Vera s03e03 Episode Script

1 What are you, a girl? Come on.
Play something real, man.
Ah, that's it.
Sssh! There's someone Here.
Right you are.
Hello? He's come off that edge into the water.
A bunch of sixth formers on a residential at the activity centre saw it happen.
Tried to get him out, couldn't find him in the dark.
Divers pulled him out this morning.
And he was burning? Give us a bell around lunchtime.
I'll have more for you then.
New phone - you've got your own ringtone.
What? Billy? Fire burns upwards.
Lowest point of burning gives you the point of ignition.
In this case - here.
Burnt from the feet up - no wonder jumped.
Must have been in agony.
Ma'am.
Gideon Frane.
Extreme sports fanatic.
25 years of age.
Parents live abroad.
They've been informed.
No siblings, no partner.
Well, how come we've got so much on him so fast? All the intel's come from the fella who runs the place - Jim McKinnon.
He ID'd the body.
Cannot stop talking, according to Kenny, with the shock.
Or guilt.
No, his alibi's good.
Aye.
According to Kenny.
Is there anything else you remember a all? That's all I saw, really.
It happened pretty quick.
How's she handling herself - Shep? Good.
I reckon the military police's loss is our gain.
Oh, aye.
We've got statements from the kids who witnessed it.
Same story from everyone.
They heard an altercation and then saw him on fire.
School's keen on letting the parents take them home.
And you thought you'd spend your first day learning how the coffee machine works, right? Private school, is it? Yeah, St Finan's.
They had the whole place booked out for the sixth form.
What was Gideon Frane doing here? Apparently, he invested money in the centre a while back.
He spent all his time off here.
He even kept a yurt in the grounds.
You know, one of those Mongolian tents.
Time off from what? Investment banking.
Hm.
Well, let's go meet Kenny's talkative friend.
We were going under.
Bailiffs literally at the door.
So Gideon saved your centre from ruin.
Oh, no question.
No question.
It wasn't just the money, it was the ideas.
Turf 'N' Surf.
Treetop adventures, along with coast-steering, diving.
We were planning a via ferrata.
Make Coniston look like a kids' playground.
Yeah, and you last saw Mr Frane? Tuesday evening, seven o'clock.
1900 hours.
I know because I was meeting some friends in a pub and was running late.
I asked if he wanted to come but he said he was going back to the yurt.
The thing is, I know it's going to come out so I'd rather tell you guys now.
Nothing hidden or concealed, like I said to your man.
I'd rather lay it all out, everything.
And then you'll know.
Know what, Mr McKinnon? The planning office said no.
After everything Gideon had done for us, I was scared to tell him.
So I put it up anyway.
The yurt? It's illegal.
Only got to see a police officer and they start confessing to anything from losing a library book to cheating on their missus.
We're gonna be hours sifting through that lot.
Still, I'll check out that investment of Gideon's.
Right.
Make sure there's no motive in it.
It looks like a fight.
Hm.
But what set him alight? So the fight starts inside the yurt and then moves outside.
And then either accidentally or on purpose, Gideon's assailant gets him into the fire pit.
No, his shoes weren't burnt.
Maybe he wasn't in it long enough for his shoes to burn, you know.
Just for his combat trousers to take light.
Wasn't she at the adventure centre? Hello, love.
I'm Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope from the Northumberland and City Police.
We were just up at Craith.
I thought everyone was being picked up by their parents.
I didn't want to bother me mam.
Be fine on the bus.
We can give you a lift.
What way you going? It's it's really kind of you, but I'm still a bit shaky.
Yeah.
I was planning on having a cry at the back of the bus.
You don't have to be worried about crying in here, love.
My sergeant does it al the time.
Come on.
Hop in the back.
Sorry.
Here you are, love.
Ah, I don't blame you.
It's a difficult thing.
It will take a while to settle.
It was just so sudden.
We heard him shouting and then it probably only lasted a few seconds.
It's coming up on the left.
Do you want us to come in with you? Let your mum know what happened? I'll talk to her later.
When the little ones are in their beds.
Ruben, run.
Run fast, she's coming after us.
How many times has Mam told you? It's a road! I'm really sorry.
Thanks again for the lift.
Was Alex there? Did he like your hair? Where's their mother? They could have been killed.
Maybe she's at work.
Can't all be your Celine - homemade fairy cakes, towels that match the soap.
There's no need to sneer.
I'm not.
I'm just saying, 17-year-old girl witnesses a murder.
She has to get the bus home cos she doesn't want to bother her mam.
Maybe it's not a murder.
Till we've got something concrete to go on, it could be anything.
Accident, misadventure or spontaneous human combustion.
Anything.
Whoo! Whoa! Whoo! Whoa! Gideon Frane.
Now we know who he was, what he did for a living, and that he loved extreme sports.
What we don't know is how and why he came to be alight.
But more importantly, we don't know who he was arguing with before he appeared on fire on the edge of the cliff, so Where do we start looking? Investment banker? Nobody's favourite profession at the moment.
There's something about burning.
It's personal, sadistic.
People hate bankers as a group, not as individuals.
Well, all the same Mark, get on to the FIO.
Let's check out any groups, activists who might have targeted someone like Frane.
What about Jim McKinnon? The money that Gideon invested in the centre.
No, I checked.
There's nothing going on there.
I'm with Joe.
Even if this was just a fight that took a wrong turn, I think it's personal.
So, let's keep coming at this from both angles.
Personal and professional.
Joe, Kenny, I want to know who was in the vicinity of that adventure centre.
Teachers, pupils, centre workers.
