Whitstable Pearl (2021) s03e01 Episode Script

1
[PEACEFUL MUSIC]
[CAMERA CLICKS]
Let go of me!
Let go of me!
What are you doing?
[GRUNTS]
[THUDDING]
[SOMBER MUSIC]
Wow.
Wow, Ruby, this is delicious.
But it's, um
It's quite garlicky, isn't it?
You know, maybe we could
serve it with a little packet
of fresh mints.
Welcome to the Pearl Whitstable.
What?
You said you wanted to try something
the locals wouldn't expect.
It's just very French.
I mean, it's bouillabaisse,
so it's going to be French.
But, I mean, could you do something
that's a bit more Whitstable?
It's that how you say it?
Bouillabaisse?
Bouillabaisse.
Bouillabai
Bouillabaisse.
Bouillie bouilliebaisse.
Yeah, that's close.
Whatever.
Now, Ruby, this is delicious.
And you've done really, really well.
But it's just well,
it's just not very us.
Well, it's just a first attempt.
I can use the broth
and do something else.
Well, no, no.
We might as well finish it.
I mean, now you've gone
to so much trouble.
But you just crack on.
I'm already seeing
you as Baroness Schraeder,
Captain Von Trapp's wealthy, sassy,
beautiful fiancée.
And a bit of a villain,
but in a good way.
Is that right?
Then you probably know,
I was born to play Maria.
What?
Oh, come on, Mom.
There's casting against
type, and there's telling
a completely different story.
Ageist.
Ask Ruby.
Not a chance.
I heard you singing in the food larder
when you think no one's listening.
No.
So the search for Maria continues.
[COUGHS] She's sitting
here right in front of you.
This is pure discrimination.
Yes, it is.
In the same way that if
I wanted to play Maria,
I would also expect to
be discriminated against.
But as musical director, I will take
everyone into consideration.
You are damn right you will
take me into consideration.
I've discovered that if
you just say no to Dolly six
or seven times, then eventually
she gets her own way.
But not this time.
Well, good luck with that.
Well, I'm feeling very optimistic.
Mike.
Hey.
- All right?
- Mike.
You look well.
Cheers.
Where have you been?
I went for a walk.
What, for three months?
Hi.
You guys want to get a pint later on?
Ooh, sorry, Mike.
- No, it's date night tonight.
- Ah.
No worries.
Well, maybe later in the week, then.
- Yeah.
- Good to catch up.
[BANGS]
Um, where's Pearl?
There once was a place
with mudlands a'lonely ♪
Way, hey, ho
And I'll sink and I'll search ♪
And I know that I'll find it ♪
Way, hey, ho
I know the wind, she blows
I know the tides are low
But you'll find me at the white post ♪
You'll find me at the white post ♪
Thank you.
That's all right.
So you're not going to
do the coffee machine?
Sorry.
Cheers.
No problem.
Is she going to be all right?
Well, she was unconscious.
She should get checked at a hospital,
maybe see if she can stay
with someone for 24 hours.
But she's pretty lucid,
even with 40-proof breath.
All right, stranger?
- Hello.
- Hello.
Good to see you.
How you been? You all right?
Yeah, yeah. Good, yeah. You?
Yeah. All due respect, I'm
not meant to be on duty yet.
So if I can catch you up, I can go.
Yeah, yeah.
Fire away.
All right, Izzy
Cooper over there,
taking photos on a beach.
Just over an hour ago, some
scumbag tries to get her camera off her.
The strap snapped.
She hit the ground, knocked out.
Woke up to find the camera
missing and her purse emptied.
I see one male, 20s.
Lovely. Thank you.
Right. See you in a bit.
See you.
You couldn't give that a little top up,
could you, Dolly?
Is that medically advisable?
My mother's dead.
I don't know who you're supposed to be.
How are you doing?
Ah, I've had worse.
You should be able to walk on the beach
without getting mugged.
Way of the world, sweetheart.
I owe you some money.
Sold a couple of your prints.
Better keep it.
Downpayment on your services.
At least give the police a chance.
No, no, no.
Pearl, I want you.
It's not just about the mugging.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Izzy didn't tell the
police the whole story.
