
Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries
Death by Design
Season 2 Episode 1 | 47m 53sVideo has Closed Captions
An architect and his lover are found dead after a party.
The morning after a party, an architect—who was supposed to be redesigning Peregrine’s home—and his lover are found dead in the sauna. Peregrine and James attempt to retrace the partygoers’ movements, but the task proves difficult as the guests were swapping partners in the name of free love.
Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries is presented by your local public television station.
Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries
Death by Design
Season 2 Episode 1 | 47m 53sVideo has Closed Captions
The morning after a party, an architect—who was supposed to be redesigning Peregrine’s home—and his lover are found dead in the sauna. Peregrine and James attempt to retrace the partygoers’ movements, but the task proves difficult as the guests were swapping partners in the name of free love.
How to Watch Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(group laughing) - [Francine] Don't, you're a terrible influence.
(group laughing) - [Theo] Oh, that looks great.
- To Kenneth.
- To Kenneth.
- Officially the grooviest architect of 1964.
- You're too sweet to him, Linda.
- [Theo] Hey, Kenneth.
- [Pauline] Whoo!
- And to the woman by my side.
- To Kenneth.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- Hey, Ken, old boy.
50 words, or less, for my column tomorrow.
What the hell is your architectural philosophy?
- Tell Dirk, I don't do waffles, darling.
My buildings speak my truth.
- Oh, clever buildings.
- Surprising.
- What?
- That thing's a trophy?
- Mm-hmm.
- Uh-huh.
- Australia's highest architectural award, for Kenneth's latest building.
- Is this is real gold?
- Well I should hope so.
Ooh, let's flog it for a holiday on Hydra.
Maybe Theo can show us around.
- No, I've never been.
Who wants to sleep with goats?
- Well, now, there's something I haven't tried.
(group laughing) - You don't need Hydra for a good time.
- [Francine] Oh?
- What you really need to do is try my new Swedish sauna.
- Ooh, yes, please.
- Something about that swampy heat that makes you feel so alive.
- Oh, being naked helps too, Kenneth.
- Speaking of which, who's ready for some dessert?
- Oh, yes, please.
- Yes.
- Cheers to that.
- All right.
- Do you need a hand, Linda?
- [Pauline] Hey, cognacs?
♪ 'Course you got good love ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) ♪ I'm gonna love ♪ ♪ I'm gonna love you ♪ ♪ You know I got to love you, baby ♪ - Oh, no, you don't, Detective James Steed.
You get your hands off my dishes.
- You cooked, fair's fair.
- But we haven't finished yet.
We were just getting to the best bit.
- Oh, yeah?
Which bit was that?
- This one.
- Well, if I'd known that that was on the menu... - Ooh!
Mm.
We've been doing this for two weeks now.
Don't you think it's time?
- Oh, God, for what?
- For you to come to my bedroom and help me figure out my renovations?
- Oh, that sounds dangerous.
- Oh, God, I hope so.
♪ Don't worry about me leaving you ♪ ♪ I won't cause you no heart ache, my baby ♪ ♪ I wanna love, love, love you ♪ ♪ I'm gonna love ♪ ♪ I'm gonna love you ♪ ♪ You know I've gotta love you, babe ♪ - Bedroom?
- Bedroom.
- Ooh!
Sorry!
- It's okay!
♪ Or in the midnight hours ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah, oh, yeah ♪ (upbeat music) - Sorry, the zipper!
- Hello!
Samuel's just evaporated so I grabbed some takeaway from around the corner, the most divine, sizzling szechuan chicken.
Hello, Detective - Hello, Birdie.
- Samuel left early with Violetta, and we've already eaten.
Thanks.
- Oh.
All the more for me, I guess.
I'll just take my offering somewhere else.
Birdie, wait!
Come back!
It'll get cold.
- Well, if I'm not interrupting.
- Oh, no, we were just discussing a tricky case.
- Yes, I don't think we quite cracked it.
I'll find you a plate.
- Thank you.
I am starving!
Now, have you tried these?
(car engine roaring) (upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) (door knocking) (upbeat music) (door knocking) - [Pauline] All right, keep your pants on!
- Hello, Pauline.
- Oh, Peregrine Fisher!
Sorry, a bit of a late night.
And you look so bright and chirpy.
