03x09 - Episode 9

[bunniefuu]

- We hear you've been
burgled, Mr Armstrong?

Have you checked your CCTV?

- Yes. Nothing useful.

- We'll still need a copy.

- What'd they take?

- Power tools, a laptop,

some building supplies.

- Quite a haul, then,
for the burglars.

- This wasn't just a burglary.

- "Hands off our tree"?

Er... Which one?

- The so-called Raggedy Tree.

Jessica Keegan. I bought
this land a few months back.

Noel here manages
it on my behalf.

- Jessica's got big plans.

This is where the
glamping pods are going.

- Oh, and that means cutting
the Raggedy Tree down, then?

- By far the best spot,
drainage-wise. Isn't that right, Noel?

- Aye. True enough.
- And the view will be spectacular.

- Hang on a minute.

Who's that?

Hey! You!

Police! Wait a minute! Stop!

Lost him.

I've never understood
the point in all of this.

- These rags, bits of material.

They all belong to
people who are sick.

So their loved ones hang them
here and pray for their recovery.

Yeah, this tree means a
lot to folk round here.

- Seems like a shame
to cut it down.

- Price of progress, I suppose.

- Just got the CCTV back
from Glen Carrick Farm.

I'm sure this is the man I
saw at the site earlier today.

- Anyone recognise him?
- No.

- He must be from out of town.

- Right, let's find him.
- Yeah.

Erm, Jo, have you any
idea where Callum is?

- Not a clue.

- You found it?

- It was erm...

..under the bed.

- Thanks.

Listen, last night. I never...

expected us to...
- No, no. No. Me neither!

It just sort of, erm,
happened, didn't it?

- Morning.
- Morning.

- What are you doing here?

- Well, we need to talk.

- I think you said
enough last night.

- Erm, I actually need to go.

Excuse me.

- See you, pal.

What was Callum doing here?

- Some, erm...

community policing thing.

- Look, I didn't
mean what I said.

- About being glad that we never had a baby?
- It was nasty.

It was vicious. It
was so... Wasn't true.

I'm here to ask
you to forgive me.

- Look at the state
of this place.

Seeing as you're here, you
can make yourself useful.

What have you been up to?

- Callum. There you are.

- Sarge. I'm sorry.

I erm... Slept in.

- Right, well, don't make a habit of it. OK?
- Yeah.

- Do you know what was going
on in The Commodore last night?

Me and Ash went for a drink
and the place was locked up.

- No idea.

- Sarge, you're going
to want to see this.

You and the Inspector.

- That's Niamh!
- Is that your Ash she's with?

- Yeah. It is.

- When was this, Ryan?

- Timestamp says quarter
past ten yesterday evening.

- So, what are they
doing up there?

- You OK if I talk to them?
- Of course. - Be my guest.

- We were looking
for a holy well.

It's not unusual to find
one near a Rag Tree.

If there is a well, it could
be a protected monument.

- Which would stop the development?
- Yes.

- But you didn't find anything?

- No.

- You do realise you
were trespassing?

- Were we?
- Niamh, there are "keep out" signs everywhere.

- Do you have any
idea who this man is?

- I've seen him around, but...

..I haven't spoken to him.

The other day,

I'm pretty sure I saw
him talking to Ash.

- You have a conviction
for criminal damage.

- Ages ago.

I was being harassed. I lost
it and keyed the guy's car.

It doesn't mean I vandalised
Glen Carrick Farm.

- I didn't say it did.

- Why bring it up, then?

- Well, you must see how it
looks, from our point of view.

- It may have escaped your notice
that I'm engaged to your Sergeant.

No matter how much I hate what
Jessica Keegan is doing on that

farm, I'm not going to break the
law in the run-up to our wedding.

- Just a bit of
light trespassing?

- Ever heard of
the right to roam?

- Ash...

..do you recognise this man?

- Yeah, I've seen him at
the Tree a couple of times.

- Have you spoken to him?
- Only ever to say hello.

I don't even know his name.

- In favour of cutting
down the tree, is he?

- Of course he's not, but
what sane person would be?

I can tell you one
thing about him.

He has the saddest
eyes I've ever seen.

- I know exactly who that is.

Gordon Conway.

He's never away from this
place. He's obsessed.

- Do you know his address?

- He used to live over
Ballymountain way.

