A Touch of Frost (1992) s03e01 Episode Script

Billy.
Billy is here.
Billy.
Billy.
Nope, can't play.
I got to go inside.
All right, all right, all right.
All right, Tricia.
Just one game.
Yeah! Someone's watching us.
What the hell! Hey, you bloody pervert! Unbelievable.
I've got to get back.
Steve's not working late.
Oh, come on, not yet.
I've still got the shopping to do.
Drop me back at the car park, okay? I don't believe it.
Hey, Sharp! Sharp! They've changed the bloody codes again, haven't they? They've only got to tell us.
Memos circulate to all departments, effective mid-day today.
Part of Mr.
Mullett's security drive.
Oh yes, I must have filed it.
That'll be the day.
(knock on door) Your tea's getting cold, Billy.
I know, Mum.
I know you know.
So come and eat it.
I thought you've had a session at lunchtime.
It's the last one.
(unintelligible).
Are you taking the car? No, Anna's giving me a lift.
We don't need much.
I won't be long.
I'll tell her to come, in a half an hour.
All right.
I'm flying, mom.
Just be careful.
You know all about swings.
You can have half an hour, and that's all.
And if you're not in, your dad will be out for you.
All right, then bring back some ice cream.
We'll see.
Yeah! Yes? Ah, George, have you seen the memo on the new security codes? Mm-hmm, we've all had one.
What? Well, where's mine, then? Unless of course, Mr.
Mullett has left me off the distribution list on the principle that if I can't actually get into the station -- Our new D.
C.
I.
wants you to have a look at this, sir.
Yes, what's this? It's about the Parham kids nicking cars.
Mr.
Mullett feels they're getting very cocky.
The joy riders.
Look, it's not joyriding, it's called car theft.
It's called dangerous driving.
Before you know where you are, someone ends up dead and the driver's too young to be charged.
Well, that's what it says on the file.
Yes, well, I do wish horn-rimmed Harry would be choosier about his jargon.
I mean, anyone who spends all day with his pen stuck up his -- ah, there you are, sir.
I was just telling Toolan here about his terminology, you know.
Using the word "joy rider.
" Not much joy about the stuff we have to shovel up afterwards, is there? Well, it's turning into an epidemic.
D.
C.
I.
Hawkes suggest a joint operation.
C.
I.
D.
, uniform, traffic.
Yeah, well, I mean, you know what the problem is, sir, don't you.
You get a complaint, you go around the estate, and then no one has seen anything.
That's why we need solid support from C.
I.
D.
.
Yes, and C.
I.
D.
needs the support of the community Iiaison officer.
And if he'd get the community to liaise by pointing their finger at the yobs instead of us -- I'm looking for a positive response to this initiative, Jack.
I'm sure the D.
C.
I.
Hawkes will bring you up to speed.
Yes.
I think we're doing one of your initiatives at the moment, sir, aren't we? Oh, yes, excellent, yes, the security drive.
I want a much higher profile in that area.
After all, security is our shield.
Yes, that's right, true, sir.
And I was thinking more about the fact that he's taking the Snooker Team through its paces for the tournament.
Ah, Snooker, yes, bit of healthy recreation.
Brings us together.
Breaks down the old C.
I.
D.
uniform barriers.
Helps us know that much more about what makes our colleagues tick, hmm? I'm not sure that I want to know how my colleagues tick.
I think I've misfiled something, sir.
I want this security drive prioritized.
Can you slow down a bit, Billy? Finished.
You haven't.
Sit down.
I promised to play, mom, I'm sorry.
I promised to play.
You'll be back by 8.
.
00, Billy.
Remember to use your watch.
Tricia? Tricia? Work hard, play hard, that's how you get the best out of a job.
Now, we're a team.
Uniform, C.
I.
D.
, all on the same team.
And on my team we do it all, top of the crime statistics.
And we win every trophy that's going into the bargain, starting with the County Snooker Tournament.
Okay.
Let's play some Snooker.
Give me a pint of Bass will you? Oh man! This is brilliant.
Come on let's do another one! Come on! I'll see you next week.
Okay, see you later.
Bye.
Bye.
Tricia isn't with you? Of course she isn't.
Well, she didn't come in.
I told her.
I thought I better drive round, see where she was.
Then I thought that's daft if she comes back.
Bloody kids.
You said you wouldn't be long.
I didn't think about going out to call her.
Well, why not? She knows she's not to go off.
Have you tried Daryl's? Oh, I didn't think.
She's bound to be.
I'll get on the phone.
I'm quite happy to run this vehicle theft operation.
All I'm saying is -- Shh.
All I'm saying is that I want to make the decision on how it's run, I just don't want it flung at me, sir.
Oh, the Superintendent wanted a strategy this afternoon.
I think he's got a bunch of counselors on his back.
I didn't have time to talk to you, but it's your operation; you set it up as you want.
Thank you.
Don't want to tread on your corns, but Mr.
Mullett did have a plan of his own.
Oh, I see.
Exactly.
What sort of a shot's that? Look.
Hmm? I'm still a player short for the final.
We're not quite as strong as Mr.
Mullett thinks.
Hmm? Don't look at me, I'm colorblind.
Now, if it had been billiards.
Look, come on, clear the table.
We're never going to be at Richford like this.
Ha-ha.
Do you want a drink? Yeah, I'll get it, mate.
Oh, good.
Can I get you a drink, Jack? No, no, no, no, thanks, no.
Got to keep a clear head.
I'm having an evening in with my expenses.
Oh.
Who's the newbie? Oh, he's just visiting.
Parker, D.
C.
, on sick leave from the Met.
(beeping sound) Dear, no peace for the wicked.
All right, I'll tell you what, I'll call you if I need you.
How long has she been missing? 92 hours.
Last seen? Well, she was on her way back from a shop on James Row with some other kids.
Got separated from them during a game of hide and seek.
She's on her own? All the other kids all live in the rows on the estate.
They come back in two separate groups, both assuming that Tricia was with the others.
We've been through the preliminaries.
We've done all we can, sir.
Right, call in, get the circus moving.
Alpha, Bravo 72, to Control.
You were on the Met team? Yes, sir, Shepherd's Bush.
I take all a bit too seriously, though.
I mean, it's only a game.
We've got a missing child on the Benningfield Estate.
Looks like a house to house, and a search of the surrounding area.
You know the rest.
You better leave those? Can you drink three, John? Could be a ground search.
If you're fit enough, we could do with the help.
All right, sir.
So you were out about 20 minutes, Mr.
Martin? A bit longer.
I'd left the door open, I thought Sally would be back, anyway.
I don't know why I panicked.
I just felt something.
There's nothing that you've overlooked? No relatives or friends you might have not seen? We've spoke to everyone, anyone.
We don't have family down here, they're all up in Manchester.
