08x23 - David Stockwell's Ghost

[bunniefuu]

# Heartbeat

# Why do you miss

# When my baby kisses me?

# Heartbeat

# Why does a love kiss

# Stay in my memory? #

TRANQUIL MUSIC

RECALLS RHYTHMIC DRUMMING

MAN: Peter?

Peter!

Sit down, old man. BELL RINGS

Don't slouch.

- More tea, Annie. - Yes, ma'am.

DOOR CLOSES

- We've got to tell the police. - Not today.

- I can't risk upsetting her today. -No need to accuse her of anything.

Just make a note of what's been taken.

Of course, it could be him.

- Mummy... - Don't interrupt.

SIGHS

When I think of Rhodesia...

Hey, come on.

I want to go back, Cecil.

Tonight's going to be a new start, new friends, new social life.

And who have we invited to our first dinner party?

The village bobby!

We agreed to ask the solicitor.

How was I to know what her boyfriend did?

It'll be the dustman next.

DOOR OPENS

MIKE: Morning, lads.

DOOR CLOSES

All right, Alf?

SIGHS HEAVILY

MIKE: What's the matter?

She doesn't want him knowing, mind.

Right. Come on, Alf. What is it?

Mrs Ventress... is in hospital.

It's not serious, is it?

- She's having an operation. - What sort of operation?

Alf?

It's, er, women's troubles.

Oh.

Ah.

Well, I'm erm... I'm really sorry to hear that.

She even did my dinner box for me before she left.

CAR APPROACHING

Ah, here he is.

So, you'll get straight on to the head man at Ashfordly, yes?

I'll hardly go to PC Plod, will I? Not if he's coming for dinner.

Right, David. You about right?

Hi, Mr Palmer.

- Off to get them? - We're on our way now.

Not more than six, and a decent quality.

Don't you worry, Mr Palmer, you can trust me.

I farmed , acres out in Rhodesia,

so there's no use fobbing me off with rubbish.

Of course not, sir. By the way, Mr Palmer...

What about the er... What about the umpence?

I'll give you the umpence when I'm satisfied with the purchase.

- OK, Mr Greengrass? - Couldn't be more delighted, sir.

Poultice.

MRS PALMER: Come on, darling! Hurry or you'll miss the bus!

Will you take me, Mummy?

I haven't got a car. Give me a kiss and run along.

-Please, Mummy! - Darling, don't be a silly boy.

You know I have a million things to do. Go on!

SOMBRE MUSIC

WIND GUSTING

AUCTIONEER: , , , , ... You're bidding? £ bid.

, , , , , , ...

Oh no, I'm gonna wait for these down here.

They'll be cheaper. It's gonna be about minutes.

Go up there, down there, up there again.

- Fancy a cup of tea? - No, I'm going to watch.

Well, try not to get into any trouble, all right?

. Down there. Mr, er, Gibson?

Three more there. Sale of those three at £ bid.

, , , , , , ...

Any bidding? At £ . Finished at £ . Storey, £ .

I've had a call from a Mrs Palmer. Maple Cottage, Aidensfield.

What does she want?

She thinks one Annie Taylor has stolen the family silver.

Annie Taylor?

You know, Sarge? The one with all the kids.

Works as chief cook and bottle washer.

I'd take anything Mr and Mrs Palmer say with a pinch of salt, Sarge.

Nevertheless, a theft is a theft.

Normally I'd have asked you to go up there, Bradley,

but Mrs Palmer particularly requested the top man.

Jackie and I have to go up there for supper tonight.

Sorry, correction. Dinner.

Yeah, well, it'll be dinner parties all the way now,

now you're going out with a solicitor.

PHIL CHUCKLES

Give it back at once!

He's blubbing.

# Cry baby bunting daddy's gone a-hunting... #

Snotty nose! Snotty nose!

AUCTIONEER: , , , , , , £ bid.

, , , , , , , , , ...

All finished now. Selling them then.

Off at £ . . Oh, and £ . .

And another pen...

DAVID: Mr Greengrass!

£ . Start me. £ bid. At £ ...

PIGS GRUNTING

At £ . All finished. Selling them, then. Off at £ .

- Yes, sir? - Mr Greengrass!

