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02x03 - Episode 3

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "After the Flood". Aired: January 10, 2024 – present.*
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When an unidentified man is found dead in an underground car park after a devastating flood, PC Joanna Marshall is commissioned to investigate the truth of the man's death.

02x03 - Episode 3

Post by bunniefuu »

The shotgun they found on the moors,

it's from the Crossdale Estate.

JO: Alan's big in business, and

I know his daughter Harriet a bit.

PAT: 'Fraser, what's all this?'

FRASER: 'Files, notebooks, tapes.'

'What kind of tapes?'

Interviews conducted by Mackie

and your dad.

2012, Saskia Bale, burglary.

All the evidence goes missing

while she's in custody.

Thought you and Mackie were solid.

I said that because

I'm terrified of the man.

SHE GASPS

'He's a k*ller, for God's sake!'

There's a bright future for all

of us if we can just stick together.

I'm not gonna say anything.

I've got too much to lose.

MOLLY: Is it all over

between you and Sarah Mackie, then?

Yeah, I'm done

chasing other men's wives.

Is that Xav? So he was the one

dating Donna Rower, wasn't he?

Xav and Todd went to

the same grief counselling group.

Yeah. They were mates.

'So Xav wasn't sneaking

around the farm,

'he was just going back to Todd's.

'He had a bag! He must've dumped it

before Dixon caught up with him.'

What the hell were they up to?

SAM: Thanks for coming, everyone.

Your prints are being taken

for elimination purposes.

They won't be kept on record, OK?

RAIN DROWNS OU

SPEECH

Harriet, is your dad on his way?

He has a prior engagement,

so, no, he won't be back

till tomorrow. Right.

Well, we do need his prints,

as well.

Did you explain the urgency?

I did, but he can't cancel.

So what time tomorrow?

I really couldn't say.

Yeah, don't put yourself out.

We'll have officers here.

They'll let us know when he arrives.

That's not necessary. There'll be

a police presence tonight.

You've had "murderers" painted

on the front of your house.

I'm concerned for your safety.

Hm. That was weird.

Harriet didn't seem that bothered,

did she?

Yeah. Victims or suspects?

Someone's pointing a finger at them.

It's just a question of who.

Shh! Shh-shh-shh.

Shh-shh-shh, shh-shh-shh.

Shh, shh-shh-shh.

THUNDER RUMBLES

RAIN PATTERS

PHONE CHIMES

'Hi. It's half five,

and I've only just got Eve off,

'so that's why I'm whispering.

'Anyway, those old case files

that Tempo gave me,

'do you remember Saskia Bale,

'who had her charges dropped

just like that?

'Well, was she maybe ever fostered

by the Mackies and then used?

'I've asked Children's Services,

'but can you look through

Molly's photo albums

'and see if she was at

one of your mum's parties,

'because then we'll know

that she was a Mackie kid.

'I'll send you her mugshot over.

OK. Bye.'

SNORING

MOLLY: Oh, quiet! You'll wake Jo up.

JACK SIGHS

I'm not doing anything.

You're snoring.

HE SIGHS

Oh.

SHE SIGHS

What are you doing?

What do you think?

Going to the loo.

HE SIGHS

TOILET FLUSHES

DISTANTLY

DOOR OPENS

Permanent fixture now, are you?

Well, we were, er,

gonna go swimming first thing.

But judging by the weather

She goes in all weathers.

Does she?

Yeah, but there's a flood warning

out, so you might be in luck.

Do you want a cup of tea?

No, thanks.

Look, Jo, erm

I know me being with Moll

is problematic for you.

That's very astute of you.

But I just want you to know

that I do have the best intentions.

Really?

Yeah.

I care about Moll.

I'm very fond of her.

And you know, we're, erm

we're talking everything through.

Everything?

Yeah.

Hm. So she knows, does she,

that you were there

when Mackie k*lled someone? Yeah?

She know that you and Pat

and Sarah and Lee

all stood by

and watched a man bleed to death

rather than call an ambulance?

How do you know all this?

