, from your neck of the woods.

A firm called Ancombe Water
need some local PR

to deal with a bit of
negative publicity.

So? Well, we're a bit
snowed under at the moment

and I thought you might like
a little freelance job.

No. It'll just be a week, well-paid,

and I'll get lots of brownie points
for bringing you in.

No, Roy, the only points
I'm interested in tonight
are at the pub quiz.

James has asked me personally
to be on his team.

Will you at least think about
the PR job?

I already have.

The answer is no.

Police are investigating the
suspicious death of Robert
Struthers...

Sorry I'm late. Ssh!

Here it is... on the day he was due
to rule on whether
to grant access to

the Ancombe Water Company
to bottle the water.

Ancombe Water Company?

Ssh. Ssh yourself.

Ron Allen. It was a total shock.

I've had personal relations with the
corpse for the past 60 years.

He's gonna regret that phrase
when he hears it back.

Sounds like murder to me.

Large glass of pinot grigio, please.

You should get your detective hat
on, Agatha.

There's been bad blood between
Ron Allen and Robert Struthers
for years.

They hated each other.

Well, I've had quite enough of
getting involved with murders,

thank you very much.

What time does the quiz start?

Any minute now. Good.

Fancy another, Jean? So, the parish
council would have broken up
at about 9.30.

And what time was the body
discovered? 6.30 in the morning.

Oh. You quizzing tonight
as well, Mary?

Oh, um... I'm sorry, Agatha,

but I'm afraid you're going to have
to be on a team on your own.

James has press-ganged me into doing
some detecting about the murder.

Oh, you don't mind, do you?

Struthers was an acquaintance of sorts.

It seems only right that I should
try and get to the bottom of this.

I think he just wants a secretary,
actually!

How do you know it was murder?

How do you know he didn't just
fall over and bang his head
on a large rock?

Well, that's what we're gonna try
and find out.

Good luck with the quiz!

Listen up, everybody.

Round one is microwave meals
you can buy in the village shop.

Which brand of lasagne contains
only 5% meat

and can be found in the
left-hand side of the freezer?

Roy, about that job in Ancombe.

I forgot you were always late
for pitch meetings.

Rule number one, always make
the client think you're far too
important for them.

It's how Sun Tzu said you should
command armies in The Art Of War.

Or you could just try being on time
and being nice to people.

Hello, Agatha Raisin and Roy Silver,
here to see Guy Fremont.

Oh, right. This way.
Sorry for the mess.

We only got possession of these
offices yesterday.

That's a natty little jacket,
Mrs Raisin.

My grandmother's got one of those.

Mr Fremont is in here.

Well, why aren't the police saying?

Of course murder affects us.

I'm trying to launch a health product.

Guy. Agatha Raisin
and Roy Silver, PR.

OK, thanks, Portia.
Look, I've got to go.

I'll speak to you later. Cheers.

Was Robert Struthers murdered?

Not even my local press contacts
can find out.

Get me DC Bill Wong.

Well, you have got
one big problem, Mr Fremont.

I've got more than one.

With the parish council
unable to decide,

there's going to be a public meeting
tonight

on whether to grant access
to your trucks. Yeah, I know.

So I've arranged for us
to speak at this meeting.

If you don't win this vote,
nothing else matters.

Hi, Bill, bear with.

Aggie?

One sec.

Was it murder at Ancombe?

Well, we're not releasing that yet,
Agatha.

Oh, just tell me, Bill.

Yes, forensics can prove that he was
killed elsewhere and his body dumped

by the spring. But...

And if you do win the vote,

you have then got to cope with
marketing a product from a spring
with a murdered body in it.

This is a disaster. No,
this is an opportunity, Guy.

We need to capitalise on the media
attention around this murder

and launch as quickly as possible.

Well, we've had an idea of how
to launch, haven't we, Portia?

We're going to have a party
on a boat on the Thames.

HE LAUGHS Well, that's a terrible idea.

Was it yours? We need to emphasise
wholesomeness,

everything that is desirable
about the Cotswolds.

