Napoleon's Violin The Coroner

It's just a preliminary draft.

HE MUTTERS ANGRILY

OPERATIC ARIA PLAYS

DOOR OPENS

Olivia!

Olivia!

Olivia!

How was London?

You're leaving. Now.

-What?

-Come on!

No! You know I can't.

-Come along.

-Father!

-Chop chop.

-Should've done this years ago.

-I can't!

Please!

Someone's got to put a stop to this nonsense.

-People are saying that you're mad, Olivia.

-Let go!

-Stop it!

-A crackpot. A raving lunatic!

Get outside!

Edward!

Pull yourself together! Stop being so bloody weak.

Stop, stop, stop. Take your hands off her.

Or what?

Stop.

I... I...

I want you gone.

All of you.

Gone!

MUSIC: Gloomy Sunday by Billie Holiday

RECORD STICKS

Key's in. Can't see a damn thing.

Well, I-I could, y'know, break the door down.

It's 200 years old!

Excuse me.

Call the police!

DOOR OPENS

Right, this is our coroner, Jane Kennedy.

-I'm so sorry for your loss.

-Thank you.

Olivia.

My brother, Edward.

His daughter, Lily.

Hi, Lily.

She's in shock. We all are.

-Sorry, you are...?

-Er, Terence. Terence Brooks.

A writer. A very good one, too.

Writing a book on the Sidwell history.

I don't know the protocol for this. Should I offer you a drink?

No, no, we're fine. Thank you.

-We were having dinner when it happened.

-Together.

The four of us.

Is anything missing?

-Robbery?

-We haven't looked. We thought we shouldn't touch anything.

No, that's right. CSI are still doing their thing,

and we don't want to disturb a crime scene.

Have we met before?

No. No, no. I don't think so.

You look very familiar. Can't place you.

Did you used to sweep our chimneys?

I'll, erm... I'll show you where he is. Excuse me.

I can't believe he doesn't remember me.

50 quid, my dad paid. 50 quid for a broken window.

And I had to pay it back. A pound a week from my paper round.

-It took me months.

-You did break into their summerhouse.

Lucky they didn't catch you, then, wasn't it?

You'd have been harder to forget, seeing as you were in the buff.

Stop it!

I can still see you now. How long were you trapped in there again?

Shall we examine the body?

Changing the subject...!

Single stab wound.

Looks like it's to the heart.

He's got defensive marks on his hand.

The chair was stabbed four times.

Must've put up a bit of a fight.

-Record player drowned out the noise?

-Why so many stabs?

Well, maybe he hid behind it.

Looks like murder, so it's one of yours.

Don't you think it's weird,

them all living together? It's like they've never grown up.

What adult still lives with their parents?

People who don't have a choice.

-Yeah.

-Have your guys found the murder weapon?

No. Door was locked from the inside, window was wide open.

No fingerprints.

-I didn't mean you.

-OK, well, let's move the body.

-We'll get a forensic PM.

-Righto.

You must know the Sidwells.

I thought you went to one of their open gardens.

Er, no, no. First time there yesterday. Definitely.

Donald was a nasty old git. Figured just cos he had a fancy house

and a village named after him, he was better than everyone else.

Dead touchy, too.

He kicked off in Dot Saunders' pharmacy a few months ago.

Knocked over a display and accused everyone of laughing at him.

They're all a bit, y'know...

Inbred.

And then there's the sister. Olive.

-Olivia.

-Vampire. So Ron the milk says.

She always makes him bring the milk inside.

Hasn't left the hall in years.

-Doesn't make her a vampire.

-Ron don't take any chances, though.

Always wears a crucifix and eats a bulb of garlic before he delivers.

I thought he was French for years.

It's the granddaughter I feel sorry for, living with that lot.

They took her out of her posh boarding school last year,

-put her in the local comp.

-Why?

I dunno. Maybe she was expelled.

Bingo Paula said she's always on her tod

and doesn't want to make friends.

And then there's her dad.

He strangled his missus.

Hid the body. Never been found.

Then how do you know she was strangled?

She drowned. Allegedly.

-Poor Lily.

