01x17 - Drag Racing

[bunniefuu]

(gentle guitar music)

- Hi, I wanna see you tonight.

- Yeah, we could go for a drink or something.

- No, Donna, no more drinks.

No more dinner.

What we're gonna do is something different.

We're going to my place,

and we're gonna take all our clothes off.

- Well look, I'm not some bloody geisha.

I don't jump into the sack with every second guy I meet.

- Okay, so you haven't slept with that many people?

- Well, I can still count them, if that's what you mean.

- On how many hands?

- Just the one hand.

- You've slept with five people?

- Five-ish.

(gentle music)

- Two?

(gentle music)

- [Donna] Oh, Lord.

- Oh Lord, good?

Or oh Lord, not so good?

- You're not gonna believe what's going on over here.

There's flowers and candles in the bath--

- Well, that's good yeah?

All right, I don't want to keep you from it then.

- Okay.

Love you, Mercia.

(gentle music)

- Good morning.

(phone ringing)

Carmody.

(sirens wailing)

(dramatic music)

(people murmuring)

- They're cops.

(sirens wailing)

(light music)

- Okay, you blokes.

Let's do a door knock of all the houses up there

and along down here.

Right, speak the the gawkers.

Anyone that's standing around,

if they saw anything, get a statement.

If no one saw anything, move them right along.

Okay?

(people murmuring)

Hey.

Unmarked patrol car involved in a high speed chase.

About as much as we know right now.

- Do you want me to call anyone, family or anyone?

- This could turn out to be ours,

so see if you can get a, talk to the driver.

- [Rescue Worker] Slide him forward.

Just bring him clear down here.

(voice muffled)

- [Donna] Do we have a name?

- [Paramedic] His name's Andrew.

- Andrew, Andrew, hi.

My name's Donna.

Donna Parry, I'm a detective.

- Is Andy all right?

- [Man] Yeah, mate, Andy's fine.

They're gonna get him out.

They'll get him out.

- [Eddie] Hey Graham, what's his name?

- Craig.

- Craig, Detective Mercia.

You'll be all right.

- [Donna] Can you remember anything at all?

(beeping)

(panting)

- Hold my hand!

- It's okay, it's okay.

We're gonna get you out of here, okay?

You just hold my hand.

- I need to ask you what happened.

Can you tell me what happened?

- We were chasing this car,

a purple Commodore.

It ran us off the road.

It was hotted up,

you know, a modified job.

- [Eddie] Did you get a rego number?

- [Rescue Worker] Come on, mate.

Give him a break.

- Nice work.

They k*lled a young mother, six month old baby.

Now we got this.

- We're gonna get you out of here, okay?

It's all gonna be all right.

You just hang onto my hand, all right?

We'll talk later, all right?

It's gonna be all right.

Just keep holding my hand, okay?

(groaning) (monitor beeping)

All right, Andrew?

- [Rescue Worker] We're losing him.

- Andrew, you stay with us, Andrew.

I'm still here.

Mate, I'm still here.

Come on, Andrew.

- [Rescue worker] He's going.

(monitor flat lines)

- Damn.

- I want you to check out the known hangouts

of illegal street racers.

We're looking for a modified purple Commodore.

I want surveillance tapes from service stations,

from banks, roads and traffic,

anywhere that's got an outside video camera.

All right?

Get onto it.

- Mate, you know this is a criminal matter now, yeah?

- This is one of my officers.

- Well, I know that,

but if he was deliberately run off the road,

well then that's manslaughter at the minimum,

which makes it ours.

- Just make sure you get the bastard.

- You okay?

- Yeah.

- I swung by your place this morning to pick you up.

- Yeah.

I stayed at Justin's.

- [Eddie] Yeah, what was that like?

- It was good.

- Good.

Yeah.

Anything?

- I'm sorry I have to tell you all the this.

I've just been in touch with the hospital,

and the news is not good.

Craig Simons is out of surgery and his condition's stable,

but in the accident he suffered a spinal injury.

He's not gonna walk again.

He'll be a paraplegic.

I know how you're all feeling,

but I expect you to do your job.

Give the detectives in charge of this case

your total cooperation, anything they need.

I want you to keep your heads out there

and find this fella.

