Obituary (2023) s01e06 Episode Script

Body Count

(owl hooting)
(undergrowth rustling)
(message send noise)
(background chatter)
Maria
Why return my letter unopened?
Because the others were so dreary.
(thwack) Yes!
(clicks fingers)
I've asked my wife for a divorce!
Did I tell you to do that?
Not in so many words!
Oh Christ, Hughie!
It was just sex.
Now, if you don't mind,
I would like to drink alone
before the airport bus arrives.
I'm going back to Germany.
#
Burn everything inside. Right.
Four tenners, new handbag.
Sound.
(chuckles)
(metal clangs)
#
Come on
Hey!
Oh hey!
I found your handbag.
Yeah, tell that to the Guards.
(dog barking in distance)
Yoo-hoo!
(gun loading)
(effort grunt)
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
(panting)
(owl hooting)
(gun unlocking)
(anguished breaths)
Oh my God! The bullet went
straight through.
I can make it.
(gasps)
I mean, I could have left you
there to bleed out, right?
I help you, no cops.
I have a record!
I can't deal with the law.
Now promise, no Guards!
A car.
Pray
(gasping)
(muffled) Elvira!
Elvira!
(door handle clanging)
Elvira, wake up! Elvira!
Okay. Hey, are you
Are you okay?
Fuck oh, fuck!
(anxious breaths)
I'm sorry.
#
Elvira Elvira!
(door handle ratchets)
Please, love!
(banging)
Wake up!
(door handles snapping)
Whatever I did
.. I'm sorry.
(sleepy voice)
I won't do it again.
Maria Riedle's body was in
the boot of your car.
And then it hit me.
Those women that were murdered
in the midlands,
the DNA was ruined by the snow.
So I knew I'd one shot. Once I knew
you were safe upstairs,
I nipped out in the car,
went down to the woods,
picked up the gun,
dumped the body,
and then hosed out the boot.
ELVIRA V/O:
My God. Dad saved me.
So this is why you drink?
Kinda.
What does 'kinda' mean?
Okay, yeah. We'll park that for now.
Who are you texting?
Emerson.
He think you're up to your neck
in this mess.
I need to throw him off the scent.
We've got bigger fish to fry
than Emerson at the moment.
Well, it can't get any worse,
can it?
The rifle.
Oh look, it can.
I've been moving it around
from place to place.
So after the guards had finished
searching the lake,
I dropped it in there,
and it was safe.
But then, of all people,
Hughie finds it.
Hughie?
So that's why he's been sniffing
around me at work.
He's just looking to see
what he can find.
But he doesn't know who owns
the rifle yet. Yet!
Jesus, Dad! When were you
going to tell me this?
We're sitting ducks here!
Hang on, to keep you in the dark
was to protect you, that was
the risk I was willing to take.
Even if they came to the door,
I was gonna say that I shot her.
Yeah, but you didn't shoot her.
From now on, neither did I.
Are you texting Emerson again?
Yeah.
Why? Because he's staying
at Hughie's.
We have more than just
the passport.
Hughie's letter to Maria
.. does not shine him
in a good light.
#
So I went back
and checked the weather.
From five years ago.
At eh the night Maria was killed?
My dad said I could vouch for
his whereabouts.
(agrees) Yeah, you know
about that, there's something
I've been meaning to tell you--
Cool! I'll go first, shall I?
Do NOT let him talk.
So you wanted to know
Dad's comings and goings,
so that's why I went back and
checked the weather.
And the night Maria was killed,
it snowed.
And it snowed
for three whole days.
The town came to a standstill.
And that's when I remembered
You know this word for word.
Well, first of all
what has Dad told you?
Eh that he drove him home
after eleven.
Drove?
No, Dad walked.
Sorry.
It slipped my mind,
he can't drive.
No, he can drive. I mean,
who do you think taught me?
Right.
Yeah, so he left here and
went to the chipper.
Which is a dump.
I always said he'd get food
poisoning. And guess what?
BOTH: He did!
So that night, I wanted to
drive him to the doctor,
but the snow was too heavy.
So, I kept him in bed
for three days,
and nursed him back to health.
Then, on the third day
ELVIRA V/O:
This sounded much better at home!
He finally ate something, and we
were listening to the radio,
and we heard that Maria's body
had been found,
and that's how I remember
everything my dad did that night.
