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Spoilers ahead!
December 1942
A young woman, Grace, leaves her bed early one morning to dress for work. Her boyfriend, attempting but failing to entice Grace back to their bed, reminds her to take her medicine before she leaves. "You heard what the quack said. You've got to look after yourself."
Changing into her coveralls in the factory change-room, Grace complains to her workmates about feeling 'tired'.
Later, working at her bench with TNT pellets and munitions, Grace swoons and drops the war head on the explosive pellet. Grace is killed in the explosion.
***
Paul Milner and Edith Ashford are walking to Edith's bus stop, hand in hand. Edith is trying to persuade Milner to come to her family for Christmas. "I've spoken to Mother and she'd love to see you again. You'd just be there as a friend of the family..." Milner accepts.
***
DCS Foyle walks into The Captain's Table, a restaurant set out with crisp white tablecloths, starched napkins and Christmas decorations. The proprietor, Mr Tremayne, informs him that the restaurant is not yet open but Foyle continues and introduces himself as Mr Black. He then asks if he can make a reservation for Christmas with the 'special menu'. After some delicate negotiations, Mr Tremayne offers to show Mr Black a sample of the 'special menu'. A waiter presents a tray overflowing with a large, partially plucked turkey.
"So, do we have a deal?" asks Mr Tremayne.
"We do, yup."
"How many will there be?"
"Oh, there's half a dozen of us…I'll introduce you," says Foyle, opening the restaurant door. Milner and several uniformed police file in.
Foyle leaves Milner to supervise the cleaning up operations and to collect the 'evidence'.
The policemen are in the restaurant's kitchen, eating, pocketing food and singing carols. Milner walks in on them and orders the men to put the food back - calling it theft, no better than the man they just arrested.
PC Peters confronts Milner. "What's the matter with you Mr Milner? You was never like this before they made you sergeant." Milner, outraged, cautions Peters, threatening to put him behind bars if any more food goes missing.
***
The turkey arrives at the station, followed closely by a goggle-eyed Sam. Sam questions Sergeant Brooks about the turkey. He says it probably came from Smithfield markets, his old stomping ground, now full of spivs and their tic-tac men.
"What will happen to it?
"I'm locking it up, until there's a trial."
"Why? It hasn't done anything..."
"Evidence, Miss Stewart. I thought it safest to put it behind bars. We wouldn't want it flying away now, would we?"
Sergeant Brooks calls sharply to PC Peters as the constable pushes through the front door. "I want a word with you!"
***
Mr Tremayne, sitting confidently in an interview room, tells Milner that he hasn't done anything wrong. "I've read the Poultry Order, there's nothing to stop anyone from buying and selling turkeys!" Milner reminds Tremayne that it is only for breeding. "I was going to breed it but it died!" Tremayne maintains he bought the turkey from a registered breeder but Milner points out that the signature on the bill is a fake, signed by "W. Churchill".
***
Foyle is approached at the station by Hilda Greenwood, an elderly workmate of Grace's. She sits in Foyle's office, stubbing out her cigarette, and explains her concerns about Grace's death while Foyle listens attentively. Grace was happy when she first arrived at the munitions factory but over the last few weeks she had been different. Mrs Greenwood tells Foyle that a week ago she had found Grace crying in the ladies room but all she would say was that "it's wrong to steal". "Now, I'm not saying anything, Mr Foyle, but you tell me - a girl who's been perfectly happy, suddenly changes over night. She's scared, she won't talk to anyone and she makes a mistake and suddenly - she's dead. Now they're all saying it's an accident. I just think someone ought to take a look. That's all."
***
Edward Baker, the munitions works manager, passes the hat around amongst the employees during their break. He is collecting for Grace's elderly mother who, he says, is 70 years old and all alone.
***
Grace's boyfriend, Harry, works on a motorcycle at Johnson's garage. His friend, Eric, offers his condolences. They go on to discuss some event that is to take place in three days time and which seems to be causing Eric some anxiety. Eric expresses concern, suggesting Grace's death might prevent the plans from going ahead. "Grace doesn't make any difference. Three days, that's when we are going to do it." Eric assures Harry that he is with him. "All the way."
***
Sam and Sergeant Brooks stare through the mesh in the evidence-room door at the secured 'evidence' before Sam departs to drive Mr Foyle home for the evening.
This turkey has surely earned a spot in the credits.
Milner finishes off his reports and, after leaving his office, finds Jane, his estranged wife, waiting near the front desk.
Jane says she has returned to Hastings because she wants to come back to him. "We are still married. I am still your wife. I know I was stupid, I know I made mistakes, but I want you to take me back," she pleads. Milner looks uncomfortable and glances around to see if anyone can hear them.
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