And he's not gonna get off on some lawyer technicality

'cause one of my team lost control.

On the same token, we're not gonna take any crap

from these low-lifes.

(upbeat rock music)

- So far all we got are traces of purple paint

from the driver's side panel of the patrol car

and a broken side mirror from the purple Commodore.

Now the mirror was found just before the corner

where the accident occurred.

That's where the cars collided.

- How fast was the police car going?

- I put it between and kilometers an hour.

(whistling)

Now if Harris and Simons were jammed

just as they went in this corner

there would be more than enough to make them lose control.

- Have you got anything on the paint?

- The paint's a nonstandard PPG paint by Dulux.

It's actually favored by motor heads,

and in their color charts they call it

Glitter and Wild Violet.

But just to you and me it's plain old purple.

- Thank you, Justin.

Right, start with local panel beaters

and then talk to people involved in the street racing scene.

There's gotta be somebody that's seen that Commodore.

- Hey. - Hi.

- That was nice work on the paint.

Hi, I'm Donna Parry.

- Rachel Wilkins.

- [Donna] Nice to meet you, Rachel.

- Rachel's from (muffled voice).

She's doing blood tests on Harris.

- Harris and Simons were on the job.

- So?

- So you're not suggesting they were at fault?

- I'm not suggesting anything.

- Good.

- Department has to cover itself.

- Listen I'll be in touch as soon as I get the results.

- [Justin] Okay.

(monitor beeping)

- Have you guys tracked down the other car?

- No, not yet, we're working on it though.

- Okay, well let us know if you want any help,

anything at all.

- Yeah, we'll give you a call. - Okay.

That's Craig's fiance.

(monitor beeping)

- Don't really know what to say to you, Craig,

but well everybody back at the station

and everyone in the force, for that matter,

are all thinking about you.

Saying our prayers for you.

- Thanks.

It's not gonna do much good.

- We wanna find the driver.

Think you can give us a statement?

- Is Jodie outside?

- Yeah, yeah, do you want me to go and get her?

- No.

No she needs a break.

- Craig, when I spoke to you at the site of the accident

you mentioned purple Commodore yeah?

- Yeah, yeah, VS Clubsport.

Skirts, lowered, spoiler,

a hornet scoop on the bonnet.

- Did you get a number?

'Cause I looked in your notebook,

and there's nothing in there.

- It happened fast.

We were in an unmarked with Harrow driving,

Andy Harris.

And now this Commodore it revs us

at the lights lookin' to race,

and then he takes off.

And so we hit the lights and the sirens

and we indicate for him to pull over.

And then he just g*ns it,

and road conditions were good so we pursued.

- [Eddie] Did you call in pursuit?

- No I was just about to do that when he rammed us.

He'd gone into the corner.

I mean, and that's why Harrow lost it.

We didn't have a chance.

He took us off the road, the bastard.

(crying) (intense music)

Is Jodie out there.

- Yeah, yeah, I'll get her for you.

(crying) (intense music)

- Take it easy, Craig.

- Jodie?

- I can't do this.

We're gonna get married in three weeks.

I'm not good enough.

I'm not strong enough to do this.

(sad music)

- This week's nothing, man.

(men murmuring)

What have you got in the back?

(men murmuring)

- Hey boys, how are ya? - All right.

- How ya goin'?

Listen, we're just lookin' for the driver

of a purple Commodore.

She's involved in an accident this morning.

We just wanna talk to him.

- Nah, bro, can't help us.

- Well, a cop's been k*lled, another one's in hospital,

so you might wanna think about that question again.

(men murmuring)

- Is he a mate of yours?

(sirens blaring)

- Good luck.

Don't wanna give you guys any grief.

We just wanna talk to the driver that's all.

- [Man] What's this?

You bring your girlfriends with yous?

What's going on? Nothing.

- Nothing, it's all right. - Just take it easy all right.

Don't worry about it.

Hey, just take it easy all right, just take it easy.

- Hey guys, come on, let's just take it easy all right?

(men laughing)

- Listen, listen.

- [Donna] Back off.

- Hey boys, boys, boys.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa, get your hands off of him.

(men yelling)

- Listen, hey, listen,

we're investigating this matter, okay?

Now we need these people's cooperation.

