The Bletchley Circle s02e04 Episode Script
Uncustomed Goods (Part 2)
Not the Alice from the newspapers? Eryes.
I'm afraid our agency will be unable to find a suitable position.
I was found innocent.
Yes, but you WERE in prison.
How is Lizzie's training going? She's found a place.
You'll never guess where? Bletchley.
No! There's a teacher training college there now.
Next to the old huts.
Now then, these nylons.
Don't worry, Jasper.
I'm tell them silk is saucy.
Men prefer it.
That's why you're front of house.
Aarrgghh! Come here, Ellie.
Where is this place? What street is this? Are we north or south? One of you is stealing from me? Which one? Those files that you showed me about all those arrests.
Some cases had this funny foreign name.
It waserm Mag or Magros.
I feel you can do well.
I'm sure I can do rather better.
Very well.
If I should need to see you again, do I come here? Where are we, by the way.
Not here, sweetheart.
There is a Greek restaurant on Stovington Road.
It isn't just ciggies and perfume and nylons.
There are people.
What people? Girls.
Jasper! It's me! (MUSIC IN BACKGROUND) Oh, Jasper.
(SOBS) He was bluffing.
He always thought he could bluff his way out of anything.
I met him playing cards in the war and he was bluffing then.
And he lost.
It's all right.
It's not all right.
It's really not.
What did you tell the police? Where the body is.
What was done to him.
Did you tell them who did it? Yes.
They can take it from here.
All the black market stuff in the lockup - they can tie that back to the Magros easily enough.
Did you tell them about Marta's restaurant? I told them everything.
You don't have to worry any more.
They will go to jail for this.
II don't want to go home.
You can stay with me.
Er Dancing again? What is it? Millie's going to be staying with us for a bit.
Right.
We can make space on the floor.
Use my mattress.
You don't have to.
Don't argue.
What's wrong? Nothing.
Just a long night, that's all.
How's erm How's teacher training going? All right.
I'm gonna make some tea.
They're the same age.
Elishka.
Lizzie.
What? They could be sisters.
(APPROACHING FOOTSTEPS) You look tired.
Yeah, not much of a night.
What happened? Oh, a tip-off about a murder.
You'd be interested.
It was supposed to be that lot you were asking about, the Magros.
"Supposed to be"? Yeah, it was all bollerrubbish.
Nothing there.
I don't understand.
What wasn't there? Anything.
Supposed to be a body, lots of contraband, I don't know, the lost treasures of King Solomon's mines.
Turns out there was nothing.
A wild-goose chase.
ALICE: It smells like hospitals.
Bleach.
Someone's washed this place down.
Disinfected it.
How did they know? Were they following us? They didn't need to be following us.
What happened, exactly? We found a crime scene.
We called the police.
The crime scene got erased.
It's either coincidence or it's cause and effect.
I don't know what that's supposed to mean.
This is Scotland Yard we're talking about.
All those files.
What about them? Why didn't I see it? They've been arrested dozens of times.
We read the files.
They've been arrested here, there.
But never charged, never imprisoned.
Every single time, they've got off scott free.
Well We're trying to catch criminals all over London, all over England.
Some are bound to get lucky.
No-one's that lucky.
Not all the time.
Lucy, you've got to face it.
Someone is helping them.
And that someone is a police officer.
Nice work on the Grant case.
Thanks, guv.
Oh.
And that other thing you asked me to handle? It's all dealt with.
I hope you were discreet.
Of course, guv.
Can you dig me out the case files on the Grant robbery? I've got to do my homework for the court appearance.
Of course.
Something up? No.
What is it? Are you all right? Yeah.
I'm fine.
Good.
Cos I was thinkingthis weekend there's a dance on at the Vic.
Do you fancy going with me? Sorry.
I'm busy this weekend.
I'll get you those files.
All right.
I'm off back to Bletchley.
See you at the end of the week.
Sorry we haven't had time together.
With Millie staying.
It's all right.
Here.
No, don't be daft.
You can't afford it.
You need some money.
I'm fine.
Really.
Put it away.
Any job interviews this week? Yes, definitely.
Fingers crossed.
Fingers crossed.
(LOW CONVERSATION) If we can't trust the police, where does that leave us? Marta can do what she pleases.
Trading cigarettes, alcohol.
Selling girls.
Even murder.
Poor Jasper.
It's too late for him, but it is not too late for us to help those women.
Even if we find the hotel they're in it's no good, because we can't call the police.
She must have started small.
Before the girls, before all of this.
It was just cigarettes and booze.
It's gonna be the first time she gets into a scrape with the police, smuggling goods.
It comes under the jurisdiction of the Vice Squad.
That's where her friends are.
The Vice Squad know everything that's happening in Scotland Yard They're not the only ones that are interested.
What do you mean? It's Customs and Excise.
Like Al Capone.
No-one could catch him for gun-running or whisky smuggling.
So they arrested him for tax evasion.
So we tip off Customs.
They go looking for black-market cigarettes.
When they find them, they find the women as well.
We need to tell them there's a shipment of illegal goods coming in tonight.
Time, date, place.
How do we do that? The only address we have is the restaurant.
You could search it all week and not find anything.
Marta is too careful.
But she took you to the hotel.
I was a problem and she wanted privacy.
You were a problem and then you were an opportunity.
Why don't we give her another opportunity? An even bigger one.
What else can you tell me about her? Not much.
They're all Maltese.
Family probably.
Lazzru's a nasty piece of work.
He seems fairly close to her.
I don't think she lets outsiders in to positions of trust, unless she wants to do business with them.
Mm.
When Malta was put to siege in the war, a lot of families were decimated.
The Luftwaffe flew over three thousand raids against that island.
They tried to bomb them out, then they tried to starve them out.
With no luck.
They're a hard lot, believe me.
We're gonna have to be damned convincing.
This should help.
Are you sure? It's blood money.
