City Homicide (2007) s03e14 Episode Script

So you witnessed the accident? It, um, happened about a month ago.
I was driving to the airport and I've been in Darwin on business ever since.
I didn't know she was dead.
You failed to stop and help and a person died.
How can you justify it? Hey, I wasn't the one who hit her.
I was just driving past.
I had a plane to catch! I mean, there were other witnesses.
Actually, nobody could tell the investigators exactly what happened.
No-one saw the actual moment of impact.
Except you.
Saw the follow-up story in the paper too, did you? "Grieving parents bury only daughter.
" Yeah, I saw the paper.
Look, I've only just got back.
So what did you see? What happened? Just, um, the woman - she stepped out onto the road, stepped back when she saw the car coming - the grey car.
She stepped back? Yeah, she saw it coming, stepped back, but it veered toward her.
And you're sure about that? It ran her down.
She went over the bonnet, smashed onto the road.
It was deliberate.
Whoever was driving that car intended on killing that woman.
First reported as a hit-run four weeks ago.
Vague witness descriptions.
Nothing much to go on.
So what's changed to bring it across our desk? Well, we now have reason to believe it wasn't an accidental hit-run.
The case was going nowhere until that piece in the paper, that plea for witnesses from the grieving parents.
I saw that.
Tweak someone's conscience, did it? A witness saw the article.
And where does our witness suddenly spring from? He'd been interstate.
He got back, saw the paper,contacted us.
And he says it was no accident.
He reckons she was run down deliberately.
Probably had an attack of the guilts.
Yeah, well, so he should.
Catching his flight meant more to him than Yvette Simpson's death.
Does he seem believable? Yes, ma'am.
His description of the car matches other witness descriptions from the day.
But he saw a bit more than that.
He believes it may have been a male driver, possibly middle-aged.
He said the car swerved toward the woman.
Knocked her down on purpose.
Alright.
Better get onto it, then.
Talk to the divisional detective who ran the investigation.
It's already happening.
He's on his way in now.
So what's this about? We're just following up the Yvette Simpson hit-run, Joel.
Oh.
You're disappointed? Yeah, well, I get called into Homicide, I figure someone's green-lit my application, and it turns out that you're just reviewing one of my investigations.
Yeah, I'm a bit disappointed.
Well, I'm sorry to be putting a hole in your career hopes there, Detective Morrison, but it does look like there's an even bigger hole in your case.
Big enough to get Homicide involved? It could be that Yvette Simpson was run down deliberately.
Come on, I investigated that whole thing thoroughly.
There was no indication to suggest that it was anything more than a straight out 'leaving the scene'.
We have new evidence that suggests something different.
What new evidence? We'll need copies of all your witness statements and day book entries to do our own examination.
You're not prepared to tell me what this is about, but you want me to give over my case notes? We're not asking you.
We're just letting you know.
As a courtesy.
Is that right? Well, you cantake your courtesy, and your courtesy cup of tea and you can shove them.
I did a good job.
I interviewed everyone Yvette Simpson worked with, as well as every single witness from the day.
Except the one that just turned up.
Sounds like you got lucky, then, doesn't it? What did you do about the car? I focused on panel beaters, right through from the big ones to the backyard bandits.
Came up with zero hits.
And no driver came forward, despite the public appeals I set up.
She was well liked, the victim? Well enough.
Divorced.
Work-focused.
But you can suss that out when you go through my notes,can't you? Come on, Allie, you'd be the same.
Nobody likes being second-guessed.
And we did get lucky.
Not with her place of work, we didn't.
We didn't ask for this investigation, Senior Sergeant O'Connell.
Yvette's death has already been investigated, perfectly competently, by Major Collisions and the assigned divisional detective.
And now you're telling me, no, it's a murder investigation? If you'll just indulge us for a few minutes.
Two minutes.
Ask away.
Miss Simpson's job.
Secretary-cum-P A.
to me and several others.
We're pretty tight with staff here.
Making best use of your financial contributions.
She get on well with everyone? As far as I know.