Kenneth said 10 A.M. - I can come back if I'm too early.
- Oh, you're here for renovations!
'Course, sorry.
Um, no, I haven't seen him this morning.
I hope he hasn't forgotten you and driven off somewhere.
- Isn't that his car parked around the side?
- Ken!
Are you around?
Ken!
- Pauline, is that supposed to be happening?
- Oh, I should have known he'd be back in the sauna.
Men and their toys.
Oh, God!
How long has he been in there?
(dramatic music) Darling, that's a bit hot, isn't it?
Kenneth, get out.
You're late.
(tense music) Darling... (Pauline screaming) No!
No!
No!
(dramatic music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) - [James] I'm Detective James Steed from Melbourne Police.
Can I have your full name?
- [Pauline] Uh, of course, it's Pauline Moore.
- [Commentator] And he's out!
He's given out!
- I know that this must be difficult, Mrs. Moore, but I'm gonna have to ask you a few questions, starting with the name of the deceased.
- Kenneth Moore.
My husband.
- My architect.
- And the young woman?
- Linda Wade.
Brilliant artist.
How on earth am I gonna tell Dirk?
- Who's Dirk?
- Her husband.
Poor Linda, we all had such a lovely time last night.
How could it end like this?
- Hey, doll, what gives?
I woke up, and you were gone.
- It's Kenneth and Linda, there's been an awful accident.
- What?
- In the sauna.
Theo Pappas is my concreter.
Theo, this is Detective James Steed, and Peregrine's a loyal client.
- And a private detective.
Luckily.
Although none of this is lucky.
I work with the police, very closely.
- Is there anyone else in the house, Mrs. Moore?
- Um, I have no idea.
I can check.
- Thank you.
So, the wife has a boyfriend.
- And maybe the husband had a girlfriend.
- Amazing.
Oh, yes, after you.
(tense music) - Look at her fingernails.
- Her shoulder's bruised, but there's no scratches.
(tense music) - There's scratches on the back of the door.
(dramatic music) - There is a police photographer on his way.
- By the time he gets here, Sammy will have these printed.
- Oh, well, make sure you get some of the outside.
- Oh, is this team work?
- No, I'm just taking the line of least resistance.
- Mm.
Oh.
These dents are odd.
(tense music) - Looks like something could have been jammed across the door.
- Looks like murder.
(dramatic music) - No one upstairs.
Maybe the den.
- Oh!
- Oh, Francine, Dirk, I'm sorry- - Mm-mm, just need to catch a depressing revelation about female desire.
- Oh, I'm glad I could help.
- The police are here.
We have some bad news.
- What's going on?
- I need everyone in the lounge room, preferably dressed.
- Has anyone seen my caftan?
It's purple.
- Oh, I believe it's on the stairs.
- It was only installed two weeks ago.
I never wanted Kenneth to build that sauna.
He had heart troubles.
- But Linda was young, and she was in perfect health.
- Well, I need you all to understand that this is now officially a crime scene.
- What are you saying?
- We don't believe that your wife and Mr. Moore died by accident.
- Oh, Christ!
- Oh!
- Oh, what happened to the record player?
- I have no idea.
- Someone hated that damn song about as much as I did.
- Has anyone seen Theo Pappas?
- He said he had something better to do.
- Laboring at the Southern Cross Hotel.
Awful building.
They're repairing the penthouse balcony after the Beatles tour came through.
- Get him down to the station.
- Yes, sir.
- We'll start with the rest of you.
- Excuse me, can I say something?
- Yes, go ahead.
- For we and her and he we love.
They love, the great love, like moths in an atom, unborn to be born to fight the doom, the gloom, the boom of the womb exploding into life, into life, to be free, to love and to live, love, live, love... (birds twittering) (no audio) (gentle music) - Thank you.
- That was beautiful, babe.
- As I was saying, this is now a crime scene.
That means that no one is to leave.
- I left Kenneth in the lounge with the others around nine, when I took Theo up to look at my form work.
- Did either of you come back downstairs at all?
- No.
Um... Theo took a shower about an hour later.
- [James] And you're certain about the time?
- Thereabouts, give or take, yes.
And then I heard raised voices downstairs, which is nothing unusual for Dirk and Kenneth.
And then someone put the radio on.
- Maybe after the turntable was smashed up.
