Vera s13e02 Episode Script

1
Yeah, all right. That sounds nice.
Let's go and try some diamonds on, yeah?
OK, yeah, that sounds good.
- Oh, are you all right, pet?
- Yeah. Don't make a fuss, I'm fine!
OK, come on,
let's go and get some coffee.
[GASPING]
Oh, look. Come on.
- What? No. No, no, no.
- Yes, come on!
- Are we actually trying one on?
- Yes!
- Come on.
- What are you doing?
Not that one. Oh! Gabi, come on.
- OK.
- Try it on.
[GIGGLING]
- Hey, that looks good! No?
- No, I like it!
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
[STUNNED GIGGLING]
- Hey, erm let's get it, mm-hm?
- Really?
No, no, it's my treat.
[SHE SCOFFS]
Thank you.
Thank you so much for this.
- It's really cheered me up.
- It's all right, love.
[SHE CHUCKLES]
I'll be fine.
All right, pet.
[SHE PANTS]
MAN: Gabi, wait!
- Come on! We need to talk!
- I said leave me alone!
[TRAIN HORN BLARES]
♪
[TRAIN HORN BLARES]
Hello?
'Hello, you are through to
Fensham Crossing safety line.'
- Is the track clear?
- 'Yes.'
- So, you think you're gonna beat us, do you?
- Yeah.
- You're not gonna beat me!
- Yeah, I am!
Your dad was champion
by the time he was your age.
- No, you wasn't.
- I was, I was
[TRAIN HORN BLARES]
[SHE GROANS]
[CAR HORN BEEPS]
- Morning, ma'am.
- Is this as close as I can get?
Yeah. Sorry, it's a bit backed up.
Er, it's a maintenance road,
used for the level crossing.
Only way vehicles can access it.
[VERA GROANS]
OK, ma'am?
Oh, DI Ashworth is keen.
So, this level crossing,
it's just for pedestrians, is it?
Yes, ma'am.
ASHWORTH: No stone unturned
- What's he doing?
- Ma'am?
I want a search
along the length of the track,
and I want a team knocking on
every house and farm in the area.
- Come back to me as soon as you can.
- MAN: Yes, sir.
What's this? Need I bother turning up?
- Have you solved it already?
- Thank you, everyone.
- Just getting things started.
- Where's the deceased?
Over there. She was found by ramblers.
We've stopped the trains while we work.
Ah, well, that's nice to know
we're not gonna be flattened by
a high-speed express (!)
Thanks.
Vera! You made it.
Well, it's a bit of a walk
from back there.
DI Ashworth.
So what can you tell us?
We've a female. Early 20s.
Looks a little undernourished,
but otherwise healthy.
Well, "undernourished"
doesn't exactly scream
"regular rambler", does it?
Nor do her clothes.
- Or those nails.
- Not your style?
Overnight rains
made a mess of the ground.
But I think she fell here.
Not moved postmortem.
Anything to give us ID?
She'd nothing on her. No purse.
No bank cards. No mobile.
Hence getting a search started.
Could it have been a theft gone wrong?
It's hardly a likely spot
for a mugging, is it?
How long's she been here?
Late afternoon yesterday.
Early evening maybe?
And cause of death?
Tricky. Possibly asphyxiation.
There are petechial haemorrhages
on the inside of the eyelids.
But no strangle marks.
And rain notwithstanding,
the ground doesn't look scuffed
from a struggle.
And on her cheek, is that a slap mark?
Likely, yes. Plus, see here
Bruising. Looks like
she was grabbed by someone hard.
Well, that's a struggle in my book.
Also, on her back.
Looks like a fall injury to me.
All the bruises antemortem, of course.
Well, strangled or not,
she was in a fight.
Any indication of sexual assault?
No, thankfully.
But I can tell you more
once I get her to the lab.
But, at this point,
while I can't definitively say
it's murder
- It's not looking good.
- No.
Well, finding her out here
all on her own told me that, love.
Well, thanks, Paula.
Now, I think we should assume
she's not a regular hiker.
So what's she doing here?
Hm? Is she local?
How'd she get here?
Dropped off by car?
Walked from a train station?
Yeah, was she with anyone?
- Meeting someone?
- MARK: Ma'am.
Have we started that search
along the tracks yet?
- And the door knocks?
- Er, yes.
And I'll check for any CCTV spots
that might help.
Ah, well,
I won't hold my breath on that.
Er, the rail company are hassling
for when they can reopen the line.
Ah, well, that's an easy one, Mark.
- It'll be when I'm done.
- Ma'am.
Now, where's Kenny?
Is he the only one
of us having a lie-in?
Along there.
He's talking to the rambler
who found the dead body.
Oh, right, I'd like to talk to
this rambler myself.
Joe, you stay here,
supervise the search?
RAMBLER: Been getting Niall into hiking.
Planned a dawn walk, you know,
catch the sunrise.
See something beautiful.
Yeah. And where have you come from,
love?
- We live in Fensham.
- Couple of miles north, ma'am.
- I know.
- Walked south.
Aimed to go east over the tracks
and then loop back up.
- But then you saw
- Aye.
I thought she was plastic at first.
A mannequin or something, you know?
Then I realised, and I pulled him back.
- You didn't recognise her?
- Me? No. No.
Now, are you sure, love?
Did you get a good look?
You're not asking us
to look again, are you?
Nah, you're all right, pet.
Now, is there anything else
you can tell us
that might help, love?
No. Nothing.
- OK, pet.
- Oh, hang on.
Erm, I found this
further down the trail.
- How far down the trail?
- About 50 yards?
Sorry. I put it in my pocket,
and then
I realised, and I just remembered.
I mean it could have been dropped
by anyone, right?
Ah, well, better late than never, love.
- Thanks.
- Cheers.
Steph, we need into that
as soon as possible.
This credit card was found
in the cover of the phone.
Name's a Mrs H A Rushden.
- So, is she our deceased?
- Dunno.
Get onto the bank and find her details.
- Right.
- Maybe we should go back
to your rambler again.
I mean, do you really buy that he
just forgot picking up the phone?
Oh, he was rattled.
It's not every day of the week
you find a dead body, Joe.
Ah, but you're right.
Kenny, er, chase up his movements
for yesterday.
And do a background check
while you're at it.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Oh, and, Kenny,
get forensics
to check for any signs of a scuffle
up to 200 yards along the trail.
Will do, ma'am?
- Ma'am.
- You're not into that already, are you?
Not past the face ID and passcode,
but there's medical information here.
So, you can make emergency calls
from a locked screen by pressing here,
But you can also fill in
medical information.
I've done it on mine. Accessed here.
And according to this, the phone
belongs to a Gabi Fischer.
Oh, so not your Mrs Rushden
on the credit card?
No, but there's an emergency contact
down as Helen Rushden.
So might not be the deceased,
but could be next of kin.
Call that number, find an address.
Get uniform over there.
But tell 'em to act dumb
until we arrive.
- Well done, Steph.
- Ma'am.
Are you coming? Before I get blocked in.
Helen Rushden's waiting.
She's very worked up, apparently.
And her adult son's just turned up, too.
