Louise Butler is raising money at a pawnbroker, McGuinness, who will only advance money on her dress. While she is changing, some men burst into the shop and shoot McGuinness. Louise hears this and runs away from the shop. The killers pursue and catch her, and stab her, leaving her for dead. When the Constabulary come on the scene, they find the pawnbroker dead and Louise alive but gravely wounded, unable to feel her legs.
Inspector Brackenreid has been called to the jail, where a prisoner has been found hanging in his cell. The man, Reginald Pullen, had recently been asking for the Inspector; the two had served together in the British army in Afghanistan. Prison guard Potter tells Brackenreid that Pullen was alive, sitting up in bed, when he made his rounds at 4am.
In the hospital, Louise Butler tells Murdoch that she didn't see anyone in the pawn shop; she only heard what was going on through a curtain. She is sitting up in bed, but says she cannot walk, despite the doctor saying her injury should not be preventing her walking. The doctor feels Louise is only pretending to be paralysed to take advantage of the hospital's free bed and board.
Back at Police Station 4, Inspector Brackenreid is going through the possessions of Reg Pullen, and calling to mind a previous occasion where Pullen was in a cell at Police Station 4 after a bar brawl, and Pullen had told Brackenreid that he had been stripped of his Victoria Cross, the highest award for valour within the British Empire, for dishonourable conduct following another brawl six months earlier. At the morgue, Dr Grace tells the Inspector that Pullen's death was not suicide, but murder: Pullen had been struck on the head, then strangled, then posed in his cell.
Brackenreid returns to the jail to speak to Mr Hobson, who had befriended Pullen; Hobson was a former inmate now gone straight, who works in the library, helping current inmates with their rehabilitation. Hobson thinks it a great pity that Pullen took his life, as he was due for release in a few months. One of the inmates, Richard Walker, takes an interest in the conversation, and tries to join in, but Brackenreid tells him to shut up. Later, Brackenreid seeks out Walker in the exercise yard. Walker makes a show of refusing to talk to him, but quietly agrees to talk later.
Murdoch seeks help from Dr Ogden regarding Louise Butler's paralysis, and she goes with him to see her.
Inspector Brackenreid visits Prison Warder Browning, to inform him Pullen was murdered, which doesn't seem to surprise him, and also to request to see the prisoner Walker. Warder Browning takes the Inspector to Walker, in solitary confinement, but they find Walker dead on the floor of the cell. Brackenreid returns to Hobson in the prison library, but learns little of use about Pullen or Walker, other than that Walker had a reputation as a magpie, someone who would help himself to anything that belonged to anyone, if it took his fancy.
In the hospital, Detective Murdoch (with Dr Ogden sitting in) asks Louise if she recognises anyone in his photograph album of villains, but she repeats that she didn't see anyone. Dr Ogden asks Louise to try walking, but she cannot even stand. Seeing this, she asks the hospital doctor to transfer Louise into her care.
Meanwhile, Constable Crabtree reports that McGuinness was little more than a loan shark, and many people might have wished him ill, especially as he employed heavies like Leeland Flowers to collect outstanding payments. Flowers tells Murdoch that late payers generally find the money if he needs to call on them for a second time.
At the morgue Dr Grace tells Crabtree that Walker died from two stab wounds to the heart, and she also points out that Walker had soot under his fingernails and in his hair. Dr Grace goes on to find a glass eyeball in Walker's stomach.
Brackenreid and Murdoch visit the prison, and lean a little on guard Potter, but to no avail. Brackenreid goes on to speak to Hobson alone, and tells him how Pullen won his VC. It was for repeatedly retrieving wounded comrades while under enemy fire. Brackenreid says he was the first man Pullen saved on that occasion, and shows his regret for letting Pullen down in civilian life. Inspector Brackenreid arranges a parade of the jail inmates, but discover none missing an eye. However, acting on a hunch, Brackenreid removes the heel from one of Pullen's boots and discovers $50 concealed inside.
Dr Ogden finally makes a breakthrough with Louise. She can remember three men at the pawn shop, and may be able to identify the one who fired the shot.
A customer of the pawn shop comes to Police Station 4 to claim the glass eye, which he pawned there.
So how did the eyeball from the pawnbroker end up in the stomach of the prisoner Walker? Why did both Pullen and Walker want to speak to Brackenreid before they were killed? How did Pullen come by the $50? Who killed Pullen and Walker, and why? Will Louise ever walk again?
