Strike (2017) s05e03 Episode Script

I've taken on a missing person case.
Margot Bamborough, missing since 1974.
You thought she was seeing someone else?
I met other men whose women had gone
missing and it destroyed them.
What did your dad think
happened to Margot Bamborough?
He thought, on balance,
it was probably Creed.
We found parts of his
victims in the sink, in the bath,
in the fridge.
Most people do think
Dennis Creed killed Margot.
Oh, Mr Strike? I have proof
of who killed Margot Bamborough.
I have a written confession.
When Louise was born,
she became my whole world.
I loved raising that little girl.
She was so spirited, you know?
Couldn't wait to grow up.
When all her
friends started walking home,
I thought, "Come on, Brian,
let her go a bit."
I thought I'd taught her how to be safe.
But you can't really
imagine a man like Dennis Creed.
Oh, but I know all about him now.
I know he killed my Lou,
and I got proof
he killed Margot Bamborough.
There's a good chance
he killed Kara Wolfson, as well.
We believe Kara Wolfson was
probably killed by a gangster.
Keep that to yourself.
We're hoping the
police will investigate.
Poor old Terry.
He went to his grave
not knowing where his sister was.
That's what I'm afraid of.
Once I'm gone,
who's going to find my girl?
Normal people don't understand
what it means to get a body back.
I'm sorry.
That's very hard.
Well, it's frustrating
because I could tell the police
a dozen places they should dig, but
..it's a lot of money,
Creed's in Broadmoor,
so what's the value to them, eh?
Could you show us what you've got
in terms of Margot?
Oh, yeah.
You can't use this till
you're sure you've got a case.
That's because how I got hold of it.
I'd get my mate into trouble.
Thank you.
After Creed was banged up in Wakefield,
I used to go up there on the weekends.
I got friendly with the guards,
you know, drinking down the local.
They hated Creed.
But one of them nicked this
out of his cell and gave it to me.
"She tells me I need treatment.
"Her strategy is laughably transparent.
"I have her chained, I am whipping her,
"but she still believes her medical
training makes her superior.
"Her true education has only
just begun."
- Does he name Margot?
- No, no, no, no.
But he was writing his memoirs.
Has Creed ever spoken about Margot?
That's not how he works.
He never helps.
The thing he likes is games.
Yeah, games.
I'll show you what I mean.
You'll have to come up to Lou's room.
This is where I do my studying.
It feels like Lou's with me, you know?
Erm, in the 1980s,
they let me write to him,
and that's what he wrote back.
"Your letter reached me a week ago.
"Ordinarily, I would not be
permitted"
It's a long letter.
Let me save you the trouble.
Have a look at the first letter
of each sentence.
Y. O. U. R
Your.
The whole thing spells,
"Your daughter cried for her mummy
before she died."
Now, he never signed his letters,
"Ever yours, Dennis",
not to anyone else.
He did it because he needed
the E-D of "ever" and "Dennis"
to finish the word "died".
- Did you show this to the police?
- No, no.
He knew I wouldn't because
then they'd stop him writing
and there's even less chance for me
to get something from him.
Now, Creed, he won't talk to me.
I'm just something he plays with.
But, you, ah, now you're famous.
He might just talk to you.
I'm sorry for everything
you've gone through, but
Listen, I'm still going through.
He'd see you as a challenge.
You're something he can boast about.
Our client won't want us
to take that kind of risk.
She asked for a very
discreet investigation.
If Creed told the papers
- he's meeting us
- I'll pay you, then!
Look, I'll sell some stuff.
Let me be the client.
You don't understand.
I mean, I was Lou's dad
and I couldn't take care of her,
couldn't keep her safe.
I mean, she's in my head first thing
when I wake up every day.
And bringing her home's
the last thing I can do for her.
I need your help. That's
I'm sorry, I need your help.
We will try our best
to help you find your daughter.
Send me your fees. I'll pay.
No, no. It's OK. No charge.
I'll do all the work.
I'll do it in my spare time.
It's not like I've got a life.
You won't even have to hear about it.
He tried to help us find Margot.
That bit of writing isn't
even close to being a confession.
Reads like a fantasy.
