City Homicide (2007) s04e07 Episode Script
No Smoke
(INDISTINCT CHATTER ON POLICE RADIO) .
srt by GeirDM G'day, Sarge.
Boys.
It's been a while.
Yeah, too long.
Thought you were community liaison these days.
I am.
This is my patch.
Should be able to wrap this one up pretty quickly.
DUNCAN: What have you got? Suicide.
The world's a better place for it.
Rodney Gerald Barrett.
The Wattle Grove arsonist.
That fire last week was near here, wasn't it? A couple of blocks away.
This guy was on TV last night.
They accused him of starting the fire.
Five people died including two young kids and their mum.
This is the mongrel they reckon started it.
Either his conscience finally got the better of him or he realised his time was running out.
Who found him? A local resident walking her dog.
We've taken a statement.
DUNCAN: Serious head wound.
I reckon he hit it on that as he dropped.
Possible, but unlikely.
MATT: Why? The force of the impact I wouldn't be touching that if I were you, Senior Sergeant.
I didn't touch it.
I know the procedures.
.
.
and judging by the shape of the indentation.
Time of death, Gideon? What do you reckon? Well, it was cold last night so somewhere between 2am and 4am.
There's something here, in his throat.
What? MATT: What is that? GIDEON: I'm not sure.
It's a slippery little sucker.
Box of matches.
I reckon that blows your suicide theory, hey, Sparkesy? Sosomebody topped the arsonist.
Gonna be a truckload of suspects.
Barrett had an apartment in the building that was destroyed.
Yeah, Wattle Grove Apartments.
'60s brick.
Aussie architecture's finest hour.
Yeah.
Apparently he'd been staying in a motel opposite where we was found.
Crime Scene are there now.
Nothing from door knocks.
Yeah, of course not.
Now, Arson still haven't charged him.
Why not? It was only a matter of time, from what I hear.
Hey, Frostie.
Thanks, mate.
That's all good.
Thanks, boss.
You know Wilton Sparkes is a community copper out there? Yeah, I heard he was at the crime scene.
You hear he was also at the scene of the fire? No, I didn't.
He probably earned himself a citation.
Dragged an old lady out.
I hear he's a bit of a local hero, our Sparkesy.
See, the thing is he knows these people, he knows how they think.
They trust him.
And? I want him on the case.
Oh.
No.
Thank you very much, but we've got a full team on this.
A fresh set of eyes never hurt.
A bit too close to the people on the ground, don't you think? I think that gives him a unique perspective.
See, Sparkesy's old school.
Old school's good school.
it's the one I went to.
No, believe me, I think he'd be of great assistance on this case.
I'll think about it.
It's a done deal, Stanley.
Sparkesy's on his way over now.
So we get there, and Sparkesy's strutting around like he owns the place.
"This is my patch.
" He's going on about how Barrett's an arsonist and he did the world a favour by topping himself.
Should have seen the look on his face when Gideon pulled the box of matches out of Barrett's throat.
Dunny gives him the stare, you know, "Guess that just blew your suicide theory, Sparkesy.
" It was classic! Sarge, just finishing a briefing.
Go right ahead.
Senior Sergeant Sparkes will be joining us on this investigation.
As it is, Wilton, you know everyone.
How could I forget such an ugly-looking mob? Detective Mapplethorpe excepted, of course.
NICK: How are you, Sarge? Any better, I'd be dangerous.
It's been a while.
Yeah.
I don't think you know Allie Kingston.
Hi.
Nice to meet you, love.
So where are we, Ryan? MATT: Wattle Grove Apartments.
Ah, yeah, my patch.
Well, five people killed.
Jack and Sophie Besser, their mum Stephanie, Frank Cooney, Riley Flynn.
Bloody heartbreaking.
The Arson Squad are still investigating.
But the media and most of the population have already tried and convicted this man, Rodney Gerald Barrett.
With good cause, I might say.
Somewhere between someone's whacked him over the head, strung him up and shoved a box of matches down his throat.
Subtle.
This is the interview with Barrett that aired early last night.
Rod, the fire started in your apartment.
I emphatically deny having anything to do with that fire.
Sources within the fire brigade confirm that petrol was found in your apartment.
Well, I don't know anything about that.
You don't? No.
I didn't start that fire.
That's not what the other residents believe.
Oh, Wally Chubb.
Wally Chubb -the chairman of the owners' corporation? Why would he believe you started the fire? Wellhe'd blame me for anything.
He just wanted me out of the building.
Why would he want you out? Wally Chubb kept putting up the owners' corp fees and spending nothing on the maintenance of the place, and he knew I was onto him.
Isn't it true you threatened to "make him pay"? Wellno.
I was angry.
I was blowing off a bit of steam.
I wasn't gonna do anything.
Rod, where were you when the fire started? At the movies.
Alone? Yes.
So you don't have an alibi? Yes, I was at the movies.
This isn't the first time you've been in trouble with the law, is it? What? In fact, you've done jail time, haven't you? You killed your wife.
You (BLEEP!) reporters, you're all the (BLEEP!) same! Don't walk away You're a pack of whores! (BLEEP!) Get the (BLEEP!) Is that right- he's done time for murder? Culpable driving.
Did three years in Ararat.
Got drunk, smashed his car and killed his wife.
When was that? Oh, eight years ago.
He still wore his wedding ring.
It was among his personal effects.
If Arson liked him for it, why wasn't he charged? Buggered if I know.
He did it.
(GROANS) He was top of their list.
They're trying to clear up a few inconsistencies.
Like? It's all there in the box - everything Arson have on the fire.
I want you to go through it all, familiarise yourselves.
Remember -they were looking for an arsonist.
We are now looking for a murderer.
JENNIFER: So anyone who lost a friend or relative would have to be a prime suspect.
NICK: Sarge, you know these people.
Who do you reckon's most likely? I don't reckon any of them are capable of murder.
Ah, sweet! Case closed already.
Revenge is a pretty powerful motive.
Anybody's capable of murder.
I used to think that once too, love.
Don't call me 'love'.
You prefer 'darling' or 'sweetheart'? Yeah, yeah, that's enough.
Barrett accuses this bloke, Wally Chubb.
Let's bring him in for a chat.
Allow me.
I know where we'll find him.
Who's with me? No way.
You're joking.
Senior Sergeant Sparkes will be teamed with you on this investigation.
I'm not doing it.
it's an order, Detective.
Come on.
Duncan and Matt don't rate him so you dump him with me.
How's that fair? No-one is dumping anyone on anybody.
What about Nick? They're a much better fit.
Don't you reckon? Detective Buchanan is otherwise engaged.
Doing phone and financial records.
I'm happy to swap.
Not your call, Detective.
Anyway, there's all these files Arson have sent over.
I'm not fully up to speed, so You better get up to speed because you're gonna talk to Wally Chubb.
Sarge, please.
I do not need Sparkes sitting in on that interview.
You just said you were not fully across this.
Well, I Will be.
Senior Sergeant Sparkes is an experienced investigator.
You should treat this as a great opportunity.
Great.
Yeah.
That's all, Detective.
(MUTTERS) Great.
Bowls is a game of skill, you see, Kingston? Often underrated.
It's an old man's game.
Well, I play it.
Hey, Sparkesy, nice bag of fruit.
Yeah, thanks, Baz.
No, they got a good bistro, social club.
My little lady loves it here.
MAN: Sparkesy! Here's Wal.
I'll handle this.
I'll just stay three steps behind.
Yeah, good, good.
G'day, Wal.
Sparkesy.
Is it true the bastard topped himself? Well, yes and no.
He's dead, but it wasn't suicide.
Bugger me.
You know who did it? No, not yet.
When you get him, he should get a bloody medal.
Who's your girlfriend? Wal, this is Detective Kingston.
G'day.
Guess I can't shout you a cold one? A shandy? Mr Chubb, we'd like you to come with us to answer some questions.
Hey? it's a murder investigation, Wal.
They gotta talk to everyone who knew Barrett.
it's just routine.
I should be in there, Stan.
You're a bit too close to it, Wil.
Let the team do him.
Rod Barrett was an out-and-out ratbag and troublemaker.
He threatened me and he threatened to burn down the building.
We have the statement you made to the Arson detectives.
That threat was over some unauthorised renovations to his apartment and Barrett's refusal to pay his owners' corporation fees.
That's right.
The bloke thought he was a law unto himself.
Well, our building doesn't run that way.
As head of the owners' corporation, you're the law in the building, right? There are rules.
Your loss in the fire was substantial.
Nothing compared to the loss of life.
Five people are dead due to that man.
Did you have anything to do with the death of Rod Barrett? Of course not! Barrett's bigger and stronger than me.
He was hit on the head with what we now believe to be a lump hammer.
ALLIE: Do you own a lump hammer The Pathology report came through while you were picking him up.
I don't even know what a lump hammer is.
No.
You're wasting our time.
He's not the killer.
MATT: It wasn't the blow with the hammer that killed him.
He was still alive when he was strung up.
He was lynched.
Huh.
The Wild West comes to Northcote, hey? Well, what do you expect me to say? Oh, jeez.
Where were you in the early hours of this morning? In bed asleep.
