As the curtains lift on the fifth installment of "Death Valley," Helena Hart (Patricia Hodge), with her welcoming charm, greets Bill Marcus (Colin McFarlane), Patty Marcus (Wendy Mae Brown), and the other esteemed guests upon their arrival. With a graceful introduction, Helena acquaints Dennis Williams (Karl Johnson) and the assembly with Anthony Hart (Ainslie Fitzpatrick), a renowned actor celebrated for his portrayal of Elliot Flame in the hit TV series "Phoenix." The mood takes a somber turn when Owen Hart (Nathan Foad) learns the heart-wrenching news of his father's demise.
Following the initial greetings, Helen Baxter (Alexandria Riley) imparts to Detective Sergeant Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) and Detective Chief Inspector Barry Clarke (Steffan Rhodri) that Anthony has suffered a fatal stab wound to the heart. Janie, tardy due to an unfortunate encounter with her vehicle, bears the blame with a sheepish excuse about automotive troubles. Clarke emphasizes the urgency of their task to avert media scrutiny, hinting at a potential promotion for Janie if she can manage the situation adeptly. He mentions that DC Evan Chaudhry (Rithvik Andugula) is preoccupied with a farming dispute between the Gibsons and the Lewises. Meanwhile, Clarke is compelled to leave abruptly due to his daughter's suspension from school.
Helen reveals to Janie a crucial observation: the killer likely stood directly in front of Anthony, evidenced by the absence of defensive wounds and the clever disguise of a punch through makeup. Janie then engages in conversations with Patty, Bill Marcus, and the other attendees, among whom Bill struggles to grasp the reality, suspecting it might be part of the event's script. Owen, who resides in Ibiza, explains his presence due to his father's unexpected return. Helena shares that her brother recently came back after committing to these events for a year and has invited a friend over for support. At this juncture, John Chapel (Timothy Spall) arrives, greeted by Helena who admits she sought familiarity in her time of need. John thoughtfully brought food for the gathering.
In a private discussion with Janie about her latest case, John expresses curiosity about the presence of a table laden with steak knives when the murder weapon was a letter opener, suggesting the choice of weapon holds significance. Janie remains unconvinced but suspects John's true intentions might be romantically inclined towards Helena, an accusation he firmly denies.
She unveils the anecdote of how they once cruised around, assuming the persona of Caesar in a whimsical escapade. Janie, driven by curiosity, seeks out Owen, who claims to manage a wellness sanctuary. He admits, with a touch of nostalgia, that he sometimes envies those with humble beginnings. Owen recounts how his father's demeanor shifted eerily a few days prior, frantically attempting to dismiss everyone around. Returning unexpectedly, he stumbled upon his father in the company of a mysterious young woman with raven-black hair.
John, concerned, inquiries about Helena's well-being. She responds resolutely, asserting that she must remain steadfast amidst the multitude of tasks awaiting her. Helena hints at a longing for companionship, lamenting that Owen only visits when financial needs arise, bypassing his father to appeal directly to her. Their relationship took a tumultuous turn yesterday, marked by a heated altercation.
Oddly enough, Helena notices that a nearby door, normally secured with a steadfast lock, stands ajar. Two additional doors upstairs share the same unusual state of being unlocked. Alarmed, Helena declares an immediate evacuation of the premises. However, Owen's entrance interrupts her plan, disclosing that a flooded road blocks their exit, necessitating an overnight stay.
Izzy mentions her mundane task of taking out the trash, while Janie suggests barricading themselves until dawn. Immersed in an episode where Inspector Caesar engages in discourse with Constable Atkins (played by Jim Howick), Janie finds solace in its thought-provoking nature. Evan's phone call to Janie brings to light Anthony Hart's planned return to LA next week and his financial woes, evidenced by a bankruptcy filing in the United States. This revelation clarifies Anthony's motive behind engaging in numerous events. John argues that an advertisement would have been a more straightforward approach, but Janie advocates for calling it a night, suggesting that John might join Helena for a nocturnal drink. John, loyal to his wife, declines the invitation.
Janie gently reminds John that dwelling in the past is unproductive, even as she acknowledges her own struggle with it. He politely asks her to drop the subject. Later, a water leak disrupts John's rest, leading to an unexpected encounter with Helena. They share reminiscences, and Helena extends a warm invitation for a nightcap, seeking a moment of camaraderie amidst the stormy night.
John initially appears intrigued but abruptly reverses his decision, retreating to the solitude of his room. As dawn breaks, Janie and John engage in a speculative dialogue about the enigmatic lover's identity. Janie is convinced it was a lover, whereas John contends it must have been an estate agent, given Anthony's pressing need to sell the house for financial reasons. Janie theorizes that Owen could be the perpetrator, believing they could uncover his guilt by delving into the root of his altercation with Anthony. She hopes to stumble upon the answer in a magazine she's perusing.
