♪
- ♪ I just want to remember how it felt before ♪
♪ Floating on our backs ♪
♪ Looking up at the sun ♪
♪ Diving and splashing ♪
♪ Pushing each other down ♪
♪ Do you wanna go back in? ♪
- And God said to Abraham, "Hey, but you know,
Adam and Eve, they let me down.
I need you to step up."
And Abe said, "I'm down for that.
Just tell me what you want."
So the next day, God says, "Cool.
Let's get ready to rock.
This..."
Oh, dear God.
So the next day, God said, "Cool.
Let's get ready to rock.
This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
And that is what was so special with Abraham and Noah and God
and all those early dudes.
You know, they were just hanging out,
doing the best they could with very little--
a few sheep, the occasional goat
and an olive tree.
No internet. Right? - [Laughter]
- No Snapchat or meeting up at the mall.
Just an appreciation for the needs of the day.
And that was how I understood Fred Sullivan to be--
a man who asked for little, but in return received so much,
so much love and respect from so many of you here today.
Sheep, goats and olive trees, folks.
And maybe a right-hand point break
if you're lucky enough to find one.
So let's not be sad for Fred.
Let's not think of death as the end,
but merely a gateway to eternal life.
Death-- one door closes.
Another one opens-- life.
Let's open our books and sing
"The Lord is my Shepherd."
And I chose this one today because the lyrics are awesome,
the message is very simple--
let the Lord be your Shepherd
and you won't lose any of your goats.
[Laughter]
- ♪ The Lord is my Shepherd ♪
♪ The Lord is my Shepherd ♪
♪ I shall not want ♪
[Birds chirping]
♪
[Woman screams]
- Oh, God.
- Isabelle?
No. No! No!
Please, God! No!
♪
- Talk to me. - Bit of an awkward one, Mike.
The name of the deceased is Isabelle Mantell,
wife of Canon Zach Mantell of Saint Judas,
who was preparing to commit another deceased
at the time of the discovery of her body.
- The victim hanged herself,
knowing that her husband would find her.
- Yeah. A very public display of disaffection.
- No Reverend Greene? - I haven't seen him yet.
- If this is a suicide, why are we here?
- Well, uniforms thought that something seemed off.
There's no ladder or anything she could have used
to get herself up there.
- Wouldn't necessarily need a ladder.
- Where there's a will, there's a way.
[Radio chatter, chickens clucking]
- Hello, Mike. - Gina, you beat me here.
- I was at the service,
so when I got the call, I was here almost before I left.
- A friend of yours? - I didn't know him.
I go to the services because of Canon Zach.
His words caress me.
- You know the deceased is his wife?
- People who swing from trees
should know they are not monkeys.
- Gina-- - What?
She shouldn't have been in the tree.
♪
- Hello, Isabelle. Seems like you had a bad day.
Who knows if tomorrow might have just been a little bit better?
- Mike...
...this is the sexton, and Nate Ford.
- G'day.
- Nate says he checked the grave around 9:30.
- Yeah, before the service. There was no sign of her.
- Okay, thanks.
- And the deceased's husband
would like to have a moment with her.
- Of course.
- Zach...
this is DSS Mike Shepherd.
- I'm very sorry for your loss.
May her memory be a blessing.
- Amen to that.
♪
I have so many questions.
Why, Isabelle? Of all the ways...
- Help me, O Lord.
Give me strength and the vision to understand what Your plan is.
[Woman crying]
♪
- Oh, uh, three usuals. Thanks, bro.
- You boys okay? - Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Real tough about Canon Zach's missus, eh?
- You knew her? - Soy milk latte.
Cinnamon, no sugar. - Real nice lady.
Bit of a tradwife, you know.
Talked a lot about baking.
- And the secret to a chewy Anzac biscuit
is the amount of golden syrup.
- Isabelle makes an awesome Anzac.
- Oh, sh-- I mean, you're not wrong.
- [Laughs]
- Take them. They're for you,
for all the work you do around the church grounds.
A token of appreciation.
- Chur.
- Working at the cemetery, is that a new thing, Todd?
- Yeah, just helping out Nate. The busy season.
- I didn't realize funerals were seasonal.
- Well, no, but Canon Zach makes it real popular.
Everybody wants to be buried by him. [Chuckles]
- Wow. Hey, I wonder if he'll bury his own missus.
- True. Yeah, she would want that, eh?
- So who was the other woman with Canon Zach and his wife?
- Uh...
- Both: Verity. - What?
- It's funny you say that because we think she's the other woman,
if you know what I mean.
- You mean...
- You know... - [Chuckles]
- But I mean, it's cool with the Mormons, right?
- Canon Zach isn't a Mormon. He's Anglican.
- Then I guess they're into it, too.
You know what they say-- when in Rome, always do a Roman.
- No, I don't think that's how that goes.
- I knew I should have become a man of the cloth.
You instantly become a babe magnet.
- Reverend Greene as a babe magnet.
I never looked at him that way before.
- Have you seen his new hairdo?
- Reverend Greene doesn't have any hair.
- [Chuckles] He does now.
- What's up, Frodo? - Hey, Reverend Greene.
- Your usua-- Whoa! - Yes, my usual. Thanks.
Chur! - Chur, bro.
- The Holy Spirit hangs out all the time.
He's in everything-- architecture, birdsong, music...
If we listen, He speaks to us.
And it's poetry, man. It's awesome.
- Reverend. - Isabelle.
- Time to start planning the bake sale.
♪
- [Sighs]
- How's it?
- Reverend Greene was wearing a toupee.
- Yeah, and new trainers and a gold chain.
- When was this? - Uh, a couple of weeks ago.
You could call it a midlife crisis,
but that rug was pretty extreme.
- Yeah, more like a crisis of faith.
- Okay, well, thanks, guys. - Yeah, thanks.
- Sounds like the Very Reverend Greene
has a new lease on life.
- Or he's having a stroke.
[Knock on door]
This should help get you through the annual report.
- Thanks. Frodo's? - Who else?
- Of course. Good.
- So it seems Canon Zach is turning heads in town.
- There may have been a third party involved.
- Verity Larson, long-time friend of Canon Zach.
- Messy marriage? - Well, hearsay only.
- But it possibly was a catalyst to her...
- Well, let the coroner know in the report.
[Phone rings]
Gina. - Mike.
Monkeys don't grow on trees.
- Money. I think you mean money.
- What? - Money doesn't grow on trees.
- Of course not. I know that. But neither do monkeys.
- Uh, what are you saying?
- The victim--
she was not trying to be a monkey.
This bruising here, red with contusions,
where the rope pulled tight against her weight.
- I see it. - But here,
a second ligature mark, more horizontal,
suggesting it was made earlier. - Strangled.
How much earlier? - The postmortem will confirm.
I'll call you when I want you. - Thanks, Gina.
[Line rings]
Sims, change of plan.
♪
DSS Mike Shepherd.
- Detective Kristin Sims, Brokenwood CIB.
It's Verity, right? - Yeah.
I'm a friend of Zach's... and Isabelle.
- Do you mind if we have a word with Canon Zach, please?
- Sure.
- Murdered?
- We're treating it as a homicide, yes.
- What a dreadful business. [Sighs]
- It sucks. - [Voice breaking] Oh, dear.
