A Touch of Frost (1992) s08e01 Episode Script

Can that short, scruffy man take off his hat? Do you er Do you see the man, Mrs Stevenson? Er Take your time.
Well, he's not unlike No.
4.
But no.
This isn't him.
The man who bothered me was better-looking than him.
And he was dressed smarter.
What's going on? Thank you very much, sir.
I needed that.
You did fit the general description, Jack.
Not quite smart enough, by the sounds of it, though.
One can't be too careful with these things.
What? Touching up women or acquiring a better dress sense? l'm not thrilled with the idea that there's a groper out there using my name to get his jollies.
This is an indecent assault, Jack.
Let's not make light of it.
l'll ask Uniform to keep an eye on shopping centres and supermarkets - for anyone looking shifty, dressed like you.
- Yeah, all right.
Oi! Thank you very much, sir! Hello.
Excuse me, madam.
Detective Inspector Frost, Denton CID.
l wonder if l might have a word? You'll be back on the terraces in no time.
l know, Dad, but l missed the trials.
l had a good chance.
But once this operation's done with you'll be 100%.
Then you'll be playing again, better than ever.
Right, Mum? First team or l'll want to know why.
Dr Gibson's just arrived.
(Phone rings) Mm-hm.
- Dr Retnik's here, - Send him in.
Good morning.
Dr Gibson.
Dr Retnik.
So you're doing the Ingram boy.
Mitral incompetence, this morning.
Yes, Doctor.
- l haven't seen the angiocardiographs.
- Usually it's not necessary No-one in my team is going into his chest without excluding other intercardiac anomalies.
Make sure it's done.
l need to see Jameson after theatre.
Don't take no for an answer.
- Oi! - Mm? These are different, aren't they? Simple Simon's? Right, Maggie, give that tea bag an extra squeeze.
l want it nice and strong.
l've been through an ordeal today, l have.
Anyway, this blighter only uses a warrant card to chat up women of a you know, certain age.
And then he says, "My father taught me to play the piano like this.
" Doesn't sound like you, Jack.
No, it doesn't.
You can get these.
Don't forget the sandwiches.
l wouldn't mind him pretending to be me if he got lumbered with my gas bill as well.
Well There's not Oh, my gawd Did you get the ploughman's, cheese and pickle? - Mm-hm.
- And? Mm-hm.
Mine tastes like the ploughman's let the horse have a go on it.
You should have tried the ham.
Tastes like a dead rat.
lt is a bit musty.
It could be old cheddar.
lt's not bad, though.
Sorry to interrupt, Jack.
Nasty one, by the sounds of it.
Can't be much more nasty than that sandwich, can it? Doctor.
l want to observe today.
l see.
May l ask why? l understood you were happy with my work.
lt's just routine.
l want to see that my team functions well together.
OK.
Sorry.
Please.
l don't understand.
l'm not a junior doctor.
You could be the Queen's surgeon for all l care.
It's my team.
l will be in theatre with you today.
(Train horn toots) They began to get an intermittent fault signal at the control box just after 11:OO last night.
And it's taken until now to discover it was a body? No, they made a check at midnight.
But there was nothing visible till someone came on shift and checked the track in daylight.
- No ID yet, l suppose? - No, no.
All right? lt's pretty gruesome.
She's spread over a fair bit of track.
Make sure you get all the bits, then.
That's your problem.
l'm a police surgeon, not a bloody smorgasbord waiter.
Yes, yes.
All right.
Thank you.
So We don't know whether she was a passenger who was pushed .
.
or whether she jumped.
All right.
Let's get on.
- Are you all right, son? - Sorry, sir.
That's all right.
The first time is not the worst, l'm afraid.
You just have to learn to deal with it.
No shame in feeling like that.
Get him to the canteen.
Give him a strong cup of tea.
Thanks, sir.
So you reckon she was hit by the lntercity.
Yes.
Feeder trains use a different track.
The 2200 from London came through at 11:25.
It was running half an hour late.
When it went into the cleaning sheds there was blood and stuff on the engine.
Right.
So she was in front of the train when she was hit.
So she couldn't have fallen from a passenger door.
But she could have jumped from that bridge.
Would the driver notice if he'd hit something like a body? He probably felt a slight impact, but only if she was below the wheels.
He'd have carried her along the tracks.
All right.
Come on.
OK, it's none of our business.
Inside.
That wheel set in there is.
Come on.
lf no-one's told you, this is a no-smoking area.
Do you do that at home, do you? Good boy.
(Knock on door) Come.
Ah.
Jack.
Mm.
Well, we haven't got him yet but we are working on him.
- Who? - Hm? Oh, we don't know who.
lf we did, we'd nick him.
- Ah, you mean the impostor.
- Mm-hm.
None other.
Mind you, there has been a bit of a nasty at the railway yards.
Yes.
Yes, l heard.
Detective Sergeant Terence Reid.
A shambolic career with all the hallmarks of a washout.
Seems to have done a bit, though.
He's been seconded to us because DS Jarvis is on leave.
Oh, that's right.
He's gone to Barbados.
What's this got to do with me? l'm assigning him to you, Jack.
Now, with due respect, sir, l have enough on my plate without wet-nursing a no-hoper.
lf he doesn't pull his weight, just tell me and l'll move him on.
Oh Very well.
Oh, by the way, sir.
Anyone mention to you about the sandwiches in the canteen? No.
Oh, well.
They will, sir.
They will.
Ah, Trigg.
File that, will you? Oh, it's you! Well, you can cut that out for a start.
Reid, isn't it? Yes, guv.
You'll learn that l don't like to be messed about.
l also don't like to be interrupted when l'm thinking out loud and l didn't stop smoking to suck in my DS's filthy air.
Is that clear? Crystal.
Good.
Now, find George Toolam and get his notes on the railway death.
l will meet you in the car park.
All right? Goodbye.
l don't want any idle chitchat in there.
She's been sniping at me for days.
Sniping? You'd know all about that where you come from.
She fits the role of assassin quite well.
Has she got something against me? No.
She treats everyone with contempt.
Swab.
OK l've got some bleeding.
Can we lower blood pressure? Erm No.
Retractor.
- l've got a significant haemorrhage here.
- l can't help that.
Damn.
Clamp.
No! Move.
Swab.
More.
Suction Quickly! All right.
Apply pressure here.
Here! Come on! Well, l don't know.
Something's not quite right.
- And l don't like mysteries.
- Why is that, then? She's been missing 24 hours and no-one's reported it.
And also we can't find her handbag.
- You want another angle, guv? - What's that? She was assaulted on another train pushed off, lay injured, then the Intercity gave her a freebie ride.
A freebie ride? Haven't you got any sense of decorum? Not really, guv, no.
lf we had more rolling stock, we wouldn't have these problems.
Bloody hell! Let's think about this handbag.
Supposing she was struck by the train down there and we found what Well, what was left of her was here.
Well, then, her handbag could be knocked anywhere, couldn't it? You mean another train might have snagged it or something? Yeah.
Exactly.
That's Oi! Oi! You two! Where do you think you're going? What's he saying? Can't hear a thing.
lgnore him.
He probably thinks we're trespassing.
Police or not, you have to wear safety vests.
Drivers can't see everything all the time.
All right, l appreciate that now.
Next time, ask me first.
Yes, all right.
Thank you.
l will.
Now, has another train used this section of track this morning? A commuter train went into the sheds for cleaning and maintenance.
- How long does it take? - l don't know.
He just started it.
- It's still there, then? - Of course it is.
Well, l would like to see it.
Ted Anderson's the foreman.
l'll get him to meet you at the sheds.
Anyway, l'd like to thank you for you know what you did out there just now.
Oh, God! This tea tastes worse than the diesel we get at the nick! You don't interfere with the instrument table.
You should know.
lt's automatic.
Where l've operated before, l've had no instrument nurse.
You don't clamp unexpected bleeding.
l thought a clamp would give control.
Clamping in a pool of blood can be ineffective and damage other structures.
There were no structures we could have damaged.
Revisit your basic surgical technique, Doctor.
Compression, suction, suture.
lt's just as well l was there, after all.
l'd have clamped him.
You'll have to wear these.
- We'll have to get underneath.
- Right.
Have they finished working under there? Maintenance come in after cleaning.
- Are we going to be all right? - Yeah, l'll tell them you're under there.
And can you ask them to stop the steam clean? Yeah.
Guvnor! Yeah.
There's something up here but l can't get it.
lt's snagged on something.
l'll need some light up there.
- What? Where? - Up there.
That's it.
l've got it.
Jesus.
Look at that.
Well done, Reid.
l love it when l'm right.
Woman on the railway track.
Obviously a terrible impact.
We've determined she's been dead about eight hours.
Blonde.
Age 33.
Size 14 dress.
Name: Mrs Sylvia Carter.
You've been reading the canteen tea bags again.
No.
l found her handbag.
She was a fairly good-looking woman.
You know, money in the bank, decent enough bloke for a husband, nice house.
