4 March 2025

Jinx is at the scene of the crime . . .

Jinx is crouching at the site where Ffion was attacked;  he picks up a branch

. . . and is thinking

and looks at it as Tom silently approaches.   

Tom approaches, unnoticed

Suddenly, Jinx becomes aware of his presence and is startled.   

"I didn't mean to scare you"

“Everything all right?” Tom asks, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you – do you want a cup of tea?”

Sioned is exhausted

At Penrhewl, Sioned is exhausted and sleeping on the sofa when her mother comes in;  

Eileen looks at the state of the place . . .

she notices the untidy state of the place 

. . . and notices the post . . .

and also that there are several items of post on the table.   

. . . including one from Quantum . . .

One of them she finds particularly interesting, bearing the name Quantum on the front of the envelope.   

. . . which she finds of interest

She studies its contents.

Eleri comes up to Fflamingos and asks Jason if they have anything for her.   

"We've got a special on"

“Pancakes – we’ve got a special on, seeing it’s pancake day,” he replies, 

"You know exactly what I mean"

but she tells him that he knows exactly what she means.   He admits that they do not have the money.

“Here we go with you and your excuses!” he exclaims.   

"You'll have to wait until the end of the day"

DJ interrupts to say that they have the money, but she will have to wait until the end of the day.   “Are you trying to get rid of me?” she demands and he denies any such thing, pointing out that a large order has just come in and he will fetch the money when they have dealt with it.

"I'll phone my solicitor!"

Eleri angrily informs him, “End of the day – or I’ll phone my solicitor about breach of contract!”   

"I really hope you know what you're doing"

Jason really hopes that DJ knows what he is doing.

"I don't know what I was looking for . . ."

As they walk through the woods, Tom enquires whether Jinx found what he was looking for;  “I don’t really know what I was looking for,” he replies, 

". . . answers, I suppose"

“Answers, I suppose.”   Tom asks about Ffion’s condition and is told that there is no change.

"Are you sure you didn't see anyone else?"

Jinx continues, “You said you’d seen Eleri around – are you sure you didn’t see anyone else?   Did you hear anything?”   

"No, she was the only one"

Tom answers that he has been thinking about it and the only person he did see was Eleri, as she and Ffion run in this area quite often.

Jinx wants to know how much time had passed between seeing Eleri and finding Ffion.   

"Perhaps a quarter of an hour"

“Not long – perhaps a quarter of an hour?”   As intended, this throws Jinx further off the scent 

He feels in control

and Tom looks quite pleased with himself.

Another lot of pancake batter

As Jason is mixing up the next batch of batter, 

Ioan îs prowling again

Ioan is approaching past the Deri;  

"Hey – over here!"

DJ comes out and calls to him, beckoning to him to go somewhere out of sight.

Sioned is woken by running water

Eileen has been doing some tidying up, and is washing the dishes when Sioned finally awakens.   “Sorry, love, I didn’t mean to wake you.”   Sioned wonders how long she has been asleep and is told that it has been about an hour.

"You've tidied up"

Sioned is surprised to see that her mother has tidied things up, 

"I can't get any hot water"

but Eileen complains that she cannot get any hot water.   It is explained that the boiler is on the blink, “But if you leave it for a bit, it starts to work – I’ll get Math to look at it.”   

"I'll make you a cup of tea"

She is told to sit down and her mother will make her a cup of tea.

"You really should have brought the post over"

Then Eileen raises the matter of the post;  “You could have brought the post over,” she moans.   Sioned imagines that she must be expecting something important;  “No, not really, but I don’t know when this arrived.”

"They want Penrhewl!"

Sioned looks at the letter from Quantum, exclaiming, “They want Penrhewl!   This wasn’t part of the original plan.”   Her mother remarks that plans must have changed 

"I'll find out how much they're offering"

and she intends to find out how much they will offer.

"You're joking?"

“You’re joking?” Sioned gasps, “This is my home – and the children’s – put that letter in the bin where it belongs.”   Eileen has no intention of doing any such thing.

"I thought about saying hello to Jason"

As they walk round the corner into the back street, Ioan had been thinking about saying hello to Jason, but is told, “He’s still angry about all of this – don’t worry about that, 

"It's best you deal with me"

“but it’s best that you just deal with me.”   