MAN: Greengrass.

What do you think you're playing at?!

CLAUDE: Now, David...

I had my eye on them piglets right from the start, I did.

- What are you talking about? - Way over market price, you paid.

Oh, I'm sorry. Do they know you're out on your own?

David, come and look at these sheep.

I must apologise.

In Africa we had a gorgeous house, dozens of servants.

I simply can't get used to slumming it like this.

So, about this missing silver?

Sergeant, you're sweating.

I'm not making you nervous, am I?

No, no.

Just that, er, perhaps two fires is er...

Oh, silly me.

BELL RINGS

I keep forgetting how terrifyingly hardy you all are.

Annie, turn off one of the fires, would you?

Now then...

Can I call you Raymond?

DOOR CLOSES Yes.

Well, the thing is, Raymond,

six apostle spoons have vanished from the silver cabinet.

Apostle spoons. Right.

Well, they've been in Cecil's mother's family

for hundreds of years and they're "extremely" valuable.

Right.

The thing is, we're pretty sure Annie must have taken them

but we're entertaining tonight, it wouldn't do to have her upset.

So I don't want you to question her.

I beg your pardon?

What I thought was, if you could put two or three

of your good detectives onto the caseto recover the spoons,

we could talk to Annie later when it's more convenient.

Though she's not very bright,

so she won't have taken them very far.

I'm sure one of your men will find them in no time.

Mrs Palmer...

I think it's better if I came back in a day or two, don't you?

When you've had your dinner party.

If I'm going to investigate a crime with limited police resources,

I don't want my hands tied.

So... Zambia again?

We don't call it that. We call it Northern Rhodesia.

Oh, I see. I'm sorry.

Molly.

She must be someone very special, getting a letter from you every day.

- My nurse. - Oh, I see.

You had a nurse out there?

She looked after me ever since I was a baby.

Was there a letter for me today, Mr Blaketon?

No, I'm sorry. Not today.

They do take a long time, you know, letters from Africa.

OK. Thank you, Mr Blaketon.

DOOR OPENS, BELL JANGLES

CASH REGISTER DINGS

BOYS:# Cry baby bunting daddy's gone a-hunting

# Cry baby bunting daddy's gone a-hunting #

BOY: Snotty nose, snotty nose!

BOY : Come on, you wimp!

Oi!

You two, come here!

TAUNTING CONTINUES

RUNNING FOOTSTEPS

What exactly did this Craddock fellow say?

Oh, not much.

He wanted to interview Annie, of course,

but I told him to leave it till after tonight.

What was he like?

Quite dishy actually.

So I smiled my very best smile and melted him... utterly.

Naughty girl.

For heaven's sake, Peter!

Has Annie given you your dinner yet?

No.

Then tell her to, quickly, before the guests arrive.

You look lovely, Mummy.

That's very sweet of you, darling.

Go on. Run along.

KISSES

MR PALMER SIGHS

- I love you. - Mm.

MR PALMER: We have to make this work, darling.

I don't want to, Cecil.

I've only got two words for you...

Dinner party.

You can blame it on my uncle. I'm under orders.

SIGHS I feel like a right idiot.

Well, you look very nice.

Well yeah, nice. Nice is about it, isn't it?

- What do you mean? - All this.

It's a bit nice and cosy.

Sometimes I just wonder what I'm still doing here, that's all.

But I thought you had to be here?

Not any more.

Well, go back to London if you're bored.

I'm... I'm not bored...

It's just...

Well, most of the cases I have to deal with...

Well, they're pretty small beer and...

Can I have a word in your ear, Bradley?

It's, er, young Peter Palmer.

See what I mean?

Yeah.

Psssst! Get out, Peter!

DOOR CLOSES

Children.

Honestly, one was enough for me, I can tell you.

Actually, I need to have a word about young Peter.

What about? Of course in Africa, it was so easy.

One just handed the little horror to a nursemaid and that was that.

We had a marvellous girl called Molly.

Didn't we, darling?

-Cheers. - ALL: Cheers.

No, life in Rhodesia certainly spoilt one.

All you had to do was clap your hands

and a native would come running.

- Zambia. - I beg your pardon?

Isn't it called Zambia now?