On the surface, l can't see any reason why she would want to kill herself.
That's why l wanted to talk to you.
Her right hand was missing.
Well, you said it was a terrible impact.
Yes, but we found it.
lt might not have been severed by the train.
Crude amputation, though, so l'm not sure what did it.
Meaning? lt was recovered 50 yards back from where the train struck her.
Back? You mean behind the impact area? Yes.
That doesn't sound like suicide to me.
No, it doesn't.
Does it? Ah, there you are, sir.
Just the man l wanted to see.
Jack, l've had some anonymous complaints from the canteen.
Oh? Anyway, it's about the girl on the railway track.
An army marches on its stomach.
l like to think l keep our troops happy.
Yes, but those new sandwiches are bloody awful.
What happened to the Bakery Man's baguettes? Simple Simon is more cost-efficient.
Almost half, in fact.
It'll trim thousands off our budget.
That's not all that needs trimming.
- About my girl on the railway track.
- What about her? Look, l don't think that she was killed by a train.
How else? l don't know, but l think she could have been mutilated somewhere else, then thrown onto the track to make it look like an accident.
Appalling as this is, until we have proof of a substantial criminal nature, our resources are extremely limited.
What you're saying is, it's down to me and Reid.
Yes.
How are you getting on with Reid? All right.
Fine.
In fact, he saved my bacon this morning.
And l don't mean in the canteen.
All right? Yeah, we found the dead woman's husband, guv.
Oh, good.
Well done.
l bet he's got an alibi tighter than Mullett's budget plan.
Yeah.
Solid.
One thing, she attended night school three times a week.
- What about last night? - l don't know yet, guv.
You get over there and check that out.
Ask intelligent questions.
They are teachers.
Time and again, l or my staff have to go down and get a patient's record because the computer's down again.
lt's surgical time wasted and it's putting lives at risk.
We're addressing that.
lt's not good enough! You're stripping my staff and my resources.
Major surgery is being neglected in favour of minor operations.
We do our best with what we have.
Minor operations that help you achieve waiting list standards.
l'm under pressure to reach my targets.
You're manipulating waiting lists.
It's anethical.
And the internal investigation into post-operative deaths is putting my team under scrutiny.
l'm certain no blame will be attached to you.
l won't allow you to undermine my unit's work any more.
l've discovered something l think you might find very interesting.
CHILDREN: Hi, Daddy! Hiya, darling.
OK? You call me anethical? This is blackmail! lt's going to look bad for the hospital if this gets out.
Come out to the house.
We'll talk it through.
We can resolve it.
Ah.
How did you get on at the education centre? She was definitely there last night.
Mm-hm.
What time did the class finish? - 10:30.
- And was she there till the end? No, she always left by 10:00.
She didn't like catching the last bus.
Right.
Well.
Well done.
You deserve a pint.
And just to show you what a good governor l aml'm buying.
Oh, lend me a fiver.
l'm a bit short.
l don't know.
Bright young woman, everything to live for.
Who'd want to hurt her? Unless we've got some nutter out there, guv.
Yeah, l know.
You'd have to be a psychopath to do that to someone.
Hello, Jimmy.
Late shift? - Is erm Is everything all right? - Yeah.
Yeah, he's doing fine.
lt's just that l heard one of the nurses say there was a blip during the op.
No-one said anything to me.
He's absolutely fine.
You can stay a bit if you like.
No, l can't.
l'll get in tomorrow.
He'll be all right.
You'll see.
Cheers.
Dr Gibson.
l heard there was a problem during my son's operation.
Who told you that? lt was nothing serious.
There was a little unexpected bleeding, but really it was nothing.
He came through with flying colours.
You're sure he's all right? - Yes.
l did the operation myself.
- Thank you.
No need.
It's my job.
All right.
Good night, guv.
Yeah, all right.
(Sustained beep) lngram! Bed five! - You've got ten.
- Pardon? Ten.
No, no.
The beans count as one.
lt's people like you that make a mockery of the rules in this country.
That may be so, madam.
But you see, sometimes you do have to bend the rules if Sir! Sir? Hey, do you mind? l'm after someone.
Let's not have any bother.
Come to Security.
Look, l'm Detective Inspector Frost, Denton CID.
Oh, l see.
We've had word about you, sunshine.
l should think so, too! At least we know the supermarkets are listening to our warning.
Yes.
But l can't shop anywhere until we get him.
lmitation might be the sincerest form of flattery, but we do have to stop him.
Yes.
Well, apart from me walking around with a placard saying, "l am not the groper", l can't see what l can do.
lf he gains too much confidence, it could become more unpleasant.
No, l don't think that's his game.
He's not forcing these women into anything.
He's talking them into it.
And then when he goes up a gear, they squeal and he does a runner.
Well, we'll just have to stay vigilant, then, Jack.
Yep.
All right.
Oh, by the way.
l haven't seen Reid this morning.
No.
He er He's busy.
He's taking the train driver's statement.
Ah.
What is it? Jack, l am trying to keep this unofficial.
Oh, my All right.
Thanks.
Right.
What happened? The landlady said he came in drunk, smashed the place up.
He's in there on his own.
No-one else involved.
All right.
Good lad, Prentice.
Find the landlady.
Tell her everything will be fixed up.
Leave the rest to me.
Well, well, well, well, well.
Oi.
Here you are.
Get that down you.
Don't stay all day in there.
You may think that by knocking me out of the way of that train yesterday, that it entitles you to some sort of privileges.
No, guv.
l'm sorry.
No.
We do not watch the clock.
We do not get paid the extra.
But we do get to work on time.
Especially when the governor is out on the streets of Denton chasing a Dolly-the-sheep clone of himself.
Now, if you're ready for a shift, we will continue to investigate the suspicious death of Mrs Sylvia Carter.
Thank you.
(Crying and shouting) Where is she? Mr Ingram, please.
Something went wrong when she operated.
What did she do? What? He went into V tach in ICU.
We tried to save him.
We did everything we could.
She killed my boy! The bloody woman's mad! She killed my boy! Oi! Where's that going? No, no, no.
Not there.
Over there.
Right.
Mr Paul Hobday? Yes? l'm Detective Inspector Frost, Denton CID.
l believe that you worked with Mrs Sylvia Carter.
That's right, yes.
We hear you two ran this side of the operation.
ltalian tomato bread and mozzarella.
She was in charge, yes.
And she got on well with everyone? She was a star, was Sylvia.
Yes, so everyone tells me.
Ooh, turkey with cranberry sauce and apple.
Mr Hobday, do you mind if l buy one of these? l missed my breakfast this morning.
On the house.
That's very nice.
Are you sure? They're out of date.
They're going to be dumped anyway.
- She didn't have any problems at home? - With Sean? No.
He was a lapdog.
He'd do anything for her.
Look l don't know what to say.
None of us can believe she's dead.
Did she have a locker here? Right.
Thank you, Mr Hobday.
Right.
Now, we know that that's her front door key.
Now, let's see This must be the key .
.
to her locker.
There's nothing to get excited about in there, guv.
Right.
Well, that's two down, one to go.
l'd really like to know what this key fits.
- All right, Pinkley? - Mr Frost! lt's been a while.
Yeah.
l don't get to dine out very much these days.
Two cups of tea.
What about a sticky bun, Reid? No, thanks, guv.
Just tea.
l was wondering if you'd heard of anybody doing a number on me.
Pulling your chain? Bit of a chancer, wouldn't you say? - Hm, not half.
- l haven't heard.
- What about Rollo? - l'll ask him.
L1.
90.
- What? For a cuppa? - For a mug.
Pinkley makes tea that locks your kneecaps together.
Which wouldn't do you any harm at the moment, by the looks of things.
l'm sorry about what happened.
Yeah, well With a bit of luck, we might be able to manage to keep it quiet.
So you're on Methadone.
Yeah.
- l've also got a drink problem.
- Oh, really? l would never have noticed.
- How long have you been on drug rehab? - 12 years.
Haven't touched them since then.
l usually manage to control the drinking, butsometimes l can't.
So l take a few sick days and sort myself out.
At least you recognise that you've got a problem.
As opposed to this sandwich.
This isn't just a job for me, Mr Frost.
No, nor me.
So don't bring my career down with yours.
Do you get me? l saw the medal in your wallet.
Oh, right.
You don't get a military medal by playing on the swings in the park.
l keep it handy cos it helps me remember how lucky l am.
Some of my mates weren't.
lt keeps a bit of dignity intact.
Gets me through.
Where was it? Falklands.
- Who were you with? - Paras.
ln those days, battle fatigue was for wimps.
Some of us just drank more to drown it.
Oi! (Whispers) All right, let's get back to business.
Now, l don't believe that our Mrs Carter was on her way to the bus station.
l believe that she was coming back from somewhere else.
Wherever that was.
No, l don't get you, guv.
Well, look.
Let's look at the facts.
Here.