Approaching Owen, they quiz him about an article titled "London Party Animals," which featured a picture of him exiting a cab in Soho. Janie suspects this incident fueled his dispute with Anthony. Owen concedes that his father summoned him home urgently, and Anthony declared the magazine the final straw, vowing to withhold further financial support. Owen vehemently denies any involvement in Anthony's demise, asserting that his father frequently threatened to disown him.
Owen shifts the blame to Dennis, claiming Dennis had motives to harm Anthony due to Anthony's cruel remarks about Izzy and the margaritas. Dennis, however, clarifies that their altercation was merely verbal and stems from Anthony's mean behavior. Janie briefly steps away to attend to a call from Evan, leaving John to express his confusion regarding Dennis's presence. Dennis dismisses much of TV crime fiction as absurd but admits to being a avid fan of Phoenix, a show he once enjoyed with his daughter. Now living in Canada and estranged from her father, their shared viewing sessions have become a nostalgic pipe dream. Dennis attended the meeting seeking a fleeting sense of camaraderie.
Returning to the conversation, Janie informs John that the estate agent, Helena, met with Anthony to list the house. Helena confirmed details over the phone a few days prior, indicating they were still deliberating but hadn't made a final decision. She hastily responded to get the agent off the phone, drowning in the torrent of work.
They accuse her of assaulting Anthony, casting a shadow of suspicion over Helena. In her defense, Helena claims that Anthony was driven by selfish motives, attempting to sell the home she cherished. She admits to a heated argument that escalated into physical confrontation, where she struck him. Meanwhile, John recalls a peculiar detail: the name cards were misplaced, yet Helena insists she had personally checked them. Upon closer inspection, she notices an anomaly—a card bearing the name "Lorna Maddison," a name unfamiliar to anyone present. Patty, supposed to be Mary Murphy O'Toole, had clearly been the victim of card tampering.
During a phone conversation, Evan unveils that Lorna, a production assistant on the television show Phoenix, tragically passed away in a car accident in 2007. Exhausted after a 15-hour workday, she fell asleep at the wheel while driving from the set to London, intending to collect Anthony's mail from his residence. Lorna left behind a grieving husband and a six-month-old daughter.Evan also mentions an update from Baxter on the toxicology report, revealing traces of ethylene glycol in Anthony's system—an attempt to poison him. John immediately connects this to Anthony's complaint about his margarita being too sweet, subtly implicating Izzy in his demise.
Janie poses a theory, suggesting that someone sought revenge for Lorna's fate, hypothesizing that it could be Lorna's daughter, now approximately 18 years old. She wonders if Izzy was desperate to dispose of the letter swiftly. Interrogating Izzy shortly after, Janie confronts her with the accusation, but Izzy denies being Lorna's daughter. Janie remains skeptical, sensing inconsistencies in Izzy's story. Returning to John, she reveals that Izzy, an actress, had given Anthony a headshot. John ponders over this revelation and begins to piece together the puzzle. He concludes that it wasn't Lorna's daughter but another "daughter" entirely.
Janie and John confront the guests, with John revealing the haunting story of Lorna Maddison. The letter opener, he explains, serves as a symbolic reminder of a deeper connection. Dennis emerges as the glaring inconsistency from the outset, his bond with Anthony unbroken by any falling out. The sorrowful truth unfolds: Dennis can never see his daughter again because Lorna is no longer alive.
John declares his dislike for witnessing Anthony bullying Izzy in the same manner he had previously mistreated Lorna. Dennis, insistent that Anthony is responsible for his daughter's demise, recounts the sequence of events preceding the tragic occurrence. He had approached Anthony, initially requesting an autograph for his daughter before casually mentioning her name, only to stab Anthony unexpectedly with a letter opener. Meanwhile, Janie confides in Owen, revealing that he had commenced his sinister plot to eliminate his father long ago. She claims he had been surreptitiously poisoning him with brake fluid, hinting that traces of it would be discovered in the tequila bottle. Owen, expressing a sense of relief upon witnessing his father's lifeless body at the table, expresses gratitude towards Dennis. Believing himself to be scott-free and poised to inherit everything, Owen's bubble bursts when Janie informs him she faces charges of attempted murder. Helena, unwavering in her stance, refuses to assist him in securing the services of a competent attorney.
Elsewhere, Evan informs Janie of a grim discovery: instead of a sheep's carcass, there was a human corpse in the drain, having laid there undiscovered for years. Clarke, eager to solve this perplexing case, urges them to act swiftly. As John prepares to depart, he extends an invitation to Helena for dinner, hoping to reminisce about the good old days. She graciously accepts his proposal. Bill Marcus, who has been discreetly snapping photos throughout the ordeal, asks for a picture of Janie and John together. Patty mentions that Janie's social media presence has skyrocketed due to these photos, but Janie pleads with them to delete them, fearing her job is on the line. To her horror, she learns that her image alongside John has made it to the newspapers. Hardly had she processed this information when Clarke's call interrupted her thoughts once more.