OK, but if he is right about Creed,
then Creed is our only
chance of finding Margot.
Creed doesn't help people.
So Brian Tucker spent half a century
working on his daughter's case.
How long are you going to give it?
Until I solve it.
I think
..even if he dies, at least
he knows someone's still trying
to find his daughter.
I think that's worth something,
don't you?
Yeah, I do.
I know Kara Wolfson probably
won't get justice
and I know we probably
won't find Margot,
but I can't let them all go.
I just can't.
I think I need a pint.
What is that?
Pat made it.
She saw the pictures on my wall,
- thought I might like a portable version.
- Oh.
You like her, don't you?
In terms of people we haven't spoken
to who are still alive,
at least as far as we know,
there's Steve Douthwaite.
Last seen, working
at Baxton's, Canvey Island.
There's no trace of him.
I've searched
every record I can think of.
I've searched for Steve Jacks,
as well. There's nothing.
Satchwell's still ignoring our calls.
His alibi's as solid as it gets, though.
I think Anna would appreciate it
if we could rule out him
and Margot having an affair.
I think we might need
to change our approach with him.
And Dennis Creed, we should at least
go over the evidence again.
There are still questions.
Uh-huh.
I'd better take this.
Hi, Lucy.
- When can you come down?
- Why, has something happened?
Just try and come this weekend,
and can you post any photos
you found for the album?
I don't think it
can wait until Christmas.
Can you do it today?
I'm on it. Bye.
I need to take care of something
I said I'd sort for Joan.
I'll make a start on Creed.
I'm Johnny Rokeby and this
is your invitation to celebrate
You ran a shop in
Clerkenwell in the 1970s.
Your logo was a big sunfl
A sunflower, yes.
I just wondered,
did you have a delivery van?
Yeah, we did.
We had a full-time driver and all.
No phones in here, please.
Have you a cigarette? I'm out.
I'm having a curry delivered.
Do you want a curry?
I can't do all them chillies.
Wrecks my guts.
This place does other things as well.
Do you like chicken?
I'll get you some chicken.
- Morning.
- Morning.
Afternoon.
I've rung the council.
There were poppadoms
on our doorstep this morning
and what looked like
chicken tikka masala.
Disgusting.
Robin here yet?
She's been in then she went out again.
Sam, I need you to
be an obnoxious arsehole.
What do you reckon?
I'll have to dig deep.
Paul Satchwell lives on Kos.
Call his gallery,
his local bars, supermarkets,
anywhere that might know him.
Friends, neighbours.
Leave messages
that are going to annoy him.
Make sure you leave our number for him.
Got it.
It's just so nice to see you again.
Sorry to ask a favour, but I know
you've got friends in high places.
Well, one or two.
They're a ruthless bunch, really.
My stock's not what it was,
but if I can help, I will.
What is it?
I need to get permission to
talk to a prisoner in Broadmoor.
Dennis Creed.
Ooh. Very nasty.
What's it about?
The family of one of his
alleged victims is our client.
That's probably all we should tell him.
He's been linked to
a number of missing women.
OK.
I think I might know who
to flatter and cajole at the MoJ.
Great.
Any Christmas plans?
Going home, up to Masham in Yorkshire.
How about you?
I'll stay with my sister and
I don't think I can
see my brother just yet.
Not quite ready.
If you'd like to get a drink in
the new year, I'd love to catch up.
I'd like that very much, Venetia.
Hello.
Hi. This is Beth Spencer
returning your call.
Sorry?
I'm a social worker.
I work with Delia and Samhain Athorn.
Yeah. Um
Samhain said you told him
Margot Bamborough was killed by
a local gangster called Nico Ricci.
Um Can I ask you,
did he bring up his dad
killing people with magic?
Yeah, we heard something like that.
Ah, well, that's why I did it.
Their neighbours
already think they're odd.
We don't need people
thinking they're dangerous.
I actually got the name from Samhain.
He's obsessed with local gangsters
and seeing as he struggles with names,
I thought I'd use the one he knew.
It's just good to clear that up.
Have you been working with them long?
Only a few years.
Anything else?
Uh, thank you.
OK. Bye.
You've been busy.
Yeah. Trying to clock off early so
I can start cooking.
