Death in Paradise

You can go ahead.

SHE BOOMS GONG

Right, let's really open up about our feelings in this session.

Isn't our time up? I thought I heard the gong.

We'll happily sit here until you feel ready to open your heart to us.

- Won't we, Bryn? - Yeah, before I came here, life was a struggle.

But now I know you're never going to find self-acceptance

unless you face your feelings.

Makes me feel like everything's broken.

And no matter how hard I try,

I'll never be able to fix it.

Thank you for your courage, Gabe.

Come on, let's go eat.

I hope it tastes better than it looks.

I'm sure it's delicious, Eva.

Well, back home, it's usually takeaways

followed by too many glasses of Pinot Grigio.

I don't suppose there's any alcohol in that green tea, is there?

What could be more important than the food we put into our bodies?

If your life is so hectic, there isn't time to cook a healthy meal,

then you must change your life.

So, this afternoon, I want to focus on the healing power of the breath.

Enjoy your swim, my love.

Enjoy your meditation!

So, let's begin in the usual way,

by closing our eyes

and taking a few deep breaths.

And you can slowly...

.. open your eyes.

Gabe, would you'd care to join me

in making a small offering in the Contemplation Garden?

So if we can achieve one thing for you during your time here, Gabe --

- what would it be? - Peace of mind, I suppose.

Same as everyone.

I don't know that it is the same for everyone.

People come here for all sorts of different...

- Daniel? - Wait here.

He's dead.

Tonight, we celebrate a man

who quite literally needs no introduction.

However, I've got the job of giving him one.

What can you say about Commissioner Selwyn Patterson?

That's not a rhetorical question, Harry.

I need some help here.

Selwyn Patterson is... inscrutable.

A hard taskmaster.

- Doesn't suffer fools. - HE GROANS

I'm supposed to be bigging the man up here.

- Sir? - Oh, perfect timing, Florence. Just the person I need.

This speech I've got to make for the commissioner's award.

- What about it? - Well, it's driving me mad.

In two days' time, I've got to stand up

in front of the great and good of Saint Marie

and say what a special man the Commissioner is.

I don't have a notion where to start.

I mean how, how am I supposed to make a speech

- about someone I hardly know? - I don't know, sir. I'm sorry.

I'm just going to have to clear the decks

and spend every minute of the next two days working on it.

- Sir, someone's been found dead... - Oh...

.. at a place called the Calming Breath Spiritual Retreat.

It's up on the north shore.

To the north shore we must go, then.

I heard it's been here for three years.

So, what exactly happens at a "spiritual retreat"?

According to their website, it's a chance

to reenergise your mind, body and spirit holistically.

Sounds exhausting, so how much will that set you back?

2,000 a week.

2,000?

What, to have some hippy fella walking all over your back

and sticking pins in your face? Really?!

To be fair, getting rid of the gadgets,

I can definitely see the appeal of that.

Our victim is a Daniel Friend.

35 years old, British.

He owns this place with his wife Cressida.

- Yeah, and she's the one who found the body... - Poor woman.

Was she on her own when she came across him?

Ah, no, she was with one of the other guests.

They were on their way to something called the Contemplation Garden.

- A Contemplation Garden? - I know. I did ask, Chief.

But, if I'm honest, I didn't really understand the answer.

Ligature marks on the neck.

In a band about an inch and a half wide.

Cause of death, strangulation.

No defence wounds or any other signs of injury.

You would expect a fella this size to put up some sort of a fight.

Maybe the attacker surprised him from behind?

Possibly.

His belt. It's the exact same width as the marks on his neck.

But I assume he wasn't killed with his own belt,

what with him wearing it and all.

HE SIGHS

Dwayne, if you're done here,

- we can release the body. - Yes, Chief!

- Did you find anything on his person? - Er, nothing, sir. But...

.. I found this towel on the ground

a few feet from where the victim was lying.

I assume he dropped it when he was being attacked.

So, what? He was on his way for a swim?

Maybe there's a pool somewhere in the Contemplation Garden?

Chief! A key. I found it under the body.

For a locker or a padlock or something.

We should dust it for prints.

If it was underneath the victim, then it either belongs to him...

Or to the killer.

Huh. You would think.

Dwayne. JP. Why don't you finish processing the scene.

- We should have a quick word with the witnesses. - Chief.

So, when was the last time you all saw Mr Friend alive?

It was about half past two. We'd just finished lunch.

Daniel headed off for his swim as usual.

"As usual"? It was a regular thing?

Every day. Same time.

Daniel said a dip in the sea was the best form of therapy he knew.

You have to go through the Contemplation Garden

- to get to the beach? - No, no.

You literally have to go in another direction.

So, why was he heading for the garden then?

I don't know. It's not like him. Daniel relished routine.

And when Daniel left, what were the rest of you doing?

We were all together.

Cressida was running a meditation circle.

A meditation circle? Does that mean you all had your eyes closed?

Yes.

How long did that last?

About 30 minutes.

- And, afterwards, when you were done? - WINDCHIME TINKLES

Gabe and I headed for a walk.

That's when we found him.

Daniel!

Wait here.

He was just lying there.

I checked for vital signs.

First we heard about it is when they came back and told us.

And then Gabe went to get his phone,

and then that's when we called your lot.

HE TAKES A DEEP BREATH

Now, can any of you think of a reason

why someone might want to murder Mr Friend?

Well, I mean I only met the man yesterday. So, I hardly knew him.

Same. I got here a few days ago,

but he didn't seem like the kind of person to have enemies.

And what about outside the retreat?

Was there anyone on the island who he'd fallen out with?

He didn't really know anyone on the island.

I see.

So, that means the only people on Saint Marie

that Daniel actually knew --

were you four.

Yes, but, I mean, you don't think it was one of us

because we were all out there on the lawn when it happened.

Forgive me, it's just, well...

The thing is, we think whoever strangled Daniel

might have used one of those belts you're all wearing to do it.

And what with this being such an isolated spot

and as you said, Cressida, Daniel keeping himself to himself.

Well, when you put all that together -- I can't help thinking

that our killer is someone within the retreat.

This one! It's missing a belt.

It was there this morning.

Are you sure?

I was doing the laundry. They were all here. I'm sure of it.

So you and your guests are the only ones who have access to this room?

Florence, tell Dwayne and JP to search the retreat.

High up and low down.

Let's see if we can find our missing belt.

2.20 this afternoon,

Daniel Friend tucked his towel under his arm

and set off for his daily swim.

But, instead, of going to the beach as he normally would...

.. and for reasons we don't yet know...

.. he decided to head to the retreat's Contemplation Garden.

Here.

However, his journey was cut short when he was accosted --

we think by one of the other residents -- and strangled to death.

Just... here.

So, what do we have on our victim?

I haven't been able to dig up that much so far.

The retreat only has a basic website

and he seems to have no presence on social media.

Seems technology was an anathema to Mr Friend.

Now the only four people, as far as we're aware,

who knew Daniel are the three paying guests and, of course, his wife.

Cressida Friend.

A qualified yoga teacher.

Their business accounts show they opened the retreat

- using money from her trust fund. - Trust fund?

Apparently, her family are big landowners in Dorset.

Oh, well, in that case we should do a full financial check.

As an old mucker of mine at the Met used to say,

- "Where there's money, there's motive." - What's a mucker?

Oh, it's just a friend, Florence. Like you and me.

We're a couple of muckers.

Hmm. Muckers? OK!

Gabriel Lee. 26. Junior doctor,

currently taking a year-long sabbatical from Bristol General.

- Do we know why? - Not yet.

But I've got details for his consultant. I'll get in touch.