Line of Duty Page #4

“No, sir.” I’ll have to give him a

new partner and I expect he’ll

wonder why.

Remotely, about to get in his car, Steve studies their body

language. He watches Kate going to her car and Hastings

looking troubled. That troubles Steve.

CUT TO:

131 OMITTED

132 OMITTED

133 OMITTED

134 OMITTED

(CONTINUED)

Line of Duty #2.1 cherry revisions 25.6.13 22.

134 CONTINUED:

135 INT. AC-12. HASTINGS’ OFFICE. LATER THAT DAY.

A young woman waits nervously: DET CON GEORGIA TROTMAN (20s).

She peers out and sees Steve and Kate converge at the coffee

machine.

CUT TO:

136 INT. AC-12. OPEN-PLAN OFFICE. CONTINUOUS.

Steve and Kate talk quietly.

KATE:

She was a mate. Doesn’t feel right.

That’s all it is.

STEVE:

I’m sorry. Were you close?

KATE:

At Ryton, yeah. Not so much after.

She’s uneasy discussing the relationship. She deflects.

KATE:

You’ve lucked out with the new

girl.

STEVE:

Remind me:
who are you again?

(CONTINUED)

Line of Duty #2.1 cherry revisions 25.6.13 23.

136 CONTINUED:

KATE:

(Laughs.)

Cheeky bastard!

CUT TO:

137 INT. AC-12. HASTINGS’ OFFICE. CONTINUOUS.

Georgia sees Steve and Kate laughing and separating and it

only makes her more anxious. Enter Hastings.

HASTINGS:

Sorry to keep you.

GEORGIA:

No problem, sir.

Enter Steve.

HASTINGS:

DC Georgina Trotman [sic], meet DS

Steve Arnott. Steve, meet your new

partner. Georgina’s [sic] just been

recruited from Serious Crime. She’s

made a specialisation out of Armed

Robbery. Feels like a good fit for

the 4th Street Ambush.

GEORGIA:

Actually, sir, it’s Georgia.

HASTINGS:

Georgia. Sorry.

GEORGIA:

(Puts out hand to Steve.)

Pleased to meet you.

STEVE:

(Shakes hands.)

Likewise.

HASTINGS:

Steve’s what you might call a

rising star in Anticorruption. One

of my top men.

GEORGIA:

Great.

(CONTINUED)

Line of Duty #2.1 cherry revisions 25.6.13 24.

137 CONTINUED:

HASTINGS:

I’ve been given our operational

parameters. These come directly

from the Deputy Chief Constable’s

office. Witness Protection’s off

limits.

STEVE:

For Chrissake.

HASTINGS:

Major Violent Crime are going after

the gunmen.

Steve blows a heavy sigh.

HASTINGS:

AC-12’s brief is to investigate the

suspicion that information leakage

by a police officer was part of the

set-up for the ambush.

STEVE:

Sir -

HASTINGS:

Steve. I get it. This is how Dryden

wants it. We get the 4th Street

officers.

STEVE:

Only one’s still alive.

HASTINGS:

So you start with Denton.

GEORGIA:

Very good, sir.

HASTINGS:

Thanks, you two.

Hastings throws open the door and Georgia heads out. Steve

stays put and shuts the door. Georgia looks back and shows

anxiety.

STEVE:

She up to it?

HASTINGS:

Get you, the Big I Am.

(Off Steve’s level gaze.)

I think so.

(CONTINUED)

Line of Duty #2.1 cherry revisions 25.6.13 25.

137 CONTINUED:
(2)

STEVE:

This investigation, sir -

HASTINGS:

(Opening door sharply.)

That’s the spirit.

Steve exits, absorbing Hastings’ sarcasm. Hastings doesn’t

look happy about the situation either.

CUT TO:

138 INT. AC-12. OPEN-PLAN OFFICE. CONTINUOUS.

Georgia has watched the scene. Steve comes out of Hastings’

office. He blows a sigh and goes to his desk. She gives it a

tense beat, then follows.

