Messiah (2001) s04e03 Episode Script

The trail of blood leads from up here to the altar.
Emerson Simon.
Simon Emerson is disabled with the iron bar, probably across the legs.
Can't run, can't escape.
Reaches here.
Teeth.
He crawls towards the altar.
The iron bar is dropped here.
And the killer climbs up the scaffolding and throws the stone off the platform.
It hits Emerson in the chest, crushing his rib cage.
Father.
DCI Metcalfe.
Every time I close my eyes He used to be the priest here.
Simon.
He prayed here every day.
What was he like as a person? As a person? A great Christian, and a flawed human being.
Like all of us.
Um, committing murder is a wee bit more than flawed, Father.
He believed he was trying to end the suffering of a child.
I'm not excusing what he did.
But you understand it? No.
I pitied him and I prayed for him.
That is my job.
Can you pity someone who can do that to another person? We're capable of terrible things.
If we weren't, we wouldn't be people.
We'd be angels.
Understanding and forgiveness don't always depend on us.
I recommend thee, dear brother, to Almighty God.
Through his most tender mercy, may the Lord pardon thee all thy sins and transgressions thou hast committed.
Mayest thou be a stranger to all that is punished by darkness, chastised by flames and condemned by torments.
How did the killer know How did they know the victims' sins? I've been over the body.
There's nothing.
I'm sorry, Red.
We need to find Richard Eccleshall.
He doesn't have an alibi for the other murders, he won't have one for this.
I'll organise door-to-door in the area, see if anybody's seen him.
Umyou go ahead, Tim.
Will you start the prep for me? Sure.
I think you said everything you needed to say this afternoon.
Please, Rachel.
We need to talk.
There's nothing left to say.
I've tried to tell you.
So many times.
Tell me what? The one thing I should have told you, the one thing I couldn't tell you.
I went to the college tonight.
Where Izzy Every time I go there, I keep expecting to see her walk around the corner.
Her books under her arms, laughing and talking to It's my fault, Rachel.
What's your fault? Izzy.
Jack.
After the hoarders and the spenders, Dante leaves circle four and crosses the River Styx.
Yes? And the Styx serves two purposes.
It functions as a circle, circle five, the wrathful, the last of the hot-blooded sins.
Because they were angry in life, they lie in the river of anger in death.
They fought each other with teeth, they tore each other limb from limb.
And the river also separates upper hell from lower hell.
What's the difference? Lower hell's a much darker place, where the torments and physical suffering increases.
The further you journey down through hell, the worse the sins and the punishments are.
The killer is leading us from victim to victim, circle to circle.
Why stop there? Does anything change for Dante? It's about to.
The sinner that Dante met in the fifth circle was actually somebody he knew from his own life.
Dante hated them.
He despised everything they stood for.
And the river is the circle? Beneath the slimy top the sighing souls that make the water bubble at the surface.
Dante knew the sinner in this circle.
He met them in life.
He hated them.
He wanted them to suffer beyond what they already suffered in hell.
Which means? Did the killer know the other victims? The river is the circle.
The river.
The River Thames.
238 miles of river.
476 miles of river bank.
Right.
For a second there I thought it was going to be difficult.
You look like hell.
Not funny, Duncan.
Sorry.
I sent Vickie home and you should get some sleep.
At the church .
.
what happened? I don't understand why the killer is doing this.
It's in there.
But I'm not I can't see it.
This is all I can do.
Abandon hope.
That's what it says above the gates into hell, right? But the thing is, we don't give up hope.
We fail.
We try again.
That's life.
You give up hope, you might as well be dead.
I think you're missing the point of Dante, Duncan.
No.
I think you are.
We're not dead.
Yet.
Don't stay all night.
I have read Dante, Professor.
I have read it over and over and nowhere does a sinner ask to be saved.
There is no reference to "Save me".
The souls in the Inferno are already dead, they're already lost.
They might want to be saved but they accept that their sins in life have led them to torment in death.
Why is Dante journeying through hell? A journey through hell is called a harrowing.
The notion of hell's been around for a very long time, almost forever.
In Egypt there was Anubis, who was the god of Necropolis.
The Greeks called it Hades or Tartaros, the home of fallen angels.
In the Old Testament, it's Gehenna, a place of torment and fire where sinners are punished.
But by New Testament times, the punishment for sinners is deemed to be eternal.
So Dante writes The Divine Comedy as a warning to all Christians.
How did he end up in hell? He wakes from a dream and finds himself lost in an unknown country.
Hell.
But he's not dead? No.
Nel mezzo del cammini di nostra vita.
In the middle of the journey of our life, nostra vita, our life, not my life.
Dante is speaking to and for us.
It's catechism.
It's a system of instruction.