Is something wrong?
Well, this, the Rushdens.
You've got Dad, Mam, son and daughter.
But that's not our deceased, is it?
- So maybe she's an in-law?
- WOMAN: What's going on now?
- Who are you?
- Ah, Mrs Rushden.
DCI Vera Stanhope. And this is DS
This is DI Joe Ashworth.
Will someone just please
tell me what's happening?
- Is this about Gabi?
- You know Gabi Fischer?
Yeah, she lives here!
- Is she a family member?
- No.
But she's been living with Mam
the last few months.
Then I think
we better all sit down, love.
Just tell me.
Well, we're here
because we found a mobile phone
with emergency information on it.
Is it Gabi's phone? I
I got her to put all that in
when she got sick.
- Sick?
- Yeah.
She's got cancer.
Now where is she?
Well, I'm afraid
we also found a body, love.
What?
No.
No!
- I'm sorry.
- No
She came into one of my shops.
Five, six months ago?
I own a chain of coffee places
Grounded Out.
- Jonathon runs them with me.
- Oh, aye.
There's one near my station.
Aye, looks lovely.
Mum grew it from just one place
into seven branches.
Well, I was in one,
and Gabi appeared, looking upset.
I've a daughter a similar age. Fiona.
Anyway We-We got talking, and
well, I just liked her straight away.
But she was having money troubles.
Sofa surfing.
She just seemed vulnerable.
So I tried to help her.
Go on, love.
Well, she turned up regularly,
and we became friends.
Then she got back pain.
Was it three months or so ago?
She was getting breathless as well.
I made her get it checked out,
never imagining the diagnosis
would be Hodgkin lymphoma.
So, is that when she moved in here?
Gabi had every chance of recovery
if she was taken care of.
And we had the space.
Jonathon's his own family.
Fiona had gone.
And she was doing really well.
Though the chemo was tough.
Made her tired. And her hair. She was
worried she'd have
to shave it off in the end.
Why didn't she go
to her own family for help?
They'd thrown her out. Abusive.
Emotionally, if not physically.
- When did you last see her?
- Yesterday.
I dropped her to the hospital
for 1:30, then I saw a friend.
I got a message saying
Gabi didn't need picking up.
She needed space of her own sometimes.
Then when she didn't come home at all
And you've no idea,
why she was where we found her?
No. None.
- How about you, Mr Rushden?
- No idea.
I was at my place all day.
I didn't hear from her.
And you don't know anyone
who might have wanted to harm her?
[SHE SCOFFS]
Gabi was the sweetest, warmest
Who would wanna hurt her?
So, we still need to locate
and inform her next of kin.
Aye. Not least to chat about
this "abuse".
Excuse me.
I just wanna let you know there's
a different perspective to me mam's.
- On Gabi?
- Yeah.
Look, Mam gave up a lot for her.
Stepped back from work and everything.
But it drove a wedge
between her and Dad.
A "wedge"? What's that mean?
They're separated.
What? Because of Gabi?
The attention she took. Demanded.
There was no space left for Dad.
- So, he moved out?
- Squeezed out, more like.
Well, thanks, love.
Well, that IS a different perspective.
Nice. This is good work, you know.
Lovely.
She's in good condition.
What's wrong with her?
- Nothing.
- That's not why we're here.
- Tom Rushden?
- Yes.
Ah, DCI Stanhope.
Now, is there somewhere
we can chat, love?
Had you seen Gabi recently?
No.
Please. Sorry, sit down.
Now, your son, Jonathon, suggested
that there was no love lost
between you and her, is that right?
I guess that's fair enough.
You hadn't liked her moving in?
I hadn't liked her and Helen, full stop.
Things happened so quickly.
They'd only just met
and were suddenly best friends.
Then something more.
Like Mummy and daughter.
And, yes, Gabi was vulnerable.
Then sick.
But you can have cancer
and still be a leech.
Oh, is that what you thought
she was, a leech?
Yeah, she fed off Helen. Clung to her.
Gabi moving in
was supposed to be temporary.
- But once she was in
- She wasn't going anywhere.
If anyone was
was me.
You really feel she pushed you out?
Me and Helen planned a night out once.
Our anniversary.
Suddenly,
Gabi had breathing difficulties.
Then a full-blown panic attack.
Helen felt she had to stay.
I went on alone.
Had to get out of there.
Why did your missus take her in
in the first place?
Give her so much?
After Jonathon and Fiona,
we'd wanted another but
couldn't conceive.
Maybe there was always a a gap there.
And Gabi lapped the mothering up.
Told Helen she made her feel safe.
Part of the family.
Ironically, seeing as
she was splitting one up.
So, where were you, love,
yesterday afternoon and evening?
I was in the garage till pretty late.
- Other mechanics with you?
- Well, yes, till 5 PM.
Then I ended the evening back in here.
OK, love. Thanks for your time.
That collection of empties he's got
tells me he's not coping away from home.
Aye, so this interloper's
arrival cost him a lot.
Aye.
Or did he win you over
by being nice about your car?
I want his alibi checked.
Headache?
Nah, I've got a grumbly tooth,
if you must know.
Who is doing background checks
on the Rushdens?
- Mark.
- Well, let's see what that tells us.
Gabi Fischer, early 20s.
Her body was found
near Fensham level crossing
this morning by a rambler.
Now, we don't know
if this is murder yet.
We're still waiting on the results
of the postmortem.
But we are treating her death
as suspicious.
Now, she'd been diagnosed
with Hodgkin lymphoma.
So, Steph, get on to her hospital team
and see if they can tell us
anything more.
Now, where are we
with her last known movements?
Nothing from door-to-door yet, ma'am,
but we're into her phone,
and I've been going through call logs.
Plus, I found a train app,
with an e-ticket for yesterday.
Ah so how'd she pay for that?
She used the credit card
we found inside the phone cover.
And now Mrs Rushden said she gave
her that card for emergencies,
so what was the emergency?
- Where was the ticket to?
- Er, Bewton.
- It's a small town just
- No, I know it.
She'd have had to change trains.
So she could have got off at Bewton
and hiked north.
Then over the level crossing.
Mark, we need the CCTV
from the train and the station.
Let's try and pin her down.
- See if anyone was with her.
- Ma'am.
Now, meanwhile, she'd been staying
under the auspices
of Helen Rushden in Newcastle.
No relation.
So we still need to track down
her legal next of kin.
Mark, I want you on that.
- Anything on the Rushdens, Mark?
- Er, yeah.
There was one thing
on the estranged dad, Tom.
He had a previous conviction
for violent affray.
When was that?
Oh, way back. Er, 1992.
And he got fined for it,
but no prison time.
It was a drunken altercation
that got out of hand.
OK. All the more reason
to check his alibi.
Now, he said he was at the garage
with the other mechanics till five,
- didn't he?
- Aye.
Well, see if you can confirm
his whereabouts.
And what about the sister,
Fiona Rushden?
Has anyone made contact with her?
She's overseas, in Spain, ma'am.
Er, flew out yesterday evening.
Did she now?
Was that before or after
Gabi breathed her last?