No issues with anyone? Not unless they had problems with her filing.
Look, are you suggesting Yvette's death had something to do with her work around here? That's what we're trying to find out.
Then you're wasting your time.
Yvette was a secretary.
She wasn't a big mover and shaker in the union.
She wasn't important enough for anyone to have 'issues' with her.
So, what, just go away and look elsewhere? That'd be good.
We can't do that, sir.
Someone's come forward with new evidence.
They've made a formal statement saying Yvette Simpson's death was a homicide.
So we've landed in your lap.
But you don't need to stick your money in our G-string, do you? I'm telling you, Yvette had no enemies here, no major dust-ups with anyone.
You have any other ideas? Well, there was an ex-husband in the mix, wasn't there? - Maybe you should talk to him? - We intend to.
After we've checked the scene of the so-called accident.
Mattie, how did you go with details on Yvette Simpson's ex? Yeah? OK.
See you in 20.
Detective Mapplethorpe - Toby Homsey.
This is his shop.
I rent it.
It's my business, though.
Mr Homsey remembered Ms Simpson from the photo.
Yeah, she came in all the time.
She always bought Kool Fruits.
You didn't see the accident, though? No.
I was serving another customer at the time.
I didn't even know about it until I heard the sirens and noticed the crowd.
Are you sure it was her that you served? Yeah, she must've just came out when she got hit.
Run across the road.
That's what he told the uniforms at the time.
Tell her what you didn't tell them.
I didn't think it was important.
They'd already identified her, from her handbag.
What? Once when she was buying the Kool Fruits, she practically emptied out her handbag all over the counter Looking for the right change.
She had a key tag in there.
From the Sunset Motel.
Around the corner.
Thought she was a bit too classy for that joint.
It's a dive.
I know this motel.
Not more of your sordid past? Back when I was in uniform it was on my patch.
Oh, kept you busy? Friday nights it was the source of every second call-out.
Prostitute punch-ups, drunk and disorderlies, you name it.
It's no Ritz.
Yeah, we checked it out.
The manager didn't exactly take a shine to us.
Big hairy guy? That is the one.
I know him.
He's an arsehole.
He was useful, though.
After a bit of prodding, he was able to identify Yvette Simpson for us.
She was there that day.
She checked out 1 0 minutes before the hit-run.
She was a regular.
At the Sunset Motel? That's what he reckoned.
False name, though.
He had a whole bunch of entries for an Yvette Smith.
Original.
Yeah.
And she didn't go there alone either.
She met with a companion.
A male.
Smart suit.
Moonlighting as an escort? I doubt it.
The impression was that she wasn't the type.
To me it looks like she had an affair on the go.
They never stayed overnight though.
Never had any bags or anything.
We're trying to organise a photofit of her companion.
She was divorced.
Maybe her ex just couldn't let her go.
Impulse murder? It's the right kind of motive.
Mm-hm.
Her ex's delivery schedule.
You can rehydrate while you chat.
Look, I told you everything I knew last time I talked to you.
I thought this was all over and done with.
Apparently not.
Detective Morrison.
Doing some follow-up? Covering some ground.
Bruce McClintock, is it? Detectives Mapplethorpe and Kingston.
We have some questions about Yvette Simpson's death.
I don't have any more answers for you.
It's all in the statement I gave him, and it's all still the same - I don't know anything about the accident.
What about your wife having an affair? No.
What? Maybe you decided to do something about it? No.
We were divorced, like I told him.
Look, I had no reason to harm Yvette.
I'd moved on.
I'm in a new relationship now.
I'm happy.
Did you ever speak to your ex-wife? We'd been married five years.
There's always loose ends to tie up.
So you were on good terms? Pretty good.
And the last time you spoke to her? She was good.
Up-vibe.
Up-vibe? Yeah, well, she said she'd finally started a new relationship herself.
Met the love of her life, she said.
You were happy for her? Yeah, I was.
Next thing I know, your mate's on my doorstep telling me she's dead.
Which had nothing to do with you? No! It was an accident, wasn't it? Well, you can check it out.