I'm never gonna spend it.
Might as well put it to good use.
Jean, are you sure you're up to this? I wasn't always a librarian, you know.
(EXHALES HEAVILY) She thinks she's in business with you.
We've got money.
If we're confident, this should work.
And the moment she takes us to that hotel to do the deal, we've got her.
Dutch courage? Just a nip, then.
Cheers.
Ooh! Ah.
Will I do? What is this? This is my friend Jean, and Lucy, who works for her.
Jean's based up north, but she's often down in London and is always a good customer of mine.
She wants to place a rather large order.
I thought you might like to talk to her about it directly.
This lady's whist drive wishes to club together.
(SCOFFS) This is none of my concern.
Well, perhaps it should be.
Do you mind? I like what Millie is able to provide.
But I'd like more of it.
Considerably more.
And it seems to me thata large order should qualify for some degree of a discount, wouldn't you agree? I have no idea who you are or what you are talking about.
Speak plainly.
Six cases of Disque Bleu Gauloises and four of the du Maurier in the red box.
Ten cases? That's 5,000 packets.
I know, dear.
I've done the sums.
And what are you going to do with 5,000 packs of cigarettes? My whist drive are enthusiastic smokers.
Don't play games with me.
What are they for? My late husband was a ship's purser.
The Navy needs cigarettes, and I still have a lot of friends.
I'd prefer Senior Service if you can get them but Millie led me to understand that you deal more with the continental brands.
Ten cases, eh? Would be worth, let's say .
.
20% discount.
Oh, no.
Let's not say.
Well, I'll go and look elsewhere.
You'll find nothing, not in London.
Ten per cent.
And the money down.
Ten per cent.
And half the money down.
Half on delivery.
Do we have an agreement? What happened to your leg? I was shot.
(LAUGHS) You got shot.
You're a liar.
Why would I trust a liar? Soshall we go somewhere more private, and make this deal? There is no need to go anywhere.
We can make your deal right here.
The matter is dealt with.
Well, don't you want to discuss details? What details? It's cash for goods.
It's very simple.
And when can I expect this order to be fulfilled? You won't have to wait long.
We're finished.
250 quid for nothing at all.
Not nothing - I saw the ledger.
ALICE: Anything about shipments or hotels? MILLIE: A list of goods but no times or places.
That's everything copied out.
Are you sure you remembered it right? So what do we have? Era page of figures.
Nothing useful to take to Customs.
Justnotes about products here.
In Maltese? Yes, but that's easy.
Maltese is just Sicilian with some Semitic Aramaic thrown in.
But thisthis page is different.
It's coded.
Yeah, has to be.
No wonder she didn't mind us looking.
We need times, dates, shipments.
But surely you can crack it, can't you? It's not easy.
I can't see any recurring letter groups so it's not a simple substitution.
I think it's a cypher, a key-code or a book code.
I'm not sure yet.
If it's a cypher we can crack it by analysis.
How long will that take, by hand, in a language we don't speak well? It could take days.
Days we don't have.
I can stay for a while, but I have work tomorrow.
Maybe try to get a peek at the police files again.
Any hint of where the hotel is.
If we can just tell Customs where to look LUCY: I'll try.
Well, ladies, let's get cracking.
Hope we get lucky.
Thought I might find you in here.
Sorry.
What for? I've got to go.
I've got too much to do.
What's up? Ever since - me taking you out, it's like I'm contagious.
My table manners not up to scratch? Oh, come on, Lucy-loo, what's bothering you? It's nothing.
Sorry.
(LOCK TURNS) It's gonna sound stupid.
Looking at these feels awfully familiar.
Mechanical encryption? I said it was stupid.
Why? She wants to make certain no-one else knows what's in the ledger.
What better way than a mechanical encryption? But Marta would have had to get her hands on an actual machine.
A Type X or a German Enigma.
And she'd have to know how to use one.
There were two intercept stations at Malta.
They had staff, they would have been trained, just like you were.
They always recruited the clever ones.
If it's a machine encryption you won't crack it by hand in 10,000 years.
We can't let this beat us.
Not this.
All we need is a Type X.
Jean, isn't there someone at SOE you can ask? I don't have clearance.
In any case, I wouldn't know who to ask.
I know where there might be some Type Xs.
But if they are still there, they're not gonna be in great condition.
Bletchley? We're gonna need the key-code system for Malta.
I can't remember any of them.
Lucy worked on the North Africa desk for three months.
Elishka, darling.
Come in, please.
Stand here, please.
Elishka is 19.
Very pretty, as you can see.
Very hard-working.
She's a good girl, aren't you? She has a sister two years younger, arriving shortly.
I'm happy to do a deal for both together or individually.
These men might offer you a job in their hotels.
Would you like that? (BIRDS CHIRRUPING) It's lovely to see you but you didn't have to come up and do this.
Got to make up for crowding you out of your own home.
You can stay any time, Millie, as long as there's cake at the end! Isn't that that girl who? (WHISPERED CONVERSATION) Take a picture, why don't you? It'll last longer! It's fine.
Lizzie, please, it's all right She's just coming over.
She weren't guilty.
She didn't do nowt.
You remember that.
It's all right.
People stare sometimes.
I'mused to it.
Soshall we make a decision? Everybody likes you.
Then shall we say another 50? And the sister? If she's the same quality.
Then we have an agreement.
Tommy here will look after you.
You better be worth it.
Oh, I can assure you she is.
Every bit.
Have you ever been to Glasgow? Of course she hasn't been to Glasgow, she's completely new here.
Completely new.
Perfect.
I think that used to be a library.
It's Post Office training in there nowadays.
Oh, and down that way there are lots of little tin huts, all boarded up.
No idea what they're supposed to be for.
Gardeners, perhaps.
(BELL RINGS) That's me, I'm afraid.
You go.
We can see ourselves out.
Thanks for coming.
And for the cake.