I hear he moved to Port Devine.
Not sure where, exactly.

- Thank you, Mr Armstrong.
That's really helpful.

- You know, when Gordon found
out the tree was being cut down,

you should have seen
the way he reacted.

- What did he do?

- A grown man like him,
you'd never believe it.

He started crying.

- Aren't you going to ask
where I slept last night?

- Well, I presume
you're about to tell me.

- Siobhan let me have a
room at Concepta's B&B.

- That was good of her.

- There you go. - Thank you.
- What's all this, then?

- Just a few like-minded
people working up a strategy.

- We're trying to
save the Raggedy Tree.

- Ah, the one up at Glen Carrick Farm?
- Aye.

- Do you know, my ma used
to swear by that tree

for getting rid of her verrucas.

- I was talking to the
new owner, Jessica Keegan.

Lovely woman.

Those glamping pods are
exactly the contemporary

accommodation that this town needs.
- Oi...

- Even if it means chopping
down a sacred monument?

- Sacred monument, my eye!

It's a rotten old tree with
some smelly old rags on it.

- Did I just hear Clint say he
stayed at Concepta's B&B last night?

- Yes.

- So, who was it I heard you with
when I got back from the gig?

- I have no idea what
you're talking about.

- There was someone here. In
your bedroom. I heard them.

- Were you drinking at this gig?
- Just a couple of pints.

- Well, it must have gone
straight to your head.

Me, with another
man in our room?!

- I didn't say anything
about it being a man.

- All right! Maybe not, but
that's what you were implying.

The very idea!

- KNOCKS ON DOOR

- Gordon Conway?

- Yes?
- I'm Detective Constable Jo Lipton.

This is Constable Ryan Power.

- What's this about?

- Do you know Glen Carrick Farm?

- I visit the Raggedy
Tree sometimes.

- Were you there this morning?

- For a bit.

Early on.

- So, why didn't you stop
when I called out to you?

- I've only just moved in.

This morning, I hadn't
done anything wrong.

I just didn't want any
hassle with the police.

- Are you happy
if we look round?

- I've got nothing to hide.

- Thank you. Ryan...

- I only wanted a
wee word earlier.

You see, there's been criminal
damage and a burglary committed,

up at Glen Carrick Farm.

- I hope you're not suggesting
I had anything to do with it.

As I said, Officer,
I've only just moved in.

- Do you mind?

What do we have here?

- These are the boxes
I emptied yesterday!

Where did this stuff come from?

- Looks like what was
stolen from the farm.

- Gordon Conway, I'm
arresting you on suspicion

of burglary and criminal damage.

You do not have to say anything,

but I must caution you if you
do not mention when questioned

something which you later rely on
in court, it may harm your defence.

If you do say anything, it
may be given in evidence.

- I'm not responsible
for that graffiti.

It's Jessica Keegan
who's the criminal.

- Have you actually
spoken to Ms Keegan,

gotten her side of the story?
- I tried.

She just bit my head off.
- When was this?

- The other night in
the pub on the seafront.

The Commodore.

That Jessica was
talking to the landlady,

bigging up her... glamping pods.

So I interrupted,

very politely,

to tell her that I don't agree.

- How did that go?

- She totally lost it.

Really went for me.

- Why do you care so
much about this one tree?

- I like to...
just stand there...

..and feel what each rag means.

A prayer from a desperate
person for someone they love.

- And who are you praying for?

I saw the dress.

- My wife.

Muriel.

She's in a home.

I moved to Port Devine,
downsized to pay for her care.

It happened last winter.

She was out shopping
and slipped.

Hit her head.

Traumatic brain injury is
what the doctors call it.

She's not the same woman now...

..and never will be.

- I'm so sorry.

If you know that Muriel
will never recover,

why do you still go to the tree?

- It's a connection to
others who are hoping...

..or grieving.

And that ignorant entitled
woman is going to cut it down!

- And this Gordon spent the night where?
- At his wife's care home.

He says he fell asleep in
the chair next to her bed.

Didn't wake up until 5am.

- But none of the staff
can corroborate that.

- It's hardly the alibi
of the century, like.

- And you found the stolen
property at his house?

- He says he's being set up.

- Aye. That's what they all say.

- I don't know, there's
something about him.

- Do you think he's telling the truth?
- You know, I'm... I'm not sure yet.