There's more. What about

your attempted insurance fraud,

which Keith went to prison for?

You know he's coming out today?

And then, of course, there's Mackie

getting Lee to m*rder your employee,

your caretaker,

the man that you fired.

Sorry, what are you talking about?

They k*lled him, Jack.

They strung him up.

He drank himself stupid,

then hanged himself.

Oh, come on.

I mean, he went home and got drunk.

The trouble is

that Mackie and Lee went round

to make sure that he'd keep

his mouth shut moving forward.

When they decided he was too much

of a risk, they plied him with drink

and they f*cking helped him

on his way.

I swear to you, I had no idea.

Hello.

What's going on?

JO CLEARS THROA

Jack was just telling me

that you're taking him for a swim.

Have fun.

Yeah. Right,

let's get you a wetsuit.

Hiya.

Hey.

Oh, come on. Detectives eat sh*t

and drink too much.

There must be something here.

Ah, thank you! Heartburn.

Oh.

Why are you in here so early?

Oh, we had an amber warning

for heavy rain,

so I just wanted to make sure

the floodwall was holding.

Plus, Pat's got Eve,

and I don't sleep through any more.

Well, mine are 6' 3",

and I still wake at night.

Hm. Also, I can't stop wondering

how this is all connected.

I mean, this is someone accusing

the Bensons of the murders, right?

And at first, I thought these Xs

were something to do with Xav,

but then, after he's dead,

more pop up, and then this.

So is it nothing to do with him?

I dunno. I mean,

what about all this stuff

found in the bag

on the farm yesterday? Hm.

I mean, are they fields or farms?

PHONE CHIMES

Could it be something

to do with fly-tipping maybe?

Alan Benson's back home.

Oh, none of the estate workers

were a match for the thumbprint

on the shotgun,

so let's see if it's Mr Benson.

Bring the hand-held, yeah?

Yeah.

Good morning, ladies.

OTHERS: Morning.

We have an honorary male

with us today. Ooh!

And it's his first time.

WOMAN: Welcome!

Where's Layal?

PENNY: It's a school day today.

Oh, right, OK.

Doesn't usually stop her!

Bloody freezing.

Come on!

Come on! We all go in together,

don't we, ladies? We do.

Take your time.

Right.

Let your body acclimatise.

Shut it, Molly!

HE GASPS

LAUGHTER

Right, that is official, I can

no longer feel my gentleman's area.

Just think about hot tea and cake.

What we having today, ladies?

OTHERS: Coffee and walnuts!

Come on!

I used to have a set of walnuts.

LAUGHTER

Right, here we go.

Something to look forward to,

hot tea and cake. Go on!

CHEERING

Breathe.

Oh! Get me out of here.

LAUGHTER

Wait here a moment.

Sam.

Look at the X.

What's Aexous?

It's a chemical plant two

or three miles outside of Waterside.

This way.

Thank you.

Thanks, Harriet.

You're a bloody nuisance,

you lot, aren't you?

Mr Benson, two men

have been found dead on your land,

both shot with a shotgun

from this estate

which has a solitary thumbprint

on its barrel.

Now, we need to take your prints to

move forward with the investigation.

And with a k*ller on the loose,

there is some urgency.

You'd better stop faffing about,

then, hadn't you?

Cos they've got absolutely nothing

to do with us.

So we can take your prints?

When I've had my breakfast, yes.

Er, Mr Benson,

can I ask you about Aexous?

What's the question?

What's your connection

to the company?

My connection is I own it.

You own a chemical plant?

I own lots of companies.

Sir, the Xs graffitied

all over Waterside,

they're identical to the X

in your company logo.

Surely, you were aware of that?

Yet, as we speak,

you're having to remove "murderers"

from the front of your house.

You think we should leave it up?

Well, what do you think

they're trying to say?

Also, if you knew you were

being targeted because of Aexous,

you should have told us.

And frankly,

the fact that you didn't

makes us think

something else is going on.

A chemical plant

is a magnet for idiots.

It doesn't matter that our work

benefits tens of millions.

