The Green Man is the first episode of the seventh series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and originally aired 2nd November 2003.
Synopsis[]
A cave in of a local canal tunnel under restoration reveals the skeletons of eight individuals. While most of the skeletons are from a cave in when the canal was under construction in the 19th century, one is obviously of a more recent vintage. In his last case in Midsomer, Gavin Troy follows up on an anonymous tip that teenagers are harassing a local hermit. After a death, DCI Tom Barnaby leaves "Inspector" Troy in charge of the case.
Plot, Part 1[]
Volunteers are working on clearing the weeds near a tunnel and Joyce and Cully Barnaby are participants. Cully is taking photographs when Daniel Webster’s dad drives up. Daniel warns Cully, “Trouble. Incoming. My dynamic dad.” Timothy Webster says to his son, “I hope you're here to do some work, Daniel, not stopping other people getting on with theirs.” Webster gives direction to Cully who is doing a press release for the tunnel project. Joyce is getting coffee when Cully comes up and tells her, “Ah, no time for that, Mum. Timothy Webster's come to tell us to pull our socks up. Does he actually know we're volunteers!”
People are working on the tunnel, climbing ladders and digging with shovels when there is an explosion with Joyce inside.
By the Green Man pub, Tom, the “green man” is walking down the road with his walking stick and rucksack when a car of teenagers pulls up behind him and honks at him. “What are you doing? Get out of the way!”
At the police station, DS Gavin Troy finds an envelope on his desk. Troy is afraid to open it. He tells his boss, DCI Tom Barnaby that he is afraid to open it. “If I haven't got the exams, then the whole thing... “ Barnaby reads a note, “Superintendent Hopkins wants to see you at Force Headquarters in an hour's time. And Superintendent Blaney from Northumbria Police, he called. Can you phone him back?” Troy says, “Is that good news or bad news?” Barnaby asks, “Troy, do you want me to open it for you?”
Troy opens the letter and smiles, “I've got it. “Inspector" Troy!” He jumps up from his desk and spills his coffee everywhere. “What does er...Mr Hopkins want?” Barnaby says, “Well, I imagine he wants to talk to you about reconsidering taking that job in Newcastle. Find out.” Troy says, “You knew.” Barnaby replies, “Well, there was circumstantial evidence. I thought, what with you going, I'd better start rehoning my detective skills.”
Troy leaves for the meeting at Force headquarters and Barnaby gets a phone call from Cully about the tunnel cave in. He rushes to the site where Cully sees him. At the tunnel, Webster comes out to let Cully and Barnaby about the cave-in. He says, “We've tried to get to them from the other side. No chance. This is the only way in. Or out. Still distant, but there's shouting. We know they're in there. We know they're all right.” Cully hugs her dad.
Tom, the hermit, walks toward the woods. A fox walks to him. Tom pets the fox.
Men clear the rocks that have fallen into the tunnel opening. They can hear shouting.
Tom crosses a road with the fox and walks past a car where a young man is having sex with a woman. Tom says, “Nice day for it, young 'un.” The man, Simon Mayfield, pulls up his pants and goes after Tom and yells at him. “You dirty old git! You're always sneaking around. Is this what you get off on?” Tom says, “It don't bother me, boy.” Simon says, “Yeah? Well, it bothers me. In fact, you bother a lot of people.” Simon shoves Tom and takes away his walking stick. Tom says, “You want to do your flies up.” Simon pushes him into a tree, “Someone should teach you, scumbag!” The fox attacks Simon and then runs away after Tom, who disappears into the woods. The woman in the car drives off, leaving Simon there.
At the tunnel, Joyce is released and Cully and Barnaby hug her.
Lord Fitzgibbon answers his phone and hears that the tunnel has collapsed. “I hadn't heard. Is anyone hurt? Oh, good. (chuckles) Something to celebrate, then? A serious setback for friend Webster. Ha! Excellent news. Look... Look... What's to find? It may be of interest to an archaeologist, but not the police.”
At the police station, Sergeant Gill brings in a case to “Inspector” Troy. “An odd one. Anonymous phone call,” says Gill. “And you thought anything weird, take it along to CID,” says Troy. Gill says, “Well, while we’ve still got you, Midsomer Worthy- attack on an old man, "Tom,” they call him. Sort of a tramp, harmless enough. We've had trouble with yobs before, usually nothing more than loud music and fast cars. Only it's getting more serious. The caller says Tom's been beaten up.” Troy asks, “Who phoned?” The officer says, “A concerned villager. He's given us a description. It could be you.” Troy asks, “Got anything vaguer?” Gill says, “Well, that's why I brought it to you, a detective of your seniority.”