Okay then.
'Nailed it.'
'Now to stick the landing.'
Okay. A school night.
Gotta go! Oh you asked me
for a drink.
Which we've had!
Well, one more won't kill you.
I know what one more means.
Look
I like you.
Well I
.. more than like you.
But I'm not going to be
a shoulder to cry on.
You're obviously on the rebound.
I liked you,
the minute I met you.
How many women have you used
that line on? Ah, come off it.
Everyone's got a body count. It's
not like I'm asking for yours. Six.
You've
What, six?
Yeah.
I mean, some were quickies.
Ahhh!
Some were really messy.
(engine revving)
Others
(whining)
(cracking)
.. I'll never forget.
And then of course, there's your
first time which-- what?
What?
I want your body count
.. to end with me.
(gently melody on guitar)
Real quiet, okay?
Hughie can't know you're here.
#
ELVIRA V/O: Listening to the blood
pump through his heart,
'it's better than sex.'
'Shit!'
'It's better than murder.'
#
(birds chirping)
'Dear God, please let this work.'
#
'It'll probably cost me everything,
Maria,
but it'll be worth it
to be with you.'
Can't tell you how I got it.
But judging by the content,
Hughie sent it to Maria
right before she died.
Turns out she wasn't running
from her husband.
She was running from Hughie.
It's all there in black and white.
She leaves, his life is over.
'Make your husband disappear
permanently.'
Oh, you got to the best part.
Did he ever threaten Daniel
in person?
That letter is the first
I've heard of it.
I'm sure it's perfectly innocent.
Come on, Rose.
Hughie doesn't have a bad bone
in his body.
After reading that letter, Emerson,
oh I'd say he has several.
Well, letter or not,
you don't have enough for
a search warrant for Hughie.
No
No, best I could hope for is
.. someone that lives there.
Someone who could take
a look around.
What am I looking for?
Whatever you've been looking for
since you got to this town.
#
(door closing)
(drawer opening)
(banging)
(file drawer opening)
(effort grunt) Bollocks!
(shrill music)
(water gurgling)
Sorry about this, lads.
(snort of laughter)
(door opening)
Hughie how can I help you
today?
I'm sitting on the story
of a lifetime.
What you're about to hear
is gonna blow your mind.
Right.
Well then I am all ears.
Thank you.
Meet Fintan Drake.
Post mortem report.
Crashed into a tree,
up the country two years ago.
He had epilepsy.
This one is for Sylvester McHugh.
Also had a fit and died.
Now, both men were taking
the same medication,
the same amount,
only Sylvester had
one eighth of what the other man
had in his system.
I believe someone tampered
with Sylvester's meds.
Huh?
Now with all of this in mind,
I dug deeper
into Veronica Sloane's death.
Hold on, hold on.
What have Veronica and Sylvester
got to do with each other?
Rose now try to keep
an open mind on this.
I think we have a killer
in our town.
The same killer who killed
Maria Riedle.
(phone beeps)
(discordant note)
Do you know what, Hughie?
You're right.
Oh, there is a killer.
(chuckles)
You.
(birds tweeting)
Homeless girl.
Give him the stash,
get my 5k
and you'll get 400.
This feels dodgy.
You came to me looking for cash.
I know.
Just why not do it yourself?
Ah, I've had money problems
with this scumbag before.
So what makes you think I won't?
Because you know him.
(sinister music)
(gagging)
Rose
"Are you in Hughie's?"
Yeahif we if we can't charge
him with murder,
we can probably get him
on goose-napping.
How about both?
(music builds and fades)
Mick.
"You got it?"
This needs to stick.
"Do you get me?"
Oh yeah.
(gun loading)
(Western-style music)
Well, would you like
to explain to me,
how the weapon that killed
Maria Riedle
ended up in YOUR office?
Right, I will tell you EXACTLY
where I found it.
(thwoomp)
(skittles falling)
(happy laugh)
Word is, you found
the rifle at the lake?
Don't do lakes. And that you had
a friend with you?
(snorts) Don't do friends either.
He's a liar!
Go to the source!
He called me the source? Stop!
We read an old article. Said they
went shooting together,
Hughie and your father.
Well, you know
.. it used to drive Daddy nuts.
