Rake (2010) s01e04 Episode Script
R v Lorton
Have you seen Scarlet? She didn't come home last night.
Move in with me.
I'll stay until you're well.
How's the new love of your life? She's great.
She's into Shakespeare too.
Barney is the only decent man I know.
We cannot do this to him.
I'm not in love with Barney.
The idea you can give up the law to paint, it's laughable.
Please, I beg you.
Don't say a word to David.
I'm in trouble.
It's a long queue.
She admitted it.
Did she say who? No.
Why on Earth would you do a thing like that? I think my percentage chimp DNA is higher than others.
That's his sleeping kit over there.
OK, give it the works.
It looks like the kid was homeless.
Really? I thought he might have been vacationing here with his parents.
Boss, this is Mr Shrimpton.
Stabbed from behind.
G'day, Sarge, Shrimpo.
Detective Maraco.
I wouldn't.
Jesus, mother of Mary, eh? God help us all.
Are you from Catholic stock, Mr Shrimpton? Mr Shrimpo says he saw the whole thing.
Saw it from go to whoa.
You didn't think to help? I was standing over there.
I called you lot, didn't I? We've met before, haven't we? I don't know.
I get about.
I used to be with the Drug Squad.
Look, do you want my info or what? I've got other things I could be doing, you know.
Sure, why not? What did you see? Well, I seen him stab the boy, I seen him running out of the lane, I've seen him holding the knife and I've seen him dump the knife in the big bin down on Macauley Street.
And who is he? Seen him about.
Calls himself Pica.
Pica? It's a typeface.
Quite attractive.
Constable, take Mr Shrimpton to the station.
So, you know, do I get a finder's fee or? Yeah.
Ten million bucks and a holiday in the Bahamas.
Shame.
Oh, a beautiful face.
That could work in the hall near the bathroom.
What do you think? I think the cheese dip is good.
I want you to choose something to put on the walls.
I want you to make my place yours.
Fine.
I will paint the walls in cheese dip.
(Mobile phone rings) David Potter, man of the hour? Hello, Joe.
How are you? Good.
I don't believe you've met my partner, Melissa.
Joe Sandilands, our esteemed Attorney General.
Ah, no.
No, I haven't but I'm much richer for the experience.
How do you do? Hi.
How would you feel about seeing this after you came out from the loo? David wants to buy it.
Well, depends what I'd eaten the night before, I s'pose.
(Chuckles) Now, your name keeps making an appearance in the corridors of power.
Premier wants to meet you.
Wants to know which side of the Labor fence you sit.
Oh, I'm not sure what side she sits on.
What's it about? Call.
An interesting discourse will transpire.
How you going? Excuse me.
Melissa, we're sweet, OK? Yeah.
WOMAN: Welcome one, welcome all.
May I have your attention, please? Now I say this not as Flick Moyers, gallery owner, but as Flick Moyers, lifetime supporter of emerging talent.
With this exhibition tonight, with its exuberance, its lithe, almost athletic texture I'll save you a return trip.
.
.
these artists have come of age.
May your attention for just a brief mo? (Mic feeds back) Oh, Flick.
Hold on.
Did I just hear Flick use the word 'mo'? Pretty sure Flick did.
Melissa.
Cleaver.
Harry-sorry-David, I never, ah, never pictured you as the arty type.
Always see you in a velvet cap and a red cape, chasing foxes on your father's estate.
My father worked in a bank.
Did he really? The stories you must have You will have read the literature that accompanied your invitations.
Now, tonight There were invitations? Yes.
But it's also about helping a great cause.
will go to rebuilding the war-ravaged Congo.
(Clapping) WOMAN: Ah! Oh, well, that'll fix it.
I'm not suggesting that and I would ask you not to interrupt.
Well, just a cotton pickin' mo here, Flick.
I'm poised to pull out a lazy 20G and purchase one of these lithe, textural, bilious attacks on art.
I need to know how my donation that you're now describing as YOUR donation is going to relieve the suffering of the good burghers of the Congo.
Cleaver, you're a terminable bore.
Please leave.
Robert Benchley said that 'all art is relative but all your relatives are not necessarily art.
' Oh, that's what I love about a gallery opening, folks.
A better class of bouncer.
Please, don't hurt me.
Come on, folks, really.
If you honestly wanted to help My apologies for that interruption.
Well, I think you handled that with great dignity.
My trick is to write it all down before.
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.
Go home.
Go to bed.
Without you? Without me.
You are so utterly beautiful, it terrifies me.
Ahem! Oh Sorry, did I wake you? No, it's OK.
I really tried.
I lasted half an longer than last night.
Shouldn't be this hard for you.
It's not you.
I always have trouble sharing a bed after sex.
I get restless.
You want a camomile tea? No.
I'm just going to cycle some more, then I'll come back to bed.
So you can put that back Which is when you found exactly what, Constable? Close to half a kilo of cocaine.
Thank you, Constable.
Um, your report says you found pornography under my client's bed.
Yes.
In fact, you made a pretty comprehensive list of his library - uh, Dick Tracing, Under My Belly 3, Clash Of The Clits.
All of this while searching for cocaine.
I was establishing it wasn't kiddie porn.
And was it? No.
Constable, how long would you say it took you to establish that it wasn't kiddie porn? A bit.
A bit.
So, is that a minute? More? Your Honour.
I'll allow it.
Five minutes? Ten? About half an hour.
Oh.
So, in that highly awkward and uncomfortable position of being under someone else's bed, a circumstance I can sympathise with Constable, did you masturbate while you were under my client's bed? Your Honour! We have a match and a name - Denny Lorton.
Calls himself Pica.
He has form.
Sexual assault 30 years ago.
God, this being a detective is easy.
The dead boy is Benjamin Rigby.
himself for 18 months or so.
Had he been reported missing? Mum's a junkie.
That lane was his beat.
Is this Lorton? Reckon they can make this room any uglier? Probably not.
It's like they think no-one actually has to work in here.
Why do we settle for ugly like it doesn't matter? A bit of colour there, painting there.
Some flowers.
I'm wasted in this profession.
Pick this creep up, will ya? Tommy.
(Whistles) Hmm Hmm Strictly cash these days, Manos.
Since when? Since I woke up in a strange hotel room with third degree burns on my arse and no idea how they got there.
I owe you big-time, mate.
If you change your mind, give us a tinkle.
(Phone rings) Red.
Good morning's work.
You humiliate a young cop and keep that clump of sink hair out of prison.
Oh, you Jews are so Old Testament.
I did my job.
How are things? Barney and I are still under the same roof, if that's what you mean.
He does the dishes, I sort the socks and ironing, we don't talk.
So all back to normal.
As in, you mean, are you off the hook? No, I didn't mean that.
(Quiet knock on door) Just a sec.
Wendy rang.
Something about a meeting with John Bartrop, which typically you didn't share with me.
I don't know any John Bartrop.
Who is John Bartrop? You were apparently due at Fuzz's school an hour ago.
Oh, shit.
That John Bartrop.
Sorry.
Um, Red, can we talk later? Why? He is a beautiful student, an absolute pleasure to teach.
You don't have to sugar coat this for me, you know.
I mean every word of it.
The other teachers' comments have ranged from, 'Is everything alright at home' to 'Have doctors mentioned medication?' (Laughs) Well, Finnegan has issues.
His attention span isn't enormous but he's so engaging and clever.
Wow.
Well, he does like your classes.
English is the only subject he seems to study.
He expresses himself beautifully.
So I don't have to send him down the mines quite yet? Um, I'm sorry, I think that might be my next appointment.
No, that is your previous one.
That's Fuzz's dad who's just successfully missed every other parent-teacher interview.
Cleaver, this is Fiona McCready, Fuzz's English teacher.
Hi.
Sorry.
Caught up in a very complex trial.
Oh, was the complex trial run over five or eight furlongs? Finnegan mentioned you were a barrister.
I think he wants to follow in your footsteps.
According to all the other teachers, he is.
What is an education, anyway? I spent most of 1982 learning 52.
8% of Malaysia's GDP came from rubber.
I don't even know if they produce the stuff anymore.
He's a bright boy, he's falling behind.
Why? Because he doesn't sit up straight in class and say, 'Miss, Miss, ask me!' You know what happens to kids who do that.
Yes, they're in an office somewhere with their hand up still.
