Serangoon Road (2013) s01e09 Episode Script

If it gets out that you destroyed a file relating to a potential communist sleeper agent, your career will be over.
You want me to spy on the CIA for you? Frank, I've met someone.
I'm moving out.
Who is it, Claire? Sam Callaghan.
You think that will last? Ange Warnock.
Pleased to meet you.
Yeah, g'day.
We have to talk.
Wannabe journalist.
She's good.
I was around a lot of kids growing up.
In Changi? Yeah.
Sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up.
No! I was supposed to meet Sam but he hasn't come back yet.
Is he alright? He won't be going anywhere for a few hours.
It's not going to work.
You don't belong here.
Don't leave Frank.
You haven't told him yet, have you? So you can still Yeah, of course.
- You've got to try one of these.
- No way! Eugh! It's a foot! Try one.
You've got to try.
It's good, it's good.
It's really good.
Come on, come on.
You've gotta be adventurous.
No! Come on, just try.
Just taste just a little bit.
Come on.
Be brave.
That is terrible.
I know.
That's why I gave it to you.
I wouldn't eat it.
You! Ow! It's the '60s, Robbo.
We can do whatever we want.
Ange.
Two officers on patrol found him wandering on the street just outside the girl's apartment.
He had blood on him.
Hers.
It's definitely Angelica Warnock, the bartender from the Duke.
She was a part-time journalist.
Yeah, she's been stabbed.
Anyone see anything? He did it, Sam.
The only mystery - why would he ask for you? Oh, he's an old mate.
I'm charging your mate with murder.
Sam.
Bloody hell, Robbo.
You alright? What the hell happened? I don't know.
Mate, no, I mean it.
Ange and me.
Great night.
Bugis Street.
Some food.
Were you drinking? Well, just a little, but I'm not much of a drinker.
Yeah.
And then I woke up and she was laying there beside me.
She's a good girl, Sam.
I really liked her.
You liked her? Well, yeah, it was heading that way.
I can't even remember if we did it.
I don't know what I'm asking you to do for me, Sam.
I'm not a killer.
Got you, you prick.
Say hello to page one.
I had to ID that poor girl's body.
I should have said something.
Should have warned her.
So you saw them together? He picked her up at the pub last night.
I should If only I'd said something to her.
He just said that they'd been seeing each other.
Yeah, fill her full of grog and get her laid, that's I've known Robbo 20 years.
The guy's no killer.
What'd he say to you? He doesn't remember.
Oh, well, that's priceless.
All I'm saying is you really want to be sure about this before you file it.
I've already filed it, mate.
This is the follow-up.
I will do everything in my power to see that prick hang.
Have you Have you seen my dad? Have you seen my dad, Major James Callaghan? Major Callaghan, do you know if he's here? Have you seen my dad? His name's James Callaghan.
Excuse me, have you seen my dad? Who are you looking for, son? I know him.
Seen him before.
Not with girl, though.
They look good together.
He's a big guy, handsome.
Mm, but she's so little.
How they fit together? Interesting.
You think she was happy? I mean Ah, what? He wasn't forcing her, was he? No, no, no, no.
They are kissing.
Kissing? Mm.
Seem very happy.
Arms together, having good times.
Which way did they go? Um Came from bar, go to bar.
Black Lotus? Maybe.
Alright.
Thanks, Aunty.
Hey, Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam! Maybe you and me can fit together, one day, hmm? Yeah.
Maybe, yeah.
- Angie? Sure, I know her.
- Was she here last night? She was here, with a big older guy.
Aussie, I think.
Were they drinking? Maybe one.
And then they left.
Any idea which way they went? I've seen her around here a lot.
She was a reporter, right? Well, sort of, yeah.
She worked at the Duke to pay the rent.
She wants to be a big-time reporter.
Times Magazine.
She thinks all this is exotic.
Like the backpackers.
Come off boat, find their way here.
