Wire in the Blood s01e01 Episode Script

Wire in the Blood Season 1 - Episode 01 The Mermaids Singing Part 1 Buried in a hole, dismembered.
Buried - vertical, not horizontal, So you have to dig deeper.
You stand in the hole, digging yourself deeper.
Go out with a sack, come back later.
Come back later.
Where? Where? Oi.
You're late.
- Are you angry, Tony? - Yes, I am.
- Do you want to tell me about it? - I don't think you're listening.
But I am - I'm always here for you.
No, you think I'm another stupid tosser you can wind up.
That's unfair, Tony.
I've been patient with you.
- You haven't helped me.
- I'm trying.
- You won't let me in.
- I want to know why they're still so hidden.
Why won't they come out? I keep digging and digging Tony, Tony.
Come.
Come closer.
It's all right.
It's all right, I'll tell you.
I will.
Dr.
Hill.
Hi.
The faculty told me you'd be here.
Yes, every Thursday.
- Damn.
- It's in the door.
Yes.
I must have -- yes.
Uh, I need to talk to you.
- Sorry? - I need to talk to you.
- You're a policewoman.
- I'm Carol Jordan.
Bradfield CID.
- You found another body.
- Yeah, but as to whether it's him or not, I need your advice.
"I," not "we"? Coming to me was your idea? Not sanctioned from on high by the big boss, the great panjandrum? No, it was my idea.
Well, politics is something I'm not good at.
In fact, really bad at, so I'm possibly not your - Listen.
Will you either get out of the car or let me get in it? Yes, of course.
Sorry.
It's not funny.
So, anyway - You got kids? - No, it's for me.
The body, the victim, white male, early 30s, fit, good job, respectable, which is ridiculous.
As if a good job makes anyone respectable.
Dr.
Hill, is this a serial killer? Technically, no.
Webster's definition is one of a four.
You have two, possibly three, victims, so not a serial killer.
Not yet.
But one in the making.
Trouble is, most of my senior colleagues have dismissed the idea.
I'm a psychologist, not a profiler.
I know.
I know your work, I know about your practice here.
Couldn't you just have a look? The body's at the morgue.
I'll have a look.
That's all.
- Wait! - What? My car.
- Evening, Damien.
- Evening, guv.
Gareth Finnegan.
Cause of death, cut throat.
He had been slashed in the face with a glass or bottle.
There were cuts to the genitals and pierce marks to the hands and feet.
- Any dislocations? - Yeah, both shoulders.
- It's a crucifixion.
- Yeah.
Were the wounds to the genitals postmortem? No.
Same as the other victims.
Different degrees of savagery, though.
This one was virtually castrated.
Can I see the crime scene? Anything else you want to see here? Good Lord, no.
DC O'Connell saw your vehicle.
Don, this is Dr.
Tony Hill.
Detective Sergeant Don Merrick.
- He's a bit late for a doctor now.
- He's a doctor of psychology.
He's a bit late for a psychologist, if you ask me, which I see you've not.
I've asked Dr.
Hill to look at the case, Don, give us a different perspective.
What, like getting inside the killer's head? Close, but not too close.
See no evil.
You're all right, aren't you, Peter? Aren't you? - Dr.
Hill? - Peter Sutcliffe.
Women get in his car, for years they get in his car.
Same car -- nobody sees.
Blind, blind, blind, blind.
Hello, Dr.
Hill.
Sorry, and please, it's Tony, if we're going to work together.
Where was the body? - Face down? - Yeah.
Saw it first, it looked okay, body arranged in the wasteland, beautiful.
- I'm sorry? - Then you turn them over and it's "Nightmare on Elm Street".
DI Jordan.
Miss Burgess.
- What are you doing here? - I could ask you the same.
I saw your car.
I'm doing a piece on the gay community under siege.
Speaking of which, any new leads? Nothing of significance, no.
It's the same killer, isn't it? We're not ruling out any possibilities at this stage.
Come on, Carol, what happened to sisterhood? There were stab marks to the genitals on this one, too.
That information hasn't been released.
- They're all naked, aren't they? - What? The bodies.
You haven't found a scrap of clothing, have you? Look, now is not the time.
