Vera s13e01 Episode Script

Best avocados, six for a fiver,
ripe and ready to eat!
All right, Annie,
you have a good day, all right?
- Morning, Ian.
- Milan, you all right?
Oh, yeah. Very good.
Fresh avocados. Best in the North.
Just those, please.
Coming right up, darling.
There you go, love.
Tell you what, I'll throw in
another one for free, yeah?
As long as I see you back here tomorrow.
- What time do you call this?
- Bus was late.
I'll be docking your wages, Leanne.
One more late start,
and I'll be letting you go.
Couldn't break a 20 for us,
could you, Carol?
Oh, you're that cheeky.
Last time today, all right?
Cheers, Carol.
So, Ian, how's the new pitch
working out for you?
- Well, it's working great, man, yeah.
- The usual, mate.
All right. There you go.
Cheers, Danny.
I notice your takings are up, then.
All right, Tony. Onions, man.
Let's get this lot out while it's fresh.
Won't sell itself, will it, son?
[MUSIC PLAYING, LAUGHTER]
All done, Leanne. Sorted.
Come on, girls, let's be having you!
Howay, Onions, get another round in.
Mine's a pint.
- We'll lose our table.
- Coming, coming!
All right? Nice shirt, Danny!
Fresh and sharp, or what? Wahey!
Right, boys! Where were we?
Danny.
Don't you think you've had enough?
A word.
In private.
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
Danny!
Danny! Danny, man, will you wait?
- There you go.
- Cheers, love.
We best get t'bus, girls, come on.
Bye, girls, see youse tomorrow.
Bye.
[PHONE BUZZES]
[ENGINE REVS]
[TYRES SQUEAL, CRASH]
[PHONE RINGS]
- VERA: Thanks, love.
- OFFICER: Ma'am.
Check in with her,
make sure she's all right, yeah?
- Morning, ma'am.
- Mark.
- Morning, ma'am.
- Er, male fatality, early 20s.
Hit-and-run, they said.
Yeah, jogger found him
first thing this morning.
- Deceased got a name?
- Yeah, Danny Meddon.
We found some business cards
in his wallet.
- Oh, so he wasn't robbed, then?
- No, doesn't look like it.
I mean, all the money's still there.
No sign of a phone, though.
Let's see that card.
"Meddon's Fruit and Veg,
Bentham Market."
Oh, I know 'em.
They've been there for years.
It wouldn't hurt to
give that number a ring.
Ma'am.
Hold up, watch where you're stepping.
First impressions, focuses the mind.
Huh, we sharing these first impressions?
Injuries suggest
he was hit by a moving vehicle.
Well, I could've told you that.
Multiple fractures
to the left femur and pelvis,
likely sustained
at the moment of impact.
Query internal bleeding.
PM will tell us more.
Time of death, any ideas?
Rigor mortis in the hands
and upper limbs,
still some give in the legs,
suggests he's been dead
for around six to eight hours.
So sometime late last night.
We've got fragments
of a broken headlight,
might help us narrow down
the vehicle in question.
Well, that's something at least
we can work with.
Hey. Thanks, Paula.
- Where's Aiden today?
- Er Aiden? Perth.
Perth? What's he doing in Scotland?
- Try Perth, Australia.
- What?
You're shocked (?)
Could've knocked me for six
when I found out.
Hm.
It was his missus
sent in the application,
reckoned his prospects'd be better
down under.
Plus, her sister lives there.
Kenny gives him six months.
[PHONE RINGS]
Ma'am, we've found the phone.
Right, so there's the point of impact.
His phone goes flying
and he ends up here.
Absence of any skid marks suggests
the vehicle was going at speed.
No attempts to brake
and avoid a collision.
Yeah, might not have been time to stop.
Random driver run him down
accidently, fled the scene?
Evidence might suggest otherwise.
There are some tracks further down
that we're investigating.
So, could the driver have
stopped eventually?
- To check if he's still alive.
- Aye
or to make sure he was dead.
- Give us a minute, won't you?
- Yep, cheers. Will do.
We've pulled up a home address
in East Bentham.
Uniform are there now,
but there's nobody home.
Shirt sleeves, plenty of money.
Sounds like a night on the town.
So, what's he doing out here,
middle of nowhere?
Yeah, well, that's
the thousand-dollar question, Kenny.
- Girlfriend?
- Whoever she is, she'll need tellin'.
MILAN SHAH: No. No, no,
you can't park there, I'm afraid.
Who's in charge here, love?
- That'd be me, market inspector.
- Aye, Mr?
- Shah. Milan Shah.
- Ah, DCI Stanhope.
I'm here about Danny Meddon.
What's he done now?
Ah, now, his fruit and veg stall,
is that a family concern?
Yeah, Danny's dad owns the license,
Tony Meddon.
Yeah. And that's who I need
to talk to, love.
He hasn't shown his face here
this morning.
Left Onions to mind the shop, as usual.
Onions? Right.
Keep an eye on my motor, love.
Er, I need a word, pet, somewhere quiet.
I just can't believe it.
Now, have you any idea
where I'd find his mam and dad?
It's best they hear about this from us.
His mam died a while back,
and I think his dad was headed
to the wholesalers.
Right.
Now, were both you and Danny
working on the stall yesterday?
Aye, and then we went for drinks
in The Tavern after work.
Most of the stallholders end there
after close.
Yeah. Anything happen in the pub
I should know about?
Danny and his dad
had a bit of a kick-off.
So, what was this kick-off about?
Tony told Danny
he was thinking of selling up.
Danny was livid,
saw it as some kind of betrayal.
So, how did it resolve itself?
I got between them.
Danny stormed out of there.
- And what time was this?
- Er, must've been around nine.
When did his mam die?
It's getting on six months now.
Tony's been letting things slide
with the business since.
Me and Danny have been
picking up the slack for him.
What about a girlfriend?
Good-looking lad.
He liked to play the field.
Do you recognise this face?
No.
No, I can't say I do, sorry.
Hm.
Now, I am gonna have
to ask you this, love.
Can you think of anyone
who might've had it in for Danny?
Maybe.
You might wanna talk to Ian Headley.
He's one of the other traders.
Wanna tell me why?
Few months ago
Tony falls behind on his subs.
Comes into work one day,
and he finds out the gaffer's
handed Headley his pitch.
- What, the gaffer? You mean Mr Shah?
- Aye.
Tony, he goes after Headley.
He throws a punch,
lands him an assault charge.
He's been at odds with the Meddons
ever since.
Well, thanks, love.
Look, I can't keep calling you Onions.
What does your mam call you?
Owen. It's Owen Duggan.
Ah, well, thanks, Owen.
We may need to talk again.
- Tony Meddon?
- Who's asking?
I'm afraid I have some bad news
for you, sir.
Where'd you find him?
Couple of miles outside town,
Bentham Bridge.
And what was he doing there?
Well, I was hoping you'd know
the answer to that.
He was in the pub last time I saw him.
Yeah, where the pair of you
had a kick-off.
We've been losing money
hand over fist
ever since Gaynor died.
Aye, I heard your wife had passed.
I'm sorry, love.