- He's not a Red, is he? - A Red?

Let's not get onto politics,

not before we've even started eating.

Dive in, everybody.

CUTLERY CLINKS

JACKIE COUGHING

Delicious.

ALL COUGH AND SPLUTTER

CUTLERY CLINKING

COUGHING CONTINUES

PIGS SQUEALING

CLAUDE: Come on, let's get out of here.

Don't forget, David, if the farmer starts moaning...

Right, careful!

'Ey...

If he starts moaning, don't forget,

he definitely said if we couldn't get lambs, he'd accept pigs.

Did he?

No, but what's that got to do with it?

Oh, you're talking about lying, Mr Greengrass.

It's not a question of telling lies.

It's being economical with the truth.

And it's your own fault!

You don't go to a livestock auction and start practising semaphore.

I were just trying to attract you, Mr Greengrass!

Attract me? You couldn't attract me if you were your sister.

Anyway, don't forget...

He definitely said if we couldn't get lambs, what would we accept?

- Er, pigs. - In one.

PIGS SQUEALING

This looks gorgeous.

CUTLERY SCRAPING

ALL COUGHING

COUGHING CONTINUES

Stupid, stupid woman!

First you put salt in the soup, now this!

Go on, taste it! Taste it if you don't believe me!

ANNIE: I'm not going till you've paid my wages.

MRS PALMER: I'm not paying...

More wine, everyone?

Thank you.

Erm... I think the culprit was cayenne pepper, wasn't it?

Apart from that, it was delicious.

- An easy mistake to make. - Absolutely.

PIGS SQUEALING

Would you excuse me for a moment?

GLASS CLINKS

DOOR SLAMS

CLEARS THROAT

I think, perhaps...

The baby-sitter! LAUGHS

She can't stay late. I'll just... get my coat.

FOOTSTEPS RECEDING

DOOR OPENS

Actually... we hardly know them.

PIGS SQUEALING OUTSIDE

BOTH LAUGHING

PIGS SQUEALING

CLAUDE: Come on, let's get gone!

Don't give them too much or they'll never sleep.

What is this?

Er, I said lambs, not pigs.

Will you take them away? I am not keeping pigs!

I mean, I know people say I'm bent,

but there's no way David would ever be economical with the truth.

And he heard you say you would accept pigs. Didn't you, David?

Oh, yes.

I'll talk to you in the morning.

Well done, David.

Keep this up, and you'll be able to chuck your L plates away.

PIGS SQUEALING

- ANNIE: That's not fair. - DIANE: You stupid, stupid woman!

PETER SOBBING

Oh, dear.

There's been a bit of a disaster, I'm afraid.

Something went wrong with the cooking.

PETER SNIFFS

PETER CONTINUES CRYING

Go away. Leave me alone.

PETER SOBS AND SNIFFS

SOMBRE MUSIC

SHEEP BLEATING

MAGGIE: Bruises?

Mmm. On both arms.

Worse than you'd expect from normal rough-and-tumble?

Well, Jackie seemed to think so.

She er...

She tried to get it out of him, only he shut up like a clam.

Cup of tea?

Please.

Yes, well...

Nobody likes to admit to being bullied, do they?

Trouble is, he's different.

He goes to a private school,

doesn't know any of the village children.

Thanks.

And he's erm...

He's got an annoyingly superior way.

Just like his parents.

All of which makes him a natural target

for the likes of Tom and Sam Wilson.

Oh, well. We can't let it go on, can we?

DAVID WHISTLING

Here, piggies.

Breakfast!

PIGS SQUEALING

I like ya. I don't care what he says.

PIGS SQUEALING

"Nil by mouth" it said.

"Nil by mouth" over her bed.

Alf, I've told you a hundred times,

nobody eats before an operation.

That's not like her. She loves her food.

- Alf... - CRADDOCK: Morning, gentlemen.

DOOR CLOSES

Crime sheets, Ventress.

I haven't them finished yet, Sarge.

I asked for them yesterday.

I'm sorry.

FOOTSTEPS RECEDING

Hello.

It's er... It's Peter, isn't it?

How are you settling in at your new school?

- Do you like it? - Yes.

Well, I must say, it's a jolly smart uniform.

My goodness me! You've been in the wars.