-Yeah, I looked it up this morning, funny enough.

I was stationed in Penzance at the time she'd been reported missing.

They found her boat washed up at Gorra Point, smashed to pieces.

Never found her body.

Did anyone suspect Edward of being involved?

Yeah, everyone did. He wasn't very co-operative, actually.

-It was Olivia that phoned the police.

-But he was investigated.

Yeah, but his dad had influence.

Once they found the boat, it was an open verdict.

Convenient, though, isn't it?

His wife dies mysteriously, and now his father, too.

Meaning?

He was a bit antsy last night.

-His father had just been murdered!

-Acting suspicious, if you ask me.

Oh, bad news about the forensic postmortem.

Geoff Reid's our pathologist, so don't expect anything quick.

Or expect him to do anything but state the blindingly obvious.

-Can't we ask for a new one?

-They're all busy. Geoff's all we've got.

Listen...

About the summerhouse. You never told anyone, did you?

"Don't tell my mum, Davey! Don't tell my mum!"

I did not sound like that.

Did you?

What do you think?

You forgot something?

Court!

Olivia served supper at 7:30.

And your father wasn't eating with you?

He'd eaten earlier. Been at his club in London for the day.

We'd started pudding when we heard the record jumping

just before eight. Thought it strange Father didn't stop it.

Oh, and there is something that's been stolen.

Napoleon's violin.

-THE Napoleon?

-It was a gift to Sir George Sidwell.

He was one of Napoleon's jailers on St Helena.

Napoleon said he was the only Englishman he'd shake hands with.

Gave it to him as a token of their friendship.

-And it's definitely missing?

-We just said so, didn't we?

Was your father meeting anyone at his club?

-I don't know.

-He kept his business to himself.

-Really? You've got absolutely no idea?

-I'm not his secretary!

Did he keep a diary, do you know?

Would that be it over there?

-Those were his personal papers.

-I don't think he'd mind.

Why aren't you out there, looking for whoever did this?

Who's Herriot?

-Yeah?

-Here's that report for Donald Sidwell.

-Oh, right, OK.

Thanks, Jim.

Bloody hell!

DOOR OPENS

Guess how much Napoleon's violin is worth.

-70p.

-Hello? It's Napoleon's! It'd be, like, two grand.

3.6 million.

-CLINT LAUGHS INCREDULOUSLY

-What was it made out of? Gold?

And the preliminary CSI report's in. Like I said, no fingerprints.

No clear footprints in the beds outside the window.

Family claim they were all together when it happened. We've got nothing.

Apart from the violin and that Donald met a man in London.

-Herriot.

-Who's he? Could he have followed him back?

To Devon? I doubt it. I've put a call in, left a message.

Clint's been on the phone to the solicitors.

Clint? Solicitors?

Sorry. The main beneficiary is Edward, his son.

-Inherits everything.

-Everything?

-There's this entailment thingy.

-All assets go to the male heir.

-That's interesting.

I'm waiting on the financial records.

-PHONE BLEEPS

-You got the medical ones?

He had a private doctor. All requests need to be in writing.

Bank are the same with his financial ones. It's like he's the Queen.

-Whoa, hey, hey, I haven't finished.

-Well, you'll have to come with me.

Where?

-So you're moving out of your mum's?

-Mm. Can't stay there for ever.

I'm telling you, it's Edward. He's got a motive.

-The will.

-So why's the violin missing?

He could've sold it, argued with Donald about it.

Are you sure this isn't about the summerhouse? It was a long time ago.

No! No, I'm not that petty.

Or maybe I am. It's just their stories are straight.

They're too straight. They're hiding something.

I need your help.

You're asking me for help? Are you feeling all right?

I want you to talk to them.

They might slip up if they're not talking to the police.

What do you say?

Well?

Now, that's more like it.

Is that a yes or a no?

-OLIVIA:

-He was a...

strong character.

Shall we talk in the garden? It's a lovely day.

I'd rather not.

We could sit in the shade.

Olivia?

No, I can't.

-SHE SHUDDERS

-I can't go outside. I...

I'm agoraphobic.

