Chasing Shadows (2014) s01e03 Episode Script

You can sit in my office and play on your phone.
OK? But you'll need to be quiet.
How is this suddenly my fault? - What are you doing? - You didn't tell me a system was in place.
I meant in my office.
You never come into my office.
Your intranet says all missing persons could be categorised under five headings - runaways, throwaways, fallaways, pushaways, takeaways.
Someone's in mine.
It's not a system, Sean.
It's a way of providing context.
I've looked through all the open files and identified cases that don't fit into any of those.
This is my son, Bryan.
However, looking more closely, there are factors that could have led each to have become pushaways or even takeaways.
All except one.
- I recognise him.
- Stephen Eli.
You were the analyst who helped the police fail to locate him.
- That must have been - A year ago tomorrow.
After one year, the chances of locating a missing person decrease to all but nothing.
Right.
Bryan needs to be here.
Who's Bryan? It's an inset day and nobody told me.
So I could have easily stayed at home.
The only thing more interesting than someone fitting the pattern is someone that doesn't fit any.
Do you think he was taken by a serial killer? That's it.
I'm phoning Mum.
Haven't you got any friends? Have you? Solicitor, wasn't he? Criminal lawyer.
Long-time widower, living with his son.
- Yes, that's right.
- I know.
His job meant the investigation was especially thorough.
The assumption was it was stress-related.
In which case, Stephen does fit a category - runaway.
Maybe even pushaway.
Stephen Eli had no money worries or mental health issues, no problems at home or work.
None of the usual triggers that result in someone disappearing.
You're having a blind put up? I'll see you at the Elis'.
Remember what we agreed.
First meetings, I lead.
Hello, Cole.
It's Ruth Hattersley.
- From Missing Persons.
- Right.
Um We're making some more enquiries into your dad's disappearance.
Is it all right if we come in? - Yeah, sure.
- Thank you.
Do you know, I've got some biscuits somewhere.
Oh, please don't worry.
Ah sorry about the mess.
Dad was about to decorate before he went.
Looks like you run a tight ship.
You should see the state of my kitchen.
Yeah, well, I want everything to be perfect for when he comes back.
What makes you think he's coming back? No reason not to.
Just uh needed to take some time out, didn't he? Oh, we're having a gathering tomorrow.
To mark the year.
That's a good idea.
It can help.
You following in his footsteps? Trying to.
Look, no offence, but I've done this background stuff before.
It's been a year.
Is there anything new? - No.
- Possibly.
Well, which one? This case doesn't fit the pattern of a man taking time out.
There's no new evidence, Cole.
What are you saying? Are you saying something's happened to him? - So why else would you be here? - The day he disappeared.
Tell us about it.
- What time did he leave? - There's nothing to tell.
We had breakfast.
Eight o'clock he went to work.
I went to college.
He texted me in the afternoon, saying, "Love you," like he did every day, and that was it.
It was normal.
Except he never came home.
And you weren't aware of any issues at work, in his personal life? No.
If you're talking about women, Dad was single.
Everything was cool.
And your relationship? The two of you were getting on? Yeah.
We were all right.
And I know he's gonna come back.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Can I help? Um, we're here to see Sara Shah.
Sara Shah? Yeah.
Sign in.
I'll let her know you're here.
So, Sara, you worked closely with Stephen? Very closely, yes.
Is there new information? This was the last place he was seen, at 2pm, and nobody knew where he was going? We assumed for a client meeting, and probably on the bus.
- Why on the bus? - Stephen didn't drive.
Yes, but why not take a taxi? Stephen was a man of the people.
Although, I don't think any of us really knew him.
He kept very much to himself.
Does that mean nobody liked him? I'd say Stephen was admired, rather than liked.
He was clearly passionate about his Legal Aid work, but kept the professional and personal strictly separate.
Mm-hm.
This was his office.
- Whose is it now? - It's mine.
- Where are his things? - What little there was went home.
And you weren't aware of any other problems elsewhere in his life? No.
Uh Apart from I got the sense his son could be a bit of a handful.
Oh, really? Stephen didn't take holidays and he wouldn't travel for work.
Any time off was usually last-minute, to spend time with his son.
- Mm.
- Said he was at a difficult age.
Right.
Well, we'll be in touch, thanks.
OK.
Yep.
Bye.
Oh, that's great.
Mum's cancelled her liquid lunch.
She's got Bryan.
Oyster card data from the original investigation shows that Stephen Eli caught the No.
53 bus there.