Penny Burgess, Bradfield Post.
- How do you do, mister.
-- - Goodnight, Penny.
I see what you mean at being crap at politics.
- Sorry.
- That woman is a pain in our collective rear, plus she's getting information from somewhere.
Look, I really appreciate you coming down.
Thank you.
Carol Jordan.
It's Tom Cross, and I am What are you doing showing a shrink round our morgue? I wanted another opinion, sir.
The opinions of your colleagues aren't worth a damn, then.
- Where are you now? - Temple Fields.
He's with you, isn't he? Get him out of there.
Go home, get a good night's sleep and be in my office at 9:00 tomorrow.
- You got into trouble.
- Yep.
All the bodies were clean, weren't they? Well, "A," he's careful, washes and removes all forensic traces, but "B," it's almost like it's an act of tenderness.
- Like he forgives them.
- Forgives them? What? Listen, I'm going to get carpeted tomorrow, and I would like to have you on the carpet with me.
I wouldn't mind either.
Yeah, well, don't get your hopes up.
Forgives them.
What? Exactly.
You know, my car is over there.
Who's Jordan working with now? Cross -- who else? She had a bloke with her at the crime scene, not the cop.
Oh, God, Penny, not now.
Who is he, Kevin? I don't know.
Have you seen any cars driving around -- you know, hanging about? Hello, Nelson.
I'm sorry.
I met a nice young man tonight, I did.
A doctor, no less.
Mum would approve.
Even if he is nutty as a freak.
Michael, I thought you were out.
I called before I left work.
Out for a drive.
Still trying to link to another town.
So who's this doctor, then, big sis? You're not just creeping up on me, but eavesdropping as well.
- You're the one talking to herself.
- Yeah, well, his name's Tony Hill, clinical psychologist.
I asked him to have a look at the latest.
- Bit nice? - Yeah, warm, funny, - in every sense.
- Good-looking? - Not my type.
- What is your type? Don't know, it's been so long, I've forgotten.
Morning, Carol.
Who's this? This is Dr.
Hill, sir.
Really? Why is he here? No offense, Dr.
Hill.
- None taken.
- I believe Dr.
Hill can be useful to us, bring some new ideas.
Why don't you sit down, Dr.
Hill? And you, Carol.
You know, if I thought this was the same killer, I'd have asked one of you gentlemen in months ago.
Admitted, there are similarities, but there are also significant differences.
They aren't differences, they're escalations.
I made some calls about you, Dr.
Hill.
A pal in Leeds sent me this.
I can see why you're so keen to get involved.
Boost your profile again.
It was the -- it wasn't my idea.
- It was a mistake.
- It was.
The point is, Dr.
Hill, you may have your fans in the media and an impressive vocabulary, but we've got three dead men.
We're trying to trace their killers without turning this investigation into a circus.
from by college professor.
- Sir, I really think -- - So, much as I'd love to be a chapter in your next book, I'm just going to have to forgo that pleasure.
I'm sorry, Dr.
Hill.
Dr.
Hill has relevant experience Dr.
Hill John Brandon, Assistant Chief Constable.
Morning, Tom.
This is an excellent idea.
- Sir? - Contacting Dr.
Hill -- excellent.
- How much time can you spare us? - Whatever it takes.
- Except on Thursdays - Excellent! Well, I'll contact your faculty head.
And get it cleared up top.
- You up to speed with these killings? - Not yet, sir.
But from what you know, is it the same killer? Until I've seen the files, I -- How long for a profile, one week enough? This assumes it's the same killer, sir.
Well, why else did you get Dr.
Hill in, Tom? DI Jordan here can act as his liaison and keep us fully informed as to what he uncovers.
Sir.
That's settled then.
Well, clever old me, bringing Dr.
Hill in.
One Adam Scott, civil servant.
His throat had been cut.
His ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows were dislocated.
Pathologist Dr.
Vernon said he must have been racked.
Two, Paul Gibbs, teacher.
Here, the throat had been cut, half the extensive dislocation to the limbs.
But Vernon's opinion was that the forces were completely different.
The rack, the cross -- he's copying medieval tortures.
- Why? - Why? Because he's a nutcase -- I haven't got a clue.