Hey, don't worry about it, it's just a milkshake.

Okay, it's nothing.

It's nothing.

- I'll see you again, mate.

- Hey, what's for lunch?

- Not for you.

- What?

Now the lab rat's getting Chinese takeaway.

- [Cameron] Oh, Guido, enough all ready.

- No, I'm happy for her, really happy.

- [Cameron] Good.

- No, only wish someone would give me takeaway.

- Yeah, good luck.

- Guys, this is Mr. and Mrs. Artie Bracewell.

They've just come in.

They wanna talk to someone about the accident.

- Detective Martin. - Hi.

- Detective Smart.

- We can talk through here.

- Okay, Mr. Bracewell you have to understand that

a police officer was k*lled in that accident

and another one's in hospital right now

in critical condition.

Now if your son was driving that car

we need to speak to him.

- Well I'm very sorry for the officers.

Very sorry.

Look, my son went to the lights, he pulled up.

He was minding his own business, okay?

A car pulled up beside him.

It was revving, revving, wanting a race.

- Yeah, but that's what your son's told you.

- My son's not a liar.

He didn't know they were coppers.

If you don't believe me,

why don't you question the bloke on the bike,

the courier on the bike.

- Bike courier?

- The bloke on the bike they nearly clipped.

- Well, we'll make sure that your sone gets a fair hearing,

but we have to know where he is.

Can you tell me where to find him?

- This is fantastic.

Why did you bring it?

- Well you missed breakfast.

- I'm gonna look after you.

I just met the

fiance of the cop who was injured this morning.

He's gonna be a paraplegic for the rest of his life.

Now I know I could love you.

But I don't know if I could love you enough.

Not if something like that.

- You're not supposed to know yet.

- Yes you are.

And I do.

(knocking on window)

Hi. - Hi.

Your man's tested positive for marijuana.

- What?

You saying he was stoned.

- No I'm saying he's used marijuana

in the last three months.

We're testing for molecules here, traces.

- Oh why bother mentioning it then?

So what he had a joint three months ago.

- Well, because it needs to go in the report.

And I'd like to get the passenger, Simons, tested.

- Yeah, sure.

- Hang on a second here.

The guy's just found out he's gonna be

a cr*pple for the rest of his life.

I think he's had a hard enough day

without you going around sticking

your needles in him, all right?

- Donna. - What?

- [Justin] If he tests positive, it's relevant.

- Why?

If it's a molecule, if it's not gonna have any effect.

- Rachel's a scientist.

- Yeah, well good on ya.

- Excuse me, Donna.

- What?

- We might have something.

(phone ringing)

- [Brian] How you doin' with the investigation?

- Yeah, good mate, we have a lead

on the driver of the Commodore.

- Good, right.

- Yeah, but his father's painting

a very different picture to what happened.

- Really?

- Yeah, he's saying that your boys

provoked him into some kinda race.

That it wasn't a pursuit.

Now you think there could be any truth I that?

- Bullshit, course he's gonna

say that to protect his own kid.

- Sorry, Graham, it's my job to ask.

- A man's dead.

You gonna help smear him?

- Hey, Eddie.

He's right, people are just gonna start slinging mud.

- We're taking donations for Constable Harris's family.

- Sure.

- Have you got a?

No.

- I understand you were at the accident taking statements.

- Yeah. - Yeah,

did you talk to a bike courier?

- Courier?

- Yeah, the guy driving the other car's claiming

someone almost hit a guy on a push bike.

- [Trevor] First I've heard about it.

- What about the other officers?

- I can ask. - Yeah, cool.

- Thanks. - Thanks.

- [Guido] All the best.

- Well okay, yeah.

(laughing)

Major dizzy.

Okay, hold on.

- What's that about?

- I don't know.

You've got a suspicious mind.

Maybe they're just test tube buddies.

(people murmuring)

- [Eddie] Yep, that's just what we need.

- We could get together, the four of us.

You and Irena, me and Justin.

Make a bit of a night of it.

What do you reckon?

It'd be great.

- Yeah, it'd be great.

Busy night mate?

- Yeah, flat out, mate.

Everyone's here for the big prize,

grand over the fastest quarter mile (voice muffled).

- We're lookin' for the owner of this car.

Bloke named Dean Bracewell, you know him?