I told him I was done with it.
You know, the stall,
the grafting, early starts,
none of it mattered any more.
And what did he say to that?
Some guff about the stall
being his mam's legacy.
Weren't you worried
when he didn't come home last night?
Nah. He'd been dossing
down at Onions' place.
Is that right?
Now, I noticed you've got a broken
headlight on your vehicle, sir.
- You know that's against the law.
- Aye.
That'd be a fine,
points on your licence.
Do you wanna tell us how you came by it?
I smashed it a few weeks ago.
Hadn't had time to get it fixed.
Did you report the accident?
I'd let the insurance lapse.
Well, that's six more points,
probably lose your license.
I've had a lot on my mind lately,
you know.
Well, lucky for you,
that's not my department.
But I will need you to ID the body, sir.
Next of kin.
Danny Meddon, 23 years old,
market trader.
He was killed last night
in a hit-and-run at Bentham Bridge.
Now, this may have been
a random accident,
but since it wasn't reported,
we're treating it
as a murder investigation
until we know otherwise.
Either way,
we need to find that vehicle.
Steph, surveillance.
Er, there was no surveillance
near the crime scene, ma'am.
We're still checking ANPR
and speed cameras.
Now, Jac would have handed me a list
of any stolen cars by now.
Since she's back in Fraud,
you need to step up.
- I'll make sure I'm across it, ma'am.
- Aye.
As soon as you like.
Now, we know the lad left
The Market Tavern about 9pm
after a stand-up row with his dad,
Tony Meddon.
Now, the two had been at odds
since the lad's mam died.
And there's a bit of a crust
on the grieving husband,
by all accounts.
Er, I pulled out Tony Meddon's record,
and he got six months suspended
for that assault on Ian Headley.
Right, so there's bad blood
between the two of them.
We need to talk to this fella.
Right, I want legs down at that market.
Anyone who knew Danny Meddon,
anyone who saw him last night,
anyone
Well, look who the cat dragged in.
I didn't mean to interrupt.
Hey, it's nice of you to stop by, Joe.
As some of you may remember,
DS Ashworth used to be one of the team.
It's DI Ashworth now,
College of Policing.
You must have been informed.
- What?
- That we're gonna be observing.
Oh, aye, but I didn't know
it was going to be you.
Does that mean
we're gonna be assessed, ma'am?
[SHE EXHALES]
Well, maybe DI Ashworth can answer that.
And you are?
Detective Constable Duncan. Steph.
This force is one of a number being
studied for comparative purposes.
New codes of professional practice.
So, why are we being singled out?
Recent case summaries highlighted
a lack of strategic direction.
What, and they've sent you
to sort it out?
We set national standards
for key areas of policing.
And we want all of those
in law enforcement
to understand their challenges.
So, what's the deal here, Joe?
You're snooping on us?
I prefer to call it close scrutiny.
And I'd rather you call me "sir".
A word.
I thought you might have missed us.
Well, I don't know
what gave you that idea.
You swan in here in a new coat,
no word of warning.
Like I say, I'm just observing.
And do I get any say in this?
It was all above my pay grade.
There are plenty of forces
who aren't up to scratch.
There's no suggestion
that anyone's underperforming.
Well, that's exactly
what it sounded like to me.
Listen, I'm gonna be ticking some boxes.
A few recommendations,
intelligence requirements,
operational priorities.
Vera, you won't even know I'm here.
Oh, right. Well, in that case,
I've got a murder to solve.
And I'd rather you called me "ma'am".
And he didn't seem
out of the ordinary to you?
- Excuse me, sir.
- All right, thank you for your time.
You should've been issued
with standardised questionnaires.
You'll have to take that one up
with the boss.
How long are we gonna
have to live with this?
Oh, as long as it takes, Kenny.
We do our job. Nothing to worry about.
- Mr Shah?
- Wait!
- Basma.
- Yeah.
- What are you doing here?
- Well, Carol told us about Danny.
I thought maybe I could be of some help.
You're not helping anyone, Basma.
Just go home.
- Must be the missus.
- Hmm.
Excuse me, is this absolutely necessary?
We're investigating a murder, Mr Shah.
Yeah, I understand that,
but how's this gonna look?
You all questioning my stallholders.
Oh, well, the sooner we're finished
So, where will I find Ian Headley?
If it's lunch, he'll be in the cafe.
Danny was shooting his mouth off
as usual.
Thought it was going to come to blows.
Called his dad out
in front of all the traders.
Well, that wouldn't
have gone down too well.
Tony Meddon's a piece of work.
Son was a chip off the old block.
Well, you and the Meddons have history.
Well, just market banter.
Things got out of hand.
Yeah, Tony Meddon took a pop at you
for stealing his pitch.
The Meddons liked to think
they owned this market.
Plenty of people in their pocket.
Well, that's a bit of an accusation.
[HE SIGHS]
Look, you might want
to search that lock-up.
Wasn't just apples and pears
they were selling.
You're gonna have to give me
more than that, love.
[HE SIGHS]
Danny was flogging knock-off fags.
Everyone knew it.
I brought it up with Milan,
the market inspector.
- Said it was none of my concern.
- Meaning?
Well, clearly, he was in on it.
What time did you leave the pub?
Eh, must've been about 11.
Headed straight for home.
See Danny on your travels?
Can't say I did.
But
Danny Meddon was bad news.
Ask anyone on the market.
That lad got everything
that was coming to him.
I'll leave you to your fry-up.
[BELL RINGS]
Mark, get a warrant to search
the Meddons' lock-up.
Rumour has it
they've been selling dodgy fags.
Ma'am.
They've got enough to contend with, Joe,
without you breathing down their necks.
There are guidelines and procedures.
When did you get so by-the-book?
Well, maybe if you'd warned them
they were being assessed.
- [VERA SIGHS]
- Ma'am!
Barmaid confirmed Danny'd had a skinful.
Left the pub around 9pm with Onions.
His name's Owen Duggan.
He left at 9pm?
That's two or three hours
unaccounted for.
Kenny tells me you're in charge?
Oh, your acquainted with DC Lockhart?
He buys his pants from my stall.
Has done for years now.
Carol runs the stall
next to the Meddons'.
Ah, so you would've
known the lad quite well?
Me and his mam were mates.
Gaynor Meddon.
Only one who could keep him in line.
Ah, he was a bit of a charmer,
by all accounts.
Oh, Danny was a proper ladies' man.
Well, any ladies in particular
we should be talking to?
Well, you might wanna start with Leanne.
Helps us out sometimes if I need her.
Ah, is she here today?
No. Late for work yesterday
and hasn't turned up at all today.
Now, this kick-off in the pub
last night,
that wasn't just
to do with him selling up?
Danny adored his mam.
After she passed, well, he were lost.
- And it all came out at the funeral.
- What?
Tony only goes and tells him
he's adopted.
Not even a real Meddon.
What, and he hadn't known
he was adopted?
Knocked him for six.
Drove a real wedge between them.
Now, Mrs Shah, I saw you
talking to her earlier,
was she also a friend of Danny's mam?
Well, used to be.
Basma and Milan ran a stall together.