A tiny minority

think we sell poison for profit,

when, in fact, our pesticides ensure

the developing world can grow crops

that would otherwise fail.

We feed the world

and get attacked for it.

Yes. But in circumstances

where two men have been found dead

on your land,

you do have a duty to report

everything that you know.

What, and invite publicity that

can only benefit the perpetrators?

Why give 'em oxygen

and provoke more trouble

when we can afford to put it right,

deal with it ourselves?

What does that mean?

It means that we are

being targeted constantly!

We're updating

our surveillance equipment,

and if and when we get images

of anyone committing these acts

against us,

we'll share them with you,

all right?

As we showed yesterday,

we are being cooperative.

Making us wait

is cooperating, is it?

We're investigating two deaths!

And, sir, the names you gave us

to verify your whereabouts

on the nights Xav Palmer and

Todd Drake died have yet to respond.

Harriet, why don't you show

DS Bradley.

..DS Bradley the security measures

we're installing

while I'm eliminated.

Yeah, OK. Sure, fine.

SHE SIGHS

Right. Left hand first.

BEEPING

Oh, is it right

you're Detective Marshall,

as in Brendan Marshall's daughter?

Yeah, that's right.

Hey, I can see the family likeness.

SHE CHUCKLES,

BEEPING

Oh, and by the way, if, er,

you have any trouble with my alibis,

I'm sure Sergeant Mackie

would vouch for me.

All done?

I've taken against them.

Yeah. Yeah, keeping all

that information to themselves.

I mean, look at the Aexous logo.

And then look at the Xs

graffitied around town.

They're identical!

Is that your personal phone?

Yeah. And you've used it to take

pictures of the evidence board?

Just to take home and study, yeah.

Jo, delete them! Do it now.

Come on,

it's a disciplinary offence.

You have a smart notebook, use it!

OK.

JO CLEARS THROA

But you're right, though,

Aexous could be involved.

So, yeah, let's take a look at them.

OK, I'm on it now.

JACK: How long you gonna be?

MOLLY: Ooh, don't know, actually.

I think these texts

are from Layal,

but it's from a number

I don't recognise.

"Make sure you shower

after swimming,"

and, "Can you drop by

the classroom ASAP?" So

OK. I'm gonna park up down the road.

Mm.

Sitting outside a girls' school,

I mean, it's not

it's not a great look, is it?

See you in a bit.

See you in a bit.

Sorry. Sorry.

Sorry. Sorry.

Layal?

Hiya, come in.

You weren't there this morning.

You all right?

No. I've got some sixth-form parents

gunning for me.

Why? Last weekend,

when they thought their daughters

were having sleepovers at friends',

they were actually up on the moors.

Yeah, with the fire and everything.

They were partying,

and the fire blew their cover.

Yeah, Jo's niece was there,

Sophie Kamali.

And some were having mushrooms

and the like

and were having a bad reaction.

Like what? And freaked out?

A few did, yeah,

and a couple told their parents

that I had taught them

about hallucinogens in class.

What?

No, I did, but that's safeguarding.

I think that's teaching.

Yeah, no, you're right. Yeah.

The school disagrees, and they're

threatening disciplinary action.

Right, what can

what can I do to help?

You did You did text, didn't you?

That's something else.

So, we've had a lot of rain

this past month,

and driving by the river yesterday,

there was this scuzzy foam

on top of the water.

Sewage?

No. Well, maybe.

But there was also

this odd-coloured oily film

and some dead fish,

so I took a sample.

MOLLY SIGHS

Right, what do you think it is?

I don't know yet,

but the council need to put up

"no swimming" signs everywhere,

even at the lake.

No, we were in there this morning.

The water was lovely.

To the eye, yeah,

but you didn't test, did you? Mm?

You know me.

Right, I'll have the results

in a couple of hours.

OK. But you're worried?

Let's wait and see,

but get the ball rolling

with those signs, yeah?

BELL RINGS

Yeah, right away.

So is this why you said

"make sure you shower"?

Yeah. Look, I'll call as soon

as I have the results, all right?