DJ is given a box, marked 'napkins'

Ioan takes a box, bearing the word ‘napkins’, from his rucksack and hands it to DJ.

“You’re doing well – except for that one hiccup with the Hereford festival – 

"I can pay Tegwen every week"

“if we carry on like this, I can pay Tegwen every week – and for Ken to have guitar lessons.”   DJ is more concerned about his money – the cash for today, but Ioan does not have it at the moment, pointing out that there is more stuff on the way,

"I didn't agree to that!"

“I didn’t agree to that!” DJ complains, but is told by Ioan that now Jason knows about the arrangement, they can stash a load in the van.   DJ protests that he needs the cash today.   Ioan will bring it over later, together with the next batch of stuff.

"In case there are pigs stinking out the place"

“And be careful, in case there are pigs stinking out the place!” he adds, as he leaves.

"Ffion and I used to be together"

In the site office, Jinx appears to be telling Tom his life story;  “Ffion and I used to be together – we’re still close,” 

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

which Tom regards as a good thing.   “But there’s something between Eleri and Ffion,” which Tom suggests is jealousy, 

"It's not very nice being stuck in the middle"

“But it’s not very nice being stuck in the middle.”

"Do you trust them both?"

Tom wonders if he trusts both of them;  “Obviously I know Ffion much better – 

"Eleri does have a hard side"

“and Eleri has a hard side,” answers Jinx.

"Do you think that she . . ?"

“Do you think that she . . ?” says Tom, putting ideas into Jinx’s head.

“Yes, they were both around here at the same time,” says Jinx, but Tom points out that he sees her nearly every day, and so it doesn’t mean that she was responsible.   

"It's possible"

“No, but it’s possible!” Jinx emphasises, so Tom enquires what he is going to do.

"I miss the hustle and bustle"

Eileen brings Sioned a cup of tea and is asked, “Are you still enjoying yourself in the flat?”   Her mother misses the hustle and bustle of Penrhewl.   

"At least, you've got a private love nest"

“At least, you've got a private love nest for you and Siôn,” Sioned goes on.

Eileen is not so sure about that, as she has not seen him for a while.   

"Are you coping here?"

“Listen, are you coping here?”   Sioned replies that it is not easy but they are getting there.   She is reminded that she has to look after herself, as she does not want to be ill again with the ‘baby pinks’.   

"I'm having help with that"

Sioned stresses that she is having help with that, 

"What't this, then?"|

then she notices a piece of paper that her mother has brought. 

"A list of things that need to be done"

“Oh, a list of things that need to be done around the place – I had a look on the way up,” says Eileen.

“Making sure everything looks nice for the viewings, are you?” sneers Sioned, and it is explained that she has listed them in order of priority.

"You don't have to tell me what needs to be done"

“You don’t have to tell me what needs to be done here, Mam!” Sioned shouts, but her mother insists that she is only trying to make life easier and helping where she can.

“It looks to me like you’re pointing out what I’m doing wrong!” 

"You mustn't let things pile up"

but Eileen maintains that she is speaking from experience, not letting things pile up.

“I’ve given you the responsibility of looking after this place, because you said that’s what you wanted.”   

Sioned is saved by a crying child

At this point, one of the twins wakes up and cries loudly upstairs, which provides Sioned with an excuse to get away from her mother

"I expect you're seeing Ffion again tonight"

At Cysgod y Glyn, Eleri assumes that Jinx will be going to see Ffion tonight;  “Is there much point when she doesn’t even know that you’re there?”

"Arwen wants to see her mother"

“I know you two don’t see to eye, but Arwen wants to see her mother,” he answers.   Eleri assumes that he will be staying at Deri Fawr again tonight, and he stresses that Arwen cannot stay there on her own.   

"Can't she stay with Siôn?"

“Isn’t Siôn her grandfather?   Can’t she stay with him?”   Jinx tries to resist arguing with her.

"Ffion and Arwen come first"

She snarls, “No, Ffion and Arwen come first,” as she leaves for her run.   Jinx is anxious about her running by the dam again, 

"No-one's stupid enough to do that"

she assures him, “No-one’s stupid enough to attack someone else in the same place!   

He is told to go to Ffion 

“You go to the hospital!”