Hmm.
OK. Leanne's address, love.
She lives out in one of the villages.
She's on the books, isn't she?
I'm sure I can find one somewhere.
So, what have we learned
from these stallholders?
Aside from where Kenny buys his pants.
[CHUCKLING]
Now, we know the lad had a bit of a rep.
Fancied himself as the market gigolo.
Might explain where he was
for those missing hours.
What about this sideline in dodgy fags?
Err, I ran a background check
on Milan Shah. Come back clean.
Well, if he is taking sweeteners
to turn a blind eye,
that puts him in the frame.
I'm not aware of any evidence
to support that.
Well, we'd better get a wiggle on
and find some, then!
Just trying to establish
your line of inquiry.
I wasn't aware you were part
of this briefing.
Just ticking those boxes.
What about passive data?
Kenny, passive data?
Ma'am?
Phone logs.
Phone logs, bank statements,
computer records.
Could give us everything we need
to know about Danny Meddon.
Well, how about three missed calls
from Leanne Barrie
the evening he was murdered.
She lives with her parents
in Fourstones, ma'am.
Fourstones?
Well, that's not a million miles
from where we found his body.
Right.
I'm off to Fourstones.
- Mind if I tag along?
- [VERA SIGHS]
Do I have a choice?
OK, I get it.
You'd rather I wasn't across this.
Ah, he's got something right.
There's always room for improvement,
that's all I'm saying.
So, this lack of strategic direction,
I'm guessing that's a pop at me?
I know that you lost
a couple of your team recently.
Jac was offered promotion.
We were sorry to see her go.
I'd never stand in anyone's way,
as you well know.
DS Healey?
He fancied his prospects down under.
Now, I suppose that's my fault as well?
It's all about inspiring common purpose.
Building an inclusive workplace.
Meaning?
You never did learn to delegate,
did you?
I mean, look at a copper like Kenny.
You ever stopped to think
about his personal development?
I think he's a tad past that, don't you?
You're not still driving
that old thing, are you?
Yeah, what if I am?
Well, I think resources
would be better spent
maintaining a newer vehicle.
Well, if the vehicle doesn't meet
your exacting standards,
you can drive yourself there.
[ENGINE REVS]
Now, we're here about the death
of one of the stallholders,
a Danny Meddon.
- Found on Bentham Bridge.
- What?
Hey, I'm sorry, love.
It was a hit-and-run last night.
WHISPERS: Right.
Now, can you tell us about
your relationship with the deceased?
There's nothing to tell.
Ah, well, we know you called him
three times last night
after he left the pub.
You said you were out with the girls.
I was.
I never wanted Leanne to take that job.
They don't need to hear all this, Alun.
I could've put in a word at the factory.
Where is it you work, Mr Barrie?
Camley's. Shop floor manager,
been there 25 years.
This was her chance
to get out of the village.
Make some new friends.
She doesn't need friends
like Danny Meddon.
I told him to stay away.
You never gave him a chance!
Look, we just need to establish
the lad's movements
prior to the incident.
Yeah, well
We were all set on leaving last night.
I'd packed a bag.
You finally would've been shot of us!
Now, Carol at the market tells us
that you and Danny were close.
Danny looked out for us.
Said we had a special connection.
So, this plan for the pair of you
to leave Bentham last night,
was that his idea?
We decided a couple of days ago.
We only booked the tickets
last night on his tablet.
The last coach down to London.
So, the pair of you are all set
to get this coach. Then what?
Got roped into that dinner
with Carol and the girls,
so he said he'd meet us
at the coach station later.
Kept calling him. No answer.
Stood there at the station
for over an hour.
Obviously, he wasn't coming, so
I caught a cab back to the village.
Did Danny tell you he was adopted?
He didn't want it
getting around the market.
[PHONE RINGS]
Hello.
Yeah. OK.
He told me he'd tracked down
his birth mother.
What? When was this?
Few months ago.
I asked him how it went.
He closed it down.
Did he tell you her name?
- Never mentioned her again.
- Oh.
I think she might've lived somewhere
in South Shields.
Oh, thanks, pet.
So, what are we thinking?
I'm thinking you should
keep your nose out of it.
Stuck up in the sticks,
parents who don't understand her.
Along comes a good-looking lad
Sounds to me like
he was stringing her along.
Oh, that's a fella's take on it, is it?
Hey, I'm just trying to help.
Oh, well, come on, then,
since we're sharing, enlighten us.
He's got a family business to run.
The last thing he's gonna do is
run away with a lovesick teenager.
So, are you still with Celine?
Aye.
And the kids OK,
Thingy and Whatsherface?
Michael and Jessie? They're fine.
Oh, and the bairn?
The bairn's 13 now.
Well, I'll expect
you'll be missing them.
- [PHONE RINGS]
- Yeah.
Part of the job, innit?
Long stints away from home.
Well, this used to be your home.
Mark?
- Ma'am.
- Hang on, hang on.
Have you applied for a search warrant?
- Do I need one?
- I know what's right.
Well, so do I, love.
Come on, get this open.
- Let's have a look inside.
- Here we go.
Look, can I?
Can you stand back, sir?
[ONLOOKERS CHATTER]
Ma'am.
Ma'am.
I swear, I had no idea
that they were in there.
I don't even have a key.
Ooh, not looking good
with Trading Standards.
Yeah, well,
I'll need to write up a report.
Oh, what, make sure you cover your back?
Sorry, what's that supposed to mean?
That lock-up is full of knock-off gear.
- I had no idea.
- Ah, that's not gonna wash, love.
Cos I know Ian Headley
tipped you the wink.
Ian Headley likes to stir up trouble.
The Meddons haven't paid their subs
here for weeks,
and yet you still keep 'em
on the market.
Tony's wife died.
I could hardly send them packing.
What, so you just turn a blind eye
to whatever it is they're doing?
Now, how much is
that little favour worth, I wonder?
You think I was in on this?
I run a reputable market.
There's nothing reputable
about the Meddons.
And from what I've been hearing,
it's them who run this place.
Yeah, I think we're done here.
We're done when I say we're done.
Now, what time
did you last see Danny Meddon?
Around closing yesterday.
He was on his way to The Tavern.
You not go to the pub?
I never mix with the traders
outside of work hours.
Ah.
I left the market around seven
and went home to my wife.
And I assume she'll vouch for that?
- Yeah, if she needs to.
- [PHONE RINGS]
Ah, here's Tony now.
I'll leave you to give him the news.
Yeah?
- Leave it on my desk.
- OK, ma'am.
Oh, still here, then?
I thought I might sit in for this one.
What, for old times' sake?
Just observing, remember?
Yeah. It's a non-speaking role.
47 cartons of contraband cigarettes
hidden under your satsumas.
Handbags, perfume
under your pomegranates!
Danny sold all that on the side.
Any cash went straight into his pocket.
So where's he getting
this knock-off gear from?
Straight off one of the ships,
is what he he said.
But I-I don't know,
I didn't ask any questions.
Well, that's very convenient.
I warned him
he was getting himself in trouble.
Oh, so he's dealing with people
you wouldn't wanna mess with?
