Southcliffe (2013) s01e03 Episode Script

And now the shipping forecast issued by the Met Office on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency at 05:05 on Thursday 3rd November 2011.
She's not going to be going in a wheelchair, is she? How are we going to get her in the house? Andrew won't be able to lift her Let's speak to a doctor, and then we'll know, won't we? I'm not preparing special food for her.
No! Don't you tell me.
I don't want to hear.
Thanks for coming in, Paul.
I'd like you to sort out a few family photos you're happy to release to the press.
They'll just dig their own up, otherwise.
We laughed at him.
Treated him like a joke.
Not funny now, is he? Christ.
Southcliffe.
It's not that kind of place, is it? Is now.
Paul? Paul? Anything you can tell us? Strider! Get down! Down! Get down! The flatness and the light does weird things to your eyes.
We used to scare ourselves with these stories about these creatures who used to run across the marshes.
Striders.
I bet it was great as a kid.
It was shit as a kid.
It's shit now.
What was her name? Salter.
Anna Salter.
Yeah, Salter's quite a common name around here.
How old was she? I don't know.
16? 17? She was still alive when they found her.
Some old boy walking his dog.
And then she died in hospital.
Mm, I've got something for you.
It's his route.
Every kill he made.
Mate Right.
Oh, nice one.
Where did you get this? My Beeb contact.
So, he starts off at home.
Does Mum and the next-door neighbour.
And then it looks like he makes his way into town.
Yeah, personal stuff's done, then it's random from then on.
Mm, like Derrick Bird.
You reckon? Yeah, open season.
Just a matter of how many he takes down with him.
What was he like? I can hardly remember.
We were kids.
What? No, um cat torturing? Nothing like that? No.
This is a hell of a lot of shop floor to walk.
If we're going to find our story, we'd better make a move.
Ahead of the pack.
Nice.
They should pull these places down.
Just dropping off some provisions, Officer.
Sorry, sir.
Is, um John in next door? John? Mr Price.
We've got his provisions.
Stan, you mean? Yeah, Stan.
What sort of man was he like? Kept hisself to hisself.
His mother was an invalid, wasn't she? Must have Must have been a bit of a handful.
Mm.
I suppose.
Arguments? Liked a bit of a barney, did he? You must have heard things.
Not really, no.
Right.
There you go.
You do understand what Morton just did, don't you? Well, yes.
David, I think Mr Price does understand.
I really do.
Stephen Morton shoots and kills 15 people.
Destroys the lives of God knows how many others.
And he lives next door to you and you know nothing? I'm so sorry.
No, I'm sorry, Mr Price.
Dad? Dad? Dad? She's up early.
Thought I'd go for a walk.
A run.
Hello? Just one Yeah, just a second.
It's the hospital.
They're asking if we're sure we don't want to go and see her.
Anna? No.
Do you? I don't.
No.
No, thank you.
Sorry.
Horrific events which unfolded yesterday in the quiet market town of Southcliffe have shocked people to the core across the nation.
Our thoughts are with the families and friends of all those who have been affected by this appalling tragedy.
Cheers.
My house used to be at the end of that road.
It's a roundabout now.
Madge is circling.
Yeah, well, come tomorrow, "15 dead in new Hungerford" isn't going to cut it, is it? Yeah, thank you, Anthony.
Manage to get hold of that young soldier? What's his name? Cooper? Yeah, working on it.
What did the locals manage to dig up? Ha! "Killer Stephen Morton systematically sets about "robbing a sleepy English town of its womenfolk.
" Womenfolk? Beautiful! They manage to make a shooting spree sound cosy.
It says there's a sister.
She isn't talking.
That's right.
He did have a sister.
You think we can get her? Mrs Saunders? Mary? Not talking.
My name's David Whitehead.
Yeah, I know who you are.
I grew up in Southcliffe.
I'm I'm a friend I was a friend of Stephen's.
Didn't know he had any real friends.
Look, I'm I'm so sorry.
Yeah.
I used to, er I used to see you around then sometimes, didn't I? Me? I don't know.
I don't think so.
Got out as soon as I could.
I remember you had, er chicken sheds.
Stephen used to work there a lot, didn't he? Yeah, he hated it.
Poor Stephen.