She told me that she thinks the
reason her camera was nicked
was because of who she
was taking pictures of.
Who?
Gemma Malone.
She's a local young mom. She had twins.
She went missing seven years ago.
Left her husband, Luke, to
raise the kids on his own.
Seven years.
That's not very hopeful, is it?
But Izzy swears it was Gemma.
So I take it she wants
you to investigate.
Yeah.
She says she doesn't think they'll
take the sighting seriously.
If it was a sighting.
Sounds complicated and time consuming.
But don't worry about me.
I'll be busy with the auditions.
It's a shame Ruby's a flat no for Maria,
if she's as good as you say.
I'm going to ask Mike.
To play Maria?
No.
But he has a commanding presence.
I might say yes to that
drink he mentioned,
see if he wants to play Hans Zeller, the
charming Nazi collaborator.
Not Captain Von Trapp, no?
Oh no, I'm afraid that
role has already been cast.
[LAUGHTER]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Oh, but you've got such
a lovely voice, Ruby.
I'm not doing it, Pearl.
I've not been on a stage since
school, when Amanda Wexell
got every part I wanted.
Not Amanda Wexell.
Yeah, and I heard she's
auditioning for Maria.
So good luck to her.
Well, if she's made up her mind.
You know what I've been thinking?
What if Izzy see Gemma on the beach?
Then why didn't she
go and see her kids?
Or at least tell her
mom she's all right?
Well, do we know she hasn't?
I'd love to believe it's her.
But I think Izzy's just
seeing what she wanted to see.
Izzy was sure it was Gemma.
She thinks that's why
her camera was taken.
She took that about 15 years ago.
Yeah, I remember.
Made quite a stir, didn't it?
She had all this work coming in.
Yeah.
And everyone knew Gemma's face
my Gemma.
Is it possible she just
dropped out of her life?
People do.
Something happened to her.
Oh, Luke did a good job of acting
like the perfect husband,
but he controlled her.
She couldn't do anything
without his say so.
We fell out over it.
We weren't even talking
when she disappeared.
Now, I'd love to believe
this is her, but I can't.
She's gone.
And you should ask Luke what
happened to my daughter.
Right.
No, wait. I'll go in on my own.
- Don't want to spook him.
- All right.
But if you're not out in 20 minutes,
I'm coming in with pepper spray.
All right.
[DOORBELL BUZZER]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Sorry I gotta go, Pearl.
Everything okay?
Yeah, sorry to trouble you.
I've got some news about Gemma.
A local photographer saw her
on Whitstable Beach
yesterday evening.
Who?
Izzy Cooper.
How many had she had?
Well, she's adamant it was Gemma.
Well, if I had half a bottle of brandy,
I'd start seeing things, too.
[SIGHS] Okay, well, I'm
sorry to bring this up.
No, it's okay.
I go through it every day.
But what I can't have is
the girls hearing about it.
What if they think
their mom's coming home?
No, sure.
Don't you think I want it to be her?
No, of course you do.
Look, I know she wasn't well.
She was depressed.
I told her to get help.
She kept telling me she was fine.
But she wasn't.
And that's why she never came home.
See?
Still in one piece.
Well, just as long as
you knew I was ready.
Of course you were.
You don't know about the
hairy anarchist who tried
to hijack a CND march, do you?
Well, let's just say that I bet
his eyes are still watering.
Do you think Izzy's made
all this up just to wish
Gemma back from the dead?
Well, it wouldn't be the
maddest thing Izzy's ever done.
But even for her, it's a bit farfetched.
You know, Luke's got no
pictures of Gemma up in there.
Don't you think that's a bit odd?
Well, she did walk
out on him and the kids.
I mean, why would he?
Okay, let's say she did run
away, and now she's back.
Someone else would have seen
her on the beach when Izzy did,
wouldn't they?
Do you want a hand?
With what?
Door to door.
See if we can find some
CCTV near the beach.
We will make a private
detective of you yet.
No, you're right.
I'll drop you off en route.
You're not really going to go
up for the part of Maria, are you?
Well, somebody's got
to take on Amanda Wexell.
I'm not having that little
madam steal my legacy.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
All right, Dan?