Hmm. And was his dad part of all this?
If he finds out that I'm talking
What, he'll take a pop at you?
We know he's got form for that.
Now, then, Danny's tablet.
Any idea where that might be?
Why would I know that?
Well, to start with,
he's been kipping on your floor.
Another thing you failed to mention.
He had nowhere else to go.
Your mate leaves the pub,
steaming drunk,
doesn't turn up for work
the next morning.
Didn't you think to give him a ring,
find out if he was OK?
Danny was always disappearing.
He wouldn't show up for days sometimes.
Any idea where he went?
I wasn't his keeper.
Did you know that Danny had
met up with his birth mother?
Who told you that, then?
Well, he confided as much
to Leanne Barrie.
Reckons she was his girlfriend.
She'd only known him five minutes.
Selling contraband tobacco's
a serious offence.
You could be looking at a fine,
possible custodial sentence.
Yeah, well, here's the thing, pet,
I couldn't give a stuff
about these dodgy fags.
I just want to find out
who killed your mate.
So if there's anything at all
you've neglected to tell me,
now would be a good time.
Right.
Wait.
Danny broke into Headley's van
and stole some shirts and some tops.
Did he?
And when was this?
It was a few days ago.
Danny got a kick
out of riling Headley up.
He said he needed putting in his place.
- Was this theft reported?
- No.
Headley was probably too scared to.
Oh, not surprised.
Last time, he got a thump.
So, that night,
Danny comes into the pub
wearing one of these shirts.
And the look on Headley's face
Right.
Listen, you're not gonna charge us
for that stuff in the lock-up, are you?
No, that licence
is in Tony Meddon's name.
He'll have to deal with the fallout.
But if I find out
you've been lying to me,
a fine's gonna be
the least of your worries.
Interview terminated, 9:32.
DCI Stanhope leaving the room.
Just observing (!)
This department is in dire need
of a shake-up.
Resources are stretched, of course,
but I did make some proposals
to the Forensics Submissions team.
Well, I'll make sure I read up on them.
Well, if we could just focus
on the matter in hand.
Postmortem findings confirmed
what we learned at the crime scene.
Typical impact injuries.
Aside from the fractures,
burst blood vessels
from the force of the collision,
tears in the soft tissues.
So, what was it killed him?
Acute subdural haematoma.
Blood would have collected
between the skull and the brain.
PH levels confirmed
the postmortem interval.
He'd been dead for around six hours
when we found him.
Are you saying
his life might've been saved
if someone had got him to hospital?
- That's pure conjecture.
- Well, not if it impacts on my case.
It's possible.
I ran a tox screen.
There was a substantial amount
of alcohol in his system,
enough to impair his mental faculties.
Well, we know he'd been on a bender.
So, what is the strategy
for the forensic response?
All compiled in line with best practice.
What about the crime scene,
anything that we can work with?
Microscopic flecks of grey paint
on Danny's jeans.
Highly likely it came from
the vehicle that ran him down.
Unless he'd been painting
the garden fence.
If we can match the paint
to a code on the database
It's the undercoat layer structure
that gives us all the answers.
We only have the topcoat.
What about the broken headlight?
Ah, now, that was more promising.
The fragment we found
has a code embedded inside it.
It's incomplete,
but if we can crack it
We could narrow down the focus
to a particular make of vehicle.
- Mm-hm.
- Good.
Right, now it's time.
I'll leave you two
to put your heads together.
[MAN SIGHS]
Yeah.
Just glad his mam isn't here
to see this.
Look, why don't you come
and sit down, love?
And I know he'd only just found out
he was adopted.
You've been talking to Carol.
She's a nebby one.
All came out at his mam's funeral.
Gaynor's dying wish.
Made me swear to tell him the truth.
Why keep it a secret?
Just never felt like the right time,
is all.
Well, how did the lad take the news?
I told him he was still my son.
Flesh and blood.
The rest of it, nobody else's business.
Look, I'm sorry to bring this up, love,
but that assault charge, Ian Headley.
Ian Headley, Ian Headley.
Headley stole our pitch!
Now, that might've been wise to have
mentioned that charge before.
So, what, were you making
an example of him?
- I should never have lamped him.
- Understatement.
But he insisted on
getting the police involved.
On the market, we settle things our way.
- Oh, keep it in the family?
- He had it coming.
So, nothing to do with these dodgy fags?
Cos we've got you
bang to rights for that.
No prizes for guessing
who grassed us up.
Now, just after we found that gear,
you were straight on the blower
to the market inspector.
Now, that makes me think
he was in on it.
Danny said Milan wouldn't be a problem.
- That everything was taken care of.
- Meaning?
Everyone has their price.
Ooh.
I saw youse yesterday,
down at the market.
Oh, aye.
Carol tells us
you used to run a stall there.
Ten years, rain or shine.
So, why'd you decide to give it up?
Milan landed the inspector's job.
He didn't think I could manage
on my own.
We bought the house off-plan,
moved up sticks
to the middle of nowhere.
I'm a lady of leisure now.
How well do you know the Meddons?
I was friendly enough with Gaynor.
Milan didn't think
they were our sort of people.
Now, market inspector, take home pay
wouldn't stretch very far.
I mean, a house like this,
it must've cost you.
We came into some family money.
Ah.
Now, on the night that Danny was killed,
your husband tells me
he was home all evening.
Must have got back about 7:30.
Well, you sound very certain of that.
Milan likes his routine.
Regular as clockwork.
OK. I'll leave you to it.
Thanks for your time, love.
Bye.
I've been looking into
Danny's social media history, ma'am.
He had a profile on a gay hook-up app.
What?
Are you saying our ladies' man
was into fellas, too?
Looks like.
Well, there's a turn-up.
Anything we can run with?
All his DMs have been deleted.
Something he didn't want to get out?
Bicurious, metrosexual,
does anyone care these days?
Oh, you'd be surprised, Steph,
small town like Bentham.
Well done.
Kenny, where are we
with this lad's tablet?
Nothing yet, ma'am.
Well, contact that pub again!
It's got to be somewhere.
Ma'am.
- Leanne, is that you?
- [DOOR CLOSES]
Snivelling snitch!
You never learn, do you? Right, get out!
Argh!
He was waiting outside the lock-up.
If I hadn't got away in the van
Are you saying Tony Meddon
threatened you?
He needs locking up.
I don't want him anywhere near me.
And is this the van you were driving?
Yep. I keep most of my stock
in there overnight.
So, is this the same van
Danny Meddon broke into last week?
See, he was wearing this shirt
the night he died.
Yeah, and I doubt he paid for it.
I knew it was Danny.
I didn't have any proof.
And there he was in the pub,
bold as brass,
waltzing around in your stolen clobber.
Stands to reason you might have cracked.
I'm the victim here, the injured party!
And we will address your concerns, sir.
But meanwhile,
I'd like my forensics team
going over that van.
I don't buy it, it doesn't add up.
Is Tony Meddon still a suspect?
Aye, for the time being.
Not that it's any of your concern.
You think he's capable
of running down his own son?
I think he's a violent individual
with previous for assault,
who just threatened the fella
who dobbed him in.