Where was she between 10pm, when she left the college, and 11:25, when she was hit by the train? Now, if lf someone knew that she took that route across the railway track, it's an ideal place to commit a murder and make it look like an accident, isn't it? Mr Frost Always a pleasure.
Ah, Rollo! How very nice.
That's very kind.
Oh, this is my assistant, Terry Reid.
Er Pinkley says you've been having a spot of bother.
lt's not around here, l hope.
No, it's the other side of Denton.
Well, l haven't heard no-one doing your name down or nothing, but l'll keep my ear to the ground.
Thank you, Rollo.
Very kind of you.
Very kind.
l'll do what l can.
Grasses? What? Pinkley and Rollo? No, no, no, no.
No, there was erm There was a rumble outside a gay club 15 years ago.
l happened to be passing.
There was Rollo and he got a knife in the throat.
l was lucky.
l managed to save him from bleeding to death.
What, they were queer-bashing? No, no, no.
The other way around.
Pinkley and Rollo are an item.
They have been for 20 years.
Pinkley wasn't exactly overjoyed to see you.
He wouldn't be, would he? He's jealous.
Funny old world, isn't it? By the way, l've always thought cigarette packets contained a government health warning.
- Yours don't.
- l never noticed.
l bought them in a pub.
There was some bloke flogging them cheap.
You bought them in a pub? These are off the back of a lorry! Where are your brains? You're trying to self-destruct your career, aren't you? l'd had a few by then.
l didn't think about it.
Well, you can think about it now.
Because you can spend your weekend doing a pub crawl.
And if you can do that without getting too pie-eyed, maybe you can find this purveyor of illegal tobacco and nick him before someone else does.
(Knocking) Ah.
Hello, Jack.
l heard your pervert friend had another good day.
Yeah.
It's all in here somewhere.
It's only a matter of time.
They say perversion's all in the mind.
Listen, Ernie Detective Sergeant Reid.
l've seen his service record.
l'd like to have a look at his military background.
Oh, come on, Jack! Not without authorisation.
You know that.
l want this done on the QT.
Just keep it to yourself, will you? There's no rush.
Good.
- Monday will be fine.
- Today's Friday! l know what the days of the week are.
l'm sorry it's been another year.
- How was your weekend, guv? - Terrible.
The kitchen is a war zone.
My bedroom is a magnolia jungle.
And to top it all, the painter spilled a gallon of white paint in the toilet.
l slept well, though.
The fumes saw to that.
Well, how was your weekend? l didn't find the bloke peddling the fags, but l will.
Good.
l found something very interesting in Sylvia Carter's chequebook.
- Have you had breakfast yet? - No, guv.
Which way? Straight ahead.
Neither have l.
(Siren blares) - l'd kill for an egg sarnie.
There's a bit of luck Get behind him! Go on! Give it some welly! ls this where we're supposed to be going? No, no, no.
l just thought it might be interesting.
WOMAN: It's been stinking since yesterday morning.
Don't you lot work weekends? We phoned yesterday.
And this morning.
That's a health hazard.
We could sue! - Good morning, sir.
- Morning.
Well? What's occurring? - The yard manager hasn't got keys for this.
- Oh.
Peugh! Dear! It's a bit ripe! Are you the health inspector? This is disgusting, this is.
Quite right, madam.
She's right.
Well, come on, then.
Break the lock off.
Let's see what's inside.
lsn't it a refrigeration truck? Not now, it's not.
That's been defrosted in the last few days.
l thought my fridge was bad.
There's probably a supermarket's week's supply of meat in there.
Oh, dear! No pork chops today, girls.
We'd be lucky.
Fish fingers, more like.
Sir! l'd keep quiet about this in front of that lot.
This is hospital waste, due for incineration.
Someone's made a cockup.
What do you want us to do? Stay upwind is my advice.
l want you to get hold of the hospital, find out which sloppy lot didn't deliver this to the incinerator andpheugh! Get it out of here! Let's go and get ourselves an egg sandwich and find our way to Hedley Street.
- Which is where? - Opposite the railway sheds.
ln her chequebook she's got four stubs .
.
that are monthly payments of L200.
- They're not the mortgage, then? - No, they're not the mortgage.
Turns out that she's been renting a flat from Stenwood Property Services.
Now Why would she be wanting to rent a flat? Right.
Key No.
3.
- All right? - Yep.
She was very tidy, guv.
There's a double bed in there.
It's made up, but it's been used.
Nothing in the wardrobe.
A couple of towels on the bed.
She was tidy, our Mrs Carter.
l think she needed somewhere quiet and unobtrusive for her goings-on.
Stock quantities.
Bills of lading.
Return stock.
Delivery schedules.
This explains a lot.
So she comes from night school across the railway track, a bit of paper shuffling and hanky-panky, back across the tracks, catches a bus and says, "Hello, darling, l'm home.
" Her and Hobday? Well, l'll buy you a curry and a pint if you're wrong, and l don't make a wager like that without due consideration.
Well She must have been making a short cut from here somewhere.
(Mobile rings) DS Reid.
Yes, Superintendent.
Yeah.
Yeah, he's right here.
Yes, sir.
Yes.
- l'm quite close to - (Train horn blares) .
.
quite close to closing the er the Mrs Carter death.
Yeah, l've got a suspect.
Yeah, well, it Jack, he's an old friend.
He's concerned and doesn't want publicity for the hospital.
All right, sir.
l'll go on my way back.
What's his name? Mr Bennet.
All right.
Thank you.
Bye.
Superintendent Mullett wants us to do a favour for a consultant surgeon friend of his at Denton General.
Maybe he's missing some body parts.
That would be a coincidence, wouldn't it? l'll tell you what l want you to do.
l want you to drop me off at the hospital then go back to Denton.
Find out all you can about this Hobday.
Then come and pick me up in an hour's time.
That'll show willing.
l can't offer you coffee, l'm afraid.
l'm operating in an hour.
No good having a full bladder.
- Coffee's a diuretic.
Did you know that? - No, l didn't, actually.
Thank you.
This is just a courtesy call, really.
Mr Mullett asked me to pop round.
l expect it's about the clinical waste, is it? The body parts? What are you talking about? l asked Mullett for advice because my surgical colleague didn't turn up for lunch on Sunday.
Sunday lunch? Well, l'm er sorry, Dr Bennet ErmMr Bennet l'm afraid l don't understand.
Well, she's not here, she's not at home, her car's in her parking space.
Where is she? She's not the type to go off on a whim.
l see.
Well er l'll fill in a missing persons report.
l could do that.
Mullett said you'd look into it.
l see.
People don't realise just how complex cardiac surgery has become.
lt's very stressful on surgeons.
And she carried the whole thing.
l see.
Yes, of course.
ls she under a lot of pressure? Of course.
Not that that'd get her much sympathy from anybody here.
Really? Why is that.
She's a stickler for detail, she doesn't suffer fools gladly, and l respect her.
Are you trying to tell me thatshe isn't liked? Except me and my wife.
We quite like her.
Anyway, she's under a lot of pressure and l'm worried about her.
My secretary will give you the names of her surgical team.
lf you could God, l hate hospitals.
She was here on Saturday morning.
- You saw her? No, l was at a seminar all day.
But here's her signature prescribing medication for a patient.
Oh, yes.
Right.
Have you noticed anything unusual about her in the last few days? Her behaviour? Anything she might have said? She had a very heavy workload.
Resources are not what they should be.
But l like her.
She gave me the opportunity to work here.
l see.
All right.
Well .
.
thank you very much.
There was one thing.
Yes? What was that? - Perhaps l shouldn't mention this.
- No, no, perhaps you should.
A man.
Ingram.
His son died.
He was violent here in the ward.
He blamed her for his death.
lngram, you said.
Did he threaten her? No, no.
She wasn't here.
l think it was only because he was so upset for the death of his boy.
- It's understandable.
- Yeah, l think it probably was.
l'm a clinical assistant, she's a consulting surgeon.
She said jump, l asked her how many hoops.
An awful woman.
She threw tantrums and instruments.
But a brilliant surgeon.
Did anyone like her? Not that l can think of.
Who reported her missing? Erm What's-his-name.
Bennet.
Well He's a bit of an old woman, is our Roger.
Still, you never know these days.
All this pressure.
Could she have had a breakdown? Huh! You've got to be joking! Could she have gone AWOL? Somewhere like Benidorm? Wherever? No.
She never went away.
Can't play God when you're on your holidays, Inspector.
Right.
Thank you.
Sorry l'm late, guv.
Got caught in traffic.
lt's all right.
How have they explained the missing body parts, then? Hey? No, it was nothing like that.
Some doctor's done a bunk.
Can't say l blame her, working with that lot.
Blimey.
Talk about the caring profession.
Go right.
(Horn toots) Pull in somewhere up here.
Here.
Wait here.
Excuse me, is this the incinerator? lt will be when l've fixed it.
The kiln's too old.
You get the refractory breaking off.
It takes days to cool it down.
When did this break down? Friday.
But don't blame me.
lf they maintained it, it'd behave.
Every month, it is.
Can't go on.