Joyce is talking to Cully and Barnaby about her experience being trapped inside the tunnel. “It was the darkness that was the worst. Once we could hear you digging, we knew you were close.” Cully says, “He'll certainly get the canal project into the national papers now.” Barnaby says, “Webster had no right to send anyone into that tunnel.” Joyce replies, “He is a qualified engineer.” Barnaby says, “He runs a bus company!” Joyce continues, “Anyway, he didn't send anyone. We were all volunteers.” Barnaby says “What was it you said about "Save the Midsomer Canal" thing? It’s all about a good gossip and spending a few afternoons hacking down weeds?” Joyce says, “Well, we'll have plenty to gossip about now.”
A constable comes over to speak to Barnaby. “Constable Crabbe?” says Barnaby to him. Crabbe says, “I reckon there's something you might want to have a look at, sir, in the tunnel. Mostly, it's bones, sir. There's a surprising quantity of dead people in there. When the roof caved in, it brought some of the wall with it. (Barnaby puts on a hard hat and they go inside the tunnel) There's something on the other side of the wall. More precisely, NOTHING on the other side, which is odd. It's another tunnel, I'd say.” They shine flashlights back into the tunnel. Barnaby says, “I can't see how far back it goes. How many are there?” Crabbe says, “Three. So far.”
Out at Tom’s campsite, Lord Fitzgibbon is tending to Tom’s wounds. He asks Tom, “What does he look like?” Tom says, “They all look the same. Young, caught with his trousers down- I shouldn't have laughed.” Fitzgibbon says, “It's nothing to joke about. That's the second time these boys have attacked you.” Tom says, “I was well protected.” Tom looks down at his fox friend.
Troy is driving when someone comes from the other direction and starts honking at him. Troy pulls over to the side and the other car pulls alongside. Officer Crabbe asks if Troy is looking for his guvnor? Troy says he’s looking for Tom, the hermit. Troy has some vague directions to a wood or a hill. Troy asks if Barnaby is there and Crabbe says he’s “Over Norton way now, at the canal, where else? His missus was in the tunnel when it went. It's lucky no-one got killed. I thought you must be on your way.”
Troy speeds away to the tunnel. He tells Barnaby that he didn’t know about the tunnel collapse. Barnaby tells him both Cully and Joyce are OK. Barnaby says, “You know Joyce - if there's something to be saved, she's right there saving it. Usually it's something small and helpless.” Troy asks if Barnaby wants him to take over, but Barnaby says no- “it's all right.
Bullard's in there. A formality. There's some old bones to look at for the coroner. You'd better go and find your Wild Man of the Woods.”
Barnaby goes back into the tunnel. Pathologist Dr. Bullard says, “There are some broken bones. I'd say, broken at the time of death or thereabouts. Consistent with an old tunnel collapse.” There are the remains of four. Barnaby looks over the skeletons. He spies one and asks Bullard to come look at one. Bullard says they are all consistent with falling rocks and masonry. The bones have been there since the 18th and 19th centuries. Barnaby says, “So it is inconsistent for this one to have National Health fillings.”
Meanwhile, Troy goes back to the woods to look for Tom. Naturally, there is mud and he steps in it.
Barnaby goes to Timothy Webster’s house. He tells him, “I can only guess it's another tunnel, off from the existing one. I don't know whether it's blocked or if they just never dug any further.” Webster says, “It could have been a mistake. The navvies could have hit hard rock and changed direction.” Barnaby says, “Well, it was sealed up with at least seven bodies in it. I don't suppose that was a common occurrence.”
Webster escorts Barnaby into his house and his wife, Lillian Webster, comes out of the pool. Webster introduces them and Lillian says, “Have you come to arrest him?” Webster says, “There's been a fall in the tunnel. It's created some kind of a chamber. They've found old bodies, skeletons.” Lillian says, “He was lucky he didn't leave a few new bodies there today.” Webster says, “ This isn't a joking matter.” Lillian replies, “Your canal has never been a joking matter, has it, darling?”
Troy finds the clearing where Tom has his tent and fire. He calls around but no one responds so Troy leaves a note. After Troy leaves, Tom creeps out of the woods and tosses the note into the fire.
