01x05 - The Boy You Were

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "The Gold". Aired: 12 February – 19 March 2023.*
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Series covers the 1983 Brink's-Mat robbery in which £26 million worth of gold bullion, diamonds, and cash was stolen from a warehouse near Heathrow Airport, and the widespread events that followed over the following decade.
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01x05 - The Boy You Were

Post by bunniefuu »

The world decides who
you are from what you show them.

Well, what do we do now?

Well, we ain't going home.

I haven't seen you down at our
place. Taking a bit of time off.

Don't turn your back
on the brotherhood,

and we won't turn out back on you.

How do I know if I wait for you,
you'll look after me?

How about a nice
house in the country?

This is a mistake.

I reckon I can
make this place whatever I want.

You'll need a name for internal use.

That will be Mr Parry.

I always thought it was interesting
how you put the Swiss account in

my name, Mr Cooper, making yourself
invisible by making me very visible.

Every serial number on every note
that came from

the Brink's-Mat gold starts the same.

A.

We need something taking over to
Liechtenstein.

Kenneth Noye, I'm arresting you for
conspiracy to handle stolen goods.

NEWS REPORT: The Prime Minister is in
Washington DC today,

continuing talks
with President Reagan.

Topics under discussion include
the Trident Nuclear m*ssile system,

and relations with Libya.

Mrs Thatcher told reporters that the
visit had been highly productive.

DISTANT BANG AND YELLING

SHE SIGHS

Oh.

SHOUTING CONTINUES

SHOUTING CONTINUES

BANGING

ARGUMENT CONTINUES

It's my son's fault.

He knows I'm not the holiday sort,

but he kept badgering me
to get away, on account of my lungs.

I said, "Fine, I'll go to Margate."

But he's booked me for bloody Spain.

I said, "Spain?
You're joking, ain't you?"

I had a nice time, but I'd rather
have stayed in London,

took walks down by the river.

You seen what they're doing
up there,

knocking down the wharfs to build
flats for the yuppies.

The Docklands,
that's what they call it.

Whatever that is.

I'll tell you, love,
London isn't what it used to be.

Used to be about people,
about families.

Now it's just about money.

VOICES CLAMOUR

WOMAN'S MUFFLED VOICE: You're evil!
You're an evil bastard!

Get yourself some chips, son.
Thanks.

Some women shouldn't have kids.
What do you know about it?

I'm just saying.

Just because a woman brings
a kid into this world it don't

mean you can blame her for
everything that comes next.

We need to build a conspiracy
case against Noye.

What's his neighbour
saying about the box?

That we ruined her flower bed
digging it out. And?

She doesn't know who put it there,

but she does know without any
doubt that it wasn't Kenneth Noye.

So someone else put grand of A
notes under the geraniums.

It's not enough.

This could be.

It was with the money.

Paying instructions from Noye
through Savage's deposits

to Switzerland.

To prove conspiracy against any
of them, we need to know who

controls the Swiss account and prove
the connections all the way back.

But if you don't have who controls
the Swiss account,

then you don't have conspiracy.

Then I'll go to Switzerland
and ask who controls the account.

Right, yeah, I mean, whilst
I obviously admire your panache...

John Palmer? Extradition requests
are in, for all the good it'll do.

Sir, we're missing someone up here.

Well, that's why I'm going to
Switzerland, Jennings. Not them.

Him.

We caught McAvoy, Jennings,
I believe you were there.

And he's not talking.

He's a good soldier.
Even good soldiers get paid.

And if he IS getting paid,
it's by the ones with the money.

That's your weak link, sir.

And if you want to know who's
handling the money,

we should have another
look at McAvoy.

He doesn't have much
call for money where he is.

He's got a wife in Herne Hill

and a girlfriend on the Old Kent
Road who'd disagree with that.

OK, Jennings, I'll go to Zurich.

You go to the Old Kent Road.

Let's see who comes back with a name.

The City of Gold.
That's what this place is called.

And that's what it's
going to be for us.

The City of Gold, and you lot are
going to get out there

and flog some time-shares and we
all start making proper money.

quid a sale, no wages,

survival of the fitness.

All right, got it?

Well, off you go, then.

Mr Palmer.

My brother is here.

What's this?

Santiago, my brother.