I'm sorry if I seem to be asking the same sort of questions, but it's just that we're trying to find out where she isn't, if you see what I mean? She knew she shouldn't go to the shop.
How could the others just leave her? Don't know.
And why aren't you looking for her now? We are, Mrs.
Martin, we are.
Have there been any rows in the last few days? Rows? Yes, you know, disagreements, anything you had to tell Tricia off about, about her being naughty, anything like that.
Any reason why she might run away.
She hasn't run away, something's happened to her.
What's the point of asking stupid questions? You mentioned some recent photos? Yeah, they're in the kitchen.
All right, thank you.
House to house is in progress in the immediate area.
We've spoken to the children Tricia was with.
I hope we're building up some sightings now.
What about these woods? She's likely to have used this path.
It's skirts the woods, between the estate and the main road.
Most of the kids came back on it, even though some of the parents had clearly told them to avoid it.
It's a big area, if she's lost.
It's almost dark now.
Oh, Jack? Yes? What's the timetable from the parents? Well, she was out.
He was at home.
He came out about 6:00 to try and find Tricia, but they reckoned that she'd left the playground with some kids about half past 5:00.
What about this last sighting? Yeah, it's Mrs.
Prentice taking her dogs for a walk.
She saw Tricia with a local bloke, Billy Conrad.
Have you talked to him? No, no, just the parents.
He's not back home yet.
They don't know where he is.
It was about half 5:00.
I was walking the dogs, about half 5:00, quarter to 6:00 by then, I suppose.
I didn't think anything of it.
Everyone knows Billy.
He was talking to Tricia.
Yeah, I was some way away.
What were they doing, walking along? He was, I don't know, bending down.
Bending down? Yeah, I suppose so, yeah.
When you say bending down, what do you mean? Was he talking to her, doing her shoelaces? What? He was bending down in front of her, I suppose.
Or he could have been kneeling.
Kneeling, with his arm -- He was touching her? Well, well I don't, I mean, you know, it was just a split second.
yeah, he, he could have been.
But no, no, it couldn't have been anything.
We've seen them playing together hundreds of times.
Playing together? I thought this, Billy was 19 or 20.
That's a bit odd, isn't it? No, there's no harm in him.
Billy's retarded, whatever the word is.
Oh, that's helpful.
He's got Down syndrome.
He's like a child himself.
I see.
So, when she ran off into the woods, he chased after her.
Hmmm.
And he was angry.
Well, not angry exactly.
I couldn't really hear.
You were too far away.
Yeah.
There was this motorbike, coming out of the woods.
They use the place like a racetrack, cars, bikes.
And the rider of this bike? Oh, I've no idea.
Dark clothes and helmet, he was gone in a second.
I didn't think there was anything strange, about Billy.
Hey! You down there! Stop! Police! I haven't done anything wrong.
I shall have to have someone with me when I talk to him.
It's just routine.
Mr.
Conrad, he would be considered mentally subnormal? Handicapped.
Handicapped, sorry.
That means I shall have to have someone else with me, just to keep an eye on, you know, in case I break the rules.
He'll feel better if I can clean him up.
No, I'd rather talk to him first, please, Mrs.
Conrad.
It's all right, luv.
Billy? I haven't done anything, dad.
No one's saying you have, son.
This is Mr.
Frost, Billy.
He wants to ask you something.
Hello, Billy.
We must have frightened you.
Hmm? There you were, walking home, nice quiet night, and all of a sudden there was police and dogs and people shouting.
I was frightened.
Yes, I'm sure you were.
Do you know what those policemen were doing.
See, they were looking for someone.
They were looking for Tricia Martin.
You know Tricia, don't you, Billy? Yes, she's my friend.
Yes, she's your friend.
Well, her mom and dad are very worried about her.
They'd like to find her, and so would we, Billy.
Now, we think that you might be able to help.
You saw Tricia this evening, didn't you? Yeah.
Where was that? In a playground.
Playground.
That's the playground just outside the house where she lives? Yes.
Yes.
What time was that? Coming home from workshop before tea, just about 4:00.
What's he mean workshop? The Shorter Workshop in Altald Road.
I work there.
Oh.
So, you had your tea, and your mom and dad said you went out again.
Is that when you saw Tricia, you saw her again after tea? Where'd you go? I don't know.
Look, it's very important that we find Tricia, see, because she might be hurt, frightened.
And if she's hurt and she's falling down somewhere, she might not be able to get up again.
So we need to find her.
Can you help, Billy? Maybe, maybe you bumped into her on the way.
Perhaps you were talking, talking to her, by Bassett Avenue, the bottom of the woods.
I didn't go that way.
Oh.
Billy, you said you were going out to play? No, no dad.
Walk by the river.
Do you know Mrs.
Prentice, Billy? Yes.
She said she saw you.
She said she saw you in the woods talking to Tricia.
I didn't see her.
I didn't see her.
Didn't see Tricia.
I didn't see her.
Oh, come on, what's all this? Well, we can hardly keep it a secret, sir.
Well, get uniform to move them on, because they're only getting in the bloody way.
All right, Billy, I want you to get in this car with your mom.
And Mr.
Conrad, you come with me.
Get in, Billy.
We've got our hands on most of the local (unintelligible).
They're being interviewed, several unaccounted for.
I haven't had a chance to talk to Inspector Frost yet, but I'm going to be relying on him for his local knowledge.
Is this Billy Conrad a suspect or a witness? He's the last person the girl was seen with at this point.
And when we picked him up, he refused to say where he'd been or to account for the state he was in.
Jack's bringing him in.
He's retarded? Yeah, I guess that's why Jack's having to take it slowly.
It's over five hours now.
I don't think slowly is an option.
I can't tell you why Billy won't talk.
It's not like him.
Billy likes playing with children then, does he? They take him at face value.
I lot of people can't do that.
Forgive my ignorance, Mr.
Conrad, but because of Billy's mental age, he gets on easier with children than adults, is that what you're saying? There's nothing wrong with being fond of kids.
No, no, no.
It's just that the disappearance of a child affects everyone, police included.
Makes you think in ways you don't want to think.
We all come out of this a lot less human than what we went in.
For instance, I'm going to have to ask you, how does your son cope with sex? Billy doesn't lie.
He doesn't.
Maybe he forgets things, gets confused about when things happen.
When he's upset.
It isn't because he's done any harm to her.
We know that.
Dave, say something, for God's sake.
No, he'd never would have touched her.
He shouldn't have been left like this.
It's humiliating enough.
If he could have a wash and some clean clothes.
I think it's, well, it's because of forensic, in case they want to take samples.
Superintendent Mullett wants to know if this boy's a suspect.
So do I.
I don't know.
Possible, probable? He clearly was seen with her, that's all we've got.
Mrs.
Prentice's statements suggest he could have been touching the girl before she run off.
