10 December 2025

Mark picks up the post . . . 

Mark comes downstairs and picks up the post from the doormat as he walks through into the kitchen, turning on both the kettle and the radio.   

. . . and finds one item of interest . . .

Then he looks at what has been delivered, two of which he tosses down, 

. . . addressed to Cheryl

but the third attracts his attention;  it appears to be a Christmas card and is addressed to Cheryl.   

He quickly opens it

He wastes no time in opening it.

"Lining your stomach before the stag do?"

Tom and Gaynor are about to leave the Deri after their meal;  Cai is by the bar and comments, “Lining your stomach before the stag do?”   

"A treat for my lovely wife-to-be"

Tom replies that it is a treat for his lovely wife-to-be.

"And what will you be doing?"

Cassie wonders what Gaynor will be doing while Tom is enjoying himself;  

"Tom's arranged a spa day for me"

“Tom’s arranged a spa day for me,” she answers.

"Did you finish the work in the garden?"

“Did you finish the work in the garden?” Cai asks, but is told that they have been concentrating on the wedding.   “I’m more than happy to come back,” Cai continues, 

"No, thanks"

but his offer is refused.   “Let me know if you change your minds,” says Cai, who is about to leave, 

"I can come any time"

“I can come and work in the garden whenever is convenient.”

Mark comes int the with the card

Mark comes in, with the card in his hand, looking very suspiciously at Tom, who is leaving with Gaynor.   

"Louise has been in touch"

He informs Cassie, “Louise has been in touch – she hasn’t heard from Cheryl in two years.”

"According to Tom"

“But that’s who Cheryl went to stay with, according to Tom,” Cassie tells him.   He shows her the card which arrived this morning;  he knows that he should not have opened it, but something was telling him to do so.

"There's a phone number here"

Cassie points out that there is a phone number there;  “Yes, but there’s something else,” Mark adds, 

"That's not an address in Stoke"

“That’s not an address in Stoke, is it?”

He is instructed that he has to phone her – and then they might get a few answers to their questions at long last.   

Mark dials the number

He takes out his phone and puts on his glasses.

Eleri has called in Dani's cleaning service

Eleri has asked Dani to clean at Cysgod y Glyn.   She points out the stain which is on the front door;  “Not much of a welcome, is it?   But I fell out with Marigolds years ago – are you sure you’re all right to do it?   And then a deep clean inside?” 

"The place will be spotless"

Dani assures her that the place will be spotless;  “If you do a good job, I might offer you some work in Brynawelon,” says Eleri.    Dani rolls up her sleeves and gets started.

"Can I hide these here?"

Colin comes into the Deri, asking Cassie if he can hide some things there for the stag party later;  

"Very lifelike"

he demonstrates one of the Gaynor masks, which he is very pleased with.   

"It's been a big job . . ."

“It’s been a big job, organising all these events,” he says, “The hen do last week, the stag tonight – and then the main event on Christmas Day.   

". . . I'm surprised they didn't ask me to organise the honeymoon!"

“I’m a bit surprised they haven’t asked me to organise the honeymoon!”

In the background, Mark has finished his conversation with Louise and beckons to Cassie;  

"None of Cheryl's friends have seen her"

he reports, “None of Cheryl’s friends have heard from her or seen since before last Christmas.   Louise thought she was still here in Cwmderi – it doesn’t make sense, does it?   

"Why would Tom say that?"

“Why would Tom say that she’d gone to Stoke, when Louise doesn’t even live in Stoke?”

"To throw dust in our eyes"

Cassie is confident that it was done to throw dust in their eyes;  “I’ve sensed that there was a big lie here right from the start.”   

Mark wonders why he would lie – unless he was hiding something;  

"Cass, there's something really wrong here!"

“Cass, there’s something really wrong here – I can feel it!   Where is she?”

Dani is still working on that door

Cai passes Cysgod y Glyn, where Dani is still vigorously scrubbing at the front door;  

"What has that door done to you?"

“What has that door done to you?” he asks and she replies that some things will just not budge.

"Things with Lleucu are still not that great"

“No,” he agrees, “Things with Lleucu are still not great after she saw us kissing.”   Dani regards it as an awkward situation, but he says that it does not have to be, inviting Dani to come over and talk to Lleucu, but she does not think that is a good idea.

"I don't have the energy . . ."

“Do you know what, Cai?   I don’t have the energy – Christmas is difficult – 

". . . and I might not be here, anyway"

“and I might not be here anyway.   I’ve had an offer from a friend.”

"I'm here, if you want to do anything"

Cai reminds her that he is there if she wants to do anything, 

"I need some space at the moment"

but she maintains that she needs some space at the moment – she has to be OK.