Cockroaches and rats.
Exotic.
It's not really the place for a white girl to ask questions though, is it? Most of the time, it's OK.
But when trouble happens, it happens fast.
You think Ange was in trouble? You stay here long enough, trouble finds you eventually.
Hey, buy me another drink and I'll help you find out if trouble found Angie.
Lovely day, isn't it, Harrison? Oh, no, no, no.
We don't do it like that.
We look at the seafood, we select the fish of our choice.
Hey, look at that one.
Yum-yum.
Mmm.
We talk about the cricket.
Well, not in your case.
Um We're two gentlemen taking in the exotic Asian surrounds.
Can we just get this over and done with? Well, therein lies the problem.
May I suggest it's a philosophical problem? You've got to love what you do, Harrison.
Either do something and embrace it, or don't do it at all.
If you do something you hate, it'll eat you up from the inside.
OK, thank you.
I'll, er, I'll keep that in mind.
Ah, Harrison? There is one more little thing you can do for me.
Vietnam.
Vietnam? That's NSC-classified material.
If I were to get that information, I'd have to break into Wild Bill's office.
Well, a challenge surely within your skill set.
Sharing intel on Singapore, that's one thing.
But Vietnam? Well, it's information we're going to get anyway.
Wild Bill will probably tell me by the end of the month.
Well, why don't you just ask him, then? Wild Bill is old-school.
You and me, we're the new wave.
We can get things done on the ground, mano a mano, without being tangled up in bureaucracy.
You know, you don't have to blackmail me.
You could just give me the file on Su Ling and I would do what you request anyway.
Well, I could, but sometimes people need to be helped to do the right thing.
That NSC report, as soon as you can, alright? Ah, I'll take this one, please.
I know for a fact that Winston was fearing for his life before he was murdered.
So this was not a random robbery like you said.
Is it possible for me to take a look at the case notes? Mrs Cheng.
I really do need to look at them.
I don't want you to have missed anything.
Mrs Cheng, I'm sorry.
That's not the way we work.
What is the way you work? My husband was murdered on your streets.
Nothing has been done about it.
His killer is out there, laughing, drinking, living his life while Winston lies in his grave.
How do you suppose I sleep at night? They can't leave the station.
Ah, Hock.
Winston Cheng's file.
Ah, Mrs Cheng.
I'm very sorry, but your husband's file appears to be missing.
What does that mean? Angie's apartment is just here.
The door's locked.
No, don't even think about it, man.
You always underestimate me.
No, I overestimate you.
I think you will do something smarter, and quieter.
Safer! Come on.
Whoa! Relax, OK? Just relax.
Ow! Why didn't you stop him? What do you think I was doing? Don't worry.
I see him again, I'll know him.
Yeah? Yeah.
What was he looking for, anyway? Hey! Hey, hold it, lah! Hey! Hey.
What is all that? They look like surveillance photos.
It's a list of names and numbers.
Must be something she was working on.
Hey.
Whatever that guy was looking for, it's definitely not money.
He was definitely looking for something.
Kang.
Hmm? It's hash.
Macca.
Not now, Sam.
I've really got to get this filed.
What was she writing, Macca? She had photos, names and numbers everywhere.
I never saw a story.
No, she gave it to me.
Rough draft, anyway.
What was it? She was obsessed with the Secret Societies.
Wanted to track the movement of drugs through Singapore.
I told her it was a dead-end story.
Hard to prove, no-one to talk to, and to let it go.
Did she? Sam, this has got nothing to do with your mate stabbing her.
The drug story is irrelevant.
Then why was she hiding a trafficable amount of hash in her apartment? Ange would never touch drugs.
She hated them.
All she ever wanted was to be a journo.
So you ask your mate how that hash got into her place.
Oh, come on.
Go on.
I'll give you ten to one it's his.
And I'll give you five to one that he lies about it.
And I'll give you even money that you'll believe him anyway.