Which company picked up the waste? - That's Colby's, that is.
- Colby's.
Yeah, they're on the industrial estate.
They should give them the contract permanent and shut this relic down.
When did they do the pickup? - It was on Saturday.
- Saturday.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Colby's on the industrial estate.
Double quick time.
Coincidences like this l do not like.
We had a complete cockup over the weekend.
Three trucks out of action.
We had to use a subcontractor.
- They did the pickup at the hospital? - That's right.
They made a total mess of things.
They left a truck in a yard.
Have you burned the waste from Denton General yet? The first one's just gone up now.
Well, shut it down! - What? Now? - Yes! Now! l'm impounding all of this lot.
You can't expect police officers to inspect every bag of Well "Clinical waste" is the correct expression, l believe.
l haven't got the resources.
And there's absolutely no proof Dr Gibson's been murdered.
No, but if she has been, there's no neater way to dispose of the body.
Time is of the essence, sir.
The press will have a field day.
We can't let the barbarians at the gates hear about this.
You've got to hold them off, sir.
They'll crucify us if they sniff this out.
lf they stand downwind long enough.
Look, sir If l'm wrong, there's no harm done.
- l'm just an overzealous policeman.
- What if you're right? Well You'd better get on with it.
And l'll speak to County.
See if they can handle the press.
All right.
Thank you, sir.
Perfect timing.
l'm dying for a cuppa.
Reid, do the honours, will you? Well, Mr Hobday.
l found something out about our Mrs Sylvia Carter.
- You can't just barge in - Oh, yes, l can.
l think she was murdered.
- What? - Yes.
She may have been at college studying bookkeeping and management, but she was doing a bit of Chinese on the side.
Know what l mean? Shanghai accounting.
Juggling the books.
And another thing.
This is a very nice sandwich.
Not like the mouldy old stuff you tried to give me the other day.
Or the stuff you flog to private caterers for a bit on the side.
- l don't know what you're on about.
- Oh, yes, you do.
What happened? Did you get greedy? Did she catch you trying to take more than your fair share? Or wouldn't she sleep with you any more? Is that why you clobbered her? You're making all this up.
We found the rooms she used.
What rooms? You two had a bit going together, didn't you? She couldn't have done all this juggling on her own.
What did you do? Have an argument, did you? You lose your rag? What did you do? Wallop her? Then leave her on the railway track? - No! No! - Yes, yes, Mr Hobday! l think that you murdered her.
And l did not kill her.
And l don't know anything about these rooms you mentioned.
All right.
Look.
l was in on it with her.
We sidelined old stock to private companies.
It was her idea.
Get your coat.
All right.
All right.
l did fancy her.
But a couple of months ago some bruiser had a go at me.
Told me to stay clear of her.
l kept it strictly business after that.
Oh, yeah? Why would he do that? lt wasn't because he didn't like the catering.
- She was having an affair with him.
- With who? Get out of the way! Now, come on.
Give it up, Anderson.
We don't want any more fuss, do we? Couldn't do nothing.
l knew she was dead.
But l couldn't let on.
l wanted to break it off.
Half a dozen times.
But l just couldn't.
And l panicked.
Didn't know what to do.
So you came to work as usual the day after you killed her.
That's pretty cold-blooded, isn't it? Not much panic there.
l didn't kill her! Come on, Anderson.
We checked.
When she went to college, you told your wife you'd work an extra half shift, so no-one's the wiser.
She comes out of college, you meet her, take a short cut over the tracks to the flat she had.
Yeah, yeah.
l admit that.
So you knew she was dead but you didn't kill her.
Pull the other one! l couldn't say anything.
lf my wife found out, she'd take the kids.
l love my kids! And my wife.
lt was just a bit on the side, that's all.
(Knock on door) - Yes? PC Heaton has entered the room at er17:21.
Yes? We've bagged the contents of his locker.
Shall we go to his house? God, no! No, don't! Please! When we found her hand .
.
it had residual stains of a cleaning agent on it.
You know? The sort mechanics use to get grease off their hands.
You killed her, didn't you? Yes.
Yes, you did.
Now just tell us how it happened.
l l thought we were safe.
We'd gone that way dozens of times.
l see.
Short cut after a cosy bit of legover.
But on this Wednesday night .
.
the train was running half an hour late.
Never even heard it.
Not right away.
And then it came out of the dark and hit her.
They'd switched the points cos it was running late.
We was on the wrong tracks.
lt all happened so fast.
We were confused.
When it hit her When it l was still holding her hand.
l just ran and ran.
And then l saw .
.
what l was holding.
Then l just chucked it.
My wife'll go spare.
She'll take the kids and everything when she finds out.
l'm sorry.
l'm so sorry.
Look after him, will you? There was no forensic on Sylvia Carter's hand.
No, l know.
There could have been.
He's not to know that.
l believe a full statement has been taken regarding the death of that poor woman.
- Yes, sir.
- Terrible accident.
Not only was Anderson sleeping with another man's wife - who died - now he has to face her husband.
As well as his own family.
lt's appalling.
Mind you, there is one good thing that's come out of all this, sir.
Simple Simon's soggy sarnies are no more.
l reckon the canteen is now restocking with the Bakery Man's baguette.
A superior class of sustenance, if l may say.
Just goes to show you, sir .
.
taking a short cut doesn't always pay off.
(Knock on door) Come.
Ah.
Excuse me, miss.
Are you the new catering supplier? Come to save the troops? Jack, this is Miss Redmond.
Press liaison officer from County.
- You must be Detective Inspector Frost.
- Yes.
How - Ready when you are, Superintendent.
- Jack, it's Forensic.
They have something to show us.
Over here.
lt was buried under a dozen waste-filled bags.
Let's get it out of there.
Come on, then.
Tip it.
tip it.
All right.
Will somebody open it? l'm not here for the good of my health.
Come on, Reid.
Unless l'm very much mistaken, this is our missing surgeon.
Dr Helena Gibson.
We can't keep this from the press.
Sir.
lf the killer finds out that the body hasn't been destroyed, we'll never find him.
But if we keep this as a missing person enquiry, we've still got a chance to draw him out.
- l agree.
- Thank you, sir.
lt's a good hunch, guv.
She was almost toast.
Well, it's a start.
l'll tell you one thing.
l bet it's a long time before Superintendent Mullett has a home barbecue.
Blow some of that my way, will you? Thanks very much.
(Splash) Oh, f for crying out loud, l don't believe it.
(Grumbles) "We are concerned for the wellbeing of Dr Gibson, and are seeking help from anyone who can assist us.
" Oh, my God! ".
.
Was a member of a fine team of surgeons.
" ''She was on duty on Saturday morning but failed to turn up for a private engagement yesterday.
" This could make a mess of things.
She was never here.
You understand? lt was her word.
"Her colleagues trust that she has not suffered an unfortunate mishap.
" "We are making efforts to determine that she's not been in an accident which might have left her unconscious or unidentified.
'' ''We are confident that with your - that is, the public's - help, we will be able to put together a complete picture'' Yes, all right.
Good night, sir.
(Doorbell rings) Detective Inspector Frost? Yes.
How can l help? lt's about my mother.
Your mother? l'm sorry.
l shouldn't have come.
My mother was Pauline Shelley.
Pauline Shelley? She died last year.
Oh, l'm sorry.
How can l help? Well from what Mum told me .
.
l think you're my dad.
You must be very busy.
Eryes.
We are at the moment.
Erhow's your B & B? Is that all right? lt's fine.
But l'm not comfortable just turning up on your doorstep and telling you, thogh.
No.
It er lt rather unsettled me.
Anne, um l think you ought to know that when l was on secondment to Essex all those years ago Well, my marriage wasn't all that wonderful.
Mr Frost l know you and my mum didn't have the great romance.
Butshe said that you treated her well.
That you were kind That's often enough, you know.
Yeah.
l suppose it is.
l'm not asking for anything.
No.
l know you're not.
Mum only told me she thought you were my father because she she knew she was dying.
l'd never have had any hope of finding out otherwise.
lt took me ages to pluck up the courage to come and see you.
Anne Look, l don't want to shirk my responsibilities in any way, but l think well, for both our sakes, we've got to be sure.
l know.
But Well, Mum did think it was you.
And l don't see how she can be wrong.
Can you? Excuse me.
Security have asked me to question you about some goods you haven't paid for.
What? l'm sorry? Detective Inspector Frost, Denton CID.
l'm afraid l'm going to have to search you.
You can't do that! l haven't done anything.
Then you'll have to come to the station to be strip-searched and interviewed.
Now, which is to be? You're keeping me busy, Inspector.
Yes.
l don't want you forgetting how to carve the Sunday roast, do l? Have you got any news over my dead Dr Gibson? Well, she wasn't sexually assaulted.
All right.
What killed her? A blow to the head.
l see.
And what sort of weapon? How does blunt instrument sound? Pretty predictable.
Probably something like a rough-edged rock.
l found traces of dirt in the wound, which would indicate she was killed outside.