Hola, Senor Palmer.

I need building permits,
work visas and bank accounts.

I can arrange that, Senor Palmer.

And more importantly,

I can make sure that everything
here goes tranquilo.

Senor Palmer, you're a famous man
here now,

and that can cause you problems.

Santiago and I
can take care of the problems.

This is how Tenerife works,
Senor Palmer.

That's how everywhere works, lads.

You sent us on quite the journey,
Kathleen.

Oh, yeah? We went to your flat,

which didn't strike us as occupied,
but with all the mail,

including one from an estate agent,
a receipt for their services.

So, we went to the estate agent,
and they told us

that they sold two houses to your
representatives. Which impressed us.

You having representatives.

So, we had to pick
one of the houses to visit first

and we picked the wrong one.

Which means we've just had
a cup of tea with Jackie McAvoy.

What's hers like, then?
Oh, nice.

Not as nice as this though.

No. Here's the thing.

Jackie McAvoy didn't know who
owned her house,

even while she's sat in it
having a cup of tea.

So what about you, Kathleen?

Do you know who owns this house?

No.

But then again,
I'm just a girl from Rotherhithe,

I don't know how these things work.

It's funny though, isn't it?

You both getting new gaffs right
after Micky took years

without a peep.

There's nothing
funny about that, mate.

I ain't your mate, Kathleen.

How's your dad?

I'll nick you, Kathleen,
just as soon as I can.

Oh, yeah, what for?

Sitting in a
house that don't belong to me?

Don't strike me as much of a charge.

Brinks and Mat?

HE CHUCKLES

That's what you called them?

Yeah, well, when you're
on your own in a big house

and your bloke's doing years,

you take your fun where
you can get it.

Osborne.

Oh, right, yes, crickey, OK.

Uh, good, good.

Um, this is Osborne, Roger.

Who the f*ck is Roger?

That's what you say, isn't it?

Can you find out who bought a house

if the person who bought it don't
want to be found?

I can, yeah. Good.

It's just I thought that Roger was
a sort of sign-off...

RADIO STATIC

Hello?

Hello, Task Force.
She's gone.

You should report her. No.

If they know your dad,
they've got leverage.

They've got nothing. And I'll not be
taken off the case

cause I'm from where they're from.

There's a whole f*cking problem
right there.

All I'm saying is, it's not over.

Don Quixote. Sorry? You.

Coming here alone to ask me
for this information.

The madness of it.

Makes me think of Don Quixote.

I came alone because I wanted to
speak to a policeman not to

a politician. I understand.

But the sovereign laws of the nation
of Switzerland state

that our banking system is to be
protected by secrecy.

To which any law, national or
foreign, are deemed inferior.

Have you ever lost a man?

Because I lost a man
working on this.

And that is why I will travel
anywhere in the world to seek help,

to seek justice, to be called mad.

I will do anything,
because I lost a man.

But maybe it's hard for you to
understand how that feels,

when your job is to put on a uniform
and sit behind a desk,

and talk of banking laws.

I have lost men in this uniform,

and in another.

I thought your lot were...neutral.

Sometimes you must find your own w*r.

Spain?

The International Brigade.

May I buy you lunch?

The houses were a mistake.

I believe I mentioned
that at the time.

You were right, Mr Cooper.

Have they charged them?
No.

Can they follow those
houses back to us?

I wouldn't have thought so.

Not unless they have somebody who
knows what they're doing. No.

Well, then,
let's hope that's the end of it.

Has there been any fallout
from your hapless associate's

problems at the border?

No.

There won't be.

He didn't talk in Liechtenstein.

And if the old bill come
calling here,

he won't talk to them neither.

Are you taking precautions?

I am, Mr Cooper.

So, Captain Siegrist, if we can
return to the matter in hand.

Well, Mr Boyce, let us just enjoy
the wine,

and talk, soldier to soldier.

Tell me, what is the memory

that w*r
gave you that you cannot lose?

The one that
comes for you in the night?

I sleep perfectly well,
Capitaine Siegrist.

I fought in the Thalmann Battalion.

Up in the mountains, over the worst
winter Spain had ever known.

The Italians bombed us,
Franco shelled us,

and the snow froze us.

But we held our ground.