- So while you were upstairs with your concreter, your husband was socializing with Linda Wade?
- And maybe Francine, as well.
Who knows?
- I always enjoyed my time with Kenneth.
We had an ecstatic tryst at his 40th with candle wax.
But no, sadly, not last night.
- Oh.
(gentle music) So when did you last see your host?
- When I took Dirk into the den to make the best of a less than ideal situation.
- Could you elaborate?
- Oh, Dirk tries hard, but he has no imagination.
- I think what Detective Steed means is, what were everyone's movements after dinner?
- Oh, well, first, Pauline took Theo upstairs, even though, technically, he was my plus one.
And then Linda went off to try the sauna.
So we left Kenneth in here playing that damn record over and over.
Really killed the mood.
So I sent Dirk out to raid the bar again, and he took forever.
- It took me a little longer to find the right cognac.
Francine is very particular.
- Was Mr. Moore in the lounge when you went out again?
- [Dirk] No, he wasn't.
- Oh, what happened to your arm, Mr. Wade?
- Accident.
Unfortunate incident with a fondue fork.
Oh, my darling.
You know, I should have seen this coming.
I should have listened to her.
- About what?
- Linda was the one who wanted to have fun with the Moores.
We always enjoyed it.
It was like charades.
You know, until Kenneth started ruining things.
- How?
- Confiding all his woes.
Some sort of career crisis about his worth and his reputation.
- That's odd, considering he just won an award.
- I agree.
God, I...
I had no idea he was in such a bad way.
I never thought he'd take her with him.
- It can't be a murder-suicide, not if the door was jammed.
- Maybe it was Dirk, you know, the jealous husband.
- Yeah, it's a tricky theory when they're all so happy to share.
- The closest that I've come to that kind of sharing is swapping partners during the Pride of Erin.
- That's a dance, right?
- Oh, it's not just a dance, it's still very controversial where I come from.
- Oh, I see.
- Well, well, well.
If it isn't little fish.
Interfering with police procedure, as usual?
- I had an appointment with one of the murder victims.
- Well my hunch is they're not gonna make it.
So why don't you swim on home and let the men get on with things.
Steed?
- Just this way, sir.
(tense music) (tense music) (tense music continues) (tense music continues) (upbeat music) ♪ I wanna know, are you happy ♪ ♪ That I love you ♪ ♪ I wanna know ♪ - Anyone for lunch?
Anyone at all?
♪ And I wanna know ♪ ♪ If I'll be here for you ♪ ♪ Be my boy ♪ - I feel so guilty.
- Well, I mean, you are Catholic.
You're sort of meant to feel guilty.
♪ One more time ♪ ♪ Oh let me just, one more time ♪ - Oh, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no.
No, I have to go.
I have to go.
- Yes, yes.
♪ Let me just one more time ♪ - Morning, sis.
- It's afternoon, actually.
And don't you ever call me sis.
- Ah, coffee, wonderful.
I hardly slept a wink.
- Samuel, I appreciate a little fun between the sheets as much as anyone, but don't you think you are taking up an awful lot of each other's time.
- Birdie, when was your last romantic encounter?
- Romance is a 19th-century invention.
- Call me old-fashioned, then.
- [Birdie] What about the archeologist?
- That's ancient history.
- Violetta, she's hardly written a word of her research paper.
And her laboratory, it's growing dust.
When was the last time you invented something useful?
- I've been working on something actually, inspired by my euphoric state.
- Yes, well, you've all gone silly.
All of you.
Even Peregrine.
She's making doe eyes at that...
Peregrine!
- Was that the Violetta that I just saw leaving?
- Oh, don't worry.
A few Hail Marys, and she'll be right back to do it all over again.
- Samuel, I was hoping, if you're not too busy, you could develop these.
- Of course, lunch may have to wait.
- Oh, you're very good.
- Peregrine.
Sis.
- So, what's the case?
- Kenneth Moore, my architect.
- Oh, I like the wife, but I find him arrogant, and surprisingly inarticulate for someone who's hailed as an architectural genius.
Luckily, Pauline's into free love.
- Well it's very free now.
He's dead.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
- Cooked in his own sauna with an artist called Linda Wade.
- Oh, yes, yes, I've heard of her.
Francine Laroux focused her last essay on her female nudes.