Hello, Pearl.
What can I do for you?
If I buy that side table that
I put on reserve with you about
three months ago, is there any chance I
can look at your CCTV footage?
Yeah, come on.
Cheers.
Um
It could be her.
Can't really see her face.
Try this. It's bouillabaisse
Is it?
Well, thank you very much.
This is delish.
Second attempt.
Ruby, that's stunning.
What fish have you used?
Sea bass, cod, and then
mussels, crayfish tails.
No garlic.
All local catches.
Well, you can make that for me any time.
But I think it might be a bit
too expensive for our locals.
Yeah, yeah, no worries.
I'll, um I'll have another think.
Well done, Ruby.
Back in a sec.
I could eat this all day long,
but there is a beauty in simplicity.
When in doubt, WWPD
What Would Pearl Do?
I'd be very surprised if it was her.
But I worked the
original misper case.
There was no proof of life.
All her accounts went dormant.
No sightings.
Yeah, but no body.
Look, Gemma was
prescribed antidepressants
but never collected them.
She was under a lot of stress.
Young family.
Suddenly disappears.
You know how common that is.
What about her husband?
Well, we looked into him, but dead end.
No history of violence.
Plus, everybody said
that he doted on her.
Everybody?
The mom wasn't so keen.
But turns out she had a
problem with every bloke
that Gemma went out with.
Overprotective single parent.
She could have just thrown herself
off a cliff at high tide, or
It's been seven years now,
and she'll be officially
declared dead anyway.
Well, Izzy swore she saw Gemma.
What Izzy saw was a
redhead in a baseball cap.
And Izzy is an unreliable witness.
The MO of this robbery is that some
kid saw a posh camera and took it.
It has nothing to do with who
or what she took a photo of.
What, just a random theft?
Yeah, the little sods
already used her card.
The shopkeeper got
suspicious, sent in some CCTV
of a known offender who,
it turns out, has robbed
most of Margate.
One flat oat to go.
Oat?
What do you think of the new Mike?
You know we had a
sweepstake going at work.
Oh.
My bet was on Lanzarote, although it
looks more like you've
been to a yoga retreat.
I like your bracelet.
Yeah, it's moonstone.
Soothes the soul.
[GIGGLES]
Zen master Mike.
I heard that.
[LAUGHS]
Jack really liked the fish.
What did he say to the fish?
Hello, fishy.
15 minutes until lunch, girls, okay?
Sorry to come back to
you about this, Luke.
I just need you to have
a quick look at these.
Yeah, of course.
It's not her.
No?
It's not Gemma.
Okay.
Well, I know how hard it
is to be a single parent.
You must miss her.
I miss her every day.
I've known her since school.
Been together since we were 19.
And then when she got pregnant and
twins.
I got everything.
Must have been a lot for her,
though, two babies and being
at odds with her mom.
Gemma felt suffocated.
And I don't think Val
helped her state of mind.
Oh, right.
Not that I'd say any of
this to Val, because she
feels bad enough as it is.
But it's why I try and
keep her back from seeing
the girls too much.
I'm raising them my way,
like Gemma would have wanted.
Daddy, the TV's stuck.
Give me a sec, Pearl.
No worries.
Oh, I'm going to have
to reset the Wi-Fi.
Hurry.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Look, I'm
I'm going to leave you to it, Luke.
I'll keep you posted, yeah?
- Thank you.
- No worries.
Don't forget your pasta.
Well, that's Gemma's writing.
Where'd you get these?
Luke's bin.
Well, why would he throw them away?
Why wouldn't he discuss it with me?
Maybe he didn't want to upset you.
This is what he does.
He tries to control everything.
I bet you think he was
the doting husband.
Well, I think it probably was hard,
being pushed away when
it had just been you
and her for so long.
He made her push me away.
I'm not saying I didn't
interfere at times.
You're sure that's her writing?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I've always been sure she was dead.
Oh, lovely stuff.
- There you go.
- There you go, mate.
Keep the change, eh?
Thank you.
Right.
All right, Joey?
Oh, don't hold back on my account.
You're a growing boy.
You got the wrong man.
Got some spare change suddenly.
Yeah.
