Death Of An Expert Witness Part 2 – The episode opens with Stella Mawson’s (Shanaya Rafaat) lifeless body lying on the floor. DCI Adam Dalgliesh (Bertie Carvel) is at the chapel/crime scene when Dr. David Rollinson (Richard Harrington) arrives. David asks if he believes Stella’s suicide is associated with the murder of Dr. Edmund Lorrimer (Dominic Rowan). Dalgliesh says it is before asking what he thinks. David points out that the crime scene is right for suicide by hanging. Dalgliesh assesses a strand of hair from a throw pillow. When Maximillian Howarth (Sam Hoare) arrives, he admits to believing Brenda Pridmore (Alyth Ross) died, not Stella. Dalgliesh informs him of Brenda fainting after finding the body before asking why he never mentioned the chapel. Howarth assures him it hasn’t been utilized in a decade. Domenica Howarth (Margaret Clunie) claims it was her and Lorrimer’s meeting place until their last on February 17, according to the date on the hymn board.

DC Mercer (Francis Mezza) informs him of the police locating DI Doyle (Stuart Graham) asleep in his vehicle. Dalgleish asks why his wife’s vehicle was parked in front of the laboratory the night Lorrimer was murdered. Doyle tells him that it could have been any night. Dalgliesh says a witness came forward before asking who was driving the vehicle. Doyle admits being with PPC Jean Ashton Tuesday at 9pm while his wife was in Yorkshire. He says they spent no more than 25 minutes there. He assures him that if he killed Lorrimer, he wouldn’t have left the murder weapon behind. Dalgliesh asks where he was yesterday between 6pm and 9pm. Doyle says in a pub celebrating an arrest with his colleagues. Dalgliesh asks why he was heading north with a suitcase. Doyle tells him that he was going to Yorkshire to see his wife when he pulled to the shoulder to sleep off his drunken stupor.

Mrs. Pridmore (Lucy Cray-Miller) questions how Brenda will explain the 5,000-pound inheritance from Lorrimer’s trust. DS Kate Miskin (Carlyss Peer) reminds her of Lorrimer wanting it to pay for Brenda’s college tuition. Brenda explains how she thought someone was following her. Dalgliesh asks if she saw anyone. She suggests someone punctured both her bicycle tires to force her to take the shortcut. After informing her of a lorry spilling a load of grit at the front gate, Kate says her bike tires contained shards of grit. Brenda admits to running toward the chapel because the front door was open. Dalgliesh asks if she recognized the victim. She claims to have seen her at a concert before suggesting her name is “Sarah.” She denies Lorrimer fancied her and his harsh treatment of others was due to his heavy workload. Dalgliesh assures Mrs. Pridemore that Brenda will be okay. She tells him that he doesn’t know her like she does.

Angela Foley (Carolina Main) refuses to let DC Carling (Conor Hinds) search Stella’s room. Dalgliesh promises to not disturb anything unless it’s necessary. A paper in the typewriter shows Stella on Chapter 26 of her novel. Angela tells them that Stella promised to make everything right before leaving last night. She suggests it meant she would find a way to get the money to buy the house they’re renting. Dalgliesh asks if Stella would resort to blackmail. She assures him that Stella was good. He admits to believing she was murdered but doesn’t have sufficient evidence to prove it. He explains how her life insurance policy doesn’t cover suicidal death. He says she wouldn’t have taken her own life so close to the end of her novel. She makes a phone call when they leave.

When Doyle arrives at Angela’s house, she threatens to kill him with a sword for murdering Stella. He claims Dalgliesh cleared him as a suspect after verifying his alibies for both nights. She orders him to read Stella’s note that suggests he replaces cannabis instead of destroying it. She accuses him of strangling Stella after luring her to the chapel. He says his wife wrote the note because she wants him to leave the police force. He denies killing her. She tells him that it’s possible Stella saw something while out walking on the night Lorrimer was murdered.