- I met Francine this morning.
She seemed very upset.
- You mean she's in town?
- She won't be going anywhere soon, she's a murder suspect.
- Oh, that's wonderful.
I mean, not the murder, but we could ask her to do the woman's lecture this week.
- On poetry?
- Oh, no.
Her poetry is awful.
No, she's just published a revolutionary book, "The Female Mistake."
- Hmm.
(upbeat music) - Why would I wanna knock them off?
I didn't even wanna be there last night.
- Well you managed to make yourself at home.
- I only called by to collect what they owed me for concreting the swimming pool.
Rich people are the worst.
Then that Francine woman shoved a drink in my hand.
Next thing I know, the wife's racing me off.
How could I say no?
I wanted my money.
- I suspect that bruise on his shoulder was sustained before he died.
And there's another mark on his arm, perhaps a burn.
- Can we narrow down time of death?
- It would only take a couple of hours to lose consciousness.
But you said rigor mortis had set in.
- [Peregrine] Oh, well and truly.
- Then closer to nine hours.
And given the degree of dehydration, I'd say they spent most of the night in there.
- I took a shower and then I spent the rest of the night in the bedroom.
Didn't get much sleep, though.
- I don't need the details, Mr. Pappas.
- It was the bloody music, it went on all night.
- Oh, so is that why you smashed the record player?
- What?
No, that was the old bloke next door.
- What old bloke?
- The neighbor.
He yelled over the fence when I arrived.
- What did he say?
- Said if the party ruined his cricket broadcast again, he'd come fix things for good.
(tense music) - If the killer jammed the door, it must have been with something long, like a broom handle or a mop.
But I couldn't find anything to match the splinter.
- Well most broom handles are made from hardwoods, like beech, ash, or eucalyptus.
Whereas saunas are made from cedar or spruce.
This is neither.
Soft, porous, crisscrossing fibers.
The best match I can find is salix alba caerulea.
English willow.
- Willow?
- Well... Well, you know, what else is made with willow?
(gentle music) Still stumped?
(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) - I know what the piece of wood is from.
- A cricket bat.
- How did you know?
- Theo Pappas told me the next door neighbor threatened to come over and kill the music because he couldn't hear his cricket match.
So I'm about to go and have a word.
- Well I'm coming too.
I saw said neighbor listening to the radio this morning.
- Oh, my!
That's highly suspicious.
- Well it is when there's a major police presence next door, and he's paying no attention whatsoever.
- Good afternoon.
Excuse me, ma'am, do you mind if we had a word?
- Yes, certainly.
- [James] It's just about the incident next door- - What is going on here, woman?
- There's nothing to be alarmed about, sir.
We just need to ask a few questions.
I'm Detective James Steed of the Melbourne Police Force.
Mr?
- Harris.
Major Alfred Harris, retired.
- James?
I'd say less retired, more caught, Major.
- Why don't I save you the trouble.
First, I'm as guilty as hell.
Second, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
- Well that was easy.
Here you are, Mrs. Harris.
- Thank you.
- [James] Major, you understand you're now a suspect of murder?
- Murder?
No!
I'm not guilty of that.
I hated my neighbor, but I didn't kill him.
Not that I haven't killed a man.
I just smashed up his radiogram.
- Record player.
- Whatever it was.
You'd have smashed it too, if you had to live next door to his bloody parties.
Drinking, loud music, swimming in the altogether.
Filled my wife's head with stupid ideas, all that carry on.
- What time was it when you went next door?
- Time for all decent folk to be asleep.
The husband was the only one up, and he was too drunk to stop me.
And then the bastard had the bloody cheek to turn up the radio after I left.
- I heard all the yelling when the Major went next door.
He's never got on with the Moores.
He...
He thinks they have funny ideas.
- [Peregrine] Funny ideas?
- Pauline lent me a book once... - Mm-hmm.
- About women and men, the kind that makes you think.
- Oh.
- The Major made me throw it in the bin.
- And what did you do with your cricket bat after you damaged the Moore's property?
- What do you think I did with it?
I left it there.
No use to me anymore.
- Well so how did it end up in your bin?
- No idea.
(tense music) Come along, woman, I haven't got all day.
- Oh, uh...
Thank you.
- Mrs. Harris, if you ever need to talk woman to woman... - Oh, thank you.