Anyway, that last teacher seemed quite impressed.
Yes, she did.
Yeah.
Never had a teacher who looked like that.
I did once see Miss Treadwell in her bathers.
Her varicose veins looked like an aerial shot of the Nile Delta.
(Laughs) Is there a word that means even shallower than superficial? Are you still screwing Scarlet? I knew it was a mistake telling you.
No, it was a mistake doing it.
And poor Barney.
How is he? Doesn't, won't and can't ever know, OK? Wendy, it's over, alright? I've learned a very big lesson.
Fuzz! How hot is your English teacher! Mr Bartrop made it pretty clear he's at the end of his patience with you.
No-one takes Bartrop seriously.
We do.
(Mobile phone rings) And you must.
Sorry, work.
He is the principal of a school that your father and I spent a fortune on.
Isn't that right, Cleave? No, ten units, Race Four, Charlemagne's Pride.
Cleave! Yes! Yeah, a fortune.
An absolute fortune, mate.
No, 15 units.
Only to the station.
You're a really clever boy, Fuzz darling.
If you just knuckle down Tell him, Cleave.
To win.
When have you heard me back a place Most important years in your life, mate.
Why don't you just buy your lunch like everyone else? Because there is a perfectly good, cold roast lamb in the fridge.
So is this how it's going to be now? A permanent cone of silence until one of us dies? Who's gonna read me a story? Just read it yourself, OK? Not now.
OK.
Well? Tell me his name.
(Sighs) It doesn't matter now.
I'm back here in the loving bosom of the family.
Yes, it does matter.
Who did you screw? Good, see ya.
The PDO's sent you a murder.
Hey, you know we're out of this room tomorrow.
A street kid, tortured and murdered.
There goes all the fun.
I don't mind adults whacking each other but this stuff twists you.
So Barney will meet you in remand.
Barney's instructing? That's good, isn't it? Yeah.
Good.
He'll meet you there.
Did you know the deceased? Had you had an argument with him? Had he tried to rob you? Provoke you? Had you had sex with him? I'm not into boys.
You're currently living in a shelter in Abbotsford.
Is that right, Denny? I'm Pica now.
Some days yes, other days no.
(Mouthes) Pica.
The police have your DNA on the knife, the victim's blood on your clothes.
Witnesses saw you running from the lane.
They may have.
But I didn't do it.
He was alive when I found him.
I took the knife out, but he died.
OK.
Alright, we'll look into it further and get back to you.
You can't possibly believe him.
We've got our instructions.
Got your baggy eyes spot-on.
Thanks, mate.
Who is he, for Christ's sake? He is Pica.
What do we know about his prior? Statutory rape.
15-year-old girl.
He was 19.
Girl.
Interesting.
You reckon it was a stitch-up? Well, come on.
He looks like he did it, he sounds like he did it, he's homeless, he's got a serious prior.
It's the easiest stitch-up in the world.
Jails are full of guys who are there because they look like him.
You know? No.
So you guys have sorted things out? We haven't sorted out a bloody thing.
Hey, you know that guy we met at the exhibition? Joe Sandilands? The Attorney General.
He didn't like the painting either.
(Both laugh) Yeah, well he wants me to run.
State parliament.
Oh.
Dutch Patterson's old seat.
It's safe Labor.
If I get preselection, I'm a certainty.
And is that something you want? Yeah.
I never thought I had a chance.
I joined Young Labor when I was 16.
Went to God knows how many meetings.
And here all you needed to do was get shot.
You think that's the only reason they've asked me? I didn't say that.
No, but you're implying it.
Well, they did only notice you after the tabloids called you 'hero'.
OK, fine.
I'll stay at the bar.
If you're going to be negative about it.
What's it got to do with me? Why is my opinion so significant? Well, I care what you do.
You can do what you want.
All I'm saying is from my experience, politicians tend to be Let me guess - arrogant, self-indulgent, trough-sniffing arseholes.
I was going to say sad, mostly.
And how many politicians do you know? A few.
Through my dad.
Look, I spend half my life trying to get people like Cleaver Greene to pay their tax.
How do you think that makes me feel? This is a chance for me to do some good.
So do it.
Knock 'em dead.
I have to go study.
TV: Then let it go, and crouch, and hold.
CLEAVER: Morning, folks.
Stretch out the whole body and Pica hardly sleeps here.
Just comes to paint and read.
I've no idea what he does with the rest of his time.
I shouldn't let him stay, really, but he's quiet and he's a gentleman.
There you go, my lad.
Come on, boys, out of there.
Finnegan.
She is your teacher! She's meant to be telling you about Jane Austen.
It is age inappropriate sex! It's bloody great sex.
At your age, you should be having exploratory sex with a girl your own age.
And maybe some oral.
Oh, yuck.
The damage you are doing to your psyche could be irreparable, darling.
I know.
I'm trained.
Well, I'm not ending it.
It is immoral! Hello! I thought we didn't buy into this whole God, myth, mortal sin bullshit.
No, but I believe there's a natural order and a fine balance to life and if the rhythms are violated Oh fuck, Fuzz! I want you to stop seeing the wretched woman! Do you hear me? Most of the Eastern seaboard can! I am going to report her to the school and she'll go to prison and you can visit her on weekends.
You can't stop us.
We love each other! Oh, now you're being a petulant little fucking idiot.
Is this how you counsel your suicidal patients? (Slam!) Oh! Come on, Flick.
'Tonight these artists have come of age.
' I deserve to make a living.
You earn yours defending drug barons and pimps and yes, I do bloody care about the bloody Congolese.
(Mobile phone rings) These are good, aren't they? He's got your baggy eyes.
Yes, he's good.
But you know that.
Yeah, but he's very good, isn't he? I need to see more.
Goes by the name of Pica.
Formerly known as Denny Lorton.
These are Lorton's? How recent? Who is he, first? Who was he, you mean? Prize student at Courtaulds, several major exhibitions, two paintings in the National Gallery.
He was knocking on the door big-time, then he disappeared.
I thought he was dead.
Well, he's come back to life.
What are his paintings worth? Depends on size.
And artistic merit, presumably.
Not really, just size.
(Mobile phone rings) He used to go for anything up to 60 grand.
What's he done with all of it? Get him to exhibit here, maybe I'll forgive you.
No, I won't.
This is crap, isn't it, Flick? Complete.
No, this time you've gone too far.
I've spoken to the lawyers, you're never going to see your son again.
I don't know how you can look at yourself every morning without throwing up.
Am I going to get a look-in on this conversation? No, because I know exactly what you're going to say so you can spare me the smart remarks.
I don't know how you could let this happen in your own apartment, your own son.
Oh, that's what this is about.
Wendy, he's 15 years old, alright, almost 16.
He's got a girlfriend.
Oh, you are genuinely sick if you think this is appropriate.
All I did was save our son 50 bucks on a room in some flea pit.
He's a kid.
He's in love with another kid.
With another kid?! Yes.
It's a girl in his English class.
He told me all about it.
The girl from his English class is his fucking English teacher, you moron! Oh Apologies, but I am in such a hurry.
Another one'll be along any mo.
Yes, oh.
You didn't know? No, no, I didn't.
Woollahra, thanks.
Um What do you think you're doing, you bastard?! Give those back! Have you told the school? Shit! Don't let him in! No, I don't want my son's head pixelated all over the Sunday papers.
Crown Street, thanks.
Where are your manners? He'll tire of this woman.
Boys can't see straight with a hard-on.
No 15-year-old boy is going to tire of a woman shoving perfect tits in his face.
You need to know that you have ruined his life, OK? And you have ruined my life.
(Slams phone down) His English teacher.
Have you ever had sex with any of your teachers? No, neither did I.
You need a hand with the biros? When I was a student backpacking, I went to the Prado in Madrid.
Hate art.
I made a mistake of going to the National Gallery once.
Boring as.
Ah, and with one sentence, 2,000 years of civilisation is dismissed.
Bevan didn't mind it but Bevan? Yes, Bevan.
Bevan, yes, yes.
Bevan, your boyfriend Bevan.
Fiance.
Just rooms and rooms full of bleeding saints and fat cherubs.
There's this room full of these Goya sketches, sort of man's inhumanity stuff.
I could hardly breathe.
Felt a bit the same when I saw Pica's stuff.
Did Goya murder kids too? No.