Refreshments for the Eisteddfod rehearsal

Eileen is collecting a box of food from Fflamingos for a children’s  Eisteddfod rehearsal 

"You're doing nothing to help with the twins!"

and takes the opportunity to rebuke DJ, “You’re doing nothing to help with the twins – after I told you!   Sioned was asleep earlier.”

"If she needs help, she only has too ask"

DJ insists, “If she wants help, she just needs to ask – she needs money, so I have to work.”   

He is told that he has to pull his socks up, then she asks if they have any napkins, 

Jason hands over the 'napkins' box

so Jason, rather stupidly, gives Huwi-John the entire box marked ‘napkins’ – and we all know what that contains.

"There's more to being a father than having some fun"

Meanwhile Eileen is still lecturing DJ, “There’s more to being a father than having some fun with the twins.”

"There's no way of 'manifesting' her away, is there?"

When she has gone, DJ growls, “There’s no way of ‘manifesting’ her away, is there?”   Jason is no longer sure that he believes in that.   

"Where's that 'napkins' box?"

Then DJ notices that the napkins box has gone and is told that it was given to Huwi.

“You can’t give him the whole box!” shouts DJ, 

DJ sets off at high speed . . .

as he dashes out of the van and along the road in pursuit of Eileen and Huwi.

. . . and Eileen hears him coming

As they walk down the road, Eileen and Huwi are surprised to find DJ running after them;  Ioan is sitting on the bench by the alley watching as DJ protests, “Sorry, Jason gave you the whole box – they’re needed for other customers.”  

DJ manages to retrieve the box

He gives Huwi a handful of napkins instead.

"That was close, mate!"

Ioan comments, “That was close, mate!” but DJ does not find it at all funny, 

"What if Huwi had opened the box?"

demanding what would happen if Huwi had opened the box.   

"The rehearsal would have been lively!"

“Well, Eisteddfod rehearsals would have been lively!” Ioan suggests.

"How do you make it look so easy?"

DJ cannot understand how he can do this, making it look so easy, then is given a bundle of money in payment.  “By the way, the more you panic, the more people will suspect,” he advises, 

"I fell into this business, too"

“I fell into this business, too – I took on the job in the club without realising there was more to it.   I’m a musician really, but I didn’t get enough gigs to afford a packet of crisps – let alone a kid.   I’ve never made this amount of money – 

"I want to take Ken to Nashville one day"

“I want to take Ken to Nashville one day, to the Bluebird Café – I don’t want him growing up to think I’m a waster.”

You'd better take the bag as well"

Then he takes off his rucksack and hands it to DJ;  “The stuff’s in there – you’d better take the bag as well.”   

"I want less drugs after today"

DJ stipulates that he wants less drugs after today, not more.   He does not want to take on any more, 

"I'll have a word with the boss"

so Ioan says he will have a word with the boss.

"Be careful where you're running"

Eleri is in the deli and Eileen warns her to be careful where she is running;  “Why is everyone worrying about what I’m doing, instead of worrying about finding the person who attacked Ffion?” Eleri demands.

"You work for this Quantum Hydro Works, don't you?"

“Listen, you work for this Quantum Hydro Works, don’t you?” asks Eileen and is told that she has a seat on the board.   “Do you know anything about this?   There isn’t much information,” Eileen continues, showing her the letter.

"They're looking for more land"

Eleri is aware that they are looking for more land and is asked whether they want to drown Penrhewl.   “Not exactly,” is the evasive reply.   

"I want to know what they're doing with the place"

Eileen is determined not to sell unless she knows what they are doing with the place. 

"Between you and me . . ."

“Listen, between you and me, – a water-sports place for sailing, canoeing, paddle boarding –it could create a lot of jobs for local people.”   

"And how much would it be?"

Eileen is very interested to find out how much they would offer and Eleri can see that she is interested.

"I'm willing to listen to your offer"

“I’m not that interested,” says Eileen, “But I’m willing to listen to your offer.”   

"I'll make a couple of phone calls"

Eleri imagines that it would be a generous offer;  she will make a couple of phone calls and let Eileen know.

Why the striped armadillo?

There does not appear to be any customers for Fflamingos at the moment and Jason is reduced to fiddling with the striped armadillo on the counter.   DJ suggests that he could go and look for some customers;  “I went to fetch the flour earlier on,” he grumbles.