- [Peregrine] My pleasure.
(upbeat music) - Ah, you're back early.
Excellent.
Help me test this.
- Will it explode?
- Uh, no.
No.
It's for listening through walls.
Take those earrings off.
Now the earrings attach to the necklace via this wire.
Like this.
Hmm.
Now... Ah!
Testing, testing.
One, two.
How did it go with Father Neroli?
Can you hear me?
Violetta?
- Not very well.
- Oh.
What about now?
- Aah!
No, no.
I meant Father Neroli.
He refused to see me.
He told me, I can't keep coming to confession.
- I thought God's forgiveness was boundless.
What, he can't cope with a few days.
- He told me he doesn't believe I am truly sorry for my sins because I keep committing them again and again.
- I know.
We can't help ourselves.
It's amazing!
Oh.
What if I converted and married you?
(gentle music) - You would have to lie about your beliefs and Birdie would never speak to us again.
- I could think of worse fates.
(gentle music) - The problem is, everyone had an opportunity to trap Kenneth and Linda in the sauna with that cricket bat.
The Major could have finished off the job, aided or abetted by Mary.
Theo Pappas could have detoured on his way to the shower.
Pauline when she was left alone in the bedroom.
Dirk had an opportunity when he went to get more cognac, giving Francine a window, as well.
But the only one with any real motive is the Major.
Oh, and Theo, of course, was after his money.
- Sorry, what is all this?
- It's my office.
Oh, and here's the best bit, Samuel just finished it.
- "Ms.
Peregrine Fisher, private detective."
It's interesting 'cause you can't call yourself a detective.
You need a license for the Victoria Police.
- Well that's never going to happen.
My Aunt Phryne didn't need a license.
- Well, times have changed.
- Oh, well, it's too late, I've already had the cards made up.
It's like free love.
Free detecting.
There are the rules, and those who break them.
- Free love?
- Mm, that's what Birdie called it.
Married people who like to share.
- Why would you bother getting married in the first place if you're just gonna treat it like a dinner party game?
- Well charades can be fun.
Hmm?
- Mm.
(telephone ringing) - If that's Birdie, she can starve.
(telephone ringing) Peregrine Fisher, private detective.
Of course, Mrs. Harris.
That's why I gave you the card.
(gentle music) - I was hoping not to involve the police.
- Oh, don't worry, Mrs. Harris.
We'll keep this very informal.
- I was the one who threw the cricket bat in the bin.
Alf had no idea.
- So you went next door to retrieve it?
- No, no.
I found the bat in the yard this morning.
But I did try to go next door yesterday, earlier in the evening, to apologize.
But I didn't go in.
- What time was that, Mrs. Harris?
- Oh, thank you.
- Perhaps Mrs. Harris would like a biscuit, as well.
- Well I'll see what I can do.
- Go on.
- Well, it...
It was after the Major went back to bed.
I could see there was a tiff going on.
- A fight?
Between who?
- [Mary] Between Kenneth Moore and another man, wearing one of those turtleneck sweaters.
- Was it this man?
- Yes, that's him.
Maybe it was just horseplay, but Mr. Moore was chasing him around the dining table, and it looked like he was trying to stab him with something.
- Thank you, Mrs. Harris.
Dirk's fondue injury.
We need to get him in.
- Correction, I need to get him in.
Your purpose is shot.
- Oh, sparrow.
- Mm, you need to make yourself scarce.
- Really?
- Definitely.
(gentle music) What were you arguing about when Mr. Moore assaulted you?
- I have no idea what you're on about.
- Your fondue fork injury.
Seems that you did see Kenneth again when you went out to get cognac.
Show me your arm, Mr. Wade.
(tense music) - Right-o, I'm back.
- Mr. Wade.
- I'm on the right track.
- This is Chief Inspector Sparrow.
Now, sir, according to the coroner's report, Kenneth Moore had second degree burns on his forearm, consistent with a scald from a viscous liquid, like melted cheese.
- Kenneth spilled the cheese on himself after he tried to attack me with a fondue fork.
- Right-o, so you chucked cheese at this bloke because he speared you with his cutlery?
Couldn't you just take him outside and sort him out?
- I...
I told Ken that I didn't think he deserved the award.
He has no overriding philosophy.
He overreacted.
But we kissed and made up.
