Armchair Thriller

- Season 2

(1980)

When kidnappers abduct his teenage daughter, Sue, industrialist Vincent Craig could easily raise the ransom money. But Craig intends to do things his own way.

Craig believes he knows who is behind the kidnapping--and that the motives are personal, not financial. Shaking off the police, he heads to the town of Hepton to begin his search.

Enlisting the help of a local crime reporter, Craig tracks down a disgruntled ex-employee named George Neecham.

While Craig's desperation mounts in his search, Sue seems to become increasingly comfortable with her kidnappers - especially with the young man Frankie.

Detectives trace Craig to Hepton, but he has moved on to the abandoned factory where his daughter is being held.

Craig finally confronts his daughter's captors in their hideout, but Sue - very much her father's daughter - does the unexpected.

After shore-leave in Lisbon for the crew of HMS Diana, Master-at-Arms 'Toby' Toberman makes an official complaint to the ship's Captain about the behaviour of an officer he saw in a casino. Following the ship's 'Sod's Opera' party, Toby is reported missing from the deck - presumed lost overboard. Was it an accident or suicide - or was he given the proverbial push?

With the ship now docked back at Portsmouth, Toby's friend 'Chalky' White is determined to find out the truth. He returns Toby's personal effects to his widow Jean, but the diary is still missing. They both attend the navy's inquest, but it leaves more questions than answers. Back at Jean's house, a letter from Toby arrives - posted when he was in Lisbon, and backing up his concerns about Kobahl and the casino. Chalky visits Kobahl's girlfriend - and also gets his Wren girlfriend Stephanie to do some digging.

Chalky visits Zoë, the girl who seemed to be supplying Kobahl with the money he was losing at the casino. Meanwhile, Steph appears to be in cahoots with whoever is responsible for the cover-up. Chalky nearly becomes the victim of a hit-and-run - and then finds that he's now involved with a plot concerning Naval Intelligence's investigations into Kobahl, and his selling of MOD secrets into enemy hands. When they use him in a sting to try and catch Kobahl, things take on an even more sinister turn.

Chalky manages to escape being shot by a gunman in a passing car, but then goes on to find Zoe's body in her flat, the victim of murder. Kobahl appears to have gone to ground, though he soon reappears, determined to find Toby's letter - which is hidden in Chalky's house. Later, Kobahl takes Jean hostage, hoping to use her as insurance in his getaway, as he plans to make his escape to Russia by ship.

A lonely man with punctilious habits listens to a tape cassette of ambient barroom sounds, which include the hushed tones of two men plotting to kill him; but when a policeman listens, all the sounds are there except those of the two men.

The police disbelieve Skipling's story of the man bleeding from the eyes. Later, Skipling receives an unwanted visit from a doctor and a welcome visit from his "befriender".

Skipling finds more fuel for his imagination in the new husband of his bigamous wife.

Skipling braces himself as the fateful day of February 28 approaches.

A journalist finds his life is in danger when he investigates the death of a woman who was involved with a religious cult - throwing herself from the roof of the building where he is also living in an apartment.

Paul attends Rosamund's funeral, which is also attended by a leader of the Regiment of God sect - the cult she belonged to. At the service, he meets her sister, Nicola - whom he arranges to meet later to share information. Finding his flat bugged, and hearing of the cult's use of sound as a weapon, Paul is drawn deeper into the mystery of Rosamund's death.

Paul is 'attacked' by a mysterious noise in his flat, but manages to make a recording of it before finally passing out. He feels there's a link to this and the 'music room' of the Regiment of God mentioned in Ros's diary - and also notices he's being covertly followed by cult members. He and Nicola track down Rosamund's boyfriend, and they all travel to the cult's HQ to try to find out the truth about her and the music room.

The Regiment of God are still desperate to retrieve Ros's notebook, and forcibly bring Paul and Nicola to the cult's HQ to hand it over. They then get to meet the cult's leader, who insists that Nicola return her sister's ashes to them, as her mortal remains are their property. With the police and the authorities now closing in on the dangerous cult, it seems that events will now lead to an explosive climax.

A man is released from prison for manslaughter, then heads to Cornwall to solve the mystery behind his victim's strangely cryptic last words.

Peter continues his road-trip to the coast - now accompanied by hitch-hiker Celia. He continues his enquiries, searching for the meaning of 'high tide 9:52' - Maxwell's last words. He buys a sailboat, with plans to sail east - still aware he's being tailed by the mysterious Matthews.

Peter sails to the lonely coastal house where he believes Maxwell was headed. It appears to be empty and derelict, but someone seems to be expecting him. He meets the mysterious Helen, and becomes enamoured with her - but could she be involved in what brought him here?

Following the death of Celia at the harbour, Peter is looking for answers - and worried as to Helen's welfare too. He visits her, and finally finds out the truth.

Tom Foreman kills a policeman after stealing jewellery worth a fortune. Caught and incarcerated, he refuses to reveal the loot's whereabouts - even to prison psychiatrist Ollie Milton.

Ollie and Tom's wife, Val, enlist the help of ex-con "Cat" Devlin in their plot to locate the hidden jewels.

Ollie takes harsh measures to get Tom to talk, but things go dreadfully wrong. Cat realizes it's his word against that of the respected Dr. Milton.

The case against Cat looks watertight, but Detective Bannister has doubts. Why does Cat stick so doggedly to his story--and insist his relationship with Val wasn't strictly business?

Bannister remains suspicious about Tom's death but starts an affair with Val, who is more than happy to provide an easy out for the conflicted detective.

Ollie finally learns where the jewels are stashed, but his quest to recover them spirals out of control.