- But [Sighs] that makes no sense.
- Who on earth would want to do that?
- We're hoping that you can give us some background.
Do you know of anyone who, for any reason,
may have wanted to hurt your wife?
- No.
- She was a good Christian soul.
- Her baking will...[Crying]
- Yes, Thelma, her baking will be sorely missed
at prayer meetings. - [Phone buzzes]
- Oh... apologies.
♪
Lucas Greene. I'm with Canon Zach now, yes.
Obviously, it's a difficult time.
- The thing is, uh,
the Sullivan whanau are very worried about their father.
- Oh, yes, I-- I see.
Um, no, no, no, I understand. It is awkward.
Perhaps offer them a nip of sherry
and I'll be right on to it.
- [Phone beeps] - Um...
...Fred Sullivan.
It seems that in all the excitement,
he's been, um, left.
- Oh, dear. - Oh, hell.
- Um... - Not to worry.
I'll finish for you. - Thanks, Lucas.
What about you?
Are you all right? - Yes, of course.
Absolutely fine. I must dash.
Detectives. I'll need you back up there.
Shall we say half an hour?
And Thelma...
perhaps it's best you come with me.
- Oh, of course. Yes. I'm so, so sorry, Reverend.
- Thank you, Thelma.
- I'll, uh, make another cuppa, eh?
- When was the last time that you saw your wife?
- Uh, this morning, as I headed out for a dawny.
- Early morning, sir. - What time was that?
- I left at 6:00. She was already up.
Today was meant to be the annual church bake sale.
- Be safe out there.
- She was gone when I got back.
Hey, Izzy. I'm back.
I gotta head to the Sullivan funeral.
I thought she'd already headed to the church hall.
- And what time would that have been?
- Around 9:00.
- What time did the funeral start?
- 10:00. So I was hurrying a bit.
Um, look, I'm sorry I can't be of more help.
- Well, if anything comes to mind,
please give us a call.
- We'll leave you two.
- Thanks.
♪
- Reverend Greene has hair. - Indeed.
Some may say the eighth wonder of the world.
- Detectives...
...I know someone who might have wanted to hurt Isabelle.
- And who might that be?
- He just left.
♪
Zach is popular.
He's charismatic, kind of cool, right?
Everything Reverend Greene is not.
- Are you saying that Reverend Greene
feels threatened by Canon Zach? - Wouldn't you be?
- Some handsome dude turns up, gives the place a makeover.
- Was Zach sent to Saint Judas?
- The diocese thought the place could do with a lift,
so they allowed Reverend Greene to recruit.
Sure enough, Zach shows up
and it's like Saint Judas is the place to be.
Everyone loves to hear him speak.
He makes them all feel, you know,
inspired and welcome and turned on, if you like.
- But you said it was Reverend Greene's idea.
- He chose Zach. Yeah.
- And then his popularity made Reverend Greene jealous?
- Uh... you're not listening to me.
It's not that he's jealous of Zach.
He's in love with him.
- But Canon Zach isn't... - Gay?
No, but have you ever fallen in love with someone
you shouldn't have?
- And Zach is married. - Not anymore.
- Are we buying this?
Reverend Greene kills his colleague's wife to...
- To get into his pants?
It's okay. You can say it out loud.
- I was going to say to make him available,
but sure. - Are we buying it? [Sighs]
Not until we know more about these allegations.
Where does Verity Larson fit in?
- Uh, family friend. Visitor. That's about it, really.
- For a visitor, she knows a lot about
the goings-on at Saint Judas.
But what do we know about her?
- Yes. I'd like a word with him.
- I'll just check.
- Awfully sorry to keep you waiting.
Rather a lot on.
- Not to worry. We've been well-looked after by this one.
- Reverend. - Thelma.
- It's DC Chalmers from Brokenwood CIB.
He'd like a word.
- Tell him now's not a good time.
Obviously, we have pressing matters.
- Of course.
- Uh, let's get this show on the road, shall we?
- Okay. I'll try him again later.
Thanks.
♪
- Sorry to keep you waiting.
- Zach shouldn't really be alone.
- Of course. Just a couple more things.
Firstly, thank you for being so candid with us.
Uh, your relationship with Zach Mantell.
- Best friends.
We went to primary school together.
We've stayed in touch.
Went to each other's 21sts, graduations.
Weddings. - Weddings, plural.
So you're married? - Was.
Tried. Failed. Pulled the pin after two years.
Married the wrong guy. Happens though, right?
- Sure. Yeah. I guess.
- You're not married?
- No.
Anyway, um, how long have you been visiting?
- This time, about two weeks, just passing through,
checking out the point breaks along the coast.
- So you surf, as does Zach.
- He has incredible form. - Did Isabelle?
- Nah, she wasn't into it.
- And she doesn't mind you heading out with her husband?
- It's just surfing. - Right.
- She liked it. - Why would she like it?
- Because I kept the other surfer chicks away from him.
- Oh. Popular, is he? - He's cool.
People like him, like to talk to him.
- Are you a Christian as well?
- No.
- Yet you and Zach are very close.
- Don't have to believe in God to ride a wave.
Although Zach does tell me that the feelings are very similar.
Being picked up and pushed along.
Powerful force in your life.
- Did that ever make things awkward for you
between Isabelle and Zach?
- In what way? - Not sharing their faith.
- No.
Uh, I would really like to get back to him.
- Yeah, just as a matter of interest,
uh, this morning, between 6:00 and 10:00 a.m., where were you?
- Out surfing. - With Zach?
- No, I was on my own.
♪
[Knock on door]
♪
- Dr. Plummer.
- Is this about the Canon's wife?
- Indirectly.
- You'll be wanting Lucas. He's not here.
- I'm aware of that, but I'm hoping you can help me.
Thanks.
- It's something I've been dealing with
for several months now.
Like living with someone who's had a personality transplant.
- We love the Lord and the Lord will include us.
Share the love of the Lord. Come on down to Saint Judas.
- Awesome, Rev G.
I'll go put it on the socials now.
- Uh...
Lucas, what on Earth are you doing?
- TikTok.
With Zach attracting the younger congregation,
we need to consolidate.
Keep them plugged in. It's jolly good fun actually.
Zach said it would be.
- Canon Zach.
He's made quite an impression on Brokenwood.
[Choral singing]
- Look, it's Canon Zach. - Hi, Canon Zach.
- Hi!
♪
- And on Lucas.
♪
[Indistinct talking]
♪
- And it got worse.
- And Jesus approached the blind man
and said, "Brother, I hear your cries."
Then Jesus said, "Let me place my head upon your thighs."
Hands.
"Let me place my hands on your eyes."
Being, um...
Being a blind person, of course.
[Pew squeaks]
Yes. Um...
Let us turn to... Psalm 69.
[Light laughter]
96. Oh, dear. Um...
Sing to the Lord a new song.
- To the point of delusional.
- Just popping out to that staff meeting.
- Lucas, what are you wearing?
- Hmm? - Step in here.
♪
- Oh, it's a evening meeting.
We can afford to be more casual.
- You look ridiculous.
- Roger. - Lucas, please.
But he wouldn't listen.
Love is blind and deaf, it seems.
- Oh, jolly good.