At his home, Webster has a model of the canal. “Contour canals were Sir Jonathan's trademark,” he says. “You see how it meanders, following the contours of the land? It minimizes the need for locks, cuttings, embankments and tunnels. All of which pushed the building costs through the roof. Anyway, it made him very popular with the investors. Sir Jonathan Haslett. He was only 38 years old at the time.“ There is a painting of Haslett on his wall. Webster continues, “I'm devastated, Mr Barnaby. No-one will go back into that tunnel, until a full engineering report has been carried out. I'll have someone down there tomorrow.” Barnaby says, “Ah, no, sir, I'm afraid that's not possible. For the moment, no-one goes into that tunnel at all. Seven dead bodies, Mr Webster.” Webster says, “But they've been dead for the best part of 200 years.” Barnaby says, “All but one. He has much better teeth than any of the others, due almost entirely to his 20th-century dental work. Now, your...tunnel could become the scene of a murder inquiry.” Barnaby leaves.
Lillian is dancing in a room with the music on full blast. Webster tells her to turn it down and she turns it on louder.
Daniel gets in a car with his friends. They are going to the woods to shoot bunnies.
Troy goes to a pub and retired cop, Charlie Birkett, introduces himself. Troy asks him about the hermit named Tom. Charlie says, “He's a hard man to find, is Tom. He could be anywhere or nowhere. He comes and goes. The best man to ask is Lord Fitzgibbon, up at the hall. "The Odd Couple", we call them. You'd think a tramp could find better company than an Appeal Court judge.”
Barnaby exits the canal and meets Lord Fitzgibbon on the path. Fitzgibbon says, “I hope this means the end of Webster and his ludicrous canal. This canal runs alongside my land. It's been happily decaying for almost a century. It must be too dangerous for Webster to continue. You see, grubby money isn't enough for Webster. He's angling for a knighthood. A bit tasteless, a spot like this. How many bodies were there? Seven? Eight? Nine? I'll try another injunction - on the grounds of safety or...the fact of a mass grave. Nothing's worked so far, but I get the satisfaction of costing Webster money. They should fill the thing in, make the hill whole again. A fitting memorial to all those men killed by greed. I have it on good authority he won't get that knighthood. Don't tell him.”
Troy goes exploring at Lord Fitzgibbon’s estate and finds some animal traps. He snaps a trap and Fitzgibbon walks in. Troy tells him he’s looking for Tom.
Meanwhile, it’s night and the boys in the car are shooting whatever and whooping it up.
Fitzgibbon says to Troy, “What made you think you'd find Tom here?” Troy says, “He's got some sort of camp, is that right, on your land?” Fitzgibbon says, “ I don't know that he considers it MY land. You see, Tom doesn't believe that land really belongs to anyone. It's the other way round. We belong to the land.” Troy explains that they have had several anonymous phone calls. Someone was worried about how Tom was being treated, especially by young teens. The last call said he'd been attacked. Fitzgibbon says, “It's true. I don't know their names. The yobbos. High time something was done about it, though. Still, I'm surprised you turned up. They usually send a social worker.” Troy says, “ It wasn't you who made those phone calls?” Fitzgibbon says, “I’ve never been one for anonymity, Sergeant. If I've got something to say to the police, I assure you, you'll know all about it.”
Plot, Part 2[]
The boys shine floodlights into the dark and start shooting at a rabbit. At his house, Troy and Fitzgibbon can hear the shooting. Fitzgibbon says, “The yobs driving about in the woods, shooting at everything that moves. They keep off my land. My gamekeeper shoots at everything, too. Oh, don't worry. Every time he hits a teenage boy, we bury the body in quick lime. There's no evidence.” Troy says, “If you do hear anything about Tom, I'd appreciate a call. With guns about, I don't want anyone getting seriously hurt.” Fitzgibbon says, “There's nothing to stop you picking them up now, Sergeant. If they're driving about on the public highway with a firearm, for no licensed reason, they're breaking the law. (The shooting continues).
Troy drives off into the dark. There is more shooting and laughter. Tom is walking down the lane and the boys yell insults at him and try to shoot him. Tom tells them, “You don't do this. Not here. If you kill to eat, that's right. Killing just to kill, that's a wrong thing. You have to stop.” The boys mock him and honk and rev up their car. Tom stands his ground and Steven Curtis shoots his gun in the air. Then he aims it at Tom. Tom walks over and takes away the gun and throws it into the woods. The boys drive off and an owl watches.
Troy sees Tom walking in the woods and goes to see if Tom is alright. Tom says he is walking and disappears into the woods. An owl screeches and then flies away.