Dog walkers, stargazers, everyone.
And, Shep, I want to know who he worked with, who he socialised with.
Who he slept with.
McKinnon said he didn't have a partner.
Maybe not a partner, but if I was built like that I'd not be wasting time.
Get back to McKinnon, then.
Oh! That interview - that was a station record.
That man can talk for England and breathe through his arse.
Get him talking about Gideon Frane's sex life, then.
Now, come on, everyone, let's give ourselves something to go on.
Shep.
Ma'am? Has Kenny done something to his hair? Mm-hm.
New woman.
Billy.
Lungs, full of water.
He drowned.
I blame the coat.
It's polyester and duck down.
Went up like a Roman candle and took in water like a sponge.
Might as well have gone swimming in a burning duvet.
Not that I've ever tried, mind.
Flaming bedding, that's a bit niche even for me.
Would he survived without the water, without the drowning? First and second-degree burns over 60% of his body, it's doubtful.
I need to know why he was burning, Billy.
I need to know if I'm looking at accident or intention.
Doing my best for you.
Cos I'd catch a grenade for you, Vera Throw my hand on a blade for you, Vera Yeah, I'll call you.
No! Joe? Kenny got a name out of Jim McKinnon.
Gideon Frane used to date a girl called Izzy about a year back, a hairdresser.
I think I've tracked her down.
Right.
City Centre Salon.
Apparently, it's a late-night opening tonight.
Northumberland and City Police.
We were hoping to have a word with one of your stylists - Izzy? I'll see if she's free.
Thanks, love.
Hey.
What have you done to your hand? Cor, here, look at that.
Sausages - all full of bloody water these days.
Can't put them near an oil pan.
What are you doing frying stuff? You what? The doctor gave you all of those diet sheets.
Are you like this at home? Cos the kids will be leaving as soon as they've scraped up the bus fare.
Can I help you? Izzy? Yeah.
Izzy, I'm Vera Stanhope, Northumberland and City Police.
This is my sergeant Joe Ashworth.
I believe you used to date a man called Gideon Frane.
Is that right? Yeah.
Yeah, I did.
Have you had any contact with him since you stopped seeing him? Are you being funny? My file must be a foot thick with all the incidents I've logged.
Isn't that why you're here? No, I think, er we're at crossed purposes here, pet.
We're investigating the death in suspicious circumstances of Gideon Frane.
We were wondering if you might be able to help us with our inquiries.
Gideon Gideon's dead? Hm.
Oh, thank God.
Oh, thank God.
97 incidents over a 12-month period.
Low-level harassment escalating to abusive messages, threats and criminal damage Izzy was so scared, she moved out.
Been sleeping on a friend's sofa the last nine months.
So why wasn't Gideon Frane arrested? No proof.
Never any witnesses.
No CCTV evidence.
Never used a phone that could be tracked back to him.
He knew what he was doing.
Well, maybe he's done it before.
We ran him through the computer.
Nothing prior to this.
Oh, well, Izzy's got friends, support.
Someone more isolated might not have come forward.
Shep, see what you can dig up on any previous relationships.
She was so let down.
Aye, well, they say they were building a case.
Aye, maybe towards the end, but, I mean, look at all this.
Nobody took her seriously for months.
Be fair.
"Complainant reported ex-boyfriend followed her to and from work.
" Wasn't breaking any laws - what could they do? But she's reporting incident after incident and nobody made the link.
Nobody saw there was a pattern forming.
That's why it escalated, because he knew no-one was gonna do anything about it.
And? What? It's just in a situation like this, you can kind of see why someone would want to take matters into their own hands.
- Hm.
- So what's her alibi? I told you that when you came into work.
We'd just like to go through it in a bit more detail.
The night before last? I was at the flat with Kit.
Was there anyone else with you? No, just me and Izzy, watching telly.
Anything good? Not really.
But we had a drink.
Had a laugh, you know.
How long have you lived at Kit's? Ever since psycho boy drowned her cat in a bucket and left it on the doorstop as a birthday present.
Not that anyone could prove it was him, of course.
Sweetest girl in the world.
She'd do anything for anyone - and she ends up with him.
Still, it's a big thing opening your door to a friend like that.
Well, somebody had to help.
Christ knows you lot weren't doing anything.
Shocking, really.
Makes us wonder why we pay our taxes.
Why'd they split up? I erm I found out he was seeing other people.
Any names? I don't think he asked their names.
Wasn't that kind of seeing.
I went the doctor's.
I thought maybe I'd picked up an infection from the swimming pool.
Oh A doctor put me right, anyway.
I was going to confront Gideon, but when it came to it I just cried.
It's pathetic.
So you broke it off.
And then? At first, I I thought it was because he wanted me back.
You know, he wanted that second chance.
That's when I realised He couldn't stand the fact it was her doing the leaving.
He couldn't stand not being able to control her.
He really was a worthless piece of shit.
Ma'am.
So is there anything else you want to tell us? I like your friend's hair.
House to house, Kenny.
I want every door near that flat knocked on.
I want that alibi either firmed up or shot down.
Right you are, ma'am.
What about Tinkerbell and his friend? And you wonder why he thinks we're the enemy.
Joe, with me.
What? Laceration across the hallucis longus.
Now, whatever did it took a chip out his shin bone as well so we're talking an impact of some force.
But here's the thing.
Fragment of combat trouser retrieved from inside the gash.
Now, the sharp-eyed among you will note that it shows no sign of burning, meaning it was pushed into the flesh before the fire took hold.
From which the discerning and logical mind Stop grandstanding, Billy.
I'm not in the mood.