Then there was a blizzard, five feet
of snow, minus degrees.

We b*rned everything we could,

but it wasn't enough to stop
the frostbite.

I was lucky, others weren't.

Arms and legs sawn off with only
whisky for the pain.

And the screaming.

This is what comes for me
in the night.

The EOKA moved at night,

so we went looking for them.

I was leading a patrol at dawn,

when all hell broke loose.

We hit back, rapid fire,
up into the trees.

We cleared them out,
and went to see the damage.

I saw his feet first.

He was wearing these red
leather shoes.

He'd taken a b*llet through
the heart.

In his hands, he had a -volt
battery, for the mines.

He...he was going to blow us up,
we sh*t him first.

But it was...

He was in uniform...

..but these shoes...

..they were handmade.

They weren't made for fighting.

They were...

..childlike.

Because that's what he was.

That's what I was.

Teenagers...

..boys.

That's what I think about
when I think about w*r.

I think about a boy in Cyprus
and his red leather shoes.

Walk me back, Mr Boyce.

Perhaps I can request
a hearing, to ask a judge

if we can give you the bank
account information.

The judge will say no,

but first, the bank will have to
attend to discuss the account.

Maybe I can get a name out of them.

Maybe not.

If I do,

it will be bound with
the secrecy of the court.

I can be in the court?

It is not a public hearing.

But if you are nice and quiet...

Well, thank you.
Don't thank me.

It'll be very boring.
It is in German.

Everything takes
twice as long in German.

Do you speak German, Mr Boyce?
No.

Then Don Quixote will
need his Sancho Panza.

BEEPING

Oh, great.
I didn't realise it made noises.

I set an alert for any new
entries containing A.

Noye's neighbour?

Not quite.

Liechtenstein? Task Force?
It's Boyce. Ah, hello sir.

I've just had Palmer's
extradition request denied.

Right. Yeah, but here's the thing.

They sent through the file
and his passport's expired.

If we go through
the Foreign Office,

we can recommend his expulsion
as an illegal alien.

Would they do it?

Well, it depends how many friends
he's made over there.

Give it a try.

And put Goodman on.

Yes, sir. Goodman?

The guv'nor wants a word.

Hello, sir. I pulled your records,

Goodman, when you joined
the Task Force. Right.

When did Guttmann become Goodman?

After school, sir.

Having a German surname in
Cricklewood, in the 's,

weren't much fun.
Well, it might be more fun now.

Milne, cleaning.

Sturrock, kitchens.

McAvoy...

..groundskeeping.

Arnold, laundry.

Wilkins, general labour.

Now, the flats cost ten grand
each to finish off.

If we sell time-shares for five
grand each,

that's a -grand profit.

I take out ten,

and I use the
to finish off four more flats.

Sell off their time-shares,
and then I cr*ck on again.

Now, there's flats there.

My maths ain't the best,

but that's getting close to
million.

You know, John most blokes who live

in a different country to their
family, and have every copper in

England chasing after them probably
wouldn't sound quite so chipper.

Look, I'm just concentrating
on the silver lining, love.

I mean, why look at that cloud when
you can look at all that silver?

Have you spoken to a lawyer?

What about?
About working out how to come home?

Oh... Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, I've put a few feelers,
but, you know,

no, these things take time.

Right now, I'm concentrating
on getting this place

ready for you lot to visit.

Yeah, we're coming out for the
school holidays, John.

And then we're going
home as a family.

You can't be a fugitive forever.

Well, let's see how you feel once
you've seen this place.

Is there room for us out there,

in your little kingdom?

Look, all I know is I grew up
wearing shoes I got from the

council, and now I'm waiting
for some bloke

to come and fill up my pool.

You didn't tell me about the pool.

See, there's that silver
lining again.

How was Liechtenstein, Keith?

Not great. Yeah, losing grand
must have taken the shine off.

My client was asked to transport
money to Liechtenstein on behalf

of an associate who explained he was
exploiting a legal tax advantage.

Are legal tax advantages usually
hidden in car seats?

That was a security measure.

Oh, right, yeah.
Good thinking there, Keith.

The car you were driving was last
registered to a Gordon Parry.

What's your connection to him?

My client will be making no
further statements,

and we look forward to putting
forward our case in court.