And we need to have a perfect
village fete in Ancombe itself.

You won't get London journalists
up for that.

Well, we will if we get The Rosy
Girls to play a gig at the fete.

You can get The Rosy Girls?

Two of them are from the Cotswolds.
They've got a very wholesome image.

Perfect for you.
We need to move quickly.

We need to launch while Ancombe is
still in the news

and we need to have a huge celebrity
party just to get all the locals
onside.

Great, when do we start?

7.30 tonight.

At the village meeting.

I shall see you there.

Wow.

Thank you, everyone. Robert...

...we will miss you.

Now, please.

Hello, everyone.

I moved here from London...

Why don't you go back there?

Why don't you leave it alone,
you shrew?

I moved here from London last year,

to get away from choking traffic and...

...the flight paths...

The point is, heavy goods vehicles
aggravate asthma, emphysema

and cancer.

Now, I appeal to you, democratically,

to vote against these vehicles
and for the Cotswolds way of life.

Bravo. Well said.

Come on, love.
You must say something.

Robina Toynbee.

Julia, the thing is, it's not a
democracy, love.

It just isn't.

The water is mine to sell.

Course it is. Agatha Raisin,
Ancombe Water Company.

Thank you.

I've got a question for everyone.

Would it make a difference

if the water was taken from the well
by seven o'clock every morning?

Why would that make a difference?
So as not to disturb village life.

So that from seven every morning,

the spring and the roads
are there for everyone.

Because that's what Guy Fremont's
offering.

Guy? Thanks.

Guy Fremont also aims to launch
Ancombe Water at a village fete,

showcasing all that is good and
healthy about this beautiful place,

your crafts, your farm foods,

a fete that will attract the
attention of the entire country

and bring
money flooding into your pockets.

And also...

featuring...

...a performance by The Rosy Girls.

CROWD. Ooh!

Oh, we like them, don't we?

So come along, everyone,

let us vote to put
this petty bickering behind us,

and shine a light on all that is good.

So all those in favour of granting
access to the water company,

let's have a show of hands.

What are you doing here, Mrs Raisin?

Working for the water company,
Mr Wilkes.

As long as that's all it is.

What are they doing here?

Asking nosy questions about the murder.

Who said it was murder?
No-one.

He's got this new strategy that
he saw on an episode of Morse.

He's not declaring it's murder.

He's keeping the forensic evidence
quiet, hoping to catch
the killer out.

What forensic evidence?

Well, we think someone ran a vacuum
cleaner over Robert Struthers after
he died. A vacuum cleaner?

Yeah, he was spotless.

Apart from...

A white Persian cat hair.

See you later.

Can I steal you?

You were amazing, Agatha.

You were fantastic.
You were fantastic.

I cannot tell you how many months

I've been trying to get a decision
out of them

and you walked up there,
looking gorgeous...

Did I? Yeah, you look gorgeous
and you got it through.

You're awesome.

Sorry.

Oh, that's OK.

No-one minded.

One more?

What if we solved this murder,
together?

You and me.

The publicity it would get
would be astronomical for the firm.

And free. Agatha,
this murder has really shaken me up.

If there wasn't so much of my
brothers' money invested,
I'd walk away.

I'm beginning to wish I'd never
got involved in the first place.

Your brother? I've got three older
brothers out in Hong Kong.

They run this firm of traders out
there, really successful.

They're funding the water company
for me.

So as my heartless PR, I appreciate
what you're saying.

But let's leave it to the police.

OK.

Um...

Do you...

I'm just going to say it. Would you
like to come in for a drink?

Yes.

But I'm not going to.

I probably want to come in
a little bit too much.

MUSIC. Get Lucky by Daft Punk

PHONE DIALS

PHONE RINGS
TV. Here, it's eat or die.

She has to eat to provide
for her children.

What? We need to investigate this
murder, Gem.

That's Mrs Jakes, my great-
great-great...

No, hang on. My great-great-
great-great-great-great ancestor,

who first channelled the spring
through the wall

for the benefit of the village poor.
How many greats?