Yeah? What did?
Well, the fact that Hughie
was such a crack shot.
She's not seriously saying
that I stole that rifle
from Quigley's farm?
Don't get drawn in.
My advice remain silent.
And have her LIE about me again?
No, no call her back in here.
I want to phone someone.
Who?
You're working for that
gak-head now?
Man, are you hard up.
I'm in a hurry, Leonard.
You know what? We should try
a few rails. Check the quality.
I'm grand, thanks.
Hun you're not leaving with
a penny unless you take a line.
House rules.
(phone jingles)
Leave it.
I can't, it's important.
(deep sniff)
(phone jingles)
Go get the fucking money,
Leonard.
Orders? In me own fucking house?
Go!
(phone keeps ringing)
What?
"Mallory, this is Garda Mulcahy."
"Could you come down to
the station, right now?"
Am I in trouble again?
"No."
"It's nothing like that,
no, I promise.
I just need your help."
"It's to do with a job Hughie Burns
claims he gave you to do,
five years ago."
(rueful laugh)
I'll be there in an hour.
"Right, see you then."
Hey, I have somewhere to be!
I need to clean up another one of
my FUCKING messes--
(gasping, gagging)
(grunting)
The cunt!
He spiked it!
(thud) (gasping)
Leonard
(panicked)
Leonard Leonard?
She's on her way.
Wait
(clicking)
She's had it for five years.
Mallory will prove that
that passport was planted.
(faint gurgling)
Leonard?
Leonard
(anxious breathing)
(zip chugging)
Funny, isn't it?
I've been waiting for something
good to happen in this town,
and FINALLY
.. it's you.
(dog barking in distance)
Give her five more minutes.
Please.
(lighter clicking)
(phone jingling)
'Scuse me. You've blood on
your hand there.
Who doesn't?
(engine chugging)
(tense music)
(door hissing)
(melody on piano)
Did you know that
Ward Clancy saw Mallory
steal Maria's handbag? Oh yeah,
I heard that story before.
I didn't buy it the first time.
It's the ramblings of
a dodgy drunk.
You know, I'm glad you think
Ward is dodgy.
Because I do too.
You need to see this.
Dolly Stenson recorded every car
(Emerson chortles)
Remember when I said you reminded me
of someone?
Someone I didn't like.
Well, it made me think. Maybe
I should look into this guy.
Emerson, I know.
You killed a man.
That's not true.
Oh, well then I better go back
to my source, dig a little deeper!
No alright!
Yeah, look I was a
struggling reporter.
I was trying to land a big story.
And, you know, one day
some second-rate gangster
comes knocking on my door
with some info.
He'd give you an inside scoop,
if you doctored your notes.
Make it look like he was with you
when he was off trying
to kill someone.
And then a few weeks later,
the guy did actually kill someone.
The only one that knew
was my editor.
He owed me one,
so he swept it under the rug.
Which is something I doubt you want
the people of this town to know.
(chuckles)
Like they'd care.
Maybe not.
But what about Elvira?
What would she think,
if she knew you caused
someone to die?
You came here to find a killer
and now you've done that.
Bravo.
Just enjoy your success!
I mean, think about it.
Living under the nose of a killer.
The book practically writes itself.
Ah, but-- No!
Wherever Mallory is,
you let her be in peace.
Whatever is in your bag,
let it stay there.
Because, Emerson
.. this town needs closure.
FEMALE REPORTER ON RADIO:
In light of crucial new evidence,
newspaper editor Hughie Burns
has been arrested
for the murder of Maria Riedle,
a German national
whose body was found
#
ELVIRA V/O: He looks like
the kinda guy I would kill.
'Only I didn't.'
'Arteries clogged like
a traffic jam did the job.'
'Nope'
'Me and murder are done.'
'It's better that way.'
(clears throat)
'Maybe I do miss it a tiny bit.'
(keys clicking)
'And it's silly, but my writing
definitely lacks a certain..'
'.. spark.'
'I it's shit.'
'Still, it's a sacrifice
worth making.'
'I have every reason to be happy,
and that's more
than most can say.'
Are you off?
Got a tip-off from Rose,
so I need to hit the courthouse.
Do you fancy meeting later?
Well, I'm having those pictures
taken for the book jacket.