At the pub, the rowdy boys are drinking, making a lot of noise and blocking the way. Charlie Birkett comes up and asks to get through.
MURDER 1: Simon gets a phone call and leaves to drive into the woods. He walks in towards a car with headlights on and steps in an animal trap. Someone gets out of the car and shoots him.
The next morning, Simon is found with a bullet through his head. Troy arrives and Barnaby follows. Troy tells him that Simon was killed by a bullet, low calibre, no exit-wound at point-blank range. Troy says he was one of the teenagers he was going to talk to today, one of the teenage boys harassing Tom. “Some of the lads were in these woods last night with a rifle.” Constable Crabbe says, “Lamping" is what they like. Catching rabbits, foxes, vermin in car headlights. shooting them.” Troy says, “Whatever else was happening, this is a calculated, premeditated murder. Where do you want to start, sir?” Barnaby says “Inspector” Troy can handle the case on his own. Crabbe asks “Sergeant” what is next. Troy says angrily, “It will be helpful if you don't add any more footprints to the ones we already have. What I need from you is a list of anywhere and everywhere in the area a person might find a mantrap. There's no shortage of the things on Lord Fitzgibbon's estate. I suggest you start there.” Troy examines the body and Crabbe goes off as bidden.
At the Websters home, Troy asks Lillian, “Does Daniel have a rifle?” Lillian says no and neither does she or her husband. Troy asks if Daniel was out shooting last night with his friends. Lillian asks if that was how Simon died. Troy goes to talk to Daniel. He tells Troy that they were at Simmons Wood. A couple of fields off the forest road. They shot at rabbits and then went to the pub. “Tom launched into this row, about us killing God's little creatures. Then he snatched the rifle and chucked it into the hedge. He's a nutter. Everyone knows. Simon put his foot down and we went.”
Troy interviews Steven Curtis. His dad, Jerry Curtis yells at Steven, “You let Tom take the rifle?” Steven says, “He snatched it. He just chucked it.” Jerry says, “You should have picked it up!” Steven says, “We were going to go back. I forgot.” Jerry says, “You were pissed.” Troy interrupts, “Mr Curtis, the important thing I need to know now is when your son last saw Simon.” Jerry says, “I’m sorry. We're all...choked. Simon was erm... Was it a car accident?” Troy asks Stephen, “You said he left the pub first. Was he going home?” Stephen says, “He didn't say.”
Troy says, “I want to know about the shooting in the woods and this run-in with Tom.” Jerry says, “They're just kids. If this nutcase took the rifle -“ Troy replies, “Mr Curtis, the rifle in question is licensed to you. You had no right to let it out of the house unless it was properly secured and in your possession. As for the Firearms Act, the fact your son left it by the roadside doesn't mean you won't be facing prosecution.” Jerry says, “Is that what this is all about? Petty bureaucracy? A boy died last night.” Troy says, “That's right, Mr Curtis. Simon Mayfield was shot through the head, we believe, using a .22 calibre rifle.”
Meanwhile, Barnaby looks through archives and finds an article about the tunnel collapse years ago.
Troy is in the woods searching for the rifle. Crabbe comes up with two other uniforms. Troy tells Crabbe to search a radius of metres from a particular spot. “Every inch. If you can establish where the missing rifle isn't, I'll come back later and start you looking for where it IS.” Troy tells the other two officers to help him find Tom. Crabbe only found mantraps at Lord Fitzgibbon’s and two pubs. They have them on the wall. Troy is rather surly toward Crabbe and leaves him without a car.
Barnaby tells Bullard he found out what happened to the tunnel. “It was a cave-in, reported in the papers at the time. Mr Webster's great engineer didn't come out of it too well. Eight men died in all. They weren't even dug out of the rubble. The chamber was sealed, the vicar said a quick prayer and the very next day they were digging again.” Bullard says, “The 18th century approach to Health And Safety At Work!” Barnaby says, “The local papers accused Haslett of putting his investors' interests before the lives of his workers. Of course the canal company was going to go bust, if he didn't keep to schedule. He did. He seems to have made very sure that a very nasty little bit of history was quite forgotten by the time he got his knighthood.” Bullard says, “That will satisfy the coroner, but we do still have our friend here.”
