Thorne s01e06 Episode Script

Two pairs of victims - same method, same day, that's the pattern.
- Tom's got a theory.
- Yeah, I heard it.
You said double-trouble.
Do you have any evidence, Tom? Not he, they.
Two killers.
- Serial killers don't work together.
- These ones do.
Martin, we may have a problem.
Do you think the boy saw anything? And why's he still alive? - I killed her, it was me.
- Did he tell you to kill the others too? Martin, tell 'em! Fucking tell 'em! It's not him, it's not him.
He's out there .
.
and you're never gonna get him.
We release him and we stay on him.
We let him go to work, go home, just as normal.
That's how we get his mate.
When he thinks it's safe, and that the pattern stays the same.
I can't hang around here all day looking after some bloody kid! His mum was murdered.
Victor Perks, 58.
Vic, apparently.
- Vic Perks was a copper.
- He can't be found.
- Other people have looked for him.
- Vic Perks was looking for Nicklin? So, we've nothing on Stuart Nicklin between 1997 and now.
No, nothing - no driving licence, no bank details.
He must've changed his name but Palmer can't help there either.
I always knew you were chicken-shit, Mart.
You told them about the cop.
Karen McMahon, this 14-year-old girl goes missing in 1997.
What's that got to do with this? It meant something to Vic.
He was killed for a reason.
I want answers, do you understand me? Karen got into a blue Vauxhall Cavalier.
Stuart Nicklin killed her, didn't he? Was she his first? - No.
- Don't fucking lie! - Did they get him? - No.
Was this an accident? Did Palmer do this? He freaked out and I skidded off the road.
I have to report to Gold Group in two hours.
It seems I'm getting a minder.
Tughan? They need a safe pair of hands, which rules me out.
It was a good plan, Ruth.
It drew Nicklin out.
Then we fucking well lost him! - How? I released Palmer.
- Palmer isn't the problem.
But he fucking well is now! D'you know what I think? I think in some fucked up way, which I cannot even begin to comprehend, this is what you want.
You wanted him out there.
Well, now you've got it.
Is there any news on Chen? Yeah, she's been admitted for observation.
How close are you to her? How do you mean? Well, have you noticed anything about her, anything unusual, anything like that? We've all been a bit edgy, boss, but, I don't know, I haven't noticed anything in particular about DS Chen, no.
He's out there .
.
and you're never gonna get him.
You look like shit, Mart.
I thought you'd never get here.
Right, listen up.
There's been no sightings of either subject, but it's only been three hours.
Central 5000 have been cleared, and are providing us with full incident support from Cobert Square, under our command.
TFL have given the Nicklin e-fit and Palmer's picture to every tube worker and bus driver, and we are pulling in all the feeds from the stations.
Well, get on with it! Did you know he was a cokehead? What? Technical support turned up coke all over Palmer's bathroom.
You didn't mention that to Ruth when you persuaded her to let him out on the streets.
What's up, mate? You don't look pleased to see me.
What is it, Martin? That copper told me what happened.
Karen.
You know what happened to Karen.
He said you killed her.
He said you killed Karen.
What do you think? Huh? You know the truth.
They're fucking with my head.
- Everyone's telling me - This is what they do, Martin.
They get inside your head.
Chisel their way in and they try to break us.
And you always let 'em! Just say it.
Say what? Karen Karen got into a blue Vauxhall Cavalier, August 27th, 1997.
Right here, 13 years ago, Martin.
That's the truth, mate.
OK.
Every dead body that comes in from now on, it's my fault.
You took a gamble, it didn't come off.
If it came off every time, it wouldn't be a gamble.
He was the bait, Phil.
Without him we've got nothing.
You know what - why don't you just throw yourself in? I'm not sticking around listening to you whine.
When Tom Thorne shows up, tell him to give me a call.
How do I get Nicklin without Palmer, eh? You know the answer to that, don't you? Karen McMahon gets us Nicklin.
No one gives a toss about some girl that went missing 14 years ago, do they? We've got every copper in London looking for these two.
Full technical, central 5,000, the lot.
You know it won't work.
You'll never find them that way.
Karen McMahon gets us Nicklin.
Vic knew that too.
He did - that's what got him killed.
