Serangoon Road (2013) s01e04 Episode Script

1 Claire.
Frank, I didn't think you could make it.
Forget it.
Why? I'm out of her league? She's out of yours.
Miss Chen, would you do me the honour of accompanying me to dinner one night? Thank you so much for your kind invitation, Mr Harrison, but that will not be possible.
I'd like you to meet Maxwell Black.
He's just arrived to head up our operations here.
Nice to meet you.
Likewise.
He was a soldier, fought in Malaya with the Brits.
That is a man who can look after himself.
One I'd want on my side.
Hey! We're a team.
Well, half of nothing's nothing.
It's not nearly enough to get you out of trouble with the Red Dragons.
Doubled his money, right? Cancelled his debt.
The long game.
The only one that matters.
How much does Tommy want for his boat? Shh.
Counting money.
OK, everything's here.
Yep? Yep.
What's that you were saying? I Hey, Sam, Sam! Sam! Aunty.
No luck.
Future dark.
Bad.
Very bad.
Always is, right? This time true.
You crossed line.
No going back.
Hey! Hey! Look what I found in my pocket.
It's a hand.
It's not one of mine, is it? Hey, this ang moh's a local.
Go find a sailor to rob.
Mm, yeah.
Go.
You let him take your money.
He took my money! He took the roll! Hey! Come back here! Hey! Hey! Gimme that.
I owe this to Kay Song.
You could have got me killed! Bang, bang! Did you see that? Children nowadays got no respect.
OK.
Maybe my luck's gonna change.
If the cards go my way, we could double this, man.
Your luck's got you into this mess.
Songa.
Your money.
Xiao Kang, since you're here, why not play a hand? You could win, clear your debt and maybe walk away with a profit.
Lose, and I'll extend your credit.
No? No.
Kang, the money is fake! What do you mean? Wait, wait, wait! You think we're idiots? I don't know what you're talking about.
Oh, wait, wait, wait.
Wait.
Must be some kind of mistake.
You insult Kay Song by paying with your fake money? I didn't know the money was fake, OK? It was an honest mistake.
Songa Which eye? Your choice.
Songa, I really didn't know.
Ah Songa, it was really a mistake.
Bomb! Sam! You alright? Kay Song says the money's fake.
What? Yeah.
I don't have a death wish.
I won the money at Harry Wong's street game.
Well, we'd better find Harry, then, before Kay Song finds you.
If Harry's done this to me, I'm gonna kill him.
Just cool your boots, alright? Kay Song almost took my eye out.
You'll get your money back, find out what's going on.
He cheated me, that's what's going on.
Harry's been in the business too long to do that.
Harry! He's done a runner.
Harry Wong! When I'm dead, I'm gonna come back as a ghost and haunt you! Nothing here on Harry Wong.
Maybe have a chat to Uncle Weng.
He might've heard something.
Mr Callaghan.
Just the man I'm looking for.
Maxwell Black.
Where have you been all my life? I wasn't born for the most of it.
Sassy, too.
Shame on you, Mr Black.
Flirting with girls half your age.
What can we do for you? I think you can help.
It appears I have a little issue.
I took over at West Pacific's Singapore office a while back.
Things have been looking good.
We've signed off on some contracts in the past couple of weeks that have the potential to make us the biggest player in the region.
Now, normally, I'd be basking like a pig in the proverbial.
But then I started to hear some rumours.
Anonymous, naturally.
Mm.
One of my senior people is taking kickbacks, and maybe these contracts aren't quite as sweet as we believe.
I'd like this rumour dealt with before it reaches head office.
Dealt with how? Well, if this man is on the take, I need to be seen to be on top of things - I'll sack him on the spot.
And if he's innocent? Well, it's just a rumour after all and we'll get back to business as usual.
Either way, I'd like to hire your agency to investigate.
Well, we appreciate the business.
But what brought you to us? Because, Mrs Cheng, you have sound financial background, Mr Callaghan here has a knack for knowing where the bodies are buried.
Do you have a name for this suspect? Frank Simpson.
