Phoenix (1992) s02e01 Episode Script

Victims Forever

Noddy.
Hey, Noddy.
Is he moving? No, it's a visitor, up in the back.
Looks like a prearranged signal.
Who is it? Dunno.
He's a new one.
You haven't got any chewie on you, have you, mate? No.
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS) (BEEPING) Shit! Who wants you? D24.
DDI.
Tell him to get stuffed.
Yeah.
Yeah, Sgt Peter Faithful from the Majors.
Thanks.
Any change? No, mate, they're still inside.
Hang on.
Yeah, they're coming out.
Pike? Yep.
And the driver.
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS) 30s, short hair, clean-shaven.
Yeah, I'm awake.
Ah, yeah, right.
Well, it's just that we're ringing from an OP.
Er, can the local CI do it? Well, we've just eyeballed Yes, I realise that we're on call and I realise that we're close.
It's just that I'm a member down right now and something's starting to break.
It's a gunsmith who's been importing rifles and cutting them down as handguns.
They're heading for the car.
Can you just hang on a second? Thank you.
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS) Yeah.
(SHUTTER CLICKS) (SHUTTER CLICKS) Yeah.
Both standing on it.
(SHUTTER CLICKS) Yep, we're going for the boot.
(SHUTTER CLICKS) Looks like they're talking about whatever's in there.
Come on, go for it.
Pike's reaching inside.
He's picking up something heavy.
It's gotta be the guns, mate.
(MULTIPLE SHUTTER CLICKS) Oh, shit.
Grog.
You there, boss? Yeah, sorry, it was a false alarm.
Right.
Right.
(SHUTTER CLICKS) OK.
Thanks.
We're out of here, mate.
Ag burg, Middle Park.
You're bloody joking.
Who's gonna take over here? There's no-one else on call, mate.
Mate, we can't leave this.
There's a new freakin' joker in the play.
I'll ring Boomer and Happy.
They've been bludging all day in court.
Bloody terrific.
(DIALS NUMBER) One of them copped a belting.
Why isn't the ambulance long gone? They might've carked it.
That's all we need - a shit fight with Homicide.
Yeah, and our gun supplier will be halfway to sunny Queensland.
TJRF.
Oh, well.
If the heavy domestics are here, they'll still have the kettle on, mate.
(POLICE RADIO CHATTER) (CAR DOORS SHUT) MAN: Yeah.
SECOND MAN: Hold on.
Both of you were, or you? Well, no, I was.
Constable.
Er, won't be a minute.
So you're logging everyone going in? Yeah, I'm doing that.
Er, Senior Detective Bastin's waiting for you.
Oh, thanks.
That's, er, Sergeant Peter Faithful.
I'm Senior Detective Andrew Saunders, Major Crime.
Right.
No worries.
The log, mate.
The log.
Oh, sorry.
Wouldn't have any chewie on you, would you, pal? Er, yeah, I have, actually.
Good on you.
I'll chew and you talk.
MAN: No, I don't care what you say.
I know what I'm saying.
Whether you've decided SECOND MAN: Please sit down.
I need to ask you more questions.
Oh, now now Please! I'm not a child! I can't find them, Mrs Arthur Excuse me.
Er, Peter Faithful from the Major Crime Squad.
Cheryl Rogers, South Melbourne What can't you find? Um oh, his glasses.
She said there are another pair of them.
There are too many places Yeah, OK, OK.
(PEOPLE ARGUE) L-I can't find the missing glasses.
Cheryl.
Cheryl! Can you just leave her in here? I need a few minutes, OK? MAN: Betty! We're not leaving this place.
Peter Faithful, Major Crime.
Ragnar Bastin.
Sorry? Ragnar.
Estonian.
OK.
So what've you got? Not a lot.
Cleared the neighbours out and secured the scene.
He's off on another planet.
Right, just tell me what you know, OK? Were they in bed? Yes, and two crooks, masked up, one with a shooter Which one? Er, she said he was a skinny Come on, talk to me, talk to me.
What sort of gun? Er, she was vague, but a sawn-off shottie.
Did he cop one? No, no.
He always goes around with half his face hanging off.
Don't screw with me, Ragnar, OK? Just do your job.
Has he been shot? No.
He was probably kicked and pistol-whipped.
OK, talk to me about the other crook.
He carried a bar, a jemmy.
How'd they get away? The car.
The old bloke's.
The household car? Yes.
Loaded everything in and took off.
Have you given D24 a general broadcast? Yes.
Rego and description.
How long ago? Did I call them? Yep.
10, 15 minutes.
Any word? No.
Ring them again, OK? Use my name.
I want every available car.
And they should've swapped it over, OK, and done a changeover within 2-3 blocks, OK? You understand? Yeah.