We get to that, we get to Nicklin and Palmer.
So, what, you live rough? Beg? - Rough? - Yeah.
So, are you ready, Mart? Are you ready to find out what it's like to be Stu? For fuck's sake, Dave! So, were you gonna ignore me all day then? - Listen, last night - Guess what, Dave? Last night was pretty busy and I gotta tell you, you weren't the most memorable part, OK? Yeah, well We need to talk about all of that anyway.
Why, what's he said? - Who, Thorne? - Uh-huh.
Nothing.
Nothing.
He said that Palmer freaked out, he lost control of the car.
I can't figure out why you were in the car in the first place.
- You'd just been attacked by the guy.
- That's all he said? Yeah.
Why, what else is there? Nothing.
Nothing.
Look, come on.
- Sarah? Sarah? - Uh-huh? Come here.
Look at me.
We need to talk.
Is this about you and me? You and me? Grow up, Dave.
How can you be sure? Well, he's not here for the fucking boat race, is he? Got a light? Look, here, this is all Nicklin.
- That is still way too much ground to cover.
- We don't have to cover all of it, do we? Think about it, he was 15.
He's not gonna bury someone under his patio, is he? We gotta find somewhere where a young lad could dig a grave and not be seen, and it stay undiscovered for the next 13 years.
It's not somewhere you're gonna walk your dog, like a park.
It's gotta be undeveloped land, like scrubland.
Yeah, spell it.
- Dave? - Hold on.
Listen, I want you to do a search on every bit of undeveloped land in this area.
Anything that might not have been touched in the last 13 years, like scrubland or waste ground, OK? All right.
All right? Got it.
Is this it? She's all yours, mate.
I don't want her on the job.
- Who? - Sarah Chen.
She's all right.
The doctor OK'd her.
She had an option, she came back to work.
And we need all hands on deck to clear up your mess.
Trust me, she's not up to it.
Yeah, but it's not your call, is it? Sir? We've got a fresh one.
Whisky, Lima, 5-4-2-4-0 Keep coming.
Mind yourself at the top here.
Claude Geitner, he's 42, he's a Swiss national.
He worked in the City.
His wife said he drove out at 6:45, but we can't find the car, keys are missing.
- What about a phone? - Switched off.
But if it's used, we've got a lock on it.
- Is the vic one of ours? - Could be, yeah.
Characteristic excess - meaning his brain's been bashed to bone meal there's not much else to go on.
Tide's pretty much washed everything away.
- But it could be Nicklin, yeah? - Yeah.
It's the right location.
So, they're back together again.
What do you wanna do now? Sir! Wait.
Did we find anything at the crime scene? You were in Palmer's bathroom when Nicklin got there, weren't you? Yes.
Well, a tech report found coke all over the bathroom.
- Really? - Yeah, really, and Palmer never snorted coke in his life.
So, you know what, you should just go home because you're no use to me.
You don't belong here, d'you understand? Cos we would've had both those guys in custody if you hadn't been such a fuck-up! Sir Please! I mean, you're really pissing me off, man! You knew, didn't you? - You knew and you didn't tell me.
- What? You knew she was using during the job, and you didn't tell me.
Yeah.
I hope she was a good fuck, Dave.
- How did you know? - I didn't.
- Outgoing call from Geitner's phone.
- What? Get a trace on it.
- Who are they calling? - Number's coming through now.
It's here.
They're calling here.
Patch it through to my office.
And get me a location! Hello.
- Martin - Go, go, go.
Go! Martin? Locking onto signal.
- Martin? - Yeah.
He's at the hotel.
It's the hotel, they're at the hotel! Shit! The girl from the reception desk only stopped screaming five minutes ago, and she said it was Palmer.
- Just Palmer? - That's what she said.
It makes no sense.
This has Nicklin written all over it.
But it's Palmer's turn, isn't it? - And maybe he's learning.
- Phil? No, I'm at the hotel.
Yeah, I'll be right there.
Kev, I need an hour.
What, with Phil Hendricks? Now? Please.
It's all ours, Mart.
Whatever we want, we just reach out and we take it.
Yeah? Cos they can't stop us now.
I'm fucking proud of you.
What you did today is fucking hardcore.
Nice.
Yeah.
When I hit him, it was Can't find the words.