Six. Now, of course, every family in
the village is poor,

unless you come from London!

That's why Angela and Andy wanted
to find a buyer for the water.

Was it their idea?

Oh, yes. And I don't even like them
both very much.

Now I hear there was an argument
at the parish council the night
Robert died?

There is always a ding-dong at the
council.

Robert can never make a decision.

Did you know which way he was going
to vote?

Robert was going to vote for us,
wasn't he, love?

He had told you as much after the
meeting.

Why are you asking, Mrs Raisin?

Just trying to work out if there was
any truth to the rumour

that Ron and Robert hated each other.

Is there any truth in the rumour
round the village this morning that

Robert was murdered?

Yeah, that's what we heard, yeah.

Listen, we don't for a second think
that Ron murdered him.

But he'd hated him ever
since they were kids.

They both fell in love with
the same girl.

Who married Robert.
Because he had more money.

Does Ron have a Persian cat?

You're the second person who's asked
about Persian cats this morning.

Who's the other one?
That Mary Fortune. Ugh! Ugh!

COWS MOO Mr Allen.

What's that? That is a visual
impression of an individual
we believe

played a pivotal role
in the murder of Robert Struthers.

Murder? Yes.

Are you sure? Are you all right,
Mr Allen?

I'll have to sit down. Careful, now,
just try and breathe slowly.

I just can't believe it.
Do you know this individual?

No.

Ron, can you tell us of your
movements after
the parish council broke up?

Well, I came back here, went to bed,

and got up at six in the morning
to walk the dog like I always do.

Is that it?

Yes.

Izzy is the reason I moved out here.

Why? She had chronic asthma
when we were in London.

Oh, cos of the traffic.

She's certainly not as bad out here.

So, is that why you spoke up
against the trucks?

These businesses don't care
who they walk over.

They just want to make money.

My husband and I live apart during
the week,

all so that Izzy can grow up
in the fresh air.

And now we are going to have
to move - again.

How do you think Robert Struthers
would have voted?

If he hadn't died.

He told me straight after the meeting

that he was going to vote against
the trucks.

Talk for long?

Five minutes. I had to be back by
ten o'clock for the baby-sitter.

Have you seen this Snapchat?

One of these groups must be lying.

Robert wouldn't have told both

he was going to vote with them.
Yes, I thought of that yesterday,

actually. And the Buckleys' is the
only alibi that's solid because...

It's rock-solid, yes, because they
had to get back and lock up the pub.

Just what I was going to say.

Why don't we ask those girls who
the baby-sitters are in the village?

Then we can find out...

We can confirm if Julia got back
at ten like she said she did.

Come on, Watson.

Why am I Watson?
Why can't I be Holmes?

So, we've got 37 journalists
and TV crews all confirmed,

32 of them from entertainment.

Have you got the Rosy Girls? Yes,

but they will be performing
in front of the company's logo,

so the product will get
plenty of attention.

I've also sent complimentary
supplies to top London hotels

and local pubs within 50 miles.

I think you're going to get
international coverage as well,

so when you expand into those markets,

you're already going to be
way ahead of the game.

Are you even listening to me?

No.

I was thinking about our kiss.

Ohhh!

CAR LOCK BEEPS

What are you doing?

Erm, putting the bin bag out.

I've got some fresh coffee on.

Come on.

Did you see Guy Freemont
stayed the night?

Did he? Oh, just imagine the pillow
talk between those two.

"God, I was good."

"Yeah, so was I."

Ancombe Water, as fresh and natural
as the Rosy Girls -

bottled the same day as it is
sourced from a spring

deep beneath the Cotswold Hills.

Are you going to put in a science bit?

Yes, I am going to put in
a science bit.

Full of minerals...

BANG!

Oh! Yay! What?
What do you mean, "what"?

What? Gemma, I'm working.

The whole village is talking about
how Mr Ancombe stayed over
last night.

How does the whole village know?

Oh, cos I think we stayed up all
night to see what time he left.

Mrs Joseph says congrats.

Erm, Reverend Bloxby said, "Oh,
maybe she will relax a bit now.