About the skull, Bullard says, “It's not impossible the damage was accidental, though, if I had to pick an implement, I'd go for an axe and axes rarely fall on people's heads accidentally. I can't tell whether the fracture occurred before or after death. If it was before death, it's certainly traumatic enough to have been the cause.” Barnaby says, “I've a list of people missing in the area over a period of ten years. Whoever put him in there knew exactly what was behind that wall.” Bullard says, “You could be lucky with the teeth. Far better than he deserved. A fine testimony to his dentist. Fillings, but unusual bridgework, I'd say, done at a dental hospital.” Simon Mayfield’s body is also in the morgue, but Barnaby says it is Troy’s case.
Troy tries to drive closer to Tom’s camp. Fitzgibbon stops him and says he won’t get any closer as the area is grown over. Fitzgibbon takes Troy to Tom, who asks him questions. Troy asks if he took the rifle. Tom says, “He fired it. He fired it at me. They were... just killing. Blood for fun. That's... That's not right. I told them.” Troy says, “You took the rifle and you threw it in the trees. Did you pick it up again? You were the only person there.” Fitzgibbon intervenes and fobs Troy off, saying he is his lawyer.
Barnaby receives information about the skull. Dental records have come up with a name- Mr. Eric Edwards. PC Birkett was the village constable who reported Eric Edwards missing in 1965.
Tom goes walking by the group of boys at the pub and Steven Curtis starts yelling at him. Daniel tries to stop him. Steven says, “We know where you live, Tom.” Later, Steven and the boys go out to trash Tom’s camp. They tear down his tent and throw it on the fire. Daniel pushes him to the ground and the fox goes after him. The fox yips and growls and Stephen Curtis shoots the fox. Tom says, “A death for a death. It will come to you, just like the others.” The boys leave the mess at the campsite and Troy comes up to look for Tom.
At the Webster home, Timothy Webster tells Lillian that the “The bloody judge is at it again. He's served another injunction. This time, it's safety. What's it got to do with him?” Lillian says, “Maybe it should have something to do with somebody, darling. It may have been all right for the Great Explorer to lose a few workers, but, these days, we have court. I'd happily sue you. I'm just surprised there isn't a queue.” Webster says, “It'd be nice to have a little bit of support for a change, just a little.” Lillian says, “You... You really expect me to support the time and money you've spent on this canal? For what? Industrial heritage.” Webster says, “You don't know anything about it.” Lillian says, “I know you've thrown good money after bad. You've let the business go, while you play at being Midsomer's great canal restorer. None of the people you think matter give a damn about this knighthood. You're still the bus driver who made millions. And while you're losing it all, they're just laughing at you.” Webster says, “I'm trying to do something that counts, Lillian. There's a dead boy. It could have been Daniel.” Lillian says, “No. What do you mean, "no"? No, it couldn't. All right?”
Webster says, “Look, isn't there ever a moment you think we could stop all this? Lillian says, “There was. Sometimes, there was. But it's too late. I don't even like you. And don't pretend you like me. When Daniel leaves, I leave. And I won’t go empty handed. I want every penny that’s coming to me. There’s nothing for me here. And when my son goes, there’s less than nothing.” Lillian gets in her car, but first calls someone. From his upstairs window, Daniel watches her leave.
Barnaby goes to talk to Birkett. He reads notes from his documents: Eric Edwards was reported missing on the first of February, 1965. He'd left his home a week earlier. His wife and his son had not seen him since then. “But "this is not an unusual occurrence". Your words.” Birkett says, “Eric wasn't exactly regular in his habits. More out of work than in. Eric liked a drink, a lot of drink. Lettie died young. The children were long gone. They left home before he went. I don't know where. Never came back. Maybe for their mother's funeral.” Barnaby says, “Mrs Edwards received a letter from him, in May of 1965 from Sydney, Australia. This is a copy of that letter. You may remember. We've discovered Eric Edwards, buried in the tunnel wall on the canal. He didn't die a natural death and he didn't write that letter.”
Cully talks to Webster about the tunnel. She says, “All we can do is cancel everything, in terms of publicity. We don't know when the tunnel going to be reopened or how safe it will be.” Webster asks, “How much longer will your father be looking into this? Surely you could ask him for an indication? I just hope he understands that there's a lot riding on this.” Cully says, “Why? If the opening's held up for six months, it doesn't matter.” Webster says, “This hasn't been financed by shaking tins outside supermarkets. I've put a lot of money into this, a hell of a lot.” Cully says, “Mr Webster, I'm doing the publicity for the canal project, that's all. The business side, well, that's nothing to do with me. These bodies have been there for 200 years. Now, what is all the fuss about?” Cully says, “Those "bodies" were people and it's stirred up memories now. We should all sing about it around the village green or dance around the bloody maypole!” Webster throws all the papers on his desk on the floor. Cully walks out. Daniel asks how it’s going and she says that his father just fired her from a job she volunteered for. Daniel offers her a lift into the village.