How did you do that? Let me have a look at it.

I fell over.

You can tell me.

Did it happen at school?

Well, so where then?

Did somebody...

hit you or... kick you?

That's what it looks like.

Two village boys bashed me up.

SIGHS

Ventress...

I'm sorry to hear about your wife. I gather the operation's today.

Er, yes, Sarge.

If you'd like a day's leave, I'd be happy to grant it.

Er, no, Sarge. I'd much rather keep busy.

PATTING

I'm sure she'll come through with flying colours.

What's she having done exactly?

Well, erm... You know.

I see.

Well, keep me informed.

What did you go and tell him for?

FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING

How can I help you?

CHILDREN SHOUTING

MIKE:Sorry, boys, but you were both seen.

BOY: Yeah, but it were only a joke.

Peter didn't find it very funny. Which one of you did it?

Or was it both of you?

- We never touched him. - Never. Honest.

We just called him names, that's all.

Right. Well, we'll leave it there for now.

I'll talk to you both again when you've had time to think about it.

- About telling the truth. - But we have told the truth!

We wouldn't lie to you, Mr Bradley. We wouldn't.

The spoons were bad enough, Raymond,

but this time it's an entire silver tea set.

I simply had to come over in person.

Sit down.

Last night, we had a disaster with a dinner party.

- I had to sack her. - Hang on. We're talking about?

Annie Taylor.

So you sacked Annie last night and this morning the tea set had gone?

Well, it's obvious, isn't it? She took them out of sheer spite.

ANNIE: Tablespoons? Teapots? What would I want them for?

Couldn't you have taken them home by mistake perhaps?

By mistake? Oh, come on, Mr Bradley!

I'd hardly cart a blooming great ugly teapot home by mistake!

Is that what she's been saying, that I stole her horrible silver?

Look, I'm only making initial enquiries.

You won't find anything here.

Tell-tale tit! Your tongue shall split!

-Sneak! - Telling Mr Bradley!

BRAKES SQUEAL SOFTLY

ENGINE IDLING

DIANE: Put it on account, would you?

But... Mrs Palmer?

DOOR SLAMS

Alf, just lift the phone, dial the number,

and put yourself out of your misery.

No, I can't.

OK, I'll do it for you, then.

DIALLING

What ward's she on?

DIALLING

Tulip.

Tulip ward, please.

- No. - Come on!

Did you search the house?

Yep. Nothing. I don't think Annie has anything to do with it.

- Who do you think it was? - Good question.

I mean, there's no doubt something funny's going on.

The silver was stolen.

The dinner party was sabotaged and er...

And then there's Peter, and his bruises.

I thought you'd sorted that out. I thought that was the Wilson boys.

I'm not so sure now.

I just wondered if there wasn't more to it.

Come on, Bradley, there's no need to make a mystery of it.

Surely the simplest explanation is the most plausible?

In all sorts of different ways,

the Palmers have made themselves unpopular,

and now they're paying the price.

The staff are stealing their things and spoiling their parties,

and the village boys are bullying their son.

Except I don't think the people of Aidansfield are that unkind.

In that case, maybe you've been here too long.

Sorry, Sarge?

Detachment, Bradley, that's the key to good policing.

When an officer loses that

and becomes over-involved with his community,

he has to ask himself, is it time to move on?

FOOTSTEPS RECEDING

DOOR CLOSES

ALF SIGHS

Thank you.

REPLACES RECEIVER

Is it bad news?

She's all right.

PIGS GRUNTING

SHEEP BLEATING

OWL HOOTS

DIANE SOBBING

DIANE: I can't bear it, Cecil! I really can't!

SOBBING CONTINUES

CECIL: It's all right.

PETER SNIFFS

SOMBRE MUSIC

Hello?

All right. Just take it slowly, Mr Bennett.

Y-you've got a...

You've got a what in your garden?

PIG SQUEALING

UPBEAT MUSIC

PIGS SQUEALING

Mr Bradley!

Delta Alpha - to Control. Reinforcements to Aidensfield.

Pigs on the loose.

Greengrass!

Good piggy.

Juicy apple?

A bit of apple sauce, piggy!

I don't like the look in its eye, Bradley.