- No. - It's a serious matter,

so we'd appreciate your cooperation.

- Well, I know him.

Nice kid, fast car.

Don't know how he does it, though.

Most cars that go that quick need

somethin' like a turbo or nitro in 'em,

but he seems to do it without it.

- [Donna] So where can we find him?

- Who knows with these kids.

Could turn up here tonight.

(intense music)

(cars screeching) (engines revving)

- How'd you go?

- Nothing, you?

- Nah, nothing either.

- sh*t, there's the car here now.

(engine revving) (tires screeching)

- [Eddie] You gotta stop that car, we gotta stop that car.

- You can't come through (voice muffled)

cars are on the track.

- Sorry but we've gotta stop this one.

(engine revving) (tires screeching)

- Yes, yes.

- Dean Bracewell, mind stepping outta the vehicle please?

We'd like you to come 'round the station.

- Listen, I know what this is about.

Okay, now I have two more races to get through,

and I promise yous I will come,

but I got two more races.

- Sorry mate, no can do.

- Just give me one hour, please.

One hour is all I need.

- We're impounding your vehicle.

- So Dean, the surviving patrol officer

claims that you rammed the car off the road.

- That's bullshit.

- We've got paint residue on the patrol car,

and if that matches your car you're looking

at m*rder or manslaughter,

so you better come up with

a better answer than that's bullshit.

- He hit me.

He side swiped me at the lights.

He fishtailed straight into me when we took off.

I was at the set of traffic lights.

This WRX pulls up and starts revving its engine

like it wants to have ago, all right?

There was two blokes in the car.

The were both laughin' and carryin' on

like smart asses, all right?

I couldn't believe that this piss weak

WRX wants to take me on, okay?

So the lights go green.

We both give it to it.

He swipes me.

I blew these blokes away.

Then they put on their lights and sirens.

They indicate me to pull over, I think,

no, I've give it to 'em fair and square here.

And now they wanna try and give me a ticket,

defect me car.

I know what they're like, okay,

so just kept going.

I did not ram anybody, okay?

I was three, three car lengths ahead of these guys

before we even reached a corner, okay?

That's three car lengths.

They lost control because the copper who was driving

braked too late and too hard.

- So what, three car lengths ahead of pursuit car

over what distance?

meters?

- Yeah, somethin' like.

- I don't believe you.

- So you think because it's a production car

it's something special, do yas?

Yous think I can't build something better than that.

I not only can but I have, all right?

- [Guido] What, in the shed out the back?

- Yes, in the shed out the back, all right?

You know what I do for a living.

I work in a frozen food joint, all right?

I drive a fork lift in minus six degrees

'til five o'clock every morning.

My boss doesn't even know my name, all right?

To him I'm just a sh*t laborer.

And to you lot I'm just a sh*t head

who's happened to k*ll one of your mates.

Of course you lot aren't gonna believe me are yas?

(knocking on door)

- Your parents said there was a guy

on a push bike, a bike courier.

- He had a green shirt.

He looked like he was some sort of a delivery bloke.

The coppers almost hit him.

- Okay.

- They did collide.

- Yeah, Dean's saying that they side swiped at the lights.

- Well we found his mirror near the accident.

- Do you reckon it could be possible

that the mirror was loosened

when they side swiped at the lights

and then it's just come off down the road near the accident?

- Possible, I guess so.

- A guess?

You're a scientist.

- He's saying there was a courier.

He's a guy in green.

It could be company uniform or something.

- Paint checks out, Dean.

- I told you, he fishtailed

straight into me and clipped my mirror.

Guys see my car on the road all the time.

They always wanna take me on.

Why would coppers be any different?

- Checked Harris's file.

He's got a couple of black marks for high speed pursuits.

In fact, just last month he got given a warning

and sent to field training to get his act together.

So there you go, Dean could be tellin' the truth.

- Yeah, but two cops racing a kid.

For what what do they get out of it?

I don't get it.

- Petrol head mentality.

I mean, I'm sure there's lots of cops out there

that join highway patrol just to drive fast cars.

- Mr. Harris what kind of driver as Andy on the street?

- The best.

- What, careful?

- Careful, he was more than just careful.

He was the best.

Look, some people have gifts.