I think we should focus on Ian Headley.
That's your strategic assessment, is it?
Well, it wouldn't hurt to bring him in.
I'll bring him in when
I'm good and ready to bring him in.
And when I want your opinion,
I'll ask for it.
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
[DOOR OPENS]
[HE SIGHS]
I'm just trying to encourage
some creative thinking.
God knows this place could do with it.
You've done nothing but undermine me
since you got here.
Now you're doing it in front of my team.
I would never undermine you.
Backstabbing, sabotage,
call it what you will.
I've seen you on your phone.
Well, if you're planning on
reporting me to the IOPC,
go ahead, fill your boots.
When was the last time
you bought some new equipment?
What's wrong with the kit I've got?
Some of those computers
are older than I am.
- They do the job.
- "They do the job."
They could be better.
It's all about standardisation.
Yeah, spending taxpayers' money.
Listen, Joe, I follow my gut.
One of the most important things
to any decent copper.
Now, clearly, that's something
you've forgotten all about.
- KNOCK AT DOOR
- What?!
The report you asked for
from social services, ma'am.
- Danny Meddon's adoption.
- Right, any joy?
Birth was registered at Bentham General,
8th September, 2000.
Father unknown.
There's a scanned picture
of the birth mother, though.
Alison Wilmslow.
Ah, now, that's the photo
the lad had in his wallet.
Adoption was finalised six months later.
Adoptive parents,
Anthony and Gaynor Meddon.
They were both vetted
and cleared by a panel.
Well, this seems fairly routine.
Something flagged up on the file
as well, ma'am.
Something you might wanna know about.
Well, spit it out.
The mother got pregnant
as a result of a sexual assault.
Could the lad have known about that?
She now goes by Alison Rahim,
and I traced her number
on Danny's mobile.
So he had been in contact with her.
I've also tracked down
a current address.
Somewhere in South Shields.
Aye, 25 Fourbridge Street.
Good work, Steph.
I thought I could pay her a visit.
Well, something like that
requires sensitive handing.
And you think I'm not up to the job?
Just watch your tone, DC Duncan.
Sorry, ma'am.
I suppose I could always go with her.
Or what, I get mentioned in that report,
failure to effectively
engage the workforce?
It might be relevant to the case.
Hmm.
Right, don't share anything
you don't need to.
Ian Headley tells us
you threatened him last night.
He tried to run us over!
You've been going out of your way
to intimidate the man,
- you and your son.
- He should never have grassed us up!
Did you know about this break-in?
Ian Headley's van.
Danny stole some of his gear.
The stupid
Pissed up, thieving, knock-off fags.
Sounds like a lad
who was looking for trouble.
He had this anger inside him
ever since Gaynor died.
He was broken.
I couldn't fix him.
Alison Rahim?
Detective Constable Duncan.
This is DI Ashworth.
We'd like to talk to you
about Danny Meddon.
Right, go and see your dad.
I want nothing more to do with Danny.
And you can tell him that from me.
We can't do that, Mrs Rahim.
I'm afraid he was killed two days ago.
Right, lads, come on.
Got some snacks. Here you are.
- Thanks, Dad!
- You're welcome.
Getting pregnant back then
was the last thing I needed.
I was still young. 21.
I wasn't ready to be a mother.
So you gave the child up for adoption.
Neil had no idea.
Not until Danny showed up.
When was this?
Er Must've been, erm
six months ago.
We contacted social services.
We know about the circumstances
of Danny's adoption.
TONY: Gaynor couldn't have kids.
God knows we tried.
In the end, we put our names down
with an adoption agency.
We think Danny might have
traced his birth mother.
Nah. He wouldn't have done that
without telling us first.
The pair of you were barely talking.
They never told us her name.
Did they tell you anything
about her circumstances?
Only that she'd been sexually assaulted.
Didn't feel able to keep the baby.
Wanted to make sure
he went to a good home.
Yeah. Sparing you the details.
We didn't want Danny to know.
A start like that weighs on you.
Then Gaynor found out she had cancer.
Said we should tell Danny everything,
that we owed him the truth.
So, this rift between you
wasn't about the business at all?
It was him finding out
the dad he worshipped
had been living a lie.
How could I tell him
how he came into this world?
A rape.
Aye, you just wanted to protect him.
All I ever wanted
was to make him feel safe.
ALISON: I was on my way home
from a works Christmas party.
Pub in Bentham. Er
It was late.
After midnight.
Should have been more careful.
Hey, you were just walking home.
You've got nothing to be sorry for.
Never got a look at him.
He had this, er
This heavy coat on.
Er
Hood up. Scarf wrapped around his face.
I still remember the smell of him,
though.
Beer and cheap aftershave.
You don't have to tell us this.
No, I do.
Cos I need to make you understand.
He was young.
Erm strong.
I tried to scream.
I tried to make him stop.
Erm
Afterwards, I
I just walked to the local nick.
Erm Police took a statement,
said all the right things.
It wasn't your fault.
Was the incident ever followed up?
Aye, the the doctor took
a sample of the assailant's DNA.
No match on the system.
A few weeks,
still hadn't heard anything.
"No leads of any substance," they said.
So I decided to drop the case.
You know, put what happened behind me,
before it destroyed us.
And then you found out
you were pregnant?
I didn't tell anyone what had happened.
But then the
the faces of the people
that I grew up with,
well, it was like they could see
into my soul.
I felt dirty.
Culpable.
That child would've
been a constant reminder.
I asked if I could hold him,
you know, for an hour or so.
And then they took him away.
I couldn't stay in Bentham,
not after what had happened.
So I I moved here, met Neil,
had two more kids.
Money's tight, but we're good.
What do you do?
I'm a community nurse.
Neil drives a minicab.
You said Danny turned
up a few months ago.
Yeah. He He found us
through social services.
Said that he wanted some answers.
She told him she wasn't interested.
Yeah, well, he pushed and pushed,
and in the end, the truth came out.
The rape.
What it did to me. Everything.
And how did Danny take it?
Seemed to push him over the edge,
that this man was somehow a part of him.
What's all this got to do
with his murder?
Danny called your wife two weeks ago.
You hadn't broken off contact
completely.
We agreed,
no more contact. It It was finished.
It was just on the phone.
It was just a few minutes, that's all.
He was still my son,
and I turned him away.
Maybe if I'd just been a bit kinder,
you know
We could take another look
at the sexual assault case.
See if it throws up any new leads.
Dragging it all back up?
We'd have to get clearance
from the original SIO.
Extenuating circumstances.
23 years, I've lived with this.
All I've ever wanted is some closure.
What the hell were you thinking,
making that kind of promise?
The case was shelved. Forgotten.
Everything that happened to her,
just brushed under the carpet.
That was not your call to make.
There's a violent sex offender
who could still be out there.
You always stay objective.
You never get involved.
And how's that one working out for you?
Hey! Just remember
who you're talking to, eh?
Six weeks, I've been out of uniform.
Trying to earn my place on that team.
The DCI, she's a tough act to follow,
and she doesn't cut you any slack.
Aye, she's infuriating.
But she's the best there is,
and she'll always have your back.