I know, I know, he introduced me to you.
He's a great guy, Mr Straight Arrow, but perhaps he's not quite as straight as we believe.
This kind of corruption might be fine for the locals, but it won't happen in my firm or on my watch.
Thank you for bringing us the business.
We'll have a think about it and we'll let you know.
No need to.
We will handle the case.
Excellent.
Anything you want, just ask.
If Frank's guilty, I want his head on a plate to take upstairs.
Now, money.
How well do you know Frank Simpson? Well enough.
I feel uncomfortable investigating him.
If he's a friend, you owe it to him to find out the truth.
If he's innocent, you help clear his name.
Well, what if he's not? Then he deserves whatever he gets.
Just excuse me for a sec.
Have you heard the story about the hawker's son? In the time of my great-great-grandfather, he used to live up there, I think.
Now, this hawker made legendary char siu bao.
The old ones still talk about it.
He also had a son who was a gambler, just like you.
He tried to sell his sister.
Can you believe that? He stole from his brothers.
Worst sort of man, and he knew it.
So much guilt.
Finally, one day, he decided he wanted to stop.
And he did.
Do you know how? He went into his father's kitchen, took a cleaver and chopped his finger off.
So any time he thought of gambling, he would look at his hand and what he had lost.
He was a man of honour.
But you're not, are you, Kang? You're a piece of shit.
So I have to teach you.
Best you bite down on that - we don't want you to lose your tongue, as well.
Songa, I didn't cheat you.
I did not cheat you, I swear.
He's telling you the truth.
Let him go, you'll get your money.
I know.
I always do.
Your boy here insulted me.
Now I'll need more than that in return.
Out.
What's going on? What do you want? In return for your friend's continued health .
.
the bombing this morning.
It's another gang, I saw them.
Rivals for our territory.
I know who they are and will deal with them.
But someone close to me is giving them information.
You know your people.
But the police .
.
they know exactly when to raid.
I want to know which of my men is selling me out to my enemies and the police.
Why me? You have contacts with the police.
You run in circles my men can't and you hear gossip my men won't.
I've got a policy - I don't work for gangs.
Well, too bad, then.
Mm! Mm! What about a hand? Wait.
In this case, I'll make an exception.
I thought you would.
Fuck you, lah.
I thought you were my friend.
Red Dragons don't operate like this.
They don't use outsiders, and certainly not Westerners.
Well, they do today.
Where am I gonna find this guy? Look around - all these people pay protection money to Red Dragon, any one of them could have a grudge against Kay Song.
Oh, just pick one.
Sam.
It's a stupid idea.
Better them than me.
Sam, Sam.
Sam, Sam.
OK, so what's your brilliant plan? Well, you gotta pay Kay Song back what you owe him.
That's not a very intelligent plan.
Kang, count your fingers.
Do you want to keep them all? OK, so we have to find Harry Wong, then.
Yeah, good, do it.
Hey, you're very selfish, you know? I gotta do everything on my own, is it? Yeah, you do today.
You're not the only one with problems.
Fuck you, lah! Grr! Isn't this beautiful? I had no idea it was here.
I heard they have orchids, too.
I'd love to see them.
Yeah.
You didn't bring me here to show me orchids? Maxwell Black came into the agency this morning.
Someone at West Pacific's taking kickbacks and he suspects it's Frank.
Frank? That's ridiculous.
He's had a complaint from somewhere and he's asked us to investigate.
Well, there's nothing to investigate.
I mean, if he were taking money on the side, surely I'd be seeing some of the benefits.
This? It's just something he brought back from one of his trips.
It's not real.
How do you know? Because on his salary, he couldn't afford the real thing.
He wouldn't, Sam.
He wouldn't.
I know him.
Do you? What? I don't.
But you know me.
I can't just take your word for it.
OK, fine.
Investigate, clear his name.
What if Frank's on the take? To call him a thief is to call me a thief.
Claire, that's not what I'm saying.
Why don't you just let me know when you've cleared us both? I just spoke to Su Ling.
Uncle Weng has got the word - Harry's back in business.
