Episode 7 Death in Paradise

SAMBA DRUMMING

CROWD CHEERS

-Come on, come on!

-Yeah, I'm coming. I AM watching, you know.

-The greatest performer of all time!

-Thanks.

You don't know how lucky you are, you know.

Solly hasn't stepped foot on stage for ten years. AMAZING!

Where's the Chief? I don't want him to miss this.

He said he had to get some air.

-Air?!

-HE TUTS

No, no, honestly, I'm fine, thank you. No, NO! No!

WOMAN SOBBING

-You're going to miss the show.

-Yeah? Wouldn't that be terrible?

You know they say that a man who doesn't love music,

doesn't love life.

I'm waiting for a cup of tea.

They don't serve tea here.

-They told me they did. They took my money.

-Oh, come on!

Dwayne will have a coronary if you miss this.

Think of it as a team-building exercise.

Richard, come on!

-Ah chief, you're just in time!

-Well, this is fun(!)

Don't spoil it.

SHE LAUGHS

Look, here he comes.

Any minute now.

Sorry, what is it we're waiting for?

The singer, Solly, bursts out of the coffin.

Why?

It's show business.

Ladies and gentlemen.

THEY CHEER

-The one...

-ALL: Yeah!

-The only...

-ALL: Yeah!

Solomon...

Any minute now.

Solly...Jackson!

THEY CHEER

It's a trick...

just wait and see.

It has to be.

I thought you said it was show business?

WOMEN SCREAMING

OK, Honore Police, move back, thank you, thank you.

Convenient really, having your own coffin, ready and waiting.

Blood groupings show he was definitely killed inside it.

Close range, gunshot wound. You should have the area searched,

-see if anyone discarded the murder weapon anywhere.

-Maybe in the coffin?

Well, no, no. That would be highly unlikely.

Ahem.

Or not.

Have Dwayne run it for prints.

Any idea what this is?

Maybe a good-luck charm?

Obviously didn't work, then.

It's, erm...

..strange the way he's been laid out, isn't it? With his arms folded.

At rest...in repose.

You don't do that unless you have a connection with someone.

Whoever did this must have known him. Cared about him.

Maybe even loved him.

They've got a funny way of showing it.

-I've been waiting for this day for ten years.

-For, er, Solly to die?

No, no, for the band to get back together.

I've played with other groups since we split but...

when Curtis, Eddie and Solly was out there, oh!

It was magical.

-Why did the band break-up the first time?

-I don't know.

You must have some idea.

No, I just hit the keys. I avoid all that stuff.

A couple of months back, Eddie, the bass player, called me up

and said Solly had finally agreed to do some new shows.

Some shows? So, this wasn't just a one-off?

Eddie had big plans for us, back in the studio, back on the road...

Would have been fun.

-When was the last time you saw Solly?

-Hmm...backstage.

Just when we went to get ready.

Just make sure you boys can keep up with me.

OK?

Explain the coffin to me.

It was Solly's thing.

15 minutes before the show, he goes out and gets into the coffin,

pulls the lid and waits there to be taken onto stage.

And, erm, he went in there alone?

Nobody was allowed, Solly was very strict about it.

You could set your watch to it, 15 minutes...

Some things never change, I guess.

15 minutes, fellas! He'll be getting in there right now.

'We were all backstage together, Solly away on his own.

'The rest of us finally able to relax and have some fun.'

See, when we first started out, we were good, you know,

we were solid, but nobody came to see us.

We were just another band, we didn't stand out.

-So you came up with the coffin as a stage gimmick.

-Solly did.

You can say what you like about the guy,

but he was a genius when it came to that side of things.

Played out the whole mystical angle.

Telling the press that he slept in it,

that that's where he got his voodoo force!

It had been ten years since we were out on stage.

So I guess he needed this time, now more than ever,

to get into character.

To do the things the way he always did.

I didn't believe a word of it.

Not then, not now.

The coffin, the whole 15 minutes alone.

He didn't need it. I think he just wanted to make sure

that we knew he was the boss.

That he was better than the rest of us.

So erm, there was, er, some resentment in the band towards him?

We spent years working hard to sell records, to make him famous,

but the more popular we got, the more Solly got distracted.

The drinks, the party, the woman.

He threw away his career -

all our careers.