Well, if you've got any leftovers
I'm cooking for you.
Eh?
- Max's dinner party.
- Yeah
My brother's coming too.
Right. Really looking forward to it.
The phone box is on the
junction with Albemarle Way.
- The van was seen near the green.
- Oh, yeah.
I found out some stuff about the van.
There was a wholefoods store
that used a delivery van.
I spoke to the driver.
He admitted he WAS speeding
in the area at the time
and he didn't come forward
because basically he didn't want
to get embroiled in a police inquiry.
The van wasn't Creed.
I don't think the struggle near
the phone box adds up.
Creed went for women
who were drunk or vulnerable.
He'd fool them into
drinking something he'd spiked.
Margot was sober,
in a rush to meet her friend.
I don't see why she'd
have stopped to talk to him.
Well, we know that wasn't Margot.
The two women came forward and they said
it was them the witness saw.
Do we have the interview
Simon Layborn did with that witness?
Yes, it is just
Oh.
Tell Mr Satchwell that
I can't post his sex toys
until he confirms
his size, OK, sweetheart?
Thank you.
That was the gallery
he sells his paintings at.
Are you all right with
making a living doing that?
I'm delighted, Pat.
I think I've found my calling.
Interview with witness Ruby Elliot,
conducted on 7th May 1975.
I was looking for my son's new house.
I'd gone around the
same streets at least twice,
trying to read a map,
people honking if you stop.
Everyone is so angry in London.
- You're not wrong about that!
- Anyway, I pull over
..and I see two women
ahead of me near a phone box.
It looks like they're
not having a fight,
but it's definitely something.
I think the short one was trying
to make the other one walk faster,
but there was a bit of shoving, maybe.
And what did you make of it?
Well, I thought maybe one of them
had had too much to drink.
I didn't think about it
all that much at the time.
Did you get a good look at them?
The tall one had a raincoat on
and the short one had
a plastic rain hood over their head.
I'm afraid I didn't see their faces.
I gather when you spoke
to Detective Inspector Talbot,
he thought one of them might have
been a man?
I felt like he wanted me to say
that, but, I mean, I don't know.
I can't be sure.
Do we have that article about
the women who said it was them?
One second.
Here we go.
Fiona Fleury.
"I do take issue with the paper
saying I was rough with my mother.
"I was only
encouraging her to walk faster
"because it was raining so much,
"but it was definitely us
the witness saw.
"I was wearing a rain cap
exactly as described."
It's the wrong way round.
Fiona's at least a foot taller.
It's her in the rain cap,
her mother's in the raincoat.
And Ruby Elliot said it was the
short one supporting the tall one.
What height is Dennis Creed?
Shorter than Margot.
So Talbot could have been right?
That could have been Margot.
And the short one really could
have been Creed wearing a disguise.
It's possible, but I'm not convinced.
Yep?
I've got Paul Satchwell for you.
Put him through.
You little shit!
I've had friends calling me
in tears, asking me why
I want to paint
pictures of their arseholes!
What you're doing is illegal!
Illegal is slapping Margot Bamborough
when she asked for her photos back.
All I want from you is straight answers,
and if I don't get them,
I think you have a fair idea
of how it's going to go.
All right. What do you want to know?
- Hello?
- Hello, Cormoran.
It's Johnny, your father.
I just want to have a chat.
Is that all right?
Are you there?
Yeah. I'm listening.
I'm told that you've
opened the invitation to my party.
That's great. I'd love you to come.
I'm busy.
Well
What I really want to say is
I am proud of you.
Do you understand?
Al says you're still angry,
but there's two sides
to every story, right?
Now's not a good time to talk.
Well, I've got prostate cancer.
There might not always be time.
I can live with that.
- Don't call again.
- But Corm
I don't see how anyone
can justify being a soldier
under our last few governments.
Do you think women should
have the right to drive a car?
Well, that's a stupid question.
Taliban don't think it's stupid.
For them, it's a no.
And we tried to fix
that with a war, didn't we?
So remind me who's running
Afghanistan now?
So in your perfect world,
how does it go?
We keep the A-10s in hangars
and send in Derrida?
Go on, Jacques! Fuck them up with
your critique of Western thought.
