The Timson family might be lags but they never use shooters. So when a robbery involves a guard being shot, two of them end up in a dock and both denying they fired a shot.
Rumpole is defending Dennis Timson a regular client of his. Phyllida Erskine-Brown is defending Cyril Timson and it is expected that both will end up blaming each other. Judge Bullingham is presiding and he is no friend of Rumpole but finds Phyllida rather fragrant.
The fortunes of the Timsons is tied up with an accumulator bet that Rumpole has put on. If the horses come in, Rumpole could afford to retire.
You can sense the closeness and mutual respect that both Rumpole and Phyllida have for each other. She smooths Bullingham after Rumpole made some rude remarks towards him in the expectation that his winnings might be in sight.
In return Rumpole puts off Charles Hearthstoke from returning to chambers. He was hoping to flirt and romance with Phyllida Erskine-Brown but soon gets second thoughts.
A strong end to the series after a mixed start. This was the last we see of Judge Bullingham, actor Bill Fraser passed away in 1987.