Yeah, OK.

Oh, have you

have you changed your number?

Erm, have you got a new phone?

Oh, yeah.

The, erm, old one got nicked.

Hey, how was Eve?

Did she go into nursery OK?

Oh, she was reaching out

to be taken. Aw!

It's better than her screaming.

Yeah, true.

What?

SHE SIGHS

Sam was going through your desk

when I came into work this morning.

What? I mean, she made her excuses

and went through other desks,

but still, there was no-one else in.

OK, well, I don't keep anything

that we're working on here. Yeah.

WHISPERING: Oh, also Alan Benson

said that he knew my dad.

And he said that Mackie

could confirm his alibi.

Do you think I need to share that?

Maybe say something

to Balsara, yeah.

PHONE CHIMES

Kelly wants another 70 quid

for Keith's homecoming thing.

Go on. Be a good brother.

And you do owe Keith.

Also, I think I might be

onto something. Come and see this.

Sir, you might wanna see this.

Alan Benson owns Aexous.

Mm-hm. And

What have you got?

Alan Benson owns Aexous Chemicals.

These graffitied Xs all over town

are in the same style as the X

in the Aexous logo.

Xav Palmer also signs his name

with an X.

Then these drawings

found in Xav's bag,

is this a site plan of the chemical

plant three miles upriver?

Shall I go to Aexous

and make some enquiries?

Yeah, go with DS Bradley.

Hey, good work.

Thanks.

Right, let's get the Bensons

up on the board now.

We need to look at them.

SAM: Jo, just make sure you bring

a copy of the site plan with you.

Yeah.

Well done.

Erm, Balsara's free, so

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, go on.

Er

Just to say, Sir,

Alan Benson mentioned this morning

that Sergeant Mackie

can verify his alibis.

Yes, Mackie came to see me. Thanks.

OK.

'Mum, did Dad ever speak

about Alan Benson?'

Like, did they know each other

or ever meet up?

'No. No, I don't think so, no. Why?'

'Alan Benson mentioned him

this morning.

'He said he knew Dad and Mackie.'

Well, ask Mackie, then.

Yeah.

'Do you remember

'Do you remember Bren ever saying

he knew an Alan Benson?'

Who are you talking to?

'Jack. Here you are, I'll put you

on speakerphone. Ask him.'

'Er, yeah. Hi, Jack.'

Hi, Jo.

I'm just trying to find out

if my dad knew the Bensons.

Er, no, not that

not that I'd heard of, no.

'Right. Alan Benson mentioned him.

I mean, he definitely knew Mackie.'

Er No, I dunno, sorry.

OK. What about Harriet?

'No, no.

She was never around, was she?'

I mean, she went away to school,

then uni, then she was travelling,

and I think she lived above

one of them cafes in Amsterdam,

which is pretty funny, given kids

are on her moorland now doing drugs.

What goes round comes round, eh?

'How do you mean?'

Some of Layal's students were on

her moorland the night of the fire,

taking magic mushrooms,

and parents are kicking off!

SAM: Jo!

'School's in panic mode.'

Mum, I wanna hear more,

but I've gotta go.

I'll speak to you later, yeah?

Yeah, all right.

Oh, Jo, Jo, don't go near the river.

'Layal said she saw dead fish

and stuff. Yeah?'

OK, fine. I'll speak to you later.

'Yeah. Bye-bye.'

Yeah! There's one.

Where?

There.

SHE GASPS

Dead. There!

SHE SIGHS

Right. Right, OK.

Right, we need to speak to Tony.

He's on the waterways panel,

he'll know who to call. Come on.

Actually, I've got

a few things to do,

so I'll catch you later, yeah?

All right. Yeah, sure. OK. Yeah.

All right.

See you in a bit.

Yeah.

Oh, the thumbprint on the barrel,

not Alan Benson's.

Not his or any of his staff.

JO SIGHS

Belongs to someone, though.

Mm.

And they're out there somewhere.

PHONE BEEPING

Might be important.

Yeah.

Hi, DC Marshall.

OK, someone's at work.