Been working on the boats.
You know, cash in hand.
Right.
I'm sure you're a
hard-working lad, Joey.
You should come down
to the nick with me.
Give you a chance to
digest that while we
verify your whereabouts when a stolen
bank card was being used.
Every time, eh?
Can't believe you people.
[GRUNTS]
Thank you.
Stop!
Stop running!
But it's all I have.
Stop. Stop.
I said stop!
[GRUNTS]
Pretty sure you're under arrest, mate.
Yeah, I haven't done
anything, all right?
Thanks, boss.
[GRUNTS]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Well, let's take a look
at your inventory, shall we?
Previous form for robbery
and assault in Margate
and a pocket full of cash in
Whitstable, what I'm quite sure
ain't yours.
I did not hit any
old lady over the head.
Hang on.
What is that smell?
Oh.
Thanks for that.
[CLANGS]
[THUDS]
Innocent people don't leg it, Joey.
What's that?
Oh, that's your defense. Right, okay.
I'm half convinced we've
got the wrong guy already.
Case closed.
I found the wallet on the beach.
Where's the camera?
I found the wallet on the beach,
and I started splashing the cash.
Sorry about that, but we're
in a cost of living crisis.
When we take your
clothes away for analysis
and find tiny little specks
of blood on your shoes,
it's going to give us
all the evidence we need.
Do you understand that?
History of violence.
Repeat offender.
That's GBH, at least, against
a beloved local resident.
If she says I hit her, I didn't.
You're looking at time, Joey.
A lot of it.
It was an accident, all right?
I saw her with the camera.
And I knew it must be worth some dosh
because, well, my uncle had this shop,
all right, that sold good kit.
And I was a bit loaded.
Been up all night in Margate.
And I thought I'd just
snatch it and leg it,
but she had this strap.
And I yanked at it, and it went bust.
And she fell over and hit her head.
I didn't just leave
her there, all right?
I made sure she was still breathing.
That's nice of you.
And then you took her purse.
Where's the camera, Joey?
I sold it to some bloke at the Neptune.
And I'll tell you his
name, as long as you stop
saying that I hit the old bag.
Because I swear, I didn't.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[DOORBELL RINGS]
How are you doing?
You're in possession of stolen property,
a camera that was lost Friday.
I have to see inside your house.
[PATRONS CHATTERING]
You all right?
Is that Amanda Wexell?
Yep.
Don't see her as Maria myself.
Oh, try this.
Not giving up, are you, Ruth?
It's shrimp, cod, mussels,
all the flavors in the base.
Is that paprika in the soup?
Yeah, I just put a few ideas together.
Wow.
What are you going to call it?
I'll have a think.
Does that mean
Well done.
Good news and bad news.
Don't you need it for evidence?
Case closed.
You mind giving it back to Izzy for me?
Sure. Bad news?
Film's gone.
Those photos were Izzy's
only proof that she saw Gemma.
This kid says he was
high and doesn't remember
what he did with the film.
But he sold the camera to
a bloke in the Neptune.
Well, he must have dumped it somewhere
between the pub and the beach.
Maybe.
Before you ask, no, I'm not
organizing a PolSA search.
Oh, right.
See the old Mike's back.
I'm sorry, Pearl.
Camera's the best I could do.
Thank you.
[PHONE RINGING]
Hey, Jenny.
Listen, a bit of a weird favor to ask,
but some bloke was selling a stolen
camera in your pub earlier.
I know it's a long shot.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Pearl.
Jenny.
- Any luck?
- Is this it?
Where was it?
It was stuffed a poplar, of all places.
You're a star.
I have my moments.
Well, do you want to
develop it for me as well?
Now, that would be pushing your luck.
I owe you one.
See you later.
See you.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Pearl liked the bouillabaisse.
Did you?
I did.
- It was delicious.
- Thank you.
You're welcome.
So you can put my name
on that list for Maria.
I love it when a plan comes together.
Hey, Mikey.
Flat oat?
No, cup of tea, two sugars.
Pearl. Pearl.
Val thinks she knows why Gemma
might have been on the beach.
It was her dad's birthday two days ago.
After he died, she used to go down there
and leave a little
bottle of rum for him.