So, um, it's your job then, is it? Yeah, well, I really would appreciate your help, Ragnar, OK? ROGERS: Please, Mrs Arthur! MAN: Oh, they're He's a stubborn old coot, isn't he? Yes.
My name's Peter Faithful.
I'm from the Major Crime Squad.
MAN: Oh! Oh! Betty! James! Where are your tablets? MAN: What tablets? It's his heart.
He gets pain.
(PANTS) Get the oxygen, Mike.
Sit back, please, Mr Arthur.
I want you to go with him.
Cheryl's doing that.
If he gives her something useful and hops off the twig, she's gonna end up in a Supreme Court witness box and that's a bloody Ionely place.
She needs the experience.
Hang on! I need you to have that experience.
I'd feel much happier with someone of your rank handling a top silk who's ripping into a dying deposition.
OK, but it's a shit job and this is a new bloody suit.
Thank you.
Constable.
He's coming with you.
No worries.
MAN ON RADIO: 307.
(AMBULANCE STARTS) (SIREN WAILS) (DOG BARKS) Now, that's more like it.
Nearly wiped out by an ambulance.
They're usually three hours gone.
Yeah, and 15 Mr Plods haven't walked all over your crime scene.
How many is it this time? Six.
I must admit, I think that's a record.
How did you get me here so quick? I put a call in on the way.
Before you'd even arrived? I'm shocked.
Lan Cochrane, forensic officer.
Thanks, sir.
Well, it stank of the same bastards and I wanna get their balls on toast.
OK.
So what's the score? SAUNDERS: Five? Come on, mate.
Yeah, well, I'll be there soon.
You should be bloody laughing.
Look, I'm still waiting.
Look, I've got forensic here.
I'm still waiting on fingerprints and photographics.
Listen, mate, we reckon Right.
And fingerprints? What, morning as in daylight? Come on, boss, they get on-call pay - surely they can bloody earn it.
Yeah.
Right.
Thanks.
Well, right now, mate They're on their way.
Nice cell phone.
And lots of books on collecting.
Wine, gemstones, Melanesian art, stamps.
Are they the sorts of things that were pinched? Look, I'm stuffed if I know.
Just thought I'd give you a clue.
Reckon you can give us a clue about the car, Goose? What car? They drove off in the old geezer's car.
Yellow Toyota Cressida, '78 model.
Still no word? Not a bloody peep.
Are we checking every lane or what? We got five mobiles on it.
They'll find it.
Substantial lock, but your short screws and softish wood add up to one bang! Had a bit of pracca, mate? Yeah, I'm getting a touch of deja vu.
So can we get a cast of that? We're gonna need it.
And the one of the jamb here could be even more interesting.
Is it the same as the other ag burgs? I said a touch of deja vu, Andrew, not a thunderbolt of sudden unearthly power.
I love it when he talks dirty, mate.
So they came through the backyard? Maybe.
OK, with a jemmy? Jemmy.
Kick.
OK.
So what about footprints? Yes, a whole gaggle.
What, a sneaker? Possibly.
So one of them was wearing sneakers? (CHUCKLES) He's doing it to me again.
When I know exactly who has walked along here tonight I'll use a very laborious process of elimination.
Alright, mate, just testing.
Oh, I'm gonna sic the dog on him.
What dog's that? That dog.
Has she got a bloody dog? Maybe it was the crooks'.
(GRUNTS) Could be a small wolf.
No, Pike's the gunsmith.
He owns the place.
It's the other head who could be the supplier.
He did what? When? Well, if he comes back and starts pulling guns out of the boot, do the bust, alright? I've gotta go.
Have you found it? No, there's dog food.
Still nothing on the Arthurs' car.
How far out? To four blocks.
Every lane, street.
OK.
It ain't there.
Fluff.
Yeah, mate.
Look, one thing about these crooks - they always rip off the household car.
They dump it within a couple of blocks, do a changeover.
Mate, listen.
I reckon their own car wouldn't start.
They've shot through in the old geezer's.
They're still driving around in the bloody thing.
Bloody oath, mate.
I agree.
Let's go for broke.
I'll take D24, media liaison.
Can you do taxis, watching companies? Good on ya.
We might have these bastards yet.
(SIRENS WAIL) (LIFT BELL PINGS) MAN: Righto.
Oh, OK.
I'll cross that one off.
But if there's anymore from the public that come through that, you know, sound likely, put them through to me, and I'll talk to them personally.
OK.
Thanks.
Cranks and night owls coming out of the woodwork.
Sorry to drag you out of bed.
Not a problem.
So where's everyone else? You're looking at them.
Well, who's gonna follow up the sightings? If there are any worthwhile, the uniform boys.
I can't rely on them.
We might get our first description.
We might get a fix on where they're at.
Now, I believe we need another crew.
No can do.
Look, they could still be out there driving around in the bloody thing.
Too many ifs and could-bes.
They probably just dumped it an extra block away.