We're running out of time, Jack, handicapped or not, we've got to have some answers.
Yes, I know, I know.
I've got a social worker coming in as an appropriate adult.
She might be too close to him, too involved.
If she gets in the way, chuck her out and get in another appropriate adult.
Yeah, that's a bit drastic, isn't it? She might have some value.
I'll back you, so will Mr.
Mullett.
I wouldn't bet my pension on that.
(phone ringing) Frost? Yes, yes, I am.
Mackintosh.
Yeah, Ms.
, I shouldn't wonder.
Thank you.
All right, Toolan, put away the electrodes.
We've got a social worker on the premises.
Tell me, is Billy honest? Very.
Then why is that he won't tell me where he was, hmm? He was clearly seen with Tricia Martin near the woods.
Listen, we're not in trick cyclist territory here, are we? He knows what's going on? He's handicapped, not mentally ill.
All right, right.
So, he knows that Tricia is missing.
Does he know what that means? I doubt he really understands the kind of dangers a child could encounter.
His view of the world is far more innocent than ours, Billy is a very gentle boy.
Boy? He's not a boy.
He's nearly 20.
If you want to know if Billy's really a man, why don't you just ask, Inspector? He has a perfectly normal sex drive.
The fact that he's handicapped doesn't change that.
His father doesn't think he's got a sex drive at all.
It isn't easy for parents.
Yeah, well, my concern at the moment is to try and find Tricia Martin.
It's her parents I'm bothered about.
All right, Billy.
Can you try and find out everything about Tricia.
You know, what happened to her.
Where she went.
Who she was with.
Who saw her.
So that we can build up a sort of, you know, sort of picture, from all sorts of people.
Do you know what clues are? Yes.
All right, well, you see, if we can get enough clues, we can find out where Tricia is.
You are Tricia's friend? Of course I am.
Yeah well, if you're Tricia's friend, you'd want to help her, wouldn't you? Try and find out where she is, hmm? Billy, Mr.
Frost wants to find Tricia and bring her home.
He's worried someone's taken her away when she didn't want to go.
Bad man.
I did see her.
All right, Billy, tell us what happened? I went out, walked through the woods, and Tricia was there.
She was there.
You saw Tricia.
She wanted me to play.
Where were all the other children? Gone.
I didn't want to play.
I had to.
she said, (unintelligible) tell.
Tell what? Secret, that's why.
I had to stop her.
I wouldn't do anything.
Then it's quite true, isn't it, Billy? I think Tricia ran into the trees and you chased after her.
Playing hide and seek.
She didn't want to go home.
She made me late.
You were going somewhere? Where? While you're pissing us about, she could be dead.
Dead? Yes, you see, you left her, and nobody's seen her since.
(unintelligible).
I left her.
I left her by the path, near her house.
She's disappeared, Billy.
Do you know anything about that? Tricia was running away from you, Billy.
Now, why was she doing that? Was it something that you had done to her? You touched her? That's what you were going to try and stop her saying? I'd never do that.
I helped her.
Once I fell over.
Fell over? My knee's bleeding.
See, it is a clue.
Mr.
Conrad has just put a bloodstained handkerchief onto the table.
Yes? You told me to call you, sir.
Yes, yes, right.
Sergeant Wallace has just entered the room and left with D.
I.
Frost.
Interview suspended 23:40.
I think I better talk to the parents.
I'd like to stick with that, sir.
Something I should know? No, no, no, no, I'm not saying that.
It's just that at this stage I'd like to keep close to them, that's all.
I'm not a deskman, Jack, never have been.
I'll let you know if something else comes out of it, but I think your time will be better spent getting some answers out of Conrad.
You'll shout, sir? Dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.
I think we've got ourselves lumbered with a D.
C.
I.
who likes to keep his hand in it.
That's all we needed.
Well the cause of death was probably a blow to the back of the head.
All right, what are we talking about? Was she attacked? Was it an accident? Was there a weapon involved? I can't tell at the moment.
She may have been struck from behind, or she could have hit her head as a result of a fall.
Whatever it was, it was a pretty severe blow.
I'll have a clear idea after the post-mortem.
All right, thanks.
Any idea of the time of death? Oh, between 5:00 and 6:30, 7.
0 at the outside.
I won't get it any closer than that.
All right, just one more thing, doc.
Was she molested? As far as I can tell at the moment, no.
I would say there was some sort of struggle, though.
Look, I've got a suicide at Alford.
I'll let you know the rest as soon as I can.
All right, thanks, sir.
Oh, excuse me.
Mr.
Martin, Chief Inspector Hawkes.
Is there any news? Can I come in? She's dead.
We've found the body of a young girl in Benningfield Woods.
Obviously there will need to be a formal identification, but we believe it is Tricia.
We're going to be keeping Billy in overnight.
He's never been on his own like this.
Can't we bring him back tomorrow? If he could just get some sleep.
Billy is going to stay here until he tells us where he was, Mrs.
Conrad.
She's dead.
Yes.
No, not dead.
I saw the dead body all covered in mud and leaves in the woods where you were, and look at you, look, you're all covered in mud, aren't you? It wasn't me.
You were angry with her.
You thought that she was going to tell your secret, maybe you hit her, you picked something up.
God's sake, Inspector.
Yes, thank you, Ms.
Mackintosh.
My responsibility -- If you've got any complaints, you can send them in later.
Send a couple of copies to Mr.
and Mrs.
Martin.
She was going to tell your mom and dad, wasn't she? That's why you chased after her? Mr.
Frost, it's now quite clear that you're treating Billy as a suspect.
What? Well, are you? Yes, and I'd like to get on with it.
Then perhaps you'll do him the courtesy of cautioning him, or is that something the handicapped don't qualify for in this station? No, of course, you're right.
Caution him.
Billy Conrad, you do not have to say anything unless you wish to do so, but what you do say may be given in evidence.
I must also advise you that you are entitled to consult a solicitor privately at any time.
The police still want to ask you some questions.
Are you happy to answer them? To help Tricia? Does he want a solicitor? It won't help Billy to have another stranger here.
I'll talk to him if I feel that changes.
Billy, did you have anything to do with Tricia's death? No.
The inspector thinks you did.
No.
If you tell him the truth, then he won't need to think that any more.
All right, Billy.
Let's continue.
Why were you so angry at Tricia? Tricia knows.
Tricia knows? What does she know? I'm getting married.
Married? Who you getting married to? Jane.
Who's Jane? She's, she's my girlfriend.
You were with Jane.
We're going get married.
I think Billy has an alibi, Mr.
Frost.
Obviously, we know she was still alive just before 6:00, when she was last seen with Billy Conrad.
And he is now saying he walked off through the woods, Ieaving Tricia to go home.
That's right.
He claims he went on to the residential home at Oaklands to see his girlfriend, Jane Kennedy.