Alone? Yes.
The wife's staying with her sister since the fire.
In your previous statement, you said you were sharing an apartment in Kellett Street with your son Mitch.
That's right.
Was Mitch at the unit last night? Not when I went to bed.
Any idea of where he was? What time he got home? He's over 21 years old.
He's not in the habit of asking my permission or lodging a report.
Look, I didn't kill anybody and I don't know who did.
Oh, mate, these two are a couple of pit bulls.
They don't hold back.
Oh, their bark's worse than their bite.
Just doing their job, right, Ryan? MATT: Right.
You've got nothing to worry about.
That's a relief to hear.
Just being in there makes a bloke feel guilty.
The constable will arrange a lift home, back to the club, whatever you like.
Thanks, mate.
Talk to you soon.
Will do.
Yep, that's good, that is.
What? Well, you being his best buddy doesn't actually help us.
What are you talking about? He's got no alibi.
Well, who does? 2:00 in the morning, they'll all be in bed asleep.
But Chubb is the one Barrett virtually accused on national TV and hours later, Barrett's dead.
That's a motive.
Three things.
One, Wally didn't frame him for that fire.
Two, Barrett was talking out his arse.
Three, we've got to do a lot better than this if we're gonna catch ourselves a killer.
(KNOCK AT DOOR) Sarge, it's not working out.
I assume you're referring to Senior Sergeant Sparkes.
He's impossible.
There is no requirement in the regulations that states that you have to be compatible.
You need to be more specific.
He's way too close, Sarge.
Matt and I go hard on Wally Chubb and when we're finished, Senior Sergeant Sparkes tells him, "Mate, you've got nothing to worry about.
" OK, your objections have been noted.
He's a sexist old dinosaur.
I thought the force had moved on.
Senior Sergeant Sparkes has been assigned to this investigation.
His position on it is more secure than yours.
If I was you, I'd get back out there and make it work.
Hey, we got a minute before we go and talk to Mitch Chubb.
You wanna make us a cuppa? I'd rather eat rat poison.
Why do I get the feeling you have a problem with me? I don't know.
You're probably psychic.
You need to get a grip.
You need to get your hand off it.
Hey, hey! You're forgetting rank here, sweetheart.
You don't remember me at all, do you? Should I? (SCOFFS) Yeah.
I'll make my own tea then, will I? I was at the bowls club with Len Besser.
It was Dad's idea.
Yeah, Wally takes care of everybody.
Just his nature.
We knew the interview with Barrett was gonna be on TV.
Dad was worried about how Len would take it.
Why you and not your dad? Dad spent a long time with Len since the fire - he's a bit battle fatigued.
And Len's in a bad way.
What do you mean? Well, he's lost his whole family, wife and two kids.
He's shattered.
He's drunk most of the time.
It's hardcore being with him.
And after the club closed? We took a slab and some Bundy back to his van.
He's staying in a caravan out the back of the Cooney place.
Old Frank Cooney died in the fire.
Yep.
His grandson Rhys lives in the house.
Thank you, Sarge.
We polished most of the Bundy off and he passed out and I went home.
And what time was that? Um, some time after midnight.
About 2:00? Closer to 1:00.
OK, you do know that Rod Barrett was murdered last night? Yeah.
He got what he deserved, hey? Yeah, he did.
You sure you didn't decide to pay him a visit? No.
You own a lump hammer? No.
How are the studies going, Mitch? I lost my computer and half a term's work in the fire.
What is it you study? A bachelor of business studies.
You were best mates with Riley Flynn, right? He died in the fire.
it's his funeral today in Adelaide.
Serena Flynn's son.
Yeah, I know.
I saw him the night of the fire.
We made plans to go to the footy last weekend.
I can't believe he's dead.
The fire should never have happened.
No.
But it did and so did the murder.
Mitch, it's in your best interest to tell us the truth.
Lying's only gonna make things worse.
Did you kill Rod Barrett? No, I didn't.
I swear I didn't.
Yeah, fire's a horrible death.
My grandad didn't deserve to go like that.
No, none of them did.
No.
ALLIE: This your parents' place? Yeah, they're stuck overseas.
Dad's in hospital, broke his leg.
Look, I, uhl told the other detectives everything I know.
They're Arson.
We're Homicide.
SPARKES: We're investigating the murder of Rod Barrett.
Do you blame him for the fire? Well, they found petrol in his apartment.
Where were you late last night, Rhys? Uh, here.
I was on the computer till about midnight.
SPARKES: Can anyone confirm that? Yeah, my parents.
I was Skyping them.
So I guess there's a record of that.
And after that? Uh, in bed.
I'm a tradie.
I start early.
That a lump hammer? Yeah.
Mind if I borrow it? Why? Rod Barrett was struck on the head with a similar object.
So does this mean I'm a suspect or something? At this stage, son, I'm afraid everyone's a suspect.
The best thing you can do is cooperate.
Is Len home? Uh, yeah.
I think he's here.
His car's here.
I might go and have a chat.
That's who we're here to see.
You can come with me if you like.
Thank you.
Thanks.
G'day, Len.
This is Detective Kingston.
Sorry, but we need to ask you a few questions about Rod Barrett.
ALLIE: Where were you late last night? At the bowls club.
And after that? Here with Mitch Chubb.
I can't sleep so I drink until I pass out.
How late did you go last night, Len? I don't know.
I don't keep track of time anymore.
Do you blame Rod Barrett for what happened? What do you reckon? Of course he does.
Thanks, Sarge.
Do you blame Rod, Mr Besser? Yeah, I did.
But hating never did anybody any good.
It can't bring them back.
Sorry for your loss, Mr Besser.
You're what? Sorry for your loss.
Is that what they teach you to say? My 'loss'? I've got nothing more to say to you.
You may have nothing more to say Thanks, mate.
That's fine.
ALLIE: Next time you decide we're finished with a suspect, can you give me a heads-up? Since when is he a suspect? He's not in the clear, not by a long shot.
Yeah, well, he didn't do it.
Sarge, he's got motive.
Everyone's got motive.
He was drinking heavily till he passed out.
Mitch Chubb was there.
He's got an alibi.
Sarge How about we show a bit of compassion.
I think there's a difference between compassion and being too emotionally involved.
Which I can't imagine was ever a big problem with you, sweetheart.
You don't know anything about me! I thought I was meant to remember you.
Oh, forget it.
Hey, Allie, we're knocking off.
Yeah, you coming? I'm gonna get into these Arson files.
Either that or I'm gonna break someone's neck.
BOTH: Sparkesy? "Mate! Love! Sweetheart!" JENNIFER: He's not too bad.
DUNCAN: No, he's worse.
Duncan, Allie's gotta work with him.
And you always see the good in everyone.
He's a Neanderthal who should've stayed in his cave.
I have never felt more like kicking a guy in the balls than right now.
I'm just leaving.
SPARKES: And I'm just arriving.
There's your guy.
Ready to get stuck into this paper.
JENNIFER: We'll leave you to it.
Good day today.
Allie fill you in? Yeah, yeah, we're up to speed.
So you drew the short straw.
Yep.
You got a problem with it? Nope.
Good.
Me neither.
What are you up to? Going through these Arson files Highlighting anything pertaining to Barrett.
Sounds like a plan.
You're going home, I suppose, to the little woman? No, not yet.
Thought I'd start casting a wider net.
Barrett said he got death threats after he was outed by the press.
Maybe one of them followed through.
Oh, while you're up, I'd kill for a cuppa.
(MOBILE PHONE RINGS) My wife.
Hey, Carol.
Poor bitch.
White with three, thanks, love.
My new partner.
Nah, it's all going very well.
Yeah.
(INHALES) Yeah.
what? Over a hundred witness statements.
No-one can positively place Barrett at the scene till after he got home from the movies.
'Cause he made sure he wasn't seen.
You were there.
Do you remember seeing him? There was a burning building with people trapped inside.
That was my focus.
Yeah, OK, fair enough.
The use of accelerant doesn't sit right either.
Why not? it's too obvious.
Never discount the obvious - generally the truth.
Heater under the curtains, chips on the stove, toaster - anything like that could've passed off as an accident easily.
Yeah, but they don't guarantee maximum destruction.
Barrett wanted to stick it up Wally Chubb and the owners' corporation.
And you're 100% sure about that? You're not convinced? No.
Box office chick at the cinema said Barrett looked familiar.
There were 73 people at that screening.
She couldn't be sure either way.
OK, so why give yourself such a weak alibi? And Arson haven't found any evidence of a timer, which he must have used.
Might have been destroyed in the fire.
But there was no hot spot, meaning that the fire could've started some other way and then the petrol been splashed around afterwards.
Love, you're grasping at straws.
Can you not call me 'love'?! It's demeaning.
it's a term of affection.
Not from you.
And if I'm grasping at straws, I'm not the only one.
That's why Arson hadn't charged him.
Alright, whoever or whatever started the fire is Arson's problem.
We need to focus on who killed Rod Barrett.
Now, I've got three new candidates - Bruce Young, Colin Henderson, Guido Salvatore.
All have form for assault or criminal violence.
All previously lost loved ones in fires.
They'd jump at the chance to kill an arsonist.