We found a broken-down getaway car yet? Until then, I'm doing what I can.
So what did the DDI say? It's not up to him.
No, it's up to the senior sergeant to make a reasonable operational decision.
I don't care if you think I'm being unreasonable.
I'm not gonna pull in an off-duty crew on a long shot.
Well, the last bloke that sat in that chair would've.
Well, maybe that's why he was Shanghai'd.
Oh, and we wouldn't want that happening to you, now, would we? Just because you're carrying a load don't think you can get away with that sort of garbage with me.
(SHUTTER CLICKS) That's beautiful.
Beautiful.
And right next to his bed, with a very clear spray pattern on the wall behind.
My God, look at that.
Beautiful.
You are leading somewhere, I suppose, Goose, are you? No, just going under the bed.
There you go, Danny.
Couple of real close-ups, mate.
Oi, oi.
There's a section of carpet cut out.
God, I've never actually come across it before, but it feels like your classic case of keeping your money right under your bed.
Get in real close there, mate.
You going black and white or colour? (BARKS) Oi! Shit a brick! Who tore the bloody wings off it, mate? That's the wolf.
MAN: Calm down.
(WOMAN GROANS IN PANIC) We're just going to put you up on here.
Up we go.
Excuse me.
James Arthur? Ragnar.
So how is he? Stable.
They reckon Excuse me.
Full of pethidine.
What? Heart attack? No, no.
A tablet fixed him.
Something about his arteries getting hard.
Angina? Yeah, he's had it before.
I'll be with you in a moment, Mrs Arthur.
Has he said anything? Oh, yeah.
Yeah, "the damned animals", "I don't remember", and "leave me alone".
And who's that, the daughter? Yeah, Pamela Hansen.
Married.
Two kids.
Brighton.
Who rang her? The old lady.
When? Just before she rang us.
OK, look, I'm gonna need to talk to her alone.
Why? Her mother.
Has she been checked out? Yeah, she's fine.
They're not worried about shock? They weren't till she arrived.
WOMAN: I can't believe this.
Yeah, look, I'm gonna have to get them apart.
Er, can you keep this end going? Look, it's under control, Mrs Hansen.
Give it any minute.
I'm sorry, but do you know what they're doing? Doesn't anyone care what happens? It's alright, Mrs Hansen.
No, it's not alr Thanks.
he could have a fractured skull.
I mean, what about the X-rays? I'll find out what I can for you.
Mrs Hansen, is it? My name's Peter Faithful.
I'm from the Major Crime Squad.
We'll be handling this investigation.
Handling it, yeah.
Depending on what a doctor says, I'd like to take your mother home for a while.
If that's alright with you, Mrs Arthur? Home? Now, you mean? Well, as soon as possible.
Are you kidding? She's gotta stay here! Look, it's very important that we find out as much detail as we can as quickly as possible.
But I'll be left here by myself.
(TURNS OFF ENGINE) Oi, wake up.
ROGERS: Come on, Mrs Arthur, we'll find you some warmer clothes.
You right there? We'll go inside and get some of his things.
Then he'll have a talk to you.
Oh, the, er, Fingerprints are here, Sergeant.
Yeah.
You need some coffee.
Yeah, yeah.
I'll grab some.
I'll have some sent out.
Right.
Thanks.
(MACHINE CLICKS) Yes! That's a good print.
OK, er, we've still got a bit to do, so We'll be careful.
What did he say? He's from Fingerprints.
Make sure you do the lounge room real good, OK? They went berserk in there.
They both had gloves on.
Does that make a difference? Er, yes, yes, they could still leave a type of print, though.
That's what that was.
From a glove? Yes.
Pigskin, I'd say.
Betty, um were they both wearing the same kind? Yes, they looked the same.
Betty, what colour? Black, I think.
What type? They were like James keeps a pair in the car.
For driving? Yes.
He suffers terribly from chilblains.
They hardly cover He, er I tried to get him into woollen gloves, but he just refused to take any notice of me.
And he just OK, OK.
Thanks for that.
You're being a real help to us.
Well, I'll just let you get dressed now, OK? You're quite right.
Stubborn as an old coot.
(MACHINE WHIRRS LOUDLY) What's that? Jesus, mate, you could've taken your bloody throat out.
Nearly did once.
Ruined a brand-new jumper.
Goose, are you gonna be long? Why? I got a victim in here hanging by a thread.
Oh, right.
I can lever the rest out.
So how'd you go with the cast.
Too jagged for Imprasil.
Don't invite him out for a house-warming, mate.
When in doubt, demolish.
Good on you.
OK, Jack.
So you're doing really good.
Er, what was in there? BETTY: The New Guinea things.
Drums and masks.
"Doing really well.
" Eh? I was a teacher.
I'm doing really well, not "real good".
Grammar.
I never was too well at that.
(CHUCKLES) It's alright.