And you don't judge artists by the way they live their lives.
I don't care if he can sing, write, paint and dance all at the same time.
An arsehole's an arsehole.
Isn't it time you went on a diet? No, I'm a good weight.
How long have we got this room? How long does it take to fix cancerous testicles? Oh.
Oh, geez, Keith must be pissed.
He never used the bloody things when he had 'em.
Found out what our boy did with his money.
Yeah? He paints a masterpiece, sells it at grunge markets for a fiftieth of what it's worth, then wanders around the city handing out wads of cash to homeless people.
Jesus Christ.
We're defending Jesus Christ.
I don't need money.
That was Denny Lorton, my previous life.
Now I find it an intrusion.
So that's what you were doing in a lane that night? You were giving Ben Rigby money? I'd been told about him.
I'd sold something.
I thought he could use the cash and I could sketch him.
What had you been told? That he was beautiful.
I wanted to see for myself.
And you found him dying? But he was exquisite.
There's a photo in the Tate Modern.
Like this.
How we look from 900m up.
All dots, an irrelevance.
Don't go metaphysical, mate.
Juries hate that.
The Greeks were terrified of beauty too.
They saw it as a torment, excruciating, unreachable.
I want to capture the precise moment when things are exquisite.
Listen, I don't normally make a habit of asking this but this time it matters.
Did you murder him? No, I did not.
Some dots stand out.
Are you OK? So why do you want to run, Dave? I'd like to make a difference.
Oh, yeah? Example? Well, I think we could try to make New South Wales the hardest State in the country to buy a gun.
Whoa, there.
Tread carefully.
We've still got a few very marginal country seats.
We don't want to upset the gun lobby.
(Laughs) For fuck's sake, Wal.
What's so funny? Wal, you're living in a bubble.
Mate, those seats are gone.
They're rooted.
And I don't mean that in a nice way.
That's the status quo.
We're not married.
Every year they hold the State party conference in a different place.
That's usually a lot of fun for the wives.
You know, my Joe's got his eye on your David.
Why? Is he gay? Oh, I don't know what he is sexually.
I'm just married to him.
(Women laugh) Wendy, Wendy, stop yelling.
Thank you.
Listen, Wendy! Just don't speak to John Bartrop.
Do not speak to him.
There's no point in speaking to Bartrop, OK? Leave the school out of it.
I'll talk to Fuzz.
Leave it to me.
I'll talk to him and Mrs Robinson.
Yeah.
Who's John Bartrop? A puff of air in a mohair cardigan, and my new name of choice for telemarketers and Mormons.
Right.
Bang! The first cut gets him there, and then he's down, he's dead.
And then bang, bang, bang, three symmetrical wounds there.
And then Why did he stab him under there? Well, according to Shrimpton, Lorton stabs the kid here.
Shrimpton then heroically runs for help.
Lorton then drags the now dead body over to here.
Makes no sense.
It's closer to the street.
Why would you put it in a place that's lit up like the SCG? Now, your father was in the diplomatic service, is that right? David's told us all about you.
Very proud of his wife's exotic background.
We're not married.
Where exactly was he stationed? All over.
Italy, Spain, we ended up in Peru.
Bloody hell, no way.
Peru? That's where my brother-in-law was stationed.
Bob! Oh, this was many years ago.
Yeah, ten years ago he was there.
Bob, you great deaf bastard.
Come here! Oh, my phone.
Oh, excuse me.
If I was Joe Average instead of Joe Sandilands, I wouldn't be voting for us.
I'd be buying a gun before Davo here bans them, I'd be putting a fucking bullet in my head.
I think you've had enough there, Joe.
No, Wal, Wal, I've only just begun, brother.
This man here is exactly what this party needs and we need 20 of 'em and we need 'em bloody quickly.
(Mobile phone rings) Oh.
Ah, we're almost done, aren't we, cock? See you, mate.
Yeah.
You know what my first act will be when I run this country? Make threesomes compulsory? OK.
But my second act will be to abolish five-day weather forecasts and publicly execute those who give them.
Some might say extreme.
No, Sunday night, some guy who believes he has a personality 'cause he wears a bow tie says, 'It's galoshes day Monday, folks!' Then this lunatic pretends to tell me the weather for the next five days.
Folks might find this useful in the planning of a week.
Well, folks would be deceived, because by Tuesday night, bow tie has changed his forecast for two of the five nights but won't admit it.
Your point being if it's a five-day weather forecast, how come he changes his mind every night? Clearly, he can't, you know.
Kill him.
Compassionately, but yes.
I'm sorry but um What have you come as, eh? What's the emergency? Where's hero-sorry-tax boy? I just abandoned him at Parliament House.
It was unbearable.
They want him to run.
Oh, God, strike at my vitals.
What am I doing? This is mad.
I should go.
Come on, I just hauled my arse halfway across town.
I'm sorry.
Look, there's a hotel across the road there.
We could grab a room, really thrash this thing out.
(Laughs) It's not gonna happen.
No? Come on, well, why do you call? Why do you Why do you keep dropping in? Fine, I won't.
No, I'm not saying that.
I'm just saying why? Why? I don't know.
And I can't stay.
Oh, well, this has been a cracker day for me.
I'm only trying to get an innocent man off murder charges.
I'm happy for the distraction, yeah.
I thought everyone you defended was guilty.
Do you remember that long weekend we spent together? Yeah, yes.
Son Of Astor paid for it.
Came in ten to one.
I had you for four beautiful days, all to myself.
In the Margaret River.
And I really slept there, didn't I? Yes, you did.
Yeah, it was pretty much all you did, actually.
Snuggled up and snoozed.
I didn't mind.
They had in-house porn.
Call me anytime.
It's looking a bit messy.
Ah, Sal.
David, my wife Sally.
David, hi.
Pleasure.
Pleased to meet you.
Shall we get you home? (Door opens) Just passing.
Mm-hm.
Am I correct in remembering you handled a drug case two years ago with a key witness who's a guy called Shrimpton? Stanley Shrimpton? You got a conviction on the basis of his testimony.
That's what you've come here to talk about? Yeah, I think I might be defending a genuinely innocent guy.
I mean, an actually innocent guy.
Why did you go to bed with me if you didn't want me? Hmm? Was it just about landing me? Once I'm flapping about on the deck, I'm just a dead fish.
What are you talking about landing you, Red? We'd already done it before.
So you tell me, then.
Why did you want me? Because at that precise moment, there was no-one more beautiful on Earth and I had to have you.
No, no, no, you're so full of shit! OK.
Because I was drowning, and because you were a lifebuoy and you were in the same wet place.
Stanley Shrimpton.
A piece of vermin who got off child abuse charges by becoming a police informant.
Now, go, will you? Thanks, Red.
OK, I'm sorry.
I was bored stupid.
What happened? Nothing.
I got trapped between one woman who was advocating tougher tort reform and one who wanted to style herself after Michelle Obama.
You were gone almost an hour.
I felt like an idiot.
I had to tell everyone you'd gone home sick.
I'm sorry, darling.
No, stuff sorry.
What happened? One of your new playmates has a brother-in-law who may have known my father when we were in Peru.
So? There was a woman at the embassy.
She was a translator and my father had an affair with her.
Turns out this woman was, I don't know, some sort of spy.
But it ruined my father's career and it drove my mother to the brink of suicide.
And I suppose that's where cousin Angus comes in.
Yes.
Everything turned to shit.
My father ended his career in disgrace and frankly, I didn't want to talk about it in front of those buffoons.
I don't think it would have helped your career much.
Now I feel like a shit.
I won't put you through that again.
How is that possible? Do you want me to drop this thing? No.
You have to do what you have to do.
I mean, I'm not proud of what Dad did but there isn't a day that goes by I don't miss him.
We have the murder weapon, DNA evidence, the deceased's blood was found on the accused, and most importantly, we have an eye witness.
This is a particularly heinous crime.
The death of a lad who knew nothing but grief and hardship.
Such crimes make us question our very humanity.
Lorton's prints were on the murder weapon.
The victim's blood was found on his shirt, under his fingernails and on his shoes when we arrested him.
I must warn members of the jury that they are very disturbing.
Detective, can you describe the nature of these wounds? The knife into the back of the head severed his spinal cord.
This was followed by three stab wounds down his torso, one in his armpit.