Could we get CCTV and number
plate recognition from the road

leading up to Gordon's house?

- Yeah, yeah, Ryan
can sort that for you.

- So what's your next move, Jo?

- Do some digging into the
argument Gordon had with

Jessica Keegan in The Commodore.

- Sounds great.

- Oi! Big night,
was it, Constable?

- Sorry?

- SHE SCOFFS

Jo, do us a favour,
take him with you.

He could be doing
with some fresh air.

- Hey. You OK?

- Fine. I've never been better.

- So, what did
you do last night?

- After you dumped me, you mean?

Well, you told me I'm not
capable of keeping things casual,

so I slept with someone else.

- Yeah, right.

Hey.
- Jo.

Callum.
- Nicole.

- Back again? You're
like a bad penny.

- How can I help you, officers?

- Do you know a Jessica Keegan?

- The glamping lady?
Aye, yes, of course.

- Has she been in lately?

- Er, a couple of nights ago.

But, er, I don't think she'll be back any time soon.
- Why?

- She got into an almighty row
with one of those eco warriors.

- Do you know what they
were fighting about?

- Well, that stupid tree.

Well, so what if Jessica
wants to cut it down?

She owns the land.
- You talking about that glamping woman?

- Yeah. Do you know her?
- Only what I saw the other night.

She was well out of order.
- In what way?

- Some nice old fella asked what
she was doing up at that farm.

She bit his head off.

- OK. So, Jessica might
have been a little bit OTT,

but the poor woman's got an awful lot on her plate.
- Poor woman?

- Well, look, I don't
know all the details, but

she wasn't supposed to be
buying that place on her own.

- What do you mean?

- I heard that she
and her boyfriend

won a bidding w*r to
purchase the farm.

Properly stressful
by all accounts.

But nobody's seen hide nor
tail of the boyfriend since.

Claudia Preston thinks
that he dumped her.

- Right, erm, we'd better be going.
- Yeah.

- Has my wife told you
everything you need to know?

- Yeah. Absolutely. Thank
you so much for your help.

So this woman you slept
with, someone I know?

- How could you possibly think
that's any of your business?

- Trouble in paradise?

- What do you mean by that?

- You two. Your little affair.

- She knows?
- Look, whatever was going on between me and him, it's over.

So, tell who you like,
we'll just deny it.

- I don't believe this.
- All I want is for you to back off.

Leave me alone.
- I'll back off as soon as you're behind bars.

Not a second beforehand.

- What you haven't got is a single
piece of evidence against me.

- You told her, about us?

- No, of course I
didn't tell her.

She saw us kissing.

- Are we all right, you and me?

- I don't want to be discussing
my private business in a busy bar.

- Spill.

Why did she throw
you out last night?

- I told her I was glad
we didn't have a baby.

- What?!
- I know! I know. Look, I didn't mean it. I was angry.

- What's all this?
- Oh, we're trying to save the Raggedy Tree.

It's a local landmark.
- How are you going to do that?

- We haven't really
worked that out.

- When I was a student, we fought
to save this beautiful old building.

- Were you successful?
- We were, actually.

The developers wanted
to put up offices,

but it ended up being
a community hub.

- So, how'd you manage that?
- Direct action!

Chained ourselves
to the railings!

- We could tie
ourselves to the tree.

It would stop them
cutting it down.

- If you're serious,
I'll drive you up there.

It's my day off.

And this tree sounds like
it's worth preserving.

- Great.
- Hang on a minute!

Don't we need to
think about this?

- Oh, I get it.

You're scared of Marlene.

- Quite frankly, yes, I
am. She'll go ballistic!

- Look, once this tree
is gone, it's gone.

Are you really prepared
to let that happen?

- No.

I'm not.

- OK. Let's do it!

- Hey, Barry.

- I didn't know your sister
was a part-time revolutionary.

- Hmm. Don't you
mean full-time eejit?

- Barry.

You and I need to talk about
Marlene and Ash's blessing.

Just how many is it that
your wee church holds?

- No, I... I... I think

Marlene wanted just,
like, the bare minimum.

- The bare minimum?

Well, how many's that?

- I think she said
just her, Ash and me.

- Nonsense!

This is Port Devine's first g*y
blessing in your wee church.

The whole town's going
to want to be there.