You've ruined your life, mate.

How well do you reckon it was
going before this?

Have you done any bird before,
Keith?

That's enough.
It isn't fun in there.

I'm not a crook.

No-one's a crook until they are.

Brinks and Mat?

I thought you'd find it funny.

There ain't much
I find funny these days, love.

And you calling your dogs after
the job that got me

years ain't changing that.

I wouldn't need no dogs
if I wasn't on my own, would I?

I've been thinking about that.

You being there. Me being here.

Oh, yeah?

I don't know who's got my share
of the gold or who's done what.

And no-one's come to put me right.

So maybe I should go and see them.

What do you need?

I need you to go and see the cabbie.

WHISPERING: How's he doing?
Not great.

The money's moved to Liechtenstein.

No names? Not yet.

Edwyn Cooper, the lawyer?

That's the one. He does police work.
He did.

He left his practice six months ago.

It appears he's found a new
vocation.

How can you be that rich
and that greedy?

I've been looking into Cooper,

he's more interesting than
you might think.

He's been running the account with a
Gordon Parry. Parry's south London.

Officially, a bookie,
unofficially, all sorts.

Sir, a car owned by Gordon Parry was

pulled at the Swiss Liechtenstein
border last week.

grand of A notes.

That's them.

They've moved the money to
a bank in Liechtenstein.

Edwyn Cooper and Gordon Parry.

They bought the houses for
Jackie McAvoy and Kathleen Meacock.

And considering the number of front
companies they used,

I don't think they wanted
you to know about it.

That's the money, sir.
Cooper and Parry.

And if Parry's south London, I don't
think it's going to be hard to

prove the connection all the way
back to McAvoy.

There's your conspiracy.

Well, we should issue warrants.

If we issue a warrant
for Cooper, Cooper will

know about it before the ink's dry.
How's that, sir?

Because there is a hidden
hand in this country,

and nowhere is it better hidden
than in the police.

That hand will reach out to Cooper
and offer salvation.

So what do we do?

We let the hand reach out.

The same speech, every bloody
time, for ten years.

Half the sergeants in London are out
there right now

thinking about Caesar's bloody wife.

A little education never
hurt anyone.

Hope you don't mind me
looking up an old friend like this.

I'm happy to know he has one.

I was starting to wonder.

Hmm. I'll top us up.

Well, Edwyn.

You've landed on your feet.

She can cook, too.

Why are you here, Neville?

Boyce has issued arrest warrants
for yourself and Gordon Parry.

The houses...

..and the money at the border.

Uh...

..is there a deal to be done?

Of course.

This is what the Brotherhood's
for, Edwyn, moments like this.

When one of us
falls, the others lift him up.

This deal, then...

Is Boyce a friend of ours?

Pfft! No.

But we don't lack friends.

The first Freemasonry
lodge in London was formed

years before the Metropolitan
Police was even founded.

There's always been two systems,

and ours is the stronger.

How's that business of yours
going then, Donnie?

Well, keeps me out of trouble.

Do Brink's-Mat know they bought half
the cabs in south London?

How can I help?

Micky ain't happy.

Well, that's sort of the point
of prison, isn't it?

He's given me a message.

What is it?

I don't know.

But I'm to give this to your mate
with the chopper.

f*cking hell.

Well, Micky never lacked ambition,

I'll give him that.

That's why I'm with him.

Now, tell me where to take this.

And be careful with all those lovely
nice new cars of yours, yeah?

You're not with him,
though, are you love?

You're on your own.

You're still walking about south
London like you got

Micky McAvoy on your arm.

Thing is...

..when you're with Micky McAvoy...

..you ain't never
alone in south London.

So take me to your mate.

HE WHISTLES

Hey, mate.

Hi, mate, are you here to fill up
the pool?

Sure.

PHONE RINGS

One minute.

Hola?

Senor Palmer, it is Santiago.

A detective is coming
to your house to arrest you. Go.

PHONE LINE CLICKS

Hi, mate.
Just coming down now. OK.

Un momento.

ENGINE STARTS

Mierda!

Where?

There, round the back.

Ain't you coming, Donnie?

No.

Micky wouldn't want me to know
the details.

HE WHISTLES

Hello, sweetheart,
are you here to see me?