Really.
Well, it was worth coming just for that, if nothing else.
Is Branka come? Your sister? She'll be here very soon, don't worry.
If she's as pretty as you are, Tommy will let her come and work with you.
You would like that, wouldn't you? Thank you.
You can travel up there together.
(KEYS JANGLE) Hana, sweetheart.
Come with me, please.
(SOBS) Good night.
All right.
Come on.
Come on, Luce.
We used to keep them down here.
This way.
(SWITCH CLICKS) Oh! We still have the Type Xs down here.
Wait a minute.
Got one.
That's a German Enigma, isn't it? I've never actually seen one.
We captured the first one in 1943, then plenty more before the end of the war.
I helped mend some of them.
That's it.
No Type Xs.
But that's fine, we can use this.
Surely it won't work? No, but let's see if we can change that.
Come on, you can do it.
You're talking to the machine again.
They like to be talked to.
(GASPS) Good girl.
That's it.
Not at all bad for two hours' work.
So, let's try this code of yours.
I've been looking through the pages.
P175 - it's standard notation.
P for Phoenix system code.
And 175? 17th of May, I'm hoping.
The day setting.
We still need the six-character key code Marta used to set the system.
Nothing.
Lazzru.
Try Lazzru.
L-A-Z-Z-R-U.
It's still not right.
(SIGHS) The two intercept stations in Malta were Dingli and Salina Bay.
They're both six letters.
We could try those.
Try Salina.
S-A-L .
.
I-N .
.
A.
Salina.
We're in.
That's it.
Let's hold these codes.
Konsenja.
Consignment, delivery, or handing over.
That's it.
Keep going, keep going.
I-S-S-I-B-T.
I-SS-I-B-T.
Sabato.
Shabbat.
I bet that means Saturday.
IS is the definite article.
Look up S-I-B-T.
Sibt - Saturday.
Here.
"Erbatax".
Erbatax - fourteen.
Saturday the 14th consignment.
That's it.
Run the lot, get them down and then let's get the hell out of here.
There's a boat here coming in from Rotterdam, but she doesn't say where it's coming to.
We need the name of a port, or a harbour town.
Anything, just look for a name.
It says qabar here, several times.
What's that? Grave.
That's not a town.
Well, Gravesend is.
What if she's bringing them up the Thames? All she'd need to do is bribe the coastguard.
She's bribed the police.
She'd need somewhere private to offload her merchandise.
Here, it says 26.
Repeated next to qabar every time.
That could be wharf 26, Gravesend? So that's where she's bringing them.
But there are still some parts that aren't making sense.
What's A-M-E? It keeps coming up.
Name? Shorthand? The next delivery will have Elishka's sister.
We have to stop it.
If we're right about the schedule the next shipment's coming in at 11am.
We won't convince Customs to move in less than a day.
We have to.
If we don't those girls will be gone.
You can't make yourself responsible for them.
Why not? I am responsible.
I worked for Marta, for God's sake.
I brought her customers and money.
I am responsible.
All right.
We're going to have to make Customs take us seriously.
Maybe they wouldn't move for us but what if they got a phone call from Scotland Yard? I can't.
They're not gonna listen to me.
Not you.
Ben.
What if he's in on it? He's in Vice.
For all I know he's one of the ones being paid off.
And even if he isn't, what's to say he'd risk his career for us? Do you think he's crooked? I don't know.
How long ago did he join the Vice Squad? About two years ago.
Well, whoever's been helping the Magros dodge arrest has done for longer than two years.
Oh, look.
You're obviously the one falling for him.
Would it be happening if you didn't trust him? I trusted Harry.
Oh, darling.
Just because you made a mistake once it doesn't mean you can't judge another man's character.
You were just a girl.
Anyone would have done the same.
You wouldn't have.
I might.
Who's to say I haven't? Please.
Will you try and talk to Ben? Please.
Mind if I join you? Go ahead.
It's a free country.
I thought I'd find you here.
Was it in my personnel file? So you've been checking up on me? No.
I was just Is that what you do with all your men friends? I don't have any I suppose working with coppers That's not what What is it, then? Do you like me? Yes.
I thought you knew that.
I like you too.
Good.
(SIGHS) What's wrong, Lucy? First off you're a nice girl, we're getting on and then you're keeping your distance, reading up on me.
Hiding what you're doing.
What's up, don't trust me? I was married.
I am married.
But you're not wearing a ring.
No.
All right.
You're married.
I expect you've got your reasons for keeping that to yourself.
He's not around any more, I take it? No.
Well, then I need you to do something for me, butI have to trust you.
And you have to trust me.
That's why I'm told you.
I see.
And presumably that's why you're checking up on me.
I think someone in Vice is taking payoffs to look the other way.
And you thought that someone was me? It's not me! What were talking to DCI Fallow about the other day? I heard you say you took care of something and were discreet.
That? He wanted me to arrange a retirement bash for Arnie Walters.
Oh.
It was gonna be a surprise.
I'm not taking bungs.
It's the God's honest truth.
But you do know it happens.
Yeah.
It's been going on since before I was in uniform.
It's not every case.
Justonce in a while.
But, yeah, I know it happens.
I'm not saying I like it.
I'm saying I can't see I've got a choice.
Whoever's involved is higher up the ladder than I am.
You're a clerical support officer.
You're a secretary, Lucy.
What the hell has any of this got to do with you? How do you even know? I want you to meet some friends of mine.
I think then you might understand.
Marta.
How do we get her there? Do we have to get her there? If she's not caught she'll get tipped off and move her operation like every time before.
She has to pay for what she did to Jasper.
If she does escape she'll want revenge.
What if she returns for Millie? She has to be there.
They have to catch her and lock her away or there is no point to this.
You're right.
So? How do we do it? Only one way.
Pressure.
Your goods will be here very soon.
That's not why I'm here.
I want to increase the order.
By how much? Twice the amount.