It's not the look in his eye I'm worried about, Sarge.

CRADDOCK: Here, piggy.

Got it, Bradley!

PIG SQUEALING

CLAUDE SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY

PIGS SQUEALING

CLAUDE: Get 'em round 'ere. Come on.

That's it, go on. That's it.

Come on. I need this like a stag needs a hat rack!

Go on, get up there!

It looks like the bolt's been drawn

and the gate deliberately propped open.

GRAVEL CRUNCHING

For heaven sake, Peter! Shouldn't you be at school?

It's deliberate sabotage. This time it's gone too far.

I want the culprit arrested and charged at once!

School, I said!

Look at his leg, Sarge.

CECIL: Go on!

MIKE: The bruises look worse than they were.

I'd better have a word with those boys myself.

You don't think it could have been "him"?

ENGINE TURNS OVER

SOMBRE MUSIC

KNOCKING AT DOOR

- Good day, Mrs Palmer. - Raymond.

Mike, I'm sorry.

I should have written to apologise for that awful night.

May we come in?

- Is it about the silver? - No.

Only I'm afraid it's not really convenient at the moment.

- It's about your son, Peter. - Peter?

We've got a problem with a couple of boys in the village bullying kids.

Well, Peter doesn't mix with the local boys.

We think he might have had a bit of a problem with them.

I did try and tell you about it the other night.

Surely you must have noticed the bruises on his arms and legs?

No. Erm... I'd say come in and talk to him yourselves.

But he's at school, of course.

That's all right. It's you we want to talk to.

- And later, Mr Palmer. - What for?

Sorry, I think I hear the phone. I'm waiting for a call.

Do call back later if you like.

DOOR SLAMS

CLAUDE: One, two, three....

Stand still, will you? One, two, three, four, five...

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven.

There's still one missing somewhere.

You'd better go and see if you can find it.

- It's all dark out there. - Well... Well here.

Take the torch.

All right, then.

I'll have to decide what we're gonna do with them.

DAVID: We're gonna pop them back in Palmer's field, aren't we?

Probably him that let them go in the first place!

The only way we get rid of these is hope to resell them.

Either that, or you'd better get yourself ready

to eat an enormous amount of bacon butties!

PIGS GRUNTING

DOOR OPENS

SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC

Diane?

I had a headache.

Ow!

DIANE SHRIEKS

You're hurting me!

I've had a terrible day at the office!

I come home late, tired, hungry...

All right, I'm sorry!

- What's Peter had for supper? - Cornflakes.

- Cornflakes?! - That's all there was in the house!

He's your son! He's a growing boy!

I can't make food out of thin air, can I?

- The village shop won't serve us! - You'll go into Ashfordly later!

I'm not allowed a car, remember?!

So take a taxi!

DIANE: I can't! You haven't paid the village shop, either!

CECIL: I give up!

- I give up! - Yeah well, so do I!

No cook, no cleaner, no gardener!

CECIL: Shut up!

I hate Aidansfield! I hate this house!

Well, whose fault is that then, 'ey? 'Ey?

DIANE SHRIEKS, OBJECTS CRASHING

SOBBING

Sometimes I could k*ll you, Diane!

DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE

GRAVEL CRUNCHING UNDERFOOT

SOMBRE MUSIC

Mummy, where are you going?

You know you can't take Daddy's car.

Get to your room, young man!

KEYS JANGLE

DOOR SLAMS

KEYS JANGLE

Mummy! Stop! Come back!

Come back!

ENGINE REVVING

GRAVEL CRUNCHING

TYRES SQUEAL

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

Oh, Lord.

ROOM FALLS SILENT

CONVERSATIONS RESUME

Gin and tonic, please.

OWL HOOTS

MARY: So, is Mr Palmer going to join you later?

Mr Palmer could be in Timbuktu for all I know.

Who have you got baby-sitting?

Look, are you going to serve me or not?

Because it is actually illegal in this country

to leave a child alone in a house.

You don't say, Nurse Bolton(!) Well, I never.

I got a girl in from the village, so you don't need to worry.

And in case you want me to pay, I can't.

I never carry any cash.

Old Rhodesian habit. Live now, pay later.

