The Long Call (2021) s01e01 Episode Script

Episode 1

1
..in your name.
Keep him safe with you always.
Er
Come here.
Don't you dare take this off.
OK?
Yeah.
Gaby!
You know I'm dairy free.
So, it's Simon nicking my cheese,
is it?
Guess so.
Simon!
He's not in.
Conveniently for you.
Thought he had the day off.
Went out first thing.
Here you go, maid.
Got to be in early. Art project.
Give you a lift to the bus
if you like.
I'll walk.
Dunno what time I'll be back.
Ben!
Can you come give me a hand, please?
I'll do it.
No, you won't, you've got exams.
Shit! I'm late.
Seriously, Mum, I'll do it later.
No girl of mine's gonna feel
responsible for other people's mess.
Ben!
I got another message from Dad,
on Facebook.
Wants to meet up.
Yeah?
Right. Yeah, I can be there, yeah,
20 minutes.
Do not let your heart be troubled.
You believe in God.
Believe also in me.
My Father's house has many rooms.
And if it were not so,
would I have told you
that I am going there
to prepare a room for you?
If I go, prepare a place for you,
I will come back
and bring you to me,
that you may also be where I am.
You know the worldly
aren't supposed to mourn with us.
You made your choice
when you left us, Matthew.
I think he would've wanted me here.
I know. About your secret visits
to the hospice.
I'm sure you thought you were
so clever, keeping it from me.
Is that why you took him home
to die?
Your father deserved some peace
for his final days.
God knows you've given
neither of us that.
Matthew. Come on, Brother Dennis,
we mustn't be late.
'Sorry to disturb you, sir.
We have found a body at Crow Point.'
Yeah. Who's on scene?
Dog walker found him. It was
called in as a possible drowning.
Bit of a cold day for swimming.
Ah. He's fully clothed.
They thought the blood
might have been a propeller injury.
Are we sure it isn't?
Yeah.
I wouldn't have called you
otherwise.
I know you had the morning off.
Funeral, was it?
Anyone close?
My father's.
All right? How did anyone think
this was an accident?
He was face down when she found him.
Plod turned him over.
Any ID?
No wallet, no phone.
This was in his pocket, though.
I'll get over now with Jen.
Are you the owner of the property?
Tenant.
Caroline's at work.
Are either of you married,
or have a male partner?
Caz has a boyfriend, Ed.
She works with him.
What's this about?
A man was found dead this morning,
at Crow Point.
We believe he had a connection
to this address.
Simon?
Who's Simon?
Our lodger, Simon Walton.
Have you got a photo?
It's him, isn't it?
Did he kill himself?
What makes you say that?
Just wouldn't surprise me.
He was kind of a loner.
He came here for a job,
cheffing in a hotel I think,
but he lost it.
Caroline's a social worker,
she offered him a bed,
sorted him out a volunteering thing
at the cafe at the Woodyard.
The Woodyard?
The community centre.
I'm artist in residence there.
Caz's dad is on
the board of trustees.
Right.
Can we have a look at his bedroom?
Thanks.
It's a bit sparse, innit?
Any personal papers, files?
I dunno. Don't think so.
What about previous addresses,
when he was born,
do you know any of that?
His birthday is Christmas Eve,
and he said he was 40 last year.
That's all I know.
Right, Alfie, I'm gonna say
that'll probably be enough.
I think so, yeah.
Hey! All right, cheers, Alfie.
I'll leave you to it.
Jen, this is Jonathan.
Hi.
Hi.
Er how was the funeral?
Er we're here to ask you
about something, actually.
Simon Walton volunteered here?
In the cafe, yeah.
"Volunteered"?
Yeah.
Shall we
Yeah.
Simon Walton, 40 years old,
ID confirmed by his housemate
Gaby Chadwell.
Lived a quiet life,
no run-ins with us
or anyone else that we know of yet.
Arrived in Ilfracombe six months ago
for a job at the Atlantic hotel.
I spoke to the manager.