What are you doing? The investigation was thorough but nobody went on his final journey.
I mean, why are you going to your car? If we're really gonna walk in Stephen's shoes, then let's do it.
I'm guessing you don't spend a lot of time on buses.
Stephen Eli boards at 14:24, stays on till What? The very end of the route.
Bank records show that he used a debit card to make a purchase of £7.
83, there, at 15:42.
Continues south-east for at least 15 minutes.
Well, aren't we going to? Evidently not.
According to Stephen Eli's phone records, at 15:57 he sends Cole Eli a text message.
Triangulating between masts, that puts him almost exactly here.
South Mere Road.
And that's the last act of Stephen Eli's recorded life.
This is where he disappeared? Sean, when I tap on the glass, it means I want to talk.
And when I ignore it, it means I don't.
I've put in CCTV requests, but it has been a year, and spoke with Sara at Coleridge Mather.
She can't trace a single client in that area.
Either of Stephen's or the firm's.
I mean, it's miles from his patch.
- What was he doing there? - I don't know.
But he's not the first person to disappear in that area.
You've found a pattern? More than that.
I think I know who killed him.
Leonard Vance? DS Stone.
I need urgent authorisation to visit an inmate at a secure hospital.
You what? I need urgent authorisation, sir.
This might surprise you, but I'm a little bit busy right now.
He's definitely dead.
We're not sure about Stephen Eli.
Come on.
When you say "not sure" - How are you? - I'm a bit stressed.
You? Fine.
Stephen Eli.
Lawyer.
Disappeared 12 months ago from where Daniel Whistler was seen getting into a minicab six months earlier.
Yeah, but Daniel Whistler was killed by Leonard Vance.
- Are you saying this Eli guy was too? - That's what I need to ask him.
OK, but Vance confessed to Whistler's murder and that of Christopher Maleva - no others.
- You can have schizophrenia and lie.
- Why would he? That's what I need to ask him.
Look, I thought your thing was that serial killers target the vulnerable.
You know, Vance's victims were drifters who'd both done jail time - whereas this guy is a lawyer.
He's interesting because he's anomalous.
We know Vance was active in the same area as Stephen disappeared from.
- What harm can I do? - You don't want me to answer that, do you? Look, DS Stone, I'm one of the few people that actually wants to hear from you - and I never do.
I have operational responsibility for you but you don't answer emails, attend meetings - I'm here now.
- You only appear when it's urgent.
Exactly.
I'd like to go first thing.
OK.
- And you'll clear this with Angela? - Yep.
- And go with him, please.
- Uh-huh.
Oh, and be careful.
The guy's a nutcase.
Watch out for Vance, too.
I called the book Made To Kill because we've all heard about serial killers being "born to kill".
But when you look at Leonard's life - abandoned as a child, abused in various institutions By the time he started hearing voices, he was completely rootless.
I don't believe Leonard Vance was born to kill.
I believe he was made to.
I can feel your breath on my neck.
What did we say about respecting privacy, particularly around my work? I've read that.
Why are you so interested in Leonard Vance? - I'm not telling you.
- Why is your passport out? Honestly, you two should be working with the police, not me.
I need my passport because I'm going to Crowley Secure Hospital tomorrow - to visit a patient.
- Leonard Vance.
Don't ask me anything else because I really won't tell you.
- Who's Leonard Vance? - He's a serial killer.
- Ruth! - Note the word "secure" before hospital, Mum.
Promise me you'll be careful.
Of course.
I promise.
And you actually met the boy? And talked to him? What's his name? Byron.
He likes serial killers.
You asked about his hobbies? I don't understand why I should show an interest in things I'm not interested in.
Because this is how we get to know others, and getting to know others is one of life's pleasure.
You get to know others by what they do and not by what they say.
I have to go.
I wouldn't normally ask, Sean, but can I have next week's money as well, please - in advance? - Sean? - Yes.
Thank you.
Dear Mr Wernley OK, can you stand a little further to your right? There you go.
Sir.
I need your coat, please.
Thank you, Latisha.
Hi.
I'm Dr Alison Ellesmere, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist.
I'm Leonard Vance's responsible clinician.
First meetings, you lead.
I'm Ruth Hattersley from Missing Persons Bureau, and this is DS Sean Stone.
Nice to meet you both.
I haven't been told what you're here to talk to Leonard about.
- Do you need to be told? - We couldn't find a social worker in time, so I'll be acting as Leonard's appropriate adult.
And also if there's anything that you think might affect his mental state.