Do we know the time of death yet? Roughly.
She struggled.
Oh, yeah? Rigor mortis isn't a good gauge but it speeds up after violent exertion.
As far as l can tell she'd been dead 24, maybe 30 hours.
What's that, then? Saturday morning.
Yes.
That would make sense, wouldn't it? Anything? No.
There's nothing obvious.
A locked drawer over there.
l see Mrs Roydon, isn't it? That's right.
l'm Detective Inspector Frost.
How do you do? Dr Gibson's schedule.
You know, her operating times, ward rounds, the times she came in and left - that sort of thing.
- Do you think you can get it for me? - Yes.
Thank you.
l understand she wasn't in on Friday.
- No.
- Is that usual? No.
But if there was no operation, she'd catch up with paperwork at home.
Do you have a key for this drawer? No.
Only Dr Gibson has that.
lf you've got the knack (Sharp bang) .
.
you don't need one.
ls there any reason why she would have that locked up? No.
She was at a symposium last week.
She may have got it there.
l see.
l'm going over to see Jameson, the hospital manager.
l want you to go the mortuary area.
Check out those waste disposal bins, will you? - All right.
- And look l found this.
She was using that as a page mark.
If that's what it was.
lt's Dr Retnik's resignation.
Exactly.
He's one of their surgical team.
l know.
But last time l spoke to him he said he was very happy to be here.
Word has it she got on everyone's wick.
Stuffed up a dozen people's careers.
No personal life to talk of.
Well, they say that not enough sex makes you irritable So l'm told.
Questioned you yet, have they? l was told Inspector Frost wanted to meet me.
Maybe she ran off with a lover, never to be seen again.
lt would make life a lot easier here, wouldn't it? l can't make the connection.
She fought your cuts tooth and nail.
There's no-one left to stand up to you.
l won't discuss hospital business with you.
With the inquiry into post-operative deaths, and the lngram boy, it's rather convenient.
What's the word l'm looking for? Scapegoat? You don't look heartbroken.
Me? Oh, God, no! That damn woman stopped my career prospects good and proper.
Good riddance.
That's what l say.
lf you ask me, you should interrogate Retnik.
Are you suggesting there are suspicious circumstances surrounding her disappearance? No.
l didn't mean that.
l don't know what l meant.
He's a Serb.
Did yoI know that? Oh, l see! Picking on the underdog always tends to get up my nose.
l don't know why.
But 'bullying' and 'prejudice' spring to mind.
You were the one that employed him.
She employed him.
It was her recommendation.
He'd been working as a surgeon in an international aid agency.
Saving lives, not taking them.
Tell me, do female surgeons join foreign doctors on your list of dislikes? There were very few occasions when Helena and l needed to meet here.
And we didn't socialise.
Look, l'm sorry, Inspector.
l simply don't know where she is or why she's gone missing.
Erexcuse me.
What about this internal investigation into post-operative deaths? How do you know about that? lt's my job.
l listen at keyholes.
Denton General is below average in national clinical indicators.
What? Hospital death league tables.
Oh, l see.
Hardly the lottery you'd want to win, is it? We don't want people thinking her absence and the internal investigation are connected.
Conspiracy theories are always flavour of the month.
l need that information to help me with my investigation.
l'm going to pick up some extra shifts.
Night work.
Aren't my days long enough already? Jack, hang on.
- Lawrence Dale Brewer.
- What, Larry the Barrel? That's him.
Got out four years ago.
We did him for impersonating a customs and excise officer.
l think he's the one impersonating you.
No.
He's too fat! l spoke to the screw who worked his wing.
Larry didn't like HMP grub.
Shed his weight.
Well, l'll be blowed! Keep this under your hat.
We can flog this idea to Weight Watchers.
Larry the Barrel! Best bet we've got so far.
Oi, just a minute.
What are you up to? Someone turning over corner shops.
l'll keep as much off your desk as l can.
All right.
Thanks, George.
l've said all l'm going to say.
Mr Brendon, this is more than a couple of kids wrecking the place for a laugh.
Another five shops in Denton have had the same treatment.
And half a dozen more on the edge of town.
Then go and speak to them.
Tell them! Be quiet, Jennifer.
lt's been getting worse.
This is the third time.
Only this time they hit him.
Enough.
You don't know anything about it.
l know that they hurt you.
To my way of thinking, it sounds like a protection racket.
You pay them, or they pay you a visit.
Does the name Robbie Jensen mean anything? Jack.
What? ln here.
This is er DS Reid's military record.
Right.
Thank you.
Good.
Er, Ernie.
About 18 years ago, l was working on a fraud job in Essex.
- It was a shipping company.
- Don't remember that one.
- Yes, you do.
Horizon Containers.
- No.
l need my notes on that job.
l need to know where l was and when.
lt won't have been archived into the computer.
It'll be buried.
This is personal.
Personal? Yeah.
Oh, all right.
Thank you.
Jack, l think l'm going to need your help with these corner shops.
What, some kids nicking sweets? lt's more than that.
It's about a dozen shops in the past couple of weeks.
Nothing stolen.
Some assault.
No-one's saying anything.
Sounds like a protection racket.
Exactly.
That's what l thought.
But l can't pin it down.
One name has come up.
A partial identification.
Robbie Jensen.
We just can't find him.
No.
l don't know the name.
He's a sometime doorman on the clubs.
Got some form, has he? Well, he likes to use his fists.
l was investigating illegal rave parties at Edmond St.
We felt they were shifting Ecstasy.
Did you get him? No.
He didn't have the brains for it.
Then somebody's using him.
Yes.
We thought it was Tim Hamilton.
He was organising everything out of abandoned warehouses.
He lives on that posh estate on the north end of town.
Solicitor's son.
Arrogant little sod.
Oh.
What? Bored at boarding school, so he goes out to get up to mischief? Something like that.
University.
We had to drop the case.
His father climbed all over us.
Oh, really? You got his address? Yeah.
l think a polite enquiry might not go amiss.
Have you got time? We'll make time.
No, no, no.
Not you, Reid.
lf you've already had a run-in with this Hamilton, l don't need you to provoke him.
l can do that myself.
All right, guv, but keep your hands in your pockets.
- You'll be tempted to clock him one.
- What, me? Never! (Door bell chiming) - Ah, Mr Hamilton.
- Yes.
Detective Sergeant Toolan, Denton CID.
Dl Frost.
Sir, we're trying to trace the whereabouts of a Mr Robbie Jensen.
So? Do you know where he is? - l've never heard of him.
- Let's not get off on the wrong foot.
l know you do.
He's done a few things for you in the past.
He's a council estate errand boy.
They like to think they're part of the action.
Like rave parties? We've been through this.
l don't know where he is.
Just chill out.
Thank you Thank you for your cooperation, Mr Hamilton.
Chill out, indeed! All right.
See if you can find this slug, Robbie Jensen.
He's probably hiding in a dark hole.
Right, lads, get 'em unloaded.
We've got another shipment in.
Yeah? OK.
lf you want this thing done right, l'll have to start hurting people.
Oh, right.
Thank you.
Have you got any kids? Yeah.
Two.
Their mother took them away a couple of years ago.
She's remarried.
l mean, l see them when l can.
They're great kids.
Not easy, though, l suppose.
l don't blame her.
Can't have been very pleasant being with a bloke in the mess l was in.
l went over the edge.
Scary.
l get scared witless sometimes in this job.
Well, there's no such thing as heroes, guv.
As far as l'm concerned.
No.
You just get frightened enough or angry enough to .
.
do what has to be done.
l just had to face this idiot with a gun.
l'd had plenty of this and, well, my marriage was on the rocks.
l thought, "l've got nothing to lose.
" Not quite the same as what you did, though.
No.
l read your file.
Fear is fear, guvnor.
No matter what.
l suppose what l'm saying is there are different kinds of fear.
l mean, l've just Well, l've just had something quite scary happen to me.
Someone well, told me something .
.
about something that l might have been responsible for 20 years ago.
Now, that sent a chill down my spine.
Do you know what l mean? Yeah.
Do you know the most frightening thing anyone said to me? Fix bayonets.
Yes.
Well Can l give you a lift? No thanks, guv.
No, l'm going to check out a couple of pubs.
See if l can find the bloke who sold me those duff fags.
Yeah.
All right.
Thanks, Mr Frost.
lt's all right.
Forget it.
(Sirens) (Thunder) (Phone rings) Frost.
We were on patrol and saw some kids running out of the toilets.
When they saw us, they dropped this.
It's DS Reid's.
They chucked away the warrant card.
The medics say it's touch and go.
Thanks Reid.
Can you hear me? You'll be all right.
You're all right, son.
You hang on in there.
Don't you give up on me.
Don't you give up! We hope he overcomes the injuries sustained in this assault.
lt appears that DS Reid had a drug habit that he'd managed to keep hidden.
Now, this will put the public and media spotlight on us all.
And Ms Redmond here will have her hands full with the press.
Another rotten apple.