Yeah, whatever.
No, absolutely not.
So you never moved hash in and out of Singapore? Swear to me you're not involved in drugs.
I swear.
Never.
'Cause I'm looking at a reporter investigating the drug trade on the docks, hanging out with a guy who works on freighters.
It all adds up, doesn't it? Well, she asked me questions about it, sure.
I mean, that's how we met.
She's down there talking to sailors and dockies.
Those blokes don't talk, even if they're not moving stuff.
Hmm.
Sam, I can understand if you wanna give up.
Tell me you didn't do this.
I didn't do this.
But you can't remember.
No.
Maybe there's something in here, some kind of contact.
I mean, she's digging into the drug trade.
Maybe she got further than Macca thought.
You're saying she was following a story, got too close, and someone she was investigating killed her.
And this person sneaked into her room, past your friend who was sleeping next to her, stabbed her to death and your friend didn't wake up? And what about the drugs? Maybe it was part of the investigation.
Maybe she bought some.
That much? Is it possible you got it wrong about your friend? Everyone thinks he did it.
You're back! Here, did you tell him? Not yet.
About Uncle Winston.
The missing case file.
What's this about Winston? Yes, of course.
I'll tell him.
The Australian High Commissioner wants to see you.
Well, you go.
I'll tell you later.
They're taking all day, so as long as we Lady Tuckworth.
Oh.
Mrs Simpson? Mr Callaghan.
I'm just staying here for a few days.
Yes, just company while her husband's away.
Heading off? Yes, we're just going to get some tickets.
Tickets? Yes, Claire's mother's been taken ill and she's just going to spend a little time in Sydney.
Your mother? I was sure she died.
No, you must be mistaken.
I believe my husband's waiting for you.
It's lovely to see you, Mr Callaghan.
Yes.
Now, you're a mate of this Australian stringer, Bruce Macdonald? Ah, Macca, that's right.
Yeah, right.
I need you to tell him to pull his head in over this murdered girl story.
Canberra's trying to be a little bit sensitive to the black issue.
There's a referendum in the air.
Mm.
So now is not the time to have this particular piece of excrement hitting the fan.
Well, he's more likely to listen to you than me.
Look, I'm not asking him not to write the story, you know, just tone it down a bit.
The bloke's obviously as guilty as sin.
Sir, I don't think he is.
I've been investigating the situation and I don't think he killed her.
Really? Well, you're a detective and far be it for me to tell you how to suck eggs, but, er, what about the evidence, hmm? Abo.
Booze.
Woman, dead.
Robert Collier's a decorated war hero.
Really? He signed up in '39.
WO2, 2nd AIF.
He served with distinction.
Medals for bravery and service.
Right.
Oh, Jesus.
'Aboriginal War Hero Framed'.
That's the last headline I want to see.
Well, if you can get him out, I can find out what really happened.
Harrison.
What are you doing? I was just making sure that I had copies of those files you wanted.
Oh, good for you.
I'll look at 'em right now.
OK.
Actually, I'd better get this.
I'll catch up with you later.
Thanks, Sam, you're a champion.
It's only bail.
Got a lot of work before your committal hearing.
Any comment on getting away with murder because the Australian Government's Macca! .
.
is too busy pandering Take him back to my place.
.
.
to see justice done? Shut up! What's wrong with you? What's wrong with me? He's the killer! That man is a soldier.
He's done a lot more for his country than you ever will.
Oh, don't tell me.
What, is this some bloody Changi thing you two got going on, is it? What? You wear that camp like a badge.
And a soldier? That was 20 years ago.
Don't start, Macca.
What's he running away from in Australia, huh? Will I find a warrant out for him back home? Do you know what he found when he went back? Kids had been taken, his wife was gone and the bank had taken their house.
Five years he served his country.
The army won't even pay him.
Any sort of reporter would write that story.
Two coffees.