Whatever did that also set him alight.
An impact of some force.
So they either hit him with it, threw it at him What? What is it? I'd say something with a sharp metal edge.
As for the fuel His clothes were made from petrochemical textiles.
They'll contain the same constituents as most accelerants, so be hard to identify any traces even if he hadn't been in the water.
Yeah.
OK, Joe, get on to CSI, see if they've found anything in the vicinity of the yurt that fits the bill.
All right? You want me to put something on that for you? What? No, I'd think you were laying me out.
Actually, Billy, you know, you're not looking so clever yourself.
Too many late nights? Just off me food.
Happens once in a while.
You know, one case in a while.
With fire it's almost always the smoke that kills them.
Couple of lungfuls and it's "Good night, Vienna".
Burns come post mortem.
But he was alive.
Well if it helps they say he wasn't one of life's best.
"Worthless piece of shit" was the phrase used.
Hm.
Yeah, well, same could be said of me.
In fact, I think I've got it in writing.
No, it's about the flesh.
The nerves, the pain.
So, no, it doesn't help, but thanks, anyway.
CSI haven't found anything that matches that description.
Right, well, they didn't know what they were looking for, did they? Joe! Thrown at him hard enough to chip a bone.
Now the lamp oil would have ignited on impact.
This is now a murder investigation.
So what have you got for me? Something happened at Gideon's bank a few days ago.
It might be unrelated but I got nothing on Gideon professionally.
He didn't stand out as being any more ruthless than the next man.
But one of his colleagues mentioned an attempted mugging a few days ago.
So I got tapes off security.
No, it looks like an internet hoax.
Yeti fighting the Big Foot.
Wait a minute.
Something's wrong here.
Take it back.
Look at that.
It looks like the mugger's calling him.
Now why would a mugger do that, make his presence known? Lose the element of surprise.
Ma'am? They told me to come straight up.
I think I've got something.
I've been opening whatever's arrived for Gideon.
I didn't think that this one would be any different.
Shall I I thought there might be prints.
Hey, give it us here.
It's been in the post, it's probably been handled by half the country.
Well done.
"You will burn in hell.
" What is that, a threat? A prophecy? A warning? What's this? Frozen peas.
For my hand, last night.
Oh, sit on my hat, man.
A bit of damp's not gonna hurt you.
Gum residue at the top.
Definitely torn from a pad.
Can you tell if anything was written on the page above? There's something there, but the indentations are too shallow.
I think it's time for my favourite magic trick.
Well, well, well.
Kit O'Dowd.
It's all right, pet, we know the way.
How are you? Oh, I'm great.
This is me coming quietly.
The notepad it was written on was last used to write a letter to your landlord complaining about the boiler.
He ought to be prosecuted - the rent he charges! So do you do recognise this? Yeah.
Did you send it? Yes.
Why? He was texting her, saying he was gonna get her gang-raped.
And all the police said was, "Keep logging the incidents.
" You lot - what are you even for? Cheeky bloody sod.
Would you mind taking your shirt off for me, pet? I'll tell the papers you said that.
Shirt.
Where did you get them bruises? We have you on CCTV in the underground car park of the office where Gideon Frane worked.
Thought we weren't doing enough? Thought you'd take matters into your own hands? What did you say to him? I told him to leave Izzy alone.
And? And I didn't tell her.
I didn't want to upset her.
Did you kill Gideon Frane? I wish.
No.
I didn't.
Have you seen the kit I pack at work? I got a cut-throat razor! I use scissors that could take your ear off.
What would I bother bloody burning a man to death? What's all this, then? Coincidence.
Hm.
I wanted to scare him.
Specific, though.
"You will burn" ".
.
in hell.
" It wasn't meant to be literal.
It was Biblical.
Hellfire and damnation.
Judgment Day.
Oh, so you're a religious man, are you, Mr O'Dowd? It just fitted.
I don't know why.
Maybe because of his background, St Finan's being a church school.
Gideon Frane went to St Finan's? I just wanted him to feel like someone was watching.
Like someone knew.
I just wanted him to stop.
Joe, get yourself in front of the magistrate.
I want a warrant to search his flat.
OK.
Why are we bothering with the magistrate? He's got the motive, an unproven alibi.
And he's admitted to sending him a malicious communication.
Why do we not just arrest him? I don't want to blow it by jumping the gun.
When we've got concrete evidence linking him to the death of Gideon Frane, then we'll make an arrest.
In the meantime he's free to go.
So, go on.
Oh, here he is, Mr Hint of a Tint.
And I thought I was the only gay in the village.
Get out.
But don't leave the country.
Don't even leave the town.
We will be talking to you again.
So, what? That's it? I'm not under arrest? If it was up to me, sunshine Ma'am? You asked me to look into Gideon Frane's past relationships.
Do I pursue that or are we standing down all lines of inquiry except Kit O'Dowd? No, pursue it.
It might be worth going right back.
Gideon Frane went to St Finan's.
Same school as the kids at the lake.
Joe, when you've got the warrant, tell the search team we're looking for traces of lamp oil, and soil from the woods.
Anything to put Kit O'Dowd at the scene.
What are you doing if we need to find you? Research.
They finished searching Kit O'Dowd's flat.
Nothing.
Shut the door.
Don't let all the heat out.
Look, I don't think he did it.
He made a silly threat with a random choice of words.
And now he realises no one is gonna believe he had nothing to do with Gideon's death.
That's why he's acting all jumpy.
I mean, I'd be scared, wouldn't you? You didn't expect to find anything in that flat.
Hm.
You don't think he did it any more than I do? No.