Well, that's worth a look.
See anything, darling?
No, there's nothing here.
Have a look that side.
So are you happy to be back?
Yeah.
How's Charlie doing?
Hardly hear from him, little toad.
I always have to text him first.
Yeah.
Where you been, Mike?
It's been months.
Is everything all right?
Yeah, like I said, I just
went for a walk.
Makes sense.
Sometimes, I'm gone weeks
when I go for a stroll.
Turned up in Skegness last time.
Pearl.
Could this be what you're
looking for, Detective?
It was just hanging on a
nail above the waterline.
Oh, what's this?
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
I'd better take that.
Jesus Christ.
Well done, Tom.
Val?
Give us that.
That's Gemma's necklace.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Val said Gemma's
dad bought it for her.
It could be hers.
I know I'm supposed to know
this sort of thing, but
Look, Luke, I saw the toys that were
meant for the kids in the bin.
Did you throw them away?
I thought it was a sick joke.
It doesn't make sense
her doing this and not
coming to see the girls.
Well, maybe she's ashamed.
Or she could be plucking up the
courage to see them and you.
I just don't believe it.
It can't be her.
It's been seven years and nothing.
Why now?
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Pearl, the food was delicious.
- Oh, fantastic.
- Thank you so much.
No worries. See you.
- Thank you very much.
- No worries.
- Bye bye.
- Thanks.
Bye bye. See you next time.
- Here you go.
- Oh.
Cheers, Ruby.
So?
[SIGHS] Oh, you are kidding me.
What was it?
[POUNDING]
[PHONE RINGING]
Mom, can you do me a favor?
Have you shown Luke Gemma's necklace?
No, not yet.
No, you need to show him.
- See what he does.
- Yeah.
Yeah, I will.
And I'll show him these as well.
You've been lying to me and to Dolly.
And now, I've got the police involved.
Because these are staged, aren't they?
This isn't Gemma.
So who's this?
A student from the art college.
Izzy found her.
And she planted the bottle
of rum and the necklace
on the beach and the toys
and the faked handwriting?
Yeah.
Pearl, I know you're mad at us,
but it's seven years
since she disappeared.
They're going to close the case.
She'll be declared legally dead.
They'd never investigate it again.
Couldn't stand watching
Val go through it anymore.
Luke did something to that girl.
You don't have any evidence.
Pearl.
What?
I think you should listen.
I'd do the same if it was you.
And what if it was Charlie?
Don't put this on me.
Well, put yourself in Val's shoes.
Pearl.
The photos were meant for
Luke, to see how he'd react.
We weren't counting on
Izzy getting mugged.
You can go to prison
for falsifying evidence.
Val's been in her own prison
every day for seven years.
You know, Luke put his hands
around Gemma's neck once?
Yeah, she told a friend.
And then she backtracked
and she said, oh, no, he was
just trying to calm me down.
Well, did you tell the police that?
The police suspected suicide.
Everything else was circumstantial.
That's why we're doing this.
What, to get inside his head?
So you wanted Luke to
think that that was Gemma
just to see how he'd react?
Yeah, we thought he might panic.
You know, slip up.
And I want him lying
awake at night wondering.
It's a bit crazy, Val.
It's the only chance I've got at putting
that bastard behind bars.
Val and I were planning
to stake out the house,
see what he does.
Well, how else are we going
to catch him when he spooks?
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
No.
I left Greenham in
'87, and we didn't even
meet till the poll tax riots.
Then how come I got a photo
of you wearing a policeman's
hat outside Greenham in 1989?
It was '86.
Oh, look, you used to
get tanked up on brandy
and get shoeboxes full of
old photos and make up dates.
I resent that.
I watched you do it, you silly old cow.
[KNOCKS]
Sorry, Luke.
They found Izzy's camera,
got the film developed.
Looks like she was right.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
He's rattled.
That will set the cat
amongst the pigeons.
[PHONE RINGS]
Val.
[SIGHS]
Right.
No, no, no.
We're here.
Oh, don't worry about that.
You just do as he says
so we can follow him.
He's asked Val to babysit
the girls two hours early.
He says his plans have changed.