It's OK.
I'm sorry.
I want to do what I can.
I know it's important to you.
And we appreciate it.
(PHONE RINGS) What value would you put on these items? Is that Pam? I don't know.
What value, please, Mrs Arthur? James is the one to ask about that.
I could only make a guess.
Of? $6,000.
I can't get over the walls.
All the paintings.
OK, we're almost there.
Is there anything else that you can think of? I don't think we're supposed to have them anymore.
It's terribly cruel.
But but they're quite old.
What are? Feathers.
Feathers? Birds of paradise.
How many? 20 or 30.
Just feathers, or? Oh, they were attached to the bits of their bodies.
Don't ask me their value.
I don't know.
OK, we'll just leave it there for a minute.
Mrs Arthur, I'd now like to go into the bedroom.
But if you can just excuse me for a few minutes.
Sergeant.
Do you think we should have another cup of tea first? Do you wanna swap with the conny out the front? Sorry.
Just watch where she walks.
(SIGHS) Mate, that was Moony.
The household car's been found.
All they stuff they've pinched - gone.
No trace of it.
Where was it? Out the back of bloody Cranbourne somewhere.
Middle of nowhere.
Local farmer came across it.
Did he see anyone? Nah.
We could've had them.
Mate, they got lucky.
Bullshit! We stuffed up.
Someone drove out there and and helped them out, mate.
Moony should've given me the crew when I asked for it.
Well, the way things panned out, it wouldn't have made much difference, mate.
But it could've if he wasn't such a weak prick.
That's a bit rough when you haven't got an inspector to carry the can for him.
Mate, whose side are you on? I'm the Ione voice of reason in a quagmire of political sewerage, mate.
You are a bloody wanker.
Oh, yeah.
That too.
Some of it was my mother's.
Some from her mother.
FAITHFUL: OK, you're doing real good.
The section of floorboard under Mr Arthur's bed? He took a big chunk out of his finger making that.
What was in it? I suppose we were silly.
If you wouldn't mind just answering me directly.
What was in it? Money.
It was for Pam.
(PHONE RINGS) In case something happened to us.
She'd have it there for probate.
How much? $10,000.
Did Pam know about it? Yes.
Anyone else? No.
It was our little secret.
Would Pam's husband know about it? Well, yes, Tony knew, of course.
But no-one else.
No-one else.
No.
(KNOCK AT DOOR) (WHISPERS) So these must be the grandkids.
He looks like a Jason.
He's a Bobby.
(LAUGHS GENTLY) And Melissa? Rebecca.
(LAUGHS) Not even close.
I bet you they're cheeky young buggers.
Wouldn't use that word myself.
Yes, they can be that at times.
Sorry.
Are you married, Mr Peter.
Peter.
And I'm Betty.
Mrs Arthur reminds me of teaching.
Makes me feel too old, I'm afraid.
You're married, Peter? Yes, er, my wife's in the job.
In the job? Er, sorry, the, um, the police force.
And children? Er, no.
But you're trying, I hope.
Well, we're thinking about it.
(KNOCK AT DOOR) Can you excuse me? WOMAN: Sorry to disturb you, Sergeant.
I thought you should know.
It's the hospital.
The daughter? Yes.
She wants to speak to her.
(SIGHS) What did she say? Well, the X-rays were OK, there's no fractures and they're stitching him up.
So he's OK.
No drama.
No.
Alright, just tell her that her mother's fine and she can ring back in half an hour.
Right.
But she'll wanna speak to her.
Well, she can wait.
The senior's out the front, Sergeant.
He took over from me.
Right.
Is everything alright? That was just a quick call from the hospital to say that nothing's broken and, er, that he's resting comfortably.
Take a seat? Mrs Arthur Betty.
I know this is easy for me to say this.
But I wanna take you back now a few hours.
So can you tell me what time you went to, er went to bed? I was in by 10:30.
And James? A bit after that.
So what time did you go to sleep? Before 11, I think.
But you'd be better asking James about times and things like that.
OK.
I'll do that.
But right now I just want your side of things.
So you went to sleep.
And you woke up.
I didn't look at the clock.
It must've been after midnight.
What woke you up? The light.
The main light.
And the shouting - terrible shouting.
What did you see? James was sitting up.
He was waving a magazine at someone.
And his nose started bleeding.
And they were punching him in the face, over and over.
Who was punching him? The skinny one with the gun.
What did you do then? I got my legs out.
And the other one, he was shorter, smaller, he pointed at me.
Was he holding anything? Yes.
He had an iron bar thing.
An iron bar? Yes.
I thought he was going to hit me.
Did he say anything? He told me to stay on the bed.
He screamed it.
His mask was sucking into his mouth.
Can you describe the mask? Wool.
Black wool.
With holes.
With holes for eyes? Yes.
What colour were his eyes? Blue.
Icy.