Did you, um stay in touch with him? Er No, no, I didn't.
He wasn't a bad boy.
We had a tough life.
Lots of people have hard lives.
They don't go on shooting sprees.
Well, it wasn't my Stephen, not the Stephen I knew.
Except it was, wasn't it? I'm in mourning too, you know! It was my mum! He was my brother! I said, I'm not talking! What do you think made him do it, Alan? He just flipped.
Just gave into it.
Gave into what? The shittiness of it all.
You think you wouldn't? What, do what he did? I've seen it.
Normal blokes.
Oman.
Bosnia.
Croatia.
Happens every day.
That's war.
That's different.
There's always a war.
What do you think Chris will do now? Stay with his mum and dad till he's back on his feet.
Then go back overseas.
Be surprised if that'll happen.
Why not? He's a perfect soldier.
He's got nothing to lose.
I pity the poor bastards on the receiving end.
Shit like this just happens.
You get over it.
Move on.
Stop wasting your time looking for answers.
We don't need another Whitehead fucking things up round here.
Jimmy.
Danny.
Cheers, Al.
Do some glasses, will you, Dan? Big mates, were they, Alan and Stephen? Not interested.
Well, in case you remember something.
It's not something we want to remember, is it? Not sure you've got the choice.
Day two.
Told us their story.
Now they want us to fuck off home.
I don't know.
I mean, on Raoul Moat, they brought us teas.
They're all fucked anyway.
It's not like this is ever going to go away.
Madge is asking for a live broadcast.
She didn't say anything to me.
Prime time.
Oh, Jesus, Anthony! Our man from Southcliffe, to camera, personal.
You know it makes sense.
No, it doesn't make sense.
What are you talking about, mate? Look, you know this place.
You know the people.
Reel them in.
They're nothing to do with me.
You OK, boss? Yeah, I'm fine.
I mean, if you're having problems being back here I'm really fine.
So, step up.
Say you love me.
Say you don't want anyone else.
Ooh.
That got him.
Didn't think she'd come up with that one, eh? Oi.
Where are you going? Say you love me! Sarah, what are you doing? Say it.
You can't say it, can you? This is stupid.
A train's going to come.
I can hear it singing on the line.
Yeah, you'll get yourself killed.
Get up.
Say it.
All right, I love you.
Mean it.
I love you, I love you, I love you! Get up, get up, get up, get up.
I love you.
I don't want anyone else, just you.
Oh, that's a funny one.
Her hippy parents.
Never took any interest in her or the kids.
Is that Italy? She wanted to see if the Pope really existed.
Here's a better one.
Come on.
Let's put it with the possibles.
Lucy went to sleep.
That's right, sweetheart.
She did.
Uncle Paul said she won't wake up.
We just best let her sleep, eh? Like Gramps? Yeah.
Just like Gramps.
Night-night.
Night.
Paul, let us decide what Rosie knows and doesn't know, yeah? You can't lie to her, mate.
Kids understand stuff like that.
She's not stupid.
Just leave it to us, yeah? He feels guilty.
He should.
He treated her like dirt.
That's a terrible thing to say.
He doesn't deserve this.
You're his brother.
Why are you always acting like you're better than him? Hey, I don't go round having affairs with schoolgirls.
She wasn't a schoolgirl.
Huh.
He told me about your crush.
What crush? Huh! He said how he and Sarah used to laugh about it, how his big brother fancied his wife.
Sarah was a good, sweet person.
I knew you had a soft spot for her.
Nothing wrong with that.
You know, one day I want to do it right.
I want bridesmaids.
Top hats and corsages for the boys.
A marquee, speeches.
The whole bit.
You're not serious? I am.
I want to do it properly.
That's not me, Sar.
I want you to stand up and make it public.
I don't need that.
I'm my own boy.
Well done, Paul.
Here.
Heh.
What if they drop the coffin? Oh they won't.
They have to remember to take their hats off to get in.
The doorway's really low.
It'll be fine.
Yeah.
You're looking very sharp.
I couldn't do any of this without you.
I'm sorry.
I'm really sorry.
Crossed wires or something.
No, it's it's all right.
It's all right.
What are you doing? Paul, I'm so sorry.
I said no black, no mourning.
Paul, Sarah was very Take this off or leave! Hello.