According to the coroner, the coagulation of the blood suggests that all of these were done after Benjamin had died.
As in a sort of ritual killing? Objection.
Detective Maraco, please confine your remarks to matters pertaining to your investigation.
You are not a medical expert.
And, Mr Dalton, you should know better.
My apologies, Your Honour.
Detective, you've conducted a pretty thorough investigation here, haven't you? No stone unturned? I'd say, yeah, it was a thorough investigation, yes.
What was the boy doing in that lane, Detective? Soliciting.
So he was a lawyer? (Some giggling) He was performing oral sex.
So he was a male prostitute? Who were his clients, Detective? Uh, beautiful fashion models? Romanian princesses? Men.
Plump, wheezing, sweaty middle-aged men with 50 bucks to spare.
I wouldn't know.
How many men (clears throat) had he transacted that evening, Detective? We don't know.
Several.
Several.
So is that six, seven? Could be.
So he could have serviced a whole league team.
Detective, presumably you've had semen tests performed, yes? Yes, we did.
Ah, most of it was ingested.
In his stomach? Yes.
So my client's sperm was in there? Ah, no, it doesn't appear so.
So, I'm sorry, but a veritable bevy of unknown men abuse this boy and then disappear back to the bosom of their loving families, and yet the only man the police investigate is my client, who's the only man we know for sure didn't have sex with Ben Rigby.
The boy was seen alive just before Mr Lorton went into the lane.
What if my client had stumbled onto the boy already dying, killed not by him, but by any one of these anonymous gentle folk that he'd recently serviced? We have a witness who says he saw Mr Lorton murder the boy.
Or could he have, at that distance, seen my client in fact remove the knife? And if so, would he not be awash in Ben Rigby's blood? Could that not explain the blood on my client, Detective? Possibly.
Is 'possibly' another word for 'yes'? Yes.
Possibly.
No further questions, Your Honour.
That was it, eh? I seen him go into the lane, pull out the knife, stab the poor little bastard.
Pica was off his nut.
Thank you, Mr Shrimpton.
Is this the first time you've given evidence in a criminal trial, Mr Shrimpton? No.
Murder cases? No, drug cases.
Cases? I see.
Isn't it true that on three occasions, you've been granted immunity from prosecution if you testified against the accused in these drug cases? Objection! Your Honour, my client's future rests on the testimony of this man and this man only.
I'll allow it.
But no fishing expeditions, Mr Greene.
Your Honour.
Mr Shrimpton, you said you know my client.
I've seen him around.
Did he ever give you money? Yeah.
Yeah, once he did.
He helped a lot of homeless people, didn't he? He used to come around, paint us, give out cash.
In fact, he gave away thousands of dollars, didn't he? Fair bit.
It was you who led my client to the lane that night, wasn't it? He said he wanted to paint him.
Because you told Denny, and I quote, 'Benny's an effing little Adonis.
' Yeah, I don't remember me exact words.
Had you had oral sex yourself with Ben Rigby that evening? Come on, Mr Shrimpton.
Maybe a brief but therapeutic tryst up a back lane? Yeah, but, you know, just a quick one.
Take comfort.
Premature ejaculation's not on trial here.
Listen, pal, I seen that sick bastard there whack that poor little kiddie.
And yet you did nothing to stop him.
Went and got help, didn't I? Maybe you went and got an alibi.
See, I'm at a bit of a loss, Mr Shrimpton.
You say my client kills the boy he's gone to give money to and then instead of bolting, he drags his body 30m down a lane, and then hangs around for 15 minutes.
Why would he do that? Ask him.
More incredible, he now places the body under a street light.
Would you do that, Mr Shrimpton? If, in the terribly unlikely event you were to have killed somebody, would you do a runner, or would you take 15 precious minutes to drag the body so that you could place it under a street lamp in full view of the street? Hey, listen, I haven't killed no-one.
You've just confessed to the court, Mr Shrimpton, of a Clintonesque interlude with a minor.
Have you been charged with this offence, Mr Shrimpton? No.
Really? Have you done another grubby deal with the police, Mr Shrimpton? Objection! I withdraw it.
Thank you, Your Honour.
That was better than sex.
Then you're not trying hard enough, cock.
I've gotta make way for another couple of beers.
Congratulations, your name in the papers yet again.
WOMAN: Good result.
Lorton did do it, you know? Well, then, you should have made a better case, mate.
Couldn't.
Hands were tied.
There you go.
You know how your bloke did time for that statutory rape? Yeah, he was 19, she was 16.
It was bullshit.
Exactly.
I kept asking myself how it ever made it to court, so I checked.
Turns out your boy slashed the girl with a knife.
Both breasts.
Sex with a minor was all they could get him on.
Why was that? She wouldn't cooperate.
Said he was a genius and apparently that's what geniuses do.
I wouldn't know what geniuses do.
I'm just a dumb arse cop.
I know nothing about art.
Sleep well, Mr Greene.
(Door opens) (Door closes) I hear you had a big win.
Oh, for God's sake, Barney.
Alright! He was a man that I met at the Adelaide conference.
He's English.
And he is now safely back in Devon with his wife and he will never ever come back here.
What's his name? Does it matter now? You don't know him and I'm never gonna see him again.
OK! OK.
John.
Bartrop.
John Bartrop.
There.
You happy now? Bleeding saints.
Recognise this? Guido Reni.
In six months the streets would have made him ugly.
He would have died in a crack haze down some lane.
I gave him that, his moment of absolute perfection.
No, you killed a kid, you insane prick! (Groans) I'm going to the cops.
With what? A picture painted 400 years ago? I will find a way, I swear to God.
There is no way and you know it.
Camus said- Ah! Fuck Camus.
(Groans) (Door unlocks) Fuzzball.
Come in, come in.
Fiona, welcome, welcome.
Where's your stuff? Oh, I'm not staying the night.
Oh, you're very welcome.
The old sofa bed might be a little bit cramped, and the place has had a health warning slapped on it.
No, thank you, I just wanted to explain my position.
Oh, nothing to explain.
It's all done, isn't it? Told you he'd be cool.
Mum's given us so much shit.
Well, you know mothers.
What I feel for your son is very sincere.
Great.
So, mate, I've got your favourite here - burgers and chips.
Is that OK with you, Fiona? Oh, you're not staying? Finnegan, would you mind grabbing my purse? I think I left it in the car.
She's got you on the hop already, mate.
Sit down.
Look, I I know he's young.
(Bangs around in the kitchen) But there's something so special, beautiful.
I-I tried to resist him, believe me.
I-I tried but What we have now is extremely honest and good.
You sure I can't tempt you with a burger? Uh, no.
Come on, we've got marty sauce.
No? I want to find a way to make this work.
I want to protect him emotionally and care for his academic future.
Sorry, did you say protect him? Yes.
You're delusional.
You think I'm delusional? From what Finnegan tells me about you, it sounds like you Oh, listen Fiona, I know I'm a sinner, alright? I know, because despite the enormity of what you're doing with my beautiful boy, I would fuck you in a heartbeat if he wasn't coming back in a minute.
Do you really want to turn him into me? The best thing you can do for Fuzz right now, believe me, is go downstairs, get in your car, and get driving and keep driving, preferably until you find some sort of elevated landform, and then keep driving a little bit more, OK? Let's go, Fi.
Fuck, Dad.
Fuzz.
Fuzz.
Mate (Dials) (Phone rings) Sorry to call late, cock.
I was up.
I just needed to hear a friendly voice.
It's been one prick of a day.
Yeah? First, Lorton.
And then- One of the many things Scarlet hates about me is my inability to lose my temper, so I won't even try now.
But let's have nothing more to do with each other, OK? Barn, what the hell are you- Ask Scarlet about John Bartrop.
You were joking about him, remember? In the alley where Ben Rigby was killed.
What'd you call him? A puff of wind in a mohair cardigan? You know, even when you're destroying lives, somehow it still comes out as a bloody joke.
(Phone click) £ I walked for miles £ I'm shifting sands £ The cold, cold wind £ Did blow £ I look in the night sky £ And all I can see £ The buckets of tears £ Raining down on me £ And I'll lay my head down low £ I'll lay my head down low £ Oh, oh £ I looked in the night sky £ And all I could see £ Were buckets of tears £ Raining down on me £ And I'll lay my head down low £ I'll lay my head down low, oh £ And I'll lay my head down low £ Lay my head down low, oh.