Cheeky little bugger, but I don't think he killed anyone.
Have you got any milk? No, I'm watching my cholesterol.
So if you don't think he did it, why'd you search the flat? We can't rule him out just because you and me don't fancy him for it.
And Kenny's right - more than reasonable grounds for suspicion.
I mean, "You will burn" If we're going to eliminate him we need proof positive that he wasn't there when Gideon was killed.
- That still looks sore.
- Yeah.
You know, when a kid's hurt themself it's amazing how quickly it heals.
You can almost watch it happen.
Tonight I told Celine I'd look after myself.
I was gonna get a takeaway.
What do you fancy? No, you're all right.
Erm I've already eaten.
What did they think they were going to find when they got to Gideon's yurt? A man catches fire, goes over the cliff, then drowns.
If you're planning to commit murder, that's leaving an awful lot to chance.
What was his plan? Where's the washing-up? What? You said you'd eaten.
Where's the plates, the pans? That's it, isn't it? That's your evening meal.
I've been busy.
Was planning to do some shopping tomorrow, as it happens not that it's any of your business.
When are you gonna get yourself organised? Get something delivered.
When are you gonna take care of yourself? And when are you gonna get off my case? Telling me what to do under my own roof.
Oh, go home, will you? I've got work to do.
Every witness at the quarry talked about hearing an argument.
An altercation.
Every witness, except one.
Ruthie Culvert.
The girl we gave a lift to.
Yeah.
She said she heard him shouting.
Not them, him.
Get in.
DI Vera Stanhope, Northumberland and City Police.
And this is my sergeant, Joe Ashworth.
Could we come in, Mrs Culvert? It's about yesterday.
Yeah.
My dad was police.
CID.
Oh.
Retired now.
He's just picking Ruthie up from school.
He'll be back in a minute.
Saturday morning school.
There's keen.
She can't afford to slack off if she wants to keep the scholarship.
St Finan's do scholarships, do they? We could never have afforded it otherwise.
I lost my husband just before Max was born.
Dad helps out so we manage, but you know, it's all held together with chewing gum and string.
Yeah, I know how you feel.
Oh, hello again, love.
We were wondering if we could have a word? It's hard to remember.
Everyone's talked so much about it since.
You forget what's your own memory and what's someone else's.
But you stand by what you said, hm? You didn't hear an argument, just a single voice shouting? He sounded angry.
Love.
I don't know.
Maybe it was two voices.
I'm really sorry.
I can't help you.
No, don't be daft.
You've been a real help.
Oi, stop it.
What are you doing? What's that? Leave me alone.
I'll be fine.
Morning.
Hi.
About what happened at the adventure centre, is it? Now, you of all people should know we're not at liberty Is it ex-CID? Look It really upset Ruthie.
She didn't wanna worry her mother.
She came to me.
I was hoping her statement would be the end of it.
We just wanted to go over a few details.
Yes, still, it stirs things up.
Maybe a good idea to see if she's all right.
Oh, and you might want to give your daughter a hand.
One of them's got something stuck in his hair.
Feral, the lot of them.
You should put them in a zoo.
How can anyone live in that chaos? I wouldn't be able to think.
Before you say anything, Celine buys soap to go with the towels, not the other way around.
It's an impulse, isn't it? Tidy things up, make them neat.
Smooth over the inconsistencies.
If something doesn't make sense, you adjust it mentally so that it does.
It's not even conscious.
All of them Hearing something they thought was there.
But not her.
Not Ruthie.
We've been picking away and picking away at this, and this is the first time we've got something we can really grab hold of - one voice, arguing.
Well, what if the other voice didn't carry? It was a woman or a child.
Or a phone call.
Vera? Is there any chance at all that Gideon Frane could have caused that injury himself He'd have to have been throwing himself around some.
Yeah, but theoretically? Erm theoretically, if he lashed out hard enough and the lantern was there, aye, it's possible.
Why would he start chucking himself around? Alcohol, psychotropic drugs.
If he was a user, we'd have heard about it by now.
Ma'am? Gideon Frane's phone records? Nothing yet.
Kit and Izzy's alibi - just checked out.
There's something else.
The professional complaint against Gideon was a dead end, but I looked at St Finan's.
Gideon Frane didn't just go there - he was head boy.
Look at this.
Right.
This was his girlfriend, Manda Adelaide.
And this is her after she broke up with him.
Suicide attempt, apparently.
Threw herself down the stairs.
So where's she now? No one knows.
After that she dropped out of school, dropped out fo her exams.
Basically she disappeared.
It's the same head teacher now as when Gideon was at school.
Doctor Ripman.
Although apparently it's school tradition to call the head "the Master".
Jessie would love it here.
On a sergeant's salary? Dream on, love.
I don't know, Jessie's a bright girl.
You know, if they offered a scholarship.
Ooh, beats me why anyone would want one.
Bloody Hogwarts.
Excuse me, love.
Do you happen to know where we might find "the Master"? In there.
Thanks, love.
What? Ah, nothing.
You know Head teacher's office.
So sorry to have kept you waiting.
Dr Ripman? Don't tell me you were expecting a man? How very unsisterly of you.
Ah, well, "the Master" had me confused.
DCI Stanhope, Northumberland and City Police.
This is my sergeant.
Vivienne Ripman.
DS Ashworth.
No, the title is just a matter of tradition.
When I was appointed, the governors hummed and hawed, and in the end suggested I might like to call myself "the Mistress".
I ask you! With 800 teenage boys all finely tuned to the slightest sexual nuance.
I stuck with Master, started admitting girls.
Problem solved.