Another crooked copper.
That's how the press will present this whole shameful affair.
An officer with a drug problem sneaking into a public toilet to feed his habit.
Bringing disgrace on the service.
Excuse me, sir.
May l? l've just come from the hospital where DS Reid is on the critical list.
Before we condemn a long-serving officer, we ought to give him the benefit of the doubt.
l'm dealing with facts.
l think not Ms Redmond.
These are the facts.
20 years ago in the Falklands, Terry Reid went up a mountainside with a bayonet on the end of his rifle because other young men were being cut down by machine gun fire.
And, because he did the business, they gave him a military medal .
.
for courage above and beyond.
His background is irrelevant to this matter.
Not at all.
It's very relevant, sir.
Anyone here who thinks they know about courage should think again.
Yes, Reid's got problems.
He's got very big problems.
But knowing those problems, and trying to shape his life, l mean, that's courage.
- That's enough, Inspector.
- No.
It's not enough, sir.
And before anyone in this room kicks a man while he's down, l want to assure you .
.
that DS Reid was not, and l repeat not, doing anything illegal yesterday.
And l will stake my career on that.
And let me just say this l think it's disgraceful the way you're treating a real bloody hero, who's got on with his life and never quit.
Hear, hear.
ln my office.
l won't be challenged in such a manner by you or anyone.
l will not stand by while a senior officer condemns a man without substantial proof.
- Reid was robbed.
- Whilst paying for drugs! His wallet wasn't taken.
Just its contents.
So was his military medal.
- Addicts sell anything to feed their habit.
- Reid would never sell that medal! - It's what holds him together.
- That's enough! His reputation has been maligned in front of his colleagues.
lt's not what the doctors say.
He's on methadone You're presuming to judge him guilty before seeing the facts.
Look at his record, not what you think has happened.
- You don't know what he was doing.
- Enough! l know he was working on a case.
Enough! l expect an apology from you, Inspector.
ln writing.
Yes.
And just for the record, sir, when l establish exactly what happened to DS Reid, l'm sure you'll be prepared to offer the same unequivocal apology to him.
That's all, Inspector.
lf there's anything l can do to help, let me know, Jack.
Thanks, George.
There is.
Look, get sniffing around.
See if you can find Reid's medal.
Find that and we'll find the bloke who did him over.
l'll start with the pawnbrokers.
All right.
Tell them l want it done by the book and let us know.
l will guarantee they won't be out of pocket.
Now let's get on with what we have to do.
There's been a fair bit of rain recently.
It's not much to go on.
We do know she was at work on the Saturday.
She's also got a house in the centre of town.
lt's doubtful she had time to go anywhere else.
Maybe.
But see here, Jack.
The tyres are clean.
But there's specks of mud trapped in here.
Red clay.
There's a band of soil with a top seam of clay in it in two areas round here - local farmers call it Denton red.
l've marked the areas for you.
Can you tell how recently the car was in this area? Definitely in the last two days.
And that's not all.
Down, thank you.
There's a smear of the same stuff inside.
Almost like a scuff mark.
There's another one like it on the back carpet, as well.
- Yeah, but what made it? - That l can't tell you.
And l thought all you blokes practised the black arts! Only when there's a full moon.
(Knock at door) How's Terry Reid doing? lt's too soon to tell.
l'm sorry.
All right.
Thank you.
ls Reid your man? Yes.
Yes, he is.
He's not my patient, but l'll make sure they keep you up to date.
- All right.
Thank you.
- You wanted to see me? Yes.
Yes, l do.
There are a lot of doctors here.
All right.
We work all hours.
Please.
We live on canteen food and takeaways.
Don't worry about that.
It's like home from home for me.
Coffee? Yes, please.
Milk.
One sugar.
Erm we've established that Dr Gibson went missing on Saturday.
Could you tell me where you were? l was at a surgical procedures lecture.
Hm.
Any witnesses? About 60.
l was on the platform as a panel member to answer questions from nine to five.
l did the main lecture.
Got back to the hospital that evening.
l attended an emergency admission.
That will all be documented.
Earlier you said you liked Dr Gibson.
Yes.
You seem to be the only one.
l first met her in Kosovo in a camp that treated both sides in the war.
She was a volunteer surgeon for two months.
- Generous and brave, eh? - Dedicated.
Nothing was allowed to stand between her and her work.
l have to get back to my patients.
Yes, of course.
Thank you.
Oh, one more thing, Dr Retnik.
Why did you resign? Resign? Yes.
l found your letter of resignation in Dr Gibson's desk.
Oh, yes.
Of course.
l forgot.
She refused to accept it.
l wanted to move to a smaller hospital, better career move - she talked me out of it.
Must have had a lot of faith in you.
Yes.
l suppose she did.
Afternoon, Jack.
Oh.
Afternoon.
l'm not so sure that l want to see you.
Don't shoot me.
l'm just the messenger.
Of good tidings, l hope.
18 years and five months ago, to be precise, for the Essex job.
l found it.
Those are the dates you were seconded.
And those are the dates yoI claimed for expenses.
And those are your personal notes.
l didn't realise l was there so long.
Time flies when you're having fun.
There are times when l wish you weren't so thorough.
Nothing untowards, l hope, Jack.
No.
No.
Well, l suppose it could be quite good.
Anyway, thanks.
l appreciate this.
That's OK.
Hello, George.
Hello, mate.
Jack, any news on Reid? Oh, critical.
He's stable.
George, about this hospital thing.
l can't work it out.
Everyone who was associated with that Dr Gibson has got an alibi for Saturday.
l mean, even she was in the wards, taking patients' notes an hour before the waste truck arrived.
So, what's your point? Well, whoever killed her had to wrap her in plastic, put her in a plastic bag .
.
get the bag into a wheelie bin get the wheelie bin from wherever it was, across the hospital, to where the waste is picked up, all in under an hour.
lt couldn't be done.
Anyway, have a look at this.
Colby's company brochure.
Look at the small print on the back.
List of company directors.
One happens to be the hospital manager's wife.
Jameson? Conflict of interest, maybe.
A very big maybe.
Especially when there's a lucrative waste contract on offer.
(Knock at door) - Yes? James Ingram, sir.
Yeah.
Well? He's a paramedic.
He works at the hospital.
ls he? Well, well, well.
Who better to wheel a body into a mortuary than a paramedic? That's what l thought, too, sir.
Oh, did you? Yes, sir.
Mr Mullet told me as you were short-handed, l was to attach myself to you.
Oh! And that gives you the go-ahead to start thinking, does it? l've already started making enquiries about Ingram's off-duty activities, sir.
- l'll get onto his background tomorrow.
- No, no.
Prentice.
No.
You will get onto it tonight and give me the information tomorrow.
Good idea, sir.
l was only going to study tonight.
What you don't know, you won't miss.
Will you? Goodbye.
He's learning.
Was your friend badly hurt? Eryes.
l'm sorry.
He's tough, though.
That helps.
Oh! You shouldn't have done this.
Why not? When was the last time you ever had a picnic? Anyway, it's my birthday.
Oh, it isn't, is it? Anne, l'm sorry.
You weren't to know.
Mm.
lt's Italian.
Lot's of different tastes.
- Right.
Not a spaghetti sandwich, then? - Not quite as messy.
No.
Mm Oh.
Here.
Hang on.
There.
Anne, l l just want you to know that You know, your mother and l had a great relationship.
Yeah.
She was a lot of fun.
ljustwish that she'd told me about you.
Mum was always independent, wasn't she? l don't know.
Maybe she didn't want to share me.
Yeah.
l never thought of that.
Women don't always want men cluttering up their lives, do they? No, l suppose not.
Vice versa, too.
You wouldn't be cluttering up my life.
l just want you to know that.
They want us to sell their cheap cigarettes, instead of our regular stock.
The cigarettes are either stolen or illegally brought into the country.
My husband doesn't want to break the law.
This man this ls it Robbie Jensen? This man, he's going to hurt us.
Don't tell my husband l came here.
ErMrs Brendon er l have a colleague, a police officer, who's been seriously assaulted.
l think that, from what you've been telling us here, that it's possibly the same people.
So if you could give us a name.
- Please.
- l'm sorry.
Reid? He was sniffing out someone selling illegal fags in pubs.
Tell me there's not a connection.
Here! Get the lid off this, will you? My hands ain't as good as they used to be.
All right.
Oh! Blackberry and apple.
My daughter brings it in for me.
- The nurses keep it in there.
- Oh, yeah? There you go.
That's not bad, is it? lt's your mate in there, is it? Yes.
Yeah, that's right.
Look, if they stick him in the end bed, he's a goner.
lt's where they've all been dying.
Bed five.
Have the op, into Intensive Care - Woof! Stone dead.
Bed five? Yeah.
If they shift him in there, l'll get them to give you a call.
Cos he'll be a goner.
Sure as eggs is eggs.
You do that.
Thank you.
Hey! YoI want to watch the sell-by date on these things.
lt's a load of rubbish.
You buy them cheaper this way.