Also, Henderson was in Ararat at the same time as Barrett.
OK, so where are they now? According to the files, Young's in NSW, the other two are local.
OK, good.
What are we waiting for? Morning.
You two car-pooling already? We've been on a wild goose chase.
I'll admit it's not the result we were looking for.
Sarge pulled the files on three possible suspects.
More suspects? Casting a wider net.
And? One's in a wheelchair.
The other one's in a coffin.
Bruce Young's still a possibility if he's back from NSW.
NICK: Bruce Christopher Young? Yeah.
A Detective Monaghan from Sydney CIB called.
Young's doing 10-15 in Long Bay for armed robbery.
(BOTH GROAN) I need a coffee.
Yeah, white with three, thanks.
Coffee can wait.
Serena Flynn's in the statement room downstairs.
She back from the funeral? Jen and I will take this one! Oh! WOMAN: We were woken by the sound of breaking glass and yelling.
You could smell the smoke straightaway, you know? ALLIE: And then what happened? I grabbed a few belongings and ran.
We were outside when someone said, "Frank Cooney's still in there.
" No chance of him getting out on his own so .
.
Riley went back in to get him.
The last thing he said to me was, "Don't worry, Mum.
" My son's a hero.
I believe in God.
Riley's with God.
ALLIE: Who do you think's responsible for the fire? I don't know.
Rod Barrett.
Rod didn't start that fire.
A lot of people think he did.
Well, a lot of people are wrong.
Why? They didn't know him.
And you did? He was a decent guy.
(SIGHS) He'd had some tragedy in his life, but once you got to know him He'd asked me out that night, to the movies.
You didn't go? No, no, I couldn't.
He went on his own.
He didn't start that fire.
Mrs Flynn, were you and Rod Barrett more than just friends? No, we were just good friends.
What about him and Wally Chubb? Oh, they always rubbed each other the wrong way.
Wally and the owners' corp had been all over Rod about some minor reno he'd done to his flat.
Was Wally's harassment enough to make Rod torch the place? No.
You sure about that? Yeah, I am.
Rod bought that apartment with his wife.
That's the wife he killed when he crashed his car.
That apartment was their home.
It was like all he had left of her.
He'd never torch it.
Maybe it was a way of finally letting go.
Sometimes memories get too painful.
There's, uh, another get-together this afternoon.
You coming? A lot of the survivors hook up at the bowls club.
We can really check out our suspects in their own environment.
They're fire survivors.
They care for each other.
I'm going to support them.
Well, I'm going as a Homicide cop.
Are you guys coming? We can work the room as a team.
It could reveal something, see them let their hair down.
Am I the only one with a heart around here? (GENTLE MUSIC PLAYS ON STEREO) (PEOPLE CHATTER QUIETLY) Is there always this many people here? No, it's part support group, part wake.
Grief and revenge could've made any one of them our killer.
Or not.
Can we all just be sensitive to the occasion? You didn't know about the Serene Flynn/Rod Barrett friendship, did you? No, that one slipped under the radar.
It's funny no-one else in the apartment mentioned it either.
What? Do you think it could be bogus? Just throwing round some what-ifs.
Well, it's a clever way to deflect suspicion.
Nah, Serena's a decent woman.
She's genuine.
I got the impression she was holding something back.
Like what? I don't know yet.
Sparkesy, you brought the whole crew.
This time I can buy Melbourne's finest a drink, can't I? Well, I won't say no, Wal.
On ya, mate.
Guys? I'll pass, thanks.
Just a squash.
Love? Hey, watch it, Wal.
This one bites.
The pretty ones always do.
Did you know anything about a friendship between Nobody cares about a dead arsonist.
Mitch! The only criminal was the one you found yesterday with the rope round his neck.
That's enough, son.
They're just doing their job.
Your dad's right, Mitch.
Why don't you go back and bother your mates? Did you tie that rope around his neck? What? You blamed Rod for the fire.
Did you kill him too? Piss off! WALLY: Serena! He knew what you and your father were up to, and you framed Rod.
WALLY: That's not true, Serena.
Everyone knows you're on his side because he was screwing you! SERENA: Don't you say that! Everyone knows that.
Riley knew it.
He used to talk about it, your own son.
You shut up! Bitch! You're a liar and a pig! Everyone knows about you and Rod! You just accused him of murder! Shut up, Wally.
DUNCAN: Move back! Pull your head in, Serena! You have no right bringing Riley into this.
He's dead! Whose fault is that, you stupid cow? Stop it! For the love of God, just stop it! Haven't we lost enough already? (PEOPLE MUTTER QUIETLY) Come on, Sparkesy, they looked like they were heading for an all-in.
Oh, they were grieving.
ALLIE: They wanted to tear each other apart.
But no damage done? No.
Another triumph in community policing, hey, Sparkesy? STANLEY: The lump hammer found in Rhys Cooney's van is not a match for the weapon used on Barrett.
So we got sweet FA? Not to put too fine a point on it.
Let me get this straight.
All our prime suspects say they were either asleep by themselves or unconscious by themselves during the time of the murder? They don't count as alibis to me.
It's early hours of the morning.
What do you expect? DUNCAN: Allie made a good point earlier.
Rod Barrett weighed about 90 kilos.
If he wasn't unconscious when he was taken from the motel to the park and strung up A hell of a job for one person.
Accomplices in murder.
STANLEY: We should consider it as a possibility.
JENNIFER: You'd wanna choose someone you can trust under pressure.
So who goes with who? Two young hotheads out for revenge or Wally the My honest opinion - I can't see any of them doing this.
I can see any one of them doing this.
It's hard to beat the father/son combo for my money.
Look, we just need one nut to crack.
Go harder, get a result.
Senior Sergeant, they got an anonymous call from Crime Watch, said we should check Rod Barrett's car again.
What for? They didn't say.
His car's still at the motel where he was living.
Are you gonna tell me where we met before? If you can't remember, why would I bother? Did we have sex? I'd remember if we had sex, wouldn't I? That is a revolting thought.
It's a fair enough question.
You're definitely not my type.
Yeah, nobody's your type.
Brad.
Unlocked.
ALLIE: Convenient.
Nothing obvious in here.
Check the boot.
Yep.
Petrol.
I hate to say I was right.
Pretty careless to torch the place and then leave the can in the boot of your own car.
Forensics are checking the chemical fingerprint of the petrol to see if it matches the accelerant used in the fire.
What about the call to Crime Watch? Anonymous male voice.
It could've been Mitch Chubb.
It could've been anyone.
Serena Flynn said the Chubbs were framing Barrett.
STANLEY: For what reason? She said Barrett knew what Mitch and his dad were up to, but didn't say what.
Hang on, hang on.
We all know the most obvious answer is usually the right one.
Barrett torched his apartment, he put the empty can in the boot.
And didn't dump it for almost a week? Maybe he lost his nerve.
He knew he was being watched.
He had reporters breathing down his neck 24/7.
Didn't Arson search his car after the fire? Yeah, it was clean.
SPARKES: Right.
After they searched it, he knew it was the safest place.
Only problem is he got killed before a chance to dump it.
It's a theory, but it doesn't get us any closer to his killer.
How we going on the owners' corporation records? Yeah, I'm onto those.
So far, nothing out of the ordinary.
OK, chat to Serena Flynn again about her accusations.
Keep me informed.
Serena.
Sorry.
We need to talk to you again.
I don't know if I can be of any more help to you.
Yesterday at the bowls club You accused Mitch Chubb and his father of framing Rod Barrett.
I was really angry - what he said about Rod.
What exactly were you referring to when you said Rod knew what the Chubbs were up to? Oh, look, I don't know.
It's just what Rod always said about how they didn't look after the building properly after Wally became the manager.
Mitch Chubb also described your relationship with Rod Barrett as more than good friends.
Yeah, he's got a gutter mouth.
So you weren't having a sexual relationship with Rod Barrett? No.
Which could put a completely different spin on the story you told.
It's not true.
There's no evidence to suggest the Chubbs are up to anything.
You just liked Rod.
You threw that in there as a distraction.
Didn't you? No.
Rod had a grudge against the owners' corporation and a jerry can full of petrol.
A grudge, yes.
Petrol, no.
The fire was never meant to get out of hand, was it? Those two Besser kids, their mum, old Frank Cooney, your son Riley - they weren't supposed to die, were they, Serena? What the hell are you suggesting? We're not suggesting anything.
So your lover was also the man that killed your son.
The fire was, after all, his idea.
No! Come on.
Rod started that fire to please you.
He was murdered because he started that fire.
You're not the murderer, but you're not in the clear.
No, it's not true.
None of what you're saying is true! What was that about? I thought I'd turn up the heat like Jarvis suggested.
Well, you ambushed me as well as her.
Well, I knew you probably wouldn't go for it.
I thought you were on the residents' side.
I'm just trying to solve a homicide.
So did Serena Flynn cross the line by supporting Rod Barrett? No.
I was just rattling her cage.
Pretty selective on whose cage you rattle.
Didn't they teach you that at detective school? You didn't teach me anything at detective school, actually.
Me? What did I have to do with it? Yeah, you don't remember.
I'm not surprised.