Is she mentally handicapped, too? Yes, with Down's syndrome, same as Billy.
Ms.
Mackintosh knows her.
What time does Conrad say he got to the residential home? Oh, I don't know, he's very vague about it.
But if he's telling the truth, it still means he was hanging about Benningfield Woods for about an hour.
Is he offering this encounter as an alibi? No, he wouldn't know what the word meant.
He says the reason why he didn't tell the truth straightaway is because he didn't want anyone to know about his girlfriend.
Hardly the picture of innocence we're getting from some quarters.
Is there anything previous on him, any complaints? No, nothing on record.
I think we need to look into his relationship with the children on the estate, now? Anything on these other witnesses? The man with the motorbike, he could well have seen Conrad and the girl after Mrs.
Prentice.
We're doing all we can.
We got several descriptions of vehicles in the area.
We're also trying to trace the joy riders who burned the car.
I think we might have to come up with some kind of amnesty if we want him to come forward.
Yes, I suppose so.
But Conrad is our main line of inquiry now.
If he is our man, I want the quickest route to the truth, without a trip up every byway, Jack.
We've already had warning bells from the estate.
Well, feelings are about to run high, young families, young children.
I don't want things boiling over because we're seen to be dragging our feet.
I hear what you're saying, sir.
I am not trying to give him an easy time, I'm just trying to get him to talk.
All that stuff about his girlfriend was the first time he wasn't holding back.
He's our number one suspect, but given his intellect I don't think it should be taking us this long to get the truth out of him.
A different line of questioning, different personality.
What is this? I walk into this case and I start interviewing Mr.
and Mrs.
Martin, and before I can open my notebook I'm out of there and I'm interviewing Billy Conrad.
I turn 'round now, and you want someone else on that.
Look, I'm getting somewhere, he trusts me.
There's no point sticking another body in.
I'm not putting some other body in Jack, I'll do it myself.
Yes, well, it's still not a good idea, sir, to take me off the case.
It's not a question of taking you off it, Jack.
I need you out there.
There's got to be some background on this.
Kids who haven't said anything to their parents, parents who've been suspicious and then thought the better of it.
I want to know all about Conrad and these children and I want those other witnesses.
When a detective is on the hair, you let him bloody run.
You have a very individual approach to detection, Jack, but we're all part of a team, and teamwork's what gets results.
There's also the question of the formal identification.
I'd be grateful if you talk to the Martins in the morning.
Thank you, sir.
Bastards! Bastards! "A police spokesman has also asked the rider of the green or black trail bike seen several times yesterday evening, to contact Denton Police as soon as possible.
They're also interested in speaking to the drivers of a blue Fiesta and a white mini.
" We've got to say something.
We saw the bloke.
He was watching us.
We saw him for a few seconds.
He was wearing a crash helmet.
Anyway, they've already got someone for it.
I heard it on the news, some nutcase.
We were there, Allison.
Someone has given a description of your car.
And I think we've got to go to the police.
And how do I explain that to Steve? I don't suppose Steve need ever bloody hear.
(knock on door) Hold on.
You know we have to say something.
That's why you've been avoiding me.
If it comes to giving evidence, anything like that, they can forget it.
Come in.
Richard, we wanted to say how sorry we are.
We know Billy thought the world of you.
How dare you come here.
Sally, we're so sorry.
Your maniac son's killed my daughter.
He's killed her! He's killed her! He's killed her! Sally, he didn't do it! Just go, please, just go, please.
Why did you have him? You must have known he was too old for a normal baby.
Your fault! It's your fault my baby's dead.
Well, could you get up there? Just about, yeah.
All right, all right, all right.
Just about will have to do.
Don't want you getting injured before the snooker match, Mullett will never forgive me.
Well, I wouldn't want to try it.
But he did.
That's all right, I can manage.
Bother.
Thank you.
It will be the last time anyone uses that route.
There will be a lock fitted tomorrow.
If you speak to the night staff, they'll confirm there was an intruder on the grounds.
Any idea of the time? 9:37.
The incident was reported to the police.
You'll find a note of it at your station.
I wouldn't want to bet on it.
This is Jane's room.
Oh.
Jane? This is Inspector Frost, Jane.
Why is Billy locked up? The custody sergeant has explained that we are entitled to keep you here for up to 24 hours without charge, Mr.
Conrad.
At that point, an application may be made for a 12-hour extension, or a charge may be brought.
You're going to have to stay here a bit longer.
When can I go home? You put him in prison because he came to see me.
That's nonsense, Jane.
We're going to have our own words about that of course, but it doesn't concern the police.
You won't tell, You won't tell mom and dad? Oh, well, we don't need to bother the Inspector with any of that.
Jane, we need to find out where Billy was yesterday evening.
It's very important that we get the time right.
Now, when did you see him? After tea.
Yes, and what time is tea? 6:00 o' clock, Jane, you know that.
They're not good with time.
All right.
How, how long after tea? Not so.
He was late.
How long did he stay? I don't know.
We went to sleep.
Can you tell me what Billy was like when he got here, hmm? I mean, was he cut or scratched? Were his clothes dirty, or was there mud over him? Bit muddy.
He'd been running.
I see.
Can you tell me, can you tell me what happened before you went to sleep? Come on Jane, you know you've got to tell me.
We made, we made love.
Did Billy tell you why he was late? No.
He didn't tell you that he'd met someone in the woods, a friend, a girl from the estate? You're sure? Yes.
I did warn Susan Mackintosh to be careful.
Too many theories and not enough sense.
She lets them touch each other, kisses, cuddles.
It's no good letting them do that and expecting them to know when to stop.
How long has Jane known Billy? Four years.
She's only an occasional visitor.
When it all gets a bit much at home, she's here for a few weeks and she spends some of the time at the sheltered workshop, Mrs.
Mackintosh's pet project.
I see.
Has Billy shown any interest in any other girls? He only comes near the place when Jane's here.
And you don't know him very well? What I do know is, the less the mentally handicapped expect from life, the easier their lives are.
The less they have to do with sex, the better.
No different from you and me, really, Mrs.
Turner? Thank you for your help.
Not a bad spot, Guv? What? Rising damp and ode to colostomy? Oh, yeah, very invigorating.
Tell you what, we'll drop you back at the station so you can get in touch with forensic, check the girls' room.
Okay.
Oh, and George? Yeah? If Mr.
Mullett does decide to have me committed, don't let them put me in here, hmm? She's my friend.
I wish.
What do you wish, Billy? I wish she wasn't dead.
If you'd like to wait outside, I won't keep you a minute.
I need to have another look.
I'd like to see the knees.
Other people say you were chasing her, trying to catch her.
And we know where you were just before she died.
We know where you were just after she died.
Where were you when she died? It's my fault.
She knew Billy wasn't like an ordinary adult.