Can you cover that? Perhaps.
If you have the money for it.
Good.
But there's one condition: I want to be there.
See the goods come in.
Make certain thisoperation of yours is as professional as you say.
Ha! Absolutely not.
I've seen water-damaged cargo for which I'm expected to pay full price.
I don't like surprises.
I want to see what I'm getting, up front.
And then I'll pay you.
I don't know who you have dealt with before, but I can assure you that I do not play tricks.
Maybe not you.
But your men, your contacts, the captain of the boat.
How can you tell what happens when you're not around? I take my business very seriously.
I will personally oversee delivery of this shipment, and I will personally guarantee its quality.
As I do every shipment, every time.
If that's not good enough for you you take your business elsewhere.
Oh.
And I will tell you when we need to see each other again.
Excuse me for asking, ladies but how on earth did you get access to this? That's not important.
What's important is that we've got time to stop it.
The next cargo's coming in tomorrow according to this.
If you're right, they'd have had to paid off more than just Vice.
But not you.
Not me, no.
And Customs and Excise are squeaky-clean.
But it's still a big risk calling them in.
Those girls have nowhere to go, no way of getting home.
They can't speak the language well enough to ask for help.
All they can do is accept being bought and sold, traded.
Nothing is gonna change unless someone, someone stronger, does something.
I understand.
I'm just saying it has to be someone with more clout than a DS for Customs to take it seriously.
Who, exactly? My DCI.
But, Ben, what if Fallow's already involved? We can't risk asking him.
Who said anything about asking? What are you doing back? I told them I was sick, got the rest of the week off.
Why? You didn't get that job, did you? No.
Nor the one before that.
Nor the one before that.
All cos of the papers, and the trial.
People know the name, they remember.
It all sticks, even though you were innocent.
I'll get there.
Meanwhile, we've got no money coming in, only going out.
I'm gonna give up the teacher training, get myself an ordinary job.
Don't be silly.
We can't afford it.
We can, and we will.
Somehow.
How? Let me worry about that.
I'm not a little girl, you know.
But I want to be a good mother.
You must never give up something you're good at and care about.
I will find a way.
I promise.
Morning.
This is DCI Fallow from Scotland Yard.
Can I speak to your duty officer, please? This is Fallow from Vice.
We've had a tip-off about cargo coming up the river, but it's happening fast.
How are you set if you have to scramble? Could be back in uniform after this.
That's if I'm lucky.
Morning.
DCI Fallow? The DCI's been called away.
Asked me to put you in the picture.
They unloaded half an hour ago.
So we just got to wait for the pick up.
You said they'd be here at 11.
It's nearly 12.
They're not coming.
She'll be here.
Just be patient.
What if we spooked her? What if they're already clearing out of the hotel, moving on? We shouldn't have pushed so hard.
We might have looked too desperate.
That's them.
That's Marta.
Stay here.
Stay where you are! You're Marta Magros? Are these goods yours? I think you've made a mistake.
Open them up! It's DCI Fallow's car.
He shouldn't be here.
There's something wrong.
Careful now.
There may not be just fags and booze in there.
There may Check them all.
We can't just wait here.
What the bloody hell's going on here? You should know, this is your tip-off.
Who gave the go-ahead here? I thought you did, guv.
This lot called me, said you'd phoned about some illegal cargo.
Well, nothing yet.
Excuse me.
May I ask why you are destroying my property? Is there anything here? Or is it just empty boxes? They're empty.
She knew it was a set-up.
Where are they? What have you done with them? What I'll do to you and your friend, will make Jasper look like kindness.
You Careful, miss.
That's enough.
Jean? Jean! What? The transcript.
The ledger transcript, quick.
A-M-E.
A-M-E.
You're looking in the wrong place.
A-M-E.
The sign above the warehouse.
What you're looking for is there.
We've got something.
Cigarettes in this one, sarge.
There's more over here.
Cigarettes, guv.
More in this one.
Where are the girls? Where have you put them? (SPITS) Open them all up.
(CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE) What's in this one? Oh, dear God.
Oh, my God.
They're here! Stop him! Stop him! Get him! Is one of you Branka? Bloody hell.
(SPEAKS SLOVAK) Come on.
OK, OK.
Oh, my The fags and the booze we can handle, but the girls that's a whole different story.
Nice work, anyway.
You can't do this to me.
I'm arresting you on suspicion of dealing in uncustomed goods.
And abduction and imprisonment.
There are others, Chief Inspector.
I was taken to a hotel.
There are at least seven other girls there, including this girl's sister.
We've interrogated the van driver.
He's given up the location - a Mulgrave Hotel in Bayswater.
Well, we should definitely follow that up.
(POLICE SIREN BELLS RING) (APPROACHING FOOTSTEPS) There were seven other girls here in the hotel? Yes.
There's no-one here now.
It's empty.
You'll find them, though, won't you? The DCI can get a conviction without them.
They're illegal anyway.
It's not gonna be a priority.
If we knew where she'd sent them All this effort, and then we're too late.
You did everything you could.
I'm not sure that helps.
She barely knew she was north of the river.
(SIGHS) There is no way we'll find her now.
Millie.
Oh, you clever girl.
A man called Tommy has her in Glasgow.
ErmTommy.
He works out of a hotel called Aldergale.
Is that enough to go on? Yeah, I'd say that's enough to go on.
We know where Elishka is.
(SPEAKS SLOVAK) I'll phone my cousin.
How long's the train journey to Glasgow? Long.
You need to pack your woollies.
Excellent.
I have to say you're altogether rather impressive, Miss Lancaster.
Alice Lancaster.
Do I know you from somewhere? I could swear I've seen you before.
A lot of people say that.
I think I just have one of those faces.
(LOW CHATTER) What are you doing here? Another picnic? Just a small one.
(LAUGHS) Did you get it? What's happened? Come on, tell me.