He meets Gaynor by Bethania 

As he walks further along the road, he meets Gaynor;  

"The stag has left you on your own"

“So the stag has left you on your own – I hardly see you without Tom these days.”   

"That's how couples are"

She answers that is how couples are before they get married.

"As long as your eyes are open"

“Just as long as your eyes are open,” Cai remarks and she wonders what he means by that, so he adds, “I just want you to be completely sure that you’re doing the right thing, marrying him.   The way he talked to you in the garden the other day wasn’t right, Gaynor.”   

"I'm sure I'm doing the right thing"

Once more Gaynor springs to Tom’s defence, appreciating Cai’s concern but sure that she is doing the right thing.   “We’re so happy – and I know I don’t have to explain myself to you, but he was having a very bad day that day.   

"He has a lot on his mind"

“He had a lot on his mind – he doesn’t usually talk to me like that.”

Cai is dubious

Cai is evidently not totally convinced.

Tom studies the snow globe

When Tom hears the door of Llwyncelyn open, he quickly puts back the snow globe that he has been looking at.   Gaynor apologises that she got held up 

"Oh, very smart!"

and admires his smart appearance.   “You’ll have to leave soon to go to the spa,” he tells her, “You can relax while I’m celebrating.”

She does not sound very eager, 

"Those hot stones are all the rage"

so he goes on, “Those hot stones are all the rage, according to the Internet.   What’s wrong?”

"It's just something Cai said"

She hesitantly replies, “Well, I don’t want to upset you but . . . it’s just something Cai said.   Before you get angry, 

"I think you should invite him . . ."

“I think you should invite him to the stag do.”

"Why should I do that?"

“Why would I do that?” Tom snarls.   She argues that Cai should realise that he has got the wrong impression of Tom 

"It would be nice if everyone were friends"

and that it would be nice if everyone were friends.   

"Yes, I'll text him now"

Tom agrees with this and will text him now.

"How am I going to work this into my plans?"

While Gaynor finds his number, Tom gives the matter some thought.

Colin takes advantage of the drinks

In the Deri, where the stag party appears to have started without Tom,  Colin tells Mark, “I know you’re not a big fan of Tom, 

"Gaynor is happy you're here tonight"

“but Gaynor is very happy you’re here tonight.”

"You're good friends with him, are you?"

You’re good friends with him, then?” Mark wonders, but he is urged to just give Tom a chance.   Hywel comes in and is surprised to see two people wearing Gaynor masks.

Cai received the invitation

At the bar, Cai receives a text message on his phone, which he seems to find significant.   Hywel is asking, “Has anyone prepared some marital advice for him?”   Colin reckons that they should be able to tell him a thing or two, considering they were both married to her.

"You'll have to make yourself scarce when Tom gets here"

Cai goes over to join them, but is warned that he will have to make himself scarce when Tom arrives.   

"He's asked if I want to join you>

“He’s just texted asking me if I want to join you,” says Cai, so he too is issued with a Gaynor mask.

"Is that Griffiths hiding behind that mask?"

Cai jokingly suggests that it is Griffiths hiding behind the mask, so Hywel  thinks, “I’d better take this off if he thinks I sound like him.”   

"How lucky am I . . ."

Then the door opens and Tom arrives;  he exclaims, “How lucky am I?   

". . . with more than one Gaynor!"

“I get to spend the night with more than one Gaynor.   Cai, I’m glad you accepted the invitation at such short notice.”

"That's where all your friends are, isn't it?"

“Glad to be here, but I’m surprised the stag do isn’t in the garden – that’s where all your friends are, isn’t it?”   

"Pint of lager, please, Cassie"

Cai turns and walks to the bar, asking Cassie for a pint of lager.   

"They're enjoying themselves"

She sarcastically comments that they appear to be enjoying themselves over there, but both he and Mark insist that they are only there for Gaynor.

"There's something very dangerous about that bloke"

“There’s something very dangerous about that bloke,” begins Cai, “A couple of weeks ago, Gaynor asked me to do a job for her in the garden at Llwyncelyn.   He arrived and went crazy – I don’t know why, but it makes you think he’s hiding something there.   

"It's not right, the way he talks to her"

“I’ve tried telling Gaynor that it’s not right that he talks to her like he did.   She insists that it was a one-off, but I don’t believe a word of it.”

"He wouldn't have done anything to her, wold he?"

Mark looks at Cassie with horror and gasps, “It’s not possible, is it?   He wouldn’t have done something to her, would he?”   