You lost me, love.
I was in one of your interrogation classes.
Yeah? Well, I don't remember.
Too many students, too many classes.
Well, you treated the women like crap.
You were always on our backs, always pushing us, always niggling.
And because of you, Melanie Sherborne quit.
Should I remember her too? Well, she works in a chemist shop now.
And you're a good copper now.
(MOBILE PHONE RINGS) Matt.
Yeah.
OK, we're on our way.
They've found something.
ALLIE: What have we got? Forensics cleaned the jerry can you found in Barrett's car.
Almost identical.
Rhys Cooney.
NICK: The other interesting thing is Rhys's name doesn't appear anywhere as a contractor in the owners' corporation books.
Are you sure? Been through them a couple of times.
With his grandad in the building and his mates on the corporation, you'd think he'd get work there.
What? I've seen him there doing work.
STANLEY: When was that? A few months back.
I picked Wally up one morning.
I remember seeing him there.
You sure he just wasn't visiting? No, he was working.
He was probably working for cash.
The really interesting thing is that all these account balances are signed off by an 'M.
Chubb'.
Mitch.
He's currently doing a bachelor of business studies.
Majoring in rubbery figures.
Bring them both in.
They've got some explaining to do.
You can't believe that mad bitch.
And which mad bitch is that, Mitch? Serena Flynn.
That's what this is about, right, what she said yesterday at the bowls club.
MATT: You keep the owners' corporation books for your dad, don't you, Mitch? So? I've never done any work for the owners' corporation.
Never? That's why I'm not on their books.
I saw you there, Rhys.
I was visiting my grandfather.
You had your tool belt on, a roll of triple cord under your arm.
You were working.
So let's cut the crap.
So he might have done some minor stuff for his grandad.
Sometimes we turn a blind eye.
But not for Rod Barrett? OK, I've done some cash-in-hand jobs.
That's all.
So NOT on the books? You'd have to speak to Mitch about that.
Don't worry.
We will.
Can you tell us about this? It's a jerry can.
ALLIE: Mm-hm.
SPARKES: Yours? I don't know.
All jerry cans look the same, don't they? Except this one's got your initials on it.
Well, yeah, it looks like mine.
it's a lot cleaner than mine, but.
Yeah, Forensics cleaned it up.
They removed the grease and dirt.
How did your jerry can end up in the boot of Rod Barrett's car? What? it's a simple question.
He didn't know it was there.
RHYS: Uh, I don't know.
Sarge, Arson sent this over.
Said it was important you get it asap.
Thank you.
How's it going? One cocky, one nervous.
MATT: Explain these.
Invoices.
DUNCAN: That you paid.
Might have.
They're made out to us.
Except when we contacted these firms, none of them had ever done any work for the Wattle Grove owners' corporation.
What? Too late to act surprised, Mitch.
ALLIE: You put that can in Barrett's car, didn't you? No.
Well, then how did it get there? I told you, I don't know.
That's not good enough.
Think it's time to start telling the truth, son.
it's your only chance.
It's the truth that he's afraid of.
DUNCAN: You and Rhys had a little earner going.
No.
Then Rod Barrett found out.
ALLIE: So you killed him to shut him up, didn't you? No! I didn't kill anyone.
Rod Barrett didn't start that fire.
Sparkesy got it wrong.
And Rhys Cooney is in serious trouble.
The fire started in the wall cavity of your grandfather's apartment due to substandard electrical wiring, wiring carried out by you.
Isn't that right, Rhys? Rhys? I killed my grandfather.
I killed my mate and I killed those two little kids and their mum.
It shouldn't come as a total surprise, surely? (SOBS) After the fire, you were afraid, right, Rhys? I was there.
I know what it was like.
I tried to help them, but I couldn't.
Yeah, I know.
Why kill Rod Barret, Rhys? What? Come on, Rhys.
it's crunch time.
I didn't kill Rod Barrett.
Did Barrett find out about the scam you and Mitch had going? No.
SPARKES: Rhys? No, I swear.
Look.
And Mitch didn't know anything.
He wasn't involved.
Don't protect him.
He was doing the books.
But only at the end of the month.
The whole thing was Wally's idea.
Wally Chubb? Yeah.
He'd get the quotes and then he'd get me to do the work, but really, to make any profit, we had tocut a lot of corners.
Take risks with safety? So after the fire? I went to Wally and .
.
I told him that I thought the fire might have been started by the wiring.
And what did he say? He said he'd fix it.
Those were his exact words? Yes.
I just I didn't want it to be my fault.
And then he found me a few hours later and said not to worry, that Rod Barrett had started the fire.
Rhys, your initials are on this jerry can.
It looks to me like you were the person who splashed the petrol around Rod Barrett's apartment.
No.
No, I didn't.
Do you think I'd be so stupid to leave my jerry can in his car? Wally must have done it.
We don't like being played for fools, Wal.
(SLURS) Oh, Jesus, Sparkesy! You made me whiz on me dacks.
Oh, this is the gents, love.
Don't call her 'love'.
You're under arrest.
I'm a bit pissed.
Your jokes are wasted on me.
Oh, bloody hell! We're not joking.
Move.
Hey! Shut up.
This is a mistake! Talk about a bad hair day.
Are we sure he's sober? He had six hours' sleep in the lockup and he just blew 0.
02.
Hm, good enough.
I need some water.
TERRY: He looks rooted.
He is.
Good.
Rhys Cooney has made a full statement detailing the maintenance scam that you and him were involved in.
You may also want to know that the cause of the fire has been determined as unsafe wiring.
DUNCAN: Rhys Cooney says he came to you on the night of the fire, worried that his wiring may have been the cause.
He said you told him that you'd fix it.
Is that correct, Mr Chubb? It was a terrible night.
No-one was thinking clearly.
Is his statement correct? Yes.
What did you mean by "fix it"? Shift the blame onto Rod Barrett.
DUNCAN: And how did you do that? You know how.
Tell us.
I took a .
.
jerry can from Rhys's van.
In the confusion after the fire, got into Barrett's apartment and splashed some petrol around.
Well, that's another six-pointer for Arson but we still need to kick a goal.
DUNCAN: What did you do with the jerry can afterwards? I put the can in the boot of his car.
And made a call to Crime Watch.
So is that when you decided you had to get rid of Rod Barrett? I had nothing to do with that.
That's right.
You were at home, asleep, by yourself.
I was.
I'd done a good enough job making the whole world think he was guilty.
Any allegations he might make would be seen to be the desperate attempts by an arsonist to clear his own name.
What? Why would I kill him? So if it's not Wally And it's not Rhys Dad always used to say you were a good bloke, his mate.
He and Rhys were ripping off the other residents at the building.
ALLIE: He's also admitted to splashing petrol around Rod Barrett's apartment.
Will he go to jail? Your dad's going down for arson.
He's also in the frame for Barrett's murder.
If you know anything, now's the time to say.
So Barrett Yeah, an innocent man.
Dad didn't kill Barrett.
How do you know that? 'Cause I know who did.
Go on.
I can't even remember who suggested it.
What? Teaching Barrett a lesson.
I'd already gone cold on the idea by the time we got there.
Have you got any idea what time it is? Ohh! But he went for him.
Straightaway, pow! I was really scared, but I helped him carry him across the road and into the park.
Can't we just leave him here? MAN: Nup.
No way.
We're gonna string the bastard up.
Come on.
Who was it, Mitch? Who killed him? Rod was still alive when I left.
I was scared.
I didn't know what to do.
(GROANS) I can't.
It was Len Besser, wasn't it? Stay back.
Put it down, Len.
Come on, mate.
This is no way out.
My life's over.
I don't have a future, just a past.
You think that now, but you can recover from this.
I don't want to recover.
I don't want to forget.
No-one's talking about forgetting.
You'll always remember them.
They'll always be in your heart.
They need me.
They're my family.
I should be with them.
Yeah, you should.
You should all be together, here, alive.
And it's a tragedy you're not.
But they wouldn't want you to do this, Len.
You know that.
I killed Rod Barrett.
I know.
Now they're saying on the radio that he didn't start the fire.
Is that true? You weren't in a proper state of mind.
That'll be taken into account.
Did I kill an innocent man? Did I? Yeah.
(CRIES) More reason, then.
More reason to be a man and take responsibility for what you've done.
If there is a heaven, how are you gonna explain this to Sophie and Jack and Stephanie? I just miss them so much.
I know that, Len, but this isn't the answer.
Just give me the gun.
Come on, mate.
Will you stay with me? Yeah, of course I will.
(SOBS) (KNOCK AT DOOR) STANLEY: Yeah.
Sarge, we found the lump hammer and rope in the boot of Len Besser's car.
He's made a full confession.
How is he now he's in custody? He's having a full psych evaluation.
They'll keep him in hospital for the time being.
I'm just on my way over to see him now.
You got a good one there, Stanley.
She's a keeper.
Yeah, yeah, I'm sure Detective Kingston has learnt a lot from you, Wilton.
Well, I better get going.
Thanks for having me along for the ride.
You did a good job.
Me and my partner.
Hey, Sarge.
Yeah? Come again when you can't stay so long.
See ya, love.