Troy drives up to Barnaby’s car and smashes his passenger side mirror. Troy complains about his case and how hard it is to find Tom. “This is the original wild-goose chase, sir. I've been looking for Tom all day.” Barnaby says, “If Fitzgibbon doesn't know where he is, no-one does.” Barnaby says, “Do you think he is covering for Tom?” Troy says, “I don't want to go at it like a bull in a china shop with Tom, but I've got to interview him. He's the only suspect and he can hide behind two blades of grass. If it carries on, we'll have to take dogs in.” Troy drives off.
Plot, Part 3[]
Tom sits out by his fire. Then he walks into the woods. Steven Curtis gets a phone message and puts on his clothes and leaves the house. He gets in his car as his mother watches him go from the window.
MURDER 2: The next morning, Troy arrives at another crime scene. Stephen is lying on the ground with a bullet hole in his head. Troy gets a call. The dog handlers are on to Tom. Crabbe is assigned to stay with the body.
Tom is running away from the dogs. He trips and falls. A German shepherd pins him down. Tom’s face is bloody. Troy arrests him.
Barnaby keeps researching the old death of Erikson.
Tom sits in a room and says nothing. Troy asks the officer if they can give him a bath. The officer says forensics haven’t finished with him. Troy tries to get information out of Tom, but he won’t talk.
At the Barnaby house, the doorbell rings. Joyce answers the door- it is Lord Fitzgibbon. Joyce says she has no idea what he's selling, though. Lord Fitzgibbon says he wants to talk to Barnaby about Tom. He’s worried that as he is in a cell, he won’t talk. He says that Tom isn’t quite in control intellectually. He didn’t kill the boys. Fitzgibbon is worried Tom will end up in a psychiatric institution. He wouldn’t survive that. Barnaby assures him that no-one is going to bully him- he will be treated sensitively.
Barnaby tells Troy he found a photo of the late Eric Edwards. Archives had lost half the files, but he did get there...eventually. But Barnaby doesn’t know who killed him, buried him and who wrote that letter from Australia. Troy reports that the post-mortem on Steven Curtis confirms it was the same killer. Hit over the head, three bullets from the same rifle. The villagers are up in arms. People want to know why Tom wasn't brought in before. Barnaby suggests that Troy interview Tom before his lawyer arrives. But Barnaby also wonders what made both victims drive into the woods by themselves, in the middle of the night?
Tom is hunted down by dogs and brought to the police station. Troy tries to interview him, but doesn’t get anywhere. Tom rambles about the dark. “I don't want to be here. No air. I can't abide walls. I... I never dug in a wall. I er...have to go. I can't breathe. You'll... You'll put me away...in the dark. He went away. He er...always went away. Only... he didn't come back. He couldn’t.” Tom breaks out of the door and runs into Barnaby. He falls on the floor. Tom sees the photo of Erik Edwards. “Don't put me in the dark place.”
Barnaby goes in to talk to Tom. He shows Tom the photo of Erik Edwards. Barnaby leaves the door open so Tom can have air. Barnaby says Tom recognized Erik Edwards, but Tom denies it. Barnaby says, “You're frightened because of something that happened before. I've been in that tunnel. I know how it feels. And how glad I was to get out into the... the air, into the light. Have you ever been in that tunnel,Tom?”
At the Webster’s house, Lillian comes in to talk to Daniel. He tells her he shouldn’t have to wear a suit for a funeral. Lillian tells him he doesn’t have to wear it again. Lillian says that soon he’ll be going to school- university and can start again. Daniel says, “What about you and Dad? Time to start again?” Mother and son reminisce about what they talked about when Daniel was a child.
Barnaby tells Tom that, “I’ve been looking at the history of the canal... Came across the minutes of the Midsomer Canal Company in the library. All that stuff about the accident is missing. But there is an interesting bit. "The second day of May, in the year of our Lord ..." It goes on... Ah, here it is. "..ordered that the sum of 12 pounds, 11 shillings and nine pence be paid to Mr Edwards, blacksmith..in discharge of his bill for iron work to the wheelbarrows, for the use of in the said navigation. I discovered a bit more about Mr Edwards. Eric Edwards... was a direct descendant of his... this blacksmith. And the blacksmith's name was Thomas. Thomas Edwards. Tom." Tom admits, “Eric Edwards was my father. He went to Australia. That was the last I ever heard from him.”