This is an absorbing episode with a strong focus on Inspector Brackenreid. So many strands contribute to a satisfying story.
Inspector Brackenreid has been called to the jail, where a prisoner has been found hanging in his cell. The man, Reginald Pullen, had recently been asking for the Inspector; the two had served together in the British army in Afghanistan. Prison guard Potter tells Brackenreid that Pullen was alive, sitting up in bed, when he made his rounds at 4am.
In the hospital, Louise Butler tells Murdoch that she didn't see anyone in the pawn shop; she only heard what was going on through a curtain. She is sitting up in bed, but says she cannot walk, despite the doctor saying her injury should not be preventing her walking. The doctor feels Louise is only pretending to be paralysed to take advantage of the hospital's free bed and board.
Back at Police Station 4, Inspector Brackenreid is going through the possessions of Reg Pullen, and calling to mind a previous occasion where Pullen was in a cell at Police Station 4 after a bar brawl, and Pullen had told Brackenreid that he had been stripped of his Victoria Cross, the highest award for valour within the British Empire, for dishonourable conduct following another brawl six months earlier. At the morgue, Dr Grace tells the Inspector that Pullen's death was not suicide, but murder: Pullen had been struck on the head, then strangled, then posed in his cell.
Brackenreid returns to the jail to speak to Mr Hobson, who had befriended Pullen; Hobson was a former inmate now gone straight, who works in the library, helping current inmates with their rehabilitation. Hobson thinks it a great pity that Pullen took his life, as he was due for release in a few months. One of the inmates, Richard Walker, takes an interest in the conversation, and tries to join in, but Brackenreid tells him to shut up. Later, Brackenreid seeks out Walker in the exercise yard. Walker makes a show of refusing to talk to him, but quietly agrees to talk later.
Murdoch seeks help from Dr Ogden regarding Louise Butler's paralysis, and she goes with him to see her.
Inspector Brackenreid visits Prison Warder Browning, to inform him Pullen was murdered, which doesn't seem to surprise him, and also to request to see the prisoner Walker. Warder Browning takes the Inspector to Walker, in solitary confinement, but they find Walker dead on the floor of the cell. Brackenreid returns to Hobson in the prison library, but learns little of use about Pullen or Walker, other than that Walker had a reputation as a magpie, someone who would help himself to anything that belonged to anyone, if it took his fancy.
In the hospital, Detective Murdoch (with Dr Ogden sitting in) asks Louise if she recognises anyone in his photograph album of villains, but she repeats that she didn't see anyone. Dr Ogden asks Louise to try walking, but she cannot even stand. Seeing this, she asks the hospital doctor to transfer Louise into her care.
Meanwhile, Constable Crabtree reports that McGuinness was little more than a loan shark, and many people might have wished him ill, especially as he employed heavies like Leeland Flowers to collect outstanding payments. Flowers tells Murdoch that late payers generally find the money if he needs to call on them for a second time.
At the morgue Dr Grace tells Crabtree that Walker died from two stab wounds to the heart, and she also points out that Walker had soot under his fingernails and in his hair. Dr Grace goes on to find a glass eyeball in Walker's stomach.
Brackenreid and Murdoch visit the prison, and lean a little on guard Potter, but to no avail. Brackenreid goes on to speak to Hobson alone, and tells him how Pullen won his VC. It was for repeatedly retrieving wounded comrades while under enemy fire. Brackenreid says he was the first man Pullen saved on that occasion, and shows his regret for letting Pullen down in civilian life. Inspector Brackenreid arranges a parade of the jail inmates, but discover none missing an eye. However, acting on a hunch, Brackenreid removes the heel from one of Pullen's boots and discovers $50 concealed inside.
Dr Ogden finally makes a breakthrough with Louise. She can remember three men at the pawn shop, and may be able to identify the one who fired the shot.
A customer of the pawn shop comes to Police Station 4 to claim the glass eye, which he pawned there.
So how did the eyeball from the pawnbroker end up in the stomach of the prisoner Walker? Why did both Pullen and Walker want to speak to Brackenreid before they were killed? How did Pullen come by the $50? Who killed Pullen and Walker, and why? Will Louise ever walk again?
This is an absorbing episode with a strong focus on Inspector Brackenreid. So many strands contribute to a satisfying story.