Yes, can I help?

I was, erm I was just wondering

if maybe we could help each other

and talk a bit more about Mackie.

Yeah. Er, yes.

Yeah, that would be great.

Erm, OK, thanks.

I'll see you later.

CLEARS THROA

Eve's nursery.

Can she have apricot biscuits?

Very important.

SAM: You take the lead, OK?

Hi there. Stephen Sellers,

Operational Manager.

Welcome to Aexous.

DC Marshall, DS Bradley.

How can we help?

So, er, this has come

into our possession.

We wondered if you recognised it.

Er, it's a site plan for the plant.

Can I ask how you got this?

It was found in a bag.

Is there a problem?

There was an incident here

last Wednesday night.

Nothing was taken.

There was no damage done.

No chemical spillages.

Everything remained intact.

Are you saying that you had

a break-in? Were there intruders?

Yes, yeah,

but there was no forced entry.

Why didn't you report this?

Sorry, can we do this

somewhere else?

No, here's fine.

Why didn't you notify us?

This is a chemical plant.

You have a duty to report incidents.

Yeah, yeah, but given

that we'd done a full review

and and we'd

strengthened security

Yeah?

The owners told us not to.

Alan Benson told you

not to report it?

There was a concern that

it might alarm people unnecessarily.

Do you have CCTV footage

of the incident?

Those look like the boiler suits

we found in Xav's bag.

They're using a key card.

A guest pass. Yeah, erm,

we're still investigating that.

There's a whole new system

in place now, though.

How long were they in here?

No time at all, that's the thing.

Just forward it on a touch.

KEYBOARD CLACKS

They look like they've ingested

or inhaled something.

Yeah. Yeah, but I can assure you,

and I can show you the data,

that no chemicals

or or or gas escaped.

Pause the tape.

KEYBOARD CLACKS

Look.

Can we have this footage

on a memory stick?

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Of course, yeah.

Erm, the thing is, though,

the person recovers.

Look. They're up and walking.

So, if the medical bracelet

and boiler suits

tell us that Xav Palmer and Todd

Drake were two of those intruders

Who's the third?

Yeah.

What?

If they're targeting Aexous,

that's targeting the Bensons.

Yeah, and Drake and Palmer

were both shot

and found on Benson's land.

So this third person

Are they in danger

or already dead, or?

Yeah, are we gonna have

another victim?

DOORBELL RINGS

RAPIDLY

We've gotta get "no swimming" signs

out, or even "contamination" ones.

Anything to stop people

going in the river,

or fishing in it,

or letting their dogs in it!

Right, OK, I've got it. I've got it.

Here we go. So, you and the boys

go and get Donna,

and I will get the signs organised.

Do it now! People use the river.

Yeah. I'm on it. I'm on it.

No, but you're not!

Look. There you go, phone!

Honestly! Brilliant.

Tony, where are your car keys?

Over here.

Right, call them now!

He's doing it. Come on.

I am doing it!

Let's go.

CHEERING,

ULULATING

KLAXON TOOTING

Woohoo!

LAUGHTER

TOOTING CONTINUES

Hi!

LAUGHTER

Missed you!

LAUGHTER

Aw! Welcome home, Keith!

All right, Molly? Thank you.

Whoo!

Come on, let's get your mam.

TOOTING CONTINUES

Come on. Let's get in.

THEY CHUCKLE

Whoo!

It's highly likely

two of these are our victims,

Xav Palmer and Todd Drake.

So, top priority -

who's this third person?

Cos they could be our next victim.

Also, they've had two bodies

found on their land,

shot with their g*n,

and now their home and their

company, Aexous, are being targeted.

So the Bensons

are officially persons of interest.

Holman, update.

Er, firstly, the van that crashed

did belong to Xav Palmer.

ANPR put it in the vicinity

of Aexous last Wednesday night.

Also, forensics confirmed it was

Todd Drake's blood in the van,

but the cause of death

remains uncertain.

Well, Todd Drake might have had

a seizure during the break-in,

and he did seem to recover,

but feed that in, yeah.