Thorpe can swim.

Knew a fellow who could

shear a sheep faster than anybody else.

With Andy, it was driving.

(light music)

(engine revving)

This was Andrew's love affair.

Built this car from the ground up,

every bloody nut and bolt.

- It's a beautiful car.

- Perfect tune.

And he did it all by ear.

That was his gift.

- Did he ever race the car?

- No, never.

But take his girlfriend out for

a drive in it on his days off.

He'd bring it straight over and wash it.

(engine revving)

(knocking on door)

- Hello. - Hey, Donna.

(light sad music)

Listen, this isn't what you think.

- Yeah. - Donna, Donna, Donna, wait.

Donna.

Donna wait, Donna.

(sad music)

- You all right?

(light music)

Carmody?

(light music)

And that toxicology woman, Rachel?

- How did you know about that?

- Just a vibe.

- How stupid am I?

I thought he was maybe the one.

(crying)

How stupid am I?

- Hey, hey.

How stupid is he?

- No, no, no.

No it's dumb Donna.

Dumb Donna from the bloody sticks, that's me.

(sad music)

- You don't know how beautiful you are, do you?

- What am I gonna do?

- You're gonna get drunk.

- I'm being serious.

- Seriously drunk.

- You can understand why my boys are a little bit toey.

We've got a dead officer, he was a good young bloke

and he was a good cop.

- Hey, look, I know Harrow's a decent fellow.

- You wanna drink?

- I'd love one.

Actually I'd love two.

- Because mate, it's what we do.

We talk to people.

It's our job.

- Two sh*ts of vodka, a VB and a (voice muffled) thanks.

Hey.

Don't do any jokes.

- Jesus.

Hey, hiya.

- Hey, how you go?

- Good.

(voice muffled)

- Yeah, who from?

(voice muffled)

- Here you go.

- Ah look at that.

- Two for you.

- Yeah, it's my birthday (laughing).

Cheers guys.

- [Guido] Cheers.

- Oh geez is this disgusting.

- Well have another one.

- I will.

- What's with her?

- Carmody.

- Oh.

- Really?

The man's a fool.

What can you say?

I mean, have a look at yourself, you're beautiful.

(laughing)

I mean, I'm next.

(laughing)

- Cheers. - Cheers.

(laughing)

- You people should be ashamed of yourself.

You're nothing but dogs.

You're not cops.

You're dogs.

- Come on mate.

- Harrow's dead, he's not even buried yet,

Craig's a cr*pple and you people

are trying to sh*t on 'em.

You know nothing about loyalty.

- Oh come on mate, we care about your friend

just as much as you do, all right?

But it's possible he provoked that race.

It doesn't make him any less of a human being,

but right now we're trying to have a drink, all right?

(light music)

(crowd murmuring)

- You're hammered.

Come on, come on, let me drive you home.

(laughing)

- Oh come on, (voice muffled) we'd just be getting started.

Where's the (voice muffled).

So what are you guys having?

It's my shout.

- I'm all right.

- Are you bailing on me, Smart?

- I am, I am.

- You're weak as piss.

Come on.

Guido, you up for it?

Let me buy you a drink.

- All right, saddle up.

- Saddle up, that's the spirit.

(laughing)

Guido, you're a champ.

Where's the bloody service around here?

(laughing)

I love you. - Yeah.

- No really I do, more than anyone.

I love you, we're a family.

- Yeah, absolutely on that.

- Anyone else, they just don't get it.

What we have together.

But I do.

You know?

(laughing)

I really love you.

(alarm blaring)

- Big night.

- What?

- You okay?

- Yeah, I'm fine.

How did I get home last night?

- [Madeleine] Don't remember?

- Bits.

- Well I heard you and Guido bumping around.

(laughing)

- Can I help you?

- Yeah, I'm supposed to see Detective Martin.

- [Receptionist] Yeah, oh there he is.

I'll just get him for you.

- Donna, Donna, I wish you'd give me a chance to explain.

- There's nothing to explain.

- Look, there is.

How would you feel about talking over a drink later?

- About like poking hot needles in my eyes.

- [Courier] I hardly saw a thing.

Both guy screamed past so fast.

You know, I ended up in the gutter.

- But you saw the accident?