Thank you, Roger.
- Lucas, what is that thing on your head?
- Hmm?
Oh. Sometimes it's good to
change things up a bit.
The fountain of youth is to be drunk from before it dries up.
And I thought you might like it. - Lucas, please.
It's not for my benefit, is it?
- I will not be judged by anyone other
than the Lord God our father.
And I thought you might have been a bit more supportive.
[Chair scrapes]
- The benefit being for Canon Zach?
- I choose to believe it's just a phase.
Fortunately, a week ago, I persuaded him to cease
and desist with his use of the toupee.
That's some progress at least.
- My understanding is he was wearing it today.
- Seriously?
Then I assure you, we'll be having words.
- Today was a day off for Reverend Greene?
- Yes.
- Did he spend the morning at home?
- Yes.
♪
And no.
♪
- And so we commit Fred Sullivan into the earth.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
We pray for Fred and say Godspeed.
Well, that's that, and I'm very sorry about earlier.
- Good to have Dad in the ground.
- There's another bottle back at the church.
- Yeah. Couldn't say no. - Uh, Nate, over to you.
- Right, then, Todd, lean into it, mate.
♪
- Everything alright?
- Sorry to interrupt.
Could we have a chat somewhere?
- Is it too early for a Pimm's?
♪
- Mrs. Baker. - Such a shame.
The profiteroles were already losing their puff.
♪
- Isn't it so beautiful?
[Sobs]
[Cries]
Oh, I'm sorry.
Oh, thank you.
One minute she's creating the patisserie equivalent
of the Mona Lisa. The next minute, she's gone.
- It's a shock to all concerned, I'm sure,
Missus... - Miss Groves. It's Miss.
You never married, did you, Thelma?
- Apologies, Miss Groves. - Call me Thelma.
I'm the new lay preacher here at Saint Judas.
I used to be across town at Sacred Heart,
but I-I jumped ship.
- But your connection with Mrs. Mantell is through Saint Judas?
- Yes. She and Canon Zach are relatively new here, too.
Just five months.
But they opened their house up to us.
[Indistinct conversation, laughter]
- Oh!
Oh! Well done.
- We became firm friends almost instantly.
- When did you last see Mrs. Mantell?
- Last night. - We had a meeting here
for the bake sale to finalize plans.
- Just yourselves and Mrs. Mantell?
- And Canon Zach and Reverend Greene.
- Mr. Ford. Nate. He's the new sexton here.
Oh, the previous gravedigger,
Mr. Oades, is spending some time in jail, you know.
Which is all a bit exciting.
- The other woman at the meeting.
- Oh, he means Robbie.
- Oh, yes.
But you see, you can't say that.
- That will leave us with 12 cakes,
eight tins of Anzac biscuits,
four trays of chocolate brownies.
- Robbie is non-binary.
You know, not-- not a girl or a boy,
which I find absolutely fascinating.
I mean, Isabelle always said
that Robbie was trying to have it both ways,
but I don't think that's fair.
It's about how you feel, isn't it?
God knows, sometimes I felt like being a woman
has been a real pain in the bottom.
I imagine you felt the same about being a man sometimes.
- Uh... - It is so binary
when you think about it.
Man. Woman.
Robbie's been a real eye-opener.
They really have.
- She was late for the funeral, though.
Did you notice? - They.
- My apologies. They.
They were late. As an acolyte, it's not a good look.
- And that was how I understood Fred Sullivan to be--
a man who asked for little, but in return received so much,
so much love and respect from so many of you here today.
Sheep, goats, and olive trees, folks.
And maybe a right-hand point break
if you're lucky enough to find one.
So let's not be sad, Fred.
Let's not think of death.
- For a moment, I thought she'd been
tooting the old marching powder,
if you know what I mean. [Chuckles]
- Why would you think that? - Troubled background.
- They turned up here one stormy night.
- ♪ Your peace reigns over us ♪
- Hey there.
- ♪ Your peace shines down on us ♪
- Such a hero. He picked her up.
- Them. - Them! Them up.
Took them under his wing
like a little non-binary Moses floating in a woven basket
down the river Nile.
Except there was no basket and the Nile's quite far from here.
But there they were,
a little boy-girl baby who just happened to be 25 years old.
Next minute he makes them an acolyte
and everyone lived happily ever after.
- Oh! - Oh.
- The meeting last night? - Yes.
I'm trying green lamingtons this year.
I'm thinking four dozen.
- Great commitment, Becky. Thank you.
Well, I'll be up early to bake three sponges
and put the finishing touches to my croquembouche.
Oh, Thelma, I'll need a hand to transport that.
- It would be my honor. - Let's say 8:30?
And I have you down for scones and jam three ways.
Still tracking well?
- Apricot, strawberry,
and I'm thinking of trying something new--
passion fruit and guava.
- Ooh. - That sounds amazing.
Robbie, you on target with your contribution?
- I could do a banana cake.
And?
- Two banana cakes.
- Mm.
And, Nate?
- Well, you know, I can't bake to save myself.
And I have to dig for the Sullivan burial in the morning.
But I'll set up the tables tonight.
Whatever you need. - Jolly good.
Like Nate, I'll be leaving the cuisine to the experts.
Plus, there's an offshore tomorrow morning
with a four-foot swell building.
- Oh, you'll be sneaking off for a dawny
before the funeral, will you?
- Well, if you insist, my dearest.
[Laughter]
- They were so in love.
[Cellphone rings, vibrates] - Oh.
Excuse me.
[Cellphone beeps]
Gina. - Mike.
I would like to have you now.
- Uh [clears throat] sure.
See you soon.
[Cellphone beeps]
Sorry about that. - I hate it when that happens.
- [Laughs]
She sounds nice.
- She's from Russia.
- Oh, I see.
- She's a pathologist.
- Aha. Oh. Well, it takes all sorts.
- Uh, Thelma, this...
- Croquembouche.
- Mm. Uh, did you bring it here?
- Yes, I picked it up like I said I would.
- At 8:30? - Yes.
- Was Mrs. Mantell there?
- No. - And you managed on your own?
- Oh, yes.
- If Mrs. Mantell wasn't there,
how did you get into the house?
- Oh, the door was open.
Oh, dear.
Oh.
♪
- Thelma, Mrs. Baker, thank you very much.
You've been most helpful.
- All this baking. What are we going to do?
- [Clears throat]
- Well, I'm guessing they'll be awake.
- Two waters. No charge.
And one double Pimm's with lemon.
- Thanks, Lena.
- Hey, your vibe is back.
Slay!
It's really growing on me.
Well, I guess you wish it was actually growing on you, right?
- Thanks, Lena.
[Rock music playing faintly]
♪
It's been quite the day.
- This morning you weren't at the funeral for Mr. Sullivan?
- No, the Sullivans requested Zach.
- Oh. You were okay with that?
- Of course.
I'm more than happy for Zachary to take the lead.
He's done wonders for Saint Judas.
- If you weren't required at the church, what did you do?
- When? - This morning.
- It was my appointed day off.
- So you were at home? - Yes.
- But not all morning.
- What do you mean?
- I saw Dr. Plummer earlier.
- You see, I stirred around 6:00 a.m.
♪
I heard Lucas moving about.
- Well, yes. I went for a walk to clear my head.
