This summary is in no way intended as a substitute for viewing this fabulous episode.
Continued...
In the bar room, O'Halloran tells Sam that when you work with fuel you cannot get it out from under your skin and fingernails. He grabs her wrist, asking angrily why she does not have a tanker driver's hands. Andrew steps in and tells him he is not wanted in the club. Douglas says, "You, or your mates!" Another pilot snipes, "Bloody bog-dwellers!" A fight ensues, Andrew delivering the first punch. Rex throws his jacket to Connie and joins in. Connie runs home just as the MPs arrive. Throwing herself on her bed, she weeps. She takes a framed photograph of Rex from her bedside table and tosses it to the floor, breaking the glass.
Next morning, carpeted by his CO, Andrew denies starting the fight. CO: "I thought we were fighting the Germans, not the Irish." AF: "Well, everyone knows whose side the Irish are really on." The CO says that they are neutral, but Andrew takes the view that a neutral position helps the enemy. He says that they give no support, but the CO counters with the fact that thousands of Irish volunteers are in the forces, fighting for Britain. Andrew has no answer for this. The CO adds that, with the shortage of men, Irish labour is needed. He dismisses Andrew after a brief reprimand, saying that he, Talbot and Wright would be on a charge if they weren't such damn good pilots.
Back at the police station, Milner tells Foyle that O'Halloran had been interviewed twice by Special Branch about bombing incidents, but no connection with the IRA had been established. Foyle asks about the fight at the club and is astonished to be told that his son started it. Milner asks his boss if he should tell Sam about O'Halloran. "No, it wouldn't help, she's far too imaginative. But any sign of any more trouble and we'll get her right out."
At the depot, Sam is told off by Bennett who does not want "any of my girls involved in bar room brawls." Mrs B is in the office and as she opens the safe Sam takes careful note of the lock combination.
As Vi walks along a road with Andrew, she complains about the fight. He tries to shut her up by saying that he's crazy about her, but she challenges this saying that he hasn't even taken her home yet. Again, he explains that he lives with his father. "Can't I meet him?""You don't want to meet him?"
"Why not? What's wrong with him?"
"Nothing, but…" He diverts her attention by saying they'll go back to The Flamingo tonight. She wants assurance that they are going to be together after the war. He says of course they are and begins to kiss her. Vi does not notice when he takes time out between kisses to look over her shoulder at Sam driving past in a tanker.
At the depot, as Sam pipes petrol from a tanker into the storage tank, she talks to Connie, who is watching the tanker gauge. Connie is scathing about Andrew's part in the fight - "rushing in like a knight in shining armour" - and asks Sam if she was going out with him before he met Rex. Sam avoids the question. Connie calls her to stop the transfer as all the fuel has gone through, but when Sam looks at the gauge it shows 200 gallons still in the tanker. Connie dismisses it by saying that the tanker is empty, its just that the gauges sometimes stick. Sam is thoughtful on the journey back. Connie insists on dropping her off on the way, telling her she can get off early and catch a bus home. This gives Sam something more to think about.
Connie drives to a location in the woods where she meets Carter. She tells him she does not want to continue, but he says that they will be stopping altogether soon and she can't get out that easily. They proceed to transfer petrol from the tanker to barrels on a truck.
Sam reports back to Foyle and Milner at the station, telling them about Connie and the 200 gallons. Already convinced that Gannon is at the bottom of the petrol theft, they now begin to suspect a link between him and Bennett.
In his office in The Flamingo, Frank Gannon is plying Connie with whisky while trying to get her to say why she is crying.
Foyle tells the head of department at the Petroleum Board of the links suspected between Bennett and a well-known crook. The man wants to close down Bexhill and do an immediate audit, but Foyle does not want him to act before he has made any arrests. He is given another forty-eight hours.