Apparently, he worked there a week
and then just stopped turning up.
Any idea why he left the job?
No. Apparently, he was a good chef.
So, he comes to a town
where he knows no-one,
for a new job,
and quits after a week.
Any friends he'd made here?
No-one, apart from the two women
that he was living with.
They got him a job,
volunteering at the Woodyard.
He went there, pub, home, that's it.
We're checking CCTV
of the bus route.
He had a phone
but we can't find it,
it seems likely the killer took it.
The attack itself,
anything from forensics?
Confirmed that he died at the scene,
single stab wound to the chest,
no DNA as yet.
Oh, there was a partial footprint
about ten metres from the body.
Size five, as yet unidentified.
A dog-walker's?
No.
And below the tideline, so made
within a few hours of the murder.
6:00 p.m. last night, finishes work
at the Woodyard, heads home.
Gaby Chadwell says she hears him
leaving the house this morning,
maybe 6:00 a.m.
Apparently goes of his own volition
to Crow Point.
Yeah, the housemate said he'd never
mentioned going there before.
By 8:00 a.m., he's dead.
No witnesses, no forensics,
no motive.
We might have a motive.
I went through the PNC again.
Simon Walton doesn't have
a criminal record.
Simon Walden does.
Same date of birth.
The housemates got his name wrong?
He never had any post, they just
went by what he told them.
They must've heard it wrong.
So, Simon Walden.
Was involved in a traffic collision
in Bristol four years ago.
A child was killed.
Walden was drunk.
Bloody hell.
Right.
OK, I want everything you can dig up
on the child's parents.
Press, interviews,
where they are now.
Let's find out if we're dealing with
a revenge killing.
Tea'll be in half an hour.
Pie and chips.
You'll spoil your tea!
Think what your mother'd say.
Not around to say it, is she?
Wouldn't be so sure.
I'm doing her peas too, love,
don't you worry!
Heard about this murder, then?
Poor sod at Crow Point?
Oh, yeah. They're saying
he worked in the centre.
In the caff. You know him?
Seen him around.
Right, guys, I'm off.
Sir!
NHS records list a wife
as next of kin.
Ex, presumably. I've left her
a couple of voicemails.
And also spoke to the team
who investigated the RTC.
Walden got four years, out in two.
The child's father was cautioned
for assaulting him
a month after his release.
Assaulting Walden?
Punched him in a supermarket.
Fair enough, really.
Family are still living in Bristol.
Right.
Let's be on their doorstep
at 8:00 a.m.
You know, today, they brought
my dad in Dennis's car?
They won't sully themselves
with a worldly funeral director.
Dennis is the preacher guy?
The Church Elder.
Sure we did the right thing,
moving back?
You had time with your dad.
That's what matters.
This place isn't just theirs,
Matthew. It's yours, too.
Has the last six months
not told you anything?
You don't belong anywhere else.
We'll toast him now.
Oh, I I've got an early start.
Oh, just drink the bloody whisky.
Cheers.
Working late, sir?
Had you had much contact
with Simon Walden recently? No.
What about your wife?
Neither of us wanted to see
or speak to that man ever again.
Can you tell us where you were
yesterday morning?
Really?
A serious crime's been committed.
A serious crime WAS committed.
He killed our daughter.
Rich, who is it?
It's no-one.
I was with a client
yesterday morning.
My wife was at a toddler group.
Now please just fuck off
before you upset my wife.
I realise how hard this must be.
No, you don't!
You don't.
How old was the child?
Ten.
He never mentioned an accident?
You sorted out his volunteering job
at the Woodyard?
Ed and I volunteer there sometimes.
We're both social workers.
Trainee. I'm a trainee.
She's my boss.
Did anyone ever come here
looking for him?
I don't think anyone knew
he was here. So, why was he?
Other than a job
that he left after a week?
Was he over the limit?
When he hit the kid?
He was, yeah.
Was he a drinker, then?
He was good at looking sober.
But yeah, he drank.
At home? Pub?
The Wheatsheaf, down the road.