What? (DOOR CLOSES) Hmph.
(THEME MUSIC)
srt by GeirDM G'day, Sarge.
Boys.
It's been a while.
Yeah, too long.
Thought you were community liaison these days.
I am.
This is my patch.
Should be able to wrap this one up pretty quickly.
DUNCAN: What have you got? Suicide.
The world's a better place for it.
Rodney Gerald Barrett.
The Wattle Grove arsonist.
That fire last week was near here, wasn't it? A couple of blocks away.
This guy was on TV last night.
They accused him of starting the fire.
Five people died including two young kids and their mum.
This is the mongrel they reckon started it.
Either his conscience finally got the better of him or he realised his time was running out.
Who found him? A local resident walking her dog.
We've taken a statement.
DUNCAN: Serious head wound.
I reckon he hit it on that as he dropped.
Possible, but unlikely.
MATT: Why? The force of the impact I wouldn't be touching that if I were you, Senior Sergeant.
I didn't touch it.
I know the procedures.
.
.
and judging by the shape of the indentation.
Time of death, Gideon? What do you reckon? Well, it was cold last night so somewhere between 2am and 4am.
There's something here, in his throat.
What? MATT: What is that? GIDEON: I'm not sure.
It's a slippery little sucker.
Box of matches.
I reckon that blows your suicide theory, hey, Sparkesy? Sosomebody topped the arsonist.
Gonna be a truckload of suspects.
Barrett had an apartment in the building that was destroyed.
Yeah, Wattle Grove Apartments.
'60s brick.
Aussie architecture's finest hour.
Yeah.
Apparently he'd been staying in a motel opposite where we was found.
Crime Scene are there now.
Nothing from door knocks.
Yeah, of course not.
Now, Arson still haven't charged him.
Why not? It was only a matter of time, from what I hear.
Hey, Frostie.
Thanks, mate.
That's all good.
Thanks, boss.
You know Wilton Sparkes is a community copper out there? Yeah, I heard he was at the crime scene.
You hear he was also at the scene of the fire? No, I didn't.
He probably earned himself a citation.
Dragged an old lady out.
I hear he's a bit of a local hero, our Sparkesy.
See, the thing is he knows these people, he knows how they think.
They trust him.
And? I want him on the case.
Oh.
No.
Thank you very much, but we've got a full team on this.
A fresh set of eyes never hurt.
A bit too close to the people on the ground, don't you think? I think that gives him a unique perspective.
See, Sparkesy's old school.
Old school's good school.
it's the one I went to.
No, believe me, I think he'd be of great assistance on this case.
I'll think about it.
It's a done deal, Stanley.
Sparkesy's on his way over now.
So we get there, and Sparkesy's strutting around like he owns the place.
"This is my patch.
" He's going on about how Barrett's an arsonist and he did the world a favour by topping himself.
Should have seen the look on his face when Gideon pulled the box of matches out of Barrett's throat.
Dunny gives him the stare, you know, "Guess that just blew your suicide theory, Sparkesy.
" It was classic! Sarge, just finishing a briefing.
Go right ahead.
Senior Sergeant Sparkes will be joining us on this investigation.
As it is, Wilton, you know everyone.
How could I forget such an ugly-looking mob? Detective Mapplethorpe excepted, of course.
NICK: How are you, Sarge? Any better, I'd be dangerous.
It's been a while.
Yeah.
I don't think you know Allie Kingston.
Hi.
Nice to meet you, love.
So where are we, Ryan? MATT: Wattle Grove Apartments.
Ah, yeah, my patch.
Well, five people killed.
Jack and Sophie Besser, their mum Stephanie, Frank Cooney, Riley Flynn.
Bloody heartbreaking.
The Arson Squad are still investigating.
But the media and most of the population have already tried and convicted this man, Rodney Gerald Barrett.
With good cause, I might say.
Somewhere between someone's whacked him over the head, strung him up and shoved a box of matches down his throat.
Subtle.
This is the interview with Barrett that aired early last night.
Rod, the fire started in your apartment.
I emphatically deny having anything to do with that fire.
Sources within the fire brigade confirm that petrol was found in your apartment.
Well, I don't know anything about that.
You don't? No.
I didn't start that fire.
That's not what the other residents believe.
Oh, Wally Chubb.
Wally Chubb -the chairman of the owners' corporation? Why would he believe you started the fire? Wellhe'd blame me for anything.
He just wanted me out of the building.
Why would he want you out? Wally Chubb kept putting up the owners' corp fees and spending nothing on the maintenance of the place, and he knew I was onto him.
Isn't it true you threatened to "make him pay"? Wellno.
I was angry.
I was blowing off a bit of steam.
I wasn't gonna do anything.
Rod, where were you when the fire started? At the movies.
Alone? Yes.
So you don't have an alibi? Yes, I was at the movies.
This isn't the first time you've been in trouble with the law, is it? What? In fact, you've done jail time, haven't you? You killed your wife.
You (BLEEP!) reporters, you're all the (BLEEP!) same! Don't walk away You're a pack of whores! (BLEEP!) Get the (BLEEP!) Is that right- he's done time for murder? Culpable driving.
Did three years in Ararat.
Got drunk, smashed his car and killed his wife.
When was that? Oh, eight years ago.
He still wore his wedding ring.
It was among his personal effects.
If Arson liked him for it, why wasn't he charged? Buggered if I know.
He did it.
(GROANS) He was top of their list.
They're trying to clear up a few inconsistencies.
Like? It's all there in the box - everything Arson have on the fire.
I want you to go through it all, familiarise yourselves.
Remember -they were looking for an arsonist.
We are now looking for a murderer.
JENNIFER: So anyone who lost a friend or relative would have to be a prime suspect.
NICK: Sarge, you know these people.
Who do you reckon's most likely? I don't reckon any of them are capable of murder.
Ah, sweet! Case closed already.
Revenge is a pretty powerful motive.
Anybody's capable of murder.
I used to think that once too, love.
Don't call me 'love'.
You prefer 'darling' or 'sweetheart'? Yeah, yeah, that's enough.
Barrett accuses this bloke, Wally Chubb.
Let's bring him in for a chat.
Allow me.
I know where we'll find him.
Who's with me? No way.
You're joking.
Senior Sergeant Sparkes will be teamed with you on this investigation.
I'm not doing it.
it's an order, Detective.
Come on.
Duncan and Matt don't rate him so you dump him with me.
How's that fair? No-one is dumping anyone on anybody.
What about Nick? They're a much better fit.
Don't you reckon? Detective Buchanan is otherwise engaged.
Doing phone and financial records.
I'm happy to swap.
Not your call, Detective.
Anyway, there's all these files Arson have sent over.
I'm not fully up to speed, so You better get up to speed because you're gonna talk to Wally Chubb.
Sarge, please.
I do not need Sparkes sitting in on that interview.
You just said you were not fully across this.
Well, I Will be.
Senior Sergeant Sparkes is an experienced investigator.
You should treat this as a great opportunity.
Great.
Yeah.
That's all, Detective.
(MUTTERS) Great.
Bowls is a game of skill, you see, Kingston? Often underrated.
It's an old man's game.
Well, I play it.
Hey, Sparkesy, nice bag of fruit.
Yeah, thanks, Baz.
No, they got a good bistro, social club.
My little lady loves it here.
MAN: Sparkesy! Here's Wal.
I'll handle this.
I'll just stay three steps behind.
Yeah, good, good.
G'day, Wal.
Sparkesy.
Is it true the bastard topped himself? Well, yes and no.
He's dead, but it wasn't suicide.
Bugger me.
You know who did it? No, not yet.
When you get him, he should get a bloody medal.
Who's your girlfriend? Wal, this is Detective Kingston.
G'day.
Guess I can't shout you a cold one? A shandy? Mr Chubb, we'd like you to come with us to answer some questions.
Hey? it's a murder investigation, Wal.
They gotta talk to everyone who knew Barrett.
it's just routine.
I should be in there, Stan.
You're a bit too close to it, Wil.
Let the team do him.
Rod Barrett was an out-and-out ratbag and troublemaker.
He threatened me and he threatened to burn down the building.
We have the statement you made to the Arson detectives.
That threat was over some unauthorised renovations to his apartment and Barrett's refusal to pay his owners' corporation fees.
That's right.
The bloke thought he was a law unto himself.
Well, our building doesn't run that way.
As head of the owners' corporation, you're the law in the building, right? There are rules.
Your loss in the fire was substantial.
Nothing compared to the loss of life.
Five people are dead due to that man.
Did you have anything to do with the death of Rod Barrett? Of course not! Barrett's bigger and stronger than me.
He was hit on the head with what we now believe to be a lump hammer.
ALLIE: Do you own a lump hammer The Pathology report came through while you were picking him up.
I don't even know what a lump hammer is.
No.
You're wasting our time.
He's not the killer.
MATT: It wasn't the blow with the hammer that killed him.
He was still alive when he was strung up.
He was lynched.
Huh.
The Wild West comes to Northcote, hey? Well, what do you expect me to say? Oh, jeez.
Where were you in the early hours of this morning? In bed asleep.
Alone? Yes.
The wife's staying with her sister since the fire.