Same game, different spot.
Hello, Harry.
Not so fast.
Let's talk about counterfeit money, Harry.
No fake.
All good.
Oh, really? I tried to pay that money to Kay Song, but now he wants my balls.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Harry, shall I cut off your left arm or your right arm? Hmm You know what? I'm gonna cut off both your arms.
No, no! Kay Song make me.
What? He said make you win big.
He gave me money to pay you.
You don't say no to Kay Song.
I want my money, Harry! Oh OK, OK! OK Stupid idiot.
So you're in debt to Kay Song.
He knows you're gonna go to Harry Wong's again.
He set me up.
'Cause he knows that if I came, I'd have no choice but to take the job.
But why? It doesn't make sense You gotta pay that back to Kay Song.
Yeah, but we still have to find that traitor first, right? I work for Patricia Cheng, remember? Frank Simpson? Those West Pacific guys are corrupt as anything.
You know that for a fact? I know that for a rumour and a cliche, which is good enough for me.
But Frank Simpson specifically? He's the one with the wife, right? Yeah, he's got a wife.
Nah.
I haven't heard anything about him.
He seems like a good bloke.
Yeah.
But we all start out like that, don't we? Present company excepted.
Thanks, Macca.
Sam.
You keep digging, you'll find something.
It's true of everyone.
I thought Frank Simpson was your mate.
Nah, he's just a job.
I don't believe you can get paid to travel like that.
Saigon, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Jakarta, Darjeeling, Hong Kong.
Frank Simpson.
We're building the suspect's profile.
That's what we say, right? We do.
There's a good chance he's collecting coffee money in some of these places.
Mm-hm.
Because we're so corrupt, unlike the British and the Americans.
Well, I just spoke to Macca.
There's no word about Frank on the street.
So what do we need? A forensic analysis of his personal finances.
Hm.
Thank you, Mr Watson.
That's everything, is it? Peter, please.
It's everything Mr Black asked me to provide.
Mm-hm.
Executive expense accounts, travel records, records and memos for the last six months.
The entire sales staff? Of course.
Mr Black ordered.
So who do you think might be doing this? It's a small team.
But there's always one bad apple.
There's talk it's Frank Simpson.
What's he like? Do you get on with him? Well, Frank's great.
We've done a few trips together.
The perfect company man.
Well, no-one's perfect.
Hm.
Let me put it this way, when I travel on business, I endeavour to save the company money.
Yes, of course you do.
I don't go by sampan or sleep on park benches.
You'll find it all in there.
But Frank Simpson Frank enjoys the good life.
First class, five star, all the way.
So you think he's topping up his expense account.
You think he's on the take.
Maybe he's just got rich parents.
Well, thanks for these.
I'll get them back to you as soon as I can.
My pleasure.
Look, tonight, we can swing by in the car and pick you and Frank up.
That's fine, we'll make our own way.
OK, well, just remind him, it's ultra formal, so prepare to be bored.
7:00, 7:30? See you then.
OK.
I assume you're not here to apologise.
I need Frank's tax returns and financial records.
You've gotta be kidding.
Frank may have a private source of income.
We're not gonna find that in company files.
Well, I'm not gonna go spying on my husband.
If Frank's taking bribes, Maxwell will sack him on the spot.
If he goes, I go.
He's got to have them at home.
In his office.
He's probably got a safe somewhere.
Either way, we need proof.
I need your help.
To save him or hang him? Look, you can't get them now.
He'll be back home anytime, and we're going to the club tonight.
Maxwell wants me there too.
I don't like this any more than you do.
The managing director had been school chums with Ramlee.
You heard of Ramlee? No.
Oh, he's the biggest star around.
Actor, singer, director.
You name it, he does it.
So of course they fly in caviar for the man.
I mean, how much would that have cost them? It was fantastic.
We ate enough pepper crab to choke a goat.
Frank, do you think people change? How do you mean? In a different place, in a different world, are you a different person? It's just that people seem to accept things here, cross lines that they wouldn't at home.
I guess.