We explained that? We told her that she shouldn't be unkind to him, but she wouldn't just go anywhere.
Playground, the edge of the woods.
I don't know, it's like Richard says, we were trying to be kind to him.
I can't believe it now.
If I'd have been ten minutes earlier, I'd have seen her, brought her back.
God, if I could get hold of him now.
I'm sorry I have to ask all these questions, it's just that we're trying to build a picture of Billy Conrad and what he was like, what he was like with children.
Did she ever talk about the fact that he might have touched her, or that she suggested anything like that, you know, looking back? It's just I'm trying to find a reason -- He's mental, isn't he? Ain't that reason enough? He likes girls of his own age.
He's had crushes, you know, like anyone.
That's hardly an answer, Mr.
Conrad.
Well, I don't know what sort of an answer you want.
He's like any other boy.
I want you to search your memories, and answer me honestly.
Has Billy at any time shown an unhealthy interest in any of the children he spends time with? I can't go on with this.
Come on, now.
We know the answer's no.
We've loved Billy, always, from the moment he was born.
We've tried to make his life as happy as we could, and we don't regret a moment.
But that doesn't mean there hasn't been a price for us.
No one -- no one can ever know how hard it is, how much you cry inside sometimes.
And to see him treated like this.
Was he ever violent? No, he wasn't, not to anyone, not to anything.
Is it my fault? Of course not, Billy.
Ms.
Mackintosh.
He's tried, Mr.
Hawkes.
This has been going on for hours.
He's not sure what he's saying.
I think he's perfectly clear about what he's saying, and this is not a stage that the interview should be stopped.
Let me record my feeling that it should be.
I've known Billy a long time.
He's never shown any signs of violence.
I mean, he's got a temper.
Well, given the state of his mental condition, is he capable of controlling a temper? Does Down's syndrome predispose him to attack young girls? No, of course, it doesn't.
Look, there's nothing I can tell you other than that Billy's perfectly well adjusted, and I find it very difficult to believe he could have done anything like this, very difficult.
I support him, poor Tricia.
You're the Martins' doctor too, aren't you? Mmm, mmm.
But I don't know them well.
Well, they haven't lived here very long.
And Tricia was in and out with various illnesses last year.
What, sort of normal childhood things? Not really.
I was rather worried about her at one point.
A lot of the illnesses seemed to be psychosomatic.
I thought it was just a reaction to the move from Manchester, change of schools, Iosing the friends.
But it was more extreme then? Mmmm, in an adult, I would have put it down to severe depression.
Something happened, something she didn't like, something she said she would tell other people about, her mother and father, your mother and father.
Crying.
And you were frightened about what she'd say? Mr.
Conrad is nodding, so you ran after her to stop her.
And something else happened, you lost your temper.
No.
You told us you did.
Yes.
Yes, and maybe you didn't mean to hit her, maybe she fell, maybe she hit her head, and you realized she was dead and you left her there.
Isn't that what happened? Don't you think you will feel better if you tell us the truth? I'm sorry.
This has to stop, you're putting words into his mouth.
Ms.
Mackintosh, if you want to stay for the rest of this interview -- This isn't an interview, it's an interrogation.
I'm not prepared to watch you batter Billy into saying something that isn't true.
This isn't a social worker's therapy group.
There's a dead child in the mortuary, and I have to push like hell to get the facts.
Now, if you think that is unpleasant, I already know it is.
That's the job.
To get a conviction at any price? I don't think you're qualified to tell me how to deal with a murder suspect.
You can't just fire a string of half-baked innuendos -- I'm saying nothing that he hasn't said! Nonsense! You're taking his words and completely reconstructing them.
How do you expect him to understand? He was quite capable of understanding what he wanted to lie about when we first talked to him maybe it just gets hard when we get near the truth.
This isn't getting near the truth! No, it isn't now.
If you, if you continue to disrupt this investigation, then I'm going to ask you to leave and bring somebody else in.
Stop it! Stop quarreling! I did it! I did it! I did it! I didn't want to say! Keep me in mind when you finish these.
Good results, sir.
Yeah, what's that? The mental, he's coughed, says he's done it.
Sir.
I've looked at the evidence of the witnesses, the forensic evidence.
I've heard the tapes.
The boy's saying that it was his fault.
He's clearly confused about what's happened, but something did happen.
A child was killed, and he was there.
I'm not convinced.
Why not? Well, take the handkerchief that he used on the knee.
Well, the blood could have come from her head.
Look, he realized he still had the handkerchief in his pocket, he panicked, he threw it on the table and said the blood was from her knee.
That's not the way that it came out.
He gave me that handkerchief because he thought it might help in some way.
Jack? You weren't questioning him at that point, were you, sir? No.
It's too specific.
He's got no explanations for anything.
He's got no sense of time.
He doesn't know how long it takes to get anywhere.
And yet, he comes up with a specific explanation of one thing, the one thing that involves him remembering her cut knee.
I'm sorry, Jack.
Look what I'm faced with.
A young man who may very well have killed Tricia and hidden her body, and calmly wandered off to break into a residential home and have sex with his girlfriend.
This isn't a time for hunches; we've got a confession.
What you've got is an appropriate adult who's got to stand up and argue that he was under duress.
Are you saying you don't believe Conrad killed Tricia Martin? No, I'm not saying that he couldn't have done it, I'm saying I'm not sure.
We have the evidence to charge him, it's clear enough.
Look, we still got missing witnesses.
I mean, there's more information coming from motorcyclists.
A couple came this afternoon.
The information on the motorbike doesn't actually tell us anything new, it's still too early in the afternoon.
Mrs.
Prentice said that she saw the motorcyclists after she'd seen Billy with Tricia.
It's in her statement.
Now, what are we doing, picking out the bits that suit us? Jack, that's enough.
The evidence against Billy Conrad is sitting in the incident room.
I'd be considering a charge on that alone.
We have now got a confession as well.
And as Ms.
Mackintosh has already pointed out to me several times today, we're about to run out of time.
If we don't charge him, we're going to have to let him walk out of here, or put him up before a magistrate.
I think letting him go would be pretty irresponsible.
I have to agree, Jack.
I accept that the confession was obtained in difficult circumstances, but it's still a confession.
And along with the witnesses, the forensic evidence, the deliberate lying, I can see the responsible argument for holding off.
Conrad has to be charged.
How's it going, sir? Oh, don't ask.
You got a result on the kid.
Yes, so they say.
What about you, you still on sick, are you? I've got medical next week.
I'm hoping that's the end of it.
I mean, it wasn't even that serious, I only tore a few ligaments.
It was a surveillance.
Lacrosse told the governor about his wrecky for a supermarket job, only when we got down there, it turned out it was the actual blank.
When we block off their mower, they leg it, only we haven't seen the shooter, and well, I'm unlucky.
Look at it the other way, you could have been unluckier.
Yeah, I know.