In your previous statement, you said you were sharing an apartment in Kellett Street with your son Mitch.
That's right.
Was Mitch at the unit last night? Not when I went to bed.
Any idea of where he was? What time he got home? He's over 21 years old.
He's not in the habit of asking my permission or lodging a report.
Look, I didn't kill anybody and I don't know who did.
Oh, mate, these two are a couple of pit bulls.
They don't hold back.
Oh, their bark's worse than their bite.
Just doing their job, right, Ryan? MATT: Right.
You've got nothing to worry about.
That's a relief to hear.
Just being in there makes a bloke feel guilty.
The constable will arrange a lift home, back to the club, whatever you like.
Thanks, mate.
Talk to you soon.
Will do.
Yep, that's good, that is.
What? Well, you being his best buddy doesn't actually help us.
What are you talking about? He's got no alibi.
Well, who does? 2:00 in the morning, they'll all be in bed asleep.
But Chubb is the one Barrett virtually accused on national TV and hours later, Barrett's dead.
That's a motive.
Three things.
One, Wally didn't frame him for that fire.
Two, Barrett was talking out his arse.
Three, we've got to do a lot better than this if we're gonna catch ourselves a killer.
(KNOCK AT DOOR) Sarge, it's not working out.
I assume you're referring to Senior Sergeant Sparkes.
He's impossible.
There is no requirement in the regulations that states that you have to be compatible.
You need to be more specific.
He's way too close, Sarge.
Matt and I go hard on Wally Chubb and when we're finished, Senior Sergeant Sparkes tells him, "Mate, you've got nothing to worry about.
" OK, your objections have been noted.
He's a sexist old dinosaur.
I thought the force had moved on.
Senior Sergeant Sparkes has been assigned to this investigation.
His position on it is more secure than yours.
If I was you, I'd get back out there and make it work.
Hey, we got a minute before we go and talk to Mitch Chubb.
You wanna make us a cuppa? I'd rather eat rat poison.
Why do I get the feeling you have a problem with me? I don't know.
You're probably psychic.
You need to get a grip.
You need to get your hand off it.
Hey, hey! You're forgetting rank here, sweetheart.
You don't remember me at all, do you? Should I? (SCOFFS) Yeah.
I'll make my own tea then, will I? I was at the bowls club with Len Besser.
It was Dad's idea.
Yeah, Wally takes care of everybody.
Just his nature.
We knew the interview with Barrett was gonna be on TV.
Dad was worried about how Len would take it.
Why you and not your dad? Dad spent a long time with Len since the fire - he's a bit battle fatigued.
And Len's in a bad way.
What do you mean? Well, he's lost his whole family, wife and two kids.
He's shattered.
He's drunk most of the time.
It's hardcore being with him.
And after the club closed? We took a slab and some Bundy back to his van.
He's staying in a caravan out the back of the Cooney place.
Old Frank Cooney died in the fire.
Yep.
His grandson Rhys lives in the house.
Thank you, Sarge.
We polished most of the Bundy off and he passed out and I went home.
And what time was that? Um, some time after midnight.
About 2:00? Closer to 1:00.
OK, you do know that Rod Barrett was murdered last night? Yeah.
He got what he deserved, hey? Yeah, he did.
You sure you didn't decide to pay him a visit? No.
You own a lump hammer? No.
How are the studies going, Mitch? I lost my computer and half a term's work in the fire.
What is it you study? A bachelor of business studies.
You were best mates with Riley Flynn, right? He died in the fire.
it's his funeral today in Adelaide.
Serena Flynn's son.
Yeah, I know.
I saw him the night of the fire.
We made plans to go to the footy last weekend.
I can't believe he's dead.
The fire should never have happened.
No.
But it did and so did the murder.
Mitch, it's in your best interest to tell us the truth.
Lying's only gonna make things worse.
Did you kill Rod Barrett? No, I didn't.
I swear I didn't.
Yeah, fire's a horrible death.
My grandad didn't deserve to go like that.
No, none of them did.
No.
ALLIE: This your parents' place? Yeah, they're stuck overseas.
Dad's in hospital, broke his leg.
Look, I, uhl told the other detectives everything I know.
They're Arson.
We're Homicide.
SPARKES: We're investigating the murder of Rod Barrett.
Do you blame him for the fire? Well, they found petrol in his apartment.
Where were you late last night, Rhys? Uh, here.
I was on the computer till about midnight.
SPARKES: Can anyone confirm that? Yeah, my parents.
I was Skyping them.
So I guess there's a record of that.
And after that? Uh, in bed.
I'm a tradie.
I start early.
That a lump hammer? Yeah.
Mind if I borrow it? Why? Rod Barrett was struck on the head with a similar object.
So does this mean I'm a suspect or something? At this stage, son, I'm afraid everyone's a suspect.
The best thing you can do is cooperate.
Is Len home? Uh, yeah.
I think he's here.
His car's here.
I might go and have a chat.
That's who we're here to see.
You can come with me if you like.
Thank you.
Thanks.
G'day, Len.
This is Detective Kingston.
Sorry, but we need to ask you a few questions about Rod Barrett.
ALLIE: Where were you late last night? At the bowls club.
And after that? Here with Mitch Chubb.
I can't sleep so I drink until I pass out.
How late did you go last night, Len? I don't know.
I don't keep track of time anymore.
Do you blame Rod Barrett for what happened? What do you reckon? Of course he does.
Thanks, Sarge.
Do you blame Rod, Mr Besser? Yeah, I did.
But hating never did anybody any good.
It can't bring them back.
Sorry for your loss, Mr Besser.
You're what? Sorry for your loss.
Is that what they teach you to say? My 'loss'? I've got nothing more to say to you.
You may have nothing more to say Thanks, mate.
That's fine.
ALLIE: Next time you decide we're finished with a suspect, can you give me a heads-up? Since when is he a suspect? He's not in the clear, not by a long shot.
Yeah, well, he didn't do it.
Sarge, he's got motive.
Everyone's got motive.
He was drinking heavily till he passed out.
Mitch Chubb was there.
He's got an alibi.
Sarge How about we show a bit of compassion.
I think there's a difference between compassion and being too emotionally involved.
Which I can't imagine was ever a big problem with you, sweetheart.
You don't know anything about me! I thought I was meant to remember you.
Oh, forget it.
Hey, Allie, we're knocking off.
Yeah, you coming? I'm gonna get into these Arson files.
Either that or I'm gonna break someone's neck.
BOTH: Sparkesy? "Mate! Love! Sweetheart!" JENNIFER: He's not too bad.
DUNCAN: No, he's worse.
Duncan, Allie's gotta work with him.
And you always see the good in everyone.
He's a Neanderthal who should've stayed in his cave.
I have never felt more like kicking a guy in the balls than right now.
I'm just leaving.
SPARKES: And I'm just arriving.
There's your guy.
Ready to get stuck into this paper.
JENNIFER: We'll leave you to it.
Good day today.
Allie fill you in? Yeah, yeah, we're up to speed.
So you drew the short straw.
Yep.
You got a problem with it? Nope.
Good.
Me neither.
What are you up to? Going through these Arson files Highlighting anything pertaining to Barrett.
Sounds like a plan.
You're going home, I suppose, to the little woman? No, not yet.
Thought I'd start casting a wider net.
Barrett said he got death threats after he was outed by the press.
Maybe one of them followed through.
Oh, while you're up, I'd kill for a cuppa.
(MOBILE PHONE RINGS) My wife.
Hey, Carol.
Poor bitch.
White with three, thanks, love.
My new partner.
Nah, it's all going very well.
Yeah.
(INHALES) Yeah.
what? Over a hundred witness statements.
No-one can positively place Barrett at the scene till after he got home from the movies.
'Cause he made sure he wasn't seen.
You were there.
Do you remember seeing him? There was a burning building with people trapped inside.
That was my focus.
Yeah, OK, fair enough.
The use of accelerant doesn't sit right either.
Why not? it's too obvious.
Never discount the obvious - generally the truth.
Heater under the curtains, chips on the stove, toaster - anything like that could've passed off as an accident easily.
Yeah, but they don't guarantee maximum destruction.
Barrett wanted to stick it up Wally Chubb and the owners' corporation.
And you're 100% sure about that? You're not convinced? No.
Box office chick at the cinema said Barrett looked familiar.
There were 73 people at that screening.
She couldn't be sure either way.
OK, so why give yourself such a weak alibi? And Arson haven't found any evidence of a timer, which he must have used.
Might have been destroyed in the fire.
But there was no hot spot, meaning that the fire could've started some other way and then the petrol been splashed around afterwards.
Love, you're grasping at straws.
Can you not call me 'love'?! It's demeaning.
it's a term of affection.
Not from you.
And if I'm grasping at straws, I'm not the only one.
That's why Arson hadn't charged him.
Alright, whoever or whatever started the fire is Arson's problem.
We need to focus on who killed Rod Barrett.
Now, I've got three new candidates - Bruce Young, Colin Henderson, Guido Salvatore.
All have form for assault or criminal violence.
All previously lost loved ones in fires.
They'd jump at the chance to kill an arsonist.
Also, Henderson was in Ararat at the same time as Barrett.