As soon as Jason is out of the door, DJ removes the money from his back pocket 

DJ puts his drug money I the cash box . . .

and is putting it into the cash box, when Jason suddenly returns to get his jacket.   

. . . and is suspected of stealing again

He wonders what DJ is doing;  “You’re not stealing?”

Then he sees the bag of money and demands where it came from;  “I put it there – I won it – 

"A bet on the horses"

“a bet on the horses,” DJ improvises.   

Jason stuffs the money into DJ's apron

Jason is adamant that he will not pay his debts with gambling money, but DJ continues, “It’s a good job I did, otherwise we won’t be paying anyone back.”

"The chiller cannot has broken down!"

Eileen comes hurrying up in rather a panic, telling them that the chiller cabinet has broken in Tamed.   

"So I'm not useless after all?"

“Oh – so I’m not useless after all?” comments DJ.   

"Stop talking nonsense!"

He is told to stop his nonsense and come to see the problem.   

"This is not right, DJ!"

Jason points accusingly at the cashbox and tells him that this is not right.

Jac does not look like going to sleep

At Penrhewl, Sioned is settling the twins, then picks up a bag of rubbish 

Sioned finds the envelope . . .

and is about to add to it the letter from Quantum, 

. . . but the letter has gone

but realises that the letter is not in the envelope.   She knows exactly where it has gone.

"Hasn't Sioned told you about it?"

the deli, DJ is surprised that Sioned has not told Eileen how to use this chiller cabinet;  

"Do you see this temperature thing?"

“Do you see this temperature thing?   If you keep your finger on it for three seconds, then leave it, it will reset itself and switch back on.   It works every time.”

Eileen is very grateful, and points out that she was just worried about Sioned earlier;  “That farm is too much for her on her own,” 

"That was Sioned's decision"

but DJ remind her that it was Sioned’s decision.

"Do you miss the farm?"

“Do you miss the farm?” she goes on and he says that it is hard not to;  he had thought that is where he would be – with Sioned, raising the children –

"But that was not to be"

 but that was not to be.

“We all have to do things differently to make things work,” he sighs, then tells Eileen to switch it back on, 

"Oh – it works!"

which she does – and it works.   

"I'll be over to see you in a minute"

As he leaves, Eleri comes in, telling him that she will be over to see him in a minute.

She informs Eileen that she has some news, advising her to check her e-mails;  

Eileen follows instructions . . .

Eileen immediately does so 

. . . with astonishing results

and is obviously greatly surprised by what she sees.   

"Something to consider"

“Something to consider,” remarks Eleri.

"If you want to talk, DJ"

Back in Fflamingos, Jason commiserates, “I know what it’s like – so if you want to talk . . .”

All that DJ wants to do is to start clearing up;  “Do you want Eleri to leave us alone or not?   

"Does it matter where the money comes from?"

“If you do, this is the only answer – does it matter where the money comes from?”

"It's the end of the day"

At that moment, she comes around the corner, informing them that it is the end of the day;  she is very surprised 

She is handed the cash

when DJ takes the money from the cash tin and hands it to her.   

"The pancakes must be selling well!"

“On time, too – the pancakes must be selling well.”

Jason snarls at DJ, “Next month, we pay honestly, not with dirty money!”   DJ, on the other hand, believes that he should be thanked for saving their skins.

Eileen rushes in

Sioned is tying up the bag of rubbish when her mother comes dashing into the farmhouse;  

"You've gone behind my back!"

“I told you we’re not selling!” exclaims Sioned, “You’ve taken that letter and gone behind my back!   You wanted to sell without telling me!   Leaving me and the kids without a future!”

"This is going to give you all kinds of options"

Eileen insists that she simply wanted to be nosy and find what they were offering;  “The offer is going to give you and the children all kinds of options in the future.”

"But no future on the farm!"

“But no future on the farm – which is the only future I want,” insists Sioned.

“They want to buy the house and all the land,” and Sioned is still not interested, 

"Over a million, Sioned!"

but when she hears her mother say, “Over a million, Sioned!   The offer is for more than a million,” 

Sioned appears slightly taken aback

her expression abruptly changes.