Barnaby goes to the pub to talk to Mr Birkett and accuses him of falsifying evidence, obstructing the course of justice and maybe even being an accessory to a murder. Birkett and Barnaby go to Lord Fitzgibbon’s home. There, Birkett admits, “ I wasn't involved in hiding the body. I knew about it but it was done before I was involved. The Edwards, Harry had a brother, then some cousins. Eric wasn't just trouble. He was a very violent man. He beat hell out of Tom and Lettie and I was called in several times but she always lied about it. This night, he was laying into her and put the boot in. Tom cracked. He picked up an axe and he hit him. I'd already started a missing persons enquiry when Lettie told me what had happened. I had to stop the hare running.” As for the letter from Australia, Lettie had a cousin who knew Eric and was glad to help. Fitzgibbon says, “You don't intend to do anything about this, Barnaby, surely.” Fitzgibbon admits that he got to know Tom later. He talked to Charlie and found out what had happened, but doesn't see any point in everything being brought up again. Barnaby is not happy.
At the Curtis home, Troy is looking through Stephen’s room. A tearful Eleanor Curtis tells Troy, “Steven was seeing someone. And I don't think he really wanted anyone to know about it. You don’t expect a boy his age to tell you where he’s going. He was excited and at the same time ashamed. They contacted each other by text messages. You'd hear a beep - he'd disappear upstairs... the oddest times, have a shower and go.” Troy tells her that he never found a cell phone on Steven. Mrs. Curtis says the phone never left Stephen's side.
Troy tells Barnaby that Simon’s ex-girlfriend told him, “They split up two months ago because he was... at it with some old slapper. Her words but she didn't know who it was. Anyway, I'd say we've found what made those boys go into the woods at night.” There is no trace of either of the boys cell phones. Barnaby says one thing is for sure, Tom didn’t have a cell phone.
Plot, Part 4[]
In the pub, Webster has another fight with Lillian, where she is drinking. She tells him she is celebrating big changes. Webster tells her he has had enough. “One way or another, it will stop.” Then he yells at the other patrons of the pub who are watching.
Somewhere, someone is loading a gun with bullets. Cue creepy music.
Troy tells Barnaby that there were text messages. Two to Simon, two to Steven, sent on the nights they died. They were sent from an untraceable phone. No shortage of calls from an older woman. Lillian Webster. They were calling her too, all the time. The detectives think maybe Timothy Webster found out.
At the jail, Barnaby goes to let Tom out of his cell. Barnaby promises no more questions, They are going to let him go home. No one will come looking for him again. No one will lock him up. It's finished. Tom says, “She was my mother. I still remember... He would have killed her.” Barnaby says, “It was a long time ago. You go home. Forget you were ever here.”
MURDER 3: Troy goes to the Webster home. Lillian Webster is sprawled on a bench with a bullet in her head. Timothy Webster is holding her and stroking her head. He passes the rifle to Troy. Troy takes Webster to the police station where he writes out a statement.
Barnaby drops Tom off in the woods. Barnaby asks, “Tom, is there anyone I should tell? Lord Fitzgibbon... Anyone who should know you're back?” Tom says, “What needs to know knows.” He pets a deer as he goes into the forest.
At the Webster’s home, Cully rides her bike up. She sees Daniel sitting on a swing. Cully invites him to go for a walk.
Barnaby comes in to see Troy. Troy tells him Webster confessed to all three murders. Mrs Webster was involved with Mayfield and Curtis. Troy says something is just not right. Webster said he used her phone. He didn’t do it. He said he used her phone. But he didn’t. Those dates were from an untraceable phone. Why would he confess to three murders he didn’t commit. It’s the son. And where is Daniel now? Cully went to see him….
Plot Denouement[]
Daniel and Cully walk along the canal. Daniel says, “I don't think he ever hit her but it was like... it was like she goaded him. She'd say things to embarrass him. If people were round for dinner...he'd try and shut her up. The more he tried, the more she'd wind him up. And then when they went, another great row, with her pressing all the buttons.”
Barnaby and Troy rush to their cars and put on the siren….