OK, so where are they now? According to the files, Young's in NSW, the other two are local.
OK, good.
What are we waiting for? Morning.
You two car-pooling already? We've been on a wild goose chase.
I'll admit it's not the result we were looking for.
Sarge pulled the files on three possible suspects.
More suspects? Casting a wider net.
And? One's in a wheelchair.
The other one's in a coffin.
Bruce Young's still a possibility if he's back from NSW.
NICK: Bruce Christopher Young? Yeah.
A Detective Monaghan from Sydney CIB called.
Young's doing 10-15 in Long Bay for armed robbery.
(BOTH GROAN) I need a coffee.
Yeah, white with three, thanks.
Coffee can wait.
Serena Flynn's in the statement room downstairs.
She back from the funeral? Jen and I will take this one! Oh! WOMAN: We were woken by the sound of breaking glass and yelling.
You could smell the smoke straightaway, you know? ALLIE: And then what happened? I grabbed a few belongings and ran.
We were outside when someone said, "Frank Cooney's still in there.
" No chance of him getting out on his own so .
.
Riley went back in to get him.
The last thing he said to me was, "Don't worry, Mum.
" My son's a hero.
I believe in God.
Riley's with God.
ALLIE: Who do you think's responsible for the fire? I don't know.
Rod Barrett.
Rod didn't start that fire.
A lot of people think he did.
Well, a lot of people are wrong.
Why? They didn't know him.
And you did? He was a decent guy.
(SIGHS) He'd had some tragedy in his life, but once you got to know him He'd asked me out that night, to the movies.
You didn't go? No, no, I couldn't.
He went on his own.
He didn't start that fire.
Mrs Flynn, were you and Rod Barrett more than just friends? No, we were just good friends.
What about him and Wally Chubb? Oh, they always rubbed each other the wrong way.
Wally and the owners' corp had been all over Rod about some minor reno he'd done to his flat.
Was Wally's harassment enough to make Rod torch the place? No.
You sure about that? Yeah, I am.
Rod bought that apartment with his wife.
That's the wife he killed when he crashed his car.
That apartment was their home.
It was like all he had left of her.
He'd never torch it.
Maybe it was a way of finally letting go.
Sometimes memories get too painful.
There's, uh, another get-together this afternoon.
You coming? A lot of the survivors hook up at the bowls club.
We can really check out our suspects in their own environment.
They're fire survivors.
They care for each other.
I'm going to support them.
Well, I'm going as a Homicide cop.
Are you guys coming? We can work the room as a team.
It could reveal something, see them let their hair down.
Am I the only one with a heart around here? (GENTLE MUSIC PLAYS ON STEREO) (PEOPLE CHATTER QUIETLY) Is there always this many people here? No, it's part support group, part wake.
Grief and revenge could've made any one of them our killer.
Or not.
Can we all just be sensitive to the occasion? You didn't know about the Serene Flynn/Rod Barrett friendship, did you? No, that one slipped under the radar.
It's funny no-one else in the apartment mentioned it either.
What? Do you think it could be bogus? Just throwing round some what-ifs.
Well, it's a clever way to deflect suspicion.
Nah, Serena's a decent woman.
She's genuine.
I got the impression she was holding something back.
Like what? I don't know yet.
Sparkesy, you brought the whole crew.
This time I can buy Melbourne's finest a drink, can't I? Well, I won't say no, Wal.
On ya, mate.
Guys? I'll pass, thanks.
Just a squash.
Love? Hey, watch it, Wal.
This one bites.
The pretty ones always do.
Did you know anything about a friendship between Nobody cares about a dead arsonist.
Mitch! The only criminal was the one you found yesterday with the rope round his neck.
That's enough, son.
They're just doing their job.
Your dad's right, Mitch.
Why don't you go back and bother your mates? Did you tie that rope around his neck? What? You blamed Rod for the fire.
Did you kill him too? Piss off! WALLY: Serena! He knew what you and your father were up to, and you framed Rod.
WALLY: That's not true, Serena.
Everyone knows you're on his side because he was screwing you! SERENA: Don't you say that! Everyone knows that.
Riley knew it.
He used to talk about it, your own son.
You shut up! Bitch! You're a liar and a pig! Everyone knows about you and Rod! You just accused him of murder! Shut up, Wally.
DUNCAN: Move back! Pull your head in, Serena! You have no right bringing Riley into this.
He's dead! Whose fault is that, you stupid cow? Stop it! For the love of God, just stop it! Haven't we lost enough already? (PEOPLE MUTTER QUIETLY) Come on, Sparkesy, they looked like they were heading for an all-in.
Oh, they were grieving.
ALLIE: They wanted to tear each other apart.
But no damage done? No.
Another triumph in community policing, hey, Sparkesy? STANLEY: The lump hammer found in Rhys Cooney's van is not a match for the weapon used on Barrett.
So we got sweet FA? Not to put too fine a point on it.
Let me get this straight.
All our prime suspects say they were either asleep by themselves or unconscious by themselves during the time of the murder? They don't count as alibis to me.
It's early hours of the morning.
What do you expect? DUNCAN: Allie made a good point earlier.
Rod Barrett weighed about 90 kilos.
If he wasn't unconscious when he was taken from the motel to the park and strung up A hell of a job for one person.
Accomplices in murder.
STANLEY: We should consider it as a possibility.
JENNIFER: You'd wanna choose someone you can trust under pressure.
So who goes with who? Two young hotheads out for revenge or Wally the My honest opinion - I can't see any of them doing this.
I can see any one of them doing this.
It's hard to beat the father/son combo for my money.
Look, we just need one nut to crack.
Go harder, get a result.
Senior Sergeant, they got an anonymous call from Crime Watch, said we should check Rod Barrett's car again.
What for? They didn't say.
His car's still at the motel where he was living.
Are you gonna tell me where we met before? If you can't remember, why would I bother? Did we have sex? I'd remember if we had sex, wouldn't I? That is a revolting thought.
It's a fair enough question.
You're definitely not my type.
Yeah, nobody's your type.
Brad.
Unlocked.
ALLIE: Convenient.
Nothing obvious in here.
Check the boot.
Yep.
Petrol.
I hate to say I was right.
Pretty careless to torch the place and then leave the can in the boot of your own car.
Forensics are checking the chemical fingerprint of the petrol to see if it matches the accelerant used in the fire.
What about the call to Crime Watch? Anonymous male voice.
It could've been Mitch Chubb.
It could've been anyone.
Serena Flynn said the Chubbs were framing Barrett.
STANLEY: For what reason? She said Barrett knew what Mitch and his dad were up to, but didn't say what.
Hang on, hang on.
We all know the most obvious answer is usually the right one.
Barrett torched his apartment, he put the empty can in the boot.
And didn't dump it for almost a week? Maybe he lost his nerve.
He knew he was being watched.
He had reporters breathing down his neck 24/7.
Didn't Arson search his car after the fire? Yeah, it was clean.
SPARKES: Right.
After they searched it, he knew it was the safest place.
Only problem is he got killed before a chance to dump it.
It's a theory, but it doesn't get us any closer to his killer.
How we going on the owners' corporation records? Yeah, I'm onto those.
So far, nothing out of the ordinary.
OK, chat to Serena Flynn again about her accusations.
Keep me informed.
Serena.
Sorry.
We need to talk to you again.
I don't know if I can be of any more help to you.
Yesterday at the bowls club You accused Mitch Chubb and his father of framing Rod Barrett.
I was really angry - what he said about Rod.
What exactly were you referring to when you said Rod knew what the Chubbs were up to? Oh, look, I don't know.
It's just what Rod always said about how they didn't look after the building properly after Wally became the manager.
Mitch Chubb also described your relationship with Rod Barrett as more than good friends.
Yeah, he's got a gutter mouth.
So you weren't having a sexual relationship with Rod Barrett? No.
Which could put a completely different spin on the story you told.
It's not true.
There's no evidence to suggest the Chubbs are up to anything.
You just liked Rod.
You threw that in there as a distraction.
Didn't you? No.
Rod had a grudge against the owners' corporation and a jerry can full of petrol.
A grudge, yes.
Petrol, no.
The fire was never meant to get out of hand, was it? Those two Besser kids, their mum, old Frank Cooney, your son Riley - they weren't supposed to die, were they, Serena? What the hell are you suggesting? We're not suggesting anything.
So your lover was also the man that killed your son.
The fire was, after all, his idea.
No! Come on.
Rod started that fire to please you.
He was murdered because he started that fire.
You're not the murderer, but you're not in the clear.
No, it's not true.
None of what you're saying is true! What was that about? I thought I'd turn up the heat like Jarvis suggested.
Well, you ambushed me as well as her.
Well, I knew you probably wouldn't go for it.
I thought you were on the residents' side.
I'm just trying to solve a homicide.
So did Serena Flynn cross the line by supporting Rod Barrett? No.
I was just rattling her cage.
Pretty selective on whose cage you rattle.
Didn't they teach you that at detective school? You didn't teach me anything at detective school, actually.
Me? What did I have to do with it? Yeah, you don't remember.
I'm not surprised.
You lost me, love.
I was in one of your interrogation classes.