Are you Terry? Who's asking?

Micky McAvoy.

Sorry about that love, can I...

Can I make you a cup of tea?

No.

He can.

Where is Palmer now?

He'll be just about passing
the Azores.

The police in Tenerife tracked him

from a private
plane in Tenerife to Lisbon.

And I've been advised he's
currently on a flight from Lisbon to

Rio to Janeiro.

The plane lands for refuelling
in Recife in five hours' time.

You've been advised?

Why did you leave the army, Boyce?
You're a soldier in police uniform.

Her Majesty's Armed Forces decided
that I wasn't officer class.

I had the ability,
but not the breeding.

This country gets itself tied
up in that stuff, doesn't it?

If it wasn't for people getting tied
up in that stuff, trying to

break out of the lives they've been
given, we wouldn't have a job.

That's why Noye did what he did.

It's why Cooper did what he did.

It's why Palmer's on that plane.

What do you want on Palmer?

I want him sent back.

But I don't have the time or
the trust for official channels.

I'll ask the Home Office
to have a quiet word with

the Brazilian Ambassador.

Be much appreciated.

What are you up to, Boyce?

I'm sorry, ma'am?

You've come here without warning,

and sit waiting in Scotland Yard
reception for an hour.

It feels unnecessarily public.

Or perhaps deliberately so?

It's nice to stretch the legs,
ma'am.

Kitchen.

They're talking about moving you to
another nick, Micky.

When?

Couple of days.

Boyce...

..I heard you were in.

Nice to see you here, down in the
gutter with the rest of us.

Oh, there are fine people in this
building Carter.

It's a shame how badly others
let them down.

Edwyn Cooper would like to meet you.

I'd like to meet him.
And his friend, Mr Parry.

You won't pull them in?

I'll listen to what
they have to say. Good.

We'll be in touch.

Tell the cabbie to tell his mate
that it's got to be tomorrow.

What does?

Don't you worry, love.
They'll know what it means.

Just you pray that, tomorrow...

..there ain't no wind

and there ain't no rain.

And then maybe I'll see you
sooner than we thought.

You need a bit of luck, Micky.
Yes, I do.

You're going back to London.

It's nothing serious.

I...don't want to know.

Whatever you did...

..wherever the money is from,
whatever that man wanted...

..that's in London.

So you go,

and do whatever you need to do,

and don't come back
unless it's finished.

Uh, these are the deeds to
this place.

And this is a clean account.

I hope to be back soon, but...

..if I'm not...

..I urge you to seek
the happiness that you deserve.

Where are you from, Edwyn?

It's not about where.

It's about what.

I'm from fear.

And everything I've done has been to
free myself from that.

You could have given me more.

I wish that were true.

But I don't ha...

I don't have what others have.

I don't have the tools.

I don't have the love.

You need to go back...

..to where you're from.

Because someone's
got a hook inside you.

And you need to get it out.

Ow!

VOICES CLAMOUR

We'll speak to the British
Embassy, right,

we can get all this sorted out.

Hey, what happened to the
old Magna Carta, eh, lads?

f*cking hell!

CELL KEYS JANGLE

LOCK CLICKS

Senor Palmer.

You're a famous man.

I don't know about that.

The governor received
a call from British Intelligence.

That is James Bond, no?

I just want to spend a bit of time
in Brazil, mate, all right?

Not in here though.

HE TUTS

You cannot stay in Brazil.

Too much pressure.

Oh, so you got room for Ronnie
Biggs, but not for me?

It is because we have Ronnie Biggs,
we cannot have you.

One Ronnie Biggs, it's a mistake.

Two Ronnie Biggs, it's a policy.

You're going home tonight.

I'm going home to who?

We are to tell the British police
what flight you're on.

Well, how about...

..you tell them that you've packed me
off home, but...

..you find a way of...

..telling them the wrong flight?

Just a honest mistake, like?

Hmm.

And what might such
a mistake be worth?

This...

..is a Rolex President.

I don't know what, uh,
what dough you have here.

But THAT...

..is , English pounds.

And the ring.

That's my wedding ring, mate.

It is gold.
Ah, it's plated gold.

It's a...

..it's a piece of crap.
I was a kid, like.

Better some gold, than none at all.

May I use your phone please?

