Spoiler alert: This blog contains spoilers for episode three of Sky Atlantic’s Fortitude
DCI Morton continues his poking around the crime scene, but isn’t it correct police procedure to wear gloves? Even I would snap on a pair as a precaution and I haven’t had a day’s detective training in my life. Morton pockets a scan (geological or medical, it’s not clear) with Billy Pettigrew’s name on it and leaves. But who is that watching him? The mysterious Russian?
Back at the cafe, Ingrid tells Sheriff Dan that she can’t sleep since seeing Professor Stoddart’s body. That’s a cosy little coffee she’s having with her boss, or am I reading too much into it? Add those two to your “keeping each other warm” spreadsheet, just in case. And talking of illicit coupling, Dan spots Frank having an affectionate farewell with Elena in the hotel breakfast room which is guaranteed to drive him nuts, as it’s become pretty clear Dan holds a candle the size of a lamppost for her.
Meanwhile, a clearly drunk Henry rampages around the taxidermist’s workshop in a vodka frenzy, blowing the heads off defenceless stuffed animals and shouting, “I shot the fucking puffin.” Dan wrestles the gun from his hands and Henry begs him to “put me out of my misery”. Henry is such an impenetrable, fascinating character. Why did he move to Fortitude to take pictures of polar bear brutality? Why does he drink? Why is he always alone? Why did he hate that puffin?
The police eventually find Ciaran, Jason’s brother, tied up in his workshop and he tells them Ronnie Morgan pulled a knife on him and stole his boat. Ronnie and daughter, meanwhile, have absconded with her rabbit, either for company or a casserole – who knows? The police also find a bottle of anti-psychotic drugs when they search Ronnie’s house. So, like the polar bears, Ronnie is now a loose cannon, off his medication and capable of anything. Could he have lost control of his senses and half-gobbled Charlie Stoddart’s torso in a psychotic rage? Fears are growing for the rabbit.
It also becomes clear that Morton knows more about Henry than he’s previously let on because of his involvement in the Pettigrew business. And at last, Morton describes himself as “the inevitable consequence” of that, presumably hinting that he’s here for more than just the killer of a geology professor.
When Morton plays Henry the recording of that not-so-anonymous phone call blaming Pettigrew’s and Stoddart’s deaths on Sheriff Dan and Governor Odegard, Henry denies all knowledge. One of the problems of being Michael Gambon (and there can’t be many) is that no one else on earth sounds like you.
Back in town, Morton takes his stirring stick to Hildur’s office and tells her that Trish Stoddart suspects her of Charlie’s murder. He also informs her with some glee that he knows she deleted Charlie’s last phone message to his wife, further incriminating her. The bookie’s odds on Hildur having a hand (although not literally) in the killing (sorry) have just gone through the roof.
It all kicks off at the Sutter house when Eric finds Frank’s bloodied shirt in the wastepaper basket. Sheriff Dan, he with the huge hatred of anyone getting close to Elena, seizes his chance and launches himself at a naked Frank who is showering in Elena’s bathroom. Frank is arrested for murder while the scientists test the bloodied shirt for Stoddart’s genetic material. Frank is a sly one, but a murderer?
Adding fuel to the fire, nosy neighbour Markus tells anyone who’ll listen that he thinks Carrie Morgan’s disappearance and Liam’s hospitalisation are all the fault of Frank and says he believes him to be a dangerous maniac. You see, this is how rumours start. We know for a fact that Carrie is waiting for her mentally unstable dad in a shack in the middle of nowhere while he goes to “get something to sell”. This turns out to be a tusk which he saws off the mammoth, now secreted in a storage unit by the docks.
As another night falls on Fortitude, Morton shaves while listening to classical music: classic enigmatic detective behaviour. All the good ones like a bit of classical music to think to. His peace is disturbed by Dan’s brutal and quite soggy assault on Frank, which Morton watches with interest.
Suddenly aware of the growing audience in the doorway, Dan walks out into the snow, the dark and an uncertain future. So many suspects, so many potential motives and bits of circumstantial evidence. We need to assess the murder league table, thus far.
How do you think the evidence trail is stacking up in Fortitude? Tell what you think with our Fortitude Talking Points interactive.
