Never Say Trevor Again

Ken is trying to serve a writ on a wily rogue, Charles Henry Marquis, who runs a window-dressing business. Marquis keeps giving Ken the slip. Ken fails to catch him at a wedding-dress shop and when he is on his way to a fancy-dress party – dressed as a bear. Eventually, with a bit of subterfuge, Ken delivers the writ. In doing so, we learn Ken’s middle name: Winstanley!

Margaret is installing a security system at a large house owned by Don Pettifer, a crook that she has had many dealings with during her time in the police. When she sees several other villains arriving at the house, she is sure that they are planning something. Two gardeners, Trevor and Ray, are working in the grounds. Ray goes to hand in his notice because he is fed up of being thumped by Pettifer’s minder, Julian. He sees Pettifer handing round large amounts of cash. When he tells Margaret this, she becomes even more suspicious. Ray drives off – and is not seen again. Trevor becomes worried.

The police have been watching Pettifer’s house for months. DC Pelham and DS Merrison ask Ken and Margaret for help: they want Margaret to plant a bug in the house. Margaret does this, but Pettifer sees her doing it, by watching one of the CCTV monitors that she has installed. Forewarned, Pettifer and his wife prattle on about innocuous subjects such as the local charity fete, with the police listening in vain for any incriminating evidence!

Without a van or any tools, Trevor cannot continue working in the garden, so he turns up at the Plaza Suite in response to a job that Harry has advertised. Harry is approached by “Happy” Jim Hargreaves, a lugubrious former colleague from the fire brigade. Hargreaves has “turned religious” and is organising a fund-raising event for the League of Absent Friends (LOAF). He wants to rent the Plaza Suite at a discounted rate. Thinking that it will be some sort of spiritualist event, Harry agrees.

However Hargreaves has more worldly plans – a boxing match. Trevor offers to help Hargreaves and sets up a date between his glamorous red-headed mother, Renata, and Harry, to get him away from the Plaza Suite for the evening. While Harry is with Renata, Ray comes round and Harry sees them locked in passionate embrace. Ray and Renata are planning to run away together, but don’t know how to tell Trevor: “It’s difficult to tell your best mate you’re in love with his mum”. Harry volunteers to break the news to Trevor, only to discover that Trevor already knows but doesn’t know how to tell them that he knows.

Notes and episode list © Martin Underwood, 1999

Page last modified: 13 May 2009, 20:04