And then I'm meeting the guys
from Sky and Netflix about the doc.
(she gives a small laugh)
Hey, look
I know you're bored.
Things will pick up.
Hmm. At this rate, I may need
to start killing people.
(chuckles)
ELVIRA V/O: What I would give to
tell him the truth right now.
Alright, I gotta go.
Wait, I need to tell you something.
I know.
You do?
Sometimes you get depressed,
right?
(hesitantly) Yeah.
Okay.
What can I do to help?
You're already doing it.
Since we've been together,
I haven't had one dark thought.
I just wanted you to know that.
That's why we work.
We can tell each other anything.
So who is in court today?
I can't tell you.
Why?
Because then you wouldn't buy
a paper!
(short laugh)
"We'll be returning to
these stories with more later on"
(report continues)
Smells lovely.
Go and talk to him!
(tv plays in background)
(sigh)
You know, you're the first fellow
that Elvira's had around the house -
never mind cooked for.
(clang)
Well now, I told her
not to go to any hassle.
I'd be fine with something
from the chipper.
Course, with the chippers
around here
.. you always run the risk
of food poisoning.
Oh, is that right?
Yeah. That's right.
(short laugh)
(headlines beep)
"In the town of Kilraven today,
a local man came back
from the dead"
Somebody must be taking
the piss, surely!
".. two months after apparently
falling to his death."
What the hell? It can't be right.
"Today he was reunited with his
wife, Margo."
Elvira, watch this.
"On the outskirts of the port town
of Vigo, Spain,
a dozen people, believed to be
victims of human trafficking,
were discovered in
a suspected narcotics ring,
with Mr Benson, an Irish national,
among them."
This sort of stuff doesn't
happen to people!
"Presumed dead, following
a fall from this very cliff."
"Spanish officials claim memory loss
from the incident,
means Mr. Benson is unable to recall
how he ended up in the Atlantic
ocean."
This memory loss malarkey,
I'm not buying that either.
Guys
.. I'm sorry, but this story
is too good to pass up."
Jesus Christ,
I've seen everything now, boy!
(shrill, tense music)
(mouse clicking)
On death's door five years ago,
still alive and kicking.
Wait a minute
(mouse clicking)
ELVIRA V/O: I need to visit
the Bensons.
'See what Sandy actually remembers.'
(doorbell rings)
FEMALE VOICE:
Go away!
It's me, Elvira.
From the paper?
(whimper)
Ohhh!
Uhm I know you're not
seeing people, but
Everyone has turned on us!
Just so you know, I didn't tell
anyone what you told me.
I'd never betray the confidence of
someone in mourning.
Well, your co-worker betrayed us.
(rustling paper)
Once he told everyone that
Sandy lied about his cancer,
we became worse than dirt!
This is one of the greatest stories
of human survival,
and all the people in this town
want to talk about,
is the few quid Sandy stole from
them.
Oh!
Don't mind them, Margo.
I'm here to help.
Oh, where are my manners.
Come on in.
So, how is he?
He barely talks.
Can't sleep.
And when he does, he has
the most terrible nightmares.
And now, he's
.. I don't know what you call them,
flashbacks?
Here we go.
He keeps seeing those men
in that warehouse,
coming for him. Oh!
You know what, Margo?
You deserve a break.
Why don't you go for a walk,
stretch your legs. I'll mind him.
(giddily) Thank you!
(door opening)
My name is Elvira Clancy.
Do you remember me?
(agrees)
Really. From where?
I'm going to watch you
for a bit, alright?
I'm so sorry to hear everything
you've been through.
And that fall from the cliff!
Oh
It was me.
I was the eye-witness.
I I'm sorry
I can't remember anything
from that day.
Nothing at all?
A selfie.
I slipped.
Woke up in the water.
And then-- It's okay, Sandy. We
don't need to talk about those men.
Are they here?!
No, no. It's just us.
Mmm.
He doesn't remember.
This might just work out.
No. More. Murder.
They said you had a brain bleed.
My mother had the same thing.
32 weeks pregnant,
only thanks to me,
she didn't make it.
(sighs in recognition)
Oh, so you remember
my mother?
(chuckling)
(cutlery scraping plate)
Course you do.
(Elvira sighs)
I remember now!
I know you!
I knew it!
You wrote this. My obituary.