Do you want to have the car brought round? Of course.
Pardon me, gentlemen.
Sam.
Frank.
You scrub up well.
Doesn't he? Mr Callaghan.
Mrs Simpson.
They're not just for decoration, I bet.
There's Lady Tuckworth.
I'll just say hello.
Malaya.
Pretty tough going, from what I hear.
So you're just back from KL, yeah? How'd it go? I thought cutting a deal in the States was hard.
Some of those lads have balls of steel.
So what attracted you to working in Singapore? Absolutely everything.
We live like kings - beautiful house, servants.
You think we'd be living like this back home? Yeah, it's a good life.
It's handed to you on a plate.
You'd be mad not to take it.
Lady Tuckworth.
If you'll excuse me.
Hello, Frank.
It's a Military Cross.
My father died winning one of those at El Alamein.
You never told me that.
You never told me about yours.
It's just one of the other things we don't know about each other.
The papers you want, they're in the boot of our car.
It's unlocked.
Thanks.
Tell your driver to take a walk.
I'm doing this for Frank, not for you, Sam.
This is where we first met.
Excuse me.
And before you ask, Mr Harrison, no, I don't come here often.
But our paths do cross from time to time.
Perhaps we could make it a bit more pre-planned.
Are you asking me out on a date again, Mr CIA agent? Cultural Attache.
I'm not a fool, Mr Harrison.
I know who you are.
I'm just a man serving his country.
Do you know the word 'buaya'? Buaya? What does it mean? It means crocodile, or flirt.
A man on the hunt.
I can assure you my intentions are purely honourable.
But still cause for gossip in polite society.
Alright.
Frank Simpson's personal records.
Cheques, bankbooks, records How? Don't ask.
How long have I got? Two hours.
Well, I'll take the cheques, you start with the bankbooks.
Any large deposits, any regular payments that don't seem like wages, I'll crosscheck with his travel.
You don't say much You don't say much You don't say much Anymore You don't say much Claire.
You alright? Yes.
Of course.
You seem distracted.
No, no, no.
Not at all.
Let's dance.
You're not acting yourself Doo-wop-wop-wop, doo-wop-wop-wop And I know it Ooh, ooh What can it be? Why play our favourite lovers' song When you're no longer Excuse me.
May I have the pleasure? Sorry, Mr Black, I I refuse to take no for an answer.
What can it be? Be What can it be? Without a doubt, my dear, you have one of the finest derrieres north of the equator.
I'm sorry, Mr Black No May I cut in? No, you may not.
The lady's with me.
I don't think so, Mr Black.
Might I suggest you call it a night? Are you saying I'm drunk? I'm suggesting you might want to keep your voice down before anyone else draws that conclusion.
West Pacific has many close friends in Washington.
I could get you shipped to Sierra Leone tomorrow.
You have no idea whom you're talking to.
You were quite scary just then.
Me? Oh, come on.
Like I said, I'm just a humble Cultural Attache.
May I? The West Pacific team is leaving.
Is there a problem, Mr Black? Now! Well, you heard him! Party's over.
Come on.
Party's over.
Do we really have to leave? Maxwell has spoken.
One out, all out.
I'll meet you outside.
I just need to powder my nose.
Anything? Some dividends from stocks, shares.
No large expenses that can't be explained.
If Peter Watson was right about Frank, and he's living the high life, then it's cash in, cash out.
Any big-ticket expenses? Artwork, jewellery? Jewellery? Well, for example.
Or in particular? You tell me.
Not so far.
Good, then.
Cheng Detective Agency.
We have a problem.
We're on our way home now.
Thanks.
We've got to get this stuff back to the Simpson place.
I'm almost done.
Now.
Kay Song wants to talk.
Oh, I'm kinda busy.
Maybe another time? Now! Well, since you've asked me so nicely.
Hey! Hey! Sam! The car's this way.
Come on.
Everybody in Chinatown's saying that you work for Kay Song.
So much for keeping it quiet, man.
Maybe that's the plan.
It's such a lovely evening.
Mm.
Maybe we should go home via the harbourside.