- Still living a lie, Barry?

- The whole town?

You see, if the Bishop
gets wind of this,

I'm going to be booted
out of the Church.

- HE SIGHS

So the cub's got a result.

- I accessed the ANPR
camera on Oak Tree Road.

You'll never guess who was driving
up to Gordon Conway's house

at two o'clock in the morning.

- Surprise us.

- Jessica Keegan.

Her registration was captured
going up the road at 2:15

and coming back
down again at 2:37.

- So she could have been
planting the stolen goods.

- And framing Gordon.
- Can we track her down, please?

Bring her in.
- Yeah, I'll get right on it. - Thanks.

- So, Gordon Conway
was telling the truth?

- That's how it's looking.

- Can you tell me why your Land
Rover was clocked by Automatic Number

Plate Recognition going up
and down the Oak Tree Road

in the early hours
of this morning?

- No.

I can't.

- Where were you between two
and three o'clock this morning?

- In bed. Fast asleep.

- Are you absolutely sure about that?
- Of course!

Someone else must have
taken the Land Rover.

Everyone on the farm uses it.

- Define "everyone".

- It's a working vehicle.

The keys are kept on
a hook in the barn.

- We heard that you were trying
to buy the farm with your ex.

Could he have a set?

- I doubt it.
- Why?

- Because he's dead.

- Erm, I'm very
sorry to hear that.

- One minute he was
fine and then...

Of course, Phil had always suffered
from asthma, but I never thought...

He was in a coma for a
week after it happened.

He didn't make it.

- When was this?

- Three months ago.

Phil was working
out in the Gulf.

I was here, sorting out
the purchase of the farm.

- You didn't think about
pulling out of the deal?

- I had no choice.

We'd already
transferred the money.

I had to carry on.

- That must have been hard.

- That's why I don't need all of
this aggro about that stupid tree!

- The only way in is
through that gate?

- Unless they climbed
over the fence.

- Could anyone else have
been in the garden yesterday?

The movers, for example?

- They had no reason to come out
here. They stayed in the house.

- Jo.

Take a look at this.

Ryan, did you ask the farm
manager, Noel Armstrong, where

he was last night?
- Yeah.

He was home alone.

Got up at his usual time and
then discovered the crime scene.

- Did you believe him?

- Noel Armstrong has never had
so much as a parking ticket.

- How many other people
work on that farm?

- A couple. A few casuals.

- And you've spoken to them all?

- Not yet. I'm
still working on it.

- Marlene. We've got a problem.
- What?

- Niamh and your fiancee have tied
themselves to the Raggedy Tree.

- I'll m*rder Ash.
- Yeah? Not before I m*rder Niamh.

- Did you know your girlfriend was doing this?
- Mate,

she tells me nothing.
- Well, what would you prefer?

For her to be the
docile little woman?

- Don't be panicking. They can't
arrest us. We know our rights!

- OK.

I'm going to ask you to unchain yourselves.
- Sorry, Dad.

No can do.

- Do you two not care
how this makes us look?

Me and Finn are police officers.

- You should be proud.

- Ash, you've already
got a criminal record.

Do you really want to go to jail?
- If that's what it takes.

- HE STRUMS GUITAR

- What are you up to?

- I was just thinking about
how lucky I am to have you,

after everything
I've put you through.

You know, who'd have blamed you
if you decided enough was enough?

- I should have given you
the money to go on tour.

- No, no, no. You've got nothing
to reproach yourself for.

- I was being selfish.

Paranoid.

I was worried that you were
going to be besieged by groupies.

- Ah, no!

- A handsome hunk like you.
- I wouldn't cheat, Nicole.

- I know.

- I love you, Mrs
Devine-Dunwoody.

And what I said last night,
about the baby, I didn't mean it.

You know, I'll prove to
you I didn't mean it.

- And how are you
going to do that?

- Well, you'll have to
wait and see, won't you?

- OK.

- Just ignore her.
- You weren't kidding.

They're actually
tied to the tree.

- Aw, here she is!
The tree-k*ller.

We shall not be moved!
- We're not going anywhere!

- This is all I need.

- What the hell's
she doing here?

- Hello, Officer.

This place is fantastic.

So many thoughts and prayers.

- You know, if I was you, I would
want to stay under the radar,

not draw attention
to myself like this.