That's why Dante writes the poem in the vernacular, so the man in the street can understand it and learn something from it.
It's a map.
It's a guide.
Dante was going through hell, through the screams and the torment and the anguish of these damned souls.
Is that what the killer is trying to do? Find a way through hell? Yes? DI Warren.
I think we've found our crime scene.
Yeah? What gave you that idea? Tim.
On it.
No "Save me" where she was killed.
Grace Eccleshall.
Jesus.
Right.
Is there any sign of haemorrhaging? Um, sinus and airways.
The struggle for air forces water into the sinuses, coughing triggers an inhalation reflex, which forces more water into the lungs.
The pressure trauma to the sinuses and airways is immense.
She was conscious when she was drowning.
Her tendons were cut.
Inside of her arms, back of her legs, ankles.
She wouldn't have had a hope.
She'd have drowned the moment she hit the water.
OK, bag her up.
We're going to be back in about 15 minutes Dante knew the sinners in the circle.
He knew them from life.
He hated them.
Richard Eccleshall killed his wife.
He knew her, he hated her, he killed her.
It doesn't make sense.
You're looking for sense where there is none.
Why would he kill his wife, Duncan? Didn't you meet her? I don't get it, Rachel.
I just can't see the sense.
Well, that's easy for me.
I just need to see what they've done to the person.
You need to see past that.
I can see what the killer's done.
It's there in front of me.
I can't see the why.
I'm not doing justice to them, not doing justice to their families.
Red, if it was my child that was murdered, I'd want it to be you.
If it was my daughter that was Do we know who assaulted her? A female student.
MUSIC: "The Real Slim Shady" by Eminem Won't the real Slim Shady Please stand up, please stand up Would the real Sara Knightley please stand up? She attacked me.
Grace hit me first.
Where is he? Your husband's a wanker.
Nobody lays a finger on me.
Do you hear me? Nobody.
She started it, so you decided to finish it? When I left the bar, she was gone.
I went straight home.
The next thing I know, you guys drag me out of bed.
A witness saw Grace following you along the river.
Why was she following you? Were you one of his lies, Sara? What? I don't know what you mean.
You're sleeping with Eccleshall.
Was.
Past tense.
Was he here last night? No.
You know why I was out last night? I was celebrating.
He's out of my life for good.
I told him to get lost.
When was the last time you saw him? He was here on Sunday night.
He left about three again.
He doesn't He's never once stayed all night.
It's one of We used to laugh at her, at Grace.
Mad Dog, we called her at college.
It's all a front.
Maybe you and him planned it between you.
You lure her to the river and he kills her.
Why? Why would he kill her? After everything he's done, after everything they've been through together.
Who did he run back to? She needed him.
Yeah, they needed each other.
He'd never leave her.
He couldn't.
He'd be lost without her.
She's right.
Why would he kill his wife? Knocking up your students is hardly a declaration of undying love.
He'd be lost without her.
Help me.
I didn't do it, I swear.
Against the cage, against the cage, now! I didn't do it.
All right, you heard her.
Against the cage.
I didn't kill Grace.
Keep your hands where I can see them.
Help me, please.
Oh, yeah? You've come to the right place.
All right, let's get him in interview one.
I'll deal with this.
Come on, Richard, that's it, take it easy.
It's not true, is it? It's just a trick to get me to hand myself in.
Right? Tell me it's just a trick.
What was she doing by the river? Well, what was she doing there? She never walks alone by the river.
Sheshe never.
She was following Sara Knightley.
She thought Sara had seen you in the last few days and probably knew where you were staying.
No! Please.
Please, make it stop.
This I want her back.
I wish she could hear me.
Can I see her? Please, I have to see her.
I have to tell her.
Please, please, I have to, can I see her? I have to see her again.
I have to say goodbye.
Go home, Richard.
We'll do this tomorrow.
Tell me you're joking.
We can connect him to the first two murders.
And he doesn't have an alibi for at least three of the other murders.
I think Grace was meant to be his contrapasso.
Maybe it's Richard Eccleshall the killer knew and hated.
Not Grace.
She was murdered as his punishment.
Maybe the killer's trying to tell us that there are worse things than dying.
Like what? Living in a hell of your own making.
If Eccleshall didn't do it, who did? Rachel.
Rachel! Call Red.
Hi, yeah.
It's Nancy.
Miss Roberts, sorry, I just need a signature.
Hold on.
What's she doing here? She's a journalist.
Have you no respect for the dead? If you want to phone your story in, you do it outside, OK? No, look What have you told her? Her brother died in a car accident.
We're just releasing his body.
I'm sorry, it's just Walking with both feet in your mouth at the same time.
That's a real talent.
She did a ride along with us when I was in Vice.