Rex, Douglas, Andrew and Vi are in The Flamingo when Connie walks through the bar. Rex approaches her, but she pushes him away, saying that she does not want to see him. She cries and shouts about being tired of being used and pushed around. "I've had enough. I know something. Do you know what I know? I've got a little secret and maybe it's time I started sharing it around." Andrew insists on taking her home. As they leave, the Bennetts, standing nearby hear her Connie saying that she is going to tell everyone.
Next morning, Connie does not turn up for work. Sam goes to her home and when she gets no reply, she finds the door key where she knows it is hidden and lets herself in. She finds Connie lying dead at the foot of a flight of stairs. When Foyle and Milner come to the scene, they ascertain that the woman fell down the stairs and broke her neck. Milner suggests that bruising on her wrist indicates a possible struggle and that perhaps she fell out with the petrol racketeer. Foyle isn't convinced. In Connie's room upstairs, Milner tells Foyle that she shared with a woman called Violet Davis, to which he responds "Well, well, well." A search reveals the broken photograph frame and Foyle recognises Rex. There is a tin of bicarbonate of soda on the dressing table. Milner comments that his wife uses it. Foyle finds a diary under Connie's pillow; there is another photograph inside - of his son. Outside the building Foyle tells Sam that it looks like murder. Sam confirms that it was Rex Talbot that Connie was seeing."What about the other girl? Was she seeing anyone?" He already knows the answer, but Sam is reluctant to give it.
"I don't really know."
"You don't really know?… Oh, look, for God's sake just tell me the truth. Do you think I'm an idiot? Really! Don't keep anything from me just because it involves my son, alright? She was seeing Andrew, wasn't she?"
Sam admits it, but says that she knows Andrew is not involved in this. Foyle snaps, "Well, of course he's involved, it's quite obvious that he's involved… and it's murder and that means nobody is protected, not even him. You understand?" He walks off to his car.
As Milner interviews Vi at the depot, Foyle joins them and Milner explains who he is. Vi is too upset to take note of his name. She says that Rex was Connie's only boyfriend, but then says there was a possibility of her seeing someone else, and then she tells what happened in the club. Foyle ascertains that Vi was not at home but at a hotel with her boyfriend the previous night. Vi assures them that she is not "that sort of a girl", she hadn't done that sort of thing before, but he is more than a boyfriend, they are going to be married. Foyle's expression does not change as he continues to ask questions. Vi tells him that Andrew took Connie home and then went back for her. She smiles as she says, "His name is Andrew Foyle and he's the most wonderful man I've ever met and…"
Vi suddenly connects the names and her smile fades. Foyle's expression, too, has changed. As Foyle and Milner walk out of the building, the DCS runs a hand wearily over his face. Milner says he realises that this has put him in a difficult position and Foyle agrees, "That's a bloody understatement, Milner!"
"I'm sure Andrew is above suspicion."
"Is he? He's not above mine."
Foyle and Milner go straight to the airfield to interview Rex and Andrew. This is the first that Rex has heard of his girlfriend's death and he reacts accordingly, but something in his response to questions arouses the suspicions of the two policemen. Out on the airfield, Foyle and Andrew walk as they talk. Andrew cannot believe that Rex could have had anything to do with Connie's death. He asks his father if he is a suspect, too. Foyle replies that Andrew was the last person to see the woman alive, but, no - he is not a suspect. Even so, Andrew begins to show aggravation at being questioned. Foyle shows him the photograph that was in Connie's diary. Andrew says it was taken when he got his wings and that he gave a copy to his father. He denies giving one to Connie. Foyle asks if he gave one to Violet and Andrew discovers that his father knows where he was last night. There is an unpleasant spat between them, Foyle being angry that he is the last to know about Vi and Andrew being angry that his father should assume he should be told about everything.
"You know Dad, I don't think you know me at all. I don't think you have any idea what goes on in my head." Foyle is being hurt and it shows. "You come here, of all places, and you ask these questions as if anybody really gives a damn." Andrew begins to shout. "Connie's dead! I had nothing to do with it! Rex had nothing to do with it! So just chuck it!" He storms off.