- In Dr. Plummer's car?
- I breakfasted alone,
then I went to retrieve a case file for my first patient
of the day that I'd left in my car.
[Eggshell cracks]
[Sighs]
That's when I realized he must have taken it.
Most annoying.
My client was arriving at 9:00 a.m.
- He borrowed your car. Is that unusual?
- Highly. He's a dreadful driver.
Probably should be banned. He never chooses to drive.
- I rather take exception to that.
There's nothing wrong with my driving.
- So you took his car to...?
- A nice place to walk.
Being my day off, I had more time, you see.
Then when I got home, I heard the news about Isabelle.
So I went to support Zach.
- Who notified you about Mrs. Mantell?
- I received a phone call from Robbie.
♪
[Cellphone vibrates]
Robbie?
Of course, at that time, we were all
under the misapprehension it was by her own hand.
Oh, dear. Um, I'll be there right away.
- Dr. Plummer also mentioned
that you were... no longer sporting your slay look.
- How I choose to present myself is not something
that Roger has dominion over.
- Right.
Where was it you walked?
- Oh, does it matter?
Really, are all these questions necessary?
- Were you with anyone? - Yes.
I always walk with someone.
- Well, can you give us a name? - God.
I walk with God, a constant companion.
♪
If you have any further questions,
I'll be at Saint Judas.
♪
- I have more questions than answers.
- With God as my witness.
Quite hard to argue with that, though, isn't it?
- It's definitely flour, Mike. - In her lungs?
- Yes.
- Well, she was an avid baker.
- No. Not flour dust. Flour.
Almost enough to make a small croissant.
But you will need to add some butter.
- Did she choke on the flour? - She would have, yes.
- And did that kill her? - No. She was strangled.
But perhaps there was a struggle.
Perhaps she fell into a flour sack.
And there was this.
This cut with no sign of healing.
- It occurred at the time of death?
- Correct.
Which is quite interesting
because the victim then applied a sticking plaster,
which is not an easy thing to do when you are deceased.
- Fingerprints couldn't lift anything off of this.
If we could get ahold of the wrapper...
- If only.
♪
Zach, when you got home from your surf,
this kitchen was definitely a mess?
- Yes.
- But when you arrived back from the cemetery--
- It was cleaned just like it is.
- Huh.
6:00 a.m.
The victim was seen in the kitchen by her husband
as he left for a surf.
She was already prepping for the bake sale.
- Verity Larsen says she left not long after.
- I left the house around 7:00.
Isabelle was still in the kitchen, baking like a maniac.
Yum. - No!
- But at 8:30 a.m.,
when Thelma Groves arrived to collect the croquembouche,
Isabelle was nowhere to be seen.
The kitchen, however, was still a bombsite.
- When we got there to talk to Canon Zach,
the kitchen was clean.
- And the flour in her lungs means
she was most likely killed in her kitchen.
- So someone cleaned that kitchen to cover their tracks.
- Until proved otherwise, yes.
And according to Canon Zach...
Any idea who might have done this?
- Verity, I guess. - Is she here?
- She's out for a surf.
- Her best friend's wife had just been killed,
and she's out chasing waves for the second time that day?
Classy.
♪
[Knock on door]
- Detective. - Sorry to bother you.
I've got a couple of questions,
if you don't mind.
- Sure.
- Ah, thanks. - Yeah.
I joined Saint Judas about, I don't know, five months back.
Answered an ad for the sexton job.
- You're not from Brokenwood?
- From up north.
I lost my wife four and a half years ago.
- I'm sorry to hear that.
- Life happens.
But, yeah, had to leave all that behind.
I certainly feel like I'm from Brokenwood now.
The Mantells, they opened their house to me.
- And on the eighth day, God made lamb and manuka honey
sausages, which was an added bonus.
- Oh, that one is done. - [Laughs]
- And Reverend Greene was very welcoming.
Pleased, I think.
That business with the Oades chap
left him a little bit in the lurch.
- I warn you, things can be a bit quiet around here.
- Well, I guess that means more time for Bible study.
- Jolly good. Welcome to Saint Judas.
- But with Canon Zach making the place so popular,
we've been rushed off our feet.
- You said you checked the cemetery this morning.
- Yeah, it was around 9:30.
Just wanted to be sure there hadn't been
any subsidence overnight.
♪
Then I headed to the service.
- And there was no sign of the deceased?
- I think I would have noticed something like that.
Canon Zach is putting on a brave face,
but he's got to be torn apart.
I know what it's like to lose your wife,
but to be confronted by something like that.
♪
[Up-tempo music plays]
♪
- ♪ Looking back I am sure of the fact ♪
♪ I am repeating myself ♪
♪ Repeating myself ♪
♪ On the 500 with a one-track mind ♪
♪ I don't feel so lost ♪
♪ Got a few thin lines ♪
♪ I don't feel so lost ♪
♪ I don't seem so wild ♪
♪
- I didn't clean the kitchen.
- Any idea who did?
- I figured it was Isabelle.
- Where exactly were you again?
- Turner Point.
- Many others surfing around you? - No.
I had a beach break to myself.
I came in, I was drying off.
I got the call from Zach and I came straight back.
The place was clean.
Then you and your boss showed up.
- So you left at 7:00 and came back around...?
- I don't know. Then, um, when they showed up.
Have you guys spoken to Reverend Greene yet?
- What makes you think he would want
Isabelle Mantell dead?
- I think it might suit him.
- Couldn't the same be said about you?
- What? - Oh, come on, Verity.
Your relationship with Canon Zach is unusual,
to say the least.
Borrowing a woman's husband on a regular basis.
- Friends.
We're friends. We went to school together.
We've stayed in touch, I told you.
- How did Isabelle feel about that?
- Good. We were friends, too. - Says who?
- She did.
- Well, we have a witness who suggests the opposite.
♪
- She wasn't walking away from me.
- Who then? - Reverend Greene.
- If we listen, he speaks to us. - Why?
- She had issues with the way he lives his life,
that it wasn't fitting for the church.
- What about Robbie?
- Robbie, too.
That's why she wanted Zach to leave Brokenwood.
She saw Saint Judas as this house full of degenerates.
- Was Canon Zach planning on leaving?
- Not that he wanted to. He loves it here.
But she didn't.
♪
- Isabelle Mantell wanted to leave Brokenwood?
- And if that had happened, Canon Zach
would have left too.
- Which would have made a lot of people unhappy.
- Mm. Aside from the entire Anglican parish,
all enamored with his sermons, Robbie,
Nate, Thelma, and the Very Reverend Greene.
- Assuming everyone knew he was leaving.
- Not forgetting Zach himself.
[Bell rings]
- Thelma. - I thought you hard workers
might like something to go with your morning tea.
- Oh, that's, uh, very kind of you.
Although not something we can accept.
- Oh. - But given that we have
a few more questions, maybe we could make you a cuppa.
- Oh, a coffee would be nice. I've been such a busy bee.
- Sure, I'll make some.
- Uh, Miss Groves, come through.
♪
- Gosh, that's-- that's interesting.
Did you put wasabi in that?
- No? - Oh.
- Thelma, were you aware that Canon Zach
was intending to leave Saint Judas?
- Oh, we heard the other night.