Onwards and downwards.
I'm sorry.
It's fine.
These are the photographs we took by the river.
These slashes we thought were just random or caused by the body being caught in the propeller of a boat.
Tim, thanks.
Well, then we washed the body.
Guess we've found our signature.
And there's something else.
The tendons in the arms and legs weren't just slashed.
Serrated, regular cuts, a long blade leaving dozens of almost teeth marks.
That is wrong on so many levels.
With teeth they tore each other limb from limb.
In the last circle, Dante knew the sinner.
He hated him.
He wanted to see him punished.
How does that relate to Grace? How does the killer know Grace and the other sinners? What's next, Professor? Circle six, where the heretics are punished.
The heretics believed the body did not contain a soul.
They were people who went against the belief system of the time.
And in Dante's time that was religion.
There's no such thing as heresy now.
Not even one prevailing religion.
Where were heretics punished? In tombs.
The graves here served a much crueller purpose.
For scattered everywhere among the tombs were flames which kept them glowing hot.
Each tomb had its lid pushed to one side, and from within came forth such fierce laments, that I was sure within were tortured souls.
Tombs.
A graveyard? A prison? There has to be something that links the victims' lives, and we're not seeing it.
Cross-reference again! Check the diaries, check the address books.
Check the computers.
There's got to be something.
One thing that links them all.
Something! Daniel? Where's your mother? What? What did I do? Nothing.
Your sister used to eat her breakfast like that.
I need a lift.
Look, Daniel, I made a mistake.
I made a big mistake.
And what's important is I want you to know that I'm sorry that I wasn't here for you and Jacqueline.
I want you to know, I'm going to take care of you.
I, I, I.
You're going to take care of me? All you think about is yourself.
What? Listen to yourself.
Open your eyes, Dad.
How did you ever get to be a detective? You can never see the pain around you.
You've never seen mine, you've never seen Mum's.
And you never saw Izzy's.
You know, I actually thought when Izzy died you might Danny! John Giardello had a meeting with his brother today.
Brother? Rico.
The black sheep of the family.
The only person who is going to miss this ring is in this room.
Thanks.
We were going to move.
We didn't think we'd be able to stand being in this restaurant.
Too many memories? There's no such thing as too many memories.
According to John's diary, he was supposed to meet his brother today.
Was that going to be here? Today is Rico's anniversary.
We lost Rico six years ago.
He collapsed in the street.
Brain tumour.
Identifying the body, the inquest, it was too much for John.
They hadn't spoken for years.
John never forgave himself for that.
Am I under arrest? Of course not.
Then get lost.
I just want to ask you one question, then I'm out of your life, I promise.
I know it might sound odd, but did Paula have any unexplained or sudden deaths in her family? Is this a wind-up? Paula had no family.
Both her parents died a few years back.
Both? They were in their seventies.
Her mother died of a stroke, her father a heart attack.
I think it was because of her brother Jim, though.
Paula Scott's parents died of grief.
Her brother Jim was a junkie.
He died of an overdose about four years ago.
John Giardello's brother died in the street.
The Fullertons lost a daughter.
Deaths in the family.
Is that the common link between the victims? Everyone has deaths in the family.
These deaths are about life being ripped off the face of the Earth.
Miss Roberts? My brother didn't specify any music.
He never We always think that there's plenty of time to prepare for these moments.
He was always very stubborn and opinionated about music.
Have you given any thought to flowers? Frank hates flowers.
He's allergic to them.
They make him The service will last for 30 minutes.
We generally start with prayers.
The vicar will give his eulogy.
He will then invite you to say a few words about your brother.
Many people actually do find it's the most personal way of saying farewell to a loved one.
'I need anything you've got on the following names.
' Rico Giardello, died March 1999.
Jim Scott, died November 2001.
Mary Fullerton, murdered 1995.
Yeah.
And there's another two.
Grace Eccleshall and Catherine McArdle.
No, that's fine.
Great.
Oh, er And can you send me a list of all violent deaths reported in the last fortnight? Whatever you're going to do, get it over with.
You know, before all of this I used to have a normal life.
And then Isabel? NowI'm not so sure.
Oh, you're not so sure? You never really have a proper conversation.
Then one day, it's too late.
Unbelievable.
You're such a selfish, selfish, petty man.
You know that? All the things that you still have and you can't figure out how to talk to your family.
It all fell apart.
And you didn't see it coming.
And you know what the joke is? It's all your own fault.
What happened was horrible.
You know what? You pick yourself up and you move on.
Oh, you move on? You're standing still.
You are treading water.
And look at you.
You know what you're good at? You're good at feeling sorry for yourself.
I came here to find out if you'd had sex with Isabel, like you did with Catherine McArdle.
Like you did with half your first years.