What did he say to you exactly? Told me to he said stay on the bed He swore.
OK, he said, "Stay on the" On the fucking bed.
OK.
That's OK.
And James said, "Would you mind your language, please? "There's a lady present.
" (STUTTERS) Keep going, Betty.
Keep going.
And the one with the gun smashed it right up against his face and broke his glasses poked the barrel through the frame, into his eye and s-said, "Do you want me to lick the brains off the wall, Charlie?" (SOBS) I'm sorry.
I can't.
I'm sorry.
(YAWNS) Morning, sir! Bloody funny.
(CHUCKLES) (LAUGHS) Gotcha.
So the firearms and the ag burgs are still with Peter's crew.
Yes, I've had to keep them doubled up.
Well, I can't argue manning levels in here are not what they used to be.
Shake-ups have a habit of depleting the ranks.
Sir, is there any word on the vacancy? What vacancy? Our inspector.
Oh, it'll be filled.
It's not hurting you operationally, is it, going to Armed Robbery? No.
No, no.
It's just a query.
Have a look at what you've got.
Your priority are these burgs.
Press are gonna start barking.
I need something for them.
Are you like a lizard drinking, Darbs? I need something fast.
Ag burgs.
Same crooks as last time? Yeah, local van recovered a stolen vehicle a couple of blocks away from the Arthurs'.
Flat battery, so it must've been them.
Oh, good one.
Hey, what's Wally doing here? He's letting our loveable senior sergeant kiss his arse.
Jungle drums were right.
What, about Moon? Yeah, he was pushed in here by the braid.
Where'd that come from? Mandy Clark, one of the secretaries upstairs.
She heard Hold on.
G'day.
How's it going? Number four, you reckon? Oh, it's looking that way, sir.
And the old bloke nearly crossed the River Jordan? He had one foot on the boat, but he decided to stay on dry land.
Go on.
Wally told the AC that Moon didn't want the job, was happy to stay with the SOG-ies.
So why didn't he tell him to stick it? (LAUGHS) No, that's what you would've done.
Eh? "No, thank you, sir.
That order doesn't suit me.
"Can I have another one, please?" (LAUGHS) Please.
Sorry to hear they pulled you off the OP last night.
SAUNDERS: Wrong place, wrong time, mate.
Yeah, you owe me one, Noddy.
Yeah, well, now we're even.
One good thing - got a bit of a make on the car.
A Trevor Ray Colter.
Yeah, five priors for possess firearms.
This morning at peak hour.
So we were right.
He was supplying the guns.
Looks that way.
If you want us to keep on it, I can No.
No need for that.
I've been on the phone to Roberts.
I'm flicking it over to them.
Now, hang on a second.
That's gonna make us look like we sit down to piss.
You've all been trying to do too many jobs.
It's not working.
Well, maybe it would if we got some token support from upstairs.
I want you full-time on the ag burgs.
You show me everything you've got.
GOOSE: This is part of the cast of the door jamb from the Camberwell job.
And this is a bit of the actual jamb I took from the Arthurs.
I can' tell anything.
No.
No, you can't till I Increase magnifica fiddle with the focus So the jemmy that did that and the jemmy that left that were similar.
That's good - you didn't say 'identical'.
I've just been talking to Mark.
His, er, glove print was similar to the one they found in Elsternwick.
(YAWNS) Same sort of thing, yeah - good, but equivocal.
Not like fingerprints.
Well, at least the, er, jury will have something to look at.
They love this sort of stuff.
(YAWNS) Excuse me.
Jesus, 16 hours.
I should be home in bed.
Er, what about the blood? All O-positive, same as the old bloke.
Er, all his, you reckon? Well, judging from the various trails and patterns, I doubt he even lifted a finger.
You're not cheering me up, Goose.
Uh-huh.
I'll try these on you, then.
Nice, juicy glossies of the, er, footprints.
Er that's the sneaker.
Don't ask me what sort yet.
There are scores of them.
New? Old? Newer than older.
Er, different from the ones that we found Elsternwick Brighton.
Brighton, you're right.
but the size is consistent.
Seven or eight.
Mr Short.
Mr Short.
And these are, er, Mr Skinny's.
It's a work boot.
Or hiking.
I've come across them before - when I trained with the SOG-ies, actually.
What we learn.
Cause to laugh about that.
Blundstones.
Made in Tasmania, believe it or not.
Well, a new pair, you reckon? Well, judging from the clear edges, yeah.
I'd say so.
Well, they should be able to afford it.
They're well up past the, er, half a million bucks stage.
Gee! Adds up.
Er, anything else? Um, the substrate they walked inside could be interesting.
But I'II I'll need a few days.
See you tomorrow.
Don't you ever sleep? BETTY: "When I heard the car leave, I was still too afraid to move.
"But after a few minutes, I went into the living room "and found my husband crawling on the floor "with his face covered in blood.