Yes. A bit of a shock.
- Was it common knowledge? - I don't think so.
Only to those of us that were at the bake-sale meeting.
- Isabelle, I'd like to say on behalf of the committee,
your contribution is truly over and above.
[Applause]
- Thank you, Reverend.
Given we won't be here for next year's,
I felt I should make this one count.
- Sorry? - Oh, you're kidding?
- Zach.
Apologies. I thought Zach had talked this through with you.
- Not as yet, no.
♪
- Robbie walked out?
- That's understandable.
He's been such a support to them.
- Thelma, when you picked up the croquembouche,
Isabelle's kitchen was as she left it?
- Mm. Quite a mess.
Oh, dear.
It's very unlike her, really.
- Do you recall seeing any blood
or perhaps a sticking-plaster wrapper?
- No. I was focused on the bouche.
- Okay. Well, thank you. - Although, later,
I did see some blood when I cleaned up.
I thought it was a bit icky,
but, you know, it's easy to nick a finger
in the throws of baking,
grating lemon rind or slicing orange peel.
I don't recall a wrapper, though.
- You... cleaned the kitchen?
- Of course.
[Thelma gasps]
When I saw what had happened,
I raced back to Canon Zach's house.
♪
I'd seen the state of the place.
♪
I knew he'd be having visitors.
♪
What?
- And the back door was definitely unlocked?
- I just came right in.
Sorry. - It's okay, Thelma.
It's very kind. It is odd, though.
Isabelle always locked the door.
But then I was in a hurry to get to the Sullivan funeral.
I guess I didn't bother to lock it.
- Did you empty this after you finished cleaning?
- Well, I saw the bin on the street.
It was rubbish day yesterday.
♪
- Could we have a word? - Yeah.
♪
- Zach, I understand your wife was not comfortable
around Reverend Greene's sexuality.
- She was coming around.
- Did that cause tensions between the two of you?
You being a man of God.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened."
- None of us are perfect, Detective.
Isabelle was my wife, through thick and thin,
for better, for worse.
- You said she always locked the door.
Why?
- Nothing to do with Brokenwood.
- What about leaving Brokenwood?
We have a witness that suggests Isabelle wanted to leave.
Is that true?
- But it's time to start a family.
- Well, what better place than Brokenwood?
- We have no family support here.
- Saint Judas is our family.
- Real family.
Family we want our children raised by and influenced by.
- For whoever does the will of God,
he is my brother and sister and mother.
- Mark 3:35. Yes, I know my Scripture, Zach,
but there is something about this place
that doesn't feel right.
- I will reach out to the diocese, see what's on offer.
- Thank you.
- Why hadn't you told Reverend Greene
of your intentions? - We talked later.
♪
I'm sorry. I was about to tell you.
- Is it about me?
- No.
- Isabelle. - I'm working on it.
- Roger said the toupee was too much.
You can see I took his advice.
Too little, too late, perhaps.
- Well, I thought-- I thought it looked pretty smart.
- Is there anything we can do to keep you here?
- I wish.
- Your talk with Reverend Greene was the night before last?
- Right after the meeting, yes.
- Zach.
- After Isabelle made the news public?
- Yes.
♪
- Oh, sorry. Cash only. - Oh.
Is your EFTPOS down? - Yeah. For good.
I can't wait to tell Robbie.
- Robbie from Saint Judas? - Uh-huh.
- Oh, as it happens, I'm meant to be meeting them here now.
- Oh, no way. Awesome. - Are they a friend of yours?
- More than that. I think she's the one.
There you go, for the lovely lady.
- Thanks. Um...
Hey, I actually identify as non-binary.
Okay. So, um... - Oh, yeah. No, I get it.
I'm-- I'm down with that.
- Really? - Yeah. Yeah, totally get it.
- [Chuckles]
[Coins jingle]
- She's non-binary.
- So I understand. - Yeah.
Not into computers, which is hard, you know?
I mean, they're everywhere these days.
- No, I-I think non-binary actually means--
- Yeah, zero and one.
Everything in the computer is either a zero or a one.
It's called code.
She's just saying "I'm not having it" and I support that.
- They. They're not having it. - Totally.
All of them. It's a whole movement.
So when she hears I've ditched computers too,
hoping we'll get off base one.
- Well, good luck with that, Frodo.
But I do need to speak with them first, so...
- All good. I don't want her to think I'm too keen.
- Robbie. Hi. Shall we? - Yeah.
- [Clears throat]
- Uh, so, what's this about?
- The other night, you walked out of a meeting
after Isabelle Mantell announced that she and Zach
were leaving Brokenwood.
- Yeah. - Well, that's quite a statement.
Walking out. - Was a bit of a shock.
- You don't want Canon Zach to leave.
- No one does. He doesn't want to.
- Well, how do you know that?
- Well, he tells me stuff.
- Did he tell you that?
- No, but other stuff.
I know him well enough to know that he loves it here.
He makes this place fun.
- Makes you feel like you have a home.
- Yeah.
He doesn't question who I am or the way I am.
- Do you have feelings for Canon Zach?
- [Chuckles] Doesn't everyone?
♪
I mean, I did for a bit,
but I was just being dumb and...
- And what?
- And he made it pretty clear that that wasn't going to be a thing.
- And God knew that Moses could part that sea.
But Moses said, "God, I'm-- I'm freaking out here.
What if-- What if something goes wrong?
I need you to know that I can't swim."
And God said, "Just chill, my man.
I know that as long as you have faith, you'll be fine."
Whoa! No! Robbie. No.
- Sorry. You make me feel things.
- That can't happen. Do you understand me?
It's not your fault.
Trust me. It's not about you.
There was this young woman. - I'm not a woman.
- No, I never said you were.
But she was younger than you.
And she got too close.
She mixed up the love of Scripture
with a different kind of love.
It made me feel very uncomfortable.
- What was her name?
- Ellie.
And I don't want to go into the details,
but... it ended badly.
Very, very badly.
♪
- Did he say anything else? - No.
- He didn't say exactly how old.
- No, but it made me wonder.
Did Canon Zach do something inappropriate with a young girl?
- What? - Ellie?
- Never, ever say that name.
Understood?
You have no idea.
And would it kill you to wear a pretty dress
just once in a while?
♪
- Did you ever tell Zach about that?
- No.
- Must have made you pretty angry, huh?
The morning that Mrs. Mantell was killed,
you showed up to the church late for the Sullivan funeral.
Where'd you been?
I do need to know where you were.
- Why?
- So I can remove you from our inquiry.
- Well, I was giving in to the guilt trip.
I was in the church hall, in the kitchen, baking to save my ass.
[Tin slams]
Baking two banana cakes when I can barely make one.
♪
I didn't want to get another slap, did I?
- More coffee, ladies?
- No, not for me, thanks, Frodo.
- I like your T-shirt. - Oh.
Yeah? I got it made. Original design.
- Sweet. What does it mean?
- Thanks, Robbie.
♪
Mike, possible new development.
- Luminol tests came back positive.
A few spots on the floor by the main bench
and by the refrigerator.
On top of the fridge is where the first aid kit is kept.
- If you've just killed someone, why put a plaster on?
- Trying to make it all better?
- This was a murder that wasn't meant to leave bloodstains.