- Jeez, this just gets worse and worse.
What are you doing, Steed?
Sit down.
- So were you still angry?
- Of course I was angry with Kenneth.
He stabbed me.
But not angry enough to lock him in a sauna all... Look, I went straight back to the den, I forgot all about the booze.
Francine had to forage for herself.
- Wait, so how long was Francine gone from the den?
- I can't say precisely.
I may have dozed off.
(tense music) (window clattering) (Peregrine gasping) - What the bloody hell?
- [James] No.
No, no, sir.
(tense music) - I hope you're paddling your own canoe, Steed.
I'd hate to think you'd rely on a woman to solve a case for you.
Why do you think we got rid of Fleur?
- Because she was getting married.
For some crazy reason, the police force won't accept married women.
- Because she was poking her nose in everywhere it shouldn't be.
Peregrine Fisher is just a good-time girl.
Like those weirdo friends of hers with their Swedish hot boxes and Swiss fondalues and Roman bloody orgies.
Don't make the mistake of taking her seriously.
(gentle music) - [Birdie] Please welcome our guest speaker, celebrated author and poet, Francine Laroux.
(audience applauding) - Why?
Why do so many women believe in mating for life, like swans and wolves and penguins?
Because we have all been brainwashed by books, and movies, and men.
- Hear, hear!
- I'm hardly responsible for the brainwashing of an entire gender.
- But the most insidious desire to find our one and only comes from deep within us all.
- I brought you the book.
Autographed.
- Detective Steed's on his way to talk to Francine.
- That notion of the one that swamps your mind until you can no longer eat, or sleep, or think, or talk about anything else until you're boring the pants off everyone.
That comes from deep within us, and we must purge it, kill it, destroy it before it destroys you.
- That bit's not in the book.
- Everybody free yourselves from the shackles, the lovely, warm, soft shackles of romantic love, with me!
Free your mind.
Free your body.
Cast off the layers of oppression and celebrate your glorious, unfettered, independent womanhood!
(audience gasping) - Good Lord.
- That's right, liberate yourselves from sentimental attachment and say goodbye forever to your one and only and hello to universal love and communion with the cosmos.
- Thank you, Francine.
We've just completely run out of time, but that's absolutely riveting.
- [Francine] Oh.
- Oh, it's a bit chilly.
You wanna wrap up.
Why don't you put your clothes back on?
All right?
(woman speaking indistinctly) - Well, how about a poem?
- Oh, no, no.
I think that's quite... - I need my bag.
I don't feel very well.
- Oh, come with me, Francine.
Come on, here we go.
Here we go.
Step, step, step.
Nice coffee?
(tense music) (tense music continues) - "L is for my love, my longing, my lady."
Oh, and this, "Budding, blossoming, bursting with the madness of L." It has to be Linda.
Francine needed to be free of her.
- Yeah, but enough to kill her?
- You've never been madly obsessed with somebody?
- No, I grew up in a very small town.
Maybe briefly, when I was 15.
I had a bit of a thing for the girl on the property next door.
- Oh, interesting.
- But I blame hormones and spin the bottle.
But it only lasted until she went to boarding school.
She was... She was way out of my league.
- Oh, the trend continues.
I bet you were heartbroken, just like Francine.
- Yes, but my heart break was missing breakfast.
I didn't murder anybody.
- But you haven't spent your whole career advocating for free love.
Francine's obsession with Linda made her look like a hypocrite and write some pretty awful poetry.
- So, free love comes at quite a cost.
Don't you think?
- We didn't even have the Pride of Erin where I come from.
I think I'm more of a one-at-a-time kind of girl.
(upbeat music) - I'm sorry, Birdie.
I'm a traitor to my own cause.
- Oh, forget it.
We gave everyone a refund.
Do your worst.
- [Peregrine] Your poems.
- I admit it, I was madly in love with Linda.
- How madly?
What did you do when you left the den?
- You don't think I killed her?
I was jealous she went off with Kenneth.
I sat by the pool and cried for two hours, hoping no one would realize how pathetic I was.
- You didn't make your way towards the sauna?
- Oh, I wish I had.
If I had gone to the sauna instead of blubbering by the pool, I might have saved them.
Oh, why couldn't I just make do with the occasional bad boy, like Theo Pappas?
- Bad boy?