OK, and the, er, the next bit.
"I did not give these people permission to come into my house "or to" It can't be "into our home"? No, this is what you're saying.
So it's better if it's not, the statement.
Alright.
"into my house, or to steal the things from my house.
" OK, if you can just, er, sign it there.
Here? Yep.
It's like teaching.
So much red tape.
OK, if you can just read out the next bit before you sign it.
And, er, then I'll get all this typed up properly.
And then I'll want you to sign that too, OK? Nothing is going to be the same, is it? No.
No, it's not.
Darby.
Oh, yes, er, local collated Neighbourhood Watch.
Couple of possible sightings last night.
Er, the crooks on their way to the house from the van.
I should know more tomorrow.
The gear they wear? Whole heap of outlets for the boots and the gloves.
Sneakers are a joke.
Yeah.
OK, leave that for the moment.
Er, Docket, join up with Property on tracing the collections.
But that's art.
Docket wouldn't know the difference between a McCubbin and a Namatjira.
I hate Jap paintings.
Can I have a word? Yeah, one second.
Darby, a few more things to go through.
Oh, sorry, Sarge, I have just knocked off.
Oh, it'll only take 10 minutes.
I'm late for the babysitter.
Yeah, well, chuck her a few more dollars.
Oh, they're gonna pay me overtime, are they? No.
No chance of that.
Then where are all these extra dollars? OK.
Alright.
Will I see you tomorrow? Do we have to keep having this conversation? Mate, I have another life out there Alright! and it won't just go away.
So, you wanna start shaking the tree.
Well, there's not enough coming through.
It's time to show the flare.
I prefer to keep the hammer in the cupboard.
It's just a couple of pub walk-throughs.
Can't justify it upstairs unless I've got something specific.
One of Fluff's informants was down at the Royal Crest Hotel at Port Melbourne.
He heard that someone was trying to push some feathers there at lunchtime.
What, bird of paradise? Well, he didn't know.
He didn't wanna tip his hand.
Feathers.
It's gonna sound great.
Listen, some real shipmen drink there.
I'll light up the locals.
Oh, well, I'm not doing anything.
I might tag along.
Er, no need for that.
I need the air.
Why have a dog and bark yourself, eh? Ex SOG-ie.
Old habits die hard.
(SIGHS) What's the problem? You reckon I'm gonna stuff it up? No, I've got full confidence in you, Boomer and all the crew.
Yeah, and we realise that you are under certain pressures and that there are some things that we needn't bother you with.
Alright.
That's the way it might've been.
But I like to do things a little bit differently.
Right.
(PUB CHATTER) You know what I did then? I picked up the chisel, told him to back off.
Yeah, yeah.
I bet you did.
I did.
Bullshit.
Then I chucked it away and ran as fast as I could.
Yeah, that'd be right.
Oh, shit.
Got a gun here.
Stand up.
Funny place to keep that.
Do I know you? Nope.
I do now.
Name.
I don't have to tell you that unless I'm in a car.
(SCOFFS) A bit thick.
What do you reckon, Swampy? Tell him your name.
What for? Because if you don't, I'm gonna shit on you from a great height.
So where's the licence for the pistol you just dropped? It's not mine! Whose is it then? I don't know.
Mate, you were standing right next to him.
It's got nothing to do with me, Mr Faithful.
I've got eyes, Swampy.
Your word against mine.
Oh, you reckon? That'd be right.
Your lot will see it if you tell them.
Possess pistol.
You're knocked.
You had that transplant yet, Harry? No, I went under the light, Mr Moon.
Fair dinkum.
You're not here.
Yeah, no.
Right.
Harry Collins, Andrew Saunders.
SAUNDERS: How you going? Harry's the publican.
Come across Harry in Armed Robbery.
But those days are long gone, eh, Harry? What do you want? Andrew's on those oldies ag burgs.
Yeah.
Me old man's just up the road.
Why don't you tell him? Going quiet, are you? What are you doing? Magic words, Harry - Liquor Licensing Commission.
Do you reckon they'd be interested in those docket heads you've got in there, half of them drunk and disorderly? Throwing handguns into ashtrays What are you saying? I happen to know you've got a couple of black marks against your name already for underage drinking.
Number three, you lose your licence.
Do you want me to arrange that? You bastard.
Why? Well, it's up to you.
Still, I suppose assistant manager of your own pub's not all that bad, is it? I haven't heard nothing.
That's the truth.
Feathers, Harry.
Today.
Someone tried to flog them.
Feathers.
Are you joking? Who was it? I don't know.
Look, keep me out of it.
You can keep yourself out of it if you're discreet.
Did you want them for your old lady? She's dead.
Oh, I didn't know.
But I still want that name, Harry.
You give me a call when you've got it and we never had this conversation, OK? Shit.
Right.