MELANCHOLIC MUSIC

CHURCH BELLS CHIMING

MARY: Come on, Mrs Palmer.

MARY: Mrs Palmer!

Do you want me to ring your husband

and ask him to come and fetch you?

You're not thinking of driving, I hope.

MUSIC: 'All Cried Out' by Dusty Springfield

DOOR OPENS

Good night.

# I stayed up cryin' all night

# All night

# I knew the end was in sight

# In sight

# And now you're walkin' out on me

# On me

# You're wonderin' where the little tears can be

# Can be

# Well, baby

# I'm all cried out I'm all cried out

# All my little tears are all dried out

# Oh yeah

# Now that you say we're through

# I'm all cried out

# Over you

# Over you

# Over you #

Piggies!

Here, piggy.

Here, piggy, piggy.

FOREBODING MUSIC

DAVID: Piggies!

DAVID MAKES KISSING SOUNDS

Here, piggy.

CAR APPROACHING SLOWLY

WIND GUSTING

SOFT MUSIC

Er, the car's gone, she's gone.

We had a row.

Look, erm, let's start from the beginning.

- You went out last night? - Yes.

On foot. You left the car in the garage.

Yes. I didn't want to disturb her, so I slept on the sofa and...

Our bed hasn't been slept in, and...

S-she shouldn't be driving! I don't let her drive, you see?

- Not after what happened. - I-I beg your pardon?

Look, if there's, erm, something I should know...

Just before we came back from Rhodesia she... had an accident.

She hit someone in the car.

I see, erm...

Were they badly hurt?

She didn't mean to, she just lost control.

Who did she hit?

Molly, Peter's nursemaid.

Not the one he writes to?

We haven't told him about it yet.

That's the reason we had to come back.

They thought she'd done it on purpose... Molly's family.

They sent us death threats and er...

I mean...

S-she died.

MIKE: Right.

Well...

I-I think we should deal with the immediate situation.

Erm, the first thing we need to do is circulate a description.

Where is Peter?

Oh, I haven't woken him up yet.

SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC

KNOCKING

Peter?

He's locked in?

Diane sometimes locks him in if we're going out.

KEYS JANGLE

DOOR OPENS

Oh, now what's she done?

How is Mrs Ventress?

Oh, she's in terrible pain, Sarge.

Was it a hysterectomy by the way?

Only Mrs Craddock particularly asked.

Oh, I leave all that to the doctors, Sarge.

Yes.

Well...

Never let it be said that my wife is not a kind and thoughtful woman.

Oh.

DOOR OPENS

FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING

Ah, Mike's just been on with details of the car.

It seems the young boy's missing now, too.

CLAUDE: If you think going in there telling them you've seen a ghost,

you've got another thing coming!

Well, I'm not going in there on my own!

Right. Let's hope they believe in fairies(!)

CLATTERING

VAN DOORS SLAMMING

CLAUDE: We've come to report the sighting of a ghost.

Well, come on, David. Tell him what you saw!

Or rather what you didn't see.

I-I were out trying to recapture that piglet.

Not that he found it. Go on.

It were very frightening.

Well, come on! We'll be here all night!

I-it were in Elsinby Road, Alf, about midnight apparently,

because he said he heard the church clock chiming.

Come on, come on, tell him.

Well, I-I heard this car coming towards me.

It were gliding along and it were all slow and weird.

It didn't have a driver.

No driver?!

DAVID: No, it were going along all by itself.

And what was the car, exactly?

Mr and Mrs Palmer's car.

KNOCKING Come in.

Er, is it all right if I nip over to Aidensfield?

Any particular reason?

Well, I've had a sudden thought.

Goodness me.

ALF: Fresh footprints. Look!

Size three or four.

So, after his mum locked him in last night...

What, he climbed down the creeper?

That's right.

Well, that'll explain the David Stockwell ghost mystery.

The what?

That's funny.

He went out this way.

Then back again.

And then...

Of course. If he couldn't climb up again...

I'll get back to you in a minute.

SHEEP BLEATING

SIGHS

SOFT MUSIC

FLOORBOARDS CREAKING

PIG GRUNTS

PIG GRUNTING

Hello, Peter.

Do you think your pig would like a sandwich?

PIG GRUNTS

How about you?