£
Move in with me.
I'll stay until you're well.
How's the new love of your life? She's great.
She's into Shakespeare too.
Barney is the only decent man I know.
We cannot do this to him.
I'm not in love with Barney.
The idea you can give up the law to paint, it's laughable.
Please, I beg you.
Don't say a word to David.
I'm in trouble.
It's a long queue.
She admitted it.
Did she say who? No.
Why on Earth would you do a thing like that? I think my percentage chimp DNA is higher than others.
That's his sleeping kit over there.
OK, give it the works.
It looks like the kid was homeless.
Really? I thought he might have been vacationing here with his parents.
Boss, this is Mr Shrimpton.
Stabbed from behind.
G'day, Sarge, Shrimpo.
Detective Maraco.
I wouldn't.
Jesus, mother of Mary, eh? God help us all.
Are you from Catholic stock, Mr Shrimpton? Mr Shrimpo says he saw the whole thing.
Saw it from go to whoa.
You didn't think to help? I was standing over there.
I called you lot, didn't I? We've met before, haven't we? I don't know.
I get about.
I used to be with the Drug Squad.
Look, do you want my info or what? I've got other things I could be doing, you know.
Sure, why not? What did you see? Well, I seen him stab the boy, I seen him running out of the lane, I've seen him holding the knife and I've seen him dump the knife in the big bin down on Macauley Street.
And who is he? Seen him about.
Calls himself Pica.
Pica? It's a typeface.
Quite attractive.
Constable, take Mr Shrimpton to the station.
So, you know, do I get a finder's fee or? Yeah.
Ten million bucks and a holiday in the Bahamas.
Shame.
Oh, a beautiful face.
That could work in the hall near the bathroom.
What do you think? I think the cheese dip is good.
I want you to choose something to put on the walls.
I want you to make my place yours.
Fine.
I will paint the walls in cheese dip.
(Mobile phone rings) David Potter, man of the hour? Hello, Joe.
How are you? Good.
I don't believe you've met my partner, Melissa.
Joe Sandilands, our esteemed Attorney General.
Ah, no.
No, I haven't but I'm much richer for the experience.
How do you do? Hi.
How would you feel about seeing this after you came out from the loo? David wants to buy it.
Well, depends what I'd eaten the night before, I s'pose.
(Chuckles) Now, your name keeps making an appearance in the corridors of power.
Premier wants to meet you.
Wants to know which side of the Labor fence you sit.
Oh, I'm not sure what side she sits on.
What's it about? Call.
An interesting discourse will transpire.
How you going? Excuse me.
Melissa, we're sweet, OK? Yeah.
WOMAN: Welcome one, welcome all.
May I have your attention, please? Now I say this not as Flick Moyers, gallery owner, but as Flick Moyers, lifetime supporter of emerging talent.
With this exhibition tonight, with its exuberance, its lithe, almost athletic texture I'll save you a return trip.
.
.
these artists have come of age.
May your attention for just a brief mo? (Mic feeds back) Oh, Flick.
Hold on.
Did I just hear Flick use the word 'mo'? Pretty sure Flick did.
Melissa.
Cleaver.
Harry-sorry-David, I never, ah, never pictured you as the arty type.
Always see you in a velvet cap and a red cape, chasing foxes on your father's estate.
My father worked in a bank.
Did he really? The stories you must have You will have read the literature that accompanied your invitations.
Now, tonight There were invitations? Yes.
But it's also about helping a great cause.
will go to rebuilding the war-ravaged Congo.
(Clapping) WOMAN: Ah! Oh, well, that'll fix it.
I'm not suggesting that and I would ask you not to interrupt.
Well, just a cotton pickin' mo here, Flick.
I'm poised to pull out a lazy 20G and purchase one of these lithe, textural, bilious attacks on art.
I need to know how my donation that you're now describing as YOUR donation is going to relieve the suffering of the good burghers of the Congo.
Cleaver, you're a terminable bore.
Please leave.
Robert Benchley said that 'all art is relative but all your relatives are not necessarily art.
' Oh, that's what I love about a gallery opening, folks.
A better class of bouncer.
Please, don't hurt me.
Come on, folks, really.
If you honestly wanted to help My apologies for that interruption.
Well, I think you handled that with great dignity.
My trick is to write it all down before.
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.
Go home.
Go to bed.
Without you? Without me.
You are so utterly beautiful, it terrifies me.
Ahem! Oh Sorry, did I wake you? No, it's OK.
I really tried.
I lasted half an longer than last night.
Shouldn't be this hard for you.
It's not you.
I always have trouble sharing a bed after sex.
I get restless.
You want a camomile tea? No.
I'm just going to cycle some more, then I'll come back to bed.
So you can put that back Which is when you found exactly what, Constable? Close to half a kilo of cocaine.
Thank you, Constable.
Um, your report says you found pornography under my client's bed.
Yes.
In fact, you made a pretty comprehensive list of his library - uh, Dick Tracing, Under My Belly 3, Clash Of The Clits.
All of this while searching for cocaine.
I was establishing it wasn't kiddie porn.
And was it? No.
Constable, how long would you say it took you to establish that it wasn't kiddie porn? A bit.
A bit.
So, is that a minute? More? Your Honour.
I'll allow it.
Five minutes? Ten? About half an hour.
Oh.
So, in that highly awkward and uncomfortable position of being under someone else's bed, a circumstance I can sympathise with Constable, did you masturbate while you were under my client's bed? Your Honour! We have a match and a name - Denny Lorton.
Calls himself Pica.
He has form.
Sexual assault 30 years ago.
God, this being a detective is easy.
The dead boy is Benjamin Rigby.
himself for 18 months or so.
Had he been reported missing? Mum's a junkie.
That lane was his beat.
Is this Lorton? Reckon they can make this room any uglier? Probably not.
It's like they think no-one actually has to work in here.
Why do we settle for ugly like it doesn't matter? A bit of colour there, painting there.
Some flowers.
I'm wasted in this profession.
Pick this creep up, will ya? Tommy.
(Whistles) Hmm Hmm Strictly cash these days, Manos.
Since when? Since I woke up in a strange hotel room with third degree burns on my arse and no idea how they got there.
I owe you big-time, mate.
If you change your mind, give us a tinkle.
(Phone rings) Red.
Good morning's work.
You humiliate a young cop and keep that clump of sink hair out of prison.
Oh, you Jews are so Old Testament.
I did my job.
How are things? Barney and I are still under the same roof, if that's what you mean.
He does the dishes, I sort the socks and ironing, we don't talk.
So all back to normal.
As in, you mean, are you off the hook? No, I didn't mean that.
(Quiet knock on door) Just a sec.
Wendy rang.
Something about a meeting with John Bartrop, which typically you didn't share with me.
I don't know any John Bartrop.
Who is John Bartrop? You were apparently due at Fuzz's school an hour ago.
Oh, shit.
That John Bartrop.
Sorry.
Um, Red, can we talk later? Why? He is a beautiful student, an absolute pleasure to teach.
You don't have to sugar coat this for me, you know.
I mean every word of it.
The other teachers' comments have ranged from, 'Is everything alright at home' to 'Have doctors mentioned medication?' (Laughs) Well, Finnegan has issues.
His attention span isn't enormous but he's so engaging and clever.
Wow.
Well, he does like your classes.
English is the only subject he seems to study.
He expresses himself beautifully.
So I don't have to send him down the mines quite yet? Um, I'm sorry, I think that might be my next appointment.
No, that is your previous one.
That's Fuzz's dad who's just successfully missed every other parent-teacher interview.
Cleaver, this is Fiona McCready, Fuzz's English teacher.
Hi.
Sorry.
Caught up in a very complex trial.
Oh, was the complex trial run over five or eight furlongs? Finnegan mentioned you were a barrister.
I think he wants to follow in your footsteps.
According to all the other teachers, he is.
What is an education, anyway? I spent most of 1982 learning 52.
8% of Malaysia's GDP came from rubber.
I don't even know if they produce the stuff anymore.
He's a bright boy, he's falling behind.
Why? Because he doesn't sit up straight in class and say, 'Miss, Miss, ask me!' You know what happens to kids who do that.
Yes, they're in an office somewhere with their hand up still.
Anyway, that last teacher seemed quite impressed.
Yes, she did.