Well, you know, it's being off the job all this time is winded me up.
I've only been in C.
I.
D.
four months.
Well, you got years of being wound up ahead of you, believe me.
I don't want to go home.
I don't want to go back.
Yes.
We want a flat.
We want to live together.
That's what he says? That's what I say, and I'm going to tell mom and dad.
Jane.
We love each other.
Jane, Billy's in trouble now, so we've all got to do everything we can to help him.
There's been a terrible mistake.
The police think Billy killed Tricia Martin.
Closer examination makes it clear that she hit a hard surface.
She wasn't hit with a weapon.
There was no question of molestation.
Little evidence of struggle, not much bruising on the rest of the body.
Though there is something odd, though, easy to miss with all that damage.
There is evidence of a hairline fracture close to the base of the skull.
Difficult to say how old.
Couple of years or so, probably.
It had healed, of course, but it had left a weakness which might have contributed to the effect of the impact she received last night.
Thank you, Doc.
I'll check her medical records.
And don't bloody come back! Mental killer.
I've heard the interview tapes.
That's not a confession.
Why not? Billy can't take questioning like that.
He's only just taking in the fact that Tricia's dead, that she's been killed.
He believes he should have taken her home, so he thinks it's his fault, and he can't cope with that.
Or he can't face up to what actually happened, that's what the D.
C.
I.
thinks.
Billy doesn't need an appropriate adult now, he needs a solicitor.
Yes.
Why did you want this drink? I want you to tell me why you believe him.
I can't give you any evidence.
No, something, anything, it doesn't matter what it is.
I suppose the nearest I can get to something concrete, I talked to Jane today.
She and Billy have been making plans for the future.
Tell me.
Say Billy's an ordinary young man in love.
He wants to live with his girlfriend, can't think about anything else.
And he's got a girlfriend who's the same.
They're crazy about each other.
The problem that they've got is parents who can't deal with it.
And if the parents find out, maybe they won't be allowed to see each other again.
That's it.
Apart from a low IQ and looking different.
it's not the profile of a man who would kill a little girl.
(unintelligible) so no one can see you.
The fact that Conrad's been charged doesn't mean the job's over.
As far as possible, I want to put a stopwatch on Tricia's journey in the meeting with Conrad and the hour they were in the woods.
Our Conrad himself is going to be more forthcoming.
I'm very grateful for the effort that you've all put in, but there are still witnesses to find, still details to be got from those witnesses who've already helped us.
That's all.
All right, Jack? Mm-hmm.
Oh, yes, yes, yeah, fine.
Trail bikes and so-called joy riders, we'll find them.
What have you got? Well, I think we can narrow it down to three or four models, from what Mr.
Carter and Mrs.
Curtis have said so far.
Well, where they were, there's a note from the statements.
The witnesses have asked for anonymity.
Fine, till we want them in court? Huh.
He will be remanded in police custody for a further three days.
They are opposing bail at the moment on a number of grounds to do with the ongoing investigation, and more particularly with regards to his safety.
I would not encourage him to apply for bail, since I find the concerns of the police quite proper in this respect.
I hope that's clear.
Come on, son, this way.
Mrs.
Curtis, I would be most grateful if you could be more positive or negative.
If you really thought it was that one.
Simon's right, it was one of those two.
The other one.
I'm not sure.
The first two are These two, right, thank you very much.
Is that it? Yes, for now, Mrs.
Curtis.
Mr.
Carter.
Thank you, sir.
Thanks a bunch, Simon.
Look, I know you wanted to wait.
I know you didn't want to face Steve yet.
I've no intention of facing Steve.
I've no intention of leaving Steve.
I've been trying to tell you for the past two months, only you're too bloody stupid to take a hint.
Yeah! Well done John, well done, It's my bloody round, what are you having? I'll have a pint.
Fine, thanks.
Pretty good again.
Thank you sir.
Well, we're all off duty here, no need for the sir stuff.
You know we've got our final tonight.
Yeah.
We're a man short, I don't suppose you'd think about stepping in, fill the breach.
I mean, you're pretty lyre to popping for a jar, anyway.
I wouldn't miss it.
So? It's hard to say no of a D.
C.
I.
, sir.
It'd be great.
My round, I think.
My round.
Yeah! Now, we're all on orange juice until the match is over.
Joking.
Clear brains.
Don't know what to do with these.
Can hardly bear to touch them.
I can't keep looking at them, though.
No.
I'm sorry I have to keep coming back.
It's just that we're still trying to piece things together.
I don't want to know the details, Mr.
Frost.
What I'd like is for all those people outside the court to stop that man, pull him out, and save us any more pain.
I had a word with your doctor yesterday.
He tells me that Tricia was ill last year.
I suppose she was unsettled.
Was that the move? We wanted to be with her all the time, day and night.
We couldn't get her to school some mornings.
She wouldn't even stay on her own with Richard at one point.
Wanted her mom.
It went on a long time? Yes, a while.
I'm sorry, Inspector.
I know you mean well, but I don't really want to talk about this.
Just come back and tell me when he's been locked away for the rest of his life.
Tricia was one of the liveliest kids in the class, a little too lively.
She was just beginning to realize she was rather bright, and that could be a better way of getting what you want than sulking or crying.
She certainly got the better of me sometimes.
Was she in your class all year? No.
No, she was in Julie Edgar's class for a term, when the family first moved down here from Manchester.
I think Julie had all hard work, really.
Tricia wouldn't say boo to a goose then.
She was very withdrawn, wouldn't really talk to anyone.
I mean, that's not unusual with a change of school, but we were all rather worried about her at the time.
Jack, I wondered when you'd return.
Sales of trail bikes from every dealer in the area.
All right.
The last I look, if Small wants to chase out back, I think we've got about 85 percent.
All right,well, we better start with our lovebirds' first choice.
That's going to be a hell of a job, Guv.
Yeah, I know.
There's something else, this pathology report, I bet it hasn't been acted upon.
Tricia's hair, blood and oil, engine oil.
Right.
Right, what do you mean, right? Hey? What's the question, Sergeant? Well? What sort of oil is it? Is it car oil? Is it new engine, old engine, clean, dirty? What's the make of the oil, Or? Or is it something else? Could it be two-stroke oil, say, from a motorcycle? Trail bikes aren't necessarily two-stroke.
No, all right, then, what's forensic doing? Where's the report? I'll bet our new D.
C.
I.
hasn't pushed for it.
Yeah, well, he's going to be pushing me if I'm not in the social in five minutes.
The what? Snooker Final.
Oh, well, I'm glad everyone in this station has got their priorities right.
I'll be in first thing tomorrow Guv, I promise.
Well, you better be, I want to move on that car theft next.
Uniform haven't done anything, but we know that someone was up there.
We've got a burned out car to prove it.
You really don't think he did it.