-So, yeah, you can say there was some kind of resentment, yes.

-Sorry...

do, do you think you could put that thing elsewhere while we talk to you,

it's, er...it's just a little distracting.

I am an ophiophilist.

It means I am fond of snakes. Smart creatures. Very loyal.

Even so...

-You'd rather I just let her run free?

-Whoa!

No that's fine, that's fine, that's fine.

So quarter to nine, Solly goes to his coffin, to prepare for the show.

-Where were you?

-With the rest of them, backstage, ready to go on.

I wasn't sure about the comeback, old wounds,

but there's no denying it, building up to that nine o'clock show time...

boy, it felt good to be back.

When the band start playing their first, erm, number...

it's your job to make sure the coffin appears on stage?

Two minutes into the music I go backstage, to get the coffin.

Break a leg, Solly!

I didn't know anything was wrong till I opened it up.

So you're the only one who had access to Solly?

-Officially, yes.

-And erm...

where were you during the 15 minutes of his "alone time"?

Well, I was on stage, checking out the equipment.

You can ask anyone at the bar.

And as far as you know, nobody went to see him during that time?

Solly would have torn them off a strip, BUT Solly being Solly...

There can always been exceptions to the rules, like that girl.

Which girl?

I didn't know her name.

Been around for a week or so, said she was a photographer.

Pretty little thing, early 20s.

Solly was obviously very fond of her

cos he didn't shout or scream around her like he did with everybody else.

She even stopped by to see him this evening.

Right, do you remember what shoes she was wearing?

Any, any distinctive features? You know, plain shoes?

Or something a little more...ostentatious?

Quite a pronounced heel?

Maybe blue flowers on the front?

I didn't realise you were so interested in women's fashion.

I'm not!

-I'm simply trying to establish what shoes she was wearing.

-Hm, I see.

Shoes are shoes, man, and with a smile like that,

you focus on her face.

That can't have been easy for his wife.

Solly running round with a younger girl.

Nothing Solly ever did was easy on other folk.

So, you're seriously telling me you weren't jealous of him spending time with a younger, prettier woman?

Which is what I would be asking Avita Jackson,

if YOU hadn't let her leave!

Sir, she was crying, she'd just lost her husband...

No, no, no, no, she hadn't lost him, he was murdered,

-which is all the more reason to keep her here.

-OK, Chief.

I screwed up, I know.

Right...

Avita...the wife.

Eddie, bass player, architect of the comeback.

Curtis the guitarist, Renward the keyboard player

and Neville the roadie.

Each one has an alibi for the time of the murder.

Anyone know where the word alibi comes from?

No? Latin.

Somewhere else.

Locative of the word "alias" -

to pretend to be someone you're not!

Two questions.

Who was the mystery lady with pretty shoes?

Yes, but also...

-..why a gun?

-There are better ways, quieter.

Exactly.

Where do you want this, Chief?

Ah!

Just what we need.

On the table, please.

Seen this?

Uh-hm...

A woman with impressively large breasts!

No, here, look. The pendant round his neck.

Oh, so...

the killer took it off and placed it in his hands.

OK, great, why?

I don't know.

Erm, good to go, Chief.

Do you want me to clear some space?

In case you get the urge to kick off your shoes and dance?

It's important that we profile the victim.

Family, friends, colleagues,

but in Solly's case we have the added benefit

of being able to learn about him from his own words.

His own songs.

Understand the man and you'll understand the murder.

LOUD GRIME MUSIC

# Wind up de gal With the voodoo style

# Wind up Wind up de gal

# With the goodness style

# Wind up de gal With the wickedest style... #

On second thoughts, Dwayne, perhaps it would be better

-if you listened to it, transcribe the lyrics for me.

-No need.

Solly sang about two things.

Monsters and women.

There were some pretty weird-looking individuals at that show,

but, er, I think we can rule out any of them being ACTUAL zombies.

So what did he say about women?

Solly sang about being a bit of a playboy.

You know, man the hunter, women the prey.

Every girl a flower waiting to be plucked.

An uncharted map to be explored.

Yep, well, we get the picture, although, erm...

strictly speaking, there's no such thing as an uncharted map.

The whole point of cartography is to illuminate the unknown.

It's poetry.

You have no romance in your soul.

Either way, I think we can safely say Solly had an eye for the fairer sex.