Um my name's Andrew Salter.
I'm I'm here to see my daughter, Anna, in the morgue.
Yeah, course.
Um if you just want to head through the double doors on the left-hand side.
It's right down there, OK? Thank you very much.
Andrew.
David.
Hey.
I saw you on television.
Yeah, I'm I'm one of the vultures.
It's my job to let the rest of the world know what's been happening here.
Well, people need to know.
I used to wonder what happened to you.
Mum took me back to London.
Place suited her better.
Listen, I'm so sorry about your dad, yeah? Thank you.
Thank you.
I-I never said it before, cos you don't when you're a kid, do you? Yeah, well, it was a long time ago.
I'm I'm sorry about Anna.
She was a lovely girl.
It's a shame you never met her.
I'm gonna I'm gonna see her now.
All right, well, maybe I'll catch you later.
No.
Why don't you come with me? I'd like you to.
Hello, my darling.
Hello, my beautiful girl.
How much does your daddy love you? Eh? How much does your daddy love you? Isn't she beautiful? Really.
I know I'm her dad.
But isn't she beautiful? Yeah.
I love you, darling.
No! Andrew what are you doing? We're just developing some film.
What? What film? Tell her it's just a hobby.
Is someone in there with you? It's David, Claire.
David Whitehead.
Andrew! It's pictures of Anna.
You Andrew! Andrew! It's just pictures of Anna.
What are you doing here? What? What do you want? What? It's just pictures.
Look.
Love, you took photographs of our daughter? But it's just It's Anna.
No Andrew! No! Just take No, no, please.
No.
No! No! No! It's like I'm not really here.
I can't even feel things with my hands properly.
None of it makes sense, Andrew.
Never will, will it? Do you have friends you can talk to? Of course we have friends.
We have friends.
I wouldn't know what to say to them.
You're doing OK right now.
Well, you're a journalist.
You know all the right questions to ask.
Can I interview you, Andrew? You know I might use it? Well, that's your job.
Well, thank you.
You ready? I feel I feel nervous now.
Embarrassed.
Oh, just, um Er, tell me about Anna.
Anna was She was sunshine.
From the day she was born.
She was a real thinker.
They say that you teach your children, but with Anna it was the other way round.
She used to teach me.
A bright girl.
Er headed for uni, or? No, see, that's the thing.
She wanted to travel the world.
She wanted to see everywhere.
Really be there, you know, not not just read about it.
Claire always said it was my fault she was like she was.
Cos I used to hold her up, to watch the trains.
She used to ask me where they were going.
So, she was she was leaving home, was she? What? Was she leaving home? Yeah.
Did Anna know Stephen? Sorry? Did Anna know Stephen Morton? I don't know.
Why are you asking me that? Well, people knew Stephen.
People, you know, saw him around.
Didn't anybody read the signs? There weren't any signs.
Andrew Your wife looked after Queenie.
Didn't she ever come home and say something about Stephen, something she'd heard or seen? No, I told you, there weren't any signs.
Yeah, nobody ever sees anything in Southcliffe, do they? No, that's not fair.
This is a close-knit community.
Yeah.
Yeah, like it was when my dad died.
Oh, David.
That was a bad affair.
Yeah, too right it was.
But things are different now.
Do you honestly believe that? Yeah.
Yeah, I do.
You all right? Yes.
Key, please.
There's a man to see you.
Looks like police.
All right.
Thank you.
Hello.
You wanted to see me? Ah, Mr Whitehead.
Ex-Superintendent Marsden.
Right.
You're not part of the investigation? Better organised if I was.
I've got some information I think you might be interested in.
I knew your father.
Really? Did you know him well? Oh, we had the odd pint from time to time.
He was a good man.
I liked him.
Yeah, so did I.
I intend to go public with all of this.
With all of what? I heard the shot, Mr Whitehead.
I know my guns.
Glock 17.
Standard AFO issue.
You think the You think the police shot him? I think Morton escaped and the police covered up.
Why would they fake his death? Because they didn't want the general public to know that a serial killer was still at large.
Right, you don't think that's a little bit paranoid? I mean Sorry.
Er They blamed your father for that chemical plant mess.
They covered up.
Yeah, I remember.
The town closed ranks just like they're doing now.