By himself?
I saw him in there
with a woman once.
Only time I saw him with someone.
It looked intense.
Would you recognise her?
Only saw the back of her head.
So, why did you ask if he was over
the limit when he hit the kid?
The tattoo.
An albatross around the neck.
No offence, but you don't look like
a trainee social worker.
Yeah. I I used to work
in corporate accountancy.
Gave it all up a year ago.
Why?
Burn out.
Hated myself, hated my life.
Simon probably came here
for the same reason I did.
A different sort of life,
where you don't wake up
every morning
wanting to kill yourself.
Let's make sure we speak to
the FLO of the dead child's family.
Their alibis might hold up
but it doesn't mean they didn't
solicit someone to attack him.
Ross, yo!
Have we spoken to the ex-wife yet?
Living in Spain
with her new partner.
She hasn't seen or heard from Walden
since she got divorced
when he was inside.
OK. Jen,
Wheatsheaf pub in Ilfracombe,
presuming you know it?
Apparently,
Walden met with a woman there.
I want you to head over there
and see what they know.
"Presuming you know it"?
It's just your vibe.
Fuck off.
As if he's never set foot in a pub!
Probably hasn't. Grew up in a cult.
What? Did he?
Oh, hey, did that bloke find you
this morning?
What bloke?
He was at the desk,
he was asking after you.
But he he didn't leave a name.
Yeah, he comes in all the time.
Was he ever with anyone?
Nah, just sat in the corner
with his back turned.
You never saw him with a woman?
I did once, actually.
I think he was breaking up with her
or something.
Can you tell me
what she looked like?
Dark-haired,
thirties, forties, I guess.
Right. If you remember any more,
give me call?
Can I call you
if I don't remember?
DS Rafferty?
Did you follow me from the station?
I'm sorry. I wanted to speak to you
in private.
Christopher Reasley.
Are you Caroline's father?
Can I buy you a coffee?
I went to see Walden
a few days before his death.
Asked him to move out.
Why? Would you want
some random homeless guy
living with your daughter?
How did he react?
Told me to piss off.
That Caroline had prewarned him
about me.
The thing about Caroline is,
she loves a lame duck.
Couldn't you have just talked to her
about it?
Her mum was ill.
Depression.
And then she died
when Caroline was six. Car accident.
And Caroline blames you
for surviving?
I checked the rotas at the Woodyard.
Caroline used to volunteer there
quite regularly.
And then Simon started,
she stopped.
Any idea why?
I asked them to take her
off the rota.
I was trying to have her spend as
little time as possible with Simon.
They were already housemates.
I was hoping not for much longer.
Look, he was an odd guy. Secretive.
You know that he gave the girls
a false name?
Did you ask him about it?
He said it was none of my business.
I disagreed.
It it wasn't an argument, but
Given that he ended up dead
not long after
Right.
I'd appreciate you not mentioning
any of this to Caroline.
I won't if I don't have to.
Matthew?
Oh, I was I was just
Please, please.
We noticed yesterday how sad some of
the Brethren graves were looking.
Your father
would've wanted you there.
Your mother knows it too.
I have something for you.
Come round tonight
and I'll give it to you.
Seven o'clock sharp.
Have you noticed anything
up with Lucy recently?
She's hiding things, lying.
Lying? About what?
I don't know.
It's probably nothing.
Maurice, sit down.
You know, it's not that long
since youse lost Helen.
Lucy's doing better than me.
Least, I thought she was.
I don't know.
You know what she's like.
Confident.
I'm worried about her judgement.
People taking advantage.
Have you thought any more about
what we talked about before?
We're muddling along fine.
There's great supported
accommodation in Ilfracombe,
loads of young people Lucy's age
Like I said, we're fine.
Thanks again for your time,
Mr. Roberts.
A single stab wound, made
with a sharp blade around 15cm long.
No sign of a struggle.
What does that suggest?
The attacker surprised him?
Or that he was already with them,
talking, face-on.