You must be very hungry.

Peter...

I think... that you know where your mum is.

SNIFFS

It's terrible, isn't it?

Wondering about someone, missing them.

I know what it's like.

Now...

I'll tell you what I think happened...

And you stop me if I go wrong.

All right?

PIG GRUNTS

Last night, after your dad went out...

your mum left in the car.

She shouldn't have.

SNIFFS

She's not supposed to drive.

Well, you went out to look for her.

You found the car at the pub.

And you waited.

At last, she came out...

and she got into the car.

I couldn't wake her up.

Well, you didn't want her to get into trouble,

so you were going to drive her home.

CHUCKLES SOFTLY

I think that's very clever.

It's not every lad of nine who can drive a car.

Hey, come on.

I don't want to see you cry.

Now, you tell me what happened...

And then we'll see if we can find her.

I-I didn't mean to.

SNIFFS

I couldn't see properly.

I went over the edge.

SIGHS

He drove off the road at Ash Bank.

And Mrs Palmer?

Well, from what I can make out,

she was thrown out of the car as it rolled down the bank.

He couldn't find her in the dark.

He's been hiding here,

terrified that he k*lled his own mum.

Sarge!

Bellamy, radio for an ambulance. Take down those blankets.

SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC

She's still breathing. Hurry up with those blankets!

CLATTERING

So, "you" took the spoons and the teapot.

And all those other things that happened.

I mean, the salt in Annie's cooking.

And pepper.

So, spoiling the dinner,

letting the pigs out, and hiding the silver.

You did them all?

Well, would you mind telling me why?

So your mum and dad would go back to Africa.

Was that the reason?

Mum wants to go back.

She hates England.

So you were trying to help your mum?

Strikes me, Peter,

you're a very good son to your mum.

Always looking after her and making her happy.

Of course, you'd like to go back to Africa yourself

and see your old chums and so on.

I had Molly.

She was the best thing.

DOOR CLICKS OPEN

Mummy's all right, Peter.

MAGGIE: They found her. She's fine.

PIGS SQUEALING

They are a good lot you know, Jack. I hope you brought some readies.

JACK: Aye.

I want the going rate an' all.

Aye. What I would have paid if your lad hadn't come along.

What are you talking... He paid quid each for 'em!

He paid , and I'm offering you eight.

Eight?! And pigs might!

- Eight! - Take it or leave it.

At least they're going to a good home, Mr Greengrass.

A good home? I should have "you" put in one!

Here you are, mate, quid.

Oh, that's not so bad then, 'ey?

No, it's not, considering you're going to make up the difference!

The doctor says she'll be fine. Thanks, Constable.

Mr Palmer, we do need to talk about Peter.

Why? What's happened?

You haven't noticed the bruising?

Er... Bruising?

Well, I expect he got it from playing rugby at school.

You know what boys are like.

Mr Palmer, the child is covered with them.

His arms, his legs.

I tried to stop her.

It was your wife?

She doesn't mean to. She just...

STAMMERS

loses her temper.

MIKE: Mr Palmer, I have to warn you,

we've contacted the Children's Department.

They'll be making further inquiries.

Hey, er, there she is.

CECIL: Ah, Peter, old chap. Come here.

We need to talk about Molly.

Not now, Cecil, please.

Hold Mummy's hand, darling.

SOMBRE MUSIC

It's all right. It doesn't hurt or anything.

I'm sorry.

SOMBRE MUSIC CONTINUES

So "she" did it.

SIGHS

His own mother. I find it so hard to believe.

I know. They're going to need a lot of help.

Hmm.

So, has it been challenging enough for you?

What's that?

Well, I seem to remember you were fed up.

CHUCKLES

Stuck in a rural backwater, pining for the big smoke.

OK, OK, I know. It's...

It's just how I feel sometimes. Don't take any notice.

Anyway, you're in the same boat.

What do you mean?

Well...

Same rural backwater.

Ah, but in my case it's all part of a plan.

Two or three years' experience in the country and...

And then...

Then?

And then it depends on what else is happening, I suppose.

# Heartbeat

# Why do you miss

# When my baby kisses me?

# Heartbeat

# Why does a love kiss

# Stay in my memory? #