How may I help you? Gideon Frane.
Yes.
Of course.
Gideon was one of that rare breed who really do seem to have it all.
Fine mind, academic prowess, superb athlete.
Did he ever get into any trouble? I once relieved him of a pack of Marlboro Lights, but other than that exemplary.
Hence the Head of School.
It was a big honour that, was it? Oh, yes.
Gideon wasn't always able to join his parents for holidays.
The school became his security.
He valued that.
Was it a coincidence your sixth formers went to the adventure centre he'd invested in? Not at all.
I make a point of supporting the ventures of ex-alumni.
Oh, the old school tie, eh? Let's say my eye is always on the next set of sixth form internships.
I'm curious as to why you think Gideon's school career might have any bearing on his death.
Actually, we were interested in a girlfriend he had at the time.
Manda Adelaide.
Oh, yes, they were quite a pair, those two.
That phrase from Shakespeare - "Golden lads and girls" - always made me think of them.
Oh, doesn't sound so golden to me, love.
Dropping out, suicide attempt.
Manda was one of those high-flyers who never quite find their wings.
It happens sometimes.
I felt it personally in her case because she was in the first intake of girls to the school.
My girls, I suppose.
She could have blazed very bright.
Terrible waste.
Hm.
Do you know what happened to her? I'm afraid she didn't keep links with the school Well, what about this lad? Who's he? Jamie Levinson.
Any ideas where we might find him? The last I heard, Acklington Prison.
Drugs offences.
He was expelled.
A serious and unprovoked attack on another pupil.
Gideon Frane, as a matter of fact.
Any idea what was behind it? Affairs of the heart tend to loom large at that age.
You think Manda was involved? Speculation only, but yes.
That was my inference at the time.
I'm afraid that's my cue.
Chemistry with the lower sixth.
Er just one more thing, love.
We passed a plaque on the wall down there - the Frane Wing.
That wouldn't have anything to do with Gideon Frane, would it? It was endowed by his family.
We owe many of our facilities to the generosity of ex-alumni.
As you said, old school tie.
An entire wing? Don't tell me that doesn't buy you a head boy-ship and more.
You think Gideon killed his ex-girlfriend and then Dr Ripman covered it up in exchange for some new classrooms? No.
But the first woman ever to be appointed head.
She must have had an awful lot to prove.
And even more to lose.
Shep.
All right, we'll take it.
All right.
What? Someone called the incident hotline.
Said they've got information about Gideon Frane.
A nun.
A nun? Calling from an outreach project for abused woman.
What was her name again? Claire.
Sister Claire.
We understand you have some information for us, Sister Claire.
Claire.
Information about Gideon Frane? Yes.
When I heard there was a murder investigation, I thought you might come looking for me.
And you'd be right, Manda Adelaide.
We should go somewhere else.
Some of the children are nervous of men.
Can I have three teas, mate? Yeah.
I'll bring them over.
Sure.
If she says anything about the doughnuts, tell her you've run out.
So it was a genuine suicide attempt.
I was very unhappy at the time.
Because of Gideon? Gideon was part of it.
Why did it end between the two of you? He brought out the worst of me.
I got sick of not liking myself.
Now, you said you had some information for us, love.
I suppose I'm the information.
Well, me not being dead.
Oh.
Why would we think you would be? When I got myself back on my feet I took a degree in psychology.
Our ministry's rooted in the idea that we're in the world to serve the world so I'm studying for another now in social work.
Gideon was never violent towards me but he was controlling.
He liked to dominate.
He could very easily become someone who did that kind of harm.
He had the profile.
I didn't want you to waste your time looking for me.
Looking at back then for answers.
Thanks, love.
Just let us know if you want any doughnuts.
I'm not lying to a nun.
Have you er had any contact with Jamie Levinson? No.
No, not for a long time.
Well, I don't know about your man back there not wanting to lie to a nun, but she's not telling us the truth.
Not the whole truth anyway.
Vera? Vera Stanhope.
Yeah, I know, you'd think I'd be dead by now.
Ha! Sister Benedict? Vera Stanhope.
Now I know it's something tremendous that you do but you'll have to remind me.
I'm 800 years old, you see, and I can't remember a thing.
Police.
It's the police.
Police.
Of course.
This is my sergeant.
Joe Ashworth.
That marvellous questioning mind she had.
I always knew she'd either end up in the law or fighting it.
That time they tried to kick you out of St Anselm's and I said, "You will not.
We want that child on the side of the angels.
" Oh.
And here you are.
Here you are.
Oh! Does she treat you well? Because she was a great favourite with me.
But those forthright ways of hers used to alarm some of the more sensitive children.
Well, I know my place.
She does the thinking, I do the legwork.
Ma'am! Oh, I'm sorry.
Duty calls.
Oh, of course, but come and see me.
And bring your sergeant.
He'll want to know about all your escapades.
We've been trying to reach you.
It's Billy.
He's found something.
It's not something we routinely screen for.
You need to be looking.
It didn't occur to me until you asked if he could have got that injury himself.
And there it is.
Causes visual disturbances, unsteady gait, hallucinations.
Could be arguing with someone who's not there? Very possibly fighting them as well.
According to tradition makes you hot as a hare, blind as a bat, dry as a bone, mad as a hatter.
And you're sure? Absolutely 100%, copper bottom.
Anything else you want to throw at it - Gideon Frane was poisoned.
Atropine - comes from deadly nightshade.
And in the quantity Gideon Frane was given would have proved fatal.
If he hadn't drowned first.
Do we know how he took it? Well, it's bitter.
So it must have been disguised.