My daughter wouldn't touch you with a bargepole, not in a million years.
You think I couldn't have had her? I think she wasn't that desperate.
If you'd tried it on she would have knocked you back.
Or maybe she wasn't that interested in men! No matter how angry you get, she isn't coming back.
Shut up! Your wife isn't coming back.
Shut up! She's dead! I've got nothing to lose, Jack.
Do you Do you have anything still left to live for? How about that? Do you feel that? Isabel wouldn't even look at me.
Though I tried.
But she saw through me.
She saw.
I can't breathe any more.
I I don't know what to do.
Nobody seems to have seen her.
Start the service.
I'll try her home number again, OK? 'This is Nancy Roberts.
Please leave a message.
' Hello, Miss Roberts, this is Mr Brown from the undertakers.
We're about to commend your brother's remains and wonder where you are.
Please call me on my mobile.
The crematorium runs to a very tight schedule.
We can't link all the victims to a violent death yet.
Catherine McArdle and Grace Eccleshall are still coming up blank.
I asked for a list of all violent deaths over the past two weeks and this name came up - Frank Roberts.
He was killed in a car accident last week.
Do you remember the journalist Nancy Roberts, the one at the mortuary? She's been campaigning for the legalisation of prostitution for years.
Heretic? You tried her mobile phone? Voicemail.
I phoned the mortuary.
Her brother's being cremated today.
Crematorium.
Burning tombs.
Duncan, search her house.
Vickie, you come with me.
As a father is tender towards his children, so is the Lord tender to those that fear him, for he knows of what we are made.
He remembers we are but dust.
'You have reached Brown's Funeral Parlour.
' Nothing? Answer machine in the front office as well.
.
.
commit his body to be cremated in the fires of everlasting life.
Amen.
Dad Dad? It's Daniel.
I need you.
Red.
You need to get over here.
And you might want to bring the professor.
Where did you find this? It was on the table.
It's Izzy's.
You have to tell me what you know.
Danny! You've always said I never listen.
I need you to tell me what you know about Izzy.
Please.
Whatever you're holding onto, let it go.
Why now? The next circle, the violent, um It has three divisions - the river of blood, the desert of fire and the wood of suicides.
That's violence against God, man and the self.
Self? Yes, in the wood of suicides.
Dante's walking through the wood and he hears these disembodied voices, wailing with grief.
And he rips off this piece of bark and out pours this mixture of words and blood.
They're trapped in the trees.
If you refuse life on Earth, then you're deprived of form in hell.
It ends here.
In the wood of suicides.
Can you take someone out of hell? Can youcan you save someone who's been condemned to hell? Well, as they wander through lower hell, Dante hears this story about how this sorceress uses Virgil to take a soul out of hell.
Soon after I left my flesh in death, she led me through these walls and down as far as Judas' pit to bring a spirit out.
The killer is looking for one soul.
One sinner to save.
The victims.
People who were close to them who died violently.
Where were the bodies taken to? Nancy Roberts' brother was at the mortuary.
Franco had to drive his father to the mortuary to identify Rico.
Fullerton's daughter.
Emerson's victim.
Would they all be taken to the mortuary? If their deaths were sudden, yes.
So is that how the killer chose the victims? They met at the mortuary? Two of the victims didn't have sudden death in their past.
Catherine McArdle, Grace Eccleshall.
If they never went to the mortuary, how did the killer know them? He knew them already.
Had a reason to kill them.
Starter problems? Er, Jack problems.
He was supposed to have fixed this ages ago.
Why don't I give you a lift? Where are you going? Rachel? Rachel? Oh, Jack! What are you doing here? I need to speak to Rachel.
Jack, you were right.
All this has been about Isabel.
No.
Izzy killed herself.
I was wrong.
Jack What is the connection between Isabel and Dante? There is no connection.
The two cases aren't linked.
The cases are linked, Jack.
No.
Izzy killed herself.
You were right.
Vickie was right.
Jack, you've got to help me.
Help me to stop this.
Please, Jack.
I can't.
Jack, they are linked, and you know it.
Did Izzy do this? She made it before she killed herself.
Catherine McArdle.
Indecision.
She was killed for indecision? Why? She dumped Isabel for Eccleshall.
She She broke her heart.
Isabel was lost.
A good soul never comes to make this crossing.
There is no greater pain than to remember in our present grief past happiness.
The pain you suffer here disfigures you beyond all recognition.
Yours is an empty hope.
Don't leave me, please, I cried in my distress.
In all directions spreading out, The moment the violent soul departs the body it has torn itself away from, it drops to the wood.
She couldn't bear the pain.
The day she needed me to help her .
.
and I wasn't there.
She was alone on that tower.
Who else knows Izzy made this?