Brenda tells Dalgliesh that Nell Rollinson (Lara Cohen) and William Rollinson (Ezra Carlisle) came to the laboratory last Thursday looking for David who was in a meeting. William was playing roughly with his ball when Lorrimer asked them to wait outside but Nell refused. When Lorrimer forced them to leave, the children were terribly upset. She claims to have been the only witness. Dalgliesh asks about the concern she saw Stella at. She says Stella and Angela were sitting next to Domenica and David while Howarth performed at the fundraising concert. He asks Clifford Bradley (Perry Millward) to run a test.

Dalgliesh is driving up the Rollinson’s driveway when William chases his ball across the road. He brakes just in time to miss him. Irate, Nell orders them to leave before shoving Dalgliesh. She fires Miss Willard (Deborah Findlay) for failing to watch William. Miss Willard reminds her that David is her employer. Nell claims they all hate her. Miss Willard says David hates her and only wants to get custody of William, not her. Nell flees to her room. Kate tries to console her. Miss Willard tells Dalgliesh that David’s wife is living in London with the Doctor who formerly worked at the laboratory. He asks if David is seeing anyone now. She claims he is seeing Domenica. Kate apologizes to Nell for Lorrimer’s mistreatment of her and William. She admits to loathing him before saying she is glad to have made him die. Miss Willard tells Dagliesh that she found David and Domenica’s meeting place, Hoggart’s Laboratory Chapel. He asks if she ever told anyone. She confesses to telling Lorrimer.

Nell shows Dalgliesh and Kate her collection of voodoo dolls. She tells them that she smashed Lorrimer’s head and the witches made him die. Kate asks if David knows about her voodoo dolls. She whispers, “No one knows” before denying that she harmed him. Miss Willard tells Dalgliesh that David and Domenica utilized the Chapel’s hymn board to schedule their meetings. She says Nell eavesdropped on her phone call with Lorrimer. She claims David attended a meeting at the hospital on Tuesday night. A photo of a boy holding a rope with a unique knot catches his attention.

Dalgliesh asks David if he is in love with Domenica. David says Lorrimer wanted to meet to discuss their relationship. Lorrimer told him to go to the laboratory on Tuesday at 9pm. Upon arriving at the chalk pit, Domenica sees David talking to Dalgliesh. She tells David to not talk under her breath. David assures Dalgliesh that it was not his intention to harm Lorrimer but he threatened to tell his wife so she could win the custody suit. He hit him with a mallet from behind. Dalgliesh informs him of the hair follicle testing. One hair belongs to him and the other, possibly Lorrimer. He asks David if Stella was blackmailing him. David says Stella knew he murdered Lorrimer. Domenica suggests Kate be careful how she looks at Dalgliesh before threatening to tell him.

Dalgliesh allows David to spend 10 minutes with his children. Kate tells him that it was the right decision. The episode comes to an end.

 

Dalgliesh Review

Dalgliesh continues to investigate Lorrimer’s murder and Stella’s suicide. Stella was discovered hanging from a rafter in the laboratory chapel, where Domenica met Lorrimer and David. Doyle is ruled out as a suspect after his alibies check out. A strand of hair removed from a pillow is determined to belong to David. When David’s nannie discovers his relationship with Domenica, she brings it to Lorrimer’s attention. Upset, Lorrimer threatens to tell David’s estranged wife. Knowing it could help her win the custody battle, David kills Lorrimer with the mallet, a murder weapon from another case.

Believing David killed Lorrimer, Stella asks him for money with the promise to pay it back with interest. He stages her death to make it look like a suicide. With Dalgliesh’s expert knowledge and experience, he figures it out.

Nell believes she, her voodoo dolls, and the witches have a hand in killing Lorrimer.

It’s difficult to stay focused throughout such a long-drawn-out murder investigation. Once the story got serious, it was an anticipated ending. The dialogue stays on target with the story.

Lara Cohen portrayed Nell most compellingly. Young Ezra Carlisle didn’t get enough airtime to evaluate his acting capability.

The episode deserves a 6.5. Get more Dalgliesh recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link. Our onsite advertising is affordable and effective in building online recognition.