Right.
This one you know, Gareth Finnegan, commodities trader.
- He took them from their homes? - We believe so, yeah.
- Any sign of forced entry? - No.
He cleaned before he left.
He Hoovered, mopped, whatever.
He understands forensics: hair, fiber evidence.
Anyway, no sign of forced entry, so we worked on the principle that the killer knew his target, it gave us nothing.
After the second murder, we cross-referenced Adam's circle of acquaintance with Paul's.
Again nothing.
Third murder, we've just started the process.
Yes, Kevin? We've just finished going through the CCTV tapes at Temple Fields Grove.
Lots of motoring offenses, but no one dumping a body.
Ok, thanks.
Kevin, this is Dr.
Hill -- Tony, this is DS Kevin Geoffries.
Going to give us a profile on our killer, Dr.
Hill? Give the man a chance, Kevin.
- Targeting gay men, isn't he? - Is he? Well, all three men were single, lived alone.
Their bodies were dumped in the gay area of town.
Then there's the injuries to the genitals, the naked bodies.
Is there evidence that any of them had homosexual affairs? No boyfriends coming forward? Well, no.
That's exactly the point, isn't it? He's outing them -- "The Queer Killer".
Well, that's just my theory anyway.
See ya, guv.
Dr.
Hill.
I'd better go home, put this stuff on computer.
Anything else you'll need from me? - How about a curry? - Yeah.
So what's going on here? - Here here? - No, I mean the case.
- What's it about? - Desire.
Something in every victim sparks desire.
Usually he gets a desire to possess, dominate, destroy.
Usually it's a weakness that attracts, but not here.
Adam, Paul, Gareth.
Relatively speaking, cream of the crop.
Attractive, successful, centered.
Our man kidnaps them, takes them to his lair.
He tortures them, he kills them, he returns them.
- 'Returns'.
- Yes, he doesn't bother to conceal.
Desire.
- You mean sex.
- Yes.
"I look at you, I desire you.
"Your body burns in my brain, I must have you.
" It's paraphilia, meaning beyond love, beyond loving.
It's irresistible, insatiable, intoxicating desire.
Failing that, curry.
Hi.
I'm sorry to bother you, but my car just died.
- Could I use your phone? - Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, come in.
I've got some jump leads somewhere, if that's any help.
- Are you married? - No.
Not even close? I was seeing this doctor in London.
We were close I thought.
Then I got promoted up here.
Tried the weekend commute thing for a few months.
Then he said that sex with me was great, but it wasn't worth the three-hour drive.
What about you? Sex with me is definitely not worth a three-hour drive.
Maybe a five-minute walk, - if it's not raining.
- Really? Who's doing the five-minute walk at the moment? Nobody, not at the moment.
Well, you are a bit of a weirdo.
Maybe you frighten them.
I don't think so.
People I work with, they frighten me.
Like Maggie Thomas.
Whom you visit every Thursday.
I have to ask.
How can you spend time with a woman who you know has murdered at least five girls, probably more? I talk to Maggie.
I let her play mind games, let her stroke my face.
I do anything so I can find out where the bodies are so I can bring them home.
- Why does she stroke your face? - So she can feel my bones.
Every Thursday, for three years.
People like Maggie have found you can do wrong with impunity.
She was caught, but her punishment doesn't hurt her.
And she tries to draw others in.
- Open up their minds.
- To what? - The possibilities.
- Of what? - Of evil? - That's a relative term.
Only to psychopaths.
She fascinates you.
- Yes.
- Isn't that dangerous? Yes.
Oh, Nelson, I'm sorry.
He fed you, I know he did.
Maybe he didn't.
Michael? Daddy step out? You all know Dr.
Hill.
He's going to give us the benefit of his insights into the murder cases we are currently investigating.
Good morning.
A psychological profile can only be speculative.
But I base that speculation on facts.
The first speculation in this case should have been done two months ago.
We have a serial killer who has hit the ground running and will continue killing.
The second speculation comes from the late acknowledgement of this fact by the police.
The killer desires recognition; his actions have been denied.
He will commit another murder to put you right, to show you up.