I'm sorry. I messed up.
Get in.
He said he was a minicab driver.
You see his car?
Grey paint.
You thinking what I'm thinking?
I'm thinking we should run those plates.
VERA:
Now, the night your lad was killed,
did you drive home from the pub?
I'd had a few drinks.
Flagged down a cab.
So, how come you were parked up
with the van
next morning at the wholesalers'?
Onions is insured to drive it.
- Ah.
- Aye.
Restaurant orders, home delivery boxes.
I picked it up from his place,
just before you told me Danny was dead.
So, Danny and Leanne
- Did you know they were planning on leaving together?
-
- Leaving?
- Aye.
Is that what she told you?
Aye, no, they'd booked tickets
for that night.
Coach down to London.
[HE SCOFFS]
Danny was all talk.
Aye, he said he was meeting her.
He started bragging about
how hot she was for him,
you know, rubbing my face in it.
But I caught him that night,
he'd booked a hotel room for them.
Well, they'd need a hotel in London.
No, here, in town.
- Which hotel was this?
- I don't know.
And you didn't think
it was worth sharing this?
Well, I didn't want
to drop Leanne in it.
You know something like that
gets around the market.
So you were just looking out
for the lass?
Danny tells us to go back to the flat
and not to wait up for him.
Did you drive the Meddon van home
that night?
Maybe.
You either did or you didn't.
I was over the limit, all right?
It was the only reason
I didn't tell you.
Well, you know what I think?
I think you found out
your best mate was leaving,
along with the lass you were sweet on.
You weren't gonna let that happen,
were you?
You seriously think that I killed him?
I think you've been lying to me
from the start.
Too busy pointing the finger
at Ian Headley.
Danny was still my best friend
despite everything.
He was the only friend I've ever had.
[VERA CLAPS]
Danny Meddon's last known movements.
Now, according to Owen Duggan, Onions,
Danny booked a Bentham hotel room
for the night,
bragging about
taking Leanne Barrie there.
But we know she was stood waiting
for him at that coach station,
unless she's lying an' all.
So, who was he with?
Hmm? Let's get his photo
out there, Kenny,
hotels, B&B. Let's see if anyone bites.
Yes, ma'am.
I bought breakfast.
Oh, it's gonna take more
than a bacon roll, love.
- Well, if you're not hungry
- Never said that.
Right, Steph, tell us how you got on
with Alison Rahim.
Well, about that, ma'am
this is her cold case file,
and it makes for some
pretty grim reading.
- Who asked you to pull that file?
- I've cleared it with Bentham CID.
This case was investigated
and put on ice.
We should take another look.
Steph, could you give us a minute?
In case you've forgotten,
you're not part of this team.
Well, maybe I can bring something
to this one.
Oh, I think you've brought
quite enough, don't you?
We put the DNA through the database
and go back through the evidence.
I thought we were supposed to be
prioritising our time and our resources?
So I'm afraid I'm gonna have to say no.
With respect, ma'am,
I don't need your permission.
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
Sorry to interrupt, ma'am.
Those plates that you wanted Tech
to run, sir.
We can place Neil Rahim's vehicle
in Bentham
the night Danny murdered.
Right. I'm driving.
- No sugar, please, mate.
- No problem.
He'd been ringing up the house,
hanging up whenever I answered.
It's the only reason she told us
the truth in the first place,
she was worried I would hear it
from Danny.
Hey, that must've come as a shock
to hear,
finding out what had happened
to your missus.
I had a grown-up son
I knew nothing about.
Had you spoken to Danny recently,
Mr Rahim?
Alison was thinking
of meeting up with him again.
He'd been laying on the sob story,
pushing all her buttons.
So, what, you wanted to warn him off?
Aye. Went down to see him
at the market, couple of weeks ago.
Told him to sling his hook?
Even offered to pay him off.
Cocky little scrote just smirked at us.
And did your wife know
this meeting had taken place?
She's got no idea.
It's the reason I didn't tell you.
Now, the evening Danny was killed,
were you out driving your cab
that night?
Would have been touting for business
in town,
quayside, big market.
Get most of my fares from there.
Pick up any fares for Bentham?
Not that I remember.
You sure about that?
Because your plates flagged up
only a few miles away
from where the lad was killed.
Now you mention it, I did pick up
a lass from the coach station.
Drove her out to one of the villages.
Fourstones, I think.
That must be 20 miles away.
She was young.
She seemed upset about something.
I wanted to make sure she got home safe.
What happened to Alison,
something like that stays with you.
There'll be a record on the satnav.
You can check with the cab office.
Oh, don't you worry, love, we will.
Erm
Danny told us he was close
to tracking him down.
Said he was gonna pay him back
for what he did to his mam.
What if Alison did know
her assailant's identity,
and Danny had tracked down his real dad?
Gives us a motive for wanting him dead.
Finds out he's adopted, his mam
the victim of a sexual assault.
That's enough to mess
with anyone's head.
A sexual offender
about to be named and shamed.
Nah!
She didn't name her assailant.
Didn't even see his face.
And the police didn't pick up
a single lead.
Now, the chances of that lad
finding anything were pretty slim.
Had you already
looked at that file, then?
Well, of course I bloody had.
[PHONE RINGS]
Kenny?
'I'm over at the Pendelton Hotel
in Bentham, ma'am.'
The receptionist recognised
a photograph of Danny.
He came here the night he died.
He went to a room on the second floor.
'Was there anyone with him?
Hold on, Kenny.'
Right, go on.
'Well, not that she remembers.'
But I checked the payment details,
and he used a card
registered to Milan Shah.
[DOORBELL RINGS]
I replied to a message
on a dating website,
we exchanged a few details,
agreed to meet.
So, to be clear, Mr Shah,
you were meeting Danny Meddon for sex?
Look, he didn't have a picture
on his profile page,
wasn't even using his real name.
Well, plenty of chances
to have sent him packing.
Two more hotel bookings in your name,
past six weeks.
You can see why I couldn't tell you,
a man in my position.
Oh, we're not here to judge you, love.
Just want the facts.
I thought he was out of my league,
and I liked the attention.
So, on the night in question,
you met the lad in that hotel room,
and we can hazard a guess
what you were up to.
Danny was already drunk
when he got there.
He'd been arguing with his dad
in the pub.
Oh, he was angry, wound up.
Yeah. Took me a while to calm him down.
I believe you.
According to the hotel receptionist,
you were in that room nearly two hours.
- Even ordered a bottle of wine.
- Mm-hm!
I left him passed out on the bed.
And what time was this?
[HE SCOFFS]
Must have been around 11.
And then you drove back to Meadowside
and got your missus to cover for you.
If this gets out, it will finish her.
Right, now listen up.
Mr Shah said he left Danny Meddon
passed out in that hotel room.
He's done nothing
but lie to us up to now,
but unless we can prove otherwise
Married man, closet case,
he'd been playing around.
And the lad had enough on him
to bury him.
Well, I went through his wallet
when he got booked in.
Found a petrol receipt
for the night in question.
It's for a garage on the A-road
just outside of Bentham.
Well, that's headed over
to where we found his body.