Oh, Solly had his fun all right, all over town!

Despite being married.

For 20 years.

And seeing as certain members of the service saw fit to let her slip away yesterday...

..perhaps now we should see what the wife has to say for herself.

Ah!

Mrs Jackson?

Mrs Jackson?

Sorry for disturbing you.

You, er...

thinking of leaving?

-I'm Detective Inspector...

-I know who you are.

I understand this is a difficult time for you.

-Would you mind if I saw your shoes?

-Yes.

Won't take a second.

They're on my feet.

And there's another pair by the door.

Thank you.

Is there another item of clothing you'd like to see?

No, no.

Although I, er...

do notice you're throwing away those that belong to your husband.

He's good. Very observant.

There's no reason for me to hang on to them now.

You don't seem very upset.

Would you rather I was weeping and wailing on your shoulder?

Am I sorry he's gone? Yes.

Do I miss him?

I don't know yet.

Am I going to sit here and dwell on it?

I have too much to do before I go back to St Lucia.

Solly's wake to organise, and grief isn't going to help that.

-At the time of his death...

-I was backstage.

Watching his band mates act like the little kids they are.

Do you know of anyone who might have wanted him dead?

I know people who didn't like him, but to kill him?

We suspect the murderer might be someone he knew,

someone close to him.

Are there any brothers, sisters, children?

Solly was an only child. and as for having little ones...

I thought about it, cried about it, but he wasn't interested.

Although, the other day, man looks round at me and says,

"It wouldn't have been the end of the world."

That was Solly.

Just when you think you've figured him out,

he'd find a new way to mess with your mind.

This, erm, pendant he wore...

-..did it have any particular significance for him?

-Just Voodoo tat. Practically worthless.

My husband wore six-inch platform heels for a month in 1992.

He wanted to be noticed, any way he could.

Back when his voice was something worth listening to.

Scrape away the Obeah make-up, the costumes, the whole silly act,

when he started singing, he could break your heart.

-If

-he wanted to.

I'm sure he got a lot of attention.

Certainly his music paints him as something of a womaniser.

Solly was a go-out, stay-out sort of man.

If he came home before sunrise, I never saw it

and what he did when he was out there - I never asked.

I never wanted to know.

But after all those years, out of the spotlight

the prospect of a comeback must have been quite distressing for you.

Perhaps you should say what you mean.

There was a girl seen hanging around this past week, do you know her?

I saw her.

OK, let's give Solly his space, come on, let's do this.

Smile.

-Do you think he was having an affair with her?

-Do you think I want to answer these questions?

-Sir.

I'm sorry, I know it's hard, but I have to ask.

I don't know.

Never the less, the prospect of a comeback...

..many more shows, many more crowds, many more women.

The thought of that must have made you very unhappy.

Unhappy enough to kill him, is what you mean.

-I'm simply trying to establish your state of mind at the time of the murder.

-Oh.

Is that what you're trying to do?

You should watch your tone with the lady.

Avita.

This is a murder investigation, we have to follow all leads.

Her husband died yesterday.

She was with the rest of us when Solly got...

When he passed away.

We were all together, no matter how many questions you ask.

I'm so sorry.

Maybe we should let them be for the moment.

Right, yes.

We'll, erm, come back with any follow-up questions. Er...

Don't make any travel plans without letting us know.

What?

We think Solly was killed by someone close to him, right?

And yet everyone close to him has an alibi.

The gun in the coffin...

the body in repose, the pendant in the hand.

-There's got to be a reason behind all of these things.

-Which is?

-Well, I don't know, I'm just saying.

-Oh, I thought you had something.

No.

Oh, never mind.

Ha!

Pendant.

-What?

-Show me the pendant,

the one that was found in Solly's hands.

-Gold, yeah?

-Yes.

-See, just like these ones.

Right? In the early albums.

Then in the last few, early to mid-'90s, he switched -

look - to silver.

Yes, but when he was killed...

Back to gold again.

-It's got to be significant.

-Bad news.

Tried tracing the gun, came up with nothing.

-No serial number, no leads. Sorry, Chief.

-And what about our mystery girl?

-Anything on her?

-Sorry...

-"Chief". Yeah, great.

Well, keep hitting the streets, asking people.