Yeah.
Never had a teacher who looked like that.
I did once see Miss Treadwell in her bathers.
Her varicose veins looked like an aerial shot of the Nile Delta.
(Laughs) Is there a word that means even shallower than superficial? Are you still screwing Scarlet? I knew it was a mistake telling you.
No, it was a mistake doing it.
And poor Barney.
How is he? Doesn't, won't and can't ever know, OK? Wendy, it's over, alright? I've learned a very big lesson.
Fuzz! How hot is your English teacher! Mr Bartrop made it pretty clear he's at the end of his patience with you.
No-one takes Bartrop seriously.
We do.
(Mobile phone rings) And you must.
Sorry, work.
He is the principal of a school that your father and I spent a fortune on.
Isn't that right, Cleave? No, ten units, Race Four, Charlemagne's Pride.
Cleave! Yes! Yeah, a fortune.
An absolute fortune, mate.
No, 15 units.
Only to the station.
You're a really clever boy, Fuzz darling.
If you just knuckle down Tell him, Cleave.
To win.
When have you heard me back a place Most important years in your life, mate.
Why don't you just buy your lunch like everyone else? Because there is a perfectly good, cold roast lamb in the fridge.
So is this how it's going to be now? A permanent cone of silence until one of us dies? Who's gonna read me a story? Just read it yourself, OK? Not now.
OK.
Well? Tell me his name.
(Sighs) It doesn't matter now.
I'm back here in the loving bosom of the family.
Yes, it does matter.
Who did you screw? Good, see ya.
The PDO's sent you a murder.
Hey, you know we're out of this room tomorrow.
A street kid, tortured and murdered.
There goes all the fun.
I don't mind adults whacking each other but this stuff twists you.
So Barney will meet you in remand.
Barney's instructing? That's good, isn't it? Yeah.
Good.
He'll meet you there.
Did you know the deceased? Had you had an argument with him? Had he tried to rob you? Provoke you? Had you had sex with him? I'm not into boys.
You're currently living in a shelter in Abbotsford.
Is that right, Denny? I'm Pica now.
Some days yes, other days no.
(Mouthes) Pica.
The police have your DNA on the knife, the victim's blood on your clothes.
Witnesses saw you running from the lane.
They may have.
But I didn't do it.
He was alive when I found him.
I took the knife out, but he died.
OK.
Alright, we'll look into it further and get back to you.
You can't possibly believe him.
We've got our instructions.
Got your baggy eyes spot-on.
Thanks, mate.
Who is he, for Christ's sake? He is Pica.
What do we know about his prior? Statutory rape.
15-year-old girl.
He was 19.
Girl.
Interesting.
You reckon it was a stitch-up? Well, come on.
He looks like he did it, he sounds like he did it, he's homeless, he's got a serious prior.
It's the easiest stitch-up in the world.
Jails are full of guys who are there because they look like him.
You know? No.
So you guys have sorted things out? We haven't sorted out a bloody thing.
Hey, you know that guy we met at the exhibition? Joe Sandilands? The Attorney General.
He didn't like the painting either.
(Both laugh) Yeah, well he wants me to run.
State parliament.
Oh.
Dutch Patterson's old seat.
It's safe Labor.
If I get preselection, I'm a certainty.
And is that something you want? Yeah.
I never thought I had a chance.
I joined Young Labor when I was 16.
Went to God knows how many meetings.
And here all you needed to do was get shot.
You think that's the only reason they've asked me? I didn't say that.
No, but you're implying it.
Well, they did only notice you after the tabloids called you 'hero'.
OK, fine.
I'll stay at the bar.
If you're going to be negative about it.
What's it got to do with me? Why is my opinion so significant? Well, I care what you do.
You can do what you want.
All I'm saying is from my experience, politicians tend to be Let me guess - arrogant, self-indulgent, trough-sniffing arseholes.
I was going to say sad, mostly.
And how many politicians do you know? A few.
Through my dad.
Look, I spend half my life trying to get people like Cleaver Greene to pay their tax.
How do you think that makes me feel? This is a chance for me to do some good.
So do it.
Knock 'em dead.
I have to go study.
TV: Then let it go, and crouch, and hold.
CLEAVER: Morning, folks.
Stretch out the whole body and Pica hardly sleeps here.
Just comes to paint and read.
I've no idea what he does with the rest of his time.
I shouldn't let him stay, really, but he's quiet and he's a gentleman.
There you go, my lad.
Come on, boys, out of there.
Finnegan.
She is your teacher! She's meant to be telling you about Jane Austen.
It is age inappropriate sex! It's bloody great sex.
At your age, you should be having exploratory sex with a girl your own age.
And maybe some oral.
Oh, yuck.
The damage you are doing to your psyche could be irreparable, darling.
I know.
I'm trained.
Well, I'm not ending it.
It is immoral! Hello! I thought we didn't buy into this whole God, myth, mortal sin bullshit.
No, but I believe there's a natural order and a fine balance to life and if the rhythms are violated Oh fuck, Fuzz! I want you to stop seeing the wretched woman! Do you hear me? Most of the Eastern seaboard can! I am going to report her to the school and she'll go to prison and you can visit her on weekends.
You can't stop us.
We love each other! Oh, now you're being a petulant little fucking idiot.
Is this how you counsel your suicidal patients? (Slam!) Oh! Come on, Flick.
'Tonight these artists have come of age.
' I deserve to make a living.
You earn yours defending drug barons and pimps and yes, I do bloody care about the bloody Congolese.
(Mobile phone rings) These are good, aren't they? He's got your baggy eyes.
Yes, he's good.
But you know that.
Yeah, but he's very good, isn't he? I need to see more.
Goes by the name of Pica.
Formerly known as Denny Lorton.
These are Lorton's? How recent? Who is he, first? Who was he, you mean? Prize student at Courtaulds, several major exhibitions, two paintings in the National Gallery.
He was knocking on the door big-time, then he disappeared.
I thought he was dead.
Well, he's come back to life.
What are his paintings worth? Depends on size.
And artistic merit, presumably.
Not really, just size.
(Mobile phone rings) He used to go for anything up to 60 grand.
What's he done with all of it? Get him to exhibit here, maybe I'll forgive you.
No, I won't.
This is crap, isn't it, Flick? Complete.
No, this time you've gone too far.
I've spoken to the lawyers, you're never going to see your son again.
I don't know how you can look at yourself every morning without throwing up.
Am I going to get a look-in on this conversation? No, because I know exactly what you're going to say so you can spare me the smart remarks.
I don't know how you could let this happen in your own apartment, your own son.
Oh, that's what this is about.
Wendy, he's 15 years old, alright, almost 16.
He's got a girlfriend.
Oh, you are genuinely sick if you think this is appropriate.
All I did was save our son 50 bucks on a room in some flea pit.
He's a kid.
He's in love with another kid.
With another kid?! Yes.
It's a girl in his English class.
He told me all about it.
The girl from his English class is his fucking English teacher, you moron! Oh Apologies, but I am in such a hurry.
Another one'll be along any mo.
Yes, oh.
You didn't know? No, no, I didn't.
Woollahra, thanks.
Um What do you think you're doing, you bastard?! Give those back! Have you told the school? Shit! Don't let him in! No, I don't want my son's head pixelated all over the Sunday papers.
Crown Street, thanks.
Where are your manners? He'll tire of this woman.
Boys can't see straight with a hard-on.
No 15-year-old boy is going to tire of a woman shoving perfect tits in his face.
You need to know that you have ruined his life, OK? And you have ruined my life.
(Slams phone down) His English teacher.
Have you ever had sex with any of your teachers? No, neither did I.
You need a hand with the biros? When I was a student backpacking, I went to the Prado in Madrid.
Hate art.
I made a mistake of going to the National Gallery once.
Boring as.
Ah, and with one sentence, 2,000 years of civilisation is dismissed.
Bevan didn't mind it but Bevan? Yes, Bevan.
Bevan, yes, yes.
Bevan, your boyfriend Bevan.
Fiance.
Just rooms and rooms full of bleeding saints and fat cherubs.
There's this room full of these Goya sketches, sort of man's inhumanity stuff.
I could hardly breathe.
Felt a bit the same when I saw Pica's stuff.
Did Goya murder kids too? No.
And you don't judge artists by the way they live their lives.