They were covering their tracks.
- And what about this Ellie?
- Hmm.
Your witness, Robbie. Reliable, do you think?
- Well, if they did kill Isabelle,
I don't know why they'd offer up a motive.
- Are we suggesting there was some sort of historical abuse?
- And then the church sent them off to Brokenwood?
Perhaps Canon Zach has something on his record.
- Well, if so, why would Reverend Greene hire him?
To get into his pants. Right.
- Talk to the Reverend, but be discreet.
This could all just be hearsay.
And anyone else with close ties to Zach Mantell.
♪
[Knock on door]
♪
- Please come in.
♪
How can I help?
- Uh, this is a delicate matter,
but do you know of any complaints laid
against Canon Zach in relation to inappropriate behavior
around younger people?
- You mean...?
Oh, no, good heavens no.
Why would you even ask that?
- We're looking for any background
that might explain Mrs. Mantell being targeted.
- I see.
Well, I can assure you that
Canon Zach is a priest highly revered in the diocese.
- The name Ellie-- Does that mean anything to you?
- Ellie?
No.
- So Canon Zach never mentioned anything?
- No.
♪
I can ask him if you like.
- We'll take care of it. Thanks for your time.
- Of course.
♪
[Door opens]
[Door closes]
- [Sighs] - [Whispering] Hey. Ps-ps-ps-ps.
♪
- Dr. Plummer.
- I have information, but Lucas can't know we're talking.
Could we meet this evening?
Lucas has Evensong.
- Sure. Everything alright?
- Yes, yes. Go, please.
♪
- Lime and soda. - Thanks, Lena.
- If you want any vodka in it, just let me know.
I won't charge you again for the soda.
- I'm working. - Sure, but
I know sometimes with the stress of the job.
- Thanks, Lena.
[Rock music playing faintly]
♪
[Ice clinking]
- Oh.
Sorry to drag you away from the surf.
- Oh, I wasn't surfing. I was with Zach.
- Why didn't you go surfing with Zach yesterday morning?
- He wanted to be alone.
- Did he say why?
- So he could kill his wife.
- A simple question.
- He wanted to work on his sermon.
Sometimes he likes to go surfing with his thoughts.
He needed space. I let him have it.
- So on the one morning his wife was killed,
you both just happened to be in remote places with no witnesses.
- Whoever killed Isabelle did it while we were out.
If we'd been together or not would have made no difference.
We weren't there to stop it.
- Does the name Ellie mean anything to you?
- It meant a lot more to Isabelle.
[Dramatic music plays]
- Attacked? - That's what she said.
- It was a home invasion.
She wasn't hurt, but she was really shaken up.
- Was it reported to police?
- I-I don't know. I wasn't around at the time.
I was in Bali, surfing.
- But she was attacked by someone named Ellie.
- Zach sent me a text. He didn't go into detail,
but it's the reason she always locked her doors.
- I'll make some inquiries.
If the door was locked, it means the offender either had a key.
- Or Mrs. Mantell opened the door to them
sometime between 7:00 and 8:30 a.m.
- Suggesting that the offender was known to her.
- Which doesn't narrow it down much.
♪
[Faint, indistinct singing over speakers]
♪
- Quiet night, Trudy? - Don't get me started.
- Well, it was real busy before, huh?
But then, you know. - What?
- Evensong.
[Glass clinks] - Hey, everyone!
It's that time!
♪
- Let's go. Yeah! - Excuse me? Everybody?
- They all go to church for Evensong.
That's where they'll be now.
- ♪ Your peace reigns over us ♪
♪ Your peace shines down on us ♪
♪ Hold on ♪
♪ Let peace be everywhere ♪
- All denominations are welcome here.
Christians. Jews.
I welcome Muslims, but they don't drink.
Mormons?
Not great for business either.
The Croc and Panther is essentially the United Nations.
Come in. Bring your differences. Share your thoughts.
But for God's sake, do it over a beer.
And don't even get me started on what Saint Judas has done
to the bingo night.
- It's kind of personal for her.
- All the ones, legs 11.
[Bingo balls rattle]
All the nines, 99.
- Bingo!
[Microphone feedback]
- Congratulations. - I won.
It was touch and go there for a while.
- Mum, you have no competition.
- But wasn't it nice to spend quality time together?
- Say hi to Ray.
See you soon.
- That's the thing.
Canon Zach comes to town.
The world turns upside down.
But then he is kind of cute, right?
For a priest.
I mean, not as cute as Chad,
but a lot of people say he's quite hot.
Obviously, his wife couldn't cope, you know, and...
- Okay, let's just-- For the record,
Lena, Mrs. Mantell didn't take her own life.
- No way. You mean...
[Gasps] What?
Are you saying she was killed by someone else?
- We're treating her death as unexplained.
- Which means someone else could have killed her.
- Well, yeah. - There's a word for that.
You know? - There is.
- Homicide. - Good to know, Lena.
Thank you. - All good.
♪
- I'd like to keep this discreet, if you don't mind.
- Well, you picked the right pub.
[Faint music over speakers continues]
- As much as it pains me to say it,
I overheard Lucas having a conversation with another man.
I'll see you next Thursday
and we'll talk more about microdosing.
- Thanks. Bye. - Mm-hmm.
- They're asking questions about where I was
and if I was with anyone.
But what happened between us is not material to the issue.
Oh, because my marriage might not
sustain that kind of scrutiny.
[Sighs] Yes, yes, yes. Alright.
♪
[Sighs]
- Any idea who he was talking to?
- I know exactly who it was.
♪
I confronted him and he got quite terse.
- Going through my phone, Roger?
What possessed you to do that?! - Your behavior!
Look at yourself. You're wearing that ridiculous thing again.
- Oh, it's not what you think.
- Then what is it? - [Sighs]
As I said, it's not what you think.
And I expect an apology from you for assuming otherwise.
- Everyone's asking questions, Lucas.
A woman has died!
- Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
♪
- It's not what I think. What am I supposed to think?
And this.
This contained my case file that I retrieved from my car.
♪
- Is that...? - Bloodstains.
I'm sure of it.
♪
- ♪ Cold river, find me ♪
♪ Cold river, run inside ♪
♪ Cold river, blind me ♪
♪ Cold river, be there soon ♪
♪ Cold river, tell me ♪
♪ What's that waiting out there for me? ♪
♪ Feel water come around my knee as it pulls me deep ♪
♪ Just you and me ♪
♪
- I can't keep it a secret any longer, Lucas.
♪
- Well?
- A well-- it's a deep hole from which to draw water.
- The blood type, Gina.
- "A" positive.
And the victim's?
- Also "A" positive.
♪
- [Sighs] Yes. Thank you.
[Cellphone clunks] That was the police.
They would like you to go down to the station.
- Oh, dear. - I suggest you take off
that ridiculous wig once and for all,
if you want any chance of mercy.
- Roger. - Honestly, Lucas,
enough of this misaligned vanity.
- It's not vanity. It is not vanity!
- Then what is it, Lucas?
Please.
♪
- Zach's at the church, making plans for Izzy's funeral.
♪
I don't know what you're hoping to find.
Place was cleaned, right?
- Right.
♪
- We have Reverend Greene coming in.