Well done, Mark!
Time on the receipt says 11:25pm.
Right. Well, get over
to that petrol station,
- let's see what that'll give us.
- Ma'am.
That was the desk sergeant, ma'am.
Leanne Barrie's been arrested.
OFFICER: Mind your head.
Come on, this way.
Turn to your right, please.
Now to your left.
Shoplifting?
Just took a bit of make-up
from one of the stalls, like.
Ah, doesn't matter what you stole, love.
It's still theft. Why did you do it?
Well, we're going to charge you.
Sit down.
You'll have a record.
All for a bit of lippy.
DCI Stanhope
interviewing Leanne Barrie, 19:39.
Look, I know you've had a tough time
the last few days, love,
but do you think Danny would've
wanted any of this?
I don't care about Danny!
From the moment we met,
he'd been messing me around.
Now, if you've got something to say
that might have a bearing on his murder,
you need to tell me what it is.
OK.
How did his tablet
come to be in your possession?
He left it behind in the pub that night.
That was something else
you shouldn't have taken.
I was just looking after it for him.
So, if I'm gonna find something on here,
you might just as well
tell me what it is.
I was scrolling through
some of his emails.
Yeah, his emails, yeah.
Yeah, 'cos Danny had signed up
to this heritage website
after he found out he was adopted.
- What, like a family tree?
- Yeah.
You send them a swab,
they work out your DNA profile,
post you an update
if they find any matches.
I'd already done it.
So, why did you sign up?
A-level project.
Genetics and coding.
Wanted to find out what I was made of.
So, when I'm going through
these emails, and I will,
what is it I'm gonna find?
You're going to find that
my dad isn't
all he was cracked up to be.
Danny was my brother.
Morning, ma'am.
Listen, you were right
about that cold case.
Now, walking home
from that Christmas do,
the night Alison was attacked,
that party was at Camley's.
Aye, she was working there
the same time as Alun Barrie.
Now, Leanne told us that
she and Danny had a connection.
Well, we know he played the field.
So, why didn't he try it on with her?
I tell you why,
because he'd found out
that Leanne was his sister.
And Alun Barrie was his dad?
He'd found his mam's rapist.
[SIREN WAILS]
Well, come on, come on, look sharp.
- Up there!
- Follow her up there.
Do the honours, Joe.
Alun Barrie, I'm arresting you on
suspicion of serious sexual assault.
1999, you were already working
at Camley's, weren't you?
Well, yes, you were. We know you were.
And, erm And Alison Rahim was
also working there at the same time.
Although you might remember her
as Alison Winslow.
Employed as a packer.
If you say so. That was 23 year ago.
Name doesn't ring any bells.
Oh, you might remember
the Christmas party that year, 1999.
I'm assuming you were there.
Like I said, it was years ago.
Well, this is a statement
Alison gave to the police,
reporting that she'd been
sexually assaulted
on her way home from that party.
Yeah, some of it's a bit hard
to stomach,
but it's all there in black and white.
We can give you some time to read it.
Why would I wanna read it?
"I had no idea I was being followed
"until he grabbed me
by the back of the neck,
"pushed me down to the ground"
I don't need to listen to this.
And these are the injuries
she sustained during that assault.
I'd like you look at them, please, sir.
Did you know your daughter
was arrested yesterday?
- What?
- Aye.
Stealing some make-up
from one of the stalls.
Her DNA profile was added
to our database.
You can't do that.
Ah, it's just normal procedure, love.
And it's good for us that we did.
Because this here
is your daughter's profile.
And this is the profile
of Alison's assailant.
And they're a familial match.
Which is all the evidence
that we need to charge you.
See, DNA doesn't lie, love.
23 years, you've been waiting
for a knock at the door,
and Danny Meddon tracks you down.
What's he got to do with it?
Ah, that poor lad who was killed
just a couple of miles from your house.
Now, we know you'd warned him off,
didn't want him anywhere near
your daughter.
Danny Meddon was bad news.
Oh, aye. But not in the sense you mean.
It was worse than that, love.
Because Alison Rahim,
the lass you sexually assaulted,
was his mam.
Danny Meddon was your son.
No.
No way.
That why you killed him?
Cos he was about to expose you
for what you really are?
What? This is ridiculous.
Now you're saying
I'd murder my own child?
Well, you violently assaulted his mam,
beat her black and blue,
left her like a bag of rubbish
at the side of the road.
I think you're capable of anything.
KATHY: So
who is she, this this woman,
who's come forward?
Now, I can't tell you that,
not at this stage.
I think, at least, you owe me her name.
She was a colleague of your husband's.
She worked at Camley's for a while.
Leanne must not know anything
about this so-called rape.
She's going to find out
soon enough, love.
What?
Danny knew what he'd done.
Leanne, you don't need
to hear any of this.
He found out his dad was a rapist.
Our dad!
Enough!
I'm sorry, love.
He didn't even care about me.
He set us up.
He was just using me to get to my dad.
Well, why did he leave it so long?
Why wouldn't he say something sooner?
Maybe he was trying to protect her.
We think Danny was headed here
on the night he was murdered
for a confrontation with your husband.
And you
And you think Alun killed him?
He had everything to lose, pet.
There you go.
So, talk to me.
I'm worried we're shooting ourselves
in the foot here.
You don't think Alun Barrie killed him?
No, I'm starting to think
maybe he didn't know
Danny had identified him.
It's a bit of a U-turn.
Well, we know he couldn't stand the lad,
but he'd no idea the little scrote
was about to do a flit
with his daughter.
And I'd lay money he didn't know
Danny was having a covert romp
in that hotel with Milan Shah.
The chances of them
meeting on that road
And the look on his face
when we told him who Danny was.
More surprised than we were.
So, if he was in the dark about
being the lad's biological father
Where's his motive for wanting him dead?
Apart from the fact he hates his guts.
Aye, so, now,
what does your gut tell you?
It tells me that there's more to this.
Reminds me of the day
that we scattered Hector's ashes.
How long ago was that now?
Well, it's 13 years.
I know people think
I'm stuck in my ways,
but I've adapted as a copper.
Moved with the times.
Anything to get the job done.
I mean, that's why I'm still around.
Don't get anywhere standing still.
[HE SIGHS]
My dad's dying.
Vascular dementia.
That's the reason I took this gig.
How long's he got?
I don't know.
A few months, if we're lucky.
It's getting to the point
where he forgets who I am.
Hey, I'm sorry, love.
You know, I always wanted
to bring the kids up here.
I followed the work
and lost sight of what matters.
Francesca. She's your youngest.
- You remembered her name!
- Yeah.
After the mother-in-law, wasn't it?
Hard to forget that one.
[HE CHUCKLES]
Come on.
Ma'am, we've got the CCTV
from that petrol station.
You might want to have a look.
So, that's Milan Shah's Range Rover
pulling up at one of the pumps.
Someone else with him.
Yeah, who is it?
Can you zoom in on that?
Danny Meddon.
On the night Danny Meddon was killed,
contrary to what you told us,
you left that hotel together.
Because we've got you both
caught on camera, in your vehicle,
at a garage not a mile
from where we found his body.
