The Missing BBC1- thread 3

[EauLittleRougeofBethlehem]

Thread 1

Thread 2

Spoilers thread

Now, about that scarf.....

I can't believe the police would use a child as bait or that a father would agree to that.

If that turned out to be the explanation I'd be really disappointed, because it's been excellent so far.

Can someone explain something from the last episode for me? Just before the end, Baptiste was handed an envelope left for him by a journalist. I took that to be the piece of evidence that Ziane found and gave to Malik (is that his name?) but insisted on having back.

Ziane then attacked Baptiste, causing the leg injury, in what I think was an attempt to get the evidence back. He failed and was arrested. That was in 2006 or 2009.

So why did Baptiste in the present-day meeting with the cleaning guy in the restaurant get all excited about a Moroccan-looking officer who'd been seen gathering evidence but not handing it in?

Surely he'd have looked in the envelope on the night he was attacked by Ziane and known what it was anyway.

How many more are there?

What Ziane picked up was small enough for it to be obscured by his hand, which is why we couldn't see it.

The envelope (described by the receptionist as dropped off by an English journalist, presumably Malik) was A4 size and looked as if it held a sheaf of papers. As Baptiste had no knowledge of an item retrieved, then the likeliest explanation is that it contained a Charmataine dossier.

Just two more. I'm expecting a massive clue in the next episode, and then the full explanation in the last. I expect whatever's revealed in the next episode will ruin quite a few of our theories.

I think what Ziane found must be a driving licence or similar.

I can't see how a driving licence being found would be so concrete as evidence though?

Surely a lawyer could argue in court that there is no proof of when the licence was 'placed' there, or that it could have been stolen/planted?

What I can't work out is why Ziane left the item with Malik. If it was something like a driving licence, he could either flash it when they met, or just tell him what it was. If it was an item that belonged to a Chalons resident, then surely that person could claim it had been lost any time?

So what could have no other explanation for being there, need time to be examined, and fit through a drain grille without falling all the way into the sewer?

Photo of James? Linking Mark in to the Romanians by showing James was the target? But again, why leave that with Malik? But it might explain why he stayed silent on that aspect after Mark prevented him getting the envelope away from Baptisite - because his only possible revenge on Mark would be leaving him without warning of a plot centring on him.

That's true, a photo of James is a much better theory. Would he and Malik have recognised him straight away?

Dunno!

Maybe if it was father and son together, or had names on it? But again, why would that need to be left with Malik, rather than just letting him see it when they met?

Placemarking while I catch up

I kind of thought - for no reason in particular - that the small thing in the envelope that Ziane gave to Malik (and Malik never returned) would be a memory stick with some dodgy footage of someone significant/ incriminating paperwork/ pictures etc.

So Ziane went to prison for his attack on Baptiste rather than the evidence he concealed, or for this buried Charmartaine thing?
Oh my poor brian!

Brain even (Brian's just fine)

Alright stella. Keep your wig on

I loved it. I'm now finding it TOO SLOW You can fast forward a good 20 mins of moody shots each episode.

Why would you fast forward through moody shots of Baptiste?

You know what, Sheitgeist (excellent name btw), I've been thinking and you may be onto something there. I assumed that when Malik did the face when shown the evidence that it must be something immediately recognisable. But Ziane could have taken it and had a look, and when Malik was handed it he must have known that something significant was on there, hence the face. Also a memory stick would be easy to lose by accident.

Yes, Eaulittle a memory stick could contain all sorts of pontential juiciness.
Oh yes, of course Ziane would have looked first: he was already holding on to it when he should have handed it in. It may be something linking Ian, and the police chief/ mayor to supreme dodginess and revealing the content of those videotapes. I think this would have been round about the time Ian disappeared and everything was being hushed up by his friends in high places.
Then again, that still doesn't link directly to Olleh.

Possibilities of it being photo or memory stick were also discussed in thread 2. Inconclusively, of course, and with plenty of moody shots of Baptiste.

To ring the changes, here's creepy journalist not looking creepy.

Meh, he's sweet but far too young AuntieStella !

There are pockets of thread 2 I have yet to read, so I'll pop off there for a while and explore the envelope issue further. Of course, I must mark my place before I go...

Yes, sheitgeist, he's 30. But this one is in his 40s...

Oh AuntieStella do please go and have a cold shower!

I'm staying loyal to Tcheky/Baptiste.

(And please don't post any sexy pics of Ken Stott)

The journalist reminds me of my uncle (younger version) way too much for me to find him attractive. Mind you, I probably shouldn't fancy Baptiste either since he's the same age as my dad.

at Ziane. He looks after himself, doesn't he.

Whyever not?

Sheitgeist: you said you were going back to the bits you missed in thread 2. Have you got to the very last post yet?

Cold showers all round?

Am fanning myself here, AuntieStella but I do wonder where you're getting all these soft semi-porn pics from!

I concede that that's a rather fetching photo, strychnine and I admit that I found KS rather fetching in "The Messiah" but he seems to have aged and put weight on greatly in recent years ( shallow).

Ordinary Google images search of the actors.

The Ziane actor was a professional boxer before becoming a thesp (French #2 at his weight) so lots of pix.