Well, go on, go on and play Snooker.
First of all, I'd like to thank our colleagues from Richford for making the long trek over here, and warn them that this trophy that they've held so proudly for so many years is about to pass into the hands of Denton.
Let battle commence.
It's down to you, John.
There's a lot riding on this.
Mr.
Mullett's had the trophy cabinet French polished specially.
To the victor, the joke's, I think, Toolan.
I'll do my best, sir.
Bit of a sticky wicket, Charlie.
Ah, Parker's one hell of a player, sir.
Do I know Parker? I'll get you another drink, sir, steady the nerves.
Oh, I think I'm doing all right, thank you.
Yeah! Great performance.
Well, it's time you met Mr.
Mullett our superintendent.
I'll be back in a minute, call the Major, eh? Superb performance, Charlie.
Superb.
I absolutely knew Parker was our man, just knew it! Looks like the drinks are on you, sir.
Yeah, absolutely, my round, come along.
Anything I can do to help? The snooker.
I was just looking for you to tell you.
We won.
This is not the social club.
No, I was on my way out.
I took a short cut.
I must have got lost.
Go down the corridor to the end there, turn left down the stairs, through the door, you're at the front desk.
So you'll be back on a joy riding then.
I could help you out with that.
I mean, I've got some stuff, information.
I think you've had a few too many.
No.
I'm quite close to identifying a lot of them.
I mean, there's a hard core of that lot, find four, lead you to the rest.
I think you ought to concentrate on getting better and getting back to the Met.
Yeah, well, I've been doing it to sort of you know, keep my hand in.
I know about the two kids in the car, you know, the burned out job.
I reckon I can tie them in with a couple of other thefts.
Right, well, it sounds like you've done a good job.
Oh, yeah.
Well, got it all at home if you're ever interested.
Yes.
Well, right.
Well, I'll leave you to it then, Guv.
Oh, yeah, right, thanks.
Yeah, hello? D.
I.
Frost? Hello, Guv.
I thought I'd take you up on that chat.
Yeah, come on in.
All right.
Thanks.
Yes, I was a bit tied up with this Tricia Martin business and I couldn't really talk.
Well, that's no problem, Guv, this way.
Thank you.
I thought all that was sewn up anyway.
The mental.
Well, yes, that's the word around the station, yeah.
Bastard, eh? Yeah.
Scotch? Oh, right, thanks, yes.
All right.
Hmmm.
I say, it's your year, isn't it? Oh, yeah.
Load of crap, really all that.
And it doesn't count for much when you get out on the street, does it? No.
Have a seat.
Right.
Oh, thanks.
Cheers.
Cheers.
You got blokes at Denton running around, waiting to catch these joy riders, and they're not getting anywhere.
They're playing by the rules.
I mean, that's not no way, is it, Guv? Hardly need to tell you that.
You reckon you got something here? I've been hanging out where they hang out, following them.
You know the burn out job, Benningfield Woods? Oh, right, yeah.
Well, I go further.
The two kids.
Well, that certainly puts our lads in the shade.
I wouldn't mind seeing it.
Well, I was going to wait till I got it all.
Come on in.
You see, they've been using Benningfield Woods for some time, but those tracks down there run for miles.
I bet you've had one or two patrols out there, but you see, I was prepared to wait.
Patience.
Right, there.
This is the car that that pair burned out.
There.
Why didn't you tell us that you were in the woods the afternoon Tricia Martin died? Oh, come off it, sir.
I know what I'm about, I'm a copper.
I phoned Shepherd's Bush.
Your Governor's never heard of you.
I didn't know what to do.
I came out of the Army because I knew I could get into the Met.
It was what I wanted.
Do you know what, it was because I got turned down as a bloody military policeman, a bloody slag bag MP.
They didn't say so, but that was it.
A lot of people get turned down for the job.
I was living with a policewoman, wasn't I? We were going to get married.
She had a kid, Danny.
He really liked me, and then overnight suddenly I was the boyfriend you couldn't even get on as a trainee.
She didn't want to know.
So, you came to Denton to pretend to be a policeman.
I didn't set out to.
I said it to a few people I knew, a few people in pubs.
Really, it felt all right.
People took some notice.
I wasn't just another squatty on the bottom of the pile.
So then you took it a stage further.
No, I -- one day I was in this pub nearer the Nick, and I got to talking to some of your lot, and I don't know, living with Sheila and be, it wasn't hard.
Then someone asked you back to the social club for a drink.
Look, I'm not listening to all this rubbish Parker because I'm interested.
I'm trying to decide whether you are stupid enough to play boys old bloody detective, or you've got something to do with Tricia Martin's death.
For God's sake, what are you talking about? And I'm 90 percent convinced you're certifiably stupid.
You're certainly nicked.
Get your coat.
There you go.
Ah, hmm.
I believe congratulations are in order.
Glad you keep your ear to the ground, Jack.
You think it's daft, station morale, station loyalty.
It works, Jack.
It's good stuff, healthy stuff.
Yeah, well, I suppose it has its place.
I'm not a team player, though.
Doesn't certainly go unnoticed upstairs.
Really,hm.
I don't know the rules at this Snooker Tournament, but I thought by putting in a ringer from the Met that you were pushing your luck.
Well, we were a man short.
What's wrong with a bit of cross force cooperation? What, I mean, a bit like regional Snooker Squad, eh? Tell me this, sir.
What would happen if this ringer of yours wasn't a copper at all, and had just made the move from the social club to the cells? How'd you recon that would go down? What are you talking about? I'll explain in words of one syllable, provided that you tell our superintendent, (unintelligible) He couldn't.
Excellent.
Brilliant, brilliant,sir.
There it is.
They've held that trophy for seven years.
I've told George Barker it won't be going out of Denton again for at least that.
Do you think we could have a word, sir? Yes, certainly.
In private.
Yes.
Yeah, we burned the car because we burn it.
It's what we do.
But what you don't do is you don't come forward to help when an eight-year old child is murdered.
We offered you bloody immunity.
No, I -- come on, you got him.
What you need us for, huh? That's what you should be doing, catching the nighters.
You know? All we're doing is we're having a laugh, yeah? It's a crack.
Do you realize how many children are killed by prats like you, just having a laugh in a stolen car every year, do you? Oh, come on.
I can drive, all right? Yeah? Know what I'm doing.
Yeah, so do I, son, so do I.
It may start with vehicle theft, but it will end with withholding evidence and obstructing the police and anything else anyone in Denton Nick can come up with.
I can assure you you won't be doing community service for a long time.
Have you ever seen what a dead child looks like have you? Tricia Martin was struck by a traumatic blow at the back of the skull.
There were traces of engine oil.
I think there's a distinct possibility that she was hit by a car.
Not a bad idea to burn a car when you just killed someone, isn't it, eh? No, no, no, no.
No, no.