"Nothing like a bit of sex
to set you right."

Is there no privacy any more?

Yeah, but don't worry about that.
I mean, he's gorgeous, isn't he?

I know. He is, he's gorgeous.

No, no, he's GORGEOUS!

I know, he's absolutely gorgeous!

I'm still here, you know.

OK, now, everybody listening?

One o'clock, we'll get
the journos out of the pub,

and we'll lead with your speech
in the marquee.

OK, Guy? Yeah, OK.

And then outside into the sun,

where the Rosy Girls
will perform two songs.

Through the stalls of local wares...

...where Ancombe Water
will feature prominently.

And accompanied by a jolly band
of Morris dancers,

who will parade to the wellspring,

where Mrs Toynbee will give a short
speech on the history of the spring.

It won't go on, will it?

I've told her if it's more
than two minutes,

I shall turn off her microphone.

Mr Freemont, can we have a word?

Would you like to come and see
how we've decked out our pub?

Do I have to? Yes, and nicely.

Local relations matter now.

Portia, you come with me.

Aggie, you know the pub
is in a huge amount of debt.

The brewery were going to foreclose
on the Buckleys this week

but they've given them some extra
time to see if business picks up

with the water deal going through.
Roy, I should be with Guy.

Aggie... I can't think about murder
at the moment, Roy!

I... I just want this to go well.

Do you know who had the most to lose
from Robert voting against access?

Yes, erm...

the Buckleys.

Guy Freemont,
who I reckon could be a bit dodgy.

Don't you think jealousy clouds
the judgment of a detective?

Why...?

Why would I be jealous?

Huh.

Oh! Here's our number-one suspect.

Mrs Owen.

Mrs Owen. Mrs Owen.

Mrs Owen, stop, stop.

Stop. Why have you lied about your
alibi on the night of Robert

I haven't.

Don't you lie to me.
Your baby-sitter, Gail Brewer,

said you'd gone home four hours
later than you told the police.

What does it matter to you?

What are you accusing me of?

Well... What gives you the right to
come to my house and accuse me of,

what, murder?

Is that right? Yeah.
In front of my daughter?

Come on, Mary.

I'll be giving this evidence to the
police and they'll want to know
where you were.

Thank you for supper.

My pleasure.

I can't cook anything English
but, having grown up in Hong Kong,

I'm your go-to man for Chinese.

I've thought about you all day.

You haven't. You've thought
about the launch and whether
it's going to go well.

Well, yeah, the launch...

...and then you.

And then the launch, then you...

...and now I know nothing's
going to go wrong with the launch,

it's all you.

Come to bed.

PHONE RINGS

Leave it. Come to bed.

THUNDER CRASHES

Aggie, open the door!

Disaster.

When did this story break?

Late last night.
I did try calling you,

but you weren't picking up.

Have they pulled out of the launch?
BOTH. Of course they've pulled out.

As have all of our London
and entertainment journalists.

How many are coming? Oh, one, two,
three, four...

None. Can we get another act?

STILTED PIANO RENDITION
OF GREENSLEEVES

THUNDER CRASHES

A-ha!

MUTED APPLAUSE

Thank you. Thank you,
local Cotswold talent.

Um...

And now, Guy Freemont.

SCATTERED APPLAUSE

Thank you. Thanks.

Erm, Ancombe Water is a new company...

...built on solid foundations.

Oh, for goodness' sake.
I'm going to...

I'm going to keep this short.

Guy, Guy, just do, do, do it.

It's all right.

I'd like to say we are very proud

to be the official sellers of water
from the Ancombe spring.

WIND WHISTLES

Thank you.

Ow! Why is this happening?

Oh! It's just a shower.
No, it's not!

Aggie, I think it's stopping. Is it?

Right, come on, everybody,
time for the parade to the spring.

Morris men, get jolly.

Mrs Raisin, you need to call off
the parade.

Why? A group of hunt saboteurs are
planning to block the street.

