4E

Dermot told them two things about Helen, firstly, she was being watched by Big Eddie at the supermarket that gave her the creeps, and, secondly, she wrote a Blackmail letter to someone she saw coming out of the vicarage. Did you have any initial thoughts on either of these points?

The first thought was Big Eddie could have Killed Helen out of rejection and my second thought was Helen's blackmail letter was a strong motive for her murder.

I think blackmail is a good reason for murder.

I didn’t think anything of the Big Eddie connection - it seemed too unlikely to have led to her death. Eddie came across as too uncomplicated a character to have committed murder. (He calls his poodle ‘Fang’, for goodness sake, 😂. And the very fact his dog is a poodle, in the first place, speaks volumes… ☺️.)

Now, a blackmail letter is a completely different kettle of fish. (Why do people think blackmail is a good idea? Especially where a killer is involved? The mind boggles.)

I find Dermot a bit creepy and was not at all sure he was telling the truth. was this a bit of deflection to steer the police away from his own possible wrongdoing either in connection with the vicar or with Helen?

I assumed the Big Eddie creepiness was a non-issue - he seems like a decent guy today. However, the blackmail letter was more important as that was likely what got her killed.