I get it.
You're an anti-intellectual.
- Oh, you could answer the question.
- Shall we have pudding?
Courtney, could you give me a hand?
Courtney doesn't carry plates.
She theorises them.
Ridiculing women isn't the good look
that you think it is.
She's smart.
She got a distinction
for her dissertation.
Anyway, Cormoran, Max really wants
to hear about Army life.
Yeah, well, first, I need to hear
about Courtney's dissertation.
This is perfect!
Front seats in a combat zone.
- Well, in simple terms
- Appreciated.
..I argued that work is work,
bodily autonomy is paramount,
media are permeable,
and desire isn't exclusively
a masculine domain.
So you study porn?
If you want to put it like that.
But happy porn, though,
not the trafficked women,
underage porn. Just
- Who wants cheesecake?
- Ooh!
Maybe you need to step
outside of this Victorian mind-set.
One place I stepped into was
a brothel in Kosovo
where they were filming 14-year-olds.
- That's different. That's rape.
- Cormoran
No, it's an industry that really
agonises over those definitions.
Can we change the subject?
You're positioning yourself
as the saviour and totally ignoring
the lived experience of
My lived experience
is dealing with human beings,
not writing 2,000 words on whether
rape is a post-modern construct,
because, believe me, it fucking happens.
I'm so sorry.
I'm fine.
Robin
Max, um
The Army is
It's fine.
Robin, I'm sorry.
And you two
..you're fucking idiots.
Night.
Argh
Urgh
Urgh
Oh.
Oh, it's you.
Ignore that. I was
drinking before I came out.
What?
What?
Fucking what?!
What?!
You arrive late,
because of course you do.
You arrive pissed because it's only
my new flatmate and my family.
Fuck 'em! Robin'll mop it up.
Hang on a minute
Then it's time to
start talking about rape.
Only to make a point. I didn't mean
Look, I'm sorry.
I said I'm sorry.
No.
No. It's not enough.
Robin Ellacott. Leave a message.
Dickhead.
Oh, hi, Lucy.
I'm making him some coffee.
Would you like some?
Yeah, thank you.
I assume you're going to Cornwall?
Yeah, Lucy's driving.
There's a big storm. No trains running.
Robin, I'm sorry.
I don't want to talk.
I just want to get these files.
- I might be away for a few days.
- That's fine.
Robin, I really am sorry about
last night.
I just want to work.
I need to concentrate.
I only remember half the evening.
Oh, you were great, Cormoran.
You put everyone at ease.
You helped out with the washing up.
The perfect guest.
Won't happen again.
No, it bloody well won't.
Coffee's made and you need to pack.
They've just closed the A30.
We need to leave soon.
Is Joan?
Yeah.
I don't know if I'll make it
in time. Lucy wants to try.
I'm sorry, Cormoran.
It's a long way to go on a hangover.
And Lucy's a terrible driver.
I'd be all right with you.
I am really sorry.
I know you are.
Coffee. Drink it quickly.
There you go.
Ah, thank you.
The road's closed. You have to go back.
We need to get to St Mawes.
You need to get off the road.
There's trees coming down everywhere.
Thanks, Officer. We'll turn around.
If we turn left at the end of that road,
we can try and get over the hill.
- How far are we now?
- About 30 miles.
Turn around.
We'll try and use farm tracks.
I'll make some calls.
I have got some good news.
- I got an email this morning.
- Yeah?
Creed has agreed to
let us interview him.
Robin!
My God, you beauty!
I can tell you
everything you need to ask him.
I mean, no-one in the world knows
more about him than me.
Well, if you can start with any evidence
you have that Creed took Louise.
They, uh, gave me this
after they were done with it.
They even told me, on balance,
they reckon Creed killed Lou,
but there wasn't enough proof,
and they didn't
need it to get him put away.
Cavalry's arrived.
- Dave.
- Figured you'd get stuck here.
- Hi, Dave.
- Right, Luce? Fit to walk?
- I'll be fine.
- Let's get cracking.
You remember Nell?
Been a while, mate.
Welcome home, boy.
Ain't home yet.
Here you are. Put these on.
Ted!
I never thought you'd make it.
- I thought you wouldn't get here.