Did you get it or not? No.
But Alice Lancaster did.
(LAUGHS)
I'm afraid our agency will be unable to find a suitable position.
I was found innocent.
Yes, but you WERE in prison.
How is Lizzie's training going? She's found a place.
You'll never guess where? Bletchley.
No! There's a teacher training college there now.
Next to the old huts.
Now then, these nylons.
Don't worry, Jasper.
I'm tell them silk is saucy.
Men prefer it.
That's why you're front of house.
Aarrgghh! Come here, Ellie.
Where is this place? What street is this? Are we north or south? One of you is stealing from me? Which one? Those files that you showed me about all those arrests.
Some cases had this funny foreign name.
It waserm Mag or Magros.
I feel you can do well.
I'm sure I can do rather better.
Very well.
If I should need to see you again, do I come here? Where are we, by the way.
Not here, sweetheart.
There is a Greek restaurant on Stovington Road.
It isn't just ciggies and perfume and nylons.
There are people.
What people? Girls.
Jasper! It's me! (MUSIC IN BACKGROUND) Oh, Jasper.
(SOBS) He was bluffing.
He always thought he could bluff his way out of anything.
I met him playing cards in the war and he was bluffing then.
And he lost.
It's all right.
It's not all right.
It's really not.
What did you tell the police? Where the body is.
What was done to him.
Did you tell them who did it? Yes.
They can take it from here.
All the black market stuff in the lockup - they can tie that back to the Magros easily enough.
Did you tell them about Marta's restaurant? I told them everything.
You don't have to worry any more.
They will go to jail for this.
II don't want to go home.
You can stay with me.
Er Dancing again? What is it? Millie's going to be staying with us for a bit.
Right.
We can make space on the floor.
Use my mattress.
You don't have to.
Don't argue.
What's wrong? Nothing.
Just a long night, that's all.
How's erm How's teacher training going? All right.
I'm gonna make some tea.
They're the same age.
Elishka.
Lizzie.
What? They could be sisters.
(APPROACHING FOOTSTEPS) You look tired.
Yeah, not much of a night.
What happened? Oh, a tip-off about a murder.
You'd be interested.
It was supposed to be that lot you were asking about, the Magros.
"Supposed to be"? Yeah, it was all bollerrubbish.
Nothing there.
I don't understand.
What wasn't there? Anything.
Supposed to be a body, lots of contraband, I don't know, the lost treasures of King Solomon's mines.
Turns out there was nothing.
A wild-goose chase.
ALICE: It smells like hospitals.
Bleach.
Someone's washed this place down.
Disinfected it.
How did they know? Were they following us? They didn't need to be following us.
What happened, exactly? We found a crime scene.
We called the police.
The crime scene got erased.
It's either coincidence or it's cause and effect.
I don't know what that's supposed to mean.
This is Scotland Yard we're talking about.
All those files.
What about them? Why didn't I see it? They've been arrested dozens of times.
We read the files.
They've been arrested here, there.
But never charged, never imprisoned.
Every single time, they've got off scott free.
Well We're trying to catch criminals all over London, all over England.
Some are bound to get lucky.
No-one's that lucky.
Not all the time.
Lucy, you've got to face it.
Someone is helping them.
And that someone is a police officer.
Nice work on the Grant case.
Thanks, guv.
Oh.
And that other thing you asked me to handle? It's all dealt with.
I hope you were discreet.
Of course, guv.
Can you dig me out the case files on the Grant robbery? I've got to do my homework for the court appearance.
Of course.
Something up? No.
What is it? Are you all right? Yeah.
I'm fine.
Good.
Cos I was thinkingthis weekend there's a dance on at the Vic.
Do you fancy going with me? Sorry.
I'm busy this weekend.
I'll get you those files.
All right.
I'm off back to Bletchley.
See you at the end of the week.
Sorry we haven't had time together.
With Millie staying.
It's all right.
Here.
No, don't be daft.
You can't afford it.
You need some money.
I'm fine.
Really.
Put it away.
Any job interviews this week? Yes, definitely.
Fingers crossed.
Fingers crossed.
(LOW CONVERSATION) If we can't trust the police, where does that leave us? Marta can do what she pleases.
Trading cigarettes, alcohol.
Selling girls.
Even murder.
Poor Jasper.
It's too late for him, but it is not too late for us to help those women.
Even if we find the hotel they're in it's no good, because we can't call the police.
She must have started small.
Before the girls, before all of this.
It was just cigarettes and booze.
It's gonna be the first time she gets into a scrape with the police, smuggling goods.
It comes under the jurisdiction of the Vice Squad.
That's where her friends are.
The Vice Squad know everything that's happening in Scotland Yard They're not the only ones that are interested.
What do you mean? It's Customs and Excise.
Like Al Capone.
No-one could catch him for gun-running or whisky smuggling.
So they arrested him for tax evasion.
So we tip off Customs.
They go looking for black-market cigarettes.
When they find them, they find the women as well.
We need to tell them there's a shipment of illegal goods coming in tonight.
Time, date, place.
How do we do that? The only address we have is the restaurant.
You could search it all week and not find anything.
Marta is too careful.
But she took you to the hotel.
I was a problem and she wanted privacy.
You were a problem and then you were an opportunity.
Why don't we give her another opportunity? An even bigger one.
What else can you tell me about her? Not much.
They're all Maltese.
Family probably.
Lazzru's a nasty piece of work.
He seems fairly close to her.
I don't think she lets outsiders in to positions of trust, unless she wants to do business with them.
Mm.
When Malta was put to siege in the war, a lot of families were decimated.
The Luftwaffe flew over three thousand raids against that island.
They tried to bomb them out, then they tried to starve them out.
With no luck.
They're a hard lot, believe me.
We're gonna have to be damned convincing.
This should help.
Are you sure? It's blood money.
I'm never gonna spend it.
Might as well put it to good use.