It was me who paid for the funeral.
And the love of her life? Was he there? I wouldn't have a clue.
There were a lot of people there.
You know who he was? No.
And whoever he was, he didn't make himself known.
Guess it was the wrong time and place.
What are you doing here? I came to talk to her husband.
Why? Because, if what you said about this being a deliberate hit and run is true, then it sounds like an impulsive act.
He has to be at the front of the queue.
And why do you say that? Because the spouses always are.
Look, I checked her background thoroughly.
There's no problems at work, no enemies.
It had to be in her personal life.
A bitter ex fits the picture.
Well, maybe you should've spoken to him more thoroughly in the first place.
I did.
Same story as now.
So you knew about this new man she had? No.
Look.
My boss has been on my back, asking me what's going on.
At least tell me what you got.
OK, Yvette Simpson was using a motel just down the road from where she was run down.
She was using it regularly.
We think she was seeing someone there.
So her new man may not've been legit? Maybe not.
We have a witness who says the car was deliberately driven at the victim.
He's certain about what he saw.
He's dead certain.
Oh, we've been summoned.
We'll talk again.
Did you have to give him all that? We're on the same side, Allie.
I'm not telling you to back off! I'm telling you I got a call from Paddy O'Connell telling me to tell you to back off.
And that's different how? There are too many inconsistencies in the case, sir.
We have to follow them up.
You believe this ex husband of hers? He seems like a straight shooter.
We haven't ruled him out though.
That's good, because if you have, the only other area of focus is the State Police Union, and they're already pretty stirred up.
What did you do? We asked some questions, that's all.
We haven't asked enough.
Not yet.
We now know Yvette Simpson was seeing someone, on a regular basis, in secret.
She might've mentioned it to someone at work.
Or it might've been someone at work.
They have to ask about that.
But it couldn't be Paddy O'Connell.
I've known the bloke for years.
He's got the sex appeal of a lump of coal.
We're not suggesting that it was Senior Sergeant O'Connell, sir.
But we do need to find out if anybody knew anything.
OK, OK.
Tread lightly.
The union's in our corner.
You don't wanna go chewing off your own right arm, do you? No, sir.
No.
Good.
Get out.
Bernice, the union's gonna kick up.
They're gonna scream 'witch-hunt' to the press, claim that Police Management is harassing them.
I think you should handle this.
Those two are perfectly capable of dealing with Paddy O'Connell.
You know as well as I do the union's gonna use this as a stick to belt Command.
Command is then gonna use Mapplethorpe and Kingston as a scapegoat to calm the waters.
No, Bernice.
This one needs you.
If he doesn't trust us to handle it, what're we doing here? Settle down, Kingston.
It is your case, I'm just smoothing the way.
So swallow it, huh? Give me five minutes, then he's all yours.
It's ridiculous.
I know what your detectives need.
And I know what the press would like.
Well, the press will only get something if you give it to them.
I can't see what your lot hope to get out of asking us more questions.
Yvette was only in the job I was gonna let her go, anyway.
Let her go? Why? Because she was unreliable.
In what way? I think she might've had a bit of a drinking problem, if you must know.
She probably walked out under that car because she was pissed.
Well, our witness says otherwise.
And the autopsy results say there was no alcohol in her blood.
So, unfortunately, there are more questions, Senior Sergeant.
What's she doing in there? Having brunch? She'll come and get us in a minute.
Waverley isn't one for schmoozing.
Yeah, I get that.
Was she hard on you when you started? Hard but fair.
She's like that with everyone.
Really? Why, have you had a different experience? Ooh.
Who are they? 'Men in Black'? That's Michael Mellor, from the Office of Police Standards.
He's the one that went after Waverley for corruption.
Patrick O'Connell? Patrick O'Connell? Yes.
Michael Mellor.
Office of Police Standards.
Michael Mellor.
Office of Police Standards.
This is a warrant to search these premises.
Take into evidence the items listed.
We're authorised to seize all files relating to the State Police Superannuation Fund administered by this union, along with all relevant staff files and financial records.