In the station, Foyle and Milner learn from the medical report that Connie was pregnant. Looking through her diary, Foyle finds notes of weekly payments made to her by "MB" whom they take to be Michael Bennett. There is no indication as to the identity of the father of her child or why she should have a photograph of Andrew. Thinking about Rex and Andrew, Foyle says that as either them could be the father, Milner should find out if either of them knew of the pregnancy. In the meantime, he will take steps to get Sam out of the depot. As Milner gets up to go, Foyle startles him by saying, "Incidentally, em, bicarbonate of soda… it turns out that Connie Dewar might have been taking it for morning sickness. Spoken to your wife?"
Foyle tells Sam that she must pull out of the depot job. She is reluctant, but agrees. Foyle speaks to Connie's doctor and learns that when he confirmed her pregnancy she said she was going to tell the father about it immediately after leaving his office.
Sam goes to tell Bennett that she is leaving, but he is in a hurry to go out and she takes on another petrol delivery instead.
At the airbase, the CO informs Rex that there is heavy action coming and he and the others will be back on ops any day now. As Rex leaves the CO, Milner arrives to question him about Connie's pregnancy. He says he didn't know about it, but he has to have been the father, and, yes, marriage was discussed but it was to be after the war. She probably did not tell him because she did not want to pressure him.
Foyle goes to see Gannon. He knows that it was to Gannon Connie went after leaving her doctor and the man cannot deny that he knew he was the father of her baby. Gannon says that the pregnancy was the result of a one night stand and admits that, as he is married, a baby would have been an embarrassment, but he could have arranged for an abortion. The implication is that, as Connie died three hours after telling Gannon, there was no time to decide what to do.
Andrew tells Vi about his father interrogating him about Connie. He asks her if she knows why Connie had a photograph of him under her pillow. She says no. Andrew asks if Vi told his father that they were going to be married and when she replies "Yes" he says he wishes she hadn't. It becomes obvious that he does not want to talk about marriage any more. Vi becomes angry, saying that talking marriage was just a way for him to get her into bed. "I've had enough of you. Connie always said that you can never trust a pilot and she was right!" Their relationship ends in that moment.
Sam returns from her petrol delivery and goes into the depot office which she knows to be empty. Recalling the combination of the safe lock, she opens it. As she is looking through the contents, someone approaches the office and she takes cover under the desk. A man walks in, places a suitcase on top of her hiding-place, and padlocks the office door as he leaves. Sam investigates the suitcase and discovers a bomb. She is unable to escape from the building because the windows are metal protected. Foyle is about to leave his office when his telephone rings. He sighs and answers. An almost panicking Foyle instructs Sam to take cover behind a table or something equally solid and then dives out of his office. Sam takes cover. The bomb ticks. Two police cars and a bomb disposal unit arrive at the depot and Foyle is the first through the office door when it is broken open. He rushes Sam out and the bomb squad take over.
Outside, an angry Foyle tells Sam that she has been "totally irresponsible". He is somewhat mollified, however, when she gives him a pile of requisition orders from the safe. A member of the bomb squad reports that Sam was lucky - the bomb was badly made and did not go off when it was supposed to. Although Sam could not say that O'Halloran was responsible, she asks if Foyle thinks it was the IRA. He seems doubtful, then voices his concern for Sam. "Anyway, are you alright?"
"I think so, sir. Look, I'm really sorry."
"Well, not as sorry as I'd have been if you'd been killed… I mean, the sergeant's a terrible driver."
Foyle and Milner, accompanied by uniformed police, arrive at O'Halloran's house as he is packing to leave. Their next stop is The Flamingo because O'Halloran has talked and they have enough to take Gannon into custody for being behind the planting of the bomb and the petrol thefts, together with Carter, whom they find with him.