Er, well, she was on the 8 PM flight,
but we don't know
what time exactly Gabi died, do we?
Get a message to her, Mark.
We need her back here.
Er, I've one other thing
from Gabi's phone.
The last person she rang
was Helen's son, Jonathon.
- Is that right?
- Just after 4 PM.
There were several missed calls
from him to her, too,
from 5:20 or so.
He told us he hadn't spoken to Gabi
all day.
Aye. He did say that.
Ah, good morning, Mr Rushden.
- Thanks for meeting with us.
- DCI Stanhope.
- This is Freya, my wife.
- Hello, love. Hiya.
- And who's this?
- This is my boy.
- Say hello, Jack.
- Hello.
Jack likes to call by
when we meet branch managers.
Steals a pastry.
Er, DCI Stanhope's here
to talk about Gabi.
That poor girl. It's so awful.
Come on, mister. Park time.
Ah, shall we take this inside.
Cheers.
So how exactly can I help?
Well, you didn't mention Gabi
calling you the day she died.
About 4 PM, love.
Which means, as far as we know,
you were the last person
to have spoken to her.
She called at four?
Couldn't have been important.
No? When your mum was frantic
about her going missing?
Well, we didn't know
she was missing then.
And we weren't worried till later.
Gabi passed on little messages
all the time.
Like what?
I think it might have been something
about this weekend.
Me and Freya coming to Mam's for dinner.
What? She called you about that?
From the middle of the countryside?
I didn't know where she was.
And, I mean, later,
when Mam got worried,
I said I'd try and track Gabi down,
so I phoned her.
Yeah, we know
about those calls as well, love.
Which you also didn't mention.
Hmm. Well, she didn't answer
so I didn't talk to her.
Now, you said you were at home
yesterday.
That's right. Working.
All day?
Yeah, I went for a walk
around the block at lunchtime.
Can anyone confirm where you were?
Hm! Freya. Jack had a nursery day.
She was around
except for drop-off and pick-up.
Hmm
Mark, any news on the train?
Er, yeah, I've got her on the train
CCTV from Newcastle to Bewton.
Er, she's by herself.
Disembarks at 3:32,
and then we lose her.
Er, I also checked to see
if anyone phoned to use
the Fensham level crossing.
- Good thinking.
- And?
Er, yeah, they said there was a call,
sounded like a young woman
at, er, 4:28 PM.
Well, if that was Gabi,
we'd have been right about her journey.
It's about an hour's hike,
north from Bewton.
Over the level crossing.
But where was she heading?
What was she doing there?
Maybe she agreed to meet her attacker?
- They could've walked together.
- Hmm.
- Did anyone else call the signalman?
- No, ma'am.
OK, so, let's work backwards.
See if you can pick her up on CCTV
before she gets on the train
at Newcastle.
- Steph, any more on Gabi's phone?
- Er, not much.
The phone itself was a gift
a few months back
from Helen Rushden.
Gabi mainly called and messaged Helen.
Don't you find that odd, Steph?
A 20-something lass
only calling her substitute mam?
Hasn't she got any mates?
There's a handful of other contacts
to go through.
Yeah, well, make sure you do.
Er, she's no real social media
profile to speak of, either, ma'am.
In this day and age?
Mark, how are you doing
tracing her next of kin?
Er, not great, ma'am.
It's strange, though.
I can't find a birth record
for a Gabi Fischer.
Not one that matches the
birth date that Helen gave us.
You what?
I've tried "Gabrielle", "Gabriella"
So what are we saying?
This Gabi Fischer's an assumed identity?
Now, how does that work?
How does she go anywhere?
Do anything? Buy anything?
Well, it sounds like Helen paid for
most of it.
Hmm.
OK, Mark, get onto missing persons.
Forget her name.
And see if you can match her details
to any unsolved cases.
That's gonna be a lot of people, ma'am.
Yeah, well,
you better get on with it, then.
That was the morgue.
At last! Some solid evidence.
You coming or what?
Vera!
I hear we're not sure what name
to put on the paperwork yet.
- Does that change what she died of?
- I suppose not.
- I mentioned asphyxiation.
- Aye.
- But not from being strangled.
- I was wrong, anyway.
It was a massive thrombotic
occlusion of the basilar artery.
A blood clot?
One that stopped the blood flow
to her brain, yes.
- Caused by what?
- A whiplash-like injury.
There's a microscopic lesion
of the right vertebral artery
on the atlantoaxial joint in the neck.
So I'm guessing, there was a fight,
she was grabbed, shaken
and pushed backwards.
She fell and landed on something,
which bruised her,
and more importantly, jerked
her head back, causing the lesion.
And that maps with the surroundings
where we found her?
Mm-hm. Correct, DI Ashworth.
There's tree stumps
that she more than likely fell on.
OK, thanks, Paula.
Just one last thing to mention.
- The deceased's cancer diagnosis.
- Hodgkin's lymphoma.
I found no evidence for chemo treatment.
No implanted central line,
no marks from a cannula site.
What?
She wasn't receiving treatment?
She was thin
but, I think, through dieting.
And she also had rather heavy
make-up on which made her look pale.
And see here
The hair's been cut at a few points
close to the roots.
So when pulled or brushed,
it would come loose.
As if it was falling out.
I've confirmed with blood results
and a biopsy,
this young woman didn't have cancer.
She'd never had cancer.
- She was faking it?
- Mm.
You had no clue she'd been lying to you?
I took her to the hospital
for treatment.
I can show you doctors' letters.
She put me in touch with
her cancer nurse, for God sakes!
Danni, she was called. Danni Verma.
You never went with her to
an appointment or treatment session?
Well, I offered. She didn't want me
to see that stuff going into her.
There was no diagnosis, love.
No no treatments.
No.
What kind of person lies about that?
- How is she?
- Family Liaison's with her.
This Gabi's room?
Well, it was the daughter's, Fiona's,
but she's been relegated
to the bottom drawer.
And we still know nothing about
this lass who's replaced her.
Well, Fiona's flying back tomorrow,
- so maybe that will give us something.
- Right.
Hey, hold on.
Can you pull that out?
What the hell is that?
And on top of all this,
our Gabi was good at DIY!
What've we got on this lot so far, Mark?
Er, well, first look at the laptop
already shows
forged medical letters
and several faked email accounts.
And her online activity includes
bookmarked pages
about cancer symptoms
and support groups.
And what about the phones
and the SIM cards?
Each SIM has letters written on.
Like "DV" on this one.
And the texts from this card
pretend to be from a Danni Verma.
Ah! Now, she told Helen
Danni Verma was her cancer nurse.
Ah, well, I'll carry on
going through the SIMs.
What about the drugs?
Well, they're still at the lab.
But early testing would suggest that
that bag was full of ketamine.
Toxicology said
there was nothing in her system.
So holding them for someone else, then?
Could've been selling 'em.
I've sent a picture
of Gabi to the hospital.
And?
I was going to follow up in person.
I'll take Kenny with us,
if you can spare us?
[SHE SIGHS] I'll manage!
Even if it's just to check the CCTV.
And see if you can find out
exactly what she did
after Helen left her there
for treatment.