-It's not as if she's just going to walk in here and say...

-Hello?

Ah, hello?

I'm Michelle Bouchant. I hear you've been looking for me.

Yes.

I'm Detective Inspector Richard Poole.

You have nice shoes.

Thank you.

Very nice. Distinctive.

So, you met Solly a few times?

I was doing a photo assignment on him.

-For a newspaper or magazine?

-Uh, freelance.

You're not local?

No, well, sort of. My mother was.

We moved away when I was young.

Where were you before the show started last night?

I was just at the venue, waiting for it to kick off.

Didn't leave at all?

No.

May I?

There's more between you and Solly than a photo assignment.

Thank you.

She didn't do it.

-Why?

-Too pretty.

-So you weren't at the venue when the band came on stage.

-No.

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. I know you weren't - you were outside, crying. Why?

You know the "why" part? Means it's a question I'd like you to answer.

I was just...stressed.

-Huh? Really? Because of what, work?

-Yes.

Of course. Yeah, your photo assignment.

You can see for yourself.

Not bad.

You have a decent eye. You also have a silver pendant that Solly wore round his neck

up until his death.

So, if you have his pendant, you must have been very close with him?

No, I only met him last week.

You were born in 1991?

-Yes.

-The same year the album covers

show the pendant changing from gold to silver.

He gave the gold one away, didn't he?

To your mother.

Yes.

Solly was your father?

One for him and one for her.

They had swapped.

He gave her the gold pendant. He kept the silver one.

-And you switched them back when you killed him.

-What!?

No, I didn't.

-You didn't switch them or didn't kill him?

-I... I didn't kill him.

Then why switch the pendants?

Seemed only right.

To give him back the one that... she had kept for so long.

So you admit to being there?

I went to wish him luck

before he went out there.

He was so excited about doing another show.

Two months back, I didn't know anything about my father.

Name, face, nothing.

Then, my mother...

she gets sick.

She died, 12 days ago.

I came here because I didn't know where else to go,

thought I had no other family.

Did he mention anyone at all,

anyone who might have had a motive to kill him?

He wasn't killed. That's what hurt the most.

I'd just found him

and he said it made him feel complete.

And then for him to take his own life...

'I knew he'd been worried about the comeback,

'about whether he could still wow the crowds.

'But I never thought he'd do this.'

Solly, no!

'I should have run.

'I should have got help. But I didn't.'

I couldn't let them find him, not like that.

'Solly had said to me that when he went out,

'he wanted to be doing what he loved, out there, on stage.

'I'd just watched my mother pass away in some anonymous hospital,

'surrounded by people she didn't know.'

I wasn't going to let that happen to my father.

'As wrong as it was,

'it was also right.

'Out there, on stage.

'One last show.'

DEMENTED LAUGHTER

The gun, arms folded, pendant.

All accounted for.

Er, we'll need to keep the camera.

Photographs - potential evidence.

And the pendant.

HE SIGHS

I told you she didn't do it.

Yeah, based on the fact you think she's pretty.

Why? You think she isn't?

Dwayne, I'm married.

-So?

-So?

Of course she is. But that's no reason to presume innocence.

Then I was right, then, wasn't I?

If you take her word for it.

-CATHERINE:

-He's still pouting, then.

I'm not pouting.

Should be glad. Murder's a terrible thing.

Suicide isn't much better.

Either way, Solly would be pleased now. Man will become a legend.

Never grow any older. It's the dream of every star.

And he's definitely pouting.

I just don't believe it.

Chief, all the evidence!

Not to mention everyone close to him,

everyone who loved him, has a cast-iron alibi.

Something's not right.

Hello?

Oh. Thank you. Thank you very much.

The prints on the gun.

Not Solly's?

No. Only Solly's.

I know you're disappointed.

His little mystery solved already.

You think I'm wrong?

I didn't say that.

Chief, if you say it wasn't suicide, then I guess it wasn't.

Yeah, you're always right.

Well, one does one's best, yeah.

So, who did it, then?

Your mother's right. I am now officially pouting.

-Have they run a gunshot residue analysis on Solly's hand and clothes yet?

-No.

Make sure they do it. Holding a gun is not the same as firing it.

As far as I'm concerned, this case isn't closed yet.

Work to be done.

I don't suppose you could put that into some sort of...

