DCI Banks: Season 5, Episode 4

5 - 4: A Little Bit of Heart (2)

The murder of Xun Li hits the team hard. This case is more complicated than they first thought, and it's not necessarily connected to the kidnapping. Given there are no indications of forced entry, all early signs point to Xun knowing his murderer. But Xun was also targeting protection gangs and so their boss, the formidable Wendy Xiao, is a prime suspect. And then there's Xun's property rental business – a disgruntled tenant may have an axe to grind.

Banks and Annie pay a visit to Xun's brother, Chang and niece Wei at their Chinese restaurant. As Chinese immigrants themselves, Banks imagines them to be prime targets for Wendy Xiao's protection racket so is surprised when Wei has no idea who she is. At the restaurant, Banks also finds Xun's estranged son, Bo, whose alibi is that he was at work the night his father was murdered. Annie talks to Xun's wife, Rachel, who also has a watertight alibi. The mystery deepens further when the autopsy reveals the cling film found wrapped around Xun's head was applied post-mortem.

Meanwhile, Ken uncovers CCTV footage that identifies a vehicle near Xun's business the night it was vandalised – the same vehicle that he has matched to one of Xun's disgruntled tenants – Mark Rundle.

Still no closer to cracking the case, that evening Banks cuts a lonely figure at home, with only his father Arthur for company – until Annie turns up and gives Banks a confession he wasn't expecting.

Banks has a spring in his step as he and Annie question Wei as she turned up at Wendy's. Wei admits that she and her father Chang pay protection money to Wendy. At first they refused, but when all their stock was smashed, they decided to pay like everyone else. Banks wants Wei to give evidence against Wendy, but Wei refuses for fear of repercussions – until Chang steps in, bravely declaring that he's determined to end Wendy's reign of terror.

Meanwhile Helen is having a tough time at her DCI board interview – not helped by the fact that Chief Superintendent Anderson is leading the interview panel, asking undermining questions in a thinly veiled revenge attack for Helen rebuffing his advances. Despite him pointing out all her apparent flaws, Helen counters Anderson's character assassination and defends herself. However, she can't help feeling that the damage has been done and her chances of making DCI have gone up in smoke.

Helen goes back to what she does best, uncovering a clue that puts Mark Rundle's car near enough to where Xun was kidnapped to question him again.

Under questioning, Bo makes an admission. Banks presses him about the night his father was murdered – was he really at hospital working? Bo insists he was – but rather than take his word for it, Banks tasks Ken to find out.

Having searched Bo's flat, Helen has found something that may be of interest. On Bo's tablet is footage of his father Xun, sent by a friend back in China. The timing is significant because it matches with when Bo told Lilly he had a way of getting Xun to pay up. Helen believes this footage could be important. She tells Banks she will get it translated.

The net appears to be closing in on Bo but the puzzle remains incomplete and Helen receives surprising news from Chief Superintendent Anderson.

Banks ponders the footage of Xun found on Bo's tablet, and that is when his eagle-eyes spot an anomaly that slots the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle into place. As he beckons Helen to go with him, Annie receives a call, the person on the phone clearly in a state as Ken witnesses Annie calming them down and promising to be there as soon as she can. As Annie dashes off, Ken offers to go with her, but Annie knows Ken has promised girlfriend Lydia a romantic night in, so declines, reassuring him she'll be OK.

Back at the station, Banks kicks off a double celebration. As the champagne flows, Annie is in town, meeting someone in a restaurant. But she is being watched by someone else. As she leaves the restaurant, walking past a car where the watcher remains hidden, Annie wanders down an alleyway, leaving an urgent voicemail for Banks – he needs to ring her urgently, she's got big news... and by the way, she loves him.