-Ah.

-It's diagnosed. It's not something I have any control over.

-No.

-I can't just pull myself together.

-Of course not.

Who said you could?

Your father?

No.

Well, he didn't really understand it.

Well, I don't think I'll be much help, because

I've only known them two months.

I was just wondering how you got the job here.

Can't imagine it was advertised in a Jobcentre.

No, there was an advert in Literature Today.

It's not paid, just board and lodgings.

Olivia liked an article I'd written on Napoleon's last years, so...

-Didn't matter it wasn't paid?

-No.

It's fascinating subject matter, isn't it?

Half the royalties, no overheads.

How did you find Donald?

Olivia said he was difficult...

telling her to pull herself together. It wasn't her fault.

Well...

He had a...

malicious streak.

You understand, a woman like Olivia, you know, she...

she really needs looking after.

Who by?

You?

Hm? No, no. No.

Of course not.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Hi, Lily. We met last night. I'm Jane.

Can I come in?

I'm very sorry about your grandfather.

I'm not. Couldn't stand him.

Sorry. I know you're not meant to say stuff like that.

It's fine. Just makes me think you're being honest.

Most people lie.

Why didn't you like him?

He didn't like children. Don't think he liked anyone.

Sounds like fun(!)

Who's that? Is that your mum?

Wow.

She's very beautiful.

She died when I was four.

I was 14 when my dad died.

What happened?

He was a trawlerman. He drowned.

I didn't mean...

No, it's fine. It was a long time ago.

I try to remember the happy times.

I can hardly remember her.

Just...

she was funny. Made me laugh.

Sorry. Keep meaning to tidy up.

I eat up here.

Hate being down there.

My daughter would, too, if I let her.

All your meals?

Yeah. They're always so formal downstairs.

-And last night?

-Yeah, I...

I mean no. I...

If they lied about being together,

they could've lied about everything else.

-It's Edward.

-Don't jump to conclusions.

-Could've been the sister.

-She can't go outside.

I'm going to check with her doctor about that.

-Don't know why Terence lied, though.

-Because he's in love with Olivia.

How do you know?

It's obvious.

-Is it?

-It's all in the subtext.

CSI have drawn a blank,

come up with nothing apart from some air-rifle pellets

-and a few broken bottles.

-Lily's?

-Likes shooting.

Shooting? Bit violent.

Only if you're a champagne bottle.

There's no CCTV. Nearest camera's a mile away.

Did Donald's club call back?

No. I'm going to chase them about that.

I'm kind of concentrating closer to home, though. It's an inside job.

Someone must have known about the violin.

Clint, why don't you keep calling till they answer?

I'll split 'em up tomorrow, rattle them.

Starting with Edward.

-Do you want a chip?

-Mm.

-Ohhh!

PHONE RINGS

Jane Kennedy.

Yes. It's about Bay View Cottage.

CLOCK STRIKES THE HOUR

I'm just asking you politely to accompany me to the station.

Demanding I go with you? You can't think I'm a suspect.

Even you can't be that dim!

Well, you all lied about being together when your father died.

Just makes me wonder what else you lied about.

Officers investigating your wife's disappearance said you

were uncooperative, as well.

So you can either come with me now voluntarily,

or I'm going to arrest you

for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The choice, my friend, is yours.

Fine. Have it your way.

Why did he bring Mum up?

Does he think Dad killed her?

What?

No! Of course not. Don't be...

Well, he must do. Why mention it?

It'd make sense. He never talks about her.

Refuses.

-Lily, please.

-Every time I try, he cuts me off.

Did he murder her?

Lily, no, stop this. Your aunt has been through enough!

You would take her side.

Seeing as you're sleeping with her!

Lily! I'm so sorry.

-So why did you all lie to me?

-Wanted to make it simple for you.

You need all the help you can get. You should be thanking me.

I should be charging you!

So where were you?

In the library.

And the others?

Lily and Terence were in their rooms. Olivia was upstairs.

She hasn't left the house in years.

That's right. Doctor says she hasn't been out the house in...ten years?

12. After my wife... When she...

Oh, your wife, yeah.

