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6 Episodes 1987 - 1987
Episode 1
Carl Sillmans, a merchant banker firm midway through an expected merger with Dinslow Chemical Industries, is thrown into turmoil when its manager, Charles Makepeace, is found murdered in his locked office. His flask had been poisoned, and as Superintendent Thorne investigates, he finds there are a surprising number of people who may have wanted him dead. His wife Isobel, for example, who they learn he was planning to divorce for his mistress Stella Tyson. Then there is his work colleague, John Field, who learned that day he was to be turned down for promotion, preferring an American arriving later that day, Dan Maitland, son of a rival banking firm. And then there was the mysterious threatening phone call he received the evening he died that suggests something far darker was going on at the merchant bankers than anyone realized.
Episode 2
John Field and Dan Maitland travel to Dinslow Chemicals after noticing that one of the environmental activists protesting there was at a number of companies targeted and suspect he may be a plant paid by someone. The duo are attacked there, but later Field is contacted by the man, Nathaniel Mustard, by phone call and arranges to meet him. But unbeknownst to Field Nathaniel is later ambushed in his car by masked men and carted away. Meanwhile Makepeace's secretary Nina Novotny discovers in one of Makepeace's dictations a recording of a woman accusing him of being a murderer. She contacts Superintendent Thorne, but finding out who the woman is will be only part of the problem - especially when he discovers that the woman has disappeared.
Episode 3
John Field discovers the dead body of Nathaniel Mustard in Tindell's Pond, a nuclear waste dump that was owned by Charles Tindell. Superintendent Thorne has learned that Makepeace discovered the illegal practice and reported Tindell, who was later jailed and hanged himself, and suspects the woman in the recording was his wife. Field and Dan Maitland confront a representative of Fane and Browning, a rival company over the fact that Nathaniel Mustard once worked for him and suspect he was hired by them to damage their rival Dinslow Chemicals' chances in the merger bid. Maitland sees an old flame, Lady Bea Tarnigan at the same hotel, but later Field becomes jealous of Maitland after he meets his mistress Kate MacRenny by chance at the tennis court and becomes interested in her. Thorne locates the widow Alison Tindell and her son Rupert and learns that Rupert does not have an alibi for the time of Makepeace's death. But little does Thorne realize that his wife Millie plans some investigating of her own that could put her in grave danger.
Episode 4
Thorne is angry with his wife after her interference in the case sees Roger Tindell go into hiding. And worse is to come as the hunt for his whereabouts threatens the life of his assistant. With Carl Sillman's takeover bid being referred to for investigations, John Field floats the idea to his boss Sir Max Sillman to investigate Fane and Browning, but Max is reluctant to do so, unaware that Dan Maitland is doing a little inquiries of his own via a colleague who works for them. Meanwhile Thorne visits Max's astrologer Musquat Singh, who often clashed with Charles Makepeace. Singh tells him he received a mysterious phone call by someone asking to visit him, but he never turned up. But Singh's assistant Krishna contradicts that alibi and mentions that he overheard Singh talking to a Scots man. One of them is lying - but who? And why?
Episode 5
Roger Tindell stakes out Thorne's home, but his intentions are not what they think. Thorne also has his own men staking out by Musquat Singh and his assistant Krishna and later discover Krishna giving his restaurant father a brown package. Singh meanwhile makes his own confession to Sir Max Sillian. Isobel wants to resume her affair with Max and wants him to invest in her new business, but finds Max less than compliant. Meanwhile, as John Field looks into Fane and Browning dealings, Dan Maitland is one step ahead and having discovered links between the company and Charles Tindell he has a surprise in store for them at their business conference.
Episode 6
Superintendent Thorne realizes that both Makepeace's mistress Stella Tyson and his wife Isobel could be lying about his marriage proposal to Stella and of the break in to his flat, but both are on the defensive. But it also means that Makepeace's flask could of been poisoned earlier than thought. Merchant bankers Carl Sillman are celebrating after Dan Maitland's work in discrediting Fane and Browning and throw a celebratory party. Maitland brings along Kate MacRenny, much to John Field's chagrin, but are celebrations a little premature with the killer of Makepeace still to be discovered and Superintendent Thorne ready to make his move?