- Not actually, no.

- But what was your impression?

Was the police car in pursuit of the Commodore?

- Well they were neck and neck,

whether it was chasing it or not, I don't know.

I mean, it's all in my statement.

- You gave a statement?

Who to?

- I don't know, some highway patrol guy.

- [Guido] Well, did you get a name?

- Daniels?

- Have a seat.

- You okay?

- Yeah, yeah, I'm okay.

I'm fine.

- Dean.

- I understand you and Constable Harris were close.

You were best mates.

You went through the academy together.

It's natural, it's even commendable

that you'd want to protect him, protect his family.

But you're also a cop.

Did you take a statement from a courier

on the morning of the accident?

- He didn't have any relevant information.

- Trevor, mate, it's not your job to decide what's relevant

and what's not.

That's what the (voice muffled) do.

And all the courier's told us that Harris and Dean

were neck to neck, that they could have been racing.

- That bastard k*lled him.

- But you didn't know that Constable Harris

was dead when you spoke to the courier.

See all you knew was that your mate

had received official warnings for high speed pursuits,

and that another incident might cost him

his job on highway patrol.

- There's no way that Harrow would have

lost it at that corner.

There's only one better driver and that's me.

And I know the only way he could have lost it

is if that bastard rammed him.

- The coppers are lying.

How could I have rammed him if I was

three car lengths ahead of him?

- Well see mate, the problem is that there's certain people

who may find it hard to believe

that your car could b*at a police car.

- Now if I was really trying I could have b*at him

by at least five lengths.

(phone ringing)

- What police pursuit WRX?

- That's right.

Or any other patrol car yous got.

Any other car.

- You're talking about a race,

and there is no way I am going to condone that,

under controlled conditions or otherwise.

- We're obliged to test the validity of Dean's statement,

and he says he was three car lengths

ahead of the cop car when they reached the corner.

So we've gotta test it.

(upbeat music)

(rock music) (engines revving)

- This says to every (voice muffled)

out there with a fast car

that it's all right to disregard the law.

It's okay to endanger the lives of my officers.

- We have an obligation to find the truth, Graham.

- The truth is two good men were run off the road

and one of 'em's dead.

- Well I think Dean is a decent kid.

And I think your officers goaded him into a race,

and I think Daniels was prepared for him to go to jail

out of some perverted sense of loyalty.

I'm gonna be with Dean every second on that track.

- Fine.

(rock music)

(engines revving)

(engines revving) (tires screeching)

(rock music)

(laughing)

- It looked like you really enjoyed that.

- I did (laughing).

All this proves is your car is faster than the patrol car.

- That's a hell of a lot more than I had this morning.

(laughing)

Did you see?

- [Cameron] Yeah I did.

- Hey, Guido, come here for a sec.

About last night.

- Yeah, what about it?

- What happened?

- After you told me that you love me.

You seriously can't remember?

Nothin', nothin' happened.

- You bastard (laughing).

- Craig.

We found the driver of the Commodore.

His story is very different to yours, Craig.

You know.

I think it's only human,

the situation that you're in.

It's only human to wanna blame somebody,

somebody other than yourself.

The other driver,

young bloke named Dean Bracewell.

He knows cars.

He wants to make somethin' out of his life.

I don't think you wanna take that away from him?

- We came to the set of lights and we revved him.

We raced him.

I mean, we couldn't even get close.

Andy lost it.

He just lost it going into the corner.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

(light music)

- We're going through with the wedding.

It's not gonna be perfect.

But nothing's perfect.

(laughing)

We all think we're going to have these

glossy magazine lives.

But we don't.

But we love each other.

(sighing)

And that means that we're luckier than most.

(light music)

- Thanks very much.

- You're very welcome Mr. Bracewell.

You take it easy, okay.

- You said you'd look after him, thank you very much.

- All right, mate.

- Good luck Dean.

See ya.

- Donna, donna, I just need a minute.

That's all.

I didn't betray you.

I started a new relationship with you

before I probably finished the previous one,

but I did not betray you.

It's about housekeeping, that's all.

- No it's about love, Justin.

That's more important than housekeeping.

Excuse me.

Coulda been much easier if I'd just

fell in love with you, hey Mercia?

(laughing)

(upbeat music)