Mum? Mum? Mum? What's going on? Who are these men? Bernice Waverley, I must now inform you that you have been charged with corruption and the use of your position as Superintendent of Victoria State Police for personal financial gain.
That's our warrant.
That's your copy.
You can't do this! The OPS has no jurisdiction over the bloody union! We have a legal opinion that says otherwise.
Oh, well, you can stick your legal opinion, you toe-cutting bastards! Get away from those files! Mr Mellor, you're interfering with an investigation here.
I have an investigation of my own to pursue.
All the files.
And the computers too.
Do we have a problem here, Bernice? With what? Michael Mellor being in the mix.
And why would that be a problem? I don't wanna be refereeing a grudge match here.
I can put another crew on the Yvette Simpson thing if I have to.
No.
You don't need to do that.
I do if you blame him for what happened to your boy.
You need to maintain a clear perspective on this, Bernice.
I do not blame him, or the OPS, for what happened to Josh.
Well I do blame Mellor for dragging my reputation through the mud, and doing his best to wreck my career.
But that is reasonable, wouldn't you say? Yeah.
Ma'am.
We followed up on the OPS's interest in the union, Like you said.
We think we've got a line on it.
Good.
I'll be right out.
Right, I spoke to a mate in the media unit.
He reckons the union spin machine's all over this already.
In damage control.
So what's the damage? They reckon Paddy O'Connell's done like a dog's dinner.
Skimming the State Police Super Fund and siphoning money into blind accounts offshore.
It looks like Mellor had a mole in there, ma'am.
And there's a belief that the OPS has insider information on the scam.
Are they allowed to put informers in place? No.
It oversteps their brief.
I've studied their charter, at length.
It does make Yvette Simpson's death very interesting, though, in context.
Yeah.
She was working for Paddy O'Connell.
And puts her in an ideal spot for gathering information.
And for being murdered, if he found out.
Which makes chewing off our own right arm pretty much a priority.
Go back to the Sunset Motel.
Take some photos of Michael Mellor and his crew with you.
If Yvette was their mole, that motel was a meeting place for exchanging information.
Somebody might have seen them there.
If we confirm she was spying for the OPS, we may well have motive.
Yeah.
Well? Morning, ma'am.
The evening manager at the motel couldn't help us last night, but we just spoke with the day guy.
Only got one positive ID - Michael Mellor.
He was her contact.
He was seen at the motel on more than one occasion on his own.
He was the one running Yvette Simpson.
Yes? What is it? We need a word with your father.
It's Dad's day off.
We're going out.
Well, that might have to wait.
Excuse me.
Dad! What do you want? What are you doing here? Michael, what's going on? Sorry to disturb you, Mrs Mellor.
You're not disturbing us, you're invading our home.
Ian.
That's enough.
We're going out.
This is stupid.
Enough.
Mr Mellor, we need to speak.
We can either do it here or go to the office and do it in private.
And, er, on the record.
You have a problem with that, sir? You know that certain aspects of my work need to remain confidential.
And you'll exercise your prerogative in that regard, I'm sure.
Alright, then.
Michael? It's OK.
Dad? Jana, it's alright.
I'll see you back here later.
It'll be alright.
Where is he now? Awaiting interview.
Look, Bernice, I really need your assurance that this is in no way personal.
Terry, we have had this conversation.
Now, I have an interview to watch.
To watch? Well, you want arm's length, don't you? Perspective.
Mapplethorpe and Freeman are talking to the prick.
Was Yvette Simpson an OPS plant? The use of undercover informants exceeds our boundaries.
It's outside of our mission statement.
Just answer the question, please.
She came to us.
We didn't go to her.
She came to you with what? Information that Paddy O'Connell was rorting the State Police Super fund.
How did she know about that? She'd heard phone conversations.
Seen a black file, a book.
Transactions, supposedly.
And was her information reliable? I believe so, yes.
What about Yvette Simpson's drinking problem? She didn't have a drinking problem.
Paddy O'Connell said she did.
Then Paddy O'Connell is trying to discredit her.