Entry point and force suggests
the attacker
was shorter than Walden,
who was 6' 2".
Footprint's size five.
Whoever killed him was careful,
took his phone and ID
to slow us down.
They wouldn't leave a footprint.
Whose is it then?
Hey.
No, no, you go ahead and eat.
I can get something here.
You too. All right.
Boss, tuna mayo?
If you want it, my hands are clean.
You've got a baby, right?
Yeah. Emily. She's eight months.
Go on. Go home to her.
Hello, Matthew.
Dennis.
Always kept it by his bed.
He told me that you'd been in
to see him in the hospice.
At our meeting times,
to avoid seeing your mother.
I know she hasn't made it easy.
Do you remember
when you were a boy,
and you went to see a film at
a friend's house, and she found out,
and we made you stand up
at out next meeting and repent?
Well, she was always worried
about my soul. And rightly so.
You're living with your friend?
Jonathan, is it?
Er yeah.
He's the one who wanted
to move here.
He found the house.
He's doing it up.
He knew you were ready to come home.
All adventurers do, in the end.
Oh, I'd erm
I'd hardly call myself
an adventurer.
No, no,
took courage to do what you did.
Go out and make your own way.
Well, I I didn't have a choice.
What?
Well, I wasn't welcome here.
When I stood up in the meeting
and I told you all I didn't believe,
that I thought it was all
"Utter madness"
is the term I recall.
Ah, you were young, confused.
It's not a sin to doubt sometimes.
I just wish you'd given us a chance.
to help you re-find the light.
Wha
My mother said that there
was a church meeting.
That that you voted on it.
That I had to leave.
You had to leave the church,
of course.
Nobody ever said
you had to leave your family.
Excuse me.
Mine. Sorry.
Hey.
I've checked the bus CCTV,
I've found Simon sitting
with a woman,
he talks to her
on four separate occasions.
Have we spoken to the driver?
Already done.
Driver's ID'd her as a young woman
from Lovacott, Lucy Craddle.
She's a student
at the Woodyard day centre.
Caroline? It's Dad!
I know you're in there!
Caroline, please let me in.
Ella?
Ben?
Where are you?
Are you gonna eat there?
Yeah, are you sure?
OK, see you back here at ten then,
please
Oh.
Do you ever wish
you hadn't left London?
I didn't belong in London.
Instead, I'm here with you.
Living by the sea.
Waking up next to you.
Can you stay tonight?
Yeah.
I'll have to turn my pants
inside-out for work.
You should keep some stuff here.
All your stuff.
Are you asking me to move in?
I think I might be.
How was work?
I wasn't at work.
I went to see Dennis Stephenson.
The elder guy?
He gave me this.
It's my Dad's.
I stayed for dinner.
You know they're after your soul.
Too late.
I'll burn in hell
with the rest of you.
Thank God.
Yeah, I'm coming.
Mum, door for you.
I know he's in there. It's Ross.
Morning.
Hiya.
Oi, oi.
What did you and Simon talk about?
The Woodyard.
Him moving down from Bristol.
Did he say why he'd moved here?
He said he'd done something bad.
An accident, was it?
Involving a child?
He said the mum
been down to see him.
Er sorry, did he say why?
Or what she'd wanted?
No. OK, thanks.
Erm where were you on Tuesday,
between 6:00 and 8:00 a.m.?
We just have to ask
for our records. Here.
Digging spuds with your old man,
weren't you, maid?
Maid?
Er she's not from round here.
Thank you very much for your time.
Why did you say that?
What?
Tuesday was the morning
you left early.
Said you had to be in class.
You all right, Ross?
You wanna wait here? Yes, boss.
'Hello?'
Mrs. Chorley? It's DI Venn.
'My husband already told you,
we're not interested.'
We know you went to see Walden.
He wrote to me a few months ago,
just after he'd moved there.
He said he thought he could find
some sort of peace there.
Or at least escape.
But he hadn't.
What he did to Amy,
it followed him.
Did your husband know
that you went to see Walden?
Why did you?