- The same blood type, but not a match yet?
- Not yet. We're still waiting on the DNA results.
- Good. We should know something by Christmas.
- The plaster wrapper's with prints.
Hoping they can lift something off it.
- Okay. Good work.
- Sir, the report you were after. - Oh, thanks.
♪
[Bell rings]
- It seems I have some explaining to do.
- Would you like me to sit in?
- I think it would be easier without you,
if you don't mind.
- I'll be waiting.
- On the morning in question, I did go for a walk,
but it was on the beach.
I had to drive to get there,
which is not something that comes naturally, you see.
But it was too far to take the bike.
And I had a special cargo.
An 11-foot Dunham, circa 1973, an heirloom.
It had belonged to my uncle Cecil.
He passed it on to me when he died.
It had been gathering dust for 30 years.
And there was Zach.
Such an athlete on the waves and in the pulpit.
I've no idea what possessed me.
Some kind of urge.
No.
A raging desire to be connected with Zach.
To be seen, I suppose.
I wanted him to see me.
- So the next day God said, "Cool.
Let's get ready to rock."
This is--
Dear God.
- Aloha, Zach.
Lovely morning for it.
- Reverend, I had no idea you--
- Well, um, it's been a while,
but I'm not a total stranger to hanging ten.
Always loved the Beach Boys.
- Well, go, you. - Yes.
Boogie boarding was the extent of it,
but I thought, "Oh, how hard can the real thing be?"
Pride goeth before a fall.
Um... feel like another wave?
- I have the funeral. - Ah, yes.
Fred Sullivan, of course.
Perhaps another day, then?
- Sure. Yeah.
It's a pretty big swell out there today.
♪
- Yes, it's... quite awesome.
- Well, best I get in amongst it, then.
Cheers, eh? - Take it easy, Lucas.
- Tallyho!
♪
[Grunting]
Oh! Ah!
Oh, dear.
Oh! [Groans]
[Gulls crying]
- Reverend! Reverend!
There you are.
You're back, bro. That's good. You had me worried there.
You blacked out, buddy.
I'm gonna call an ambulance, okay?
- No, no, no, no, please, Zach.
- We need to get you checked out.
- No, no, it's but a scratch.
- Um, there's, uh, there's a fair bit of blood.
- No. No.
Seriously. No.
Other than...
...feeling such an old fool.
- Hey. It's okay. Lucas.
- Oh. - It's okay.
- I don't want you to go.
- Well, Mr. Sullivan won't bury himself.
- No.
I don't want you to leave Brokenwood.
- Lucas. - [Sighs]
I thought that I could somehow change your mind
if we became... surfing buddies.
♪
- You know why I have to leave.
- Not a word to another soul.
If this unraveled,
I could be defrocked for--
well, let's face it--
inappropriate workplace actions.
I've had difficult thoughts.
♪
- Did you speak to our Savior about them?
- I'm not sure I listened.
- Then, from now on, take heed.
He may advise on not such a long board next time.
- [Chuckles]
There won't be a next time.
[Grunts] - Are you sure you're okay?
- Only some wounded pride.
- You and me? I think we should--
- Yes?
- Pray.
Let's pray.
- Like that.
- Dear Lord, look after my friend Lucas here
that he may find comfort in your arms.
Your arms that are bigger than mine,
bigger and all-encompassing.
That they make him feel secure and that you are listening
and giving him good advice
on appropriate surf breaks in the times ahead.
- [Chuckles]
Amen.
Thanks, Zach.
♪
I'm going to sit with our Savior a little longer.
- I'll catch you later, Lucas.
- And, Zach.
Not a word.
[Gulls crying]
♪
It was as if that wretched board had knocked some sense into me.
♪
[Engine revs]
♪
I knew Roger wouldn't be pleased,
but I felt I didn't have any choice.
♪
I thought I should carry on as if nothing had happened.
♪
- We will need to verify your story.
- Of course.
Sometimes the cover-up is worse than the crime.
[Man singing in Italian]
Puccini.
Is that... [Singing continues]
♪
- [Voice breaking] Roger, I don't deserve this.
- Lucas, please.
♪
- You alright? - Yeah. Dust, I think.
Just a bit.
[Door closes] - Was that--
- Dr. Plummer serenading the Very Reverend Greene
in our car park with an aria from Puccini.
Yeah. - I thought so. Because...?
- Reverend Greene and Canon Zach were both at the beach.
Neither had time to deal to our victim.
- Huh. That makes sense.
♪
- New suspect?
- The ghost that's been haunting Zach Mantell.
♪
- Detective, just off for a surf.
Verity's managed to rouse me from my despair.
- I'm pleased to hear that, but I do need a word.
- Well, you go on ahead.
- I think it would be good if Verity stayed.
- Sure. Yeah.
- Ellie Wellsford.
- Gosh.
That's a name from the past.
- By my understanding, it's been five years.
- Ellie.
She was a parishioner at Saint Edwin's in the city.
She took her own life. It was very sad.
- How would you describe her relationship to you?
- She came to church.
She was so enthralled with the Scripture for someone so young,
and she seemed to respond to the way I shared it with her.
Then Jesus takes these loaves--
and there's only five of them, right--
and basically turns them into sliced bread,
enough to feed a whole tribe of 5,000.
And then he does the same with only two fish.
- Oh, my God, I love fish.
- Well, then, by extension, you love Jesus.
And of course, He loves you.
Loving God, it's not hard, Ellie.
Her devotion was pure and simple.
She was a very sweet person looking for answers.
And I was a relatively new priest looking for solutions.
Maybe I, um, maybe I gave too much.
- Was there anything else to your friendship?
- One day, she was found hanging in a park.
- She was in love with you.
- Well, what does that really mean?
She was troubled in a way that I didn't understand.
She was lost, and I tried to help her.
But in the end, I didn't.
- How did you try to help her?
- I asked her to trust in God.
But she wasn't ready.
- I feel like I can only love God by loving you.
- I can try to show you the way,
but I am not the way.
- But I'm in love with you.
- Ellie. - I am. I know I am.
- It was like something just didn't compute.
I did nothing wrong.
She tried to kill Isabelle.
She attacked my wife.
- I read the report.
Not long after, Ellie hanged herself.
- We had to leave town to get away from all the conjecture.
But I will say this.
Isabelle never once questioned my involvement with Ellie.
Never doubted me.
- Neither did I.
Zach's not like that. He's-- He's not.
- I imagine that when you saw Isabelle
at the cemetery that morning...
- Why, Isabelle? Of all the ways?
It was like the ghost of Ellie Wellsford
had possessed Isabelle.
- Did you ever speak to Ellie's parents?
- They were overseas when it happened.
And by the time they got back, we had already left town.
We both tried hard to forget about what had happened.
- Her mother died not long after losing her daughter.
An aneurysm.
Stress-related, it was thought.
- Okay. I didn't know that.
The poor father.
Imagine losing a daughter and a wife in quick succession.
It's brutal.
- A loss like that can manifest itself in different ways.
For some, they might give up
and choose a path to self-destruction.
Drink. Drugs.
Others might turn to the church on a journey
to understand forgiveness.
Ellie's father chose a variation.
- Canon Zach-- He's putting on a brave face,
but he's got to be torn apart.