- How is she?
She She waited.
- Thank you, Nell.
- You're welcome.
Let's go.
Dave
Don't start.
Get inside or what the fuck
was it all for?
Hello.
Are you comfortable?
Can I get you anything?
Just sit.
Just sit
Wish I'd met your Robin.
Does she look after you?
It's not like that these days.
I'm supposed to look after myself.
You've done enough of that.
Don't worry about me.
Oh
You're a good man.
I'm so proud of you.
My lovely boy.
I love you, Joan.
Mmm.
Stick?
Dear Ted, Cormoran and Lucy.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
I know how much she'll be missed.
I wish I'd met Joan,
but I feel like I knew her.
She was there for Cormoran
when he was growing up
and knowing the man he became, I'll
always be grateful to her for that.
That's great news about Creed.
Creed'll only talk to you.
I know that's not
something you agreed to
I'll do it. Of course I'll do it.
When's the funeral?
Not till after Christmas.
So we're seeing Anna tomorrow.
Oh, I I can't make the meeting.
I'm sorry.
I tried to move this other thing
Robin, Robin.
- ..and I can't.
- You've done more than enough.
It's fine.
How are you doing?
I'll talk to you tomorrow.
In terms of historic evidence,
we found the police
made one serious error.
They discounted a statement
by a witness who saw two people
struggling near a phone box.
I'm afraid it hasn't got us any further.
Everyone we've spoken to says
your mum would never have left you
for Satchwell or anyone else.
Your mum told your dad
she'd met Satchwell.
That's why he suggested the police
check Satchwell's place.
There's no evidence of an affair.
I think she wanted a bit
more attention from your dad.
I have to say, just knowing
that he met up with those other men
who'd lost women
It means he was trying to find her.
He tried.
I think we should keep going.
Whatever it takes.
No. Hear me out.
Roy looked for her.
He only stopped when
he realised he couldn't cope.
Can I ask you about what
your partner said about
wanting to continue?
I'm sorry. That wasn't appropriate.
It was real, though.
I felt like she really cared.
She does. We both do.
We're nearly at the limit
of what we agreed we'd spend.
Bugger the money.
This is your happiness.
If it were you, if you were
the client and it was your mother,
would you still keep looking?
If you decide that's what you want
to do, we'd be happy to work
at a lower rate. We'd do it at cost.
It is what we want.
Thank you.
I love you.
I love you too.
Nobody I know can understand why
a one-year marriage is
taking so long to sort out.
All I want back is the deposit
my parents gave me for the house.
I've subsidised you.
Do you need me to walk away
with nothing so that it looks
like it's all my fault?
Because I can write to
your friends and say that
if that's what you need.
Instead, we're both
just sat here missing work.
Yeah, well, I doubt that makes
that much difference to you.
Don't forget, I know what you earn.
- Thanks for agreeing to talk to Creed.
- I'm all in.
You've got both of us
until we find Louise.
Not that you need anyone else
when you've got Robin.
A psychological profile
done by an American in the '80s.
It's very good.
The gist of it is, Creed likes
people to think he's clever.
So play on his vanity?
Oh, he'll expect you to be playing
a game to get Margot's body back.
He'll enjoy it.
Was he interested in astrology
or the occult?
Because the first detective
who worked on the case
I know all about Talbot.
Using star signs to solve the case,
wasn't it?
Creed did like Aleister Crowley.
They found his books in the flat.
And there's a few theories that
he chose certain nights
to take women for satanic rituals.
Well, we'll look into that.
Try and get him talking
about places they never dug.
I mean, spots they did check
are marked in green.
That's Epping Forest.
The police were already there
when Louise was taken, weren't they?
Oh, well done. Yeah. Yeah, he was
running out of places by then.
What you want to do is get him
talking about these other 12 spots.
His aunt's place near Great Church Wood,
the Archer Hotel in Islington.
Now, he was a regular there.
Then there's the old granary
building. That's another one.
Afternoon, your highness.
Just ducking in. These are for you.
How's it going with the dead doc?
Missing doctor.
Whatever the client needs to believe.
Am I right?
How's it going with Shifty?
Yeah, good. Nearly there, inches away.