Convenient, that. They never found her body.

Can't do a postmortem without one, can you?

Or did you lie about that, as well?

I want my solicitor.

His number.

You write it down. You can write?

Yeah, I can.

It's just I'm not your secretary.

One too many last night, was it?

It's early-onset Parkinson's.

All right. All right.

What's the name of your doctor?

I'm going to need new statements and fingerprints from you all.

Fingerprints? What, er... What for?

Elimination. We'll use the library.

Oh! Oh, no.

I thought you were working late.

Yeah. I changed my mind.

Erm, did you have a good day at work, love? Beth's out.

We're having film night.

Nine And A Half Weeks. She's Mickey Rourke, I'm Kim Basinger.

-What, in here?

-Well, we've got to be near the fridge, ain't we?

Come on, give us a hug before it gets messy.

Oh, please!

-THEY CHUCKLE

-C'mere, lover.

-Olivia! Please!

-How could you be so stupid?

I didn't tell you because I didn't want to hurt you.

I did it for us.

Us?

There is no us.

You were just convenient.

You've ruined everything!

What's happened?

We have a problem.

LOUD MUSIC FROM UPSTAIRS: You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate

-Donald's club said what?

-'He was only there 20 minutes. Seemed agitated.'

-There's no members called Herriot.

-'Strange.'

His doctor diagnosed him with anxiety and depression.

Was he on antidepressants?

Yeah. It's all in the report.

Yeah, I know that, but I can't read it.

'Yes, for 18 months.'

What? Can't hear you.

Yes! For 18 months!

OK. Thanks, Clint.

Have I told you that I love you yet this evening?

Three times. The second time, you knocked my coffee over.

It's lovely to be here all together.

One big, happy family!

-Mum, I'm trying to work.

-Ooh. Right.

Yeah.

Ooh, sorry.

I love you.

MUSIC OFF

Finally!

MUSIC RESTARTS

RAUCOUS LAUGHTER

Geoff Reid just called.

He's finally going to do the postmortem this morning.

Did you know Donald was depressed?

Are you listening?

I just ran Terence Brooks's fingerprints through the database.

-And guess what.

-Surprise me.

He's got a criminal record. Did 18 months in Strangeways for fraud.

He's a writer.

Cover story. He hears about the violin. Sees an advert.

Goes there to steal it.

Well, why kill Donald? Why not just steal it? And why now?

Well, obviously there's a few gaps.

I'll just ask him to fill them in.

I'm here for Terence.

He's gone.

Where?

No idea. Got up this morning and he'd vanished.

Mind if I come in?

'Fraud?'

I can't believe it.

We trusted him. Treated him like a member of the family.

To steal from us...

murder Father.

They argued, you know, the night Father died.

Father tried to drag me outside. Terence stopped him.

Thought Terence was going to punch him!

Something else you forgot to mention?

Odd, though.

Well, he had a thing for me.

No, I knew that.

I meant your father dragging you outside.

No sign of Terence. He's like the Invisible Man.

Still, we know his motive. And he was defending Olivia.

So it wasn't Edward?

Well, they could've been in on it together.

Checked with his doctor. He wasn't entirely sure he could have done it.

And I got Donald's financial records.

I'm just waiting on the insurance. But he was broke.

What? Sidwell Hall must be worth a fortune!

No. He's been remortgaging that for the last ten years.

It's in negative equity. The only thing of any value was the violin.

Actually, I've just had MY mortgage approved.

Oh, right! So you're finally moving out?

Well, they've accepted my offer on Bay View House.

Don't tell my mum.

"Don't tell my mum, Davey! Don't tell my mum!"

Stop it!

No, you're all right, I can keep a secret.

I never told anyone about the summerhouse.

I've been doing some research. After you said you thought it was

strange there was no Herriot at Donald's club, I called every

Herriot in London. Dead end.

-All of them?

-Yeah. So I researched violins.

Buyers, dealers, auctions, etc, etc.

I found some closed sites, sites that don't come up in a search?

-Right. Is this going anywhere?

-Obviously! And bingo.