OK, but Xav Palmer

was stabbed to death,

and then both men were shot.

So, again, find whoever this is.

Anything else?

In terms of the wildfire,

the point of ignition

has been confirmed as a bonfire

that got out of control up here,

which is just above where the estate

did their heather burn

last Thursday.

That's where the teenagers

were partying, isn't it?

Good, yes.

They maybe started that bonfire

close to where Xav Palmer's body

was found.

Why haven't I seen any witness

reports from the teenagers yet?

Uniform's interviewing them, yes?

But getting very little so far,

next to nothing.

Erm

I gather that the parents

and the school

found out that some of the students

were taking magic mushrooms

that night?

It's caused all sorts of problems.

So might explain

any reticence to talk.

Is this right?

Well, we always assumed

drink and drugs were involved.

But to protect reputations,

are students being pressurised

by the schools or their parents,

or both, to not say anything?

Well, if that is happening, Sir,

we'll put a stop to it today.

Well, get on with it, then!

And the rest of you,

find this person!

Well, he didn't like that

very much, did he?

Hm.

Listen, do you fancy

coming over later

and we'll just see if we can

find something to nail him with

in the here and now?

Yeah, great. Could you pick up Eve?

Yeah. Sure.

Thanks.

MACKIE: What kind of police officer

do you wanna be?

Because you are

a f*cking useless one at the moment.

Make an impact. Use your uniform,

it gives you authority.

If there's a code of silence,

break it.

If they are scared

of getting into trouble,

then make them more scared!

Now get the information!

Mum?

Where's she gone?

She said she'd be here.

What's gone on here?

Where are all her things?

Well, we moved most of her stuff

a few days ago.

Yeah, but she doesn't wanna come.

She'd rather stay here.

Maybe she's gone shopping.

I'll go check in the garden.

It's stone cold.

Why do you leave your purse

if you're going to the shops?

She's not there.

SHE SIGHS

OK, erm, I'll tell you what,

you stay here

in case she comes back,

and Moll and I will have

a drive round and look for her.

Yeah?

I knew she'd do this!

Hey, come on, come on.

Hey, we're gonna find her.

All right? Yeah?

Yeah.

Hey, she'll be OK.

She'll be fine, come on.

Right, er

DOOR OPENS,

CLOSES

What, no key yet?

Can I just say, the reason

I took myself off for three months

was because I'd just watched a man

bleed to death in front of me

and I didn't even raise a hand

to help him.

No, actually, that's not quite true.

I took my phone out

to phone for an ambulance,

but Mackie told me to put it away,

and I did.

Didn't like myself much,

still don't.

But I decided

it was time to come back.

Move on, stop running away,

and I wanted to be with Moll.

And then you tell me

Mackie's k*lled another man,

and I'm, like

Well, he's gotta be stopped, right?

Come on, Jo, say something.

I mean, you and Pat,

you're still working with him

in the bloody police force!

Because if we move against him,

Pat gets seven years minimum,

I get slung out of the force

for gross misconduct,

and a lot of people -

including you - get ruined.

HE CHUCKLES

I'm already ruined.

Jo, doing nothing doesn't just mean

he gets away with it,

it means he's still out there

doing stuff. He's everywhere.

Get this, right?

Those investors

that pulled out at the last minute,

guess who owned them?

I've no idea.

The Bensons.

Yeah. Only found that out yesterday.

And guess who owns Uplands now?

The Bensons.

Mm. So they must have known

that I didn't have

any alternative backers.

And there's the puzzle.

Because who else knew

how strapped I was?

Then you said

that Mackie knows Benson.

And hey, presto,

he must've fed them the info.

So, as I say, he's everywhere,

f*cking people over and more.

So what are you gonna do?

Not sure yet.

But we're allies, though, yeah?

Us against Mackie.

So what's your plan?

Come on, Jo.

You're not happy

burying what happened.

I know you're not.

Just have a think about it, yeah?

Once Upon A Looking-For-Donna

is a song from Hair, the musical,

do you know it?

No. Did they find her?