After five days away, I'd just like to get home.
Mm.
Yep.
If they turn up, keep 'em busy.
Yeah, yeah, got it.
What is he doing? Excuse me! Can you move your car, please? Huh? You're blocking our driveway.
Can you move your car, please? Sorry, sir.
It's not my car.
Go now.
Go now.
Do you have an early start tomorrow? No, not too early.
Eight o'clock pick-up.
Surely you're not working? I thought you said you were tired.
Just getting my diary.
What was that? Lanfen must have left the window open.
Stay here.
I'm gonna check upstairs.
Sam.
Hope this is worth it.
There's no cheque stub.
No receipt for a diamond bracelet.
Then it must be a gift from a client, within company guidelines for a present.
There's only one way to find out.
Thank you.
There's no way on earth Frank could have paid for this.
They're real diamonds.
If you report it, he's gone.
Well, so far, we've still got no physical record of Frank Simpson doing anything illegitimate.
Yet.
What do you know about Mrs Simpson? She's obviously helping you.
Oh, she believes he's innocent.
Maybe.
Or maybe she knows what he's done and trying to protect him.
She wouldn't be the first woman who liked pretty things, whose husband tried to please her in meeting a certain standard.
No, you're way off.
She's not like that at all.
So she isn't, huh? This day just gets better and better.
I sent you an invitation last night.
I don't like being ignored.
You spread the word that I'm working for you.
I don't like being set up.
Now, why would I do that? 'Cause you figure if this traitor comes after me, I'll take him out for you.
I'll find this guy for you.
Yes? In return for information.
I'm looking for a white man.
He's throwing money around, cash, plenty of it.
Drugs? Women? Gambling? You tell me.
When you give me my traitor.
Jimmy.
I want payback for the bombings.
You end this here.
What's going on? Here, take a seat.
Little kid tried to kill me, that's what's going on.
You gonna tell Kay Song? Tell Kay Song what? Huh? I won't ask again.
He hired this gwailo to find me.
It was him or me.
You? You're the traitor? Why would you do that? I know you.
I know your mother.
She works for Kay Song.
I want him dead.
Now I'm dead.
Well, I'm gonna have to tell him what you did.
You were talking to another gang, talking to the cops.
The cops are worse than Kay Song.
I don't talk to them.
But somebody did.
It's not me.
Kay Song has a second informer.
OK, here's the deal.
We're not gonna tell anyone what you did, but you're gonna do exactly what we tell you to do.
I don't take orders from you.
Do you want me to go talk to Kay Song? No, I didn't think so.
Now, I need you to spread the word out on the street that I know who's been selling Kay Song out to the cops and that I'll be in Kang's warehouse tonight.
You got it? Get outta here.
Can I have my gun back? No, you cannot.
Gun worth money.
Take from little kid? Here.
Don't buy another one.
OK.
I hope you know what you're doing.
This is just like that children's story with the goat and the tiger, and you're the goat.
Why don't you shut up, go find the tiger? Sam.
Sam.
We have a guest.
Jimmy Liu.
Put your hands up.
Very slow.
This is just like Kalimantan.
No, this is not like Kalimantan.
Have you got a better idea? What are you talking about? Fine.
Kalimantan it is.
Kalimantan, Kalimantan Kalimantan, Kalimantan Jimmy Liu.
This is what you get for selling Kay Song out to the cops! I am the cops! You're what? Sergeant Liu.
Special Branch.
I've been undercover for three years.
No.
Ask Amran.
So you were not trying to kill us? You were trying to kill us! Kay Song was gonna kill me.
He still will.
You're no better than he is.
Amran is not gonna be happy.
Three years.
We almost had Kay Song until you amateurs came along.
You sold your soul, Jimmy.
I did what I had to do.
He would have found out anyway.
Then you would have killed us for nothing.
You'd better start running.
Kay Song won't forget this.
No wonder I hate cops.
He sure fooled us, man.
I don't think we'll see him for a while.
Jimmy Liu.
Hey, Sam! Aunty.
Come.
Kay Song in? Not happy.
