Inspector Morse

Come on!

Sorry, I don't seem to have anything smaller.

Er, allow me.

No, really, there's no need.

- Damn it! - Two, please.

Thank you.

The tide of global feminism passed you by, then?

In that respect, I'm with Canute all the way.

I'm sorry. That was rude.

I er...

Thank you for the program.

Here, boy!

Bravo!

Bravo!

"if you felt that was confused, you won't be.

That's still to come after the latest news summary. It's nine o'clock.

BBC Radio Oxford news.

Good morning...

- Why ain't he at school? - Why ain't you at work?

- Shut up and give me my breakfast. - ..In July fast year, has died

following a stabbing incident at Farnley prison, where he was being held on remand.

Parnell, who stood accused of the Lovers' Lane killings,

was arrested last August after one of the largest investigations

ever undertaken by Thames Valley Police.

He's in the station. - OK.

We're expecting a statement from Detective Chief Inspector Johnson,

who headed the original investigation. At this time...

- Here he comes! - (Journalists shout)

Chief Inspector, can you answer some questions for us'?

- Just a couple. - Good morning, ladies and gents.

I've only got a brief statement for you at this present time.

There will of course be a full Home Office inquiry

into the circumstances surrounding last night's incident.

I can, however, confirm that er...

Steven Parnell,

last night, was involved at Farnley prison

in an altercation with another prisoner which resulted in Parnell's death.

He was the right man?

Obviously, we'd rather have seen Parnell stand trial,

but as far as the Thames Valley Police is concerned, the case is closed.

All right? Thank you, gents. That's it.

- Morning, sir. - Lewis.

Didn't expect to see you back in for a few weeks yet.

A man can have enough of his own four walls. What's all that about?

It's Parnell, sir. Have you not heard'? It's been all over.

Steven Parnell?

- Are you fit, then, Bob'? - Sir.

- Johnson. - What are you doing in, Morse?

I thought the old man had you tucked up writing his end-of-term report.

What's this about Parnell?

Nothing for you to worry about. I's to dot, T's to cross.

When you're ready, Bob.

He found God, apparently - Parnell.

Don't they all?

Still, it's a pity he didn't live long enough to be brought to justice.

There's some would say he got off light.

It'll please the eye-for-an-eye brigade, anyway.

Don't forget he butchered five innocent people.

Well, four, sir, certainly.

Five, all right?

- Five- - Karen Anderson was different, surely?

We had this out at the time. Parnell put his hands up to all five.

Given Johnson's interview technique, I'm surprised he didn't confess to the A6,

the Julia Wallace and the Whitechapel murders.

Well, Lewis was in on the interviews, Morse.

Are you saying he'd stand for anything that wasn't above board? Hm?

You've no idea what it was like here last summer.

You only caught the tail end of it. You were off sunning yourself in Beirut.

- Bayreuth. - Yes, well....

Everyone was down on us. The press, the politicians, the Chief Constable.

- All of them screaming for a quick result. - Yes, sir.

If Johnson hadn't caught Parnell when he did, God knows how many he'd have killed.

I'm not disputing that.

They did a good job, him and Lewis. Nothing fancy,

I grant you. No great...leaps of the imagination.

Just good old-fashioned honest coppering. Sweat and spadework.

I'm rather keen to resume active duty myself.

Well, when you've finished this report. It's no good looking like that.

We've got to move with the times. The Chief Constable feels he's seen the future.

And it's Resource Optimization Analysis.

Two months counting paperclips is hardly

optimizing resources, sir.

They never found her body, did they? Karen Anderson.

Do you know how deep Blenheim Great Lake is? We could drag it till doomsday

- and stiff not bring her up- - Why does it have to be Blenheim?

You know perfectly well. Her bag was found at Blenheim,

as well as a ticket for a pop concert there the night she disappeared.

They also found a postcard, too, didn't they? I don't think...

What you think is neither here nor there, matey. Parnell confessed. That's that.

I don't want you outside the tent on this, Morse.