- Why would I want to do that?
Seeing as I've done nothing wrong.

- Gordon?

- She loved that dress.

- I'm sure she
looked lovely in it.

- You see? This tree
means a lot to people.

It would be a crime to cut it down.
- Sadly, that's not up to me, Niamh.

- Is this down to you?

- I saw online that it was
happening. I wish it was.

- You stay there all night, if you
like. I'm not changing my mind.

- We'll be here as long as it takes.
- Until you get hungry.

Or need the loo.

- Don't you worry.

We've thought of everything.

- Please, Ms Keegan, does this not
prove how strongly this community

feels about that tree?
- It's coming down.

No matter what you or
your acolytes say or do.

- Why don't you understand how
much pain this is causing?!

- OK, I have heard enough!

You two, you have more in
common than you realise.

Tell him.

Tell him what you did when
your boyfriend was dying.

- I tore a bit off his shirt
and I tied it to the tree.

It didn't save him.

- Tell her about
that yellow fabric.

- Who did it belong to?

- My wife.

- I'm sorry.

- She's not dead.

But she is lost to me.

This is a nightmare.
- Ah, tell me about it.

Hey, does either of you
two know who that woman is?

- Louise Halbridge.

- Oh, aye, she's only been
in town like a month or two,

but seems pleasant enough.

- So, how come Jo knows her?

- Er, I think they ran
into each other in Belfast.

- Well, clearly, they don't see eye to eye.
- Really?

- Hey, guys, I asked Ryan to check
who else was bidding to buy this farm.

- I spoke with
the estate agents.

They said it was Noel Armstrong.

- Very interesting.
- Mm, I suppose that makes sense.

His family have been tenants
on this land forever.

- The agent said Noel was gutted
when he lost out to Jessica.

- And he had access to
Jessica's Land Rover last night.

- I can see why he would want
to frustrate Jessica's plans.

And he probably thought
she would get fed up

and flog the farm off to him,
but why frame poor Gordon?

- Here he comes. You
can ask him yourself.

- Afternoon, officers.

- Mr Armstrong. Good to see
you. Saves us tracking you down.

- Always happy to
help the police.

- Have you ever been to
Gordon Conway's house?

- Never.

- Would you mind showing
me the sole of your boot?

- Sorry, what?
- The sole of your boot.

We can do it at the police
station, if you'd prefer.

Thank you.

I reckon that's a match.

- To what?

- To a print we found
in Gordon's flowerbed.

- What's going on?

- Mr Armstrong, I am arresting you
for burglary and criminal damage.

- All I tried to do was
protect the land. The tree.

- Oh, come on!
You can't do this!

- Somebody had to stand up for this place!
- This is police harassment!

- Do you want me to arrest you, too?
- Go ahead.

What's the trumped
up charge this time?

Can you get this one to back
off? This is a peaceful protest!

- Of course it is.

And as long as it stays that way,
nobody else is getting arrested.

Isn't that right, Detective Constable?
- Yeah. Of course.

Take him away, Cub.

- This way, Mr Armstrong.

- I feel so betrayed.

- Well, at least you know
it wasn't your neighbours

who vandalised your property.

- Excuse me! Excuse me!

I've got something I want to say!
- ALL: - Save our tree! Save our tree!

Save our tree!
- Will you shut up?!

I want you to know that I will
be going ahead with the glamping

pods, which I hope will be
good for this community.

- Shame on you!
- Oi! Let the woman speak!

- However, I have decided to
put the pods somewhere else

and preserve the Raggedy Tree...

..now that I know what
it means to people.

- HE APPLAUDS

- Yes!

- When did you grow a heart?

Getting Jessica and Gordon
to talk, saving the tree...

- You seem to think
I'm made of stone.

- You're hard enough.

- Says the man who wants to
be in a relationship with me.

- I like you.

- You don't even
know me, Callum.

- So fill me in.

- I grew up in care.

I spent my teenage years in the
type of place that woman runs.

- So that girl who died
in Louise's care...

Kerry?
- Like looking in the mirror.

- And that's why you
couldn't let it go.

- Why's he talking to Louise?

- He was asking me earlier,
how you know each other.

You have to tell him, Jo.

What you suspect Louise of doing.
Why you came to Port Devine.

Tell him, before he
finds out for himself.

- If she hasn't
told him already.