You keep them in the fridge, they last longer.
Look, l don't think she was killed on Saturday.
Don't confound science, Inspector.
It means extra work.
You're here to cause me grief.
l can tell.
No, no, no.
Listen.
Just listen.
Supposing, just supposing she was killed earlier.
And the killer discovers the hospital incinerator has broken down.
So he's caught short.
No quick way to dispose of the body.
So he stores the body in the cold room in the mortuary.
Right? Nowwhat would happen? Ambient temperature dictates the rate of decay.
lt will slow down decomposition.
Exactly.
All right, Inspector.
l'll start another postmortem right away.
You blamed Dr Gibson for your son's death.
She killed him.
Just like the others.
The others? Come on! Haven't you dug that out yet? There's an inquiry going on.
Five post-operative deaths in as many months.
Something went wrong with my son's operation.
Of course she killed him, one way or another.
A ward nurse said you visited your son late Thursday night.
Yeah.
Did you see Dr Gibson? Look l saw her in the corridor, all right? l asked if anything had gone wrong during the operation.
She assured me Michael would be fine.
A farmer saw a blue Vauxhall Cavalier parked in one of his fields.
- And a bloke releasing pigeons.
- So what? Dr Gibson's car was seen in that area.
All right.
Go on.
Come on.
Admit it, Ingram.
You were there.
Look, l went out there on Friday.
The day your son died? You wouldn't understand.
Who told you he saw me? A farmer couldn't have.
The bloke who runs the hospital, was it? Jameson? Aye.
Yeah.
That's him.
He drove past.
Maybe he saw me.
lt doesn't matter.
l haven't done anything wrong.
Sir! Yes.
What is it? Sir.
Well, well, well, well, well! That doesn't look very nice, Mr Ingram.
Are you sure there isn't something that you want to tell us? Jim! lt's blood.
l hit a fox when l was driving out there.
lts back was broken.
l had to finish it off.
Look, l didn't want to upset you.
You didn't think about upsetting me the day Michael died.
Going off to fly your bloody pigeons! Leaving me here alone! Just leaving me! Sorry.
l had to get out of the house.
l had to do something.
But you didn't do anything for me! Mr Ingram, l'm afraid l'm going to have to ask you to come down to the station to answer a few more questions.
Prentice, get a woman constable out to the house.
And bag those jeans up as well.
Yes, sir.
Look, you can talk to me as much as you like.
But please leave my wife alone! She's not coping.
Michael was our only child.
lf you've got kids, you'll know what l mean.
A result, Jack? Hm? Oh, James Ingram.
l had to bring him in until we checked out some bloodstains we found.
And you? Uniform dug out Robbie Jensen.
Oh! Like a rat in a hole.
Well done, uniform! Thank you.
Bad timing.
The super wants to see you when you come in.
Both of you.
And this bloke wants you to phone him.
- Who's he? - No idea, except it's important.
Well, it always is, isn't it? Come on, Georgie Porgie.
Let's go and see the headmaster.
(Knock on door) lnspector Frost, this is Tim Hamilton's father.
He has a complaint.
l'm very sorry to hear that, sir.
How can l help? You and this other officer have been harassing my son.
No, no, no.
Actually, we were asking for some information.
Stop making any association between my son and a roughneck who works in nightclubs.
The family went through enough of this last time.
He's not the most well-mannered boy l've ever come across, is he, sir? They usually say that comes from the parents.
That's enough.
You may think you have the right to insult me and my family, you and your vindictive colleague.
Gestapo tactics are still in the police training manual, l see! l won't have such accusations made.
You should know better than that.
lf l catch you near my son without just cause, you and this department will feel the law.
Excuse me, sir, but is that what happened to DS Reid? Reid? Yes, l remember him.
Persistent to the point of being vindictive.
And he was moved from his own division a week after that.
Point taken, l think.
Well, sir, if we have to question your son again, let's make sure we've got just cause.
Eh, Mr Hamilton? Sir.
Come on, George.
Thank you, Mr Ridley, for getting in touch with the station.
l'm rather hoping that you've got something l want.
Maybe l have.
Your blokes are putting the word about.
Nothing in the papers, l see.
Well, no.
We didn't want to scare anyone off.
lf l have got this particular piece of merchandise, you'll take it away.
Evidence.
Whatever.
l'm out of pocket.
Well, you will have heard that l'm willing to stand good for it.
Which is why l phoned.
l thought it was dodgy.
Don't see many of these.
No.
They don't give many away.
We have security camera tapes of a highly incriminating nature.
We're also re-interviewing all of the shopkeepers.
We also have a very critically ill police officer.
l want to make a phone call.
Of course you do.
It's your right.
The public phone's a bit dicky at the moment.
However, Constable Yes, sir.
He needs to make a call.
He can use the office on the left.
And make sure he has his privacy.
Right, sir.
This way.
You haven't got anything with him on security tape.
He doesn't know that.
There's nothing wrong with the public phone.
That's a bit close to the wind.
l said l have "tapes of an incriminating nature" - l have.
Of the kids who pawned Reid's medal.
That's not Jensen.
We've made no connection between him and whoever clobbered Reid.
We will.
Anyway, George, what do you want? Are you buying? - Well, yeah.
- In that case, thank you very much.
All right.
It's only a soft drink, not a magnum of champagne.
So what do l do now? Buy some time? They're trying to stiff me with working over a cop! Cover the door.
"Hello.
Hello, Tim Hamilton.
" "Hello?" Tim Hamilton is the sort of bloke who gets his kicks by running tough street kids in illegal cigarette rackets.
The cost of a raid is substantial.
l think that Hamilton has pegged Jensen out to dry.
Jensen has told me the time and the place where Hamilton is expecting his next drop off.
Jensen's statement is not enough.
Hamilton's father is a force to be reckoned with.
Well, it's all l've got.
l'm sorry it's all l've got.
But if l can nab Hamilton, it will tie in with the lads that assaulted Reid.
- You haven't got them yet, have you? - No.
We've identified them.
We're looking for them.
So Reid didn't pawn his medal.
No.
The kids who worked him over did.
All right.
You'd better have your raid.
Thank you.
Come on.
Make a start! Search the building.
Come on.
- Hello, Timmy.
- More filth from the farmyard! And a good afternoon to you, too.
Tell me, what does it take to join this private club of yours? A willingness to commit crime? No.
Intelligence and a willingness to apply it.
- You've got no right.
- Wrong.
l run a legitimate trading business.
A smart lad like you in his last year at university? lt's called entrepreneurship.
lt's called thieving.
The buildings are clear, sir.
All right.
Nothing illegal in bath ducks, Inspector.
(Squeaking) They may have pawned it, but they never hurt anybody.
You're not sticking assault on my Pauly and Jeff.
They done nothing.
Tell him.
Tell him what you told me.
All right.
That'll do.
You never brought money here.
What did you do with it? OK, son.
Tell me what happened.
We went in the pisser, but we didn't hurt him.
He was already down.
The other bloke had already done him.
What other bloke? This other fella ran out.
We saw him.
A bloke in a short coat and hat.
We didn't touch the one in the pisser! We just nicked his wallet.
lf the boys didn't clobber Reid - it's fairly certain they didn't - it just leaves Larry Brewer.
No.
l don't think it was him.
lt's not his style.
- Mind you, people do change, though.
- Here you are, sir! Oh, yes.
Here l am.
lt seems l can't hide anywhere in this place, can l? The new postmortem on Dr Gibson.
Oh, thank you.
Ah! Well, well.
Dr Gibson didn't die on Saturday morning.
She died on Thursday night.
That's a day and half earlier than we thought.
Clever, aren't they, forensic pathologists? Who says they're one step up from watching sugar dissolve in tea? - Put the team rechecking all the statements.
- l'll get onto it now, sir.
No, you won't.
You will do that tomorrow morning.
You'll go home to your wife and that would-be child of yours.
Right, sir.
You know, the killer must have brought her car and her body back to Denton General Thursday night.
That's when he discovers that the incinerator has broken down.
He forges her signature on the medical charts, Saturday morning, to make us think that she was alive and still at work.
An alibi in reverse.
But who killed her Thursday night? l don't know.
One thing is certain.
It wasn't James Ingram.
- His son didn't die till Friday morning.
- Sir! Sir! Just had a call from somebody called Rollo.
He said to say they serve a good pint at the Fiddler's Inn.
No.
Let's call it a day - or night.
Whatever.
Good evening, Mr Frost.
The usual? Come on.
You can always tell a copper, can't you, lnspector Frost? Especially the bent ones.
They have that certain look.
And then there's all the freebies, isn't there? Free beer, free sarnies and Well, who knows what else? Larry Brewer.
Took me a long time to remember you.
But l know you remember me.
Oh, my Gawd! Oh, no.
Just lnspector Frost will do.
You tried to kill a police officer.
l never laid a hand on him! - He saw me in the pub and followed me out.
- He's still in a coma.
l thought l'd hide from him in the khazi, but he was too fast, on me like a snake.