Here we go.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Where's he going?
- Don't get too close.
Don't get too close.
All right, all right, all right.
Okay.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Izzy, no, no.
But we were right.
Yeah, but you'll scare him off.
He'll just say he was
mushroom picking or something,
and then we won't know
where he's heading, will we?
Scream if you need me.
I'm still pretty handy in a fight.
Oh, yeah.
You left that mugger
in a right old state.
Pearl.
Thank you.
Just in case.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[GRUNTING]
[SCREAMS]
- Did you follow me, Pearl?
- Luke.
What are you doing here?
Wait, wait.
The police are on their way.
Is that right?
Yeah.
Think.
What about your kids?
What about Maisie and Lottie?
What, are you going to kill me, too?
You don't want to make
it worse for them.
Val deserves to know what
happened to her daughter.
She was going to leave me.
So I made it easy for her.
No, because you didn't
give her a choice.
And that would have
been all right, would it?
Taking my girls away from me.
Shared custody, Luke.
People make it work.
Shared custody with someone
who can just walk away?
Look, I know it must
have been a burden keeping
a secret all this time.
All I ever did was love her.
Even when she disappointed me.
She didn't know how lucky she was.
Not that there was ever any gratitude.
All she ever did was
mope and take from me.
Well, you weren't going to
let her leave you, were you?
She knew what would happen if she tried.
It was like she wanted me to end it.
Make it all final.
And so I did.
Sorry, Pearl.
Hey, hey, hey, hey!
Drop the shovel for me, Luke.
Come on.
Go ahead.
You all right?
Yeah.
Luke was just telling
me about Gemma.
Yeah, I heard.
Luke Warren, I'm arresting
you on suspicion of murder.
You don't have to say anything,
but it may harm your defense
if you do not mention when
questioned something which you
may later rely on in court.
Anything you do say may be
given in evidence. You understand?
[SOBS]
Dolly called me.
There'll be more
warning next time, yeah?
Sorry.
Thank you.
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
Val, I'm so sorry.
They have found a body.
[CRYING]
Go on, throw it out.
You played a bit of a dangerous game
withhold information,
fabricating evidence.
Well, technically, that wasn't me.
Fair point.
Well, that explains
where Zen Mike's gone.
Come again?
You're not wearing
your moonstone bracelet.
Oh.
It broke.
Well, that can't be good
for your soul, can it?
Well, one day back on
the job will do that.
[PHONE RINGS]
I'd better take this.
Sure.
Hello?
Are you all right?
Yeah.
Just thinking about Mike.
You likey new Mikey.
No.
No, I didn't mean it like that.
Just, well, he looks good.
He looks great.
But he still hasn't found
inner peace for his wife.
Like Val has for Gemma, you mean.
Yeah.
Now, he's got nothing.
He's got you.
So this walk.
Feel like a dog with a bone.
I went to Santiago
Camino de Santiago.
It's a pilgrimage walk.
In Spain?
My wife
she had this bucket list
of things that she wanted to do, and she
never got around to it.
So I thought I'd
Do it for her?
Good for you.
Bet they didn't have a
sweepstake on that at work.
Yeah, my grief counselor
said it might help.
And has it?
I'm sorry, Mike.
Yeah, so am I.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
[LAUGHTER]
What's the face for?
Mother Superior.
Mother bloody Superior.
That's what for.
All of you, it's not funny!
No one else can play that part, Dolly.
No one but you.
You are Mother fucking Superior.
You're my Mother Superior.
And don't you forget it.
Who got Maria?
Introducing Miss Ruby Williams.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
Casting complete.
And Captain Von Trapp?
Well, in a competitive
field, my colleagues
at the Whitstable Players felt that I
was the strongest candidate.
You're outrageous.
What about Amanda Wexell?
Oh, she tanked it.
Overcomplicated herself.
We gave her Nun Number Three.
Well, Ruby came up with
a bouillabaisse recipe.
And it's local, it's fabulous,
and it's got a little kick.
And I asked her to name it.
Dolly's Ocean Stew.
Yes, there you go.
See? And drama productions
only last a couple of nights.
There's your legacy right there.
Will you peel all those, please?
Find a knife.