Come another day.
Hey, don't listen to her.
You'll be fine.
Come on, let's go.
Thank you, thank you.
Thank you.
Alright.
Scream like a girl if you need backup, yeah? You have a name for me? I think you can work it out for yourself.
Looks like you're down one man.
Jimmy has vanished.
He was like my brother.
He ate at my table.
He will die slowly when I find him.
Well, you got your money from Kang and I did what you wanted.
Where's my half of the agreement? Tonight he's losing, but he shows no fear.
Plays like a man who can afford it.
Did you lose much, Mr Watson? I suppose it's just money, isn't it? It's not like losing your job.
I haven't done anything wrong.
What, gambling your kickback earnings? I don't think your boss would agree.
Well, would he? You've got it wrong.
Frank's the guy.
He's the one you want.
I didn't see Frank in there.
I only saw you.
No, not the gambling.
That's all me, for my sins.
I'm just small change.
Frank's the guy with his hand out.
It was all his idea.
I just went along for the ride.
You ask him about the bracelet.
The one his wife wears.
Ask him.
You'll see.
Maxwell Black's hired us to investigate the company.
Someone's on the take, and he's pointing his finger at you.
Me? How'd you get your wife's diamond bracelet? That? That's nothing.
It was a gift, soon after I got here, from an agent in Manila after we signed off the Sumatra contract.
I was told I'd be insulting a client if I didn't accept it.
Who told you that? My colleague, Peter Watson.
I just spoke to Peter Watson and he says if anyone's on the take, it's you.
Well, he's lying.
That bracelet's worth more than your house.
What? You didn't know? Sam, I would never have accepted it if I thought it was real.
Watson insisted that I take it.
He said it was paste.
It's not.
Shit.
Was it just the bracelet, or is there more? Sam, I have never, ever The bracelet is the only thing, the whole time I've been here.
That's it.
Well, if you're telling me the truth I am.
.
.
Peter Watson's been setting you up for quite some time.
He's after my job.
I don't think he'll get it now, but if he goes down, he's gonna take you with him.
So what do I do? Get rid of the bracelet.
How much is your job worth to you? Your marriage? My marriage? If your wife knew she was wearing a bribe Without the bracelet, Watson's got nothing on you.
He's the one we hand to Maxwell.
So, Peter Watson is the man on the take.
Kay Song said he's a regular.
He gambles hundreds of dollars a week.
That's why there's no paper trail.
He's not buying anything with his dirty money - he's just losing it to Kay Song.
So Maxwell gets his head on a plate.
Two heads.
There is still Frank Simpson.
Who's clean.
Except for the diamond bracelet he gave his wife.
How did you know about that? Winston's cousin is a jeweller in Chinatown.
Look, it only happened once.
Frank said it was a mistake, so And you talked to him and not me? It was complicated.
What did you tell him to do? I told him to get rid of it.
Do you believe him? Maybe you owe him for some reason.
It has to go back.
Make it happen.
Ni hao.
Sam.
Frank.
Mrs Simpson.
Thank you.
Oh, no, I'm just glad it all worked out.
Shame about the bracelet.
I couldn't do it.
Frank, I told you to get rid of it.
I know you were trying to help, but I've got my conscience to live with.
I had to tell Maxwell.
I got a rap over the knuckles, but that's all.
That was a pretty big risk to take.
Watson's on a plane back to Adelaide and I'm still here.
Right.
Why don't you join us for dinner? To celebrate? I can't.
Next time.
I'll hold you to that.
OK.
Goodbye.
Bye.
If I knew you loved the jungle so much, I'd take you on every trip.
He still has a fever.
Only she can save the jungle children.
It might not look so good for the company if he dies.
Girlfriend's a nut job.
You know better than to write a story like that.
You're the only one that cares.
Frank cares, he's just busy.
Absolutely not.
Your friendship with Mrs Simpson will compromise her.
MI6 don't footsie.
Whoa! Whoa! I don't wanna stop.
You, your husband, his boss - short-term do-gooders.
Welcome to Asia.