CUT TO:

138A EXT./INT. 4TH ST STATION. NEXT DAY.

Lindsay enters the front entrance that stands on a main

thoroughfare facing a Fire Station. She wears the neck

collar. She goes up the stone steps.

CUT TO:

138B INT. 4TH ST STATION. SQUAD ROOM/LINDSAY’S OFFICE. CONTINUOUS.

This is a precinct in mourning. The station has temporarily

become a shrine to the fallen officers -- their pictures on a

board, in uniform and also off duty, with mates and with

their families, plus flowers, messages of condolences, a

collection box marked for the families. An officer stuffs a

tenner in the box and moves on, another signs a book of

condolence.

Lindsay slips in, keeping her eyes down despite the neck

collar, trying not to be noticed.

O’Neill spots her, nudging a mate, and soon all eyes start

peering at her.

Feeling their eyes on her, Lindsay looks very awkward; she

darts towards her office. O’Neill catches up with her.

O’NEILL

How you faring, ma’am?

(CONTINUED)

Line of Duty #2.1 cherry revisions 25.6.13 26.

138B CONTINUED:

LINDSAY:

Okay. Thanks.

O’NEILL

Anything I can do, don’t hesitate.

LINDSAY:

Cheers, Sarge.

Lindsay goes into her office.

She hangs her coat. She goes round to her desk and turns on

her computer. Enter Mallick.

MALLICK:

Welcome back, Lindsay.

LINDSAY:

Sir.

MALLICK:

You’ve been through a lot. Take it

steady.

LINDSAY:

Thanks.

Exit Mallick.

Lindsay shuts the door. She sees people staring in at her.

She can’t bear it.

Her gaze shifts to the “shrine” to Wallis and Butler. She

can’t contain her guilt. She exits sharply.

Concerned looks follow Lindsay out of the squad room.

CUT TO:

138C INT. 4TH ST STATION. TOILETS. CONTINUOUS.

Lindsay lets herself into a cubicle. She drops the lid and

sits. She weeps uncontrollably.

She hears the outer door open and close. She hears footsteps.

Lindsay tenses.

She hears the shuffling of footsteps, glimpses movement under

the cubicle door.

(CONTINUED)

Line of Duty #2.1 cherry revisions 25.6.13 27.

138C CONTINUED:

LINDSAY:

This one’s taken.

Someone tries the cubicle door.

LINDSAY:

I said, “This one’s taken.”

The cubicle door smashes open. Lindsay cries out. O’Neill

puts his hand over her mouth and manhandles her off the

toilet seat.

Other officers from the squad room watch glassy-eyed -- a mix

of men and women, with Mallick at the back.

O’Neill shoves Lindsay’s head into the toilet bowl.

O’NEILL

No firearms, no back-up. Should be

you we’re burying, you stupid

b*tch.

Lindsay tries to resist but O’Neill shoves her head deep into

the bowl, then flushes.

The others watch intently.

O’Neill releases Lindsay and she pulls her head out, choking

and spluttering.

An instant later, all the others have gone, leaving Lindsay

sobbing pathetically on the floor of the cubicle.

CUT TO:

139 OMITTED

140 INT. CITY CATHEDRAL. NEXT DAY.

Lindsay takes a pew among 4th Street officers, including

Mallick and O’Neill. She looks low and mournful. She still

wears the cervical collar.

Around her rows of police officers and civilians fill the

pews.

Steve, Georgia and Hastings are there to pay their respects,

with Kate sitting apart.

On one side of the front row sit police top brass, including

THE CHIEF CONSTABLE and Dryden.

(CONTINUED)

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140 CONTINUED:

On the other side of the front row sit the chief mourners:

Wallis’S WIFE & KIDS, BUTLER’S WIFE & KIDS, and RICHARD AKERS

(early 30s, recent ex-copper).

Funereal music starts. Everyone stands. Pall-bearers in

police uniform convey three coffins up the central aisle.

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