Jean, are you sure you're up to this? I wasn't always a librarian, you know.
(EXHALES HEAVILY) She thinks she's in business with you.
We've got money.
If we're confident, this should work.
And the moment she takes us to that hotel to do the deal, we've got her.
Dutch courage? Just a nip, then.
Cheers.
Ooh! Ah.
Will I do? What is this? This is my friend Jean, and Lucy, who works for her.
Jean's based up north, but she's often down in London and is always a good customer of mine.
She wants to place a rather large order.
I thought you might like to talk to her about it directly.
This lady's whist drive wishes to club together.
(SCOFFS) This is none of my concern.
Well, perhaps it should be.
Do you mind? I like what Millie is able to provide.
But I'd like more of it.
Considerably more.
And it seems to me thata large order should qualify for some degree of a discount, wouldn't you agree? I have no idea who you are or what you are talking about.
Speak plainly.
Six cases of Disque Bleu Gauloises and four of the du Maurier in the red box.
Ten cases? That's 5,000 packets.
I know, dear.
I've done the sums.
And what are you going to do with 5,000 packs of cigarettes? My whist drive are enthusiastic smokers.
Don't play games with me.
What are they for? My late husband was a ship's purser.
The Navy needs cigarettes, and I still have a lot of friends.
I'd prefer Senior Service if you can get them but Millie led me to understand that you deal more with the continental brands.
Ten cases, eh? Would be worth, let's say .
.
20% discount.
Oh, no.
Let's not say.
Well, I'll go and look elsewhere.
You'll find nothing, not in London.
Ten per cent.
And the money down.
Ten per cent.
And half the money down.
Half on delivery.
Do we have an agreement? What happened to your leg? I was shot.
(LAUGHS) You got shot.
You're a liar.
Why would I trust a liar? Soshall we go somewhere more private, and make this deal? There is no need to go anywhere.
We can make your deal right here.
The matter is dealt with.
Well, don't you want to discuss details? What details? It's cash for goods.
It's very simple.
And when can I expect this order to be fulfilled? You won't have to wait long.
We're finished.
250 quid for nothing at all.
Not nothing - I saw the ledger.
ALICE: Anything about shipments or hotels? MILLIE: A list of goods but no times or places.
That's everything copied out.
Are you sure you remembered it right? So what do we have? Era page of figures.
Nothing useful to take to Customs.
Justnotes about products here.
In Maltese? Yes, but that's easy.
Maltese is just Sicilian with some Semitic Aramaic thrown in.
But thisthis page is different.
It's coded.
Yeah, has to be.
No wonder she didn't mind us looking.
We need times, dates, shipments.
But surely you can crack it, can't you? It's not easy.
I can't see any recurring letter groups so it's not a simple substitution.
I think it's a cypher, a key-code or a book code.
I'm not sure yet.
If it's a cypher we can crack it by analysis.
How long will that take, by hand, in a language we don't speak well? It could take days.
Days we don't have.
I can stay for a while, but I have work tomorrow.
Maybe try to get a peek at the police files again.
Any hint of where the hotel is.
If we can just tell Customs where to look LUCY: I'll try.
Well, ladies, let's get cracking.
Hope we get lucky.
Thought I might find you in here.
Sorry.
What for? I've got to go.
I've got too much to do.
What's up? Ever since - me taking you out, it's like I'm contagious.
My table manners not up to scratch? Oh, come on, Lucy-loo, what's bothering you? It's nothing.
Sorry.
(LOCK TURNS) It's gonna sound stupid.
Looking at these feels awfully familiar.
Mechanical encryption? I said it was stupid.
Why? She wants to make certain no-one else knows what's in the ledger.
What better way than a mechanical encryption? But Marta would have had to get her hands on an actual machine.
A Type X or a German Enigma.
And she'd have to know how to use one.
There were two intercept stations at Malta.
They had staff, they would have been trained, just like you were.
They always recruited the clever ones.
If it's a machine encryption you won't crack it by hand in 10,000 years.
We can't let this beat us.
Not this.
All we need is a Type X.
Jean, isn't there someone at SOE you can ask? I don't have clearance.
In any case, I wouldn't know who to ask.
I know where there might be some Type Xs.
But if they are still there, they're not gonna be in great condition.
Bletchley? We're gonna need the key-code system for Malta.
I can't remember any of them.
Lucy worked on the North Africa desk for three months.
Elishka, darling.
Come in, please.
Stand here, please.
Elishka is 19.
Very pretty, as you can see.
Very hard-working.
She's a good girl, aren't you? She has a sister two years younger, arriving shortly.
I'm happy to do a deal for both together or individually.
These men might offer you a job in their hotels.
Would you like that? (BIRDS CHIRRUPING) It's lovely to see you but you didn't have to come up and do this.
Got to make up for crowding you out of your own home.
You can stay any time, Millie, as long as there's cake at the end! Isn't that that girl who? (WHISPERED CONVERSATION) Take a picture, why don't you? It'll last longer! It's fine.
Lizzie, please, it's all right She's just coming over.
She weren't guilty.
She didn't do nowt.
You remember that.
It's all right.
People stare sometimes.
I'mused to it.
Soshall we make a decision? Everybody likes you.
Then shall we say another 50? And the sister? If she's the same quality.
Then we have an agreement.
Tommy here will look after you.
You better be worth it.
Oh, I can assure you she is.
Every bit.
Have you ever been to Glasgow? Of course she hasn't been to Glasgow, she's completely new here.
Completely new.
Perfect.
I think that used to be a library.
It's Post Office training in there nowadays.
Oh, and down that way there are lots of little tin huts, all boarded up.
No idea what they're supposed to be for.
Gardeners, perhaps.
(BELL RINGS) That's me, I'm afraid.
You go.
We can see ourselves out.
Thanks for coming.
And for the cake.
Really.
Well, it was worth coming just for that, if nothing else.