Never mind.

Come on!

I still can't believe I'm not going to hear his voice again.

-Yellin' at you. "Stay in time, man!"

-HE CHUCKLES

We could keep going.

With the band?

I could sing.

Since when last you sing?

In the shower.

-A bit strange.

-Hmm?

Just...

Solly gets offed.

And then there's you, all of a sudden,

wanting to be lead man.

-What are you saying?

-Him not saying a thing.

-No!

I want to know what Eddie means. Hmm?

Are you suggesting I had anything to do with Solly's death?

-He had more reason than me.

-Don't even go there!

And what about you?

After all the time I spent getting this band back together...

Oh, so this is how it's going to be, huh?

Us, sitting here, throwing accusations at each other?

-Thanks!

-Goodnight!

-Hello?

-Hi.

They tell me this is the best place in town to get a drink?

They tell the truth.

Might I recommend the Planters Punch?

That's the most expensive drink here.

Oh, really? I hadn't noticed.

I'll give you a minute to decide.

No, don't worry. You get a discount.

Your father played here. Long time ago.

He told me.

That boy couldn't stay still for a second.

He'd be on his knees, climbing the walls.

Rolling around like the devil himself was tickling his bones.

And that it was for a handful of folk watching.

Imagine how bad he was

when the house was full.

Maman, the man wants a drink.

I know it's not easy.

-I lost my dad when I was six.

-I'm sorry.

Was he ill for a long time or...

Oh, no, no. He's not dead. He just found a new family.

But you survived a long time without a father. You'll get by.

I almost wished I'd never met him.

He upset you?

He hurt my mother a lot

and I guess I was looking forward to...

Making him pay?

No.

Just...

making sure he understood what he'd done.

It doesn't matter now, does it?

Not going to happen.

It's over.

Not quite over. The investigation is still open.

We're not quite convinced it was suicide.

But if it wasn't...

-Do you think you'll find out who did it?

-We'll do everything we can.

And I know DI Poole won't sleep until he's found out the truth.

GLASS SHATTERS

I warn you -

I'm armed and...

Well, I'm armed.

FLOORBOARDS CREAK

FLOORBOARDS CREAK

Somebody doesn't like you.

Indeed.

An ophiophilist.

Someone who loves snakes.

-Try and keep up, Dwayne.

-Oh! Curtis, the guitarist.

You think it was a warning to stay away, stop the case?

We'll find out in the morning.

Do you want some company tonight?

In case they come back?

Well, that's very kind but, erm...

Just to warn you, I do snore.

Now, I don't mind sleeping on the sofa,

but I am told I'm very loud.

I'll be fine.

You're sure?

Oh, it was worth it, you know.

Just to see those pyjamas again.

-Sleep OK?

-Of course.

Only, you did seem a little shaken last night.

No. Not at all.

It's just an Englishman never likes to have his sleep disturbed.

I've got something that will make you feel better.

Gunshot residue report.

-No sign of Solly having fired the gun.

-Correct.

I knew it.

Well, I suspected it.

So we can definitely rule out suicide. Solly's death was murder. I think we should...

Argh! SHE CHUCKLES

Ow, wow! Very immature!

I'll have words with whoever did that.

There's only you and me here.

Well, I'm sorry, sir. You were saying we should...

Ask Curtis about his snake. SHE CHUCKLES

And why it ended up in my bungalow.

SHE CHUCKLES

-Excuse me?

-Yeah.

Yeah, well, there's the house of a man who ran out of money.

Better be careful. We don't know how he'll react when cornered.

Curtis James? This is Detective Inspector Richard Poole.

What do you want?

-Do you mind if we see your snake for a moment?

-Is that meant to be funny?

Not particularly.

She's been missing all night. I've been searching for her everywhere.

Sorry about the mess.

Been going crazy trying to find my girl.

Wait a minute. How did you know she was missing?

Because somebody placed it in my bungalow last night.

You've found her?

-Is she all right?

-Yes, but that's not really the point.

-Oh, thank you very, very much.

-No, no, you don't understand.

It was deliberately placed in my home. A dangerous animal.

Reptile, not animal.

And I have a licence... somewhere.

You're still failing to understand.

Look, under the circumstances, your anim... Your reptile

was used to threaten a police officer.

What, you're going to arrest me? But I haven't done anything.