Sounds like a man that might be a bit shitty with authority.
Might find the drug trade a better way to go.
She was investigating Secret Societies.
She's asking questions down on the docks.
Maybe she was killed by a gangster.
Keep telling yourself that.
She told you what she was doing, didn't she? You never stopped her.
You never warned her.
You even read her story? No? You couldn't be bothered.
Nah, come on, she was just a kid.
A barmaid.
What, she's gonna suddenly write a Pulitzer piece? That's not the point.
Maybe she was onto something.
Maybe that's what's got her killed.
Alright.
Alright! Alright, I'll read it.
Are you prepared for what I might find? He lives here.
Oi! No, no, no.
You no go up.
No killer.
This is Sam's friend, Robbo.
Ah, Robert Collier.
Sam said to park him at his place.
You must be Patricia.
It's nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
I really have to go.
Gotta pick Sam up.
Oh, you can go now.
It's alright.
I won't nick anything.
Not that there's much to nick.
Well, I trust Sam, and Sam trusts you.
But you don't trust me.
How is he? Is he alright? I mean, has he got friends? How do you know him, Mr Collier? I helped him out a long, long time ago.
Who are you looking for, son? Major James Callaghan, sir.
2nd AIF.
I'm sorry, son.
Your father's not here.
Went out with a work party, two months ago.
He never came back.
OK, then.
Wait! Where are you going? Dad said, anything goes wrong, meet at the house.
He's not there.
He never came back.
He's not ever coming back.
He'll be at the house! Whoa! Hey, Kang.
Look at them.
Two drinks.
Sorry! Pretty strong drinks.
So what? Not that strong.
He's good.
I've been looking at him.
I think he's putting something in their drinks.
Was he around the night Robbo and Ange were here? I can't swear it, but Hey! What do you think you're doing? Ow! Huh? Hey! Hey, OK, you got it wrong, OK? You got it wrong.
Yeah? They're my friends.
I'm just trying to help them.
Help them out? Something wrong.
Help anyone else out Tuesday night? A black guy and a white girl? What? No! You helped her into an early grave.
That girl died.
What? You carry a knife? What? Not gonna ask you again.
No! OK, it wasn't me.
You got the wrong guy, OK? You spiked their drinks, didn't you? Yeah, yeah.
You followed them out.
Were they like that? No, no, no.
OK, I didn't get that far, right? They bump into someone and there was a big argument.
Who was that? I don't know.
Tough guy.
You know, not happy-looking face.
I don't know who the hell he is, right, but I didn't stay too long.
I just go back to my bar.
That's all.
Right? Well, now you're going to jail.
Aunty! Ah, no.
Excu Sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you, but there's nothing much to do over at Sam's place, so I thought I'd come over and see if there's anything I can do.
So is he the one? Doesn't look like it.
Amran said he's done this kind of thing before.
But he's got no form for murder.
Well, at least the drink spiking explains why your friend can't remember anything.
Doesn't mean he didn't kill her.
He's drunk, wants sex.
She say no.
Well, sometimes drugs makes you crazy.
Hey, shh! So, anyway, who do you think that tough guy was that they fought with? Maybe it's the same guy who broke into Ange's apartment.
It's gotta be connected.
I guess we just wander through busy Chinatown looking for a guy with a missing earlobe, then.
Well, if that's what it takes, yeah.
Hey.
She was good.
The writing, the research, the voice.
She was really good.
I mean, she was still young.
She wasn't going to win any prizes, yet.
But she was certainly on her way.
And she was also nuts.
Down at the docks late at night, by herself, talking to dealers.
And she went much further than I realised.
People.
Deals, movements.
Any names? Yeah, there is a name.
He's a dealer.
He's the bloke she bought the hash from.
Is it Robbo? No.
His name's Lionel Cheong.
He's got a shack down at the docks.
She describes exactly how you buy drugs from him.
Oh, look who we got here today.