Leonard finds police visits very unsettling.
I don't mind if he's unsettled.
We're here to ask Leonard about a missing person.
Look, can I just say, DS Stone, this is a hospital, not a prison.
- With patients, not inmates.
- Can they leave? - No, but - Have they committed serious crimes? - Yes, many.
- Then it's a prison.
It looks like my old college.
Oh, we don't show visitors the dungeons.
It's a therapeutic environment.
Committed by the courts or not, the majority of our men will be released at some point.
Colin here's leaving us in a few days.
Aren't you, Colin? You've got to be careful who you tell where you've been all this time.
Yes, but there are people to talk to.
We encourage patients to access support services when they're out, to stay on radar.
Right.
But uh Leonard Vance, he won't ever be released? His status can change, though, and his freedoms increase.
I read that you've won awards for your work.
With the right mix of medication and therapy, patients with schizophrenia can start to determine between their delusions and reality.
And we can help them.
We have to.
And the most powerful substance we have is understanding.
- How is he, Tommy? - All good.
We monitor all patients' hearts.
Leonard's last ECG had an abnormal rhythm, so we've changed his antipsychotic.
He seems calm enough.
And don't panic.
It's before they have their meds you need to worry.
Can we go in now? Listen, uh never let them sit between you and the door.
And always know where the panic button is.
You'll be fine.
Stress can cause a relapse in psychosis.
Leonard is occasionally volatile, always fragile, and whether sensitivity comes naturally to you or not, Detective, I'd ask you to make a special effort.
If I see any change in his mental state, this visit's over.
Thank you, Dave.
Leonard.
This is DS Stone and Ruth Hattersley.
And, as I explained, they're just gonna ask you a few questions.
And I'll be here.
OK? Yeah, I'm Leonard.
It's nice to meet you.
Did you kill this man? No.
You didn't pick him up in your minicab? Not that I can remember, no.
I never used to take my coat off anywhere.
You were arrested for hitting shoppers with a crowbar at Lowry's Department Store, sectioned, and brought here for evaluation.
During interviews with Dr Ellesmere, you confessed to the unsolved murders of Daniel Whistler and Christopher Maleva.
- Yeah, that's right.
- You picked both of them up, you sprayed them with Mace, beat them to death with a scaffold bar and then you buried them - one in a quarry, the other in scrubland.
Yeah, I wasn't well.
Why them? Yeah, I dunno - I mean, I was hearing voices, but - Yeah.
No, it was random.
And the burial sites? Yeah, same.
It was random.
Daniel Whistler went missing from the A13 Thames Gateway.
- Is that an area you regularly picked up in? - Yes.
Six months later, this man went missing from almost exactly the same location.
Yeah, I'm I'd like to help you, I would, but I can't remember any dates and uh no, I don't know him.
So Yeah, I'm sorry.
Yeah.
It was a Thursday.
Did you drive your cab on Thursdays? - Yes.
- Days or nights? Nah, I never went out nights.
It's too dangerous.
So it is possible that you were in your cab in the Thames Gateway area around 4pm on this Thursday last year? Oh, unless I was here.
- Yeah, it's possible.
Yeah.
- Yet, despite not knowing what month it was, you can say with certainty that you didn't pick up this man, who we know didn't drive, and who disappeared from the very spot you admit to having picked up a previous victim? Look at him.
Have you seen this man before? Uh Take your time, Leonard.
There's no pressure.
- Are you OK, Leonard? - Yes or no? Do you want to stop? - Leonard? - Look, I don't know! That's enough.
I don't believe in random.
Vance is lying.
He did it.
We need to work out what connects Stephen Eli to Vance's other victims.
- What if one or all of them received Legal Aid? - That's a good point.
We need to find out if Stephen Eli represented Vance, Whistler, or Maleva.
Huh.
Alex Wernley - you know, the author of Made To Kill - he wants to meet for coffee.
I contacted him.
I thought it just might be useful.
Alex Wernley.
Welcome to my office.
Hi, I'm Ruth.
- From Missing Persons, yes.
- Yeah.
I'm intrigued.
Well, not as intrigued as I am by your relationship with Leonard Vance.
A cappuccino, please.
How did you two meet? Well, there's very little intrigue, I'm afraid.
I declared a journalistic interest, he agreed to see me, and we became well, friends.
I have to be careful who I say that to.
Most don't believe monsters deserve friendship.
Mm.
I don't believe in monsters.
Are you interested in Leonard for any particular reason? Have you identified more victims? Do you think there are more? I asked you first.