Well, that remains to be seen.

Well, she's safe, right? My snake.

Definitely OK?

This woman in this photograph...

is that Avita?

You seem close.

We were.

-Before...

-Before Solly?

Better come upstairs where you can get a little breeze.

You seemed very bitter about Solly when we spoke to you.

Even after you'd discovered he'd just died.

We were in a band.

Didn't mean we were family.

And it didn't mean I liked him.

Because of how things turned out with Avita?

When I met her, she wanted to be a singer.

I'd just joined Solly's band.

She used to do the odd show with us, you know.

Two of them out front, singing away, tearin' it up.

I didn't see it coming.

I was blind.

You never got over her?

Have you seen her?

Right. I think we've established that you like her.

So...

in a way, everything's worked out for you.

All right. Let's say I did it.

Say it's me kill him, yeah?

What would you do next, if you was me?

Act normal.

Go about my business, albeit a little sad, in mourning.

Would you drive to the investigating officer's house

and put a snake - a snake, you know - that was clearly tied to you

-through his door?

-If I was incredibly stupid, I might.

Do I seem incredibly stupid to you, Detective Inspector?

I don't know you well enough to say for sure. You might be.

Or maybe you think someone else did it and you're trying to throw me off the scent. Like, er...

-maybe Avita?

-No.

She didn't do it.

-You don't sound 100% sure.

-All right,

-she was a little angry with Solly, but...

-Angry? Why?

Because she'd found out he had a daughter?

Yes?

Then?

She's a good woman.

-Are you having an affair with Avita?

-What?!

No, you weren't, were you?

All those looks - it's always been from afar.

For so long.

Did you know she feels the same way?

You really think so?

Oh, I saw the way she reacted when you came round to see her,

like everything was all right.

Yes, as beautiful as this is, you're still suspected of murder.

And for threatening and potentially harming a police officer.

Stop smiling!

You're still in a lot of trouble.

How much remains to be seen.

Camille?

Curtis has motive. Solly stole his girlfriend. Never moves on.

Has to watch his friend become a big star,

the woman he loves on Solly's arm.

Well, if only he didn't have an alibi.

I know.

Those 15 minutes Solly's alone -

I've checked all the witness statements.

The band, Avita - all together.

-Somebody's lying.

-Yup! Someone is.

You're in love with Curtis!

-I'm sorry?

-What he means to say is...

-You love Curtis, he loves you.

-Does the fact that I'm recently widowed not mean anything to you?

-So, you're not denying it, then?

You don't think I know where this is going?

Curtis already phoned me

and told me he said I knew about Michelle.

A fact you failed to mention to us.

So now you want to know was I was upset, hurt,

angry enough to kill him?

If you'd be so kind as to indulge me?

Yes...

yes...

no.

HE SIGHS

Did you still love Solly?

I don't know.

Do you think he was pleased to find out he had a child?

A daughter would mean responsibility.

We're talking about a man who burned his bills, so he didn't have to deal with them.

Michelle seems to think he was happy.

People put a brave face on things.

But if he was nice to her, she's lucky.

-Because he cared?

-Because he died before she knew the man he was.

Or maybe she did see that side of him.

Poor girl.

-Is now a bad time?

-Not at all.

Nice to see you all together.

We just wanted to finalise the details for Solly's wake.

Yeah, very conscientious.

We've known each other for 20 years.

What else did you expect?

It's natural they'd all come together at a time like this.

MUSIC ON STEREO PLAYS

DWAYNE HUMS ALONG

There's something we're missing. Got to be.

Maybe they were all in it together.

No - one of them would have cracked. Given something away.

OK, so, Avita -

angry at her husband for the child he never knew about.

Curtis - jealous of him for the years stolen with the girl he loved.

Michelle - her mother left to bring her up alone.

And the rest of the band... WILL YOU PLEASE TURN THIS RACKET OFF!

-Sir...

-I can't work with this...noise!

HE SIGHS

-You're being too hard.

-It's a police station, not a discotheque.

No, not on Dwayne. On yourself.

Sometimes you just have to relax,

go with the flow.

-Please tell me you didn't just say that.

-I just mean

if you loosen up a little, you unwind,

things wouldn't be so tough.

-Yep. Music please, Dwayne!

-Oh, come on, Sir.