I said I'd drive him home.
It was late. He'd been drinking.
Now you're arguing here.
What was that about?
I
I told him I wanted to end things.
The affair, the dodgy scams.
Barrow boy charm wearing thin, was it?
Look, Danny set me up.
He was playing me.
[CLICKS HER TONGUE]
So, what was it,
wanted the debt written off?
The money his dad owed in rent?
Even demanded their old pitch back.
And if he didn't get what he wanted?
He threatened to tell Basma everything.
I told him I wouldn't give in
to blackmail.
So, he jumped out
and started walking down
down one of the lanes.
And then you started your car
and followed him.
You ran that lad down
and you left him for dead.
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
Ma'am, a word?
Danny Meddon was trash.
I wasn't gonna let him
ruin everything I'd worked for.
This better be important.
The fragment of headlight
we found at the crime scene,
we narrowed down to a model of vehicle.
What, you cracked the code?
VW Golf, 17 plate.
He drives a white Range Rover.
Well, that doesn't stack up.
The chances are, it rules him out.
Unless
Those stallholders were out
on a birthday dinner that night,
- weren't they?
- They all signed a statement.
Maybe we missed someone.
Get Steph to run another ANPR check,
any plates that match the new intel.
And let me know as soon
as you find anything.
- Thank you.
- Thanks, love.
Hey, have you got a minute, love?
Oh, I heard you arrested Milan Shah.
Ah, now, you know
I can't comment on that.
Well, news travels fast in the market.
Yes, I'll bet.
Now there's just something
I need to check with you, love.
Well, of course, if I can help.
Now, his wife, Basma, tells us
that she and Milan were at home
all evening,
the night that Danny was killed.
But I don't think
she's being straight with us.
No, she's not being straight with you.
I don't know what he was doing,
but she was out with us
at the birthday dinner.
And what time
did she leave the restaurant?
Must've been around 11.
You sure about that?
Well, she needed to get home
before he did,
otherwise there'd have been hell to pay.
Thanks, love.
Talk to me, Steph!
'We got a hit with a vehicle that fits.
'We can place it in the vicinity
of the crime scene.'
It's a grey-coloured Golf.
'Is it registered to
Milan Shah's address?'
Yes, it is.
Steph, I need back-up
over at Meadowside Estate.
And, Joe, I'll meet you there.
[BELL RINGS]
Mrs Shah.
I called, rang the bell.
I've been putting it off, the garden.
It's always best
to stay on top of things.
Your husband's being questioned
in connection with
Danny Meddon's murder.
He's been in custody for hours now.
Are you not concerned?
[SHE SIGHS]
I shouldn't have lied for him.
Milan can be very persuasive.
Your husband didn't kill Danny Meddon.
And we know all about his little secret.
I always hated this house.
Soulless and draughty.
No-one ever comes to visit.
Ah, well, you missed yer mates,
fancied a night out on the town.
He told us he'd be back late,
some business with
the stallholder committee.
See you tomorrow!
'Just an hour, I thought.
'It's not as if he'd ever know.'
- One for the road?
- I I'd better get back.
- All right, love.
- Right. I'll call youse!
'I said goodbye to Carol,
headed to the car.'
He called us to tell us
he was on his way home.
And you were parked up in Burn Street,
behind the Pendelton Hotel.
Is that where you saw the pair of them?
- MILAN: Danny! Danny!
- Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!
OK, look, it's late,
you've had a lot to drink.
Let me just
Come on, it's me.
It's fine.
VERA: And there's you,
keeping up appearances,
locked up out of harm's way
while he's carrying on.
With Gaynor's lad, to boot.
Danny Meddon liked to play games.
'He didn't care about the consequences,
'people he was hurting,
lives he might be ruining.
'I followed them to the garage.
'Saw Danny leaving, Milan driving away.'
Ah, so you saw your chance
to put an end to things, hmm?
I thought maybe if I went after Danny,
I might be able to make him see sense,
or confront him, warn him off.
That didn't work out so well.
'I was driving too fast.
He was weaving all over the road.'
[THUD]
After I hit him,
I slammed on the brakes.
Sat there, shaking.
Couldn't take my hands
off the steering wheel.
I could see him in the mirror,
lying in the middle of the bridge.
All I could hear was the river.
[WATER FLOWS]
I could see he was already dead.
So you just got in your car
and drove off?
Aye. I panicked.
I I wasn't thinking straight.
Except it wasn't an accident,
was it, love?
You had every intention
of running that lad down.
You wanted him dead,
and you just walked away.
It was payback.
He deserved everything he got.
You left him to die on that bridge,
and drove home to your lying,
cheating husband.
We could have put it all behind us.
The problem had gone away.
A new start.
Well, I think we both know
that was never going to happen.
Mr Shah
we've charged your wife
with Danny Meddon's murder,
and you'll also be charged with
perverting the course of justice.
I owed her that much,
after everything I put her through.
Oh, that doesn't excuse anything, love.
You know, I
I
I was ready to tell Basma everything
that night.
Yeah, I rehearsed it in my head
a thousand times.
I couldn't let her hear it from Danny.
But when I got back from Bentham,
she wasn't at home,
so I sat down and waited.
And I heard her key in the door.
She'd been out with some friends
from the market.
Thought I'd be angry
for catching her out.
She was trembling.
Almost recoiled when I touched her.
Well, that's hardly surprising,
after what she'd seen,
what she'd just done.
She She checked her car
into the garage the next day.
They billed me for a broken headlight.
Ah, so that's when you realised
she'd killed him?
She must have known I had my suspicions.
Cos when I told her I needed an alibi
she didn't even ask me why.
Hiya.
- No Onions today?
- Nah. Given him a bit of time off.
Well, I thought you'd like to know,
we've charged Basma Shah
with your son's murder.
I heard.
Suppose it'll all come out,
what Danny was up to?
I expect it will, love.
He was still my son.
Tony, this is Alison Rahim.
Right. What can I get you, love?
She's Danny's birth mother.
I asked Inspector Stanhope
if it might be OK to drop by.
Just to talk.
Oh, you're busy, sorry, I
No.
I can get someone to mind the stall.
We can grab a coffee, if you like?
Yeah. Be nice.
- Can you just?
- Aye.
- Thanks for coming.
- No, thanks for seeing me.
DCI Stanhope!
[CHATTER]
I thought you'd be packed up
and gone by now.
Nah, a few loose ends
I needed to sort out.
Ah, well, I'll look forward
to those recommendations.
No need to lose any sleep.
Me, on the other hand,
with everything that's going on
with my dad, I'll not be going far.
Well, erm if you like, maybe
maybe I could pull a few strings,
get a place on the team.
I mean, just something
to tide you over, if that's
I'm a DI now, boss.
Aye, and don't we know it!
Ma'am, someone put these on my desk.
Oh, Carol insisted, Kenny.
Thought you could do with a new pair.
It'd have to be on my terms.
Long as you remember who's in charge.
All right, I'll give it some thought.
Actually, ma'am, I'm a large.
Oh, that's too much information, Kenny!
[THEY CHUCKLE]
[TEAM CHEERING]