Is Branka come? Your sister? She'll be here very soon, don't worry.
If she's as pretty as you are, Tommy will let her come and work with you.
You would like that, wouldn't you? Thank you.
You can travel up there together.
(KEYS JANGLE) Hana, sweetheart.
Come with me, please.
(SOBS) Good night.
All right.
Come on.
Come on, Luce.
We used to keep them down here.
This way.
(SWITCH CLICKS) Oh! We still have the Type Xs down here.
Wait a minute.
Got one.
That's a German Enigma, isn't it? I've never actually seen one.
We captured the first one in 1943, then plenty more before the end of the war.
I helped mend some of them.
That's it.
No Type Xs.
But that's fine, we can use this.
Surely it won't work? No, but let's see if we can change that.
Come on, you can do it.
You're talking to the machine again.
They like to be talked to.
(GASPS) Good girl.
That's it.
Not at all bad for two hours' work.
So, let's try this code of yours.
I've been looking through the pages.
P175 - it's standard notation.
P for Phoenix system code.
And 175? 17th of May, I'm hoping.
The day setting.
We still need the six-character key code Marta used to set the system.
Nothing.
Lazzru.
Try Lazzru.
L-A-Z-Z-R-U.
It's still not right.
(SIGHS) The two intercept stations in Malta were Dingli and Salina Bay.
They're both six letters.
We could try those.
Try Salina.
S-A-L .
.
I-N .
.
A.
Salina.
We're in.
That's it.
Let's hold these codes.
Konsenja.
Consignment, delivery, or handing over.
That's it.
Keep going, keep going.
I-S-S-I-B-T.
I-SS-I-B-T.
Sabato.
Shabbat.
I bet that means Saturday.
IS is the definite article.
Look up S-I-B-T.
Sibt - Saturday.
Here.
"Erbatax".
Erbatax - fourteen.
Saturday the 14th consignment.
That's it.
Run the lot, get them down and then let's get the hell out of here.
There's a boat here coming in from Rotterdam, but she doesn't say where it's coming to.
We need the name of a port, or a harbour town.
Anything, just look for a name.
It says qabar here, several times.
What's that? Grave.
That's not a town.
Well, Gravesend is.
What if she's bringing them up the Thames? All she'd need to do is bribe the coastguard.
She's bribed the police.
She'd need somewhere private to offload her merchandise.
Here, it says 26.
Repeated next to qabar every time.
That could be wharf 26, Gravesend? So that's where she's bringing them.
But there are still some parts that aren't making sense.
What's A-M-E? It keeps coming up.
Name? Shorthand? The next delivery will have Elishka's sister.
We have to stop it.
If we're right about the schedule the next shipment's coming in at 11am.
We won't convince Customs to move in less than a day.
We have to.
If we don't those girls will be gone.
You can't make yourself responsible for them.
Why not? I am responsible.
I worked for Marta, for God's sake.
I brought her customers and money.
I am responsible.
All right.
We're going to have to make Customs take us seriously.
Maybe they wouldn't move for us but what if they got a phone call from Scotland Yard? I can't.
They're not gonna listen to me.
Not you.
Ben.
What if he's in on it? He's in Vice.
For all I know he's one of the ones being paid off.
And even if he isn't, what's to say he'd risk his career for us? Do you think he's crooked? I don't know.
How long ago did he join the Vice Squad? About two years ago.
Well, whoever's been helping the Magros dodge arrest has done for longer than two years.
Oh, look.
You're obviously the one falling for him.
Would it be happening if you didn't trust him? I trusted Harry.
Oh, darling.
Just because you made a mistake once it doesn't mean you can't judge another man's character.
You were just a girl.
Anyone would have done the same.
You wouldn't have.
I might.
Who's to say I haven't? Please.
Will you try and talk to Ben? Please.
Mind if I join you? Go ahead.
It's a free country.
I thought I'd find you here.
Was it in my personnel file? So you've been checking up on me? No.
I was just Is that what you do with all your men friends? I don't have any I suppose working with coppers That's not what What is it, then? Do you like me? Yes.
I thought you knew that.
I like you too.
Good.
(SIGHS) What's wrong, Lucy? First off you're a nice girl, we're getting on and then you're keeping your distance, reading up on me.
Hiding what you're doing.
What's up, don't trust me? I was married.
I am married.
But you're not wearing a ring.
No.
All right.
You're married.
I expect you've got your reasons for keeping that to yourself.
He's not around any more, I take it? No.
Well, then I need you to do something for me, butI have to trust you.
And you have to trust me.
That's why I'm told you.
I see.
And presumably that's why you're checking up on me.
I think someone in Vice is taking payoffs to look the other way.
And you thought that someone was me? It's not me! What were talking to DCI Fallow about the other day? I heard you say you took care of something and were discreet.
That? He wanted me to arrange a retirement bash for Arnie Walters.
Oh.
It was gonna be a surprise.
I'm not taking bungs.
It's the God's honest truth.
But you do know it happens.
Yeah.
It's been going on since before I was in uniform.
It's not every case.
Justonce in a while.
But, yeah, I know it happens.
I'm not saying I like it.
I'm saying I can't see I've got a choice.
Whoever's involved is higher up the ladder than I am.
You're a clerical support officer.
You're a secretary, Lucy.
What the hell has any of this got to do with you? How do you even know? I want you to meet some friends of mine.
I think then you might understand.
Marta.
How do we get her there? Do we have to get her there? If she's not caught she'll get tipped off and move her operation like every time before.
She has to pay for what she did to Jasper.
If she does escape she'll want revenge.
What if she returns for Millie? She has to be there.
They have to catch her and lock her away or there is no point to this.
You're right.
So? How do we do it? Only one way.
Pressure.
Your goods will be here very soon.
That's not why I'm here.
I want to increase the order.
By how much? Twice the amount.
Can you cover that? Perhaps.
If you have the money for it.