No, I need to loosen up. I'm going to rip off all my clothes and limbo under a desk!

MUSIC STARTS What are you doing?!

-He was being sarcastic.

-So, you want me to...

-Yes!

-No!

Come on, you've made your point.

This song.

The Serpent Swing.

-It's the one they play when Solly comes on stage, yeah?

-Yes.

-I need to hear the version they played on the night.

-This is it.

No, no. No, this is the studio version. I need the actual one,

the live one they played the night of the murder.

-Unless you have a time machine, that's going to be impossible.

-HE LAUGHS

Nothing's impossible.

Fidel.

-Not long to go now, eh?

-I know.

-Your very own bouncing bundle of joy.

-I know.

-Nervous?

-Well, actually the more you talk about it, yes.

-Thought of names?

-We don't even know if it's a boy or girl.

-Juliet wants it to be a surprise.

-Doesn't mean you can't get a head start on the name.

-There's so many different ones to choose from.

-I suppose.

-Take my advice, yeah? Keep the name short.

-Mm.

-Punchy.

-Mm.

Something like - oh, I don't know - Dwayne?

Hmm, OK, right.

How you doing, Ricky?

Fidel, grab it. We'll take this.

-God bless Solly!

-You got any live stuff?

-We're looking for a bootleg of last night's show.

-No, no. Be illegal.

We don't carry that. THEY ALL LAUGH

Now, you and I both know that isn't true.

So unless you want me to look for myself...

-Shame the show ended early the other night, huh?

-Yeah.

MUSIC PLAYING THROUGH HEADPHONES

Look. I think he's getting into it.

What, the music?

He can't help it.

Even if it only lasts a few minutes, the rhythm gets to you.

THEY LAUGH

Not the Chief!

Not the Chief! Can you really imagine him getting on down, dancing away to it?

I can hear you, you know.

-Dwayne?

-Chief?

In your professional opinion - on a scale of one to ten -

-how would you class Solly's band?

-A ten.

Keep good time, perfect tune, rarely make mistakes?

I'd say never.

-Really?

-Hmm.

Cos that's not what I'm hearing. Still, what do I know?

You're the big fan.

Now, let's see if they managed to hit the right notes on this, The Greatest Hits.

Hang on. When did you buy this?

At the market. When we picked up the live one.

This is an official release?

That's right. Came out yesterday. Apparently it's very popular.

-MOBILE RINGS

-Sorry. Excuse me.

What do you think?

All his best tunes are here - JuJu Jamboree,

-oh, Stick A Spell On My Heart.

-And? Nothing else?

No.

Oh, well, apart from the fact that

even considering how fast digital production is,

the band would have had to be pretty focused to get the CD burnt,

cover designed, printed, packaged and distributed

only one day after Solly's death. No, there's nothing else.

Fidel, well?

False alarm.

Juliet thought she was going into labour - trapped wind.

-You know for a moment there, I really thought the baby was coming early.

-Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa!

-There's a time period in which you're expecting the baby to arrive, yeah?

-Right.

And all things going to plan, that will happen.

Of course.

-OK, where's the rest of Michelle's photos?

-On my desk.

-OK.

HE LAUGHS

The drums start.

The bass comes in. The guitars.

The horns.

I have no idea what he's talking about.

It's a metaphor.

Right... I still have no idea.

It all starts to come together.

Separate pieces...becoming one.

-Fidel, one last job for you. You can meet us there.

-Where?

We have a wake to attend.

You know, timing is everything.

-BANGING AND CLANGING

-Sorry!

If you could join us...

-I just need to get everything ready for the wake.

-Only take a minute. Or ten.

Ten golden minutes.

The window of opportunity the murderer used to kill Solly.

Taken by Michelle at 8:34, according to the camera,

on the night of Solly's murder.

And yet the dressing room clock in this same photograph...

..says it's 8:44.

8:34 in the camera, 8:44 on the dressing room clock.

Ten minutes. Here's a photograph I took of the dressing room clock

just before I came in here.

The same camera, same dressing room clock.

And the time on the dressing room clock?

11:55.

And the time on the camera?

11:55.

Thank you, Renward.

Hmm...

We were meant to believe that Solly died in the 15 minutes before he went onstage.

His "alone time". But he didn't.