So, in your opinion, she was a reliable informant? Yes.
And the motel, that was a meeting point? Yes.
It was how we maintained Yvette's cover.
Not that it worked.
What do you mean? I mean they must've got onto her.
I mean Yvette Simpson was murdered before she could provide us with enough hard evidence about her suspicions.
Murdered.
By whom? By the person who had the most to lose - Paddy O'Connell.
What proof do you have of that? None, at the moment.
And what if we told you that Paddy O'Connell had an alibi for the time that Yvette Simpson was killed? I'd tell you he commissioned the killing then.
There was a great deal of money at stake.
How do you expect to prove that? By doing my job.
Paddy O'Connell didn't embezzle money alone.
I believe he colluded with other members of the union.
I also think they'll sell each other out if murder is in the mix.
I just need you to back off and let me work on them.
Well, that's not our call to make, Mr Mellor.
I know that.
Which is why I want to speak to Bernice Waverley.
Whatever the history between us, I want you to understand - I was only doing my job.
Just obeying orders? No.
I was the one who gave the orders.
But I was operating within prescribed guidelines.
Unlike this time.
I'm sorry.
About the loss of your son.
I'm not interested in your apologies, Mellor.
The weight of evidence, it came down on you.
It was a brilliant construct.
We thought you were corrupt.
We were wrong - very thoroughly misled.
Now, for what it's worth I'm sorry for what happened to you.
We need to put it behind us now.
You need to let me nail this bastard.
'Bastard'? He's corrupt.
If we have to work together to get to the truth, then that's what we'll do.
Y es? Well, I want someone for murder So, yes.
Alright.
Good.
But I want you to understand one thing.
I'll never forget what you and your office did to me.
What you put me through.
And for what my son suffered .
.
in the last days of his life, I will never, ever, forgive you.
Mr Mellor's now ready to tell us everything he knows.
So, Michael Mellor confirms that Yvette Simpson was his informant.
Which means Paddy O'Connell really is at the top of our pile of suspects.
Well, our only suspect, really.
Have we checked his car? Yeah, it's not a fit.
His alibi's solid.
So who was driving the car that killed her? Well, Mellor's got no ideas on that score.
But he's adamant that Paddy commissioned the hit.
The DPP needs evidence.
It doesn't matter how adamant Mellor is.
Wonder if Waverley managed to squeeze any more out of him.
Waverley did.
He thinks there's a reason this case went nowhere in the first place.
Detective Joel Morrison has connections to Paddy O'Connell.
He does? He does.
According to Mellor, Paddy was an old squad mate of Morrison's uncle's.
Plus, he sat on the panel that promoted Morrison to Cl.
So that could have helped Detective Morrison get over the line.
In which case, he owed Paddy - big-time.
Division said we'd find you here.
And here you are.
Working hard, Detective? New face? Taking it in turns, are you? Detective Mapplethorpe's talking to Paddy.
Your uncle's buddy.
He's a family friend.
So what? So, you owed the family friend and let the Yvette Simpson case slide.
I didn't let it slide.
Bull.
You were doing Paddy O'Connell a favour.
I was doing the union a favour.
Our union.
At Paddy's request.
Now he's being investigated by the OPS.
And you guys are talking to them.
Yeah, I know.
I didn't let anything slide in that investigation.
I just worked as fast as I could.
Why? That's what the union wanted before the media got a sniff of it.
There was nothing there.
It never occurred to you to wonder why Paddy wanted it dealt with so quickly? Yvette Simpson was gonna drop him and a bunch of other officials in it - for corruption.
I don't believe you.
Ask the media unit.
They're sitting on the lid now and it's about to blow off.
We have your official case notes.
Our colleagues want your personal diary notes too.
Diary notes? We need everything, including what you had for lunch that day.
No.
I'll go through the notes myself.
If I find anything, I'll pass it on.
It's a bit late to save face now, Joel.
I'm not saving face.
I'm good at my job.
I'll prove that.
Even if it's the last thing I do before I get busted back into uniform.
Detective Morrison was satisfied the union was not involved.