Ah! Ha-ha! Oh, hey.

Listen, you only came once or twice,

I know, but do you remember

Donna's fella Xav and a guy called

Todd at the grief counselling group?

Only, they're the ones

they found dead on the moors!

Nope, I don't think so.

Oh. I'm sure I've got a memory

of you chatting to them.

Nah, I didn't chat with anyone.

Oh, sh*t!

What?

SHE SIGHS

Layal's tested some river water

that's full of these toxic

Perfluorooctanoic acids, yeah.

Perfluorooctanoic acids,

which are banned, by the way.

But, hey, they just tweak them here,

tweak them there,

wait till someone says they're OK

and use them anyway, don't they?

Why are you surprised?

Well, why aren't you?

Cos this isn't news, Moll.

It's out there.

You've read it, I promise you.

You've read it or heard it,

but nobody gives a flying f*ck.

See, this is why I'm done with it.

I'm done with the rallies and

the petitions, and all that stuff,

cos no-one's interested.

Oh, get over yourself!

Come on, you should be out there

doing something.

What, like you? Yeah? Ah, great.

You know what?

I think I'm gonna go to work.

Can you take the car back for us,

yeah? Oi. Oi!

You haven't jacked in protesting.

I don't believe you!

Oh, Finn, come on!

I've gotta do something about this!

And what about Donna?!

PHONE BEEPS

Hi, Mum.

'Yeah, hi, darl Hi.

'Look, Donna Rower's gone AWOL

without her keys and purse,

'and I'm

I'm meant to be finding her.

'Council work's just come in.'

Yeah.

No, hang on.

'I dunno, can you just?'

Mum, hang on. What do you mean,

Donna's gone AWOL?

When was she last seen?

'I dunno, I dunno.

This time yesterday?'

Donna Rower, Xav Palmer's ex.

We interviewed her.

She saw Xav the day he died.

Yeah, what about her?

She's gone missing.

She was last seen 24 hours ago.

And she left abruptly. She

didn't take her keys or her purse.

So has she been

has she been taken?

Did she know something?

Or what if she's the third person?

Come on. Come on.

EVE BABBLES

Here we go.

THUDDING,

FOOTSTEPS ABOVE

Keith! What the f*ck are you doing?

Sorry. Kelly Kell sent us round

for some stuff that she forgot.

What stuff?

Erm No, don't!

What is it?

Don't!

VIBRATOR BUZZES

Erm

Sorry.

BUZZING CONTINUES

CLATTERING,

BUZZING STOPS

She put them under the bed

and forgot about them.

SIGHS

I'd better go.

Keith?

Keys.

How are you?

How was it? Are you OK?

Yeah. Now that I'm out,

it's fine, but

..I don't ever wanna go back.

No.

INHALES DEEPLY

I'm sorry, I-I

I'm beyond sorry

that you had to go through all that.

Took the fall for everyone.

No, no, no, you helped.

I mean, you know I did do it,

but I'd never

have dropped you in it.

You opened your doors when Jack

went bust and Kell lost the house.

You've paid for everything,

so I owe you. No.

Yeah, and I'm gonna pay you back

an' all. Bloody hell, Keith, no.

Listen. Mackie's found me some work,

so it shouldn't be long.

And I'm really looking forward

to seeing the baby soon.

How is she?

Do you wanna come and meet her?

RINGING TONE

SARAH: 'Hello, stranger.'

Hi.

How are you? How's things?

Things are good. How about you?

Yeah, good.

You called me.

'Yeah. I was, erm

'I was wondering if you'd be

interested in meeting up.'

And I can travel, so I just thought

I could come to you.

Whereabouts are you?

'Waterside.'

Maybe I might see you soon, then.

Let me call you back.

I'm going into a meeting.

'Yeah, OK. Look forward to it.'

MOLLY: Here you go.

A brew with an optional extra.

Now, listen, Jo's gone

but says she'll keep in touch, OK?

HE SOBS

Tony!

Hey, hey, Tony.

Look at me. Look at me.

Listen, listen.