And you know I can't talk about active investigations.
I am happy to help, Ruth, if I can.
Look, I really can't give any details.
But if you could reinforce to Leonard how much it would mean to a young man, whose father has been missing for a year, to know what happened to him I see the families of missing people - a lot.
And not knowing is always harder than the truth.
However horrible.
Well? - Well, what? - Was Vance a client of Stephen's? Did he give Leonard legal aid? No.
Nor either of his victims.
That's not the pattern.
Come on.
We should go to Cole Eli's gathering.
- Why? - Well, because Because everyone who knows Stephen will be in one room, and we might pick up some useful information, Sean.
- Is this it? - Shh.
I think we've established that Stephen wasn't exactly Mr Social.
Something I'm sure you can empathise with.
I've spoken with his cousin.
Not only was Stephen the first in his family to go to university, he was the first in his postcode.
Um thank you guys for coming, all of you.
Honestly, it means a lot.
So It's been a year, today, since Dad went, and um I miss him.
You know? I guess this is a good excuse to remember him, you know, with all us being here.
Some people used to say that Dad walked around with a chip on his shoulder.
That's not what it was.
Dad was carrying a lot of other people's hopes around with him and he took that serious, you know? Maybe a little too seriously.
But um But, no, if we all keep thinking and talking about him, and remaining positive then that energy will help bring him back to us.
So - to Dad.
- To Stephen.
- Hello.
- Tell them to call back.
Yeah, it's Leonard.
Leonard Vance.
It's Leonard Vance.
Yeah, I don't want to say much because they record all the calls in and out, but um I need to see you.
I need to see you now.
Leonard's with someone at the moment, but they've been told they have to leave.
Hi.
Alex Wernley.
- I I read your book.
- Did you like it? No.
- Is Ruth not with you? - We're here to conduct a police interview.
- Why are you here? - I still visit Leonard regularly.
He has no-one else.
All right.
There was too much opinion and not enough fact.
I would like to inform you that this interview will take place under police caution.
Could you tell us why you asked us to visit you here today? The man in the picture you showed me - Stephen Eli.
Yeah, I do remember him.
How do you know his name? From the ID in his wallet after I killed him.
I don't know which day it was but, um it was definitely light.
I was down near the Thames Gateway, in the cab, and I pulled up next to him and Did he flag you down? So why did you home in on Mr Eli? I was told to kill him like the others, so I did.
Leonard's delusions were often agents of evil who told him to harm others.
Let him speak.
I drove out to Ottley Marsh, near the water, and and when we got close, I sprayed him with the Mace, and then I parked up and I dragged him out, and um, I hit him with the bar.
I hit him in the head.
Till all the noises stopped.
And then what? Yeah.
Yeah, I felt better.
Yeah.
I'm really sorry Leonard.
See, I I knew I'd seen him somewhere but I didn't know where, and then Yeah? You see, I remember the tooth.
The gold tooth.
Like all his teeth lying next to him, and then it all come back.
No, but the memory has a particular way of protecting us from traumatic events.
- It's called dissociative amnesia.
- Where did you bury him? - I told you.
- Be specific.
There was, like, water in front of me.
- Yeah, I think I'd like to stop now.
- OK.
- Can you show us where? - On a map.
- No, Leonard said he would like to stop.
- This is a police interview.
- Please.
- As Leonard's - OK, relax.
- Can you show us where? - Enough.
- Stop! Sit down! Leonard Just breathe.
Just breathe.
Wait, Sean.
Wait - Everything all right? - Uh Does your dad have any gold teeth? One.
Right at the back.
Why? You didn't list it as a distinguishing feature.
You can't see it, so it wouldn't help anyone who spots him.
What's happened? Have you found Dad? No.
What, then? We might have a lead.
Might.
Uh I don't know any more and I don't want to get your hopes up or Or what? Stop me hoping completely? "There was water.
" This is what Vance calls "specific"? - We'll never find anything in here.
- We have to.
You want us to excavate this whole place? - No.
- Good.
We bring Leonard Vance here.
I think I'd rather dig.
He knew about the tooth.
We've no choice.
And who goes to DCS Drayton to get authorisation to bring a convicted serial killer out for the day? I will.
No, you won't.
OK.
I still don't see how Stephen Eli fits with Vance's establish MO.
- I understand it's a bolt out of the blue, sir.
- And yet in other ways, it all sounds perfectly reasonable once you know DS Stone's involved.