Understood?

Give us a receipt, darling.

Be good. If you can't be good, call George.

£18, please.

It's Johnson!

Thanks.

Well, I think we've seen everything we need to, Governor.

I'll take you up on that drink, if it's still on offer.

Are you joining us, Bob?

Not driving, sir, no.

Good man, my sergeant.

Geordie lad.

Can I help?

He wanted me to know, to let it be known...

"Not the girl," he said.

"Not the last."

Those were his words.

I took from that that he meant four,

that he'd killed four.

- The two couples. - But we know he killed five.

I see no reason for a dying man to make a false confession. Do you'?

Hello again.

Hello.

- How did you enjoy the concert? - It was bearable, I suppose.

Did you want anything in particular? Or are you just browsing'?

Do you have anything on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood? Millais?

Millais. Wait a moment.

This is...something of a synchronizm.

After our meeting last night.

Of all the bookshops in all of Oxford... Kismet, surely?

I doubt the Fates take great interest in the affairs of a simple shopkeeper.

Thank you.

- Mr...? - Morse.

It's quite expensive.

I er...

couldn't borrow it, I suppose?

Could I? For a day or so?

On the strength of buying me a program?

This isn't the Bodleian.

- A day or so? - At most.

- I just thought I should mention it. - You know what these God-botherers are like.

They want to believe we're all purer than the driven slush.

- All the same. - Look, it's done and dusted.

You were there when Parnell coughed. Karen Anderson was a blonde, same as his other two.

- But Chief Inspector Morse always... - I know where Morse is coming from.

It was our collar, Bob. Yours and mine. That's what he can't handle.

I don't think he's...means anything by it.

You know your trouble?

You're too loyal. He's held you back for years.

You do all the legwork, he gets all the glory. Am I wrong?

- I wouldn't put it like that. - Well, I would.

Everyone down the nick knows you should have made inspector by now.

Yeah. You know.

- Mr Johnson! - Have you charged anybody, Inspector?

Don't know why he bothers coming in at all.

Lewis.

Are you still here? I thought you'd have been home long since.

No, I thought I'd call in at The Trout on the way back for a pint.

- I wondered if you--- - I've just said I'll go to The Eel with Johnson.

Ah, well, another time.

How did you get on?

At the prison?

Oh, all right. Yeah, pretty open-and-shut.

- Upset the wrong con once too often. - I see.

I've been thinking...

As you used to say,

something doesn't add up.

George Daley, the man who found Karen Anderson's overnight bag at Blenheim...

Let it go, sir.

- I know you don't believe Parnell killed her. - I know you were there when he confessed.

Well, I'm sure you're right.

Sir!

Yes, Lewis?

Mr Daley?

You were working at Blenheim when you found Karen's overnight bag'?

I still work there.

Thank you.

How did you come to find the bag'?

He made a statement when he handed it in.

He knows that.

I found it driving into work, lying under a hedge by the road.

- Couldn't miss it. - No.

But you had, hadn't you'?

You see, the last sighting we have of Karen Anderson

is on the 24th of July, the day of the pop concert.

And you didn't find her bag until the 30th,

the day after her disappearance was announced on the local news.

- So? - I just wondered

how her bag could be lying about for six days without you

or anyone else noticing it.

If you couldn't miss it.

You think I'm lying?

Confused, perhaps, about when you found it.

Look, I told you.

I found it on my way to work.

Then how could you have missed it for six days?

The case is closed, isn't it? That's what he said on the box - that copper, Johnson.

If he thought there was anything iffy,

- why isn't it him come round? - Well, I'm sorry to trouble you. I just...

You just what?

He doesn't know you're here, does he?

Well, he will now, mate, I'm telling you.

- What did he want? - Nothing, love. It's all right.

- I'm going out. - Where?

To fill the bloody car, where do you think?

Don't talk to her like that!

You want this?

Well, keep that shut.

Larry, hang on a bit, mate! I want to talk to you.

STRANGE. What the bloody hell did you think you were doing?