You You got any Christmas plans?
Going home to my mum and dad's.
Got your Christmas stockings ready?
Too old for all that.
Mmm. I thought you thought
that was junk.
You left it open.
Or did Baphomet do that?
To give Talbot his due,
he was the first person to realise
there was a serial killer at work.
I still think I mean
"The killer is Capricorn."
He at least had a theory.
- Roy was his Capricorn.
- Yeah, but then he crosses out
his whole list of star sign codes
for his suspects.
I think he knew
he'd got it wrong somehow.
"Schmidt explains everything."
Let's get Schmidt in here.
Pat?
You got his tarot cards out.
My mum used to do it every day,
to help her make all her good decisions.
Go on, then. You obviously know how.
Pick one.
I'll, um I'll pick you up
at nine tomorrow.
It should take about two hours to
get to Broadmoor with traffic.
- Pat?
- I'm still here.
Thank you for this.
You're welcome. This way.
Hello, Cormoran.
Hello, Dennis.
Who are you working for today, then?
I suspect you'll work that out.
Sign of narcissism.
Withholding information
to make yourself feel powerful.
I think you're working
for Margot Bamborough's daughter.
She'd be about 51 now, wouldn't she?
Probably worth a few bob.
You don't come cheap
with your reputation.
Or is it old Brian Tucker?
I can't see how he'd pay.
I'm confident he's still alive.
Why so confident?
Because somebody would have run
a story in the papers when he dies.
"Father goes to grave not knowing."
The public seem to like
that kind of story.
You could check online.
I never use the internet.
Not allowed to in here.
They like to do things to frustrate me.
They stuff me full of drugs
that I don't need,
feed me swill to ruin my body.
I should be in a prison,
not here. They know that.
I could even be very useful
if they'd meet me halfway.
So you're arguing you're sane.
I understand that it suits
society to say otherwise.
Look at the world.
Men like me target society's unwanted.
Polite society won't say it out loud.
But they're not unhappy
those people are dead.
They don't work hard to catch us
while we're pruning out the rot.
Men like me are necessary.
Nietzsche knew it.
Crowley knew it.
I'd heard you read Crowley.
Do you have me down as
a devil worshipper?
Aren't you?
You've read about
Detective Talbot, haven't you?
Did you know he tried to solve me
using star signs?
Didn't work out very well, did it?
Maybe I was born under the 13th sign.
Not classifiable by an orthodox system.
Maybe that's why he couldn't catch me.
Hmm.
So no killing during the season of
the moon, or cult of the Ruby Star?
So we've both read Crowley.
Sane men don't believe
in Satan or horoscopes.
And I am sane.
Your doctors disagree.
I know more about psychology
than they do.
You knew a bit about drugs, too.
Pentobarbital, phenobarbital
slipped in a drink.
My field of expertise.
What if a woman had been drinking?
With alcohol in the blood,
isn't there the danger you'd kill
them before you got them home?
I could always tell how much she'd had.
I'd alter the dose.
Did you adjust the dose for weight?
Of course.
And did they always finish the drink
you gave them,
even if they needed
to be somewhere else?
You're thinking Dr Bamborough
would have been too clever
to end up in my van.
Doctors make mistakes, like everyone.
You didn't always use the van, did you?
You met Noreen Sturrock on a bus.
You gave her a can of Coke.
Cans of pop
Adjusting the dose
for the smaller body
Maybe you ARE here
for little Louise Tucker.
As a matter of fact, my client
is Margot Bamborough's daughter.
What do you want out of this meeting?
I want to go back to Belmarsh,
where I can finish my book.
Keeping me here costs the taxpayer
five times as much as prison.
Where do you think they want me?
They want you back in prison,
but the public don't get
to decide where you belong.
That's down to your doctors.
Do you think you could
change anyone's mind
by talking to the press?
Because there's a way to do that.
You tell me where
Margot Bamborough is buried,
I'll have a body
and you'll have a trial.
If you plead not guilty
you'll take the stand,
then you can speak
to the press directly.
I killed Louise Tucker.
Saw her in her school uniform.
Hard to resist.
There wasn't any planning.
No drugs.
Very unlike me.
I saw her and I took her.