There was tonic water and vodka in the yurt.
They're checking both to see if either might have been the source.
He would have been confused, possibly hallucinating.
Comes out of the yurt, shouting and thrashing about.
Kicks the lamp, catches fire and then terrified and burning, jumps off the cliff into the water.
Hold on, if someone got into his tent to spike a bottle of vodka, they could have done that anytime.
So all bets are off as far as alibis are concerned.
So does that mean we're bringing in Kit O'Dowd again? Do you know what? I just don't fancy him for it.
But I tell you who has got qualifications in chemistry, and God knows what else plastered all over her walls Dr Ripman.
Dr Ripman.
Now, Gideon Frane, Manda Adelaide, Jamie Levinson, and Doctor Ripman.
Now there's something connecting these four.
Maybe to do with school, maybe not.
Now, these two aren't talking.
He can't talk.
So I'd say the man we need to find is him.
I'm here to advise you that we're no longer looking at you in connection with the death of Gideon Frane.
And they sent you all the way here to tell me that? Look, I came on the hard man telling you we wanted to question you again.
I just wanted to put the record straight.
So this is an apology? Hey.
Not from me, son! I'm not the one making the personal comments.
And, by the way, this is a quality home product.
Oh, sit down.
Eh? I'm not letting you walk out of here like this.
Somebody might think I did it.
I've found him.
I've found him! Jamie Levinson, I've found him! Dr Ripman said he'd done time in Acklington for drugs.
She was wrong about the prison, or she was lying.
But she was right about the offence.
His record said he was trying to come clean.
So I went round all the drugs rehab charities until I found him.
Hm.
Thinking and legwork.
Huh.
"Golden lads and girls" You know it's about death.
What is? Mr Levinson! "Golden lads and girls must all as chimney sweepers come to dust.
" I looked it up.
They use it at funerals.
Mr Levinson! It's boarded up.
People kept breaking in so I nailed it.
You have to come in the back.
Gideon? Jesus.
I'm not supposed to be drinking.
Jesus.
You hadn't heard, then? No.
I don't really keep up with things.
Sorry, do you want? No, it's a bit early in the day for me.
Oh well, thanks.
He's driving.
Ah, you're all right.
I'll find one.
When was the last time you saw him? Gideon? Not for years.
Not since school.
Actually, that's what we wanted to talk to you about.
School.
Thanks.
Is the boss in? Erm no, she's out with Joe.
Why? Ah, it's nothing that can't wait.
Looking good, Kenny.
Ah, well, I'm a good-looking boy.
So you remember nothing? Is that what you're saying, nothing at all about your last two years at school? I've had difficulties with substances.
Memory problems.
Do you remember attacking Gideon Frane? Attack? No.
It was a fight.
Well, what about? What were you fighting over? I'm sorry, I don't Did it involve Amanda Adelaide? Or is that something else Dr Ripman has misled us about? Misled? Well, it was her told us you went for Gideon.
A serious and unprovoked assault.
No, I - Hey, sit down.
- That's bitter.
Hey! Bitter.
Joe! Vera.
Vera! Vera, it's OK! It's OK, Vera.
Stay with me.
Vera! Stay with me.
Oh Stay with me! Vera! 24 hours under observation? I barely touched the bloody stuff.
Well, you collapsed in front of us.
Oh, well, apparently, atropine and angina don't mix.
I'm not taking you out of here.
It's a poison.
You were poisoned.
Look.
Gideon Frane - murder.
Jamie Levinson - attempted murder.
I haven't got 24 hours to waste, sitting in here.
Ma'am.
Why don't you just give it a few hours? If you're feeling all right then, discharge yourself.
Drop of water.
It'll be no different.
You can run things from in here.
Just say what you need us to do.
Right.
Dr Ripman! Now, she had you down as the dumb sidekick, so play up to that.
Get her to lower her guard.
See what you can get out of her about atropine.
Anything you can find on Jamie Levinson.
Why is it that someone whose family has the money to send him to St Finan's is living in that sort of squalor, hm? And get Kenny to bring me in a laptop.
Listen, I need to borrow your car.
Are you not done bothering me yet? Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot that I came here in an ambulance with you.
So I've left my car up there.
Just I can't stand being fussed over.
Well, give him credit for having the courage.
No one else would dare.
I know what it is.
I know how it acts.
At a pinch I could probably produce it, although I'd have to look up the method.
Are you suggesting I did? We just need to check it out.
You being a chemist, having the expertise.
I doubt it requires a PhD in organic chemistry.
If street drug traders can synthesize MDMA, they ought to be able to produce atropine.
Most of my A level chemistry class could probably manage it.
The wonders of education.
I didn't know what deadly nightshade looked like until I went on Google Images.
So you have no idea why anyone would want to poison Gideon Frane? No.
Or Jamie Levinson? I'm afraid not.
We spoke to him about his days at school.
He didn't seem to remember much.
I'm sorry, nothing springs to mind which might be relevant.
Obviously, if anything occurs How would you go about getting a scholarship to a place like this? Aren't you a little old? No, my daughter.
She's bright as a button.
There's an entrance exam.
The school secretary can give you details.
I warn you, competition is fierce.
I bet it is.
Other schools would sell their soul for the kind of results you get here.
Results that are built on hard work and superlative teaching.
How are you feeling? Bad.
Hm.
Oh, I've had some rough brews in my time, but oh, that Sorry.
It wasn't your fault.
Was it? I don't know how it got there.
I haven't even been drinking.
Not for weeks.
So someone put it there.
Hm? People come and go.
Friends of friends of friends.