Daniel says “I suppose she never got much of him. That's no excuse for what she... For what she... That was just gross. Bloody, bloody gross.” Cully says, “Now's not the time to remember the bad things.” Daniel says, “I only remember the bad things. They were laughing at me. You'd laugh at your mate if you were screwing his mother. Simon, Steven... That's what it was. That's what she did to me. That's why... That's why I had to kill them. To stop it. That's why I had to kill her.”
The police rush to the Webster house. Barnaby tells them to spread out and then Cully walks up with Daniel. Cully says, “Hi, Dad. Daniel has something he needs to tell you.”
At their home that evening, the Barnaby's celebrate Gavin Troy with a Middleborough cake and toast to Troy’s future with champagne. Barnaby says, “To the future. To new directions.” Cully says, “And old friendships.” Troy says, “Old friendships.” Cully says, “ So, you may be ready to go back to Middlesbrough but... is Middlesbrough ready for you?” Troy says, “What’d you mean?” Cully says, “Will they be able to understand a word you're saying?” Troy says, “Eh?” Cully: “Was that a southern slur?” Troy: “No way! There's no southern slur to the way I talk.” Barnaby: “Say that again, Troy. I think I hear some Middlesbrough coming back.”
In the woods in the dark, Tom rests at his campsite with a campfire blazing. A fox comes up and other foxes watch from the woods. They run up to be with the first fox. An owl watches from a tree above.
That evening, in his back yard, Barnaby pours more champagne. Troy says, “You got no further with the skeleton. Edwards, was it?” Barnaby replies, “Eric Edwards.” Troy says, “No chance of finding out what happened. Not after all this time. Bit of a mystery.” Barnaby says, “Well... can't solve them all, Sergeant. Oh, I'm sorry - Inspector.”
Troy says, “Thank you, sir. I mean thank you for everything over the years. I don’t think I’d be where I am if, well, you know what I mean.”
Barnaby says, “Ah, rubbish. , admittedly it took me a long time to get you trained but when I’d finally done it. I know how much I’ve relied on you Troy. Midsomer will miss you.”
Troy says, “And I'll miss Midsomer.”
Barnaby says, “Good luck.”
Cast[]
- John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby
- Daniel Casey as Sergeant Gavin Troy
- Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby
- Laura Howard as Cully Barnaby
- Barry Jackson as Dr. George Bullard
- David Bradley as Tom
- John Carlisle as Lord Fitzgibbon
- Tim Woodward as Timothy Webster
- Cherie Lunghi as Lillian Webster
- Marc Buchner as Daniel Webster
- Henry Cavill as Simon Mayfield
- Jamie Thomas King as Steven Curtis (as Jamie King)
- Fred Pearson as Charlie Birkett
- Terence Beesley as Jerry Curtis
- Nicola King as Eleanor Curtis
- Andrew Dunn as Constable Crabbe
- Paul Thornley as Sergeant Gill
- Sally Mates as Helen Cartwright
- Neil P. Hawley as Worker (uncredited)
Galleries[]
Body Count[]
Prior to the Episode
Killed after the canal collapsed onto them in the 18th century. (Accidental deaths)
Died of natural causes in the 18th century.
Killed in 1965 by an axe blow to his head. His body was then placed in the canal among the other skeletons.
Died of natural causes in 1973.
In the Episode
Lured into the woods with a supposed booty call text from Lillian Webster, then as he went to the car he thought was hers, caught his leg into a bear trap and was shot in the head with a .22 calibre rifle.
Lured into the woods with a supposed booty call text from Lillian Webster, then was struck and shot in the head with a .22 calibre rifle.
Shot in the head with a .22 calibre rifle while sitting on her swing.
Supporting Cast[]
Episode Images[]
Arrests[]
Daniel Webster for the murders of:
- Simon Mayfield- for sleeping with his mother
- Steven Curtis- for sleeping with his mother
- Lillian Webster- for sleeping with his friends
Notes[]
The following actor and actress who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes:
- Cherie Lunghi - A Dying Art
- Paul Thornley - Bad Tidings
Trivia[]
- This is the last appearance of DS Troy as a main character and the assistant of Barnaby. He returns briefly for Cully's wedding (Blood Wedding).
The Trials and Tribulations of DS Gavin Troy:
- Troy gets promoted to Inspector and there is an offer in Newcastle on the table. He immediately starts bossing around subordinates and leaves Constable Crabbe out in the woods.
- One last opportunity for inappropriate comments. About Simon Mayfield, Troy says his girlfriend broke up with him because he was "At it with some slapper." Barnaby says, "Oh, that's very elegantly put, Troy." Troy replies, "Her words."
Quotes[]
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