Hunt saboteurs? Well, that's what
they usually do,

but they are a rent-a-mob for anyone
who wants to stop commercialisation

of the countryside. What they are,
Mrs Raisin,

is a vicious bunch
of ne'er-do-wells.

So, in the interest of public safety...

No. No amount of unwashed scumbags
is going to stop the climax
of this launch.

I have promised Robina that
I will be there at the well to hear
her speech.

So... come on, everyone!

Get up and... have some more water.

MORRIS DANCE MUSIC PLAYS

Ancombe Water is bottled
within 14 hours of being drawn

from the earth itself.

No, no, no!

Fact three...

Why have the Morris men
stopped clapping?

No, no, no, no!

No, no!

Get out of the way!

This is a legitimate product launch.

You're not getting through
to the spring, lady.

We are here to protest
against commercialisation
of the countryside.

Oh, grow up, go home and have a wash.

Just get out of the way.

You're not coming through, love.

Get your hands off her.
Come on, stop that.

Stop jostling Agatha.
What are you going to do about it?

That's enough!

Everyone, calm down.

No, no, stop it now.

SHOUTING AND COMMOTION

This is the police! Stop it now!

Journalists, this way. Ignore that.

Journalists, this way.

As I was saying,

the rights to the water have been
held in the family

of Robina Toynbee for
the last four centuries.

Aggie.

Oh, God.

Oh, God!

How many of these did she receive?

We found three.

She must have been incredibly brave

to have wanted to go through
with her speech.

Were all four parish councillors
at the launch this afternoon?

Yes, you saw them.
They were there from one o'clock.

None of them left.

No, I banned them from leaving
until I was finished.

Agatha, this seems to be a copy of
the speech

Mrs Toynbee was going to
make at the well.

It was found on her desk.

Can I have a look at that first,
please, Constable?

It says she's talking to her solicitor

about withdrawing the water rights.

Let's see. Because she was scared
by the hate mail.

Yes, but more importantly, who
knew that she'd changed her mind?

Well, there is no doubt now,
Robert was murdered.

I can't believe Auntie's dead.

I feel like we caused all this, Andy.

Why don't you spare us the crocodile
tears, Angela?

What? Mary, now is not the time.

I think your aunt was about to
change her mind
about selling the water, wasn't she?

And you killed her because
you're about to lose the pub and

you're desperate for money.
I don't care about the money now.

This is terrible, what's happened.

Who cares if we lose the pub now?

That's enough, Mary. You and Andy
murdered those people in cold blood,

Angela. Now, hang on...

I didn't! And you're about to go to
prison for a long, long, long,
long time. Enough!

You do not know people, lady.

This isn't some murder parlour game
you're in the middle of -
this is real.

People here might argue with the
parish council but we are not
murderers. That's enough, Ron.

Now, take your stupid notebook and
get out of here, both of you,

and don't come back.

BABY CRIES

Are you all right?

I feel as if I took my eye
off the ball.

If I had investigated
the first murder properly,

instead of getting distracted
by the launch...

...Robina might still be alive.

It's not your fault, darling.

But I'm good at investigating, Guy.

Well, better than I am at PR now,
anyway.

The launch wasn't your fault either.

Will I see you tonight?

Yes, please.

Oh, dear.

What have you hurt?

Only my pride. I'm never going
to live down the beaten up
by a Morris dancer.

Oh, I'm glad you find it funny(!)

Why were you lot here?

Your charge sheet is all about
preventing cruelty to animals -

foxes, lab rats. Why demonstrate
against a water company?

We were paid to spoil the launch,
weren't we?

Who by?

Mrs Owen. Mrs Owen.

Mrs Owen, may we have a word?

It's... It's past Isabel's bedtime.

I really must be getting inside.

Mrs Owen, the hunt saboteurs told us

that you paid them to disrupt
the launch. Is that true?

I didn't want it to be easy
for the water company.

But I thought if the launch
ended in chaos,

no-one would want to buy the water.

Is that why you sent Robina
those threatening letters?

We don't know that for sure.

It's a hunch. Yes.

I just wanted to scare her.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry she's died.