I don't always know So your husband taught at St Finan's, Mrs Culvert? That's how he knew it was a good school.
Always was, but Vivienne Ripman took it into another league.
Did he ever talk about her, say what he thought of her? Not really.
There's a lot of pressure on staff and pupils.
Colin said he just wanted to leave it all behind when he came home.
There, that's enough.
I think just let it take care of itself for a while.
Dad was always the same about work.
Drew a line under it as soon as he walked in through the door.
What about you? Me? No, I'm not the strong, silent type.
My wife can't shut me up.
So what happened to your husband? Car crash.
Him and Ruthie.
I was lucky not to lose her too.
It must be hard however it happens, but when it comes all of a sudden it must knock you off your feet.
It's like being hit with a wrecking ball.
There was the kids, I was pregnant and then Max was born with spina bifida.
Well, how do you manage? I'm not sure I do.
But here we all are, anyway.
You live the life you've got, don't you? It's not like I'm on my own.
Ruthie takes an awful lot on her shoulders.
And Dad ferrying the kids around, making sure they don't go without treats.
I still miss Colin, though.
I still miss him.
I took your advice.
Waited a couple of hours and had a chat with one of the doctors.
Very reasonable young man.
Saw my side of the situation eventually.
There'll be a call from the hospital as soon as Jamie Levinson is fit to be interviewed.
Make sure I hear about it.
Joe - Dr Ripman.
What have you got? Well, nothing on the atropine.
But she got really edgy when she realised we'd been speaking to Jamie Levinson.
And there was something else.
I was firing stuff out there, playing battleships? I mentioned the exam results, them being top of the league tables.
Yeah, and? Well, it definitely hit.
She just iced over, you could feel the temperature drop.
But the real find came afterwards.
You know that school honours board? Well, next to it there's one for teachers that were killed in service at the school.
They're mostly during the war, but one teacher died the same year that Gideon Frane was Head Boy, Manda Adelaide tried to kill herself and Jamie Levinson got expelled.
Yeah? What's the chronology? I don't know.
I'm still working on it.
But that teacher was Ruthie Culvert's dad.
Ma'am? Sorry.
You asked us to look at Jamie Levinson.
I've got something.
It's not just the family that have money, he's personally wealthy.
I mean seriously monied.
Massive annual income from a trust.
Well, where is it? The man lives like a sewer rat.
Can't spend it all on drugs and alcohol.
He gives it all away to a kids' charity.
What charity? Parada.
Helps families affected by spina bifida.
Ruthie's brother.
This isn't a conspiracy.
Jamie, Manda This is atonement.
You lied to us.
What? Didn't want us wasting time looking back then for answers - you are a liar.
It's all about back then and you knew it.
Jamie Levinson is in intensive care.
He was poisoned the same way as Gideon.
No.
No.
No.
You thought he'd done it.
You thought Jamie killed Gideon.
I was trying to find him, to talk to him.
I wanted him to have the chance to do the right thing, to come forward of his own accord.
If he hadn't, I would have come to you, I would have told you.
Told us what? Is he going to be all right? Told us what? What? Seven years ago, you, Jamie, Gideon Frane and a teacher called Colin Culvert Now, what happened? It was about results, wasn't it? It was about exam results.
Gideon cheated.
An A level he was taking a year early.
Mr Culvert found out and took it to the head.
Our year we were her creatures.
The first cohort she'd seen all the way through the school, A-stars all the way.
Especially Gideon.
Maybe she didn't want to lose his grades for the league tables.
Maybe she had her sights set on a new wing, I don't know.
What, she covered it up? Let him get away with it? After that Gideon knew whatever he did, he was protected.
It's not hard to bully a teacher.
Not if you're popular, and Gideon was.
Why did you and Jamie get involved? You know what it's like at that age.
You and your friends against the world.
We thought Mr Culvert just had it in for Gideon, picking on him.
That we were the plucky underdogs fighting back.
We thought we were the heroes of the story.
Mr Culvert started drinking.
You could smell it on his breath, in class, under the mints.
He kept a bottle in his bag and we used to top it up with other things.
You can imagine.
One day after school, we went back to his classroom to collect some things and Gideon started taunting him about the drinking and how he was gonna tell the head, and Mr Culvert just Mr Culvert just just broke.
He started crying.
We'd never seen a teacher cry before.
We thought it was funny.
We thought he deserved it for what he'd done to Gideon.
He crashed on the way home.
I don't even remember the last thing we said to him.
I remember we were laughing and that as were leaving, there was this noise.
She must have been there the whole time.
We just hadn't seen.
Who? His daughter.
The look on her face.
I've seen it since then.
With kids I've worked with.
Anguish.
Mrs Culvert.
Mary, love.
Now, when your husband was killed, Ruthie was in the car? She doesn't remember much.
It's probably just as well.
Right.
Well, we need to see her, love.
Is she about? Ruthie! What's the matter? Has something happened? No, just a couple of questions, love.
Ruthie! Ruthie! She's gone.
Ruthie Culvert.
Intelligence have put out an APW, so the airports, railways and ferry ports are aware.
Her photo's also gone out on the police briefing.
We have officers with Jamie Levinson at the hospital and with Sister Claire, who we think could also be a potential target.
Ruthie Culvert is now our prime suspect but she is also young and vulnerable.
Now, come on.
We want her found.
What have we got? A team's talking to her friends.
We've got trained officers with her brothers.
I wanna visit her mam.
Why now? Ma'am? Her father died seven years ago.
Why now? Opportunity.
The sixth form visiting the adventure centre.
Ruthie finding out Gideon Frane was involved.