I know what it's like to lose your wife.
- Nate?
You mean Nate Ford?
- Otherwise known as Nathan Wellsford.
He moved here not long after you,
when the sexton position came up.
- Welcome to Saint Judas.
- It was clear that he came here
to avenge the death of his daughter.
Sharing your space, biding his time.
He became acquainted with your movements.
- Ah, no.
♪
[Car door closes, engine starts]
Isabelle had no reason to think that anything was awry.
No reason not to let him in.
[Knock on door]
- He was in my house.
- He's going to answer for all of that.
- He was in my house.
- Easy.
It's over. It's over.
♪
- Tell me you got a hit off the wrapper.
- We did, on Nate Ford.
- A.K.A. Nathan Wellsford.
Puts him at the scene. I'm bringing him in.
- Well, do you want a hand?
- I'll be fine. [Cellphone beeps]
- Give him his moment.
♪
[Knock on door]
♪
- When you're done, Nathan.
- A puriri.
The birds love them.
It was Ellie's favorite.
- We need to head down to the station.
♪
- I'll wash my hands.
♪
In the end, I knew you'd come.
It's all good.
At least I could finally lay her to rest, you know.
[Water running]
♪
- Let's go, Nate.
[Water continues]
♪
[Engine sputtering] Oh, damn.
[Engine sputters, starts] Nate!
Get out of the car! Nate!
- No!
- Get out of the car! Nate!
♪
[Gulls crying]
♪
- We can still both walk away at this point, Nathan.
[Engine revs]
- No one's asking you to stay.
- There's no need to make things worse.
♪
Tell me about her.
Let me know what she was like.
Keep her memory alive.
Memories are important, Nate.
My second wife.
She was 28.
Her car went into a river.
She didn't come out.
It took me a long time to learn how to remember her best,
to forget the tragedy and remember her essence.
The thing that made me love her.
- Ellie was only 19.
19 years old, for God's sake. It's nothing.
[Mournful music playing]
He was a young priest, full of the power of God and miracles.
The way, the truth, and the life.
Flirting with the power that gave him
and flirting with her, no doubt.
- He says that wasn't the case. - Of course he'd say that.
- Ellie fell in love with him.
- Do you know what he told her?
- Trust in God. [Choral singing]
Listen, and He will speak to you
and guide you and give you all the information
you need to do what you need to do.
- She was sick.
But he didn't see it.
She heard what she wanted to hear.
♪
- You.
- I hate you!
- It wasn't her. - [Grunts]
- [Groans] - It was some kind of evil force.
But what happened next, that was the true evil.
[Both grunt]
♪
- We can't know what happened next.
- Come on, Detective.
There was enough doubt in the coroner's report.
I read it over a hundred times.
It's not possible to know.
The injuries from the fight led to the death of Miss Wellsford.
♪
We were overseas.
There was no one there for her.
♪
There were contusions on her throat
not matching the ligature from the hanging.
Isabelle Mantell killed my little girl
and covered it up by hanging her in a tree.
- You don't know that, Nathan.
- [Inhales deeply]
[Exhales deeply]
An eye for an eye.
That's all.
[Telephone rings]
- Mike, did you locate Nathan Ford?
- We, uh, have a bit of a situation here.
- What kind of situation?
- A situation that needs to be resolved.
- You like stating the bloody obvious, do you?
- I was just thinking.
Lambie Point-- It's not where I imagined ending my days.
- [Whispering] He's not talking to us.
♪
- Get out of the car then.
- I'm not leaving the car without you, Nate.
♪
- Put out a 10-1 and get units to Lambie Point.
♪
- [Inhales, exhales deeply]
She didn't suspect a thing.
[Knock on door]
- Who is it? - It's Nate.
♪
- Nate, I wasn't expecting you.
- Thelma thought you'd like a hand.
- Oh. How kind. Come on in.
- Thanks.
[Ominous music plays]
What can I do? - I was thinking an extra batch of scones.
- Always keen to learn a new trick.
- Good for you, Nate.
♪
[Grunting]
- This is for Ellie. - No!
- My sweet, sweet Ellie.
♪
[Engine starts]
♪
I felt like justice was done.
♪
I'll take that with me.
[Vehicle approaches]
[Siren chirps]
What have you been up to?
[Engine revs]
- Whoa! Easy, Nate.
- Get out now! - You don't need to do this.
- No more talking! - It's a long way down.
- Tell them to back off or we go. - Come on, Nate.
Wait. Just wait.
Ah!
I'll talk to them.
♪
- Hey, Mike. - Hi, there.
- Are you able to get out of the car?
- I am. - Okay.
Is there any reason why you're not?
- Nathan here just needs a little bit more time to reflect.
- Tell him to get out.
- Hey there, Nathan.
♪
- I'm going over.
Tell him to get out of the car!
- Mike.
You know, Nathan might have a point there.
- But as I just explained to Nate, this is my car.
And as such, driving my car over a cliff
is not in my car's best interest.
- It's just a car, Mike.
- Is it, though? Really? - It really is.
That's-- - Aah!
- Nathan, just hold that thought.
- We're stepping back.
It's all good here.
♪
- [Exhales deeply]
- I have no interest in going to jail.
- I can see that.
Let's just breathe out, okay?
♪
[Gull crying]
♪
- Good? - That's it.
- I only have one piece of advice.
- Let me guess. "Don't screw this up"?
- Yep.
♪
- What's he want?
- He's bringing us water.
- I didn't ask for any.
- All part of the service.
- Just tell him to leave them at your door.
- Leave them by my door.
- Any idea when you chaps might wind this up?
- When you buggers clear off!
- It seems like as long as I stay in the car,
Nathan's not going anywhere.
- The team would like to go home.
We'd like to tie things off.
- Well, that's entirely up to Nathan here.
- Get out of the car. You can all go home.
- Thirsty work. All that thinking.
♪
- No! No!
- Aah!
♪
- [Grunts]
Not today, Nathan, not today.
- [Crying]
Let me go! Let me go!
- [Sighs]
- Oh, my God. Almost hugged you. - Ah, it's okay.
Uh...
Thanks.
[Sighs] ♪
You didn't bend the chassis, did you?
- Honestly, Mike, that's all I was worried about, so no.
- [Laughs] - That's a relief.
We should probably write up a report.
- And the next time you say, "I'll be fine,"
can you actually mean it?
- I was fine.
- That's what that was, was it?
Just admiring the view, were you?
- [Grunts] - [Chuckles]
♪
- Winter is often a time of reflection.
And of course,
a time for the restoration of our natural order.
Restoring our faith in each other.
And of course, in God, that great shepherd watching over us,
hanging with his sheep.
An occasional goat. [Laughter]
Guiding us to safer pastures,
not necessarily greener fields.
Because, as the saying goes,
the grass is not always greener on the other side,
especially if you're an old goat suffering
from a temporary bout of color blindness.
[Laughter]
Let us sing.
Jesus, look over me.
[Organ playing]
- ♪ Jesus, look over me ♪
♪ When I call your name ♪
♪ Jesus, look over me ♪
♪ When I kneel before You ♪
♪ Jesus, look over me ♪
♪ When I call your name ♪
♪ Jesus, look over me ♪
♪ When I kneel before you ♪
♪