I don't care if he can sing, write, paint and dance all at the same time.
An arsehole's an arsehole.
Isn't it time you went on a diet? No, I'm a good weight.
How long have we got this room? How long does it take to fix cancerous testicles? Oh.
Oh, geez, Keith must be pissed.
He never used the bloody things when he had 'em.
Found out what our boy did with his money.
Yeah? He paints a masterpiece, sells it at grunge markets for a fiftieth of what it's worth, then wanders around the city handing out wads of cash to homeless people.
Jesus Christ.
We're defending Jesus Christ.
I don't need money.
That was Denny Lorton, my previous life.
Now I find it an intrusion.
So that's what you were doing in a lane that night? You were giving Ben Rigby money? I'd been told about him.
I'd sold something.
I thought he could use the cash and I could sketch him.
What had you been told? That he was beautiful.
I wanted to see for myself.
And you found him dying? But he was exquisite.
There's a photo in the Tate Modern.
Like this.
How we look from 900m up.
All dots, an irrelevance.
Don't go metaphysical, mate.
Juries hate that.
The Greeks were terrified of beauty too.
They saw it as a torment, excruciating, unreachable.
I want to capture the precise moment when things are exquisite.
Listen, I don't normally make a habit of asking this but this time it matters.
Did you murder him? No, I did not.
Some dots stand out.
Are you OK? So why do you want to run, Dave? I'd like to make a difference.
Oh, yeah? Example? Well, I think we could try to make New South Wales the hardest State in the country to buy a gun.
Whoa, there.
Tread carefully.
We've still got a few very marginal country seats.
We don't want to upset the gun lobby.
(Laughs) For fuck's sake, Wal.
What's so funny? Wal, you're living in a bubble.
Mate, those seats are gone.
They're rooted.
And I don't mean that in a nice way.
That's the status quo.
We're not married.
Every year they hold the State party conference in a different place.
That's usually a lot of fun for the wives.
You know, my Joe's got his eye on your David.
Why? Is he gay? Oh, I don't know what he is sexually.
I'm just married to him.
(Women laugh) Wendy, Wendy, stop yelling.
Thank you.
Listen, Wendy! Just don't speak to John Bartrop.
Do not speak to him.
There's no point in speaking to Bartrop, OK? Leave the school out of it.
I'll talk to Fuzz.
Leave it to me.
I'll talk to him and Mrs Robinson.
Yeah.
Who's John Bartrop? A puff of air in a mohair cardigan, and my new name of choice for telemarketers and Mormons.
Right.
Bang! The first cut gets him there, and then he's down, he's dead.
And then bang, bang, bang, three symmetrical wounds there.
And then Why did he stab him under there? Well, according to Shrimpton, Lorton stabs the kid here.
Shrimpton then heroically runs for help.
Lorton then drags the now dead body over to here.
Makes no sense.
It's closer to the street.
Why would you put it in a place that's lit up like the SCG? Now, your father was in the diplomatic service, is that right? David's told us all about you.
Very proud of his wife's exotic background.
We're not married.
Where exactly was he stationed? All over.
Italy, Spain, we ended up in Peru.
Bloody hell, no way.
Peru? That's where my brother-in-law was stationed.
Bob! Oh, this was many years ago.
Yeah, ten years ago he was there.
Bob, you great deaf bastard.
Come here! Oh, my phone.
Oh, excuse me.
If I was Joe Average instead of Joe Sandilands, I wouldn't be voting for us.
I'd be buying a gun before Davo here bans them, I'd be putting a fucking bullet in my head.
I think you've had enough there, Joe.
No, Wal, Wal, I've only just begun, brother.
This man here is exactly what this party needs and we need 20 of 'em and we need 'em bloody quickly.
(Mobile phone rings) Oh.
Ah, we're almost done, aren't we, cock? See you, mate.
Yeah.
You know what my first act will be when I run this country? Make threesomes compulsory? OK.
But my second act will be to abolish five-day weather forecasts and publicly execute those who give them.
Some might say extreme.
No, Sunday night, some guy who believes he has a personality 'cause he wears a bow tie says, 'It's galoshes day Monday, folks!' Then this lunatic pretends to tell me the weather for the next five days.
Folks might find this useful in the planning of a week.
Well, folks would be deceived, because by Tuesday night, bow tie has changed his forecast for two of the five nights but won't admit it.
Your point being if it's a five-day weather forecast, how come he changes his mind every night? Clearly, he can't, you know.
Kill him.
Compassionately, but yes.
I'm sorry but um What have you come as, eh? What's the emergency? Where's hero-sorry-tax boy? I just abandoned him at Parliament House.
It was unbearable.
They want him to run.
Oh, God, strike at my vitals.
What am I doing? This is mad.
I should go.
Come on, I just hauled my arse halfway across town.
I'm sorry.
Look, there's a hotel across the road there.
We could grab a room, really thrash this thing out.
(Laughs) It's not gonna happen.
No? Come on, well, why do you call? Why do you Why do you keep dropping in? Fine, I won't.
No, I'm not saying that.
I'm just saying why? Why? I don't know.
And I can't stay.
Oh, well, this has been a cracker day for me.
I'm only trying to get an innocent man off murder charges.
I'm happy for the distraction, yeah.
I thought everyone you defended was guilty.
Do you remember that long weekend we spent together? Yeah, yes.
Son Of Astor paid for it.
Came in ten to one.
I had you for four beautiful days, all to myself.
In the Margaret River.
And I really slept there, didn't I? Yes, you did.
Yeah, it was pretty much all you did, actually.
Snuggled up and snoozed.
I didn't mind.
They had in-house porn.
Call me anytime.
It's looking a bit messy.
Ah, Sal.
David, my wife Sally.
David, hi.
Pleasure.
Pleased to meet you.
Shall we get you home? (Door opens) Just passing.
Mm-hm.
Am I correct in remembering you handled a drug case two years ago with a key witness who's a guy called Shrimpton? Stanley Shrimpton? You got a conviction on the basis of his testimony.
That's what you've come here to talk about? Yeah, I think I might be defending a genuinely innocent guy.
I mean, an actually innocent guy.
Why did you go to bed with me if you didn't want me? Hmm? Was it just about landing me? Once I'm flapping about on the deck, I'm just a dead fish.
What are you talking about landing you, Red? We'd already done it before.
So you tell me, then.
Why did you want me? Because at that precise moment, there was no-one more beautiful on Earth and I had to have you.
No, no, no, you're so full of shit! OK.
Because I was drowning, and because you were a lifebuoy and you were in the same wet place.
Stanley Shrimpton.
A piece of vermin who got off child abuse charges by becoming a police informant.
Now, go, will you? Thanks, Red.
OK, I'm sorry.
I was bored stupid.
What happened? Nothing.
I got trapped between one woman who was advocating tougher tort reform and one who wanted to style herself after Michelle Obama.
You were gone almost an hour.
I felt like an idiot.
I had to tell everyone you'd gone home sick.
I'm sorry, darling.
No, stuff sorry.
What happened? One of your new playmates has a brother-in-law who may have known my father when we were in Peru.
So? There was a woman at the embassy.
She was a translator and my father had an affair with her.
Turns out this woman was, I don't know, some sort of spy.
But it ruined my father's career and it drove my mother to the brink of suicide.
And I suppose that's where cousin Angus comes in.
Yes.
Everything turned to shit.
My father ended his career in disgrace and frankly, I didn't want to talk about it in front of those buffoons.
I don't think it would have helped your career much.
Now I feel like a shit.
I won't put you through that again.
How is that possible? Do you want me to drop this thing? No.
You have to do what you have to do.
I mean, I'm not proud of what Dad did but there isn't a day that goes by I don't miss him.
We have the murder weapon, DNA evidence, the deceased's blood was found on the accused, and most importantly, we have an eye witness.
This is a particularly heinous crime.
The death of a lad who knew nothing but grief and hardship.
Such crimes make us question our very humanity.
Lorton's prints were on the murder weapon.
The victim's blood was found on his shirt, under his fingernails and on his shoes when we arrested him.
I must warn members of the jury that they are very disturbing.
Detective, can you describe the nature of these wounds? The knife into the back of the head severed his spinal cord.
This was followed by three stab wounds down his torso, one in his armpit.
According to the coroner, the coagulation of the blood suggests that all of these were done after Benjamin had died.