He was happy to drop that arm of the investigation.
He said it to my face.
He would, wouldn't he.
Given what you could do to him.
I don't think I'm hearing you right, Senior Constable.
Oh, yes you are.
You're his uncle's buddy.
You gave him a leg-up in the past.
So now you called in another favour.
What the hell are you suggesting? He might've felt that he owed you.
Even if nothing was said.
Joel was a solid detective.
He didn't need any help from me to get where he is.
He was just showing some loyalty.
Or else what? What was the threat? A demotion? Or just a sideways shift to a dead-end desk job.
Running the union, you meet a lot of influential contacts.
Alright.
Maybe I pressured young Joel into keeping the union out of it.
- What's the big deal? - Why would you do that? Because the union had nothing to do with Yvette's death.
Neither did l! Anyway, subverting an investigation is the least of your worries now.
Right? I don't like you.
Tell the truth, Senior Sergeant O'Connell.
You were worried your scam would be exposed.
I've already told the OPS, there is no scam.
It's a mistake.
A mistake that Yvette Simpson brought to their attention.
And you found out she was ratting.
So you had her killed! That's not true! You don't have a shred of evidence to support it.
You've checked my alibi, you've checked my car, what's your problem? The problem is, whichever way you look at it, you had a damn good motive.
You want motive? I told you, talk to the husband.
We did that.
He claims that there was no issues.
The marriage was over and done with.
Oh, yeah? Well, I'll tell you something you don't know, Love.
Yvette Simpson was pregnant when she was killed.
How do you know that? Girls around the office gossiping.
And I know morning sickness when I see it.
I've got three daughters, two grandkids.
I'm telling you - Yvette was in the family way.
What? An exhumation order.
You want an exhumation order for Yvette Simpson? The Coroner should grant it.
When she was autopsied it was pretty open and shut as regards cause of death.
You can read the report if you like.
And you think her pregnancy could be motive for her death? Her husband.
This new mystery lover she had.
Either/or.
Exhumation order.
Why? We have reason to believe that Yvette Simpson was pregnant when she died.
We plan to exhume the body and verify that.
It may prove to be the motive.
And once we exhume her we'll have a means of identifying the father, won't we? Her lover.
Whose identity I believe I already know.
I just have to prove it.
This is an authorisation for us to obtain a DNA sample from you.
I'd appreciate it if you'd sign it.
You have no grounds to request my DNA.
Y es, I do.
You met with Miss Simpson many times at that motel.
You showed uncharacteristic emotion in the pursuit of the man who's suspected of organising her murder.
And we have anecdotal evidence that she was pregnant.
I seem to recall you berating me about my lack of compassion.
This is not tit for tat, Mr Mellor.
This is a legitimate line of enquiry.
Which just happens to serve your private agenda.
I can get a warrant for that DNA sample, or you can just tell the truth.
Alright.
We were intimate.
And if she was pregnant, then the child would be mine.
That's a bit of a problem, isn't it, given your marital status? Not the kind of problem you're thinking of.
If I'd known about the child, I would've been pleased.
I didn't kill her.
And I can prove it.
Ma'am.
This is Shane Bodie.
He's the witness that started this whole investigation off.
Ah, Mr Bodie.
Um, why have I been brought back in? We have questions about your evidence.
I don't understand.
Shane.
It's my problem, not yours.
Tell them the truth.
Tell them everything.
You lied to us.
I said what I was told to say.
Who by? By Mr Mellor.
Michael Mellor.
Yes.
So what exactly did you see, Mr Bodie? Nothing.
I wasn't there.
So you were told to say that the car swerved deliberately to hit Ms Simpson? Yeah.
Mr Mellor gave me all the details.
The time, what she was wearing, the car, all that stuff.
I wasn't even there.
Why did Mr Mellor ask you to lie about being there? He said it was a matter of justice.
That an injustice had been done.
So how long have you and Mr Mellor been friends? We're not friends.
Colleagues? No.
So you must be family.
Brother-in-law? Cousin? Nephew? No! I I barely know the guy.