It's hard to explain.
I just needed to see him.
We went for a drink.
In the Wheatsheaf pub?
Losing your daughter, I can't
I can't imagine how hard
that must have been.
I have a daughter,
and if anything happened to her,
I swear to God I wouldn't be
responsible for my actions.
What, you think I killed him?
We're just following the evidence.
To be honest, I felt bound to him.
To Walden?
Everyone else had moved on.
But he still felt
the same pain I did.
You and Walden
No, it wasn't like that.
No, I just needed to see him.
He said in his letter that he was
thinking about ending it all.
Suppose I wanted to forgive him.
Or for him to feel like I had.
We'll need to see it, the letter.
What's this about the money?
From the house sale,
after his divorce.
I didn't take it.
How much did he want to give you?
200 grand was transferred
into Walden's account.
£200,000, and he was living
in destitution?
Yeah. Through choice, it seems.
This is where it gets interesting,
right.
The night before his death,
the whole amount is transferred
out of his current account
via an online payment service.
We dunno where it's gone.
Need a court order
before the payment site
will release details.
Well, get on it.
Find out where the money went.
And erm try not to fuck any more
witnesses as well, yeah?
Wasn't a bloody witness.
Speak to a fellow officer
like that again,
and you'll be logging evidence
for the remainder of this case.
Understood?
Yeah. Sorry.
Boss? Your mum rang.
Sorry?
Her neighbour's daughter,
Rosa Shapland, 19 years old,
hasn't been seen since this morning
and the family
can't get hold of her.
Your mum asked if you could go over.
Is it a cult, then?
It's an Evangelical Church.
The Barum Brethren. Is that the ones
that ban TV and that?
TV's not banned as such, it's just
seen as a worldly temptation.
OK.
I mean, as a little kid,
it was it was great.
And then you remember
what they believe.
Which is what?
That on the day of rapture,
God will sweep all of them
up to heaven
and the rest of us
will burn in hell.
Take it they're not keen
on the gays?
Sodomy is definitely
on the banned list.
So you ran away?
Mmm.
The Woodyard said she never
came back after lunch.
She's a good girl,
it's not like her to skive.
How long
has she been volunteering there?
Three months.
Just one day a week.
Has she got a phone?
We got her one,
for the days she goes there.
I've been trying it for hours.
Is there anywhere else
that she might be?
Relatives, hobbies?
Not outside the church.
She does her baking and her knitting
and whatnot.
She does like going round
the charity shops,
trying to find a bargain.
She's probably there now,
and forgot the time.
I shouldn't be wasting your time
like this,
only Dorothy said we should call.
Well, we'd heard about the murder
at Crow Point.
He came to one of our meetings.
Simon Walden
was at a church meeting?
Rosa invited him.
She knew him from the centre.
I think she was surprised
when he turned up.
When was this?
Erm a month ago?
Yes.
Maybe? I did see him
talking to Rosa after.
Yes, it seemed odd.
Now it seems worrying.
It's likely she'll turn up
of her own accord.
But we do need some recent photos,
you know, just so we can start
routine enquiries.
Erm I'll see if I can find one.
Can I take a look at her room?
I spoke to Dennis, Mum.
It wasn't the church that said
I had to leave my family, was it?
It was just you.
You chose your own path, Matthew.
Now it's led you back to us.
I wanted to remind my fellow
brothers and sisters
of the importance of second chances.
We are very quick,
in the Barum Brethren,
to close ranks.
But we must be equally ready
to open our arms in welcome,
to greet newcomers,
but also to embrace those
who have strayed,
who now seek to come home.
Hey!
Hey. Hope you're hungry.
That was quick.
Yeah.
Where are you going, my love?
Take your coat off
and go back to bed.
Right now.
Sir, there's been a 999 call.
'999, what's your emergency?'
'Hello? Can you tell me
what service you require?
'Hello?'
'My name's Rosa.
I need to get home.'
'OK. Can you tell me where you are?'
'He's coming.'
So, it's an abduction.
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