Yeah? Well, I don't remember.
Too many students, too many classes.
Well, you treated the women like crap.
You were always on our backs, always pushing us, always niggling.
And because of you, Melanie Sherborne quit.
Should I remember her too? Well, she works in a chemist shop now.
And you're a good copper now.
(MOBILE PHONE RINGS) Matt.
Yeah.
OK, we're on our way.
They've found something.
ALLIE: What have we got? Forensics cleaned the jerry can you found in Barrett's car.
Almost identical.
Rhys Cooney.
NICK: The other interesting thing is Rhys's name doesn't appear anywhere as a contractor in the owners' corporation books.
Are you sure? Been through them a couple of times.
With his grandad in the building and his mates on the corporation, you'd think he'd get work there.
What? I've seen him there doing work.
STANLEY: When was that? A few months back.
I picked Wally up one morning.
I remember seeing him there.
You sure he just wasn't visiting? No, he was working.
He was probably working for cash.
The really interesting thing is that all these account balances are signed off by an 'M.
Chubb'.
Mitch.
He's currently doing a bachelor of business studies.
Majoring in rubbery figures.
Bring them both in.
They've got some explaining to do.
You can't believe that mad bitch.
And which mad bitch is that, Mitch? Serena Flynn.
That's what this is about, right, what she said yesterday at the bowls club.
MATT: You keep the owners' corporation books for your dad, don't you, Mitch? So? I've never done any work for the owners' corporation.
Never? That's why I'm not on their books.
I saw you there, Rhys.
I was visiting my grandfather.
You had your tool belt on, a roll of triple cord under your arm.
You were working.
So let's cut the crap.
So he might have done some minor stuff for his grandad.
Sometimes we turn a blind eye.
But not for Rod Barrett? OK, I've done some cash-in-hand jobs.
That's all.
So NOT on the books? You'd have to speak to Mitch about that.
Don't worry.
We will.
Can you tell us about this? It's a jerry can.
ALLIE: Mm-hm.
SPARKES: Yours? I don't know.
All jerry cans look the same, don't they? Except this one's got your initials on it.
Well, yeah, it looks like mine.
it's a lot cleaner than mine, but.
Yeah, Forensics cleaned it up.
They removed the grease and dirt.
How did your jerry can end up in the boot of Rod Barrett's car? What? it's a simple question.
He didn't know it was there.
RHYS: Uh, I don't know.
Sarge, Arson sent this over.
Said it was important you get it asap.
Thank you.
How's it going? One cocky, one nervous.
MATT: Explain these.
Invoices.
DUNCAN: That you paid.
Might have.
They're made out to us.
Except when we contacted these firms, none of them had ever done any work for the Wattle Grove owners' corporation.
What? Too late to act surprised, Mitch.
ALLIE: You put that can in Barrett's car, didn't you? No.
Well, then how did it get there? I told you, I don't know.
That's not good enough.
Think it's time to start telling the truth, son.
it's your only chance.
It's the truth that he's afraid of.
DUNCAN: You and Rhys had a little earner going.
No.
Then Rod Barrett found out.
ALLIE: So you killed him to shut him up, didn't you? No! I didn't kill anyone.
Rod Barrett didn't start that fire.
Sparkesy got it wrong.
And Rhys Cooney is in serious trouble.
The fire started in the wall cavity of your grandfather's apartment due to substandard electrical wiring, wiring carried out by you.
Isn't that right, Rhys? Rhys? I killed my grandfather.
I killed my mate and I killed those two little kids and their mum.
It shouldn't come as a total surprise, surely? (SOBS) After the fire, you were afraid, right, Rhys? I was there.
I know what it was like.
I tried to help them, but I couldn't.
Yeah, I know.
Why kill Rod Barret, Rhys? What? Come on, Rhys.
it's crunch time.
I didn't kill Rod Barrett.
Did Barrett find out about the scam you and Mitch had going? No.
SPARKES: Rhys? No, I swear.
Look.
And Mitch didn't know anything.
He wasn't involved.
Don't protect him.
He was doing the books.
But only at the end of the month.
The whole thing was Wally's idea.
Wally Chubb? Yeah.
He'd get the quotes and then he'd get me to do the work, but really, to make any profit, we had tocut a lot of corners.
Take risks with safety? So after the fire? I went to Wally and .
.
I told him that I thought the fire might have been started by the wiring.
And what did he say? He said he'd fix it.
Those were his exact words? Yes.
I just I didn't want it to be my fault.
And then he found me a few hours later and said not to worry, that Rod Barrett had started the fire.
Rhys, your initials are on this jerry can.
It looks to me like you were the person who splashed the petrol around Rod Barrett's apartment.
No.
No, I didn't.
Do you think I'd be so stupid to leave my jerry can in his car? Wally must have done it.
We don't like being played for fools, Wal.
(SLURS) Oh, Jesus, Sparkesy! You made me whiz on me dacks.
Oh, this is the gents, love.
Don't call her 'love'.
You're under arrest.
I'm a bit pissed.
Your jokes are wasted on me.
Oh, bloody hell! We're not joking.
Move.
Hey! Shut up.
This is a mistake! Talk about a bad hair day.
Are we sure he's sober? He had six hours' sleep in the lockup and he just blew 0.
02.
Hm, good enough.
I need some water.
TERRY: He looks rooted.
He is.
Good.
Rhys Cooney has made a full statement detailing the maintenance scam that you and him were involved in.
You may also want to know that the cause of the fire has been determined as unsafe wiring.
DUNCAN: Rhys Cooney says he came to you on the night of the fire, worried that his wiring may have been the cause.
He said you told him that you'd fix it.
Is that correct, Mr Chubb? It was a terrible night.
No-one was thinking clearly.
Is his statement correct? Yes.
What did you mean by "fix it"? Shift the blame onto Rod Barrett.
DUNCAN: And how did you do that? You know how.
Tell us.
I took a .
.
jerry can from Rhys's van.
In the confusion after the fire, got into Barrett's apartment and splashed some petrol around.
Well, that's another six-pointer for Arson but we still need to kick a goal.
DUNCAN: What did you do with the jerry can afterwards? I put the can in the boot of his car.
And made a call to Crime Watch.
So is that when you decided you had to get rid of Rod Barrett? I had nothing to do with that.
That's right.
You were at home, asleep, by yourself.
I was.
I'd done a good enough job making the whole world think he was guilty.
Any allegations he might make would be seen to be the desperate attempts by an arsonist to clear his own name.
What? Why would I kill him? So if it's not Wally And it's not Rhys Dad always used to say you were a good bloke, his mate.
He and Rhys were ripping off the other residents at the building.
ALLIE: He's also admitted to splashing petrol around Rod Barrett's apartment.
Will he go to jail? Your dad's going down for arson.
He's also in the frame for Barrett's murder.
If you know anything, now's the time to say.
So Barrett Yeah, an innocent man.
Dad didn't kill Barrett.
How do you know that? 'Cause I know who did.
Go on.
I can't even remember who suggested it.
What? Teaching Barrett a lesson.
I'd already gone cold on the idea by the time we got there.
Have you got any idea what time it is? Ohh! But he went for him.
Straightaway, pow! I was really scared, but I helped him carry him across the road and into the park.
Can't we just leave him here? MAN: Nup.
No way.
We're gonna string the bastard up.
Come on.
Who was it, Mitch? Who killed him? Rod was still alive when I left.
I was scared.
I didn't know what to do.
(GROANS) I can't.
It was Len Besser, wasn't it? Stay back.
Put it down, Len.
Come on, mate.
This is no way out.
My life's over.
I don't have a future, just a past.
You think that now, but you can recover from this.
I don't want to recover.
I don't want to forget.
No-one's talking about forgetting.
You'll always remember them.
They'll always be in your heart.
They need me.
They're my family.
I should be with them.
Yeah, you should.
You should all be together, here, alive.
And it's a tragedy you're not.
But they wouldn't want you to do this, Len.
You know that.
I killed Rod Barrett.
I know.
Now they're saying on the radio that he didn't start the fire.
Is that true? You weren't in a proper state of mind.
That'll be taken into account.
Did I kill an innocent man? Did I? Yeah.
(CRIES) More reason, then.
More reason to be a man and take responsibility for what you've done.
If there is a heaven, how are you gonna explain this to Sophie and Jack and Stephanie? I just miss them so much.
I know that, Len, but this isn't the answer.
Just give me the gun.
Come on, mate.
Will you stay with me? Yeah, of course I will.
(SOBS) (KNOCK AT DOOR) STANLEY: Yeah.
Sarge, we found the lump hammer and rope in the boot of Len Besser's car.
He's made a full confession.
How is he now he's in custody? He's having a full psych evaluation.
They'll keep him in hospital for the time being.
I'm just on my way over to see him now.
You got a good one there, Stanley.
She's a keeper.
Yeah, yeah, I'm sure Detective Kingston has learnt a lot from you, Wilton.
Well, I better get going.
Thanks for having me along for the ride.
You did a good job.
Me and my partner.
Hey, Sarge.
Yeah? Come again when you can't stay so long.
See ya, love.
What? (DOOR CLOSES) Hmph.
(THEME MUSIC)