He's admitted to selling drugs to Ange and trying to steal them back, so what else do you want? He probably said anything to stop you hitting him.
Come on, we hardly touched the guy.
He could be the killer.
Did he say so? He's not going to admit it, is he? The guy who spiked their drinks says he saw them argue with someone.
This guy's connected.
Slight problem.
Two nights ago that man was in police lock-up.
All night.
He couldn't be the killer.
So what about the knife? You found that yet? Yeah, we did.
In the back alley near the girl's apartment.
Close to where we picked up your friend.
As I thought, he must have dumped it when he saw the police coming for him.
How do you know it's his knife? It has numbers on the handle.
4965 Yeah.
That's Robbo's service number.
- There you go.
- Looking good? Yeah, that should do it.
Here, try that one.
Oh, my God, it fits so perfectly.
Thank you.
No worries.
Here.
Thank you.
So you work on the ships? Mm-hmm.
So that's how you know Sam? From his import-export work? Well, no, not exactly.
I I've known him for a long time.
Inspector.
What is your business here? Robert Andrew Collier, I'm placing you under arrest.
But he's just been released on bail.
We have new evidence.
Bail's been revoked.
Stand up, please.
Hey, hey, stop! Stop! You made me look like a dick.
Pulled all these strings, called in favours, organised bail.
Now your mate's done a runner.
Sir, he didn't do it.
Well, why did he run, hmm? Now your other mate's down at the Duke as we speak banging out his next big story.
I don't even want to guess what the headline is, but I would suspect that 'Aborigine' and 'walkabout' will feature fairly largely.
Look, if you are convinced this man is innocent, then find some bloody evidence.
And I can tell you this.
If he's murdered an Australian girl, being a war hero will not help him.
Wait.
Where are you going? Dad said, if anything goes wrong, meet at the house.
You can't stay here.
There's no food.
I can get food.
Who this man? Who the hell are you? This is Uncle Weng.
I've been getting food off him.
From the camp? Mm.
You snuck into the city from the prison camp? Someone had to.
I've got to get back to the shop.
You sure you're OK? How long you been doing this? Since Mum got murdered.
So you really are some sort of detective, eh? I suppose if I were any good, I would have come here first.
You know, when you first brought me here, I thought that you must have been one hell of a spoilt brat before the war.
Thought that's why you couldn't face the fact that your dad wasn't coming home.
I mean, you always had your own way.
Yeah.
Now I'm thinking truth can be a hard thing to face .
.
whether you're a young lad in '45 or an old soldier in '64.
So what do you wanna do? Get back on the boat? Ship sails tonight.
The captain's a mate.
He can get me through immigration.
You could never come back.
The truth.
You got a plan? Yeah.
Then you'd better get cracking.
So you came here.
You remember that? Yeah, it's not clear as day.
But that's not the bit I'm having problems with.
And what were you doing? Well, Ange and I got something to eat outside, and I fed her a chook's foot.
And we came in here to wash the taste out.
Do you remember talking to someone? Young Malay bloke? No.
I think he spiked your drink.
Alright, what happened after that? Well, Ange was feeling a little dizzy.
We went out to get some fresh air.
So you left? Yeah.
OK, so which way did you go? Ah, through this way.
There was, er, a monkey dancing in the street.
That way.
She said it was a short cut.
There was a bunch of guys gambling through here.
This door.
The chow mein guy.
The what? The chow mein guy, he was there.
Was it a fight? Oh, no, no, nothing like that.
We just kept on walking.
And that's it.
Next thing I know, I woke up next to her.
There's got to be something else.
Ange's place is around the corner.
Whatever it was had to have happened here.
Right here.
Look, it was a good idea.
A good try.
Keep thinking, Robbo.
Come on.
You were here, Ange was here.
Maybe I don't want to find out.
Maybe I did it.
Maybe there's nothing to find out except that.
Maybe you did.