No need, mate, no need.
It's what I've been telling you all along, innit? Yeah.
Tell me about Karen.
Forensics got DNA off the chocolate wrapper from the Vic Perks murder.
- That was Nicklin's murder.
- Yeah.
But it's got Martin Palmer's DNA all over it.
Palmer's.
No one else's.
Karen got into - A blue Vauxhall Cavalier.
- Yeah.
You killed her.
They're at each other's murders.
You think Nicklin was at the Bracher murder? It makes sense.
I mean, Palmer may have done it, but Nicklin was pushing him on.
They can only kill when they're together.
- No! - You had one of them in custody.
Any one who can tell us that is dead, all right? No, they're not.
Karen got into a blue Stop this! Nicklin killed Karal.
Palmer couldn't kill Charlie.
Tom You have got to find out exactly what that kid saw.
Yeah.
No lies any more.
It's true.
Ahh! I had to, mate.
I had to.
She was coming between us.
My mum said there used to be a big house up that hill.
- Really posh.
- What happened to it? Oh! D'you wanna see her? - Hey.
- What's going on? I've been trying to reach you.
Tell me, Dave.
I'm on my own here.
They've done another.
Who? - Our old friend, Sean Bracher.
- Bracher? Yeah.
Live and online about 30 seconds after you walked out the door.
I didn't walk.
He doesn't want me there.
Thorne will be coming for you next.
No, I'll be all right.
Right.
Yeah, right.
Fucking boys' club! Forget about this place for a bit.
Sarah Sarah? Shit! Now, where is he? - Can you see him anywhere? - No.
Shall we try his office? OK, you wait here, Charlie.
Won't be a minute.
- Hello.
- Nice to see you.
I'm so glad you're doing this.
Thank you.
What is all this about? We just need a quick chat with the boy.
It won't take long.
What can I get you - tea, biscuits, coffee? Listen, help yourself, feel free.
Do you want to use the phone? Ring Maureen if you like.
You don't know? Maureen passed away two weeks ago.
I had no idea.
Seems like Tom didn't think to mention it.
Anyway Mummy? Hello, Charlie.
My name's Kevin.
Very nice to meet you.
This is Charlie's mummy, everybody.
Isn't she pretty? We've been keeping this picture for you.
Can I give it to you now? Good boy.
Charlie? Thanks, Kev.
Palmer, M.
Attempted murder, right? Just there and there.
Cheers.
Hey, Charlie.
Shall we go and sit down, eh? Tom.
Sorry.
Can I have a quick word? - Can it wait? - No, no, it'll take seconds.
Just come here.
You didn't tell me that your mother had died.
- I've got - All I've ever asked of you is that you play straight with me, Tom.
I think I deserve that.
With respect, it's none of your business.
Really? It never occurred to you that it might've made a difference? It doesn't affect my work, does it? I meant to me.
I've gotta get on.
Hey.
I know you told me this before, I just wanna ask you again, OK.
I just want you to have another look at this man.
Are you sure you haven't seen him? Are you sure? What about this man, Charlie? Did you see him at all? Take your glasses off, come on.
Look at it closely.
Have you ever seen him before? You said there was one man that night.
You sure about that? Sure there wasn't two? Were there two men or one? - One, I already told you.
- Yeah, I know.
You said you only saw one man, Charlie, but d'you think you could've heard two? Did you hear two men talking? When you were hiding, when you were hiding, did you hear two men talking at all? Calling to each other? You sure? There could've been two different voices.
Tom I think he's given you the best answer he can.
Are you tired? Yeah, me too.
Let's go and see my dad, Charlie.
Come on! - Where's the boss? - Uh - I dunno, why? What have you got? - We may have something.
A witness has come forward from the hotel.
Says she saw Palmer take Bracher's car.
Who was running the tracker? Sarah Chen.
Uh I've got it.
Sir! Sir! I think Sarah knows where they are.
You what? Dad, will you just look after Charlie.
Phil, stay with me dad, stay with me dad.
They're in Bracher's car.
Sarah's got their tracker.
- I pinged her mobile.
- She's still got the tracker? - Yeah.
She's gone after them.
- What the fuck is she doing? What do you think? She's trying to make it better.