His next choice of victim, therefore, could well have more profile a journalist perhaps, or someone connected to the police police or emergency services There's been another body.
A man.
This one's called Damien O'Connell.
PC Damien O'Connell.
One of ours.
Now, about this, uh, serial killer theory.
Has this happened before? You see, Tony, this is my problem with you and your media pals.
You make it a competition in horror.
Every sick bastard comes running like flies to shit.
"I can do better.
I can top that.
" You think this is a copycat, sir? No, not a copycat, DI Jordan, because it's worse.
"I can top that.
" Yeah.
Look what he did.
Damien was practically -- he was practically - What are you doing? - It's the same killer.
- Do you want a punch in the head? Tom.
I'm sorry.
Has his family been informed? They're being contacted.
- Dr.
Hill, what have we got? - Excuse me, sir.
I'll tell you what we've got: we've got another murder.
Same killer? Why? Choice of victim, arrangement of body, method of death.
The fact that the body's been washed.
Injuries to genitals, torture.
- Did he know he had a policeman? - Yes, he's punishing them.
- What for? - For not paying him the respect he deserves.
Tom! The body of a man in his 20s has been found.
- Was it an accident, though? - He was murdered.
But was he a serial killer? There are indications that this killing could be linked to 3 previous homicides in Bradfield.
You're treating the murders as the work of one killer? We are examining that possibility.
Haven't you left it a bit late? Hasn't the murderer got a head start because you wouldn't admit that he was a serial killer? We don't theorize ahead of evidence.
We will do everything in our power to bring this killer to justice.
Get me a shot of those two.
Where am I? What do you want? Let me go! Cause of death: cut throat -- carotid severed.
Whatever blood was left was drained pretty quick by the excision of his penis.
- Said penis was then -- - Yeah.
Done after death.
- Yes.
- Why, for God's sake? Ask the psychologist.
The other injuries, which are I admit, barbaric beyond belief, were caused by some sort of conical object with sharp edges, possibly barbed or razor wire.
What about the burn marks? Must have taken some time; there are hundreds.
Before or after death? Before.
I'm sorry.
Guv, his mum and dad are here.
The O'Connells.
I'm so sorry, Mr.
and Mrs.
O'Connell.
Listen, I'm really sorry, but do you mind if I ask you a few questions? No.
Is there anyone you'd like us to contact to let them know? No.
Was Damien seeing anyone? No.
He wasn't.
Yes, he was.
ll voyait Alex.
Had he been seeing her long? Him.
- Damien was gay? - What of it? I want to see him.
Can I see him? Yeah, of course.
Of course.
A gay man, Dr.
Hill.
How does "The Queer Killer" sound now? Stupid.
- Offensive and irrelevant.
- You think? He doesn't prey on gay men; he preys on all men.
- Tony.
- The burn marks on the body - - he's sending a message.
- How do you know? The choice of victims is a message in itself, but he'll want to be cleverer, to taunt us.
We have to decipher the burns.
We don't know what made them.
It'll come, but first, what do they say? Statistical pattern analysis.
What the hell is that? There's computer programs which can analyze apparently random groupings, collections of material, - and if there's a pattern -- - We'll definitely follow up on that, but I think we've just had our lucky break.
A scrap of leather caught on a fence on the building site.
Forensics are working it out now.
He doesn't leave forensic traces.
But you just said he's left a message.
- That's different.
- Why? - Why is it different? - And he did leave the scrap of leather.
- Well then? - But he left it, so you can waste manpower and time tracking something that I bet will have some obscure provenance like Vladivostok or Timbuktu so you waste more time tracking which, why, who, whatever.
It's not even a red herring.
It's a white bloody elephant.
- It doesn't fit with your theory.
- Exactly.
So, we should ignore any evidence that - doesn't fit your theory? - Planted evidence, yes.
Oh, you can prove he's planted this? What, you've got a hunch? All right, Don.
I hear what you're saying, Tony, and we'll be cautious, but it's a lead -- we can't ignore it.
One more thing.
Given what Damien's parents told us, we're going to refocus on Temple Fields.
Apparently Damien used to go there.
We're running an undercover operation tonight, concentrating on the S&M scene.
Right.
Listen.
That statistical pattern analysis thing.