Don't you want to know for sure? What is it? Something.
She rested.
Ange.
Ange rested here.
And I was here.
The chow mein guy.
Your bag! Don't worry about it.
You OK? Let's get home.
I didn't realise it was that serious.
Well, you couldn't have known.
Well, I could have done something.
I could have called for help.
But you were drugged.
You didn't kill her, Robbo.
This other guy did.
Because we bumped him? It was just bad luck.
Wrong place at the wrong time.
You remember his face? Yeah, I remember his face.
Good afternoon, Harrison.
How did you get on? I got what you wanted.
Excellent.
And I'm going to keep on doing as you ask.
But I see you for what you are - a slimy limey turd.
I really hope that you enjoy the sunshine while it lasts, because one day the boot's going to be on the other foot.
That looks like him.
You remember me? The whole thing's just a sorry story.
I mean, he got angry, went after 'em, tried to snatch Ange's bag.
She didn't realise how badly she'd been hurt.
Good story.
Search his apartment.
Maybe you'll find her bag.
You pull any prints off the knife? I bet Fong's are all over it.
He's the one, Amran.
Not Robbo.
Your friend's sure it was that guy? Oh, yeah.
I'll look into it.
OK.
Very pleased for your mate.
Well, you could tell him yourself.
Oh, well, you know, so much to do.
Mail, diplomatic correspondence.
Plus, I need to write an official report for the girl's parents.
But please, give the man my best.
Robert Collier.
Yes, Collier.
Exactly.
Ah.
Here they are.
Now, they will be down here for an aperitif shortly.
Would you care to stay? Oh, I can't.
I'm meeting someone.
Wise man.
Now, there's what you call a diplomatic incident.
If you're going to go wild with the pool boy, for God's sake, don't tell the husband.
Anyhow, thanks again, Callaghan.
She was a good girl, Ange.
Bright.
She had the whole world in front of her.
I can't believe she's dead.
All because what, some bloke, what What's that, fate or just dumb luck? Whatever it is, it made you stop for me in '45.
Sail well, brother.
Thanks, mate.
Your friend's officially in the clear.
Lee Kum Fong's been charged.
We found the girl's handbag at his place.
The drink spiker was able to ID him.
And you were right about those prints.
You sound surprised.
Well, I thought you might have your own reasons for wanting Fong in jail.
Why? Winston's murder.
Lee Kum Fong was one of the suspects.
He was seen in the area that night.
It's his style.
Mugging with a knife.
I wasn't too sure and he wasn't the only suspect.
But I had my eye on him.
You think Lee Kum Fong killed Winston Cheng? I think it's possible.
We've been going back through all the cases Winston was working on when he was killed, and there was no mention of Fong.
Well, for the first time, we've got a suspect.
Fong could be the only person who knows what happened to Winston that night.
We've got to start with him.
I'll talk to him first thing tomorrow.
Yeah, alright.
Oh, Sam? Um, your friend, Mrs Simpson.
I've heard she's leaving Singapore.
Do you know that? First thing tomorrow morning.
Here you go.
Sorry that took so long.
Excuse me.
Hey.
Sam? Is she here? And what if I told you that she was? Oh, Sam.
I mean, what can you offer her? What is it, a room in Chinatown? She'd lose her marriage, her family, her friends.
She'd have no job.
I mean, what would she do? You know, if you really love her .
.
you might consider just doing what's best for her.
I won't tell her that you were here.
It's not that you did it.
It's whatever he's got on you that made you do it.
I'm recommending they post you somewhere else.
I'm sorry that I lied to you.
If I ask you a question, I expect an honest answer.
G'day, Frank.
On Friday night, we're leaving Singapore for good.
We're going to Europe by ship and we're not coming back.
Chee Kit's office.
Chee Kit and Winston knew each other.
I believe my brother was involved with some dangerous people.
Everything alright, Mr Lim? This is my chance to find out who killed my husband.