Good.
But there's one condition: I want to be there.
See the goods come in.
Make certain thisoperation of yours is as professional as you say.
Ha! Absolutely not.
I've seen water-damaged cargo for which I'm expected to pay full price.
I don't like surprises.
I want to see what I'm getting, up front.
And then I'll pay you.
I don't know who you have dealt with before, but I can assure you that I do not play tricks.
Maybe not you.
But your men, your contacts, the captain of the boat.
How can you tell what happens when you're not around? I take my business very seriously.
I will personally oversee delivery of this shipment, and I will personally guarantee its quality.
As I do every shipment, every time.
If that's not good enough for you you take your business elsewhere.
Oh.
And I will tell you when we need to see each other again.
Excuse me for asking, ladies but how on earth did you get access to this? That's not important.
What's important is that we've got time to stop it.
The next cargo's coming in tomorrow according to this.
If you're right, they'd have had to paid off more than just Vice.
But not you.
Not me, no.
And Customs and Excise are squeaky-clean.
But it's still a big risk calling them in.
Those girls have nowhere to go, no way of getting home.
They can't speak the language well enough to ask for help.
All they can do is accept being bought and sold, traded.
Nothing is gonna change unless someone, someone stronger, does something.
I understand.
I'm just saying it has to be someone with more clout than a DS for Customs to take it seriously.
Who, exactly? My DCI.
But, Ben, what if Fallow's already involved? We can't risk asking him.
Who said anything about asking? What are you doing back? I told them I was sick, got the rest of the week off.
Why? You didn't get that job, did you? No.
Nor the one before that.
Nor the one before that.
All cos of the papers, and the trial.
People know the name, they remember.
It all sticks, even though you were innocent.
I'll get there.
Meanwhile, we've got no money coming in, only going out.
I'm gonna give up the teacher training, get myself an ordinary job.
Don't be silly.
We can't afford it.
We can, and we will.
Somehow.
How? Let me worry about that.
I'm not a little girl, you know.
But I want to be a good mother.
You must never give up something you're good at and care about.
I will find a way.
I promise.
Morning.
This is DCI Fallow from Scotland Yard.
Can I speak to your duty officer, please? This is Fallow from Vice.
We've had a tip-off about cargo coming up the river, but it's happening fast.
How are you set if you have to scramble? Could be back in uniform after this.
That's if I'm lucky.
Morning.
DCI Fallow? The DCI's been called away.
Asked me to put you in the picture.
They unloaded half an hour ago.
So we just got to wait for the pick up.
You said they'd be here at 11.
It's nearly 12.
They're not coming.
She'll be here.
Just be patient.
What if we spooked her? What if they're already clearing out of the hotel, moving on? We shouldn't have pushed so hard.
We might have looked too desperate.
That's them.
That's Marta.
Stay here.
Stay where you are! You're Marta Magros? Are these goods yours? I think you've made a mistake.
Open them up! It's DCI Fallow's car.
He shouldn't be here.
There's something wrong.
Careful now.
There may not be just fags and booze in there.
There may Check them all.
We can't just wait here.
What the bloody hell's going on here? You should know, this is your tip-off.
Who gave the go-ahead here? I thought you did, guv.
This lot called me, said you'd phoned about some illegal cargo.
Well, nothing yet.
Excuse me.
May I ask why you are destroying my property? Is there anything here? Or is it just empty boxes? They're empty.
She knew it was a set-up.
Where are they? What have you done with them? What I'll do to you and your friend, will make Jasper look like kindness.
You Careful, miss.
That's enough.
Jean? Jean! What? The transcript.
The ledger transcript, quick.
A-M-E.
A-M-E.
You're looking in the wrong place.
A-M-E.
The sign above the warehouse.
What you're looking for is there.
We've got something.
Cigarettes in this one, sarge.
There's more over here.
Cigarettes, guv.
More in this one.
Where are the girls? Where have you put them? (SPITS) Open them all up.
(CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE) What's in this one? Oh, dear God.
Oh, my God.
They're here! Stop him! Stop him! Get him! Is one of you Branka? Bloody hell.
(SPEAKS SLOVAK) Come on.
OK, OK.
Oh, my The fags and the booze we can handle, but the girls that's a whole different story.
Nice work, anyway.
You can't do this to me.
I'm arresting you on suspicion of dealing in uncustomed goods.
And abduction and imprisonment.
There are others, Chief Inspector.
I was taken to a hotel.
There are at least seven other girls there, including this girl's sister.
We've interrogated the van driver.
He's given up the location - a Mulgrave Hotel in Bayswater.
Well, we should definitely follow that up.
(POLICE SIREN BELLS RING) (APPROACHING FOOTSTEPS) There were seven other girls here in the hotel? Yes.
There's no-one here now.
It's empty.
You'll find them, though, won't you? The DCI can get a conviction without them.
They're illegal anyway.
It's not gonna be a priority.
If we knew where she'd sent them All this effort, and then we're too late.
You did everything you could.
I'm not sure that helps.
She barely knew she was north of the river.
(SIGHS) There is no way we'll find her now.
Millie.
Oh, you clever girl.
A man called Tommy has her in Glasgow.
ErmTommy.
He works out of a hotel called Aldergale.
Is that enough to go on? Yeah, I'd say that's enough to go on.
We know where Elishka is.
(SPEAKS SLOVAK) I'll phone my cousin.
How long's the train journey to Glasgow? Long.
You need to pack your woollies.
Excellent.
I have to say you're altogether rather impressive, Miss Lancaster.
Alice Lancaster.
Do I know you from somewhere? I could swear I've seen you before.
A lot of people say that.
I think I just have one of those faces.
(LOW CHATTER) What are you doing here? Another picnic? Just a small one.
(LAUGHS) Did you get it? What's happened? Come on, tell me.
Did you get it or not? No.
But Alice Lancaster did.
(LAUGHS)