She could have found Gideon Frane at any point over the last seven years.
Maybe at ten she was too young to pull off murder, but 14, 15? No, something triggered this.
Something happened.
Something's changed.
What? Her hair.
I meant to say, it just slipped my mind, it's just a detail but Kit O'Dowd mentioned that a lot of kids from St Finan's get their hair done at his salon.
She can never afford their prices.
Her mam said the granddad used to help out, make sure the kids didn't miss out - maybe it was a treat.
OK.
Get on to the salon.
Check their appointments.
See if there was any chance she could have heard what Gideon was up to.
So he hounds her father to death.
Hm.
Seven years later, she finds out he's doing it again to somebody else.
No contrition, no remorse.
In fact, if anything, the experience has made him more confident.
He think he's untouchable.
Now, I can see why Ruthie wouldn't be able to live with that.
And where's the but? Why go for Jamie? Hm? I mean, anyone can see from looking at the man, he never walked away from that day.
He's been living a penance every since.
The officers interviewing her friends just checked in - nothing! Nobody's got a clue where she might have gone.
Well, someone knows.
They might not realise it, but someone knows.
I already told you.
I don't know where she's gone.
Mrs Culvert She couldn't have done this.
I know all parents probably say this but I know Ruthie didn't do this.
Anything at all you can remember from what happened in that classroom? Hm? I mean, something else Ruthie might have seen? Something her father said? And she's had absolutely no contact with you at all? No.
I'm sorry.
It's all right.
I know it's not a social visit.
But I hope you find her - the girl who's run away.
Me too.
Remember when you did the same? Straight out of the head's office and over the fields and far away.
Poor little mite.
Aye, well, nothing poor about it.
I just didn't fancy the leathering I was due for not wearing my uniform right.
You still hanging on to that story after all this time? What? It was your father went off after those birds.
Left you on your own.
Stayed away longer than he planned, I suppose.
You'd run out of clean uniform.
You'd run out of everything.
Eating peas out of a can when I came round.
It wasn't the strap you were running from.
You just didn't want your dad getting in trouble.
Boss? Joe.
I don't think it is her.
I don't think it's Ruthie.
I think she's protecting someone.
Joe, are you there? Joe! Yeah.
No, I'm still here.
Just give me a second.
I think I know who.
After your husband died, was there a special place Ruthie used to go with your dad? I know it wasn't you.
I'm sorry, pet.
When did you realise it was your granddad? Hm? I think maybe I always knew.
I was just trying not to.
You came asking about what I heard at the quarry and Granddad was walking past the window.
And I just knew.
There's this hairdresser's everyone goes to.
I heard one of them talking.
Crying about Gideon Frane.
About what he was doing I know, love.
I know.
He wouldn't have done it if I hadn't told him.
But I've always told him everything.
Ever since Dad Would you confirm for the tape, please, that you are Ronald Devreux? 25 years, sitting where you are now.
Retired early to be there for my daughter.
And because I couldn't take the sight of one more smug bastard walking out of the court with his finger in the air and a swagger in his step.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm Ronald Devreux and I killed Gideon Frane.
Tell me about Jamie Levinson.
That was unintentional.
You put a whisky bottle full of atropine in his cupboard.
For you to find, not him to drink.
Oh, planting evidence.
Misdirection.
I was hoping if I gave you a credible enough collar, you wouldn't look elsewhere.
That's a bit of a risk given his history of substance abuse.
I've got good contacts.
I had it on good authority he'd given up drinking.
The alcohol glasses were for methadone.
But that's probation officers for you, a bunch of bloody optimists.
I knew my son-in-law was having trouble at work and from a few hints he dropped, I had an idea as to why.
After he died, and after Ruthie told me what she'd seen, I put two and two together.
So, I told Dr Ripman I was going to hold her to account.
Go to the governors with the fact that she'd covered up Gideon Frane's cheating.
She said if I started muck-raking, she said there'd be no death in service benefit paid out for Colin, no pension.
He er He was drunk at the wheel.
And er the small print, you know, I'd managed to bury that as far as the inquest went, but she knew.
So there we both were.
Each pointing a gun at the other's head.
And Ruthie's scholarship? She got that with her own brain.
She was only ten when it happened.
She didn't know the full story.
She didn't know what Dr Ripman had done.
Her mother doesn't know anything.
Oh, interview rooms.
Stale air and bad coffee.
I miss it.
Interview formally concluded at 21:19.
Thank you for your cooperation.
I have no interest in fighting these charges.
I won't be standing trial.
Contacts? Cigarettes.
Pack-a-day man most of my life.
Six months, they said.
And you and I both know that with the criminal justice system in this country, it will be twice that before this gets near a court.
Yeah, they gave me the news the same day I picked Ruthie up from the hairdresser's.
It felt like kismet.
And you thought this would help them after you've gone? They didn't need it.
You did.
Don't you sometimes want it? Justice? It wasn't justice.
That was murder.
And yes, sometimes I do.
But I wouldn't want to live in a world that would let me take it.
Where is everyone? Gone to the pub.
Why don't you come? Kenny's bringing his new woman.
Someone should warn her.
No, you're all right, erm I've got plans.
Paperwork, you know? I'm glad you're settling so well, fitting in.
Well, it's a good team, good atmosphere.
Hm.
Comes from the top.
Here you are.
Cheers, mate.
Ah, you beauty.
Shep! Hey.
Hey, darling.
Shep, this is Lindsey.
Nice to meet you.
Lindsey, Shep.
What do you want to drink? Gin and tonic, please.
Gin and tonic, please, as well.
Vera? Vera Stanhope!