- What did you hit him with? - Nothing, Mr Frost.
l swear! One minute he had his hands on me, the next he was down.
ls that when you put the boot in? Look, l haven't harmed anyone.
l pretended to be you.
Fair enough.
lt was a meal ticket and a bit of fun.
lt was a harmless con.
That's all! No.
Not harmless, Larry.
As far as l'm concerned, you assaulted and left a badly injured man who still might die.
Con your way out of that one.
Mm? Mm? Oh, l'm sorry, nurse.
l must have nodded off.
It was a quick five minutes, wasn't it? lnspector, you've been here all night.
You what? Oh! Oh.
- Oh, thank you very much.
- l'm off duty now.
Right.
Mm! Oh, this is better than a blood transfusion this.
Thank you for you know, letting me sleep.
Just don't tell anyone.
Make yourself scarce.
Shift changes get busy.
Yes.
Yes.
OK.
And erwell, thanks again.
(Polisher whirrs) Excuse me.
Can you tell me where l can leave this? Just put it in the kitchen.
Second on the right.
(Continuous bleep) lt was just an unconscious act.
Part of her normal routine.
She just pulled the plug out and then .
.
then put it back a couple of minutes later.
My God! And five people have died.
No-one could have known.
No-one.
This may conclude the internal investigation into post-operative mortalities.
The ventilator alarm on bed five was faulty.
The ECG alarm only came on when the patient's heart stopped.
This will cost the trust a fortune.
lf you gave us appropriate money for maintenance, this would never have happened.
Thank you, Inspector.
You've saved lives.
l forgot to add my congratulations and thanks.
l just happened to be in the right place at the right time, as opposed to our Dr Gibson.
Oh, l was meaning to have a word with you today, anyway.
You don't seriously think l killed her? l shall be impounding your car today.
And l shall be taking samples from the tyres, which l believe will put your car in the vicinity of where she was murdered.
Quite close to where you live.
She was killed near my house? Too close for comfort.
Eh, Mr Jameson? Look She came out to the house.
She wanted me to reassess the budget cuts to her department.
She She'd have done anything to keep that unit fully operational.
So she was blackmailing you.
She was going to tell the hospital trust about your wife's association with Colby's - that Colby's had just been approved a very lucrative contract by you, the hospital manager.
l didn't kill her! God! What a terrible mess.
She left the house at about 8:30 Iast Thursday night.
After l'd agreed to her demands.
And she left, Inspector, because our dinner guests had arrived.
A dozen people can vouch for me and my wife on Thursday night.
l drove to the office late on Friday morning .
.
and l never saw Helena Gibson again.
l may be guilty of vested interest, but not murder.
MR BRENDON: All right.
All right! You don't need to use brute force.
A little humiliation works wonders.
Please leave him alone! Please.
You've done enough harm.
Where would we be without commercial enterprise? Welcome to our organisation.
lt's nice doing business with you.
Frost! Ah, Mr Hamilton! So sorry to disturb your meal, sir, but fortunately l have a warrant for your son's arrest.
OK, George.
l also have a warrant to search these premises and seize anything l feel might be relevant, such as computers, files etcetera.
lt's all right, Tim.
l'll sort these people out.
l have witness statements.
l also have a wholesaler who swapped a load of plastic ducks for a large amount of contraband cigarettes.
l also have a lorry containing the aforementioned cigarettes.
l have a friend of your son's sitting out there, who has traded in his Get Out Of Jail Free card.
Your manner is sufficient to lodge a complaint at the highest level.
l dare say.
But your son Timmy has been a naughty little tyke and has to face some rather unpleasant medicine.
You really are insufferable! Yes.
And they say there's no satisfaction in one's work! You had to check.
l know that.
They told me my son was in that bed in Intensive Care and why he died.
Yes.
l'm sorry.
lf you hadn't found out why those people had died, they wouldn't have released his body till who knows when.
We can bury him now.
Thank you for that.
ls there anything l can do? Do you want a lift? No.
My wife's here.
Just a moment, Sergeant.
l don't want you feeling lonely in this cold, smelly old cell, so l've brought you something to keep you company.
(SqIeaking) Bang him up.
You know about this fraud case in Essex that l was on all those years ago.
Well, l've been looking at my notes.
l bet that took some doing, Jack, with your scribble! Well, the thing is that l was back here that month .
.
when l was working on that case.
She says her birthday is this week.
What are you talking about? There's a young girl who says l'm her father.
Blimey! That must be serious.
She can't be after your money.
No, she isn't.
Thank you, Trigg.
The thing is that um .
.
well, l've rather warmed to the idea.
You What are you going to do about it, Jack? Don't know.
lf l don't say anything, she won't know.
She'll have a father and l'll have a very nice daughter.
Listen, er DNA.
A DNA test would give you proof.
l know l've got the proof.
What? A saliva test.
Off a serviette we had on our picnic.
l haven't got the courage to open it.
That's your call, Jack.
Yeah.
Thank you, Trigg.
Prentice, you're late again.
Sorry, Mr Frost.
l was up all night.
The baby's due today.
Why don't you just take the rest of the day off? Thanks, sir.
But l'd never get to the hospital on my bike on time.
You'll have to learn to pedal harder.
Come on.
Look, just a minute.
l have to go to the hospital to see DS Reid.
l'll get a patrol car to drop me off.
Go on.
There's my keys.
When the call comes, use my car.
- You can put your bike in the rear.
- Thanks, sir.
Which means, when all this is over, you can cycle back.
He's going to be fine.
He regained consciousness early this morning.
Oh, great! Thank you.
Thank you very much for all your help.
Not at all.
He has a strong will.
lt went some way towards pulling him through.
l knew he wasn't a quitter.
- He'll need care for some time to come.
- Of course.
l understand.
Oh, umby the way, Jameson has resigned as hospital manager.
So some good has come of all this.
Any word on Helena Gibson's murderer? No.
Not yet, l'm afraid.
Excuse me.
Would it be all right for me to go in? Yes.
OK.
Just for a minute.
Thank you.
All right? l see you've caught up with your beauty sleep, then.
Hello, guvnor.
l've got a shocking headache.
l'm not surprised.
You'll be pleased to know we've got Larry Brewer.
He'll do some serious time for what he did to you.
He didn't touch me, guv.
You what? No.
l sussed him in the pub.
He did a runner.
l collared him in the toilets.
The floor was swimming in water.
And l slipped and cracked my head on the sink.
Well, that was his story.
Well, he's telling the truth.
For once! Anyway, we still got a result.
Yeah.
You catch the killer? No.
Not yet.
(Tapping) Yeah.
All right.
Well, l'd better go.
You get some rest.
l'm going to slide off to the pub and get a liquid lunch.
And before you ask, l won't have one for you.
l'll have a double.
Hope l'm not too late, sir.
Good time-keeping is a knack.
lt's one l hope you will soon acquire.
- Oi, oi, oi! Watch what you're doing! - Sorry, sir.
lt's my upholstery, that.
l had it cleaned last year.
Sorry about that scuff, sir.
lt'll come off with a bit of cleaner.
Are you all right? Get in touch with the station.
Get DS Toolan here and two squad cars.
- l want them now! - Sir.
Ah, Dr Retnik.
You thought you were safe.
No body, no crime.
But you see, l've got her body.
l got it before it went into the incinerator.
l have to get back to my patients.
You put her in the cold room.
Because you knew the hospital incinerator had broken down.
You sneaked her car back here Friday night.
Then forged her signature on Saturday.
The perfect alibi.
l know it all.
Get out of the way! Retnik! (Hissing) You didn't write that resignation, did you? She did.
But she wanted you to sign it.
Am l right? You don't understand what it's like where l come from.
People like her watch every move you make.
Everything would have ended for me.
She was questioning my qualifications.
Thought l was responsible for all those deaths.
(Hissing) The irony is, Retnik, it wasn't your fault .
.
those patients dying.
l heard her talking to Jameson.
She was going to tell him all about me.
She never told him.
She gave you the benefit of the doubt.
You killed her for nothing.
Ah! Oh! Agh! Agh! Aaaagh! Jack! Are you OK? ls it just me or is it bloody hot in here? Get him.
Take him, will you? Take him.
They won't keep you long.
No (Sighs) You know what? He followed her up to Jameson's.
He waylaid her somewhere and then he killed her.
He put his bike on the back seat of the car.
See, that's what those scuff marks were.
l wouldn't Oh, hello.
How's your wife and that baby of yours? Oh, God! l forgot.
Got high hopes for that lad.
Ooh! Erwell l've got a little birthday present for you.
At least l'll have had the pleasure of sharing one birthday with you.
No, no.
Don't.
Open it later.
l'm sorry it's not you.
Yeah, well me, too.
You would have a been a daughter l could have been proud of.
You will keep in touch, won't you? l'd really like that.
And er let me know if there's anything l can do to help you find - you know.
Anyway, er l'll say goodbye.
You'd have been the perfect choice.
Thanks.