Right, then I want every sight, every sound, everything you did and everywhere you went.
I'll give Denise your love.
Oh, I don't know.
I feel I shouldn't go out.
I know it's mad, but I still forget, I still think she'll come back.
Do you good to talk to someone else, love.
Yeah.
You know, all the toys are put in the garage, and will you take them away and do something before I come back? Yeah, sure.
Okay.
He nearly hit us.
We didn't stop to see what he looked like.
He was just there, standing in the middle of the track.
We only just missed him.
And you'd recognize him again in a lineup? Well, I don't think so.
I mean, we were hammering it, do you know what I mean? Well, it was a bloke.
He was fair, and not very old.
But that's about it.
There's no doubt about the car, then? Oh, no.
I mean, I nicked one just like it about a month ago.
Yeah, well, thanks very much for the information.
We may need to be in touch with you again.
Okay, fine, thanks, bye.
Governor? Hello.
Tricia Martin.
That was the doctor from the Manchester Royal.
Her father took her in with a head injury, serious bruising.
Now, he said she'd fallen off a swing.
The doctor remembers because they were a bit dubious.
Now, they did talk to social services, but there wasn't enough to take it any further.
I talked to them, Jack, so did you.
Everything seemed so ordinary.
Okay, your shot, I think.
Thank you.
Come on.
By the way, Guv.
Hmm? The oil.
It's two-stroke.
Mr.
Martin? Sorry to disturb you again, sir.
Just one or two things I want to clear up.
I wanted to ask you about your car journey when you were looking for Tricia.
But I thought we'd been through that? Yes, yes, we had.
It just that, I must have put it down wrongly.
See, I can't make sense of the time.
You know I drove around the estate, Benningfield Lane, Bassar Avenue, back again, Birmingham Road.
You didn't go in the woods? No.
You're sure? Of course, I'm sure.
I turned the car around in the track that goes up to Benningfield's top, that's as far as I went.
You don't know how much time I've spent.
Wishing now I'd gone further.
You said that Tricia was a happy child, Mr.
Martin? I don't think anyone round here would disagree.
Look, is there a point to this? I mean, Sally said you came round yesterday without any real questions to ask.
You were very keen to tell us how happy Tricia was, you know, no problems, no arguments.
Wasn't like that when you first moved in.
What? Tricia was a very unhappy child when you came here.
Were you worried about that? Of course I was.
It was the move, and we'd had some hard times.
Money was tight, she couldn't have everything she wanted.
Your doctor called it a depression.
Or maybe it was something to do with the accident.
You know, when she fell off the swing.
Pretty bad knot that was.
Yeah, it was.
Did you tell your wife about that? Of course I told her.
Why am I being cross-examined about a knock on the head Tricia got two years ago? Because you didn't take her back to the hospital.
It was only a bump.
Didn't need to take her in the first place.
I just panicked.
Not like you did the other day? I had every bloody right to panic.
Bloody madman was out there killing her.
I'm not taking this! It seems likely that the accident with the swing, if indeed that's what it was, caused a hairline fracture.
They didn't notice it at the hospital.
You didn't go back.
Well, it had healed, but it'd left a weakness, so when she fell and hit her head, yes, yes, we do think it was a fall now, not a blow to the back of the head as such.
You're saying some sort of accident? I didn't know what was wrong with this.
There's something missing from this picture, Mr.
Martin.
I don't think I want to go on with this.
That's my daughter's.
You see, there's a house, there's the car, there's the cat, there's Tricia, there's Mrs.
Martin, there's, no Mr.
Martin.
There's no father in this picture.
I told you, she's dead.
How can you? Mr.
Martin, can you explain to me what you were doing standing by your car in the middle of Benningfield Woods on the afternoon of your daughter's death? You deny being in the woods, but I have two witnesses who saw you there.
Mr.
Richard Martin, I have to caution you, you're not obliged to say anything.
But anything you do say will be taken down and may be used in evidence, and I shall pursue this conversation down at the station.
In you go.
We're with you, Richie.
Annie's too good for the bastard.
Yes, yes, all right.
Ever had any other children? No.
Why's that? Medical reasons? No, one seemed enough, right? Do you like your daughter? Yes.
Did you enjoy being with her? Did you ever argue with her? Well, of course we argued.
That's normal, isn't it? Inspector, I know in some mad way you think you've got a reason to believe that -- I believe, Mr.
Martin, that Billy Conrad is telling the truth.
I believe that Billy took Tricia home, almost home, after he met her on the path.
I believe that she went into the house, and shortly afterwards you and Tricia had some sort of argument, and you hit her, or knocked her over, and she hit her head and she died.
Not true.
And you picked her up and put her in your car and you drove to Benningfield Woods where you tried to hide her body.
No.
All I can say is no.
The forensic examination of your car, Mr.
Martin, will give us all the proof we need, no matter how much you think you've cleaned it.
Forensic examination will also tell us where she died, and I shall start in the garage, because that afternoon you were mowing the lawn.
Do you know what we found in Tricia's hair? Traces of oil, two-stroke oil.
You use two-stroke oil in your motor mower.
We will match it.
She fell.
She just fell.
I was asleep.
I dozed off, that's the truth.
Had a couple of drinks, you understand.
And I was -- she came in like she did, wanted it all done, the food on the table, the video from the shop.
I had a list of things she wanted.
I mean, we spent a fortune on that kid.
I lost my temper.
And you hit her? Oh, she was asking for it.
Sally always gives her everything she wanted.
I mean, it didn't matter whether we could afford it or not, and she started again.
I want this, I want that.
And I was shouting at her.
She started crying and she ran out into the garage.
She started screaming.
I thought people could hear her.
I didn't think I'd ever, not again.
And she said she'd tell Sally about the other times but we put that behind us.
She said she'd tell Sally.
I had to shut her up.
And she ran, and, and slipped.
She just, she just slipped.
And her head came down on the floor, and I picked her up and brought her in the back of the car to take her to the hospital.
I just drove out, and I realized she wasn't breathing.
I drove around, but I didn't know where I was going, I was on the track, and I couldn't go back and tell Sally what I've done.
You see, I couldn't ever tell her.
Okay, son.
It's time to go home, Billy.
Mr.
Frost? You missed Richard.
I don't know where he is.
Can I come in? Jane! Jane! Jane! Oh, afternoon, sir.
Ah, Jack.
I'm dreadfully tied up, treacherous business.
Oh, yes sir.
Excuse me.
You were right to be cautious, Jack, absolutely right.
I thought I'd been in this job too long to snatch at a culprit, just because a case got to me.
Well, what about this Parker business, sir.
I suppose we could look forward to an inquiry.
I mean, after all security is our shield.
I don't think look forward to would have been my choice of word.
But I can assure everyone there's going to be a shake-up in security at this station.
One hell of a shake-up.