The police are gonna find her.

They will, I promise you.

Yeah.

It's all gonna be fine.

Yeah, I know. And I'm I'm not

Of course I'm worried about Donna.

I mean, how can I not be?

But it's

It's Declan, as well.

It's especially Declan.

He's gonna be fine.

No, it's not about

what's happening now, love.

It's about what's coming.

Hm?

Hang on.

Hang on.

I went in for some tests. Here.

SHE CLEARS THROA

Oh, God.

Diagnosed eight months ago.

Oh, God.

And it's been manageable

cos it's, er

it's slow at first,

and the drugs hold it back.

But, erm

Well, there are three phases.

The second one

HE INHALES SHARPLY

SHE SIGHS

The second's called "accelerated".

It speaks for itself.

And the and the third one,

which I'm in now,

is called "blast", so

Myeloid leukaemia.

SHE SIGHS

Acute.

I've got my, er

my next MRI tomorrow.

You know, of course

there's always hope.

But it's not looking

it's not looking good, Moll.

Aw, Tony. And I don't care about me,

of course I don't.

It's what I'm leaving behind.

Tony. Come on.

HE EXHALES

So, erm

I've been, er

I'm trying to find a way to ask you,

whether, you know, when I'm gone

Oh, come on, stop it.

No, listen. Listen to me, Moll.

When I'm gone, if you could

DECLAN: Mum?

Oh, God.

Mum?

Jesus! What do we do with this now?

No. He's already found it, love.

He knows, he knows.

Mum?

Oh, sweetheart, she's not back yet.

But, look, loads of people

are looking for her. She'll be fine.

How do you f*cking know that?

Declan!

How does she know

she's gonna be all right?

She doesn't. No-one knows that!

Oh, God.

DOOR CLOSES

Oh, God.

DOOR OPENS,

CLOSES

Hiya. Where's Eve?

Fast asleep.

Oh, wow! Well done.

Yeah.

Erm

Oh, erm

That recording of Mackie

and your dad interviewing people

Yeah.

..it's mostly just one big muffle.

You can't make out

two words in a row,

but then the voice of a young woman

comes through clear as a bell.

This is 2005.

BUTTON CLICKS

GIRL: 'It's a gram of brown,

that's all.'

BRENDAN: 'If you won't listen to me,

listen to Sergeant Mackie.'

WHITE NOISE CRACKLES

MACKIE: 'In front of

the wrong judge,

'your privilege

will count against you.'

'Oh, God! OK, fine, fine!

'I'll do rehab.'

BUTTON CLICKS

Is that Harriet Benson?

Yeah. Mackie and the Bensons

had a connection 20 years ago

and there's one now.

But has it been continuous?

Well, is it legit?

OK. Let's go to work.

Yeah.

ESTATE WORKER: 'Get over here.

What's your ETA?'

Repeat! Repeat!

ESTATE WORKER 2:

'We have 'em in our sights.

'We can see them. We can see them.'

BIKE ENGINE ROARS

Where'd they go?

Drive around.

They can't have gone far!

ENGINE ROARS

Hold it!

HE BREATHES HEAVILY

PAT: Did you bring

those photo albums from your mum's?

JO: No, I had a look,

there was nothing.

The thing is,

if Mackie's up to something now,

that's what we need to get him on.

Could be with the Bensons,

or there could be others

that they fostered,

that he's been using.

Did you speak

to the Social Services?

Yeah. They said

they'd get back to me.

Pat?

Jesus!

Oh, my God.

You can stay at the house, you know.

Let's not complicate things.

We are where we are.

OK.

It's good to see you, anyway.

Hmph!

You might not be saying that

in a minute.

Why's that?

Well, I didn't want to share this

with you on the phone

or by email or text, but

someone I used to liaise with

in Children's Services

called me this morning

to let me know

they've had a discreet request

regarding Saskia Bale.

We fostered her, do you remember?

What sort of request?

They wanted her contact details.

But there's a raft of data

protection hoops to jump through

before that can happen.

I just thought you should know

someone might be coming for you.