I'm just saying it's it's very unlikely.
He's still alive, Mr Whitehead, but nobody wants to say anything.
Right, well, er, thanks for popping by.
I'll, er, let you know.
I'm disappointed.
Expected more.
Hm.
You're not your father's son.
People don't commit mass murder in a town like this.
People don't commit mass murder in People don't commit mass murder in a town like this.
'We are privileged to count chief reporter David Whitehead 'as a colleague.
'David has a very personal connection to Southcliffe.
'He was born and grew up there, it's a place about which he cares deeply, 'and he knows many of those directly involved in the recent tragic events.
'We go over to him now live at the town centre for a unique perspective.
' I come from this place, a sleepy little English market town.
People don't commit mass murder in a town like this.
Close-knit, law-abiding community.
Uncomplicated souls.
Good folk.
Anglo-Saxon England.
That's what it says on your television.
Is that what you think you are? It isn't what I remember.
It's not what I see now.
On All Souls' Day, Stephen Morton executed 15 people.
How come good old England didn't read the signs? How come good folk didn't put two and two together? What the fuck is he doing? Perhaps because these tragedies are hard-wired in your DNA.
Maybe you wished it on yourselves.
Perhaps because good folk don't really give a shit.
Yeah, they've cut us.
What the hell are you doing, David? What the fuck was that? I'm telling the truth.
Isn't that what we're supposed to do? I think I'll head up.
It was beautiful.
It was really beautiful.
Pint of the Shep's, please.
Don't do Shep's, only beer.
Fucking hilarious.
It's OK.
And a pie.
No pies.
Look, we'll go somewhere else.
Time you were on your way, lads.
Just give us a break.
Give you a break? You fuck off out, you fucking snoops! Sorry, do you think fifteen people are gonna get shot in your poxy little town, and no-one's gonna come? You're the arsehole who's gonna be reading the Sun over your egg and chips tomorrow! Don't tell me to fuck off! David, calm down.
Yeah! Good white folk! Team GB! You didn't see it coming, did you? All so fucking smart.
You never fucking saw it coming! David Cos you're pig-thick and you don't give a shit! As long as you've got your pint and your Beckham baseball cap.
I'd have pulled the trigger myself, wiped the whole fucking lot of you off the face of the Earth.
You asked for it! David You deserve it! Stephen Morton did you a favour! Fuck off out! I fucking meant it.
Fuck 'em all.
You're supposed to report the news, not be it.
Hi, Madge.
Er yeah, yeah.
We're headed back now.
Yeah, I know.
I know.
Oh, Christ.
Just give it here.
Give it to me.
She hung up.
Your little performance at the pub has gone viral.
Somebody YouTubed it.
- '.
.
off the face of the Earth! - You asked for it!' 'David' 'You deserve it!' 'Well, extraordinary stuff.
'That was an excerpt 'from journalist David Whitehead's inexplicable rant recorded on' Mate, I've still got a life.
Look, you've still got a life.
Just.
You know, we're lucky.
Until some nutter comes along and rapes the wife and burns the house down with the kids in it.
Nice.
Charming.
You know what, David? You need to square things with Madge.
Oh, fuck! Just look at yourself, up on your hind legs.
This is me, all right? It's the first honest shit anyone's said about this.
They'd better learn to swallow.
You know what, mate? You need to go home and sleep this off.
Can I get two more? Give us a kiss, then, Mouse.
Ah! Go on, go on, go on, go on.
Quickly.
Seatbelt on.
Seatbelt, Lucy.
I, um I slept downstairs, didn't want to wake you.
Do I see you tonight? Yeah, sure.
Look, I can't keep this smile going much longer, Paul.
It's OK.
It's OK.
It's over.
Are you sure about that? Can we go home now? I'm tired.
OK.
This isn't the way home.
It's a new way.
Is a train coming? You know how you can tell? Listen.
I can't hear anything.
Now.
It's singing.
I can hear it.
It's coming! Uncle Paul, it is coming.
We're just really concerned.
Yeah, I know.
I know.
What are you doing, Paul? What the fuck do you think you're doing? I dunno, Geoff.
I really don't know.
Maybe I'm looking for closure.
That's what you're meant to do, isn't it? Well, you look for it somewhere else.