Part 1 The Hollow Tree – The episode opens with Alex Ridley (Adrian Dunbar) performing live in a local pub. In Halsey Woods, a downed tree fell during the storm. Ridley sees Harry Bentham (John Michie) arrive and pour himself a drink. David Hadderly (Ryan Gage) drinks alone. An empty alcohol bottle lies on a nearby table. The next day, DC Darren Lakhan (George Bukhari) is questioning a woman at a crime scene. DI Carol Farman (Dronagh Waugh) asks for an update. He tells her that a dog walker discovered a body in a downed tree. A ranger says the tree was diseased. Dr. Wendy Newstone (Georgie Glen) explains how the female body was restrained in the fetal position and placed deep in the hollow of the tree. She believes the victim was asphyxiated because of a fractured hyoid bone and was killed years ago. K.M. Hadderly’s credit card was found in the victim’s pocket. Darren recalls Kathy Hadderly disappeared six years ago and Jean Dixon (Elizabeth Berrington) was the lead investigator in the case. At the police station, DCI Paul Goodwin (Terence Maynard) suggests bringing Jean in to assist with the investigation. Ridley alleges she manipulated the Haplin murder case to get the result she wanted. In a flashback, Jean accuses Ridley of never being a team player. Back in the present, Carol goes over the case with her team. Kathy and David’s marriage was troubled. David waited six days to report Kathy missing. Sam Hadderly (Eleanor Kirby) was 13 when Kathy disappeared.

Ridley informs Jean of Kathy’s body being found. She accuses him of throwing her under a bus. Ross Enderby (Kevin Doyle) greets Ridley. Ridley urges Jean to get involved in Kathy’s murder case. She doesn’t budge. Elsewhere, David tells Darren and Carol that he and Kathy got into an argument when she came home late. He went to bed at 6pm and woke up to find her gone. He claims Jean believed he was guilty right from the start. Darren reminds him that Kathy was gone for six days before he contacted the police. David breaks down weeping while talking about Kathy. Sam refuses to believe Kathy is dead but stops talking when David approaches. At the pub, Ridley tells Annie Marling (Julie Graham) that he is working on a case. Annie says the pub is losing a lot of money. He assures her that Harry’s drinking on the house isn’t helping. She reminds him of his “fat pension” and police consultancy job and how she invested everything into the pub. Upset, Ridley walks out.

Wendy shows Carol and Ridley a piece of rope found in Kathy’s esophagus. She believes it is the same rope utilized to restrain her. Carol tells Ridley that David alleges Jean immediately believed he was guilty. She says Sam knows something. A short time later, they question David’s brother, Andy Hadderly (Steven Elder), the last person to see Kathy alive. He claims Kathy was leaving the council building with a man two days after she left home. He says David never mentioned Kathy leaving. Lynne Hadderly (Diveen Henry) claims Kathy was unhappy in her marriage for a while and David was jealous and liked to drink. Ridley sees a coat of arms on a nearby table. Upon leaving, Carol tells Ridley that David was a suspect in Kathy’s disappearance. She receives a call from Darren saying Sam is requesting to speak with Jean. Ridley notifies and pleads with Jean to meet with Sam. She reluctantly agrees and races in to tell Ross that she is going to pick up Molly Dixon (Megan Rose Trower) because her car broke down. He reminds her of their plans. She suggests they reschedule before leaving. A short time later, Jean meets Carol and Ridley at David’s house. Sam shows Jean texts from Kathy since she disappeared and up to six months ago. Jean assures her that Kathy is dead and someone else sent the texts. Sam explains what happened on the night Kathy left home. They had a verbal disagreement. Around 2am, she overheard Kathy talking on her phone as she was leaving. She followed her outside but lost her in the darkness.

Jean tells Ridley and Carol that Kathy utilized a burner phone because David was constantly checking hers. The burner phone never turned up. At the police station, Goodwin thanks Jean but she wants nothing to do with him. Jean says Sam and David claimed to have been asleep when Kathy left. She believes the texts were to convince Sam that Kathy didn’t want to be found. Ridley thanks Jean for talking to Sam. She asks him to keep an eye on Sam for her. He agrees. A short time later, Jean has a drink with Molly. She invites her to come back home but she refuses. Ross calls her to say dinner is nearly ready. She reminds him that she was meeting Molly but agrees to come home. Molly is disappointed. Jean urges her to give Ross a chance. Molly assures her that she knows him and questions if she does. At the pub, Ridley and Annie reminisce about when Kate and they worked on the bar. She says Harry wants to help. Elsewhere, Ross apologizes to Jean for telling her how to deal with Molly. She says it is difficult to love other people’s children. He claims to like Molly and believes she did right by refusing to get involved with the Hadderly case. When an incoming call from Molly pops up on Jean’s phone, Ross ignores it.