As in a sort of ritual killing? Objection.
Detective Maraco, please confine your remarks to matters pertaining to your investigation.
You are not a medical expert.
And, Mr Dalton, you should know better.
My apologies, Your Honour.
Detective, you've conducted a pretty thorough investigation here, haven't you? No stone unturned? I'd say, yeah, it was a thorough investigation, yes.
What was the boy doing in that lane, Detective? Soliciting.
So he was a lawyer? (Some giggling) He was performing oral sex.
So he was a male prostitute? Who were his clients, Detective? Uh, beautiful fashion models? Romanian princesses? Men.
Plump, wheezing, sweaty middle-aged men with 50 bucks to spare.
I wouldn't know.
How many men (clears throat) had he transacted that evening, Detective? We don't know.
Several.
Several.
So is that six, seven? Could be.
So he could have serviced a whole league team.
Detective, presumably you've had semen tests performed, yes? Yes, we did.
Ah, most of it was ingested.
In his stomach? Yes.
So my client's sperm was in there? Ah, no, it doesn't appear so.
So, I'm sorry, but a veritable bevy of unknown men abuse this boy and then disappear back to the bosom of their loving families, and yet the only man the police investigate is my client, who's the only man we know for sure didn't have sex with Ben Rigby.
The boy was seen alive just before Mr Lorton went into the lane.
What if my client had stumbled onto the boy already dying, killed not by him, but by any one of these anonymous gentle folk that he'd recently serviced? We have a witness who says he saw Mr Lorton murder the boy.
Or could he have, at that distance, seen my client in fact remove the knife? And if so, would he not be awash in Ben Rigby's blood? Could that not explain the blood on my client, Detective? Possibly.
Is 'possibly' another word for 'yes'? Yes.
Possibly.
No further questions, Your Honour.
That was it, eh? I seen him go into the lane, pull out the knife, stab the poor little bastard.
Pica was off his nut.
Thank you, Mr Shrimpton.
Is this the first time you've given evidence in a criminal trial, Mr Shrimpton? No.
Murder cases? No, drug cases.
Cases? I see.
Isn't it true that on three occasions, you've been granted immunity from prosecution if you testified against the accused in these drug cases? Objection! Your Honour, my client's future rests on the testimony of this man and this man only.
I'll allow it.
But no fishing expeditions, Mr Greene.
Your Honour.
Mr Shrimpton, you said you know my client.
I've seen him around.
Did he ever give you money? Yeah.
Yeah, once he did.
He helped a lot of homeless people, didn't he? He used to come around, paint us, give out cash.
In fact, he gave away thousands of dollars, didn't he? Fair bit.
It was you who led my client to the lane that night, wasn't it? He said he wanted to paint him.
Because you told Denny, and I quote, 'Benny's an effing little Adonis.
' Yeah, I don't remember me exact words.
Had you had oral sex yourself with Ben Rigby that evening? Come on, Mr Shrimpton.
Maybe a brief but therapeutic tryst up a back lane? Yeah, but, you know, just a quick one.
Take comfort.
Premature ejaculation's not on trial here.
Listen, pal, I seen that sick bastard there whack that poor little kiddie.
And yet you did nothing to stop him.
Went and got help, didn't I? Maybe you went and got an alibi.
See, I'm at a bit of a loss, Mr Shrimpton.
You say my client kills the boy he's gone to give money to and then instead of bolting, he drags his body 30m down a lane, and then hangs around for 15 minutes.
Why would he do that? Ask him.
More incredible, he now places the body under a street light.
Would you do that, Mr Shrimpton? If, in the terribly unlikely event you were to have killed somebody, would you do a runner, or would you take 15 precious minutes to drag the body so that you could place it under a street lamp in full view of the street? Hey, listen, I haven't killed no-one.
You've just confessed to the court, Mr Shrimpton, of a Clintonesque interlude with a minor.
Have you been charged with this offence, Mr Shrimpton? No.
Really? Have you done another grubby deal with the police, Mr Shrimpton? Objection! I withdraw it.
Thank you, Your Honour.
That was better than sex.
Then you're not trying hard enough, cock.
I've gotta make way for another couple of beers.
Congratulations, your name in the papers yet again.
WOMAN: Good result.
Lorton did do it, you know? Well, then, you should have made a better case, mate.
Couldn't.
Hands were tied.
There you go.
You know how your bloke did time for that statutory rape? Yeah, he was 19, she was 16.
It was bullshit.
Exactly.
I kept asking myself how it ever made it to court, so I checked.
Turns out your boy slashed the girl with a knife.
Both breasts.
Sex with a minor was all they could get him on.
Why was that? She wouldn't cooperate.
Said he was a genius and apparently that's what geniuses do.
I wouldn't know what geniuses do.
I'm just a dumb arse cop.
I know nothing about art.
Sleep well, Mr Greene.
(Door opens) (Door closes) I hear you had a big win.
Oh, for God's sake, Barney.
Alright! He was a man that I met at the Adelaide conference.
He's English.
And he is now safely back in Devon with his wife and he will never ever come back here.
What's his name? Does it matter now? You don't know him and I'm never gonna see him again.
OK! OK.
John.
Bartrop.
John Bartrop.
There.
You happy now? Bleeding saints.
Recognise this? Guido Reni.
In six months the streets would have made him ugly.
He would have died in a crack haze down some lane.
I gave him that, his moment of absolute perfection.
No, you killed a kid, you insane prick! (Groans) I'm going to the cops.
With what? A picture painted 400 years ago? I will find a way, I swear to God.
There is no way and you know it.
Camus said- Ah! Fuck Camus.
(Groans) (Door unlocks) Fuzzball.
Come in, come in.
Fiona, welcome, welcome.
Where's your stuff? Oh, I'm not staying the night.
Oh, you're very welcome.
The old sofa bed might be a little bit cramped, and the place has had a health warning slapped on it.
No, thank you, I just wanted to explain my position.
Oh, nothing to explain.
It's all done, isn't it? Told you he'd be cool.
Mum's given us so much shit.
Well, you know mothers.
What I feel for your son is very sincere.
Great.
So, mate, I've got your favourite here - burgers and chips.
Is that OK with you, Fiona? Oh, you're not staying? Finnegan, would you mind grabbing my purse? I think I left it in the car.
She's got you on the hop already, mate.
Sit down.
Look, I I know he's young.
(Bangs around in the kitchen) But there's something so special, beautiful.
I-I tried to resist him, believe me.
I-I tried but What we have now is extremely honest and good.
You sure I can't tempt you with a burger? Uh, no.
Come on, we've got marty sauce.
No? I want to find a way to make this work.
I want to protect him emotionally and care for his academic future.
Sorry, did you say protect him? Yes.
You're delusional.
You think I'm delusional? From what Finnegan tells me about you, it sounds like you Oh, listen Fiona, I know I'm a sinner, alright? I know, because despite the enormity of what you're doing with my beautiful boy, I would fuck you in a heartbeat if he wasn't coming back in a minute.
Do you really want to turn him into me? The best thing you can do for Fuzz right now, believe me, is go downstairs, get in your car, and get driving and keep driving, preferably until you find some sort of elevated landform, and then keep driving a little bit more, OK? Let's go, Fi.
Fuck, Dad.
Fuzz.
Fuzz.
Mate (Dials) (Phone rings) Sorry to call late, cock.
I was up.
I just needed to hear a friendly voice.
It's been one prick of a day.
Yeah? First, Lorton.
And then- One of the many things Scarlet hates about me is my inability to lose my temper, so I won't even try now.
But let's have nothing more to do with each other, OK? Barn, what the hell are you- Ask Scarlet about John Bartrop.
You were joking about him, remember? In the alley where Ben Rigby was killed.
What'd you call him? A puff of wind in a mohair cardigan? You know, even when you're destroying lives, somehow it still comes out as a bloody joke.
(Phone click) £ I walked for miles £ I'm shifting sands £ The cold, cold wind £ Did blow £ I look in the night sky £ And all I can see £ The buckets of tears £ Raining down on me £ And I'll lay my head down low £ I'll lay my head down low £ Oh, oh £ I looked in the night sky £ And all I could see £ Were buckets of tears £ Raining down on me £ And I'll lay my head down low £ I'll lay my head down low, oh £ And I'll lay my head down low £ Lay my head down low, oh.
£