Episode 209

Jim finds Vera sobbing in the rec room. She asks to be excused for the afternoon and Jim agrees. The family doctor phones Erica and informs her that her mother has collapsed and is in hospital awaiting an operation. She has had a cerebral thrombosis and Erica must come immediately. Vera catches Terry at home and persuades him not to move out just yet - that they must have one last attempt to get the tape. Jim confronts Bea and says that Terry is about to resign and reminds her that a decent officer is very likely to be replaced by a Jock Stewart. Bea feigns ignorance. Erica and James arrive at the hospital. They visit their mother before she goes into surgery. Florence keeps repeating that she's sorry. "Sorry for what", Erica asks? Florence says to ask the doctor... and with those enigmatic words she is wheeled away. Erica does ask the doctor, and he tells them that Florence had a boy before either of them and that this child died as the result of an accidental fall. But Florence blamed herself and when Erica and James were born she felt she couldn't be trusted with them That's why she had been such a distant mother. Erica wishes she could have had a long talk with her mother. Too late. The surgeon comes in and informs them that their mother did not make it through the operation. Terry makes one last attempt to get the cassette from Bea. When she refuses he says that he's off to the Governor's to resign and that she is welcome to accompany him. Bea stops him and gives in. She'll hand over the duplicate (And there is only one) right after lunch. After lunch, however, Bea finds her cell ransacked and the tape gone. Terry finds Vera in the rec room with stuff taken from Bea's cell (mostly food items) He yells at Vera and says that Smith was going to return the tape of her own accord. Vera starts to cry and Terry quickly apologizes. He asks Vera if she found the tape and she says she hasn't. Terry then notices a container of sugar. He dumps out onto a tray and - sure en