Wendy shows Carol and Ridley a dove earring found at the crime scene. She suggests the other one is out there somewhere. A short time later, Copelton District Police hold a press conference to update the public on Kathy’s case. Sam and Jean watch from remote locations. Ridley invites Jean to go with him to speak with Sam. Jean doesn’t tell Ross where she is going. Elsewhere, Jordan King (Joshua J Parker) offers Jack Farman (Tareq Al-Jeddal) a ride home. He climbs into his car. When Jean and Ridley arrive at the Hadderly house, David tells Jean that she isn’t welcome there. Sam agrees to talk to her. Jean asks where David was when Kathy left at 2am. David eavesdrops on their conversation. Sam admits to not seeing David when Kathy left the house but he asked her to tell the police that she had. Upon leaving, Jean keeps Sam detained while Ridley inspects the knots on David’s boat. David hurries away in his car. Lynne is packing a bag when Andy arrives home. She hurriedly stuffs it into a cabinet. He leaves to go get food. Jordan pulls up in front of the Farman house. Geri Farman (Bhavna Limbachia) watches as Jack emerges from the car. Jordan reminds Jack that they are supposed to meet later. Geri scolds him for not being there to take care of Meadow while she did her lecture. He says they wanted Meadow, not him.

Molly stops by to see Jean but she is out. Ross suggests they try to get along for Jean. She asks him to let her in the house. He claims Jean is concerned that she is too dependent on her. She refuses to believe him and leaves. Jean finds a threatening note attached to her window warning her to stay out of it. She looks around but doesn’t see anyone. Ridley arrives a short time later and she shows him the note. He says the CCTV cameras should have picked up something. She points out that the individual knew her car and where she was when an incoming call from Ross pops up on her phone. She ignores the call. Ridley suggests it was David. He asks if she and Ross are okay. She assures him that Ross is only looking out for her. He insists she tells Ross. A short time later, Ridley finds David at the crime scene. Two officers escort him away. Ridley looks around and finds a military security fence. At the police station, he tells Darren and Carol that a military camp was in operation there when Kathy disappeared. Carol questions if there is a link between it and David’s military rope. David admits to asking Sam to lie because he thought it would stop all the questions. He served in the reserves years ago. Ridley placed the knotted rope from his garage in front of him. Carol tells him that the same knot was utilized to restrain Kathy. David believed Kathy was having an affair with someone in the military unit, so he quit. He claims Cathy told him that he could never compare to other men and he would get irate. He denies killing her.

Jean confronts Ross about refusing to let Molly wait for her. He claims to have invited her in but she refused because she couldn’t stand being around him. She tells him about the note. Embracing her, he says that is why he wanted her to not get involved with the Hadderly case. He professes to love her. She pushes him away and suggests they need some time apart. Grabbing her head, he vows to never let her go, kisses her forehead, and walks away. Elsewhere, Jonathan Dyer (Jonathan Le Billon) explains how the military camp was secured by a gate with no cameras. Ridley asks if it would have been possible for someone to get through the fence. Jonathan insists there would have been witnesses because their reservists shared the same tent.

Jean tells Ross that his need to be with her is too much. He accuses her of being with Ridley when she was supposed to be with Molly. He admits to following her and knows he cannot trust her. She asks him to leave. He blames everything on Molly. Grabbing her, he opens the door, tells her to go see her precious Molly, and when she returns, he expects an apology. She demands he be gone by the time she comes back. He refuses to leave. The episode ends.

 

Ridley Review

A better episode besides Ridley’s singing. The cinematography and acting remain the series’ strongest qualities. It’s a surprise to see Kevin Doyle (Sherwood, Silent Witness, Until I Kill You) make a guest appearance on the show. Doyle is not a big-name actor but his performance never fails to impress.

The episode deserves a 6 out of 10. Get more Ridley recaps here. Join our newly established forum to see what others are saying. Support our site by donating. Learn about our advertising packages here.