There's no evidence Louise Tucker
was ever in your basement.
That's cos she never was in my basement.
I did take her necklace off her
before I dumped the body.
Thousands of those
butterfly necklaces were made.
How about this, then?
She called her stepmum Claws.
She told me all about
how unhappy she was at home.
Ask Brian Tucker how else
I could have known about that.
It's not enough. Without a body
they'll think
you're just looking for attention.
It would never go to court.
Why don't you tell me where Margot is?
Once I'm back in Belmarsh
..then maybe I'll be able to talk
about Margot Bamborough.
Might feel up to it
once I'm not being drugged.
You're full of shit, Dennis.
I don't believe you had anything
to do with Louise or Margot.
Ready to go.
Why don't we meet halfway?
Then we'll find out how clever you are.
You'll find Louise
where you find M54.
The M54?
You'll find her where you find M54.
If you can work that out,
after that, maybe then
we can talk about Margot.
Those are my terms.
I know your type, Cormoran.
You read about women
fighting near a phone box,
you read about a van seen speeding away.
Everyone else has got it wrong.
Now you'll be the one who gets it right.
I can see to that.
But it's my rules.
The plea for witnesses
was in all the papers.
The phone box women, the van.
That's in the dozen books about you.
I expect you've read them all.
The unanswered questions.
No. We've answered them.
That wasn't you driving the van.
You never met Margot.
I ruled you out some time ago.
I was only ever here for Louise Tucker.
I think you're a fucking lunatic.
And if anyone asks,
I'll say you should be here
in Broadmoor till you rot.
Motorway Motorway. Car
Try searching M54
minus motorway, minus car.
There's a star called M54.
- It's located in the constellation of
- Sagittarius.
Yeah. How did you know that?
I think I know where Louise is buried.
Sagittarius is also called the Archer.
One of the places that Brian Tucker said
Creed might have used under pressure
is the Archer Hotel in Islington.
George Layborn.
We've found what looks like a skeleton.
It's going to be her, isn't it?
How did you figure it out?
Creed's clue about Sagittarius
- wasn't as clever as he thought it was.
- More bloody star signs.
I asked him about star signs
because of Talbot.
Yeah. He said if Talbot couldn't
catch him, maybe it was because
he was born under the 13th sign.
- 13th?
- Probably taking the piss.
Yeah, well,
he's not laughing now, is he?
I'd better get back.
If you do speak to her dad,
nothing's official till
we've done dental records, right?
You know how Creed said
he was born under sign 13?
"Unclassifiable".
I looked up the 13th sign.
It exists. It's part of a 14-sign
zodiac system developed in the '70s
by an American astrologer.
Guess what his name was?
Stephen Schmidt.
"Schmidt explains everything."
All this crossing out is Talbot
trying to apply Schmidt's 14-sign
zodiac to his suspects' birthdays.
That was already
a mad thing to be doing.
Yeah. No, I know that. But the point
is, under Schmidt's system,
people's star signs change.
One of them, Steve Douthwaite,
becomes a Capricorn.
"Capricorn kills Julie W."
So I ran a search in the local
newspaper archives for the names
Julie and Steve in a ten-year period
with Canvey Island and the holiday
camp as search modifiers.
I think I've found Julie W.
Julie Wilkes was a holiday rep
at Baxton's in Canvey Island.
She died while
Douthwaite was working there,
not that long after
Carl Oakden wrote that article
about him changing his name.
Look, it even mentions
Julie's on-off boyfriend Steve.
"..Fellow holiday camp rep Steve Jacks,
"who declined to speak with us."
How did Julie die?
She was found intoxicated,
floating in the camp pool.
Police questioned Steve,
but no charges were brought.
He left Baxton's a week later.
Look what I found in Talbot's notebook.
It's a train ticket to Canvey Island,
dated the week before he was sectioned.
I think Douthwaite was
the last thing he worked out.
"I've been looking
into an ex-girlfriend of his,
"who apparently committed suicide."
Margot becomes his doctor
and he starts sending her chocolates
and asking to see her every week.
And suddenly she goes missing.
Then he moves and his new girlfriend
is found drowned at Baxton's.
Talbot was looking for a serial killer.
I think he might have found one.