That's where I came to this, an article about offline

antique dealers specialising in rare string instruments.

Herriots! What did they say?

Nothing yet. The owner's on a flight from Dubai. Back in four hours.

Great. Talk to him the minute he lands.

-I would, but I've got some rellies at the morgue.

-Shame.

No, I'll look after them. I can ask Geoff for the PM.

-Watch out for the...

-Yes, thank you.

Why did they mention Mum?

I thought you were avoiding me.

Did you kill her?

Mummy?

Well, did you?

Edward, she should know the truth.

We can't keep hiding it from her.

Your father didn't do anything.

She had an affair.

With the gardener.

Adam.

She...

They...

ran away together. Abroad somewhere. Somewhere we wouldn't find them.

She's alive?

Why didn't you tell me?

Your grandfather didn't want the scandal.

Worried it would harm our reputation.

You know your grandfather.

Who cares about our reputation?

How dare you let me think she was dead! How dare you!

I thought she was dead! You let me!

It's not your father you should be angry with, it's her.

Because she left this hellhole?

Because she left you.

He wouldn't let her take me. He...

She didn't want you.

-Please, Olivia.

-That's not true.

He asked her.

You were four years old. You needed your mother.

But she wanted to be alone...

just the two of them.

Father was worried about the shame.

We were worried about you. That's why we pretended she was dead.

I'm sorry.

I'm so, so sorry.

-ENGINE STRUGGLES

-Oi! That's my boat!

Oi!

Hello, Donald. I hope they've been looking after you.

So, let's see what Geoff had to say.

You weren't taking your antidepressants. No trace.

I wonder why that was.

Let's see.

That's strange. PHONE RINGS

Clint? Hi.

Could you get hold of Davey for me, please?

Why did you go to Sidwell Hall?

They needed a writer.

Did they know you'd been inside for fraud?

Did you go there to steal the violin?

No.

Just to kill Donald?

Why did you kill him? Because he hurt Olivia?

Look, I...

No comment.

Did Edward ask you to do it?

Did she?

No comment.

And why did you do a runner?

Come on, Terence! I can play this game all day.

Why did you murder Donald Sidwell?

No comment.

-What did he say?

-"No comment."

-You can tell me.

-No, that's what he said to everything I asked.

I don't think it was him.

He didn't have the violin, he didn't leave straightaway,

and why steal from someone you're in love with?

Unless you're protecting someone.

-Edward?

-The forensic PM. Geoff finally finished it.

No conclusions, obviously, but look.

Donald only had cuts on his left hand.

-And they're only millimetres deep.

-When were you going to tell me, eh?

What?

This!

Beth found it in your room!

-Special offer on baked beans?

-Oh! It's here somewhere.

I thought you liked living with us. What's the matter?

Not fancy enough for you?

-No, Mum, it's not that.

-What is it, then?

I talked to Herriots.

Look, Mum, I'm really sorry, can we talk about this later?

The violin's a fake.

-What?

-What? It's old. Worth six or seven hundred,

but definitely not Napoleon's.

It's a replica. Donald was devastated.

Come on. Let's go somewhere more private.

Come on!

Can I please just have one drink?

Clint!

MUZAK PLAYS ON PHONE No, your left in front.

Feels weird. You'd want to use both hands to defend yourself.

Why would you just use one?

That wouldn't even cut butter.

-You're trying to kill me!

-I don't want to hurt you.

Two of Donald's ribs were broken with one stab wound to the heart.

You've got to give it some welly. Like this. A bit of force.

No, no, no, because the cuts on Donald's hands, they were shallow.

Oh! Oh, that means...

-Money on the side for chips.

-I don't want chips.

-And I don't want to move.

-Beth, we're in the middle of something.

I've added it up. I've moved 11 times in 15 years.

I'm on hold. Can we talk about it later?

Every time you get a new man or get rid of the last one, we start over.

-'Hello. Thank you for waiting.'

-I'm sick of it.

I want to stay with Gran.

-Hold that thought.

-'Hello?'

No, no, no, I'm here, I'm here.

I... Erm...

It's about an insurance policy for one of your clients.