Why didn't you get home before
2.00am on the night Robert died?

Good question.

After the meeting, I...

...drove to London.

I'd been suspecting my husband
had a girlfriend...

...and I was right.

I found them together.

You can ask them.

He's never going to join me
and Isabel in Ancombe.

I don't think he ever intended to.

KNOCKING

Oh.

Come in.

Funny little place.

Well, I'm glad you like it.

Make yourself at home.

Can I talk frankly to you?

I don't know, can you?

I want you to stop seeing Guy.

AGATHA LAUGHS

And since when does
who I spend the night with

have anything to do with you?

Since you've spent the night with my
boyfriend of the last two years.

I didn't know.

We've been together since Hong Kong.

Occasionally he strays,
often with an older woman,

because he has a thing for them,
but if I'm honest,

I thought I was quite safe with you.

Maybe his standards are dropping.

Hey, listen, sister.

I do not go around
stealing other people's men.

He doesn't behave like he's with
you, so how would I have known?

And if you have got any respect
for your own skinny little ass,

you do not stick with a man
who occasionally strays.

Now, what on earth is a woman like you

doing in a relationship like that?

Because he's rich.

Don't go near him again, old lady.

Persian cat.

Portia!

John? James Lacey.

Listen, a bit of a strange one.

When you were in Hong Kong,

did you have any dealings
with the Fremont Brothers?

Oh, good. It was actually the
youngest one that I'm interested in.

Did you know him?

What?

This is Guy we are talking about?

Good evening.

Portia was here half an hour ago.

Ah.

Guess you won't be wanting these,
then. We'll talk about it later.

She marched in here,
sat down on my sofa...

...and look what she left.

Is she going grey or something?

Well, that's a cat hair.

Does Portia have a Persian cat?

Portia, no.

Well, she must have.

No, she doesn't.

Hang on.

A month or so ago, she looked after
a cat for an old college friend.

Big, white thing.
Moulted all over the apartment.

So Robert Struthers must have been
in her flat the night that he died.

Why would Portia kill him?

Well, maybe she knew
that Robert Struthers

was going to vote against the trucks.

And because she loves you.

She wants you to succeed.

Maybe she knew that Robina had been
scared into changing her mind

about selling the rights.

Well, we should call the police.

Yes, we should.

If you knew she'd had a Persian cat
in her flat, why didn't you tell...

One word and I will kill you.

Struthers came to Bristol that night

because he wanted to explain his
decision to me like a gentleman.

We met in Portia's flat.

She wasn't there. When he told me
he was going to vote against,

I struck him,
and then I had to dispose of him.

And then that old cow
called me last night.

She said she'd changed her mind
and was going to try
and withdraw the rights.

So I had to dispose of her, too.

SHE WHIMPERS Sh, sh, sh.

And now...

I have to dispose of you.

SHE TRIES TO SCREAM

Mr Fremont? Hi, lads.

I'm in a bit of a rush, I'm afraid.

Can I just ask you a few questions
about why you left Hong Kong?

Sure. Another time.

No, how about now?

I spoke to a friend this afternoon

who said that there was a rumour
that a women you were seeing
was found dead in her apartment.

Yes. Yeah, there was
a terrible burglary.

What's the name of your friend?

He said the story was that there
wasn't a burglary,

but your brothers bribed
the police to look the other way

so they could get you out of the
country before you could be charged.
BANGING FROM CAR BOOT

What did you say the name of your
friend was? What's that banging?

CAR ALARM GOES OFF

SHE PANTS

CAR ENGINE STARTS

Thank you.

I missed everything.

It all happened
right under my nose, and...

I was just so flattered
by his attention, and...

It was not your fault.

And you're all right.
That's all that matters.

If it's any consolation, you're a
much better detective than Mary.

She's accused almost everyone
in Ancombe by now.

You happy with her?

Sometimes I am.

Maybe...

Just see how it goes.

Give it some time.

You going to be all right tonight?

Yeah.

Gemma is coming round with Keira.

I don't really want to be alone.

Who does, Agatha?