Well, I suppose we'd better get you back inside.
You make sure you kick and scream.
We wouldn't want you to lose those valued customers, would we? It's flamin' blackmail! No, mate.
It's more like flamin' smart business practice.
GOOSE: The footprints in the garden by the back fence - they didn't even have the decency to leave any clothing fibres on it, by the way.
Thoughtless pricks.
So, what, they walked into the house was a substrate that probably came from the backyard? A sandy loam/mountain soil mixture.
Which tells us what? Well, basically, absolutely nothing.
But Well, I'm glad there's a but.
Yeah, the good old Tassie Blundies are excellent at trapping large chunks of dirt down in the valleys of the sole patterns.
And unless you attack it with a stick, it can stay in there for days, weeks.
You see that? But you said his pair was new, mate.
Well, not as new as I thought.
Er, exhibit 27.
I call them 'chunks of Blundsoil'.
Their patterns coincide with the boot.
And there were three of them near the back door.
Which probably came out when he kicked it.
Yeah, well, I wouldn't argue with that.
And, er, one on the floor in front of the passenger seat of the Arthurs' car.
But the the interesting thing is the bits are quite dry and hard around the edges.
They'd been trapped in there for some time.
Matter of days at least.
So they didn't come from the Arthurs'? Right.
So where did they come from? Well, as far as I can tell so far, all from the same place.
There's a general consistency there between them.
Yes, and? And the type of soil it might be is what I'm working on.
Now, it might even be diatomaceous.
There are diatoms galore.
The, um, silicified frustules, actually, of tiny little aquatic plants.
Look at that.
And their radial symmetry is extraordinary.
Goose, is this gonna tell us where the bastard lives? Aha, that's the big question.
Well, has it got an answer? Well, the X-ray defractor's having a nervous breakdown trying to tell me all the other minerals and globs of organics that are in it, but the soil types around this part of the world are fairly well documented.
Is that a yes or a no? It's a definite maybe.
With a warning codicil.
Don't hold your breath.
Well, they don't like changing their routines.
Household cars are always found with the front seat pushed right forward and the mirrors adjusted for Mr Short.
And he always stays with the wife? Yeah.
While the other one makes all the threats about don't ring the bloody coppers.
And this time viciously bashes the husband.
Yeah.
Well, Mr Skinny's the dominant one, but is he the brains? Good morning, sweetheart.
BOTH: Don't call me sweetheart.
Jeez, it turns me on when you smile, Darbs, I'll tell you.
Well, I shall have to start smiling then, won't I? Hey, where's Moon? Er, went out, mate.
Yeah.
Where? Dunno.
Well, did he leave a message? Mate, why don't you give the bloke half a break? Mm-hm.
Peter, Fluff.
Listen to this.
He was half alright at the pub last night, mate.
Mr Skinny, Middle Park - "Lick your brains off the wall.
" At Brighton, "Blow your head off and shit down your neck.
" Old-fashioned romantic, eh? Well, he's graphic, but when it comes to culture, he's worse than Docket.
"Jesus, what a mess.
" Now, he said that about a fair dinkum Picasso in Camberwell.
Lot of people would agree with him, mate.
And (CHUCKLES) And the Chinese jade figurines in Elsternwick - shoved those down his pants and made bad haemorrhoid jokes.
Maybe it is Docket.
I don't think this guy's in any danger of becoming a potential Einstein.
See, they're both as thick as house bricks, but they've managed to pull off four good jobs.
Just doesn't add up.
Look, it's gotta be in there, Darbs.
We'll find it.
You know what I reckon, mate? I reckon our crook wanted to be a neurologist, wasn't tall enough, ends up a bloody gynaecologist.
(MUTTERS) What's the mail? Borrowed these from the museum.
What are they, bird of paradise? Are many types, yes.
And Mrs Arthur was right, they are an illegal import.
Quite rare.
Unlike these - beautiful, but common.
Male peacocks.
We got them from Des Kirk.
Sit down.
Do you know him? No.
Desmond Wendell Kirk? Well, he's the bloke that Fluff's gig saw in the pub yesterday trying to flog a box of them that the crooks don't need for their lovely ladies.
Then we'll go back there tonight, kick them over, see what we come up with.
No.
What? No, you won't.
I don't know how to make it any plainer than that.
What's this? It's the brief for last night's possessed pistol.
(SIGHS) You've got me down here as a witness.
Did I see this? Well, you were there.
I need you for corroboration.
Well, you were masking me.
I couldn't tell whether it was Swampy or the young punk.
You were standing right behind me.
That doesn't give me X-ray vision.
Look, I'm only asking you to say what happened.
No way - it's alright for you to suggest what I saw, but you don't go making my mind up.
That's not the OK.
Fine.
SAUNDERS: If you blokes had a bloody Melways you'd still be I'll get back to you.
Hey, Noddy.