Foyle and Milner meet in the depot office with the man from the Petroleum Board. Bennett says he knew nothing about the thefts. But Foyle has not come for him - it is Mrs B who is to be arrested. She had been changing the requisition orders to a higher figure so that more was taken from the tanks. The customer got what was ordered and Connie delivered the rest to Gannon, via Carter. The initials "MB" in Connie's diary were Connie's own form of shorthand and stood, not for Michael Bennett, but for Mrs B. Foyle explains to the man from the Petroleum Board that the bomb was planted to destroy all evidence of the crime. O'Halloran was hired to throw suspicion on the IRA if the police should get involved.
Sam is back in her police job and has taken Foyle to the airbase where he interviews Rex Talbot. Foyle explains that Rex gave himself away very early when he responded to the news of Connie's death. By saying that Violet must have seen what happened because they lived together, he appeared to know that the death had occurred at the flat, but Foyle had not said where Connie's body was found. Rex says that he knew about the child and that Connie would have forced him to marry her, but it was out of the question, his mother wouldn't hear of it as she would have considered a girl like that to be beneath him. Foyle tells him that the baby wasn't his and he knew this. He was trying to use the baby to hide the truth, just as he used Connie to hide the truth. Foyle had deduced that the photograph of Andrew found in Connie's diary belonged not to her, but to Rex. Rex explains how she would have come by it. When he threw his jacket to Connie before charging into the fight at the club, his wallet had fallen out of the pocket. She must have found the photograph when she picked it up. Foyle says that the rest is in her diary - she was confused about his feelings for her and the lack of anything physical, and the photograph explained it all. Rex admits that he has no interest in women, that his feelings were not for Connie, but for Andrew. "I disgust you."
With compassion, Foyle replies, "Not at all."
"I wish I could believe you."
"It's true."
Rex explains that he did not want the squadron to find out because he could not risk being kicked out of flying. Connie had threatened to expose him. He argued with her on the landing in the flat and he grabbed her wrists, but she pulled away from him and tumbled backwards and down the stairs. It was an accident, not murder. At this point, the bell for ops begins to ring and Rex pleads with Foyle to let him go on this one last flight. Foyle knows that an arrest should be made so that the matter can be dealt with, but Rex says that he is No.1 in the first section and to drop out now would jeopardise the whole operation. Foyle is in a quandary. He understands the importance of Rex's place in the mission and must also be thinking of the safety of his own son. With Rex's assurance that he will not run away, Foyle agrees to let him fly, but it is hard for him to do so - his "yes" is only a movement of the lips. As Rex turns to leave, he makes another request - that Andrew is not told. "You can just say it was because of the baby. I think I can bear any shame… but not that." Foyle gives an almost imperceptible nod. Getting into his car, Foyle watches the planes take off, one piloted by his son, and it can be only guessed as to what is going on in his mind.
Much later, Foyle is at home, standing, whisky in hand, obviously thinking and worrying about his boy. The door of the room opens and Andrew says, "Dad?" With relief, Foyle turns and says, "Andrew!" The younger man remains in the doorway. With obvious regret and speaking softly he says, "I'm sorry we argued."
"So am I… my fault."
Andrew tells his father that Rex is dead. Walking slowly into the room and continuing to talk softly, he describes the fatal dog-fight over the channel and how he watched the man's plane go down. Foyle listens with great sadness; there must also be in him the imagining of his own son in the midst of it. "I don't know how I will be able to carry on, Dad. He was my best friend." Foyle turns to his son and says gently, "He was a good man, so… carry on for him." Andrew nods, fighting back tears. "A good man." He goes to his father, puts his arms around him and holds him tightly while resting his head upon his right shoulder. Foyle puts his right arm around his son to clasp him to him. "One of the best."
Foyle's War dvd and videos are available from Amazon.com, Sendit.com (formerly Blackstar) and Deepdiscountdvd.com.