"Do you think that's where Cheryl is?"

Cassie demands whether he thinks that is where Cheryl is.   

Can looks at him . . . 

Cai looks across

. . . carousing without a care in the world

 to where Tom is happily drinking.

Dani has finished her job

Having finished her cleaning job at Cysgod y Glyn, Dani is just leaving 

"Hiya, Dani!"

when Jinx approaches;  she tells him that Eleri wanted the place spring cleaned, 

"That's a bit random, isn't it?"

which he regards as ‘a bit random’.   

"What's this doing in here?"

Then he notices in her bag of rubbish the advent calendar, 

"I gave this to Eleri!"

which he had just given to Eleri.

Dani explains that it was in the bin;  “Perhaps it was a mistake – don’t you talk to each other or what?”   He picks up the box, takes advantage of the open door and goes in.

They seem to be 'knocking back the hard stuff'

In the Deri, the three partygoers are busy downing shorts, while Mark and Cai stand at the bar.   Tom will get the next round, to say thank you to them all, especially Colin;  

"You've been so good, Col . . ."

“You’ve been so good, helping to organise the perfect wedding for Gaynor.”

". . . and do you know what she'd really love?"

Colin agrees that she deserves it.   “And do you know what she’d really love?” Tom goes on, 

"We've got this snow globe at home"

“We’ve got this snow globe at home and she loves it.   We should re-create that scene because the winter wedding is everything to her.   

"A snow machine"

“Could you find out how much it would cost to get a snow machine – you know, as a surprise?”

Colin thinks that is a wonderful idea, 

"Why can't you do that yourself?"

but Hywel wonders why Tom cannot do that himself;  

"Because he's kind, isn't he?"

“Because he’s so kind, isn’t he?” is Tom’s reply.

But he is not finished yet; 

Now he wants Elin Fflur to sing as well

“Can you also see how much it would cost to get Elin Fflur to sing on Christmas Day?   I just want it to be perfect!”

"Can we have more shots for the boys, please?"

Colin regards this as genius and Tom shouts to Cassie, “Can we have more shots for the boys, please?   What are you doing over here there?   This is a stag do, not Merched y Wawr!”  [Womens Institute]

"I've got a bad feeling about this – and him!"

Mark mutters to Cassie, “After talking to Louise, I’ve got a bad feeling about all this – and about him.”   

"That's a bit far-fetched"

Cai thinks that reaching the conclusion that he has killed Cheryl and buried her in the garden is a bit far-fetched.

"They haven't heard from her since last Christmas"

“But neither Louise or any of her friends have seen or heard from Cheryl since last Christmas – and no-one saw her leave Cwmderi, apart from Tom – and how can we take his word for it?”

"He's used to telling lies, isn't he?"

As far as Cassie is concerned, it makes perfect sense;  “He’s used to telling lies, isn’t he?   But listen, I think that he’s also been seeing Ffion.   

"How does she know he has a tattoo on his thigh?"

“How does she know that he’s got a tattoo on his thigh?”   Cai maintains that does not prove anything, but Mark confirms what Cassie suspects.

"They were having an affair . . ."

“They were having an affair – 

". . . but Ffion says it's over now"

“but Ffion says that it is over now,” he tells them and Cassie demands whether Gaynor knows this.

"Shouldn't someone tell Gaynor?"

“Shouldn’t someone tell her so that she doesn’t marry the swine?”   

"We should concentrate on what happened to Cheryl"

Mark insists that what they should do now is to concentrate on what happened to Cheryl.   That will show Gaynor exactly the kind of bloke Tom really is.

"And say what?"

Cai suggests they should report this to the police;  “And say what?   We’re not sure of anything yet,” Mark reminds him.

"There's  only one way to find out"

Cassie points out that they do not have any proof, but Cai maintains that there is only one way they could find out.   Mark agrees that it would give them some answers.   “I’ve got some tools in the car. – so now is the perfect opportunity,” says Cai.

"Well, go now, then"

Cassie tells them that if they are going to do this, they should go now and she will take some more drinks over to the stag party.

Jinx strums his guitar

In Cysgod y Glyn, Jinx is strumming his guitar with a suitably Christmas tune when Eleri comes in, once again demanding why he is there.   “Wow – what a welcome!” he exclaims, “Dani let me in.”

"Hoe many time do I have to tell you?"

“How many times do I have to tell you?   I don’t like you landing here without telling me first,” she moans.

“Sorry for wanting to spend time with you,” he groans, 

"Do you like this tune?"

“I left my guitar here – hey, do you like this tune?” and plays a few bars of ‘In the bleak midwinter’.