Sidwell. Donald Sidwell.

Man, I'd kill to wake up to this every morning.

Not literally, obviously.

Yeah, me, too.

We need to see the Sidwells.

The cuts on Donald's hand, they weren't defensive marks.

-You sure?

-Yeah. It's the only thing that makes sense.

And it explains the slashes on the chair.

They were practice marks.

-The call from the insurance company confirmed it.

-Confirmed what?

What happened. Well, what I think happened.

We need to see Dot Saunders, from the pharmacy.

Was it Edward?

-I hear you've arrested Terence.

-It wasn't Terence.

Did you know your father's depression had got worse?

-Father wasn't depressed.

-That would be admitting weakness.

Father never did that.

His doctor diagnosed him last year, prescribed him antidepressants.

But he'd stopped taking them.

He went to Dot Saunders' pharmacy to collect a prescription

when he heard people laughing.

LAUGHTER

'He thought they were laughing at him.

'Well, you know how proud your father was, how private.

'He caused a scene, walked out.

'Too embarrassed to ever go back.'

Shut up!

Did you know he was depressed?

He always seemed so...strong.

I guess he hid it.

And the more he hid it, the more ill he got.

And when he found out Napoleon's violin was a fake,

well, that was the final straw, nearly.

-It's not a fake.

-We talked to Herriots.

They told us what they told your father, that it was a replica.

But I think you already knew that.

That's why he was so upset when he came back from London.

'He knew he was broke.

'And Sidwell Hall was in negative equity.

'I suspect what happened with Terence is what finally pushed him over.

'I doubt anyone had ever stood up to your father the way Terence did.

'It made him feel weak, helpless,

'even more so than he was already feeling.

'He'd lost the violin. knew he would lose his home. He...'

MUSIC: Gloomy Sunday by Billie Holiday

He couldn't cope. So he tested the knife on his hands,

just enough to draw blood, to see if he could go through with it.

'Then he stabbed the chair to check the knife was sharp enough.

'Practice marks.

'And then...

'..then he did it.'

RECORD STICKS

He killed himself.

If he'd committed suicide, don't you think we'd have told you?

-Not if you wanted the payout from the policy.

-What policy?

Life-insurance policy.

There's an exclusion for suicide. They won't pay out.

-But they will for murder.

-Sidwell Hall wouldn't have to be sold

and you wouldn't have to leave.

When you found the body, you knew what he'd done. Maybe not why.

But you needed the money, so you staged a break-in...

..and you made up your alibis.

That's why you wouldn't let me see him. You knew.

This isn't true.

Tell her.

Please, Edward.

It's over, Livvy.

No...

They know.

No...

Follow me, please.

He wrote it on the back of the valuation for the violin.

And the knife?

"We, like this violin, are worthless. Without Sidwell Hall we are nothing.

"I would rather die than be nothing."

I thought it was about selling the house, that it was stupid pride.

If I'd realised he was depressed, that he was ill, if I'd known...

-He'd never have let you help him.

-I'd like to have tried.

Edward and Olivia Sidwell,

I am arresting you for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

-No...

-You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your

defence if do not mention when questioned something that you later

rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.

Can I come with you, please?

Uh-oh...

At least Olivia got to stay.

Till she's remanded.

-Listen, you can't move out of your mum's.

-Davey...!

Come on, it's great. It's got the best view in Devon.

The Sidwells, they had to live together.

But you choose to. I'd love to live at Judith's.

Whatever you do, never tell that to Annette.

You know something?

That 50 quid?

You were worth every mile of that paper round.

JANE SIGHS

Look, I'm sorry, I know I should have talked to you both.

What do I know? I'm only your mother.

You can move if you want to.

Look, three women, one bathroom? It was never going to work. But...

we could put another one in.

There's room downstairs. If you're up for it.

Oh, she's up for it. There's no stopping her.

-Too much information!

-Too much information!

You're paying for it, mind.

Ooh! We could get one of those walk-in showers,

-big enough for two.

-Ooh, you saucy mare!

Sorted?

What's this?

It's an old debt.

£50.

All rise for Her Majesty's Coroner.