Can I look at your glasses? Do you know how they work? Shall I tell you? Circulate this number, OK? I want everyone looking for DC Chen's car.
When we were at the film, did you take the glasses off and look at the screen? What it is really, is two different pictures, so that when you put the glasses on, it's a kind of trick.
It plays with your eyes.
The two pictures kind of join up, and become one picture, that looks as if it's right in front of you.
D'you see that? Where was she when you last pinged her? About two minutes ago, going northwest on Capstock Road.
- Where is that, show me.
Show me! - There.
That's bang in the middle of the murder zone.
It's a dead end.
Where does it go? - Shit! Look where it leads to.
- Scrubland.
I bet that's where Karen McMahon is buried.
That's where they're going.
- She's right behind them.
- Phil! Phil! Stay here.
Oh! Ah! Martin! Martin! This is the wrong place.
No, it isn't.
It didn't look anything like this.
Well, you went away, Mart.
You left it.
You didn't take care of it.
That's what happens when people forget things.
They rot.
They get lost.
They go under.
We're nearly there, Mart, look.
Don't you see? She's nothing special.
We're the special ones - you and me.
Why don't we just get rid of her? Are you sure about this, Mart? We could just leave her be.
She won't mind.
Everything stays the same.
I wanna see her.
All right.
Oh! Oh! Ah! Get off! Get off of me, leave me alone! Ow, Martin! Get off of me now.
Get off, Martin! Get off of me! Don't touch me! You think I want that with you? Not in a million years.
You're disgusting.
I hate you.
- Don't touch me.
- You're an idiot, Martin.
You're disgusting.
Never in a million years! Backup are on their way, sir.
Let's get in here.
Here! Palmer talked about the pond.
That's right in the middle.
Dave, you go that way, circle round, yeah? Martin, what are you doing? Put your hands up where I can see them.
Put your hands where I can see them.
Get up.
Slowly.
Put your hands on your head.
Do it! Where's Nicklin? Where is he? Shit! Phil! Phil, the pond was over here.
Karen's gotta be buried around here somewhere.
Tom! - That's her.
- Probably.
They can't be far.
We've gotta find them.
I knew it.
Not them, him.
This is Stuart Nicklin.
Right here with Karen.
- Nicklin never killed anyone.
- What are you talking about? Martin Palmer killed Stuart Nicklin 13 years ago.
This is him, this is Stuart Nicklin.
Stuart was inside watching me.
He killed him, he took his personality.
One man, two personalities one dominant aggressive, the other passive.
Do you know what it's like to be really scared of someone? Martin Palmer needed Stuart Nicklin, so he became him.
Two, four.
Lock me away for four.
As Nicklin, he was able to kill Karal.
As Palmer he couldn't kill Charlie.
Vic Perks must have worked out Nicklin was dead.
- That's why Vic Perks went to meet him.
- He went to meet Palmer, Nicklin showed up.
Shit, Sarah! Where is he? Call him.
Stuart.
Oh! Martin.
Martin This isn't you.
I know you couldn't kill Charlie and you don't want to hurt me.
It's been Nicklin making you do all this.
Always somebody else's fault isn't it, Detective Chen? Why are you doing this? I have absolutely no idea.
Please, please.
Please, Martin.
Stay there.
It's OK.
It's OK.
Come on, Martin, just drop the gun and then we can talk.
Talked to you already.
I asked you to protect me.
You didn't listen.
Yeah, I know.
I'm sorry.
You're sorry? You said you'd help me.
You promised.
I was just bait.
All this.
This is all your fault.
Yes, it is.
It is.
And I'll always live with that, yeah? So You're gonna have to.
Sarah, no! He looks happy enough, doesn't he? I think he is.
It'll take time.
Yeah.
We don't think it's a good idea for you to see him any more.
- No, no.
- For now, anyway.
Maybe in the future, we'll see.
Yeah.
Thanks a lot.
- Are you all right, son? - Hm? Here.
He'll survive.
Kids can grow through stuff you wouldn't believe.
Yeah.
It'll all come right in the end.
You're an optimist, aren't you, Dad? Well, someone has to be.
I mean you can't go through life fearing the worst, thinking there's gonna be something coming around the corner, knocking you down, can you? You can't go through life thinking like that