- The type no woman can refuse.
Rough trade, criminal tendencies.
I'm sure that's what happened to Kenneth's awful award.
- Kenneth's award?
- It disappeared the same night this whole nightmare began.
(tense music) - Clean out your pockets, Pappas.
(tense music) - Fishing knife.
- Mm.
(tense music) Mick's Pawn Shop, one gold-plated trophy.
What'd you hock for five pound?
- Old footy prize.
My best days are behind me.
- Eh, two convictions of breaking and entering, and a recent charge of armed robbery.
I'm inclined to agree with you.
- I got off.
That gun was a fake.
Another stinking rich bastard who owed me.
- Right, not dissimilar to Kenneth Moore, yeah?
And so you stole his trophy.
And what else did you do to him?
- I didn't steal anything.
- Okay, prove it.
You've got one hour to redeem that trophy and bring it to me.
Or I'll go there myself.
(phone receiver clattering) - [Peregrine] Hello?
- Theo Pappas is definitely hiding something.
- [Peregrine] Really?
- I'll meet you on the corner of Carvelle and Lower Esplanade.
(tense music) - Cops think I stole it!
So if you don't want me to tell them what really happened, you better pay me to clear out of town.
(tense music) - Peregrine, come on.
(tense music) - 200 pounds, and if you don't show in 20 minutes, I'm squealing.
- What's happening?
- He went into a pawnshop, came out with Kenneth's award, made a call.
(tense music) Looks like he's waiting for someone.
- Francine?
Maybe she got him to do her dirty work.
Hm?
(tense music) (tense music continues) Where's he gone?
(tense music) (upbeat music) - No, no, wait!
Peregrine!
Wait!
- [Peregrine] Stop, Theo!
Stop!
- Wait.
Wait.
No!
- Coming through.
Police, stop!
(upbeat music) Oh, aah, my mistake.
As you were.
As you were.
- Police, sorry, sister.
- Sister.
- Sorry.
(upbeat music) As you were.
- Wait, Theo!
(upbeat music) - [James] Pappas, stop!
(upbeat music) (breaks squealing) (body thudding) - [James] No!
No!
Oh.
(dramatic music) (onlookers chatting indistinctly) (tense music) (indistinct chattering) - Forensics on the hit and run, sir.
- [James] Thank you.
- [Officer] It does have the car code.
(indistinct chattering) - [Officer] Excuse me, sir.
- Detective Steed.
- [James] Major Harris, how can I help you?
- I hear you've been grilling the wife.
- That was just a chat.
- She was telling the truth about the cricket bat.
So, you know, someone chucked it over the fence.
- Why do you think that?
- 'Cause I saw it.
Someone was making a racket in the pool next door, splashing about, and woke me up about 11:30.
- Did you see who that was?
- It was a woman, in the altogether.
- So, a naked woman?
- Mm.
- Was she the one who threw the bat.
- No, she was still by the pool when I headed back inside.
That's when I caught a glimpse of someone else in the dark in the driveway, and I heard a thump.
- What time was that?
- I'm not sure.
- Well, how long did you stay watching the woman by the pool?
- About half an hour.
So, midnight.
Yeah.
But whoever it was in the driveway, they were wearing something purple.
(tense music) - Thank you, Major.
- [Peregrine] I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long, Pauline.
- No, I just wanted to return your plans personally.
- Oh, thank you.
- What a lovely design this house was.
Your Aunt Phryne gave us our first big commission.
- Oh.
- She understood absolutely.
Frank Lloyd Wright's functionality scaled back for the Australian suburbs.
She even encouraged me to become an architect.
- Really?
- Oh, it was a passing fad.
That's how Kenneth and I met all those years ago.
- Oh.
- I still can't believe he's gone.
- Why don't you sit down?
I'll make you a drink.
- Oh, I can't right now.
I need to get home.
Sorry.
But call me.
- I will.
(papers rustling) (tense music) (dramatic music) That's odd.
(tense music) (upbeat music) (tense music) Ah, Pauline, I'm glad I caught you.
- Sorry, I'm just in a little bit of a hurry.
- I just wanted to thank you for these plans.
I didn't realize they were finished.
Where did you find them?
- In your file.
I need to go through the others and sort out where Kenneth left things.
I really need to get going, 'cause I'm gonna miss my plane.