- All I wanted to do was
persuade Jessica to sell.

I would have given
her a fair price.

- But why would you try and frame
Gordon Conway for something you did?

- A few days ago, he starts telling
me how important the tree is.

Me!

Who's lived on that land
since the day I was born!

He needed teaching a lesson.

- Right, so, who
fancies a drink?

Assuming The Commodore's
actually open tonight.

- I, erm, need a
word with Niamh.

So, maybe I'll
catch yous in a bit.

- OK, Cub.

Well, after the day we've
had, I think we've earned one.

- Jo, can I have a word?

- Maybe catch yous both later.
- Yeah.

- So, the Raggedy Tree is saved.

- It certainly is.

- Marlene said it was thanks
to Detective Constable Lipton

that Jessica Keegan
changed her mind.

- Well, it wouldn't have
happened if me and Ash

hadn't taken direct action.

- Can I ask you a favour?

- Depends what it is.

- See the next time you're
thinking about doing something...

..radical or against the law...

..will you talk to
me about it first?

- I'm not your property, Ryan.

- I know you're not.

I don't want you to be.

But I am a police officer.

And if the woman I love is going
to run around and break the law,

that can make life
very difficult for me.

- The woman you what?

- The...

Love.

- Wow!

That's a big word!

- Do you not feel the same way?

- Of course I do.

- That's all right, then.

- I'm well aware that
it was down to you

the stand-off over
the tree got sorted.

- Thanks.

- Now...

Do you want to tell me about your
history with Louise Halbridge?

- Yeah, OK, erm...

Back in Belfast, someone who
I was very fond of, they died.

I've just been very
angry ever since.

- OK.

Sounds like grief, Jo.

- Yeah, you might be right.

So, what has Louise
said about me?

- Well, she's not happy.

But I'd like to hear
your side of the story.

You're lucky Jessica Keegan
doesn't want us to prosecute you.

- Direct action,
you can't beat it.

- Here, what's it like being engaged
to Port Devine's own Greta Thunberg?

- Tiring.
- Aw, she loves it, Barry!

- Yeah. I think she does, you know.
- LAUGHTER

- I'll fill in the
questionnaire tonight, I swear.

- I don't have to sort
this wedding, you know.

I do have enough going
on in my own life.

- We are very
grateful. Honestly.

- Listen, you know,
maybe we should postpone,

if Nicole can't
be ready in time.

- Will you stop trying
to put this wedding back?

Anyone would think you're having
cold feet about our church blessing.

- Me?! - Uh-huh!
- Cold feet? - Yes. - Never!

- I wanted to say,

what I heard last night, it
must have been the television.

The idea of you cheating on Clint.
I mean, that just wouldn't happen.

- Apology accepted.

Shay, what are you doing?

- Following orders.

- HE BEGINS STRUMMING

- Howdy, folks.

Erm, I've got something I need
to say to a very special lady,

my wonderful wife.

Most of yous know this,
but, erm, a few extra words.

♪ You're my Mountains of Mourne,

♪ My Islandmagee

♪ My own Giant's Causeway,

♪ My sweet Tandragee

♪ Lady so lovely, lady so fine

♪ My only true love,
Nicole Devine... ♪

Right, this is, erm...
This is the new bit!

- DOOR OPENS

- ♪ The day that we
married, my angel and me,

♪ The Lord blessed
us, made us family

♪ If he gave us a
baby, how happy we'd be

♪ But there's only one
person that matters to me

♪ You're my very own... ♪

- Stop. Stop...

- So, er, do you think you can
forgive me for what I said?

- I'm sorry, Clint.

I can't do this.

Our marriage is over.

- Nicole! Wait!

It was Callum, wasn't it?

That I heard you
with last night?

- Yes.

It was Callum.

- Oh, Nicole, what
have you done?

- So, is Louise saying me being in
Port Devine constitutes harassment?

- No.

She thinks you're a good officer

who's got the wrong
end of the stick.

And she was at
pains to point out

that she won't be making
any complaints against you.

- Well, I mean...

Thank goodness for that.
- Yeah.

Do you think that's you
out of the woods, then?

- Sorry?

- What you've just told me,
why you're in Port Devine...

..could be seen as someone running
an investigation off the books.

- So, if you decide
to report me?

- Pretty sure that would
be the end of your career.