My brother's in computers - software development.
- We could ask him.
- If you think it'll help.
We could show him how sophisticated our psychopaths are.
Tony thinks there might be some kind of message here that we might be able to separate Separate the random from the intended? - Yeah.
- It's hardly rocket science.
You got the basic shapes here, variations on a star It shouldn't be too difficult once you digitize the image.
And you know someone who can? You trust them? Not to sell your pickies to The Sun? Possibly.
What about your patients, Dr.
Hill? Do they mind you deserting them? Probably relieved to see the back of me.
- You do weights? - I keep in shape.
I used to do some.
Maybe not.
You new round here? Just checking out the scene.
Don's pulled.
My name's Ian.
If you want scene, check no further.
Not just yet.
Thanks.
What are ya? Top or bottom? We tracked the leather.
It's deerskin cured by saltwater the old-fashioned way, which isn't done in the west anymore, doesn't meet quality standards.
Where's it from? Russia.
Near St.
Petersburg.
Well, at least it's not Vladivostok.
You're not worried that there's a killer about? Get on, phony boy, or get off, that's what I say.
- You want to get off, don't you? - No.
Get your hands off.
- Bit of a tease, are you? - No, just get off me.
I've been watching you.
Oh, really? I'm Stevie.
Don.
- What are you doing here? - Couldn't sleep.
How the hell did you know we were here? You've got "undercover surveillance" written in big letters on the side of your van.
I saw you get rid of that little Neanderthal Ian Thomson.
- Do you know him? - Not to speak to.
I don't let just anyone tie me up.
Especially with a killer about.
Some of the people in here actually want to meet him, the killer.
They want to go the distance.
- Why? - To see if they can.
Pleasure and pain-two sides of the same coin.
Tele-5, guv.
Don's got something.
What about the ones that did meet him? Is that what they thought? Why are you asking me? Do you think I'm the killer? - Are you, Stevie? - If that turns you on, Don.
I did know Adam Scott, Paul Gibbs, too.
- Oh, really? - They come to my gym.
Well, used to.
I can see you're a strong man, Don.
Do you want to go somewhere? I hardly know you.
Back exit.
Two minutes.
When he comes out, Kevin, nice and quiet.
This is Merrick.
I'm at the back.
I think we've got some - Don? Shit.
Don Merrick? Man down.
Southwest exit.
Move! Don! Don? Don? I came out, Don was on the floor.
Someone was running away.
None of our officers saw anyone.
You told DS Merrick that you knew Adam Scott and Paul Gibbs.
I told him they come to my gym.
Is that a crime? We also found out that Damien O'Connell had a trial membership.
- I never met him.
- Quite a coincidence, Steve, three of the four murdered men belonging to your gym.
We're checking on Gareth Finnegan.
Useful, owning a gym.
I want my lawyer.
Interview suspended 1:35 a.
m.
We've just received this from the post run, addressed to Bradfield CID.
Hi.
I'm Po-- Police Constable Damien O'Connell.
joined the police force because I like helping people and making the world a better place.
Also I like my colleagues in the Bradfield Police.
But they're never going to catch you.
Because you're too clever and they're too thick.
- The tape? - Could have been bought from any supermarket.
- Ditto the envelope.
- Was there a message - in what Damien was saying? - - I don't know.
You don't know? It's a start, it's an escalation, but it I don't know.
I heard.
That's one sick bastard.
ONE sick bastard? All right, one.
How's Don Merrick? Hospital, but he's okay.
And McTeer? Got his lawyer.
What do you call two hundred lawyers at the bottom of the sea? - A good start.
- Yeah.
Sorry I hit you.
Do you buy McTeer? I don't know.
Do you? Ninety percent.
He's bright, got form.
Did time in Glasgow.
Rape.
On a bloke.
Would you know if you saw his digs? Would you know? Ninety percent.
Good enough for me.
- Is this strictly legal? - Yep, section 18.
Thought you'd prefer to look at the place without a dozen plants breathing down your neck.
You're too clever -- Don, what are you doing here? What does it look like? You checked yourself out.
- You're going home, Don.
- No, I'm not.