Nod! Where are you off to? I'm gonna go see Wallace.
Jesus, mate.
Don't do it.
What's the problem? Well, sir, I basically need to talk to you about what's happening downstairs.
I keep hitting a wall of frustration.
I'm being hampered.
I can't get things done.
What do you mean? Every time I ask for something, he turns me down flat.
Well, when you say 'he'? The new senior sergeant.
Look, he is supposed to look out for us, keep us going, not stuff us up just for the sake of it.
Now, with respect, sir, I don't think that he understands the way that we operate.
Now, going by the book may be OK for the SOG.
But for Major Crime, you know just as well as I it doesn't operate that way.
Don't tell me what I think, Peter.
I might start reminding you how far out of line you are.
I realise that, sir, but I don't have an inspector.
I didn't have a lot of choice.
The only thing I can say is Senior Sergeant Moon is doing his job.
Look, but is he right for it? I'm not saying that he's a bad I know what you're saying, but I'm telling you he's doing the job he was told to do.
Told to do? If you'd stopped to think, you might've wondered whether he was simply working on instructions from higher up.
But that would go against everything that we've been set up for.
Times change, Peter.
Pull the blinkers off.
MOON: Harry.
SAUNDERS: I've got it here, black and white, right in front of me, right? MOON: Yeah, that was good, but, er peacock (BUS Y OFFICE CHATTER) Yeah.
No, that'd be good.
If you hear anything else, give us a call.
Right.
Thanks.
Was that Wallace? No.
Why? I've just been to see him.
What, about me? I had a bitch.
He set you straight? Well, I didn't realise it was them.
I thought it was you.
Might've just lit a bomb, right? It was already burning, but you couldn't see it.
Now you've reinforced all their worries.
This squad doesn't know when to pull its head in and toe the new party line.
Well, we always used to say, "We're only as good as the complaints against us.
" Not any more.
Have you ever paused to consider why it is we have so much strife getting a warrant? Why the IID comes in after every search? (SIGHS) OK, when you're up to your neck in shit, you keep your mouth shut, head down, arse up.
You understand? Oh, yeah.
It's starting to get through.
You'll be right.
Some-somebody will be there.
OK.
Mate, that was Mrs Arthur.
We got problems.
Is this the victim? Yeah, I'm the victim.
Does anyone care about me? So what happened? I'm here to read their gas meter.
And the old guy springs out from behind a bush and, er, and threatens me with this edging thing - er, hoe, whatever.
Has the constable explained to you what happened here the other night? Yeah.
Read all about that.
But that doesn't give anybody Would you mind just waiting here for a few minutes? That doesn't give anybody the right to scare hell out of me.
I want him charged with assault! Just explain it all to him again, OK? But this time in detail.
So where is he? I'll be in the kitchen.
Mum wants to speak to you first.
How are you, Betty? I found it in here when I was cleaning up.
Until yesterday it was in the garage, covered in rust.
It's his old navy gun.
Permit ran out years ago.
It's supposed to have been fixed so that it didn't fire.
But perhaps It's still got the firing pin.
I'm afraid, Peter.
I'm afraid he's going to end up shooting someone.
Sergeant.
Look, I, er, I think it's better if I talk to him myself.
(SIGHS) Mate, this is not gonna help your gas bill.
Pam and Betty were worried.
Have you renewed the permit on this? No.
Then I'll have to take it with me.
I'll give you a receipt.
You thought it was them again, didn't you? Look, I'll tell you what.
It would've been a lot worse if you had've tried to jack 'em up.
Look, I know that sounds piss-weak, but you just don't argue with a shotgun.
I would've done the same thing myself.
I did nothing.
I went through a whole war and when it really mattered I froze.
There was nothing Do you know why he started hitting me? He told me to get up.
And when I kept staring at him, he thought I was being defiant.
Don't you see? It's not what I should've done or shouldn't have done.
It's what I wanted to do.
I wanted to get out of bed and stand up to them.
To hell with the consequences.
I wanted to defend my wife.
SAUNDERS: Well, it's like you said, digger.
All those grief and trauma counsellors swarming all over Mr Arthur.
What are they gonna come up with, eh? Black bloody hole, that's what.
Fluff, you're a born optimist.
Victims are forever, pal.
What do we know? We know these two are puppets.
Yeah, I reckon.
And they can't see it till they start drawing blood.
But they know what they're looking for.
(PHONE RINGS) Third party pulling the strings, mate.
Well, they didn't just whack a pin in a phone book.
Saunders.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
(LAUGHS) Thank you very much.
(CHUCKLES) Jesus, mate.
Well, our friends in the Armed Robbery Squad have just knocked over our two gun-runners, mate.
Both signed, sealed and de-bloody-livered.
You're kidding.
No.
Mate, we do all the work, they get all the elephant stamps.
(BOTH LAUGH)
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