It must be strange to read it.
It's godawful! Sorry?
It's a piece of shit!
You've been through a lot.
That doesn't mean I don't recognise
shit when I see it!
He's a demented old man.
It's so stupid! I thought only
a stupid person could write this.
ELVIRA V/O: Ignore him!
Sounds like, you want me
to have another go.
Well, anything is better than this.
(tense music)
Just so there's no ambiguity,
you're asking me to write
your obituary again,
but make it better?
Why not?
Okay.
(birds chirping)
(clock chimes)
(gasps)
(screams)
(faintly) Help
Help!
Margo?
(anxious breathing)
(whimpering)
(sobbing) He thought I was those men
from the warehouse.
Be careful, Margo.
He'll hurt you too.
He won't hurt anyone again.
Hold on
I'm gonna get you some help.
(cries)
(urgent music)
Thanks for these, Morris.
Nobody seems to care that
there's still a killer on the loose.
Now, the first thing -
when I get outta here,
I need to find a connection
between these two deaths.
Hughie they won't be
granting you bail.
What? Why?
Because when you got arrested,
the owners of The Chronicle
opened the books and
Jesus, Hughie!
I know you're in debt, but
Paying your staff per article,
and then pocketing the rest
of the wages yourself!
Does everybody know? They will when
they read about it in the paper!
And by the way,
your last cheque bounced.
So you won't be seeing me again.
You prick! Ha!
I'm the prick?
Hughie, what you put your
staff through
Some of them did things they
never dreamt they'd have to do,
just to get by.
Anyway, I better go.
There's a will to be read.
Who died? You didn't hear?
Sandy Benson.
Tried to kill someone and then
killed himself.
Who did he try to kill?
Funny you should ask.
One of your poor,
unfortunate staff members.
Elvira Clancy.
Elvira! Don't worry
The knife missed all
her vital organs.
She'll be fine.
Wait what did you say?
She'll be fine? No!
How I made my staff do things,
that they never thought
they'd have to do.
Good luck, Hughie.
(door closing)
The connection!
How will I live? I dunno.
Maybe you should start
killing people.
(gotcha music)
#
Four tenners?
(chuckles)
(manic laugh)
(wailing)
Have you been drinking?
Well, it's been
It's been a traumatic couple
of days, love.
It's not even one o'clock.
Dad
.. I shot her, by accident.
Surely knowing the truth
will help get rid
of some of that stupid guilt.
What are you doing?
Ripping my stitches out
until you tell me why you drink!
Don't do that!
Dad, I can HELP you!
Nobody can help me, love.
Right
I'm gonna tell you this
just once, okay?
It's because
Oh Christ, I can't do this!
It's because-- Because you think
there's something bad inside me.
It's not your fault.
You see, that's the thing.
It is.
Because I think that blackness
comes from me.
(door opening)
I'll leave youse to it.
(short laugh)
Everything is copy to you.
Come on
You know you want to.
(sigh)
Okay
So you decided to visit Sandy.
Then what?
You're looking well, Ward.
You shoulda seen me
twenty years ago.
#
(lock clicking)
(car alarm sounding)
Fuck!
(keys jangling)
Fuck's sake!
Fuck!
(alarm stops)
What?!
(tense music)
(panting)
(groaning)
(sobbing)
I can make it.
I can make it, I swear!
Just please please!
Take me to the hospital.
(grunting)
What are you doing?
Sshhh.
You're a monster
a monster, you know that?
Just like everyone else,
in this hellhole of a fucking town!
Sshhh.
(Maria struggles)
(gulping)
Sshhh
(struggling for breath)
(foreboding music)
(wailing melody)
RECORDED VOICE: "Radiology,
theatres, and theatre recovery"
(bird squawking)
##
ELVIRA V/O:
I worry, sometimes.
That they might catch me.
But then I remember the kind
of people that populate this town,
and the worry goes away!
But say things do eventually
go wrong.
I've decided I'll take them here.
No, don't worry.
It won't be to blame you.
Cliches like that make me vomit.
No, when I bring them here.
.. and they take a look around
and ask
How many of those graves are
yours?
How many did you kill?
You know what I'll say?
What I'll tell them?
Not fucking enough.
#
How's business? Booming.
Let's keep it that way.
#
Previous Episode