So you lied to the police for a man you barely know? Oh, gee, he must've had you by the balls on something.
Why did you do what he asked you to do? Look, I was caught up in another thing, passing on some stolen goods for a couple of uniforms.
Minor stuff.
And? Mr Mellor said he'd keep me out of it if I helped him.
So he'd make a charge of possessing stolen goods go away if you lied to police about the death of a woman and risk a much more serious charge? That is not a great deal, Mr Bodie.
That's what I said too.
He said he'd make it worth my while.
How much? And this proves you didn't kill her? You don't think so? How? Because I wanted her death investigated! Because I knew it was no accident and I wanted it investigated.
Without your name coming into it.
Y es.
She was dead, I have a family and, yes, I wanted it all discreet.
What had started as a professional matter had developed into something veryimportant, for both of us.
Very real.
I was going to leave, to be with Yvette, as soon as the investigation was over.
So why would I kill her? I didn't kill her.
But you did suborn a false witness statement.
I had to do something.
I saw what happened.
I'd just got to my car, further down the street.
I saw her being run down.
You saw the driver? I knew it had to be Paddy O'Connell.
He was the one with the most to gain from her being dead.
Your office abandoned her, though, didn't it? Her death was a complication - the use of a mole wasn't in your charter, so the OPS just decided to let her death go, even though they knew it was no accident.
Y es.
Y es.
Your office can be pretty heartless, I suppose.
You'll make yourself available for further questioning, Mr Mellor.
My team will let you know when they're done at your home.
We're speaking with your wife there at the moment.
Where's my husband? He's being questioned.
What for? He's not done anything.
How has your husband been, Mrs Mellor? Over the last few months? What do you mean? His moods.
How's he been? You mean has he been troubled? Upset? Anything out of the norm.
Just say what you're getting at.
What do you think we're getting at? His moods worsened after Yvette Simpson was killed.
I found the order of service from the funeral.
It all made sense after that.
Was he in love with her? Or was it just sex? That's not for us to speculate, Mrs Mellor.
No.
No, that's for me and Michael to sort out, isn't it? All unspoken.
We understand this is hard for you, but we'd like you to make a formal statement.
Darlings.
What's happening? Mum? What've you been saying? What are you doing here? We can't discuss that with you.
I suggest you leave us to finish speaking with your mum.
And I suggest you leave, right now! If you wanna question my mother, arrest her.
But arrest me first because I won't let that happen.
No, Mum.
Ian's right.
You've been through enough.
Get out of here! Please.
Are you sure there isn't anything else you wanna tell us? She knew her hubby was having an affair with Yvette.
Question is, did she decide to do something about it? What sort of car does she drive? A little hatchback.
Doesn't fit.
Still, a woman scorned.
She could have hired someone.
I've been looking for you.
Oh, well done.
You've found me.
I've been going over things with a different agenda.
What, you've been searching for the truth this time? I think I've found something that might be useful to you.
I went back over the list of my panel beaters and I found one car that'd been recently repaired.
Fits the description? The damage was right for the nature of the impact.
But? The owner of the car was alibied for the time of the hit-run.
He was interstate, the car supposedly was hit while it was parked.
And this is suddenly interesting again why? Because when I took into account the union and the OPS's interest, I realised something.
Check out the listed address of where the damaged car was parked.
We can't do this here.
This requires a formal interview.
I will not have my family dragged through all this.
You dragged us into this when you started seeing that woman, Michael.
I'll call our lawyer.
He can sort this out.
No.
I'll come with you.
What we need is a marriage counsellor, not a lawyer.
I'll get my jacket.
Mum? What's happening? We'll need your attendance, too, Ian.
Mine? This is not necessary! We're acting on evidence, sir! What evidence? Step aside, please, Mr Mellor.
Detective Kingston will take you to the car.
I haven't done anything.
He hasn't done anything.
You heard him.
Mum! Just do as they ask, Ian.
This is nuts.
What are you people doing? Dad, make them go away.
Stand up to them.