- Pauline?
- Maybe we can talk another time.
(tense music) - Looks like you ran into something, Mrs. Moore.
- Oh.
- I think it's best we chat now, Pauline.
About your lack of acknowledgment.
You completed these plans, not your husband.
You love my house because you designed it.
It was yours.
(dramatic music) - What a lovely design this house was.
- You weren't in your room all night the evening Kenneth died.
When Theo Pappas was taking a shower, you went back downstairs.
- Because you promised!
- I know, it really isn't the right time.
- Oh, it's never the right time!
- Oh, calm down!
- That award was mine.
I wanted him to give it back and tell everybody the truth, finally.
But no, he refused.
Said it would ruin his reputation, be the end of our business.
(dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) - You left Kenneth in the sauna for nearly two hours.
- [Kenneth] Help, help!
Please, help!
- Turning up the radio to drown out his cries for help.
- When you went back to throw the cricket bat over the fence, you wore the caftan that Francine had left on the floor.
(dramatic music) - Theo Pappas saw you.
(dramatic music) - [James] You paid for his silence.
- Not enough.
He knew it would look suspicious if he took off that night, so he stayed.
Then he got greedy, demanding more.
- You didn't know that Linda was in there, though, did you?
That's why you were genuinely shocked.
- Darling... (Pauline screaming) I had no idea.
I swear.
And I didn't want Kenneth dead, not at first.
I just...
I just wanted him to suffer.
'Cause he took all my glory.
I didn't wanna live in his shadow anymore.
Why... Why wouldn't he give me that?
Why wouldn't he give me that?
(gentle music) - Oh!
Ah!
Ah!
Oh!
Well, I have to admit, your newfound coupledom has certain advantages.
- Mainly culinary.
- I think it's high time you two stop sneaking around and Violetta moved into the club, to cook as much pasta as you like.
That goes without saying.
- Well, we appreciate the policy shift, Birdie, but Violetta won't be staying over again.
Not for a little while.
- Oh, why not?
- We're waiting for Vatican II.
- You're waiting for the entire Catholic Church to change its mind.
- There is great hope the council will bring changes for modern Catholic women all over the world.
God knows we need them.
- Oh, that's wonderful.
Well how long will that be?
- Hard to say.
- Roughly.
- Vaguely.
- Well how long has it taken this far?
- Two years.
- Oh, well, good luck with that one.
- Excuse me.
(somber music) (somber music continues) (somber music continues) (somber music continues) (somber music continues) - Oh, hello, it's me.
How's your dig in Luxor?
How about tonight?
(somber music) - I thought we'd almost lost the dinner table to your career.
- Oh, only temporarily.
I'm a woman of many appetites.
- That was what I was hoping.
- Hmm.
What are you hiding in there?
- Nothing.
Nothing.
- What is it?
- No, it's nothing.
No, no, stop, stop, stop!
It's not how this goes.
- Mm.
- Thank you.
No!
No, no, Peregrine.
Peregrine, stop, stop, stop!
- Oh!
That is serious.
- Is it a bad idea?
- No, I'm sorry.
Sorry, sorry.
Start again.
(gentle music) Oh!
- This was my mother's, and we could get it reset, if, I don't know, if you'd want it.
If you'd want me.
- Oh, James, it's beautiful.
Oh, wait, no.
You know that I don't know anything about farming, or bush dances, or boarding school, and I've never played spin the bottle.
- That's fine.
- Well, that's a lie, I have played spin the bottle a few times.
- Peregrine Fisher, you are the most exciting woman that I know.
Will you marry me?
- Yes.
Yes.
Yes!
It's a date!
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ - Yes.
- [Violetta] You're getting married, Peregrine!
- [Woman] April Barrett's her name.
She's one of our best and brightest trainee hostesses.
- I considered being an air hostess once, mainly for all the free travel.
- No.
- What?
- [James] To you going undercover.
- Undercover.
I'm interviewing for the hostess school.
- Don't expect anyone to give you a leg up, slender hips.
- [Trainee] Easy, Cole.
- Witnesses put you together Monday night, the night of April's murder.
- I was 30,000 feet above the Tasman at the time.
- Who are you?
- Just someone who likes to get to the bottom of things.
(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) (no audio)
Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries is presented by your local public television station.