Not till I've been in there and beaten the shit out of him! Well then, you'll have to beat the shit out of his lawyer as well, which won't do anyone any good.
I'm calling you a cab.
You're going home.
Biggsy.
Cab for DS Merrick.
Hey, have you seen Dr.
Hill? Yeah, he left a couple hours ago.
In superintendent Cross' car.
- They were together? - Well, they weren't holding hands.
No, let me.
Dr.
Hill.
It's O'Connell's.
That's his number.
- You sure? - He was one of my lads.
We've got him.
A bedroom full of S&M gear - and O'Connell's handcuffs.
- You couldn't wait for Forensics? I know how to do a search, DI Jordan.
It's the break we needed.
Where did you find the handcuffs? In his wardrobe with his other sick shit.
What, Dr.
Hill saw you find them? We found Damien O'Connell's handcuffs in McTeer's flat.
We've got him.
You coming, Dr.
Hill? He suggested we have a look.
- It's his fault.
- Yeah.
- He made you do it.
- Yeah.
He threatened to take me to the rugby club and sing all sixty-four verses of "Eskimo Nell".
Not funny.
McTeer could walk because of this.
I mean, think about this, Carol.
We know the regularity of them, just the first three deaths -- Damien's is an anomaly.
You know all that "teach us a lesson" stuff? - What? - The videotape, all those graphics -- I mean, that's state-of-the-art stuff.
- Michael could probably tell us.
- Tell us what, Tony? It was really well-made, wich implies, it implies all sorts, but the most obvious is, he's recording the deaths, the torture.
He's recording and manipulating his images.
Might be addinghimself to them, playing a part.
- But I don't understand.
- He can make his little snuff film then edit and re-edit, lots of stories, all with the same ending.
The software to do that digital manipulation is expensive.
Right, I have to decide whether to report Tom Cross for planting evidence.
It could end his career so I'm going home.
Carol! Carol, I haven't got a car.
There are some questions about the search of McTeer's flat, Tom.
- It was aboveboard, sir.
- The search, maybe, - but some evidence was found? - Yes, sir.
good enough to nail the bastard, in my humble opinion.
Unfortunately not.
And you know as well as I do, those handcuffs, they won't stand up in court.
Yes, they will, sir.
Dr.
Hill was there.
Yes, he was.
So, we have a very senior police officer and a clinical psychologist alone in a suspect's flat at 2:30 in the morning.
The point is, sir, - we got him.
- No.
You poisoned the well.
Forget about the evidence being dismissed, we could be looking at a possible mistrial.
Steven McTeer will be released on police bail.
I want you to take a break.
- What? - A holiday.
Go to the seaside.
Or the lakes, maybe.
- Have a break.
- I'm not bloody leaving.
You are, Tom.
- Hello there.
- Hurry up.
I've got a lunch meeting.
You'll never guess what happened.
- Tell.
- No, guess.
No, tell.
All right! Nice bell.
I hear you've been kicked off, Tom.
I hear Carol Jordan's taken over.
Then you know all you need.
The thing is, Tom, the press will be all over this and you'll be crucified.
So I'm giving you a chance to put your side.
It's a competition, is it? You bet.
Do you want to win? All right, then.
Elaine Scarry, writer.
Wrote "The Body in Pain".
I've got it here Somewhere.
She talks about torture.
And the relationship between the torturer and his prisoner.
"That will be the furthest I can ever separate two human beings.
" Is she right? Do you think she's right? Yes.
And no.
Right, pain can be intimate, sado-masochistic sex can be intimate.
Pleasure and pain, is that what you want? Someone to go all the way? No one can.
But you want them to.
They're too weak.
They let you down.
Of course they do.
Maybe your standards are too high.
Maybe they are.
But you'll keep looking.
The right man's out there somewhere.
Well, well, well.
Boyfriend's got a good publicist.
"POLICE IN CHAOS" "WHO'S IN CHERGE, COP OR DOC?" Oh, you've had a few problems The nature of those problems? I see - I know who did it.
- Male, female? He's confused about his sexuality.
I had so hoped you'd be in.
You want to find out about my brother, you ask me.
Do you want a friend or a shrink? - Which are you? - AH.
Antony Hill.
Of course