Because someone changed the dressing room clock.

Unknown to Solly, he got into the coffin ten minutes early,

giving the killer time to do the job,

then slip away and join the others.

Leaving no-one any the wiser as to the fact that

Solly was already dead.

Hmm. That's interesting.

Now none of you has an alibi for the time of the murder.

So, who's the killer?

Curtis - broken hearted, jealous.

Eddie -

all that effort put into a reunion and Solly still ungrateful as ever.

Renward -

the man who loved the band.

Cast out for ten years, waiting on the whim of his singer.

Avita -

many women would have walked away a long time ago.

No-one could fault you for trying. Just as no-one could fault you

for finally breaking when you found out about the daughter.

Michelle - Solly walked out on your mother.

Didn't want to know, left her to bring you up alone. Can't have been easy.

-Everyone had a motive.

-Uh, you missed someone.

-No.

-Me.

-Well, you didn't do it.

-I could have.

Really? What was your motive?

He owed me money?

-Did he?

-No.

But...you're not wrong.

I mean, you're not the killer, but you have hit the big question.

Who stood to gain from Solly's death?

After all, the new CD's available

from all good market stalls and retailers now.

In fact, I, er, checked, and interestingly enough

it's going to make the Caribbean charts next week. Top ten. HE CLAPS

And why?

Because Solly is dead.

Precisely.

As career moves go, I understand it's one of popular music's finest.

Did, erm, Solly have life insurance?

He thought he was going to live forever.

Savings?

Surely a will?

So he leaves nothing but the music. And the royalties.

-Do you see any of those?

-No. I just played guitar.

All royalties go to the songwriters,

which is Solly and...

..Eddie.

Never going to commit to a tour, was he?

New album - doubt it'd sell enough to cover the costs.

In fact, alive, he was worthless.

One last show. One last payday.

It was you who changed the time

on the dressing room clock.

Making Solly head off to the coffin early.

Fireworks were due to start around 8.35.

And so they did. Right on time.

Then, there you were, making sure you were noticed.

If anyone was asked what time they saw you,

it would be the same time that Solly was alone.

You knew Solly better than anyone. Knew he'd be in the coffin,

knew you'd have time to shoot him, make it look like suicide and be back with band

before anyone realised. Ready to go on stage.

And everything was going to plan.

Neville would fetch the coffin just after 9pm.

He'd find it open...Solly dead.

Suicide...Tragic.

Another casualty of rock 'n' roll. Another legend born.

Another album flying off the shelves.

You were so surprised when you saw that coffin arrive

you lost it for a moment, didn't you? WRONG NOTE

Should have been playing an A. You played an E flat.

So I hit a wrong note.

-It's not a crime.

-No.

But murder is.

You love the limelight.

You can't just sit back, out of the way, can you?

When you find out it's a murder investigation, you plant a snake,

trying to implicate Curtis.

A move not unlike your songwriting - brash, unsubtle, clumsy.

So clumsy you didn't think to wipe your fingerprints off the dressing room clock when you changed the time.

That's right.

Got your sticky fingers all over it.

I've got a top-ten album.

What have you got, huh?

-You've got something else as well.

-What?

-This!

Been wanting to do that for years.

-Is there anyone in this band you DO like?

-Everyone will remember me!

This is the story! You got a singer and a songwriter.

One's dead, one's a killer. I'm a legend!

I don't know about that.

You're just the bass player.

CARIBBEAN MUSIC

DEMENTED LAUGHTER

LOUD SLOW REGGAE MUSIC

Do you think they could turn this down a little?

I just don't see why it always has to be so loud.

So you can feel the rhythm.

In your head, your feet, your heart.

-No!

-One song. And it's a slow one.

-I do not dance.

-You've got a good ear.

-Only person who noticed that off-note in the song.

-Ears aren't feet.

It's what Solly would have wanted.

HE SIGHS

-FASTER DANCE MUSIC STARTS

-Richard!

I'd like you to stay.

I want to go home.

-Hi.

-You want to come in for coffee?

-There has to be a connection.

-I want to know if you think Dwayne killed her, yes or no?

-I'm simply doing things by the book.

-Look, you don't get it - the man is a ghost.

Did she owe you money?

Would she be planning to escape from?

The Serious Organised Crime Agency, based in London.

Argh!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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