"No – but I do like how clean this flat is"

“No, not really, but I do like how clean this flat is,” she replies.   He wonders why she wanted the place to be cleaned – 

"Why was the advent calendar in the bin?"

and why the advent calendar was in the bin.   

"I don't like that kind of chocolate"

Her answer is that she does not like that kind of chocolate.

"I spent a lot of money on those"

Jinx protests, “You haven’t tried it – I spent a lot of money on those – they’re special – I went to a lot of trouble!   Why are you so busy these days?”

"The Brynawelon Christmas party"

Eleri informs him that she has to arrange lots of things, explaining that the Brynawelon Christmas party is this week and she has not got any entertainment.   “If you’re so worried, bring your guitar over.”

"All right – on one condition"

She is surprised that he agrees with this, but he has one condition;  “That you try one of those chocolates – go on!”   

"Yeah, it's nice"

She tries one and has to admit that it is nice.   

"Scrooge is starting to melt"

“Scrooge is starting to melt,” he predicts, but she would not go that far and throws the rest of the chocolates to him, commenting that she needs a peppermint tea.

Jinx notices something

Jinx once again picks up his guitar, but notices something under the coffee table;  

Welcome to your new home

some keys with a red label attached, reading ‘Welcome to your new home.’   He finds this rather puzzling.

Ready for some exhumation

Cai and Mark march down the garden at Llwyncelyn, wielding their spades;  “This is where he was shouting at me,” says Cai.   

"I don't know if I can do this . . ."

Mark hesitates, not sure whether he can do this, but Cai insists that they are there now.

". . . what it she's there, Cai?"

“What if she’s there, Cai?”   

"There's only one way to find out"

He is told that there is only one way to find out 

The soil does not seem to have been recently disturbed

and they begin to dig in what appears to be rather hard soil, considering the interment that has taken place.

Is Hywel having difficulty standing?

The stag party continues, apparently with Hywel leaning on Tom’s shoulder to keep him upright.   

"You've been a good friend, Hywel"

Tom says, “It hasn’t always been easy living here, but you’ve been a good friend.”   Hywel appreciates him inviting Cai there as well, as he has been a very lonely bloke.

Tom concedes that he can come to the wedding as well if that is what Gaynor wants, 

Tom looks around for Cai

then realises that Cai is nowhere to be seen.   

"Have you seen Cai?"

He asks Colin if he has seen Cai, 

"I've been talking to Britt on the phone"

but he has been on the phone to Britt.   He says that he will buy Tom a large whisky now, 

Tom is really worried now . . .

but Tom is far more interested in finding Cai.

. . . and rushes out of the Deri

He grabs his coat and disappears out of the door, which Colin thinks is rather strange;  

Cassie knows what is going on

Cassie, on the other hand, knows exactly what is going on.   

"Where's he gone now?"

Hywel returns with some more shorts, but finds now that Tom is missing as well.

They have not found anything yet

the garden, their excavations have not revealed anything;  “Well, you said there was something there,” insists Mark, but Cai maintains that he only suspected.   They will have to dig deeper.   

"No, it's only a root"

Cai detects something, but finds that it is only a root.

“What are we doing here?” groans Mark, 

"What are you doing here?"

then they turn to see Tom approaching down the path, demanding what they are doing in the garden.

"Why aren't you celebrating in the Deri?"

“Why aren’t you in the Deri, celebrating?   You’ve got nothing to say now, have you?   What are you looking for?”

"What happened to Cheryl?"

“What happened to Cheryl?” Mark demands, with a tremulous voice.

"Cheryl?   You don't think . . ?"

“Cheryl?   You’re looking for her here?   You didn’t think . . ?   You’ve got a vivid imagination.”

"Concern, fear, suspicion"

Mark would rather describe it as, “Concern, fear, suspicion – because we know that she hasn’t been with Louise in Stoke – so why would you tell us that?”

"You sound completely crazy!"

Tom maintains that is what Cheryl told him, adding, “Can you hear yourselves?   You sound completely crazy!”

"It's not crazy to look fr someone who's missing!"

Mark insists that it is not crazy to look for someone who is missing.   

"Het out of here before I phone the police!"

Tom threatens them, “Get out of here before I phone the police!” 

"Come on, Mark"

and they comply with his instruction.

Tom watches them go . . .

Tom watches them walk up the path 

. . . then stares down at the ground

then looks down at the patch they have been excavating.

"That bloke's hiding something"

When they get back to the car, Cai says, “That bloke’s hiding something.”

"I'm not going to stop until I find out what it is"

Mark adds, “And I’m not going to stop until I find out what it is.”