Hello, love. There's been
a bit of a change of plan.

What's going on, John?
What time is it?

Look...

..it's all sorted.

I'm coming home.

I'm flying in

to Heathrow from Brazil.

From where?

I thought I'd take the scenic route.

What's happening, John?

Don't worry, love.

I've got a plan.

So, Edwyn...

..how goes the revolution?

I'm sorry.

That badly?

You were right about me.

About this country.

You looked tanned, which is helpful.

I told the neighbours you were
working for the Arabs.

I'd like to see the children.

I don't know when the opportunity
will next arise.

I saw you one night with her...

..on the King's Road.

You were falling out of a taxi.

She was falling out of her dress.
She looked very...

..comforting.
You slept with Cameron.

In Scotland. I found a letter.

Cameron is an Earl.

I'm going to see the children.
I see him now.

He used to tell me about the boy
you were, about the life he had.

And I didn't believe you.

I couldn't see him within you.

But I see him now.

Good afternoon, Mrs Palmer.

May I have a minute with my husband?

Thought you had a plan.

So did I.
But you're innocent, John.

What do they want with you?

Don't worry, we'll be OK.

Go home,
give the girls a kiss from me.

WHISPERING: I'll be home sooner than
you think.

Sir, control have patched
through a call for you.

Boyce.

The Royal Arch pub, Rotherhithe.

Mr Cooper would like to
propose a deal.

I can be there in an hour.

Come alone.

I'll be alone.

Is there a deal to be done,
Mr Boyce?

I need all the gold that didn't go
through John Palmer.

And I need the money that you've
made from the gold that did.

That is the only deal to be done.

I know nothing of the gold.

I offered...financial legal
services

that are in and of themselves...

Gold and money.

Give me that, Mr Cooper, then
we can discuss what you've offered.

Think how it would look, Boyce...

..arresting Edwyn.

This is a solicitor who's
represented

dozens of police officers,

a respected establishment figure.

What kind of message would
that send to the public?

That justice prevails.

Huh!

Mr Boyce, I accept...

..you need amm*nit*on to take back

to your superiors.

Many of whom I...know personally.

May I suggest we work our way
towards a compromise as...

Let's give it to them, Mr Cooper,
shall we?

Please?

We've got some gold, Mr Boyce,
it's behind the bar.

Call it a goodwill gesture.

That would be a start.

Give us a hand, Mr Cooper, please.

About time you got your hands dirty.

The police are outside.

That was a mistake.

SIRENS

Stop the car! Stop the car!

Bloody car. Get out of it, come on!

Stop!

You've just made a powerful
enemy, Boyce.

I lifted the rock.

Let's see how you lot
handle the light.

SIRENS

BREATHLESSLY: Oh, for f*ck's sake.

Brightwell to ops control.

Brightwell, this is Boyce.

He's gone to ground
in the Silverlock Estate.

Where's he going, then?

Home.

Hello, Eddie.

Hello, Mum.

No outdoor rec today, Micky.

I should have seen more of you.

I was glad when you stopped coming.

I'd rather miss you...

..than see you embarrassed.

I preferred sitting here...

..thinking about all the things you'd
be doing...

..all the places you'd be going.

Thinking of my little prince.

I never belonged there.

Of course you didn't.

And that's why I'm
so proud you got there.

What...whatever you've done, Eddie,

there ain't no-one that can take
that away from you.

And there ain't no-one that can
take that pride away from me.

KNOCKING

If they're knocking...

..they're the old bill.

It ain't the first time they've been
knocking on that door.

But if they want you...

..it's got to be big.

It's got to be as big as it gets.

I'm scared. No.

No, we are not having any of that.

What we've been through,

..this is nothing.

This is easy.

So, when you walk out there, Eddie,

and you walk out with pride,

because we always had pride, didn't
we? We always had that.

Yeah, we did.

So...

Keep your chin up, son

..and walk out there
like a f*cking prince.

It's time to do
something about Boyce.

Better late than never.

♪ I know it's over, still I cling

♪ I don't know where else I can go

♪ Over

♪ Oh, Mother, I can feel

♪ The soil falling over my head

♪ See, the sea wants to take me

♪ The Kn*fe wants to slit me

♪ Do you think you can help me? ♪
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