Meanwhile, I have the unenviable task
of informing her next of kin.
Maybe find out who Gabrielle McSwain
really was.
[SHE SOBS AND PANTS]
When did Gabi leave home?
[HE EXHALES SHARPLY]
Er, must be six months ago.
She didn't tell us where she was going.
She never got in touch.
And you didn't look for her?
Report her missing?
Only
she'd suggested that something
had happened here at home.
Hinted at abuse.
Abuse?
Gabi lied. OK?
She lied all the time.
So, when she left
Gabi was our daughter, and we loved her.
But when she went
in some ways, it was a relief.
- Not that she was always
- No, I know.
She was happy when she was younger.
So, what changed?
Her little sister got ill.
Gabi has a sister?
Emma.
She died.
I am so sorry.
Cancer.
She was 16.
And that took
so much attention.
Gabi started to get into trouble
at school.
Continued after she left.
Acting out. She took money from us.
Petty thefts around town.
We tried to help.
We got a referral to
a child psychologist and everything.
There's something else
I need to tell you.
Gabi had been pretending to be ill
with Hodgkin lymphoma.
[HE SIGHS]
What?
No.
No. No.
That's what Emma had.
[DEBBIE WHIMPERS]
I'm sorry. I'm gonna have to ask you.
Where were you both
on Wednesday afternoon?
Debs was on a shift.
The Locks Nursing Home.
And Matthew would've been out
on the water.
I run a potting boat out of the harbour.
OK.
Thanks for your time.
It's much appreciated.
[DEBBIE SOBS]
You do oncology, I'll do CCTV?
Aye. Sounds good to me, sir.
Joe's probably fine, eh, Ken?
Thanks for sparing so much time, Maia.
- I know it can be tedious.
- Yeah, no problem.
So, we know
she was a regular at the cafe,
but do we know who that is,
sat next to her?
Sorry. There's 4,000 employees
at this hospital.
However, white coat does mean
medical staff, though.
- Should narrow it down.
- OK, great.
Can I get all this footage sent over?
- [PHONE BUZZES]
- Sure. Anything you want.
'Scuse me. Boss?
'How did you get on with the family?'
Well, wait for it
She had a younger sister
who died of cancer.
- You're kidding?!
- 'Aye. You couldn't make it up.'
And they painted Gabi
as being involved in all sorts.
Compulsive liar, petty theft.
- 'And the abuse?'
- Denied it. Said she'd lied.
Well, they would do.
Could some kind of trouble
have followed her to Newcastle?
Well, let's do some digging, but then
if her family had already lost
one daughter,
wouldn't they go chasing after
the other one?
No matter how much she'd been acting up?
'You think they're hiding something?'
I'll see you back at the station.
Has she got more abrasive?
The boss, I mean.
Well, er
think it's more like your memories
are rose-tinted, eh?
Look, she's the best.
We all know that. That's fine.
But I'm ambitious. You know,
I want a team of my own one day.
She makes us feel like
I've just been demoted.
[HE CHORTLES]
Join the club, mate.
My advice is, don't take it personally.
Well, perhaps we can jog
your memory, Miss Adeyemi.
Oh, Gabi?
Yeah, I know who you mean now.
She's really dead?
We're afraid so.
But she seemed to be doing so well.
Still in early treatment.
You mean the chemo?
Yeah. Well, did the lymphoma?
Were there complications?
Oh, the cancer didn't kill her.
I mean we'd hardly be here if it had.
We're treating her death as suspicious.
What? What happened to her?
That's what we're trying to find out.
The one thing we did discover
is that Gabi didn't really have cancer.
But
No, we'd talk about her symptoms.
Well, the side effects of her drugs.
Did you help Gabi fabricate
her condition?
Of course not!
So the contact you had with her
was more accidental, then?
- A casual thing?
- Yes.
Look, I'm a bit in shock here
to be honest.
I'm sorry I can't be of more help.
There's nothing else I can tell you.
OK.
Well, thanks for your time, anyway.
Thank you.
- Ma'am.
- What's this? A welcoming committee?
In that case, someone get us a tea.
Ma'am? I've been working through
all of Gabi's pay-as-you-go cards.
- And?
- The SIM that was in her hidden phone
seems different to the others used
for her con.
It isn't labelled with any initials.
But there was frequent calls
to a number called "LC".
So she was making regular calls
to somebody besides Helen?
So who is this LC?
Er, well, bear with us, ma'am,
but I've been tracking Gabi backwards
from when she got on the train.
Er, now she's alone at the station.
But then on the street CCTV outside,
we've caught her arguing with
a young male.
- What?
- Yeah, here's the footage.
And this is who you think
she's been calling?
Why do you think that?
Because I traced
the unknown phone number,
and it's not a pay-as-you-go.
It's a contract
in the name of Lee Critchley.
LC!
Yeah, and he's on the radar
for low-level drug dealing.
Well, that sounds like our lad.
Well done, the pair of you!
Now cancel that tea.
Call Joe, give him that address.
Tell him to meet us there.
BOTH: Ma'am.
[SEAGULLS MEW]
The hospital pharmacist?
Aye, Rosa Adeyemi. She seemed nervy.
Kenny's gonna ask
some discreet questions about her.
You flavour of the month, then,
with Kenny again?
- You what?
- Now you've stopped assessing us.
We'll run a background check on her,
an' all.
Did you ask this Rosa
about the ketamine Gabi had?
Why? You want some for your toothache?
[ASHWORTH KNOCKS ON DOOR]
Hello, love.
- Is Lee Critchley home?
- No.
Oh, it's a shame.
- You family?
- His girlfriend.
Ah, quick chat, then?
Hey, no need to tidy up for us, pet.
We're not searching the place today.
Lee's not answering my messages.
Has something happened?
We're here 'cos of Gabi Fischer.
Also known as Gabi McSwain.
What about her?
Well, she's dead, pet.
Killed three days ago.
What?
And she was seen with Lee
earlier the same day.
Er
Gabi crashed here for a bit
months back.
Lee knew her from where he grew up.
So, she was what? A past girlfriend?
Hey, that wouldn't have been
very nice, love,
having his ex
sleeping in the spare room.
So, what? Did she start cosying up
to your boyfriend again?
Gabi would cosy up to anyone
to get what she wanted.
What does that mean?
She outstayed her welcome.
I wanted her gone.
Then suddenly, she was all over me.
Telling me how amazing I am.
How Lee's lucky to have us.
And then I found text messages from her,
calling me a "stupid bitch".
So you were glad when she left?
Yeah.
But they were still in touch.
I found a text from her last week.
Do you go through his phone
regularly, do you?
I got angry
asked him about it, and
he was raging.
But this was
It was more her he was angry with.
He was angry at Gabi?
Why?
We've got a drug dealer, a pharmacist,
and the deceased,
who was skilled at deception and
had a stash of prescription pills.
The ketamine you think
it's some kind of drug scam?
Steph, get on to the pharmacy manager.
See if they've got any
concerns over drug stock levels.
Ma'am.
And let's invite Miss Rosa Adeyemi
in for a little chat.
So, Rosa, after a brief audit,
the pharmacy manager at the hospital
expressed his concern
over the uptick in the prescription
of certain drugs.
Ketamine. Fentanyl. Morphine.
Someone at the hospital
has been adapting prescriptions,
changing dosages, and filling in
scripts with fake names.
"Ghost patients"
created by someone else.
They'll trace it back to you, Rosa.
So, come on. Tell us how
you really knew Gabi Fischer?
OK. I'll tell you
how I think this scam works.
You give drugs to Gabi Fischer.
She gives them to Lee Critchley,
and he sells them on.
Am I right?
Because fraud is one thing.
But you need to convince us
you weren't part of her murder.
What?!
No!
I only got involved to
To what?
My dad.
He had an accident last year.
I'm sorry to hear that.
He got addicted
to prescription pain meds.
Wanted me to help him get them.
But because I'm a pharmacist,
he thought I could just help myself.
But I told him that I couldn't.
Oh, you just let him suffer?
No, he found himself some dealer.
Lee Critchley.
You need to talk to him.
I never wanted to do anything wrong.
Ah, they all say that, pet!
But now Dad was on a hook.
And when he couldn't afford more,
he told Lee what my job was.
And he put you and Gabi together.
But I had nothing to do with her death.
You have to believe me.
Well, that fraud charge'll stick,
but she's right.
- We need to find Lee Critchley.
- You think he's done a runner?
Er, ma'am? I thought you'd wanna know.
Fiona Rushden's back in the UK.
We've got an address for her.
Right.
- Last Rushden to talk to.
- Aye.
Put out a wider search for Lee Critchley
and let us know as soon
as you've got something.
Sir.
FIONA: I've not spoken to Gabi
in months.
Why? Were you avoiding her?
Oh, no. I'd no issues with her.
What, really? Not even
when she moved in with your mam?
- Into your old room?
- It was between the two of them.
See, some daughters would've
questioned the time and money spent.
Resented it, even.
Mum has pretty firm views
on us kids striving for ourselves.
And I'm doing all right.
Oh, I can see that, pet.
What about Gabi splitting up
your parents' marriage?
Who said she did that?
Jonathon? Dad?
They were struggling
long before Gabi arrived.
Look, what she did was terrible,
deceiving everyone.
But it makes sense, I suppose,
as a way to keep Mam's attention.
Have you been to see your mam
since you flew back?
- No. Why?
- Why?!
Because of what
she's been going through.
Grieving this lass
and then discovering she's been conned.
You're right. I should go see her.
Now, we're sorry
we dragged you back, pet,
- from Spain, was it?
- Yes.
You've been abroad quite a few times
this last year.
Yeah. Work mostly.
And you're with that big law firm.
William and Beck, right?
I did an internship there,
but I'm starting as a trainee now.
Oh, congratulations.
- She's definitely hiding something.
- Of course she is!
I mean, where's she getting
money from if not from her mam? Hmm?
Those clothes and that flat
aren't cheap,
and her only out of uni last year.
I'll get Steph to look into
her finances, the trips abroad.
[PHONE BUZZES]
Mark, what's up?
'Er, Joe, Helen Rushden's reported
an intruder.'
- You what? When?
- 'Now.'
All right, we'll meet you there.
Helen Rushden's just reported
an intruder in her house.
Are you receiving? Please respond.
He could be stealing anything!
- Look, it's under control.
- Right.
- Mrs Rushden?
- STEPH: Do you copy? Please respond.
You've gotta let me in!
- What's happened?
- Well, I
There's a broken pane in the door
and someone going up the stairs.
Intruder's still inside.
He's trapped in a bedroom!
- Is he armed?
- Don't think so.
Mark's in there trying to talk him out.
He's what?!
Vera?! You can't go in there!
Well, you're not actually
in charge here, Joe,
as much as you like to think you are!
It's not safe to do so.
Back garden! We've no officers there!
- Better come down now, Lee.
- I can't! I'm stuck!
- Lee Critchley, ma'am.
- Oh, give me strength.
My trousers are caught!
So, which one of you wants to arrest him
when he's at ground level?
Help! Get me down!
[TROUSERS TEARING]
[VERA CHUCKLES]
Well, breaking into that house
wasn't very smart, was it, Lee?
Not to mention getting stuck.
Were you worried about
what Gabi might have left behind.
Don't know what you're talking about.
Oh! An opportunistic break-in, was it?
Cos it seems more likely
that you were watching the house,
waiting for her to go out,
and you thought you had time.
This what you were after?
Or maybe you were worried about these.
And we know you were in
regular contact with Gabi Fischer.
- Who?
- Oh, Gabi McSwain.
Ah, come on, Lee.
We know she'd been kipping
in your spare room,
and we know about the scam
between you and Gabi
and that pharmacist.
You didn't even have a burner phone
to hide your tracks.
It's a bit of a schoolboy error.
Plus, we have you both on CCTV
at the train station
on the day she died.
So, did you follow her, Lee?
- Did you hurt her?
- No!
- What were you arguing about?
- About her wanting to stop.
Stop what?
She didn't need all that any more
cos she was conning that woman.
- Oh, so you knew she was conning her?
- Yes.
But deep down,
it wasn't about scamming money.
[SHE SCOFFS]
Gabi had this gap.
She wanted to be looked after.
Be adored.
You know about her sister?
Aye.
So, when Gabi left home,
she came looking for you, did she?
When she needed to pay her way,
is that it?
You think I pushed her into all this?
Listen, I was fine.
She's the one that needed cash.
Started suggesting things
like signing up
at different doctor's surgeries.
Oh, so you just helped her, did you?
Well, that's very noble.
Not so noble with Rosa, though,
were you?
Keeping her dad on a hook.
Did Rosa know Gabi was faking cancer?
No.
Gabi found it funny. Rosa bought it.
I think it gave her the idea to pull
the same trick on that woman.
So you lost her to Helen Rushden.
First, she wants to ditch me
after everything.
Then she's accusing me of
ruining things with the family.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- She said I'd told 'em something.
- And had you?
- No.
I thought what she was doing
was stupid, but I never told.
So who was it who blabbed?
Come on, Lee! Someone killed Gabi,
and you're saying
you had nothing to do with it.
Course I didn't! But I don't
You don't what?
She hated the daughter. I know that.
She had a big fight with her.
With Fiona?
We should hold him
and check his movements
after Gabi left Newcastle.
Yeah, right now,
I'm more interested in Fiona.
She told us she's had no contact
with Gabi for months.
Steph, did you check
Fiona Rushden's alibi?
- I've been on her finances.
- Well, check it!
Right, well, there was definitely
recent contact between her and Gabi.
What sort of contact?
An email to Fiona from
one of the accounts Gabi set up.
Go on.
Well, as a message, it's weird.
Just an attachment.
Did Gabi take that?
Looks like it's been cropped
from somewhere. Social media?
Fiona's got several feeds,
but I haven't found a match yet.
- Now, why would she send that?
- Exactly.
Looks like it's supposed to be
a message in itself.
So, tell us about her finances?
Well, Fiona didn't pay
for those overseas trips on her own.
See these payments into her account?
Well, they coincide with the trips,
but there's more than enough
to cover travel and accommodation.
Who's been making these payments?
I'm still tracing the account, ma'am.
Er, ma'am? It's the morgue.
Deborah and Matthew McSwain
have just turned up.
They want to view the body.
[SHE PANTS]
[SHE SOBS]
- Thank you for allowing us
- Ah.
It's good for us to get
a formal identification at last.
- If we hadn't let her go, maybe
- Hey, hey, no.
Look, I'm sorry, love.
You told us that Gabi had been
involved in petty crime.
After her sister got sick, yeah.
Now, it's just that
she has been involved
in illegally obtaining
and distributing drugs.
- Drugs?!
- No!
No, there was
There was nothing like that.
Look, I'm sorry could
could you excuse us?
Imagine having to bury
a second daughter.
Blaming themselves for it, too.
Did you ask them
why they didn't search for her?
Well, they'd already told us,
hadn't they?
She was trouble.
They were glad when she left.
So, I've got this mate.
He's a local cop out in Berwick.
Thought it was worth giving him a call.
Had quite a story as well.
Well, let's hear it!
Yeah, so, Gabi's mam used to help out
with the daughter of a friend.
Pick her up from school.
Gave her tea some nights,
that sort of thing.
Anyway, anonymous call
come into the police
saying that Deborah
was hurting the child.
Yeah, but we checked.
There was no record
of her being charged.
Er, no, ma'am.
Police had to look into it, obviously
- So the case was dismissed?
- Yeah. No evidence at all.
The girl had been playing
in the playground and fell
just before the tip off come in.
She gashed her arm.
Was total accident.
Plenty of witnesses around.
So, hang on, are you saying
this anonymous caller was Gabi?
Well, it was never confirmed,
and she disappeared straight after.
But her parents thought so.
Maliciously accused her own mother
and then scarpered.
No wonder they didn't go
looking for her.
OK. Thanks.
The payments into Fiona's account
came from a Jonah Green.
And who's Jonah Green?
A senior partner at William and Beck.
What? The firm Fiona works for?
The pace too slow for you
now you're back in Newcastle?
I was up late. Sorting stuff out.
What? Unpacking crockery?
Connecting the Wi-Fi?
No.
Although you wouldn't be joking
if you'd just uprooted teenagers
to a new city
and hadn't sorted the Wi-Fi.
Oh.
- This your dad?
- Aye.
We should really move him
to a hospice, but it just feels
Excuse me? Sorry to keep you.
Mr Green has made himself available.
Oh, has he? That's very nice of him.
MUTTERING: She's had a charm bypass.
I helped Fiona get her internship.
I'm pleased she's now a trainee.
Mm. So, why have you been
giving her money, love?
Er well, that's private.
Oh, I wouldn't go poking into
private matters if I didn't have to.
But this is a murder investigation.
And I don't see the connection.
Because she was coy
about her trips abroad,
and now you're hiding
why you were sending her money,
which makes me curious.
Sounds like gossipy nosiness,
not serious evidence gathering.
Sounds like you'd rather come down
to the station to talk.
Ah, come on.
There's no need for that, is there?
We can deal with this nice and easy.
Maybe at Mr Green's home?
[MR GREEN SCOFFS] All right. Look
There's an arrangement
between Fiona and I, OK?
- All above board.
- An "arrangement"?
Made via a website.
This is like getting blood from a stone!
Show us the website, and we're gone.
What is this?
It's a sugaring site.
It's where young women
can advertise themselves
to spend time with richer,
usually older, men.
I see.
And that's the photo Gabi sent.
If she cropped it from that site,
she knew Fiona was sugaring.
Aye, and I wonder
how Fiona felt about that?
I want her brought in
for questioning today!
Men want one thing.
This is quid pro quo
to get what I want.
Oh, aye? And what's that, love?
Some professional advice.
Some money to offset my debts.
Hmm. Plus a few luxury trips?
Everything's agreed.
Everyone is willing.
There's no Me Too here.
- Now, I'm not judging, love.
- Really?
But I'm guessing
none of your colleagues know about this.
Or your mam.
I saw what happened
when my brother asked for money.
Jonathon? What happened?
He crashed and burned.
So, if your mam's money tap is off,
well, it must have been hard
seeing her give Gabi
everything she wanted?
I said I didn't care about Gabi.
You also said you hadn't had
any contact at all.
But that's not true, is it?
Because Gabi sent you that photo.
Cos she found out about your sugaring.
I'd considered going back home, OK?
About a month or so back.
But Gabi was well settled.
Didn't want me ruining it.
So what was the picture? A threat?
"Stay away or I tell."
She wanted my mum to herself.
Well, that must have been terrible.
God, do you wanna hear, "I hated her"?
Well, didn't you?
Even if I did,
it doesn't mean I'd hurt her.
That's what you're supposed
to be finding out. Right?
Steph, how you doing with Fiona's alibi?
Checks out, ma'am. She was at work.
Plenty of witnesses.
Flew to Spain that evening.
Oh, and by the way,
we can also place her dad.
Tom?
Mark spoke to a mechanic in his garage.
They can vouch for him till five,
but they also suggested
he'd more than likely
go to The Griffin for a
few before heading off.
So, he went to the pub
and then the garage?
Yeah, eyewitnesses and CCTV.
OK, Steph.
Carry on with the family's finances.
Now, Fiona said her brother
asked Helen for money.
I wonder what he wanted that for?
- [PHONE BUZZES]
- Speak of the devil.
DI Ashworth.
Sorry, you were with your mother,
and who turned up?
- Mum has asked you to go.
- I didn't mean
- I just wanted
- You need to leave. Now.
Just she used lived here,
my girl, with her.
Yeah. And I wish she hadn't.
I wish I'd never met your daughter.
Wanna know what it was like
looking after her?
- [DOOR KNOCKS]
- I can't tell you!
Cos it was all lies!
Your daughter was nothing but
a manipulative, deceitful
- All right. Let's leave it.
- You produced nothing but a monster!
Get her out of my house!
Come on, pet, it's time to go.
Come on.
I just I just need a minute.
Get her a cup of tea. Sweet one.
All right, I'll go.
- Can you give us a fiver?
- I'll get it.
Matthew's coming.
His boat's in for an overhaul, anyway.
- CASHIER: What can I get you?
- Cup of tea, please.
Did he know you've been to see Helen?
No.
Didn't even wanna come yesterday
to see
Gabi.
He'll be appalled.
Why did you go, love?
That woman was doing something
I should have been.
Looking after her.
Was she right?
About me raising a monster?
Oh, listen love.
Your mam and dad always mess you up
one way or another.
But kids become adults
and take responsibility
for their actions.
You're not to blame for what Gabi did.
You're not.
- Cup of tea for you.
- Thanks.
He's here.
You all right?
Come here.
Hey.
I'm sorry.
OK.
Mr McSwain, can I have a quick word?
Now, just before Gabi left home,
there was an accusation of abuse
levelled at your wife.
- She was exonerated completely.
- We know.
But was that the reason
you never looked for Gabi?
Even being accused
investigated
people heard.
Started looking at her differently.
Still do.
And the shame that that brought
Debs needed time.
- And you?
- I, er
I hoped we could find Gabi one day.
If nothing else, I wanted to try
and understand how she could
Anyway.
Won't happen now, will it?
Steph?
'Helen's company.
I've been looking at the accounts,
'and Jonathon Rushden's been
managing the company recently.'
But I think he's been mismanaging it.
'What do you mean?'
Well, he's been funnelling money
from the coffee shops
into a business in his name.
Provides catering and entertainment.
But it's sinking.
- Is that the boss?
- Yeah.
Hold on, ma'am. Mark wants you.
- Right, go on, Mark?
- 'Ma'am.
'Freya Rushden's left a message
withdrawing her statement.'
You're kidding?
She's now denying Jonathon was home
all day last Wednesday.
Now, why would a wife go and do that
hmm?
Go on, Mark
Now, come on.
What's this all about, love?
You see, by withdrawing your statement,
what you're really saying is
that you lied to us
the first time round.
I'm sorry about that.
Hmm? So why do it?
CHILD: Mammy? Mammy?
Hang on. So, what are you now saying
happened last Wednesday?
Jonathon worked from home.
Then he went out. A bit after four.
- How long was he out for?
- Two or three hours.
He wasn't back till
after Jack's bedtime.
Mammy!
- Look, I have to
- Where did he go?
Ask him!
So, he was doing something,
but you don't want to tell us what?
Why should I tell you his dirty secrets?
He can tell you himself!
- Where is he love?
- He's in The Griffin with his dad.
- I'm done.
- Let's go to the pub.
Liar! How could you!
Hey! Hey, hey, hey!
What's all this about?
He said come by,
then started laying into us!
Because I know the truth!
What "truth"?
He knew Gabi was a fraud all along!
And he didn't tell us!
Not Helen. Not me. No-one!
He doesn't know what he's saying, man.
And you want to know why he kept quiet?
Do you want to know why?
Because he was sleeping with her!
He was sleeping with Gabi?
Thanks, love.
Are you really saying
he knew Gabi was faking cancer?
And he was sleeping with her?
Yes. Freya told me.
How'd she know?
She's his wife.
She was sorry I'd lost mine.
Hold that.
- How's he doing?
- Uniform are gonna see him home.
And what about this one?
- He'll live.
- What's happening?
- Thanks, pet.
- Thanks, ma'am.
- Can I go yet?
- Ah, well, that depends.
And what's your version of all this?
Well, you saw Dad.
He's drunk. He was lashing out.
He said it was your missus
told him about you and Gabi.
Things have been difficult
between me and Freya.
- Money worries.
- Really?
If she's got hold of
some nonsense idea
doesn't make it true.
So, you weren't sleeping with Gabi,
then?
Course not.
Just 'cos if you were,
I mean, you'd want it kept quiet.
You'd want her to keep it quiet.
Are you serious?
Throwing accusations at me when
my dad's the one punching people?!
Why not look at him, eh?
Because he hasn't just lost his alibi
for the day Gabi died, pet.
But we will bear in mind that you think
your own father should be considered
as a murder suspect.
Shall we?
I'll gather anything we've got on her
and run his car plates
from last Wednesday.
Cell site data, too.
I want him and his missus
brought in for questioning
first thing in the morning.
Jonathon's ready, and I've got Freya
in the other interview room.
Anything on her?
No, squeaky clean
and fully co-operative today.
Volunteered access to her phone
and everything.
Right.
Joe, have you got any painkillers?
Have you not booked the dentist yet?
Well, I'm trying to solve a murder here,
in case you hadn't noticed.
There's some in my desk.
Sir?
Any chance I could sit in
if you're interviewing Freya?
It's just I haven't yet with her.
- How long you been here now?
- Four months.
Well, then, it's about time, isn't it?
Sure. Get ready.
What are you doing?
You were so busy chatting,
I thought I'd get 'em myself.
So, Jonathon says
you're upset and confused
and you're angry about money.
No, that's not what's happening.
I know his business is going badly.
He talked about remortgaging
the house, for God's sake.
- So you ARE anxious about money?
- It's totally natural.
Worried about yourself, your son.
Fine. Yeah, OK?
But that's nothing to do with
what I told Tom.
I'm sorting the finances.
It's not serious. Freya just worries.
Well, it's serious enough
to syphon money away
from your mam's business.
Here here here.
How we run our company
is a matter for my ma and me.
Except I'd lay good money
she's no idea about any of this.
Taking money from her shops
to feed a failing side project?
Not her style, love.
And claiming your wife's hysterical
won't wash with me, pet.
So, why don't we have an honest talk
about you and Gabi.
How did you find out that Jonathon
was having an affair?
You really want the cliches?
OK. So, you were suspicious.
So what do you do?
- You follow him?
- Or follow Gabi?
Maybe it spiralled.
The two of you fought.
What? No!
I suspected an affair,
but not with Gabi.
It wasn't until after she was
How he reacted to that.
And how did he react?
He didn't wanna talk about it at all.
Till it finally made sense to me.
Yesterday, I confronted him,
and he denied it, of course.
Said I didn't know
what I was talking about.
Didn't know the first thing about Gabi.
Blurted out about her cancer.
How he'd known that had been a lie.
Well, that must've come as a shock.
It was a distraction.
Have you any proof
of this affair with Gabi?
You need proof, go find it.
I don't.
I know.
You seriously think I'd sleep with
the girl my mam took in?
After I knew Gabi was conning her?
Yeah, sounds ridiculous
when you put it like that.
So you won't be worried
when my forensic team
go through Gabi's clothes
to see if there's any evidence of
a sexual relationship with you?
- What?
- Your clothes, too, love.
Where did Jonathon say he went
the day that Gabi died?
He said he had to speak to someone
about a loan,
but from some kind of shady source.
So he wanted it kept quiet from you lot.
And you agreed?
But now you're worried about
where he really went?
And if he had something to do with
Gabi's death?
I What? No.
Because that's what we're worried about.
You do realise
that we're investigating a murder
and not your husband's fidelity?
It's still a bit
"he said, she said", isn't it?
Er, ma'am? We've got 'em.
ANPR on Jonathon's car
plus corroborating cell site data.
Well done, Mark!
Right, you care to join me, DI Ashworth?
Good work in there.
What's this?
Your car was flagged on
an ANPR camera in Bewton,
17:09 last Wednesday.
That puts you in the area
that Gabi's body was found
on the day that she died.
And calls and GPRS data from your phone
corroborate the location.
So if I were you, love,
I'd start talking, and fast.
[JONATHON SIGHS]
OK.
So, when did you find out
Gabi had been faking her cancer?
About a month ago.
I just asked questions Mam never did.
Like?
Why did she really worm into Mam's life?
Why wasn't she on social media?
Then I looked up her consultants.
Found no record of 'em.
Ah, quite the discovery.
So, why didn't you tell your family?
I had trouble believing it.
Wanted to talk to Gabi first.
Oh, so she threw herself at you,
did she?
Beg you to keep quiet?
Or maybe it was the sex
you were always after?
No. I never
You never what?
[HE SIGHS]
It was the money.
Money?
Mam gave Gabi everything she wanted.
Poor girl, vulnerable background,
and then the cancer diagnosis.
And you needed money for your business.
I'd asked Mam for a loan.
It hadn't gone well.
But if Gabi tried
Yeah, so you used Gabi's secret
to blackmail her into helping you.
You wanna use the word "blackmail"
where she's concerned?
Yeah, but no money was forthcoming,
but you still had the affair.
She wanted it.
Oh, please!
Oh, hold up.
Now, he knew her secret,
but by sleeping with him
the power switched right back
to Gabi, didn't it?
So now you needed her to keep quiet.
Now, she's not here to ask, pet,
so why did you drive to Bewton?
Gabi rang. Asked to be picked up.
She didn't show.
- What was she doing there?
- I don't know.
- She was upset.
- About what?
Something about things being ruined
with the family.
I thought Mam had found out
about the cancer.
So I drove to pick her up.
She didn't show.
You expect us to believe that?
Look I drove to pick her up,
she didn't show.
So I rang her. She didn't answer.
So I drove home.
Alone.
Well, he's lied to us repeatedly,
he's got clear motive,
and we can place him in the area.
- Sounds pretty damning to me.
- Oh, aye, it does.
But he said he didn't know
why she was out there
in the middle of nowhere.
Said she was upset
and thought his mam
had found out the truth.
Now, if he really thought that,
and I'm inclined to believe him,
why would he kill Gabi?
Everyone else is in the clear.
Helen, Fiona, Tom, Lee.
Everyone except Jonathon.
- But that phrase.
- What phrase?
Gabi accused Lee of "ruining it"
with the family.
And we all assumed she meant
that he'd exposed her con
to the Rushdens.
But there's another family in this.
We've been looking at the wrong family.
Hello, love. Quick question.
- Are youse releasing Lee?
- No.
So, what, then?
Well, I just wanted to ask you
if you'd contacted Gabi's parents.
Er, her parents?
- Hmm.
- Er
Now, I can understand why
you'd want Gabi off the scene, pet.
But, personally, I think you can
do better than Lee Critchley,
but the heart wants
what the heart wants,
and you want him, right?
Yeah.
Now, we know you accessed his phone,
read his messages.
Now, was there a number on there
for Gabi's parents?
When Gabi turned up,
it was obvious she was laying low.
Lee said her family
might be looking for her.
So calling the parents would be
a good way to get rid, right?
I thought it was worth a try.
I, erm, took the number Lee had
and called it from my phone.
And what did you tell them?
I just gave them a number
to call Gabi on.
I told them she was in Newcastle
and that she was saying she was sick.
It was a short phone call. He hung up.
He? So it was the father, Matthew?
How come we haven't been able to
trace any calls from the McSwains?
Thanks, pet.
- Steph!
- Ma'am?
This call came in a week ago.
Did you trace it?
Er, yeah, yeah, I did trace it.
It came from some kind of boat yard.
Likely a wrong number.
Because this call is five minutes' long,
so it's no wrong number, love.
And McSwain's missus says
his boat was in for an overhaul.
Find out if they do repairs
and if his boat was in.
- And if it was, when?
- Ma'am.
Right. Let's get up there.
OK. Thanks, Steph. Good work.
What about McSwain's boat?
Well, it went into this place
last Wednesday.
It's only just come out.
So he wasn't out on the sea
the day Gabi died.
Steph spoke to the boat builder.
Matthew asked to use the office phone.
He said his mobile was dead.
Right, you stay here.
Hey.
Oh, me dad always wanted a boat
like this.
- Yeah, not many of them left.
- Nah.
Why are you here?
Er, because I need to ask you about
a lass called Sian Jordan.
She rang you, didn't she?
Told you where Gabi was.
Picked up, she
said it was about my daughter.
And she gave you a number to call Gabi.
And I did eventually.
And you rang from the boat yard
where this was being repaired?
I was worried she might not pick up
if I used my own phone.
And you arranged to meet her.
- Yeah.
- Where?
There's a a path we used to hike
when the kids were younger.
Quiet spot. Well away from Debs.
Deborah didn't know?
Well, after everything
Gabi put her through
I just
I just wanted some honest answers.
You know, especially when
the girl who rang
said that Gabi had been saying
she was sick.
- Did you know that wasn't true?
- No.
That's why I wanted to see her.
What's worse, eh?
A second daughter with cancer or
or a daughter who'd fake
having what killed her sister?
She tried spinning a story at first.
How she was getting back on her feet.
Was sorry for what she'd put us through.
Till I questioned her
about this illness of hers.
And did she admit what she'd been doing?
No.
But she couldn't pretend. Not to me.
She got angry.
Started saying that she was getting
the care and the love
that she'd never got off me and Debs.
Ah, which made you angry?
Course it did.
You know, because we had loved her.
And there she was,
play-acting at the horror
that Emma had gone through.
Polluting it. It was sick.
I sl
I slapped her.
And then she went for me.
Screaming and shouting.
You're a total bastard!
She got everything!
- How dare you!
- Always!
- We did our best!
- I got the leftovers!
And I just
I just grabbed her.
I was I was furious.
I was shaking.
I was shouting at her, and then
Stupid! Stupid little girl!
'And I pushed her,
and she fell over, and'
I didn't even help her up.
But she got up.
Yeah, course she did.
Her fight had gone, but, erm
She was still screaming at me,
telling me that
that she wanted me to go.
Get away!
Get away from me!
I never want to see you again!
So, I did.
I went.
'I said'
Fine.
But that's it.
Hear me, Gabi? That is it.
We have no daughter. You're dead to us.
You should have told us
all this before, love.
Well, Debs couldn't know
that I'd seen Gabi.
That I'd had that chance
and then that's how it ended.
And what difference
would it make anyway, eh?
When
When I left her just for someone to f
Except there was no-one else, love.
- Eh?
- It was you.
You shouldn't have left her
in that state.
[GABI GROANS]
What was me?
When you pushed her
the fall caused a clot here.
And that stopped blood
getting to her brain.
No.
I'm sorry, love.
No!
[HE WHIMPERS]
[HE SHOUTS]
[HE SOBS]
Well, you look better
than when I last saw you.
Ah, you know.
Just taking it one day at a time.
- You need something?
- Aye, me motor needs a service.
And the MOT is due.
Well, I want it in safe hands, love.
- Can you manage it?
- Of course.
- You can leave her here now.
- Mm.
And a day at a time's good, love.
But I think your missus
might need you now more than ever.
I think you might be able to salvage
something from all this mess.
You think about it.
You're unbelievable.
Sorting your car before your tooth.
Oh, priorities, Joe.
Anyway
guess where you're dropping me next?
Howay, the meter's running.
Everything go OK?
Thanks for waiting, Joe,
much appreciated (!)
- Can't have been that bad?
- MUFFLED: Injection
Oh, you're still numb?
Well, a quiet day
for the rest of us, then.
[KNOCK AT WINDOW]
I'm so sorry
what she put you through.
No.
I can't say you've been
any worse a mother than me.
Thank you.