Dad! Stand up to them! This is you getting your pound of flesh, isn't it? You said you wanted Yvette Simpson's death resolved.
That's what we're doing.
We've located the car that witnesses described on the day of Miss Simpson's death.
Y es.
And? The vehicle belongs to a Bradley Hicks.
Are you familiar with that name? He's a mate of mine.
A good mate.
Lends you his car.
He asked me to look after it for him while he was away.
It was parked outside your house.
On the street.
Y es.
With one of those, er,car cover things over it.
Not in the driveway? It looks nice, but it drips oil.
I told Ian not to put it in the drive.
Where were the keys? I don't know.
My son had them in his room, I suppose.
You suppose? Or you knew? I suppose.
Did you take that car and use it to kill your husband's lover, Mrs Mellor? For God's sake, no! I never drove it.
Yeah, I drove it.
That's what it was there for.
And you took it to the panel beater's to be repaired.
I had to.
I went to take it out and someone had run into it.
And you thought it was up to you to get it fixed? Brad loves that car, it's his life.
I said I'd keep it safe on the driveway for him, but Mum wouldn't let me.
Who paid to have it fixed? I did.
Why? Because it wasn't Ian's fault.
He was going to football training and there it was with a smashed light.
He never wanted to put it in the street in the first place.
Did your son know about the affair between Miss Simpson and your husband? No.
And if you're suggesting that he used that car to kill her, that'sit's just absurd.
Did anyone else know? No.
No, I haven't talked to anyone about it.
Brings us back to you.
Well, it wasn't me! It wasn't me.
If it wasn't you, who was it? I don't know.
The car was parked where I left it when I got home.
The keys were still in the drawer.
And who knew where they were? My sister knew, I guess.
But she can't even drive.
She's only just learning how to use gears.
But Bradley Hicks's car is an automatic, isn't it? Is it? What happened, Jana? What did you find out? Nothing.
Not at first.
I just heard Mum and Dad arguing a lot.
She thought he was having an affair.
Dad said he wasn't seeing anyone.
And you didn't believe his denials? What do you think? Yes, I believed him.
He's my dad.
You talked to him about it? I was going to.
So I jumped in a taxi and I followed him from his office.
He went to some sleazy motel.
Did you see them together? Mum was right.
He was with that woman.
He led her out of the hotel room and she turned back and kissed him.
Why didn't you talk to me? I couldn't.
I couldn't.
I stressed for a week.
And then Ian had Brad's car there and I was just thinking about it, about where Dad was, so I took the keys and I drove around there and I was gonna, I don't know, I was gonna, Like, you know,confront them about it.
But you didn't do that.
I was too late.
I saw her coming out of a shop, just looking sohappy.
I was angry.
I lost it.
I ran her down.
I took the car back, and I parked it.
I didn't tell Ian.
I was the one that hit her.
I killed her.
Oh, my baby.
Poor kid, she thought she was protecting her family.
Oh, Detective Morrison.
What does he want? Oh, I told him I'd keep him updated.
Don't even go there.
I was a bit of a bitch to him and he came through for us in the end.
It's the least I can do.
Detective Kingston.
Got a result? Come on.
I'll fill you in over a coffee.
Sure.
Kingston.
Ma'am.
You ready for me, Ma'am? Oh, just give me a minute and then come in.
They've finished processing your daughter now.
You can spend a few minutes with Jana if you want.
I think we can expedite a bail hearing.
I've put in a call.
I suppose you'll be opposing bail? No.
We won't.
Fine.
If there's anything else I can do.
You can spare me your compassion.
Detective Senior Constable Buchanan will take you to your daughter now.
Well, well.
Is this the sound of the chickens coming home to roost? No, allow me.
Oh, it's going to be quite a day in court, hmm? What've we got? Cause a false report to police? Bribery? Attempt to pervert the course of justice? Jeez - hard to know where to start.
Yeah, you'll lose your job, your family, and you'll probably get about three years in a four-by-four cell.
Just you and a sexually-starved knuckle-dragger.
And after what you did to Bernice Waverley I'm gonna enjoy every minute of your misery.