- In fairness, if Vance can lead us to Stephen - Yes, yes.
Stone's your problem now.
All I'd say is this.
- This is sensitive.
He's anything but.
- Yes, sir.
You make sure this goes off without a hitch.
Cuff him to your own arm if you have to, DI Prior.
And the media don't get anywhere near this.
Understood.
It's OK.
I'll do it.
OK, we're ready.
Off you go.
Just so we know where we stand There are armed police all over this place.
Clear? You Tommy? You got what we need in case he gets lively? Good.
Take me to him.
Yeah, it's quite a way.
Is this it? Yeah, the track looks familiar, but I'm looking for a particular It's just I don't want to let anyone down, you know.
No, it's not here.
It must be further on.
Well? You said he was round here somewhere.
Where is he? Yeah, I thought I think it must have changed.
It's been a while.
I I can't remember.
DS Stone, deal with this.
You're moving further and further away from where you left your cab.
I mean, Stephen Eli He weighed 92 kilos.
Why drag him so far away? I'm sorry.
I am trying.
I - I'm scared.
- Of what? You do know where Stephen Eli is, don't you? Leonard? Leonard? - Can you hear me? - What's happening? What's happening? He needs to go to hospital.
We need an ambulance! Guys, we need an ambulance here! Get the medics in! - Leonard? - Call it in! Leonard? He's been taking haloperidol for the last ten months.
Dr Ellesmere changed it to flupentixol three days ago because of a prolonged QT interval.
- Here we go.
- BP's still falling.
Cardiac arrest.
We need to ventilate.
Is everybody ready? Quick as we can, please.
- You're going to have to step right back.
- Ready, sir? - Sir.
Are you the leading officer? - I am.
DS Stone, move.
We need to remove his handcuffs.
It's unethical, it's unsafe.
- So's he.
- We're gonna need to shock him.
Now.
Do it.
He's going into VF.
Paddles, please, quickly! Ready for CPR.
Is everybody ready? What exactly did Vance say to you out there? I'm not sure that he killed Stephen Eli.
- Is that what he said? - Forget what he said.
Look at what he did.
He had no idea where he was, let alone Stephen Eli.
- He'd barely set foot outside his ward in a year.
- He was disorientated.
It doesn't matter if he said he didn't do it, cos schizophrenia is split personalities.
- No, it's not.
- Actually, that's a misconception.
It's difficulty in telling the difference between what's real and what's not.
That's a relief.
Cos if it's just an annoying voice telling you to do things that you don't want to do, I thought I had it.
Look, you said yourself, DS Stone, he knew about the tooth.
If he didn't do it, how could he have known about that? I need the files on all Vance's victims.
- Does he just do that to you all the time? - Yeah.
Alex Wernley.
He was the guy at Crowley asking for you.
"Sources close to Missing Persons have revealed that senior officers have questioned serial killer Leonard Vance over the disappearance of criminal lawyer, Stephen Eli" - Did you do this? - I had coffee with him.
That's all.
- And told him what? - Nothing.
He'd have had to have done a lot of research.
It's a good job he's not a journalist, then.
I need to warn Cole Eli.
What are you gonna do? Flash a smile? Flatter him a bit? I did tell you I trust the wrong men.
You don't come today - and you've got a key.
I wouldn't normally do this, Sean.
If there was anyone else I could trust Can I leave my daughter with you, please, for a few hours? - You have a daughter? - Gabby? Gabby.
- Say hello to your Uncle Sean.
- Hello.
- I'm working.
- She has eaten and she's very well behaved.
For a few hours.
That's all.
Thank you.
Come and sit down.
You be very good for Uncle Sean and do exactly what he tells you.
Ohh Where are you right now? Is this a dirty phone call, Sean? You need You need to go to the hospital and sit with Leonard Vance.
One of us has to be there as soon as he wakes up.
- Why? - I don't think he killed Stephen Eli.
I'm not convinced he killed anyone.
But I think he knows who did.
- What? - I've been through the evidence in the Whistler and Maleva cases.
Leonard Vance knows one telling detail about each - like Stephen Eli's tooth - but I think he was fed those details by the real killer.
Because, apart from that, there's nothing - no witnesses, no forensics.
Just the confessions.
We need to question him - and quickly.
Are you on your way? - Why aren't you there? - I will be.
Se Sean? Oh.
I am so sorry.
I Roger that.
Will do.
- I can't get a signal up here